Evaluation

Evaluation

I felt like these performances went very well. We were able to bounce off the energy of the large audience and the special effects such as sound, lighting and the set allowed us to visualise the world we were living in. At the 4:30 performance, the majority of the audience was our peers which created a relaxed atmosphere due to their positive reactions to the play and we were able to bounce off their laughs which made us feel as if we were doing a very good performance. However we couldn’t rely on this as a truthful reception as they were our peers and most likely saw us as ourselves not as actors or characters. This meant that we lost the truth and honesty being our performances as we played up to the audience and some actors played for laughs. I think it is very important to not let the audience distract us as this takes us out of the world of the play, hence stopping us from fully committing to our character. I felt like my excitement and adrenaline threw me off slightly. I definitely was effected by this in the first performance which meant I lost the truthfulness behind my performances, hence making it less believable to the audience. This hindered my performance as I would lose characterisation and have to re-immerse myself while making sure I was saying the right line. This made it difficult to connect to other characters in key moments of the play. However, there were also many successful aspects of my performance. My voice was loud enough to be heard due to my good projection and clear diction. This meant the audience could hear exactly what I was saying and could engage with my character and follow his storyline. I was also able to use my positioning in the space well so that everyone could see me, I made sure I would focus my performance to everyone rather than just one block from the audience. I felt like we were less excited and had less energy for the second performance. However, this ended up being beneficial for my performance. I was more relaxed in myself as a performer and my character. This meant I could take my time and truly think about the motivation and emotion being my action and dialogue on stage. This created an honest performance which allowed the audience to see my character's journey throughout the play. The relationships between me and the other characters were very clear throughout the play and it was apparent what my character through of the other characters in each scene. I had induvial reactions to each character depending on who they were and the circumstances of the scene. We all actively listened to each other and reacted accordingly making the relationships feel real and authentic. I reminded myself of the one main objective I had for each scene as this would drive my characterisation and motivation. 

Brighton

This performance was always going to be a challenge. We were performing outside in the pavilion and the audience could come and go as they pleased. On top of this, we had to vocally compete with other singers and actors who were also performing locally. This meant we has to be very loud if we wanted to be heard at all, let alone help the audience understand the complicated plot and Shakespearean language. We accepted there would be mistakes in this performance and that not everything would go perfectly. I found that everyone was more concerned with their vocals being heard rather than their acting or characterisation. This meant that we lost a sense of the storyline as the subtle things such as facial expressions or exchanging looks were unclear. I struggled to have good physicality or characterisation and trusted that I could automatically convey these things to the audience.  I would have benefitted from being more immersed in Benedick as characterisation would be embedded in my mind. Occasionally, I put too much strain on my voice and this may have damaged it or made my acting seem unnatural, this would disengage the audience from the illusion that the dialogue was casual or natural. 

WEEK 6 – YOUR PRODUCTION

Then

'Much Ado About Nothing' was written at the very end of the 16th century. The first performance was in 1613 for Princess Elizabeth. There were many aspects which inspired Shakespeare to write this play. For example, the poet Lodovico Ariostoinspired him to write about for the marriage of Claudio and Hero and Don Johns plot to ruin it. The plot is as follows: after the war Don Pedro arrives to Messina and comes to Leonato's house, bringing with him Benedick, Claudio,  Don John and Dogberry and his watchmen.  Greeting the returning soldiers are Hero and Beatrice. Beatrice and Benedick are in an ongoing argument, the cause of which is implied that they had been in an unsuccesful relationship in the past. This contrasts to Hero and Claudio who are deeply in love. In a bid to win Hero for Claudio, Don Pedro disguises himself at a masked dance and flirts with Hero on Claudio's behalf. Their marriage is announced soon after. In addition to this marriage, Don Pedro is determined to ship Beatrice and Benedick and get everyone else to help him carry out this plan. Don John has plans of his own; to disgrace Hero at the alter and split her and Claudio up. He does so by getting his right hand man Borachio to trick Hero's lady in waiting Margaret into meeting him at Hero's chamber window the night before the intended marriage. Upon seeing this, Claudio believes it to be Hero and vows to disgrace her at the alter. When she is jilted at the alter Hero's family decide to pretend she is dead so as to cover her shame and bring to light the true going ons of this whole family drama. It is soon discovered that Don John authored the whole plan and he flees. He is bought back to face trial but not before Claudio and Hero are reunited and married and Benedick proposes to Beatrice. All trickery is brought to light and justice and peace is restored.

