Macbeth by Shakespeare opens with the stage direction "Thunder and lightning. Enter three Witches." What does this give the audience before anyone speaks?

In Macbeth, "Thunder and lightning. Enter three Witches." is printed in italics and belongs to no character. Who carries out this instruction in performance?

In Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 3, the direction "Drum within" comes just before a witch says "A drum, a drum! Macbeth doth come." What does the offstage drum do here?

Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 6 begins: "Hautboys and torches. Enter King Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Banquo, Lennox, Macduff, Ross, Angus, and Attendants." What do the hautboys add?

In Macbeth, Act 4, Scene 1, the direction reads "Cauldron sinks. Hautboys." and a show of eight kings then crosses the stage. What does the music do at that moment?

In Macbeth, Act 3, Scene 4, a stage direction has the Ghost of Banquo enter and sit in Macbeth's place at the banquet. What does this staging show the audience?

In Macbeth, Act 3, Scene 4, Macbeth tells the ghost: "Thou canst not say I did it: never shake thy gory locks at me." What does the line reveal to the guests?

In Macbeth, Act 3, Scene 4, Lady Macbeth tells the guests: "Stand not upon the order of your going, but go at once." What does the line do to the situation on stage?

In Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 1: "Enter Lady Macbeth with a taper." A gentlewoman says "she has light by her continually." What does the one small candle show the audience?

In Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 1, Lady Macbeth says while asleep: "Out, damned spot, out, I say!" What does the line tell the audience that her waking speech never does?

In Macbeth, Act 2, the direction "Knock within" sounds again and again after Duncan is killed. Which of the three elements does this repeated knocking belong to?

A company staging Macbeth hangs banners on the castle walls when Macbeth says "Hang out our banners on the outward walls." Which element are the banners themselves?

In Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 7, Macbeth tells his wife "We will proceed no further in this business." Which of the three elements carries this turn in the scene?

In Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 5, Lady Macbeth tells her husband: "look like th' innocent flower, but be the serpent under 't." What does this line ask Macbeth to do on stage?

In Macbeth, Act 4, Scene 1, thunder sounds and the First Apparition rises as an armed head. What does this staging add to the warning the apparition then speaks?

In Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 4, Malcolm orders: "Let every soldier hew him down a bough and bear 't before him." What will the audience then see moving across the stage?

In Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5, the direction "A cry within of women" is heard and Macbeth asks what the noise is. What does the offstage cry do before anyone explains it?

In Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5, Macbeth asks "Wherefore was that cry?" and Seyton answers: "The Queen, my lord, is dead." What does this short answer do in performance?

In Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 6, the soldiers march on stage carrying cut boughs. These boughs belong to the element of music.

In Macbeth, Act 2, Scene 1, Macbeth says "Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand?" If no dagger is shown, what makes the audience picture one?