Cul de Sac by Richard Thompson for August 18, 2021

Banquo, but common mistake

I don’t think there were banjos in 17th-century England.

Maybe they’re doing Deliverance.

A BANJO! That’s just what Macbeth has always needed …

Love the first panel, and all the blank stares that children do so well.

Timmy is Miss. Bliss’s main man and fiancé.

Love the slightly wider first panel to get in the disinterest of the children

Fight choreographer? This isn’t going to end well.

Miss Bliss has yet to learn that “you can’t tame a banjo man”

wait a minute… fight choreographer???

Grand Ol’ Opry presents: MacBeth

Yes there’s the witches doing the famous banjo duet.

Apparently, you can’t tie down an air conditioner or a water fountain, either…

Heh. Say what you will about Kevin but his expression suggests he knows what the future holds.

They say a couple starts to look like one another after being together a long period of time (sidenote: is that my wife I hear crying?) It appears Timmy and Miss Bliss’ convergence starts at the hairstyle.

Note (if anyone needs it): Madeline’s suggestion is based on Macbeth‘s reputation as a cursed play (perhaps because Shakespeare revealed some actual occult secrets in the Wyrd Sisters (witches) scenes). There is a long list of verified misfortunes (including occasional catastrophes) that have occurred during stagings of the play. Actors are a cowardly, superstitious lot, and supposedly it is bad luck simply to say the word “Macbeth” inside a theater except as spoken in the dialogue (you can’t put on a production of Macbeth without saying “Macbeth”). Hence, when speaking about the play, it is traditional to refer to it as “the Scottish play.” (Again, strictly speaking this only applies inside a theater, so Madeline is in no danger.)

On the subject of “real magic” in Macbeth, in 2007 (or so) the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC staged a production of Macbeth co-directed (with Aaron Posner) by Teller, of Penn & Teller. Emphasizing the “supernatural horror” aspect of the play, sophisticated stage-magic effects were incorporated into the performance (along with lots and lots of fake blood): When Macbeth sees a dagger floating magically in front of him, so does the audience; when a ghost appears and disappears, that’s what you see. Why bring this up? Amy Thompson, Richard Thompson’s wife (widow), was and is a docent and teaching artist at the Folger Shakespeare Library.

Timmy looks like a regular pothead..

A banjo in “Macbeth”? Perhaps.

Don’t forget the vacant chair at the big dinner, saved for the Banjo that diddn’t appear.

Macbeth with a banjo would explain a lot. Everyone knows you can’t tie down a banjo man.

Timmy Fretwork, the ill-fated “Macbeth” of Blisshaven, has apparently already racked up a string of memorable misfortunes.

With Alice we ask, "Was there a banjo in it [the Scottish Play]?

i was approached in college to join the drama club and appear in a play, yes ‘macbeth’ when asked which role i would like to appear in— Harpo Marx was my reply….

Lol,that’s an pretty Deep joke there. Not many comics would reference Shakespeare. That’s why I always loved Richard Thompson’s comics

During the summer Miss Bliss and Timmy become hippies.

I just love Mom’s take on this! I know it went right over Alice’s head but I still love it!