Now

A few years ago, I watched a contemporary production of Much Ado about Nothing staring David Tennant and Catherine Tate. It was set in the 1980s in Gibraltar after the Falklands war.This is similar our setting- the 1990s in Kuwait after the Gulf war. They find interesting ways to incpoporate their setting and circumstances into the perfoemance. This was clever and very entrertaining as they took part in scenes such asHero's hen party before her wedding. This creates new comedy from old material. The stage was covered in beer cans and ciggarettes, navy uniforms for the men and baggy jeans and tops for the women. By the choice of setting and prop, the piece was already breaking the mould of the classical text. Their modern costumes reated a clear tone for the play and a party like atmosphere. David Tennant was excellent and really made the chracter come to life by making bold and comedic choices which paid off. His cofnident stag presence demonstarted his unique personality to break the confines I sometimes feel within a classical piece. He was so natural and spontaneous that it was difficult to tell if it was rehearsed or improvised. The nature of Benedick's sharp comebacks have to seem like they are naturally rolling off the tongue and he did that perfectly. I think you can learn things from both the original portrayal of the play and the contemporary versions. It is important to respect the language, while maintaining creativity. Watching this production has really shown me what it is to find that balance and fun within such an old text

Status

This is a photo of the  soldiers in the play.  Their levels represent their status- bening high up means the character has a higher status. Don Pedro is at the top. He is the most powerful due to his position which means that everyone else must respect him and he has power over others. Benedick just below him as they are close friends and Bendick also has a high rank. He also gives himselft status becase of his confidence and likeability which gains him respect from others. Claudio is just below him because he's not high ranked in the army but he is a count which gives him power. Benedick expresses his status over Cluadio by teaching him his ways. Don Jon has a high status due to being Don Pedro's brother. However, he is unpopular and unturstworthy which means that others don't like him.

Interrogating the text

 Given circumstances                     

Benedick is the protagonist of the play. He is seen as an extrovert due to him being very confident and smug. He is arrogant, yet very likeable because of his comedic ways and good intentions. He is witty, sarcastic and loyal. The story is centred on his love-hate relationship with Beatrice. He thinks of life as one big joke and never takes anything too seriously. He vows that he will never fall in love or get married. He is a soldier in the Gulf war, which means that he is determined, brave and respected by others.

What do people say about my character?                   

In general, a lot of people would say that Benedick is a bit of a dick. He is seen as arrogant, immature and rather annoying. Beatrice would emphasize these points and talk about how benedick’s naivety and vanity infuriates her as he constantly mocks her throughout the play. Other characters would see him as rude or annoying, however they wouldn’t consider him to be cruel or mean as his intentions are good and he doesn’t want to upset anyone too much. A lot of the soldiers look up to Benedick as he is seen as the class clown and is always entertaining no matter how stupid he is. He always keeps the spirits up so is it difficult to hate him. They would also think of him as a bit of a lad and a lady’s man. This is probably because of the exaggerated stories Benedick has told them. He is seen as being respectable and quite powerful, therefore he would gain a lot of attention.

What do I say about myself?                    

Benedick definitely thinks of himself very highly. He enjoys life to the fullest and doesn’t take himself too seriously. He thinks he is a lady’s man and that everyone loves him. He would describe himself as the alpha male and thinks of himself as a leader who he wants everyone to follow. He loves a laugh, however he also knows when to be serious and will deal with difficult situations in a sensible, mature and justified manner. He definitely acknowledges that he is arrogant, however he doesn’t see anything wrong with this as he is just enjoying life and believes it is better to be arrogant and proud rather than reserved and boring. He thinks that other people will fear him as he is a talented and experienced soldier. Underneath his confidence, he is caring and down to earth despite the fact that he doesn’t like to show this.
What is my journey through the play?    

