A modern audience has much in common with a Jacobean audience. We all want, or wanted, I suppose, to watch an interesting story that can hold our interest for a few hours and maybe inspire a few laughs or a little philosophical reflection if we want. For a play to do this, it is important that it feels relevant to us as a viewer. One could say that belief in the supernatural has gone out of fashion. Although many still argue that there might be "more things in heaven and earth" than we can easily observe in our universe - whether literal ghosts or simple denial to pronounce the name of a play when we are at the theater – modern popular belief follows a clear trend towards science rather than magic. It is true that this trend dates back to the Renaissance and beyond, but while the idea that leprechauns might be responsible for the spoilage of milk began to fade, the notion of witches and witchcraft remained firmly and darkly rooted in the minds of all social classes; even King James I was known for his fear of witches, a subject he wrote a book about, and during his reign witch hunts spread across the British Isles, throughout Europe and beyond. seas to America. These contemporary thoughts had a clear influence on Shakespeare's depiction of witches in Macbeth. In earlier versions of the Macbeth story, they were called "nymphs" or "fairies", two ideas with very different connotations from the witch-like creatures of the play. Fairies may have been good enough for a comedy like A Midsummer Night's Dream, causing trouble and dancing, but to pull off a story as deep as Macbeth's, Shakespeare needed something dark, concrete and topical for maximum dramatic impact. While, for most, the idea of ​​witchcraft today... middle of paper... The limp arm and the noose become representations of real events and emotions that serve to draw you into the story. At the opposite end of the spectrum are productions that leave behind any trace of realism. One of my favorite depictions of witches comes from a 2008 show directed by Teller, who uses stage magic techniques to create a world of blood, violence, and magic that feels more like a dream (or a nightmare) than anything found in reality. Inhuman and primitive creatures, they deliver their opening lines to the pounding of a drum while Macbeth massacres his enemies in front of you. A dying person can be seen kissing in a way that looks like taking their life away. These aren't creepy old women that make you squirm in your seat, they're powerful, demonic, nightmarish visions that force you out of reality and into this bloody fantasy world..