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Cathy MacDonald finds the Gaelic roots of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and explores the landscape where the real history happened. Cathy discovers that the real King Macbeth was very different to Shakespeare’s cruel villain.

Cathy visits the Birnam Oak – all that remains of the forest where Macbeth’s enemy cut branches to conceal their advance. And she stands atop Dunsinnan Hill where Shakespeare’s Macbeth famously meets his end, and Lumphanan in Aberdeenshire where the real King Macbeth died.

Historians tell Cathy about King MacBeth and Queen Gruoch and also about what influence Shakespeare’s patron, King James VI and I, had on the play.

Macbeth was brought back to life on stage – in Gaelic! – by actors David Walker and Catriona Lexy Campbell. Catriona reveals what it was like to play the role of the infamous Lady Macbeth and Ian Macdonald explains how he went about translating Shakespeare’s words.

‘San Sàr-Sgeòil seo tha Cathy Dhòmhnallach a’lorg freumh Ghaidhealach na deilbh-cluich MacBeatha aig Shakespeare, is a’tadhal na sgìrean dham buin an eachdraidh cheart. Tha i a’lorg an rìgh mar a bha e – duine fada bhon chrochaire olc aig Shakespeare.

Tha i a’dol gu Darach Bhiornaim – na th’air fhàgail dhen choille far an robh a nàimhdean, mas fhìor, gam falach fhèin le geugan. Thèid i gu mullach Dhùnsinein far a bheil MacBeatha ga chur gu bàs san dealbh-chluich, is a’tadhal air Lann Fhìonain, far an do chaill e a bheatha ann an 1057.

Tha Cathy a’còmhradh ri eòlaichean eachdraidh mu bheatha an rìgh – agus mun bhuaidh a bh’aig an Rìgh Seumas air Shakespeare.
Nochd MacBeatha air an àrd-ùrlar anns a’ Gàidhlig: innsidh an cleasaiche Catriona Lexy Chaimbeul ciamar a bha e a bhi an riochd na Bànrigh Gruoch – agus mìnichidh Iain Dòmhnallach mar a dh’eadar-theangaich e briathran Shakespeare.

In Gaelic with English subtitles