Mapping Power, Tension, and Isolation
Examiners expect you to use the term proxemics (the physical distance between actors on stage). You must explain how moving characters closer together creates unbearable tension, or how moving them far apart demonstrates isolation and broken relationships. In Macbeth, the distance between Macbeth and his wife is the clearest visual indicator of their tragic downfall.
The Witches are clumped tightly together Downstage Center, moving as a single, grotesque entity. Macbeth and Banquo enter Upstage. The vast proxemic distance immediately establishes the Witches as 'other' and unnatural, standing between the noble soldiers and the audience, intercepting their fate.
Use these pre-structured sentences in your exam to instantly hit the top marking bands for directing and proxemics.
| Directorial Choice (What) | Impact Justification (Why) | Key Terminology |
|---|---|---|
| I would direct Lady Macbeth to invade Macbeth’s personal space, forcing him against the wall while gripping his face. | This intensely close, aggressive proxemic choice visually communicates her total dominance over him, subverting traditional Jacobean gender roles to shock the audience. | Proxemics Invasion Dominance Gender Subversion |