Beat changes

There are a number of clear beat changes in the second half of the play. An example is when Claudio rejects Hero and talks about how he despises her. Benedick had no idea about this, therefore it was hugely shocking and upsetting for him to hear. The mood suddenly shifts from being positive and relaxed to being filled with tension and hatred. This is a huge turning point as Benedick doesn’t know which side to take and it is the first time he sees the darker side of his best friend. Benedick is hurt to see Claudio so upset and he doesn’t know what to do about the situation which causes a huge inner dilemma for him. Another beat change is when Benedick declares his love for Beatrice. This takes a huge amount of courage and could end awfully for him. He puts his heart on the line and we first see a nervous and more genuine side to Benedick who isn’t arrogant and as hard as we first thought. When he discovers he loves her too, his world changes and he is able to confess his deep love he feels for her. This changes the mood from tense and solemn to joyful and positive. It is almost as if nothing else matters anymore and they are in their own little world.  However, this mood quickly shifts as Beatrice says the only way she can love him is if he kills his best friend- Claudio. This is a major turning point as Benedick is left with the most difficult decision of his life.  He must choose between his best friend and the girl he loves. He is very reluctant to challenge Claudio as desperately tries to persuade Beatrice to change her mind. However, he realises this is the only way to get her to love him. This is when Benedick sees a darker side of the two people who mean the most to him in his life. This obviously hurts and shocks Benedick who has no idea what to do or what to think. In conclusion, he goes on an emotional roller coaster in a matter of minutes.

Interrogating your Character and Objectives

1.     Who am I?

Benedick is the protagonist of the play. He is seen as an extrovert due to him being very confident and smug. He is arrogant, yet very likeable because of his comedic ways and good intentions. He is witty, sarcastic and loyal. The story is centred on his love-hate relationship with Beatrice. He thinks of life as one big joke and never takes anything too seriously. He vows that he will never fall in love or get married. He is loyal and determined with strong motivation.

2.     What time is it? (For each scene I'm in, Year, season, time of day or night?)

The scenes occur during the day in the summer, meaning that the temperature is at its peak, leaving everyone hot and frustrated.  The play occurs during the Gulf War in which the soldiers have just got back from. This means that everyone is living in fear and is permanently on edge. This means tensions are higher than usual and everyone is ready to snap. Outside, I notice almost nothing except the unbearable heat and endless sand across the dessert.

3.     Where am I? (For each scene)

The scenes take place in Leonarto's luxurious mansion. The play is set in the 1990s in Kuwait, a country in the Middle East. This country is full of dessert and is boiling. This makes everyone hot and frustrated. The mansion is beautiful and grand and takes our breath away as we are inside it.. There is also rubble surrounding us which reminds us of the danger we could be facing, therefore keeping us aware and anxious.

4.     What surrounds me? (People and things)

There are large, ornate pillars made from marble, they shine brightly and stand tall and proud. There is a small water fountain which is refreshing and cools you down from the intense heat outside. The fountains looks old and uncared for, this is surrounded by strong stone seats. These seats are worn out and have small scratches over them, suggesting that they have been used a lot because people are normally exhausted as they enter the house. There are marble steps leading up to a balcony. This balcony is high up and you can look down over the house and admire its beauty.

5.     What's my relationship? (People and things)

My relationships to other characters are explained further down in my blog. He admires and respects the mansion he is in. It is greatly impressive and is huge. In a way, he envies Leonarto for having such a cool house and is rather jealous. His favourite part of the house is the deck chairs which he loves to lounge in as he thinks this makes him look powerful as he can also lounge around and enjoy himself.

