Today's call-sheet for day 16 of Macbeth lists two horses and two dogs, plus our boy actor playing Fleance, as well as the usual cast and crew. The animals are for what we designate as the hunt scene, which envisages Macbeth and Lady Macbeth returning to the castle just as Banquo and Fleance are leaving. Accompanying the king and queen is their entourage plus a lot of the game from last week's kitchen scene, which is just beginning to turn whiffy. And yet again, we are graced with beautiful weather -- a gorgeous blue sky, raking winter sun and a temperature that's not as chilly as last night in the rose corridor.

Just after 8, Patrick Stewart and Kate Fleetwood meet their mounts and have a first session with them away from the cameras. Patrick has ridden a good deal, including for several films, but Kate admits that despite being brought up on a farm she's never even sat on a horse before. But she's game for anything, and once she's in the saddle you'd never tell.

I'm no animal lover (more on this anon) but I can see that these horses are beautiful beasts. The black one is George, and he was recently Russell Crowe's favourite for the yet-to-released Nottingham. Like the rest of us, they wait patiently while the scene is blocked out and the cameras are readied. Then they are led into position and our two leads mount them confidently.

Rupert has set this in a lovely late-nineteenth century courtyard, one end of which opens onto a long verdant drive -- down which Banquo and Fleance will walk into the distance as Patrick plots their murder. I'm not sure that we planned it this way but one of the great things about the yard is that  at this time of the year it is shielded from the sun. So we can shoot throughout the morning and not worry about shifting shadows or, if there were to be any clouds, about the direct light coming and going.

There are two treats in store for me, the first of which is participation in what's familiarly known as 'locking-up'. This is the essential process by which paths and roadways are guarded to ensure that cars and people do not accidentally walk into the back of a shot while the camera is turning. It is co-ordinated by the first assistant director and a network of radios, and as we have a lot of roads and not enough people, both Seb and I are dragooned into helping.

Holding a chunky shortwave receiver imparts a remarkable degree of authority, and there are worse things to do than standing in the sunshine in a glorious landscape flagging down just the occasional car. I do, however, have to request both a distinguished member of the British aristocracy and a representative of the Royal Mail to wait while we finish a take.

The scene goes well, the horses behave and Patrick demonstrates his prowess by walking his horse around the courtyard on cue. Following which there's my second role for the morning: man-threatened-by-dog. Two fine-looking German Shepherd dogs have been part of the hunting ensemble, and Rupert decides to add a moment to the 'Stasi montage' which is a simple shot of some kind of anti-Macbeth dissident cowering from a fearsome hound.

This role, gentle reader, is regarded as just perfect for your humble scribe, so I am sent off to the wardrobe truck to find a bulky coat, boots and a fur hat. When my moment of terror comes, the only (and frankly slightly inadequate) directorial assistance I receive is, 'Look more frightened'. Given that I dislike almost all dogs (just ask my disapproving children!), and that I'm afraid of nearly every one, no matter how placid or petite, I thought that what I was offering was pretty convincing. Especially since one of the dog handlers asked me if I had any anti-dog bite padding, and when I admitted that I didn't, her concerned look seemed to speak volumes.

The quick-witted and quicker-fingered Hywel John, better known for playing our Bloody Sergeant and First Murderer than for his action photography, managed to immortalise this scene -- and thanks to his generosity I reproduce a frame above. (No Photoshop was used in this image.) Despite appreciative applause at the close from the watching crew and cast (for which, much thanks), I'm not at all sure that my cowering and cringing passed the Goold quality threshhold. As of this evening I'm gloomy about the scene's prospects of making the final cut. More on this during post-production...

We break almost exactly at 1pm for lunch -- steak and ale pie; apple and mincemeat tart with custard, plus some other far less exciting options with fish and stuff. In the afternoon we are back inside, mostly for the scene in which Duncan appoints his son Malcolm as Prince of Cumberland, much to Macbeth's private distress. For this we have been granted access to a special room at the location, where we need to be even more careful about the fixtures and fittings. Fortunately we seem to get out of it without scratching or breaking anything, and certainly without putting a foot through a priceless painting.

By the end of the day there's just Friday and Saturday to go, but first there's the third and final quiz night -- with questions set by Tim Treloar. Bring it on!

Update: Unbelievably our team didn't win the quiz. Indeed, our team came... last! Honour prevents me from naming and shaming my colleagues. But at least Rupert's team didn't do much better.

Related posts: 'What a sigh is there' 9 December / 'Near Birnam wood...' 8 December / 'Turn, hell-hound, turn' 7 December / 'Confusion now hath made his masterpiece' 5 December / ''twere well it were done quickly' 4 December / 'For thy good caution, thanks' 3 December / 'See, see, our honour'd hostess' 2 December / 'What, in our house?' 1 December / 'What bloody man is that?' 30 November / 'This castle hath a pleasant seat' 29 November / 'Be bloody, bold and resolute' 26 November / 'There are two lodg'd together' 25 November / 'Our point of second meeting' 24 November / 'What, sir, not yet at rest?' 23 November / 'I pull in resolution, and begin' 22 November