For Greenwich High School's production of Macbeth, Ross Doyle, in order to get closer to leading lady Vanessa, has auditioned, unexpectedly successfully, for the role of Macduff. He approaches Vanessa's table, and asks if she has any acting tips. She shares her approach of total immersion in the role, such as when her character, Lady Macbeth, sees on her hand a phantom drop of blood. Onto Vanessa's outstretched palm falls a blob of red tomato sauce. Jesse, who’s playing Macbeth, sits down by her. Director Kim follows him down, and orders them all back to the theatre.
Alone in the theatre, Ross whistles. The mounted stage light flickers. He pushes the trolley, and resumes whistling. Wardrobe Mistress Hermione St Clair arrives, and tells him not to whistle in the theatre - it's bad luck. She hands him a pile of fabrics. She notes the theatre to be haunted. Vanessa arrives, and introduces her role of Lady Macbeth - once played by Hermione. Warned against speaking the name of the Scottish Play, Ross carries on.
Back on the empty stage, Ross looks in a mirror, and whistles. In response, the distant lights flicker. He suddenly hears a bubbling from the nearby prop cauldron, which is filled with thick, bubbling green liquid. With a distant sound of bagpipes, his reflection in the potion twists into that of a grown man, dressed in armour and crown. From beneath the sinister brew, a gauntlet-clad hand splashes forth to grab Ross’s throat. As he falls to the floor, Vanessa and Hermione run to the scene. Vanessa looks in the cauldron, but it holds only a dry gauntlet prop.
Vanessa shortly puts his antics down to an attempt to drop out of the play, and storms off.He follows her, nervously stresses his sincerity, and confesses having auditioned to be close to her, She kisses him on the cheek, and tells him to relax, and leaves through a side door.
To Ross's right, by the seats, a greenish glow shimmers in the air. It encompasses a transparent figure: a crowned, chain mail-clad, dagger-clutching, theatrical Macbeth. The apparition drifts nearer, and acquires legs. Behind Ross, the door slams shut. It challenges his readiness for the final battle, and fades from view.
Next day, in the cafe, Ross approaches Kim and Vanessa’s table, and fearfully claims that due to schoolwork, he must quit the play. Vanessa stands, and coolly surmises fear to be Ross’s real motive for quitting. Ross heavily concedes.
In the theatre, Ross looks for Hermione, and finds only stage dresser Gwen, who claims no one named Hermione to work here. She brightly tells him of resident spirit Adrian. In mid-performance as the lead in the Scottish Play, he fatally succumbed to illness. On a promotional poster, Ross sees the role of Lady Macbeth to be accredited to one Hermione St Claire - who's been dead for over twenty years.
From the stalls, Kim addresses the cast, assembled onstage in full costume, as they prepare to rehearse. Ross approaches Kim, asks if it's too late to return to the play, and is warmly welcomed. Rehearsal proceeds.
Onstage, Vanessa reassures a jumpy Ross. Backstage, while Gwen bustles, Macbeth’s chain mail instantaneously shifts to accommodate an occupant. Jesse, in his own Macbeth costume, is approached from behind by a figure who backs him into a cupboard. Finally, Ross, in full costume, prepares to confront Jesse’s Macbeth. Jesse is nowhere in sight - he's trapped in a cupboard backstage.
In full Macbeth costume, a figure walks onstage. It’s not Jesse. In fear, Ross drops his sword. From the wings, Hermione softly calls - Adrian has waited for so long to complete his performance. In the stalls, several cast members, with Vanessa upfront, settle into place around Kim, transfixed.
With new resolve, Ross picks up his sword, and delivers his dialogue. The two swing their swords, which clash and clang in combat.Finally, Ross enacts plunging his sword into the villain. Adrian/Macbeth falls into a dying slump. Moved to sobs, Hermione watches. The lights dim, and return. Director and cast rise in a standing ovation. Adrian gives a small bow. From the wings, Hermione runs onstage, and the two ghosts join in a revolving embrace. As they turn, they are seen to have instantaneously reverted to youth, with Hermione now in full Lady Macbeth costume. Arm in arm, the two give a more ceremonial bow. Adrian turns to Ross, and gives his co-star a smaller bow. As the two ghosts kiss, an ethereal mist rises around them. When it falls, they’re nowhere to be seen.
Tucker tries to settle a bill for the refreshments - but is left in the lurch.
This episode provides examples of:
- Big Damn Heroes: On having regretfully quit the play due to fear of the wrath of a ghost, Adrian, to the joy of all, returns.
- Dead All Along: Hermione St Clair occasionally continues her job as wardrobe mistress, despite having died twenty years previously.
- Defrosting Ice Queen: Downplayed; while Vanessa is initially impatient with what she (mistakenly) believes to be a distasteful prank on Ross’s part, when he shyly confesses his affection for her, and returns to the play, she keenly warms to him.
- Friendly Ghost: Hermione and Adrian just want to finish their dual performance. On doing so, Adrian gives Ross a cordial bow.
- Love Makes You Crazy: Against his better judgement, Ross, with no previous tendency to acting, auditions for a play in order to get closer to Vanessa.
- Monochrome Apparition: Adrian’s ghost appears in a green glow.
- Perilous Play: Averted. While Adrian’s ghost alarmingly seems to embody the persona of the murderous king, he means no harm.
- Regional Riff: An eerie bagpipe leitmotif, as befits the Scottish Play.
- The Scottish Trope: When Ross utters the play’s name, a shocked Hermione has him turn around three times and re-enter the room.
- Unfinished Business: In mid-performance, Adrian literally died onstage. Megan also discusses the concept in the intro.
- Your Mind Makes It Real: Such play-hinted phenomena as a floating dagger and bubbling witch's brew seem, by some spectral means, to have actualised.