6.     What's just happened before the scene starts? 

Before my first scene, Benedick has just discovered that Beatrice is supposedly in love with him. This greatly influences his decision to declare his love for her. He believes he has been subtle and discrete in over hearing a conversation in which he has found out this information when really they deliberately let him hear it in order to trick him. He is shocked and confused as well as being ecstatic and smug. In addition, he is bored of Claudio constantly banging on about the wedding and being so cringe about his love for Hero. This annoys Benedick who just wants the wedding to be over with so he can hang around with his best friend and go back to how things used to be. In a way, he envies Claudio as he would really like to be getting marries himself. He goes into the scene feeling confused and slightly annoyed.

7.     Objective (What do I want?)

Benedick's super- objective in the play is to marry Beatrice. They are clearly deeply in love with each other, although they hate to admit it. He is trying to woo her in his own special way. Another key objective is that he wants to hide his true feelings throughout the play and doesn't want anyone to know about his love for Beatrice because he wants to appear as the alpha male and doesn’t want to be mocked or seen as a hypocrite. However, this is very difficult as everyone can easily tell how much he loves her. Another objective is that he has to challenge Claudio. However, I wouldn’t necessarily consider this to be an objective as it isn’t something tat he actually wants to do. It is just a method of getting closer to Beatrice. Therefore, his objective is to find a way to have them both in his life.

8.     Obstacle (What's in my way?)

A clear obstacle is that Beatrice says she cannot love Benedick until he kills Claudio- his best friend. Obviously, this is very upsetting and difficult for Benedick who doesn't want to do this. He has to put love over friendship. He has to find the courage to challenge Claudio and actually go through with it. This is painful for Benedick as Claudio is like a brother to him. Furthermore, he wants Beatrice to fall in love with him while making everyone believe that they hate each other. This is difficult as he has to find a way to be subtle and to hide his objective from everyone else.

9.     Action (Tactics to get what I want)

Ultimately, Benedick gets straight to the point in order to achieve what he wants.  There is much wit or subtlety in his methods. He suddenly blurts out to Beatrice how much he loves her in the spur of the moment. This surprises her greatly and he even shocks himself by doing this. However, he was subtle in his methods of flirting with her and wooing her.  Furthermore, he uses words and his natural charm to try and persuade people into getting his own way.            

Interrogating the relationships

At first, Benedick openly likes Claudio. He is one of Benedick’s closest friends and they always have a lot of banter and act almost as if they were brothers. They were in the army together and have obviously supported each other a lot through hard times, therefore strengthening their relationship. He is almost like Benedick’s apprentice that he wants to give guidance to and teach him his ways. Furthermore, he admires Claudio due to his royalty and respects the people who could make big decisions about my career and improve my lifestyle. However, thei relationship is not as strong as it appears. This is made apparent when Benedick throws away his friendship with Claudio when Beatrice tells him to challenge Claudio. This shows that they are not loyal to each other as their frienship can easily break if they want it to.

Benedick is also ‘loved of all women.’  Benedick thinks oh himself as a bit of a player and is always trying to impress the girls. He loves all women and likes to brag about this throughout the play.

Benedick's relationship with Beatrice is fairly confusing throughout the play. This acts as the key storyline of the play. They have a classic love-hate relationship. they always act as if they despise each other and try to outwit the other one to try and assert status and power over one another.  He is always attempting to  outwit and outsmart Beatrice by constantly insulting her. However, it is very apparent that they are secretly in love with each other, but hate to admit it. The consistent jokes and mocking would equal out to nervousness and probably sexual tension. Bendick is always afraid to admit his true feelings for Beatrice and frustrated by how much he loves her at the same time as pretending to hate her.


On the outside, Benedick likes and respects Don Pedro. He looks up to him due to his high status and his likeability. Don Pedro is a respectable man with a lot of power, terefore it would be unwise to get on the wrong side of him, hence why Bendick forms a strong bond with him. However, it is always clear that Bendick is closer to Claudio due to their luaghing around and permanent childish banter throught the play. I think that Bendick secrelty doesn't like Don Pedro but can't admit it.

In parts of the play, Benedick mocks Leonarto and talks about his ugly face and probably finds him quite annoying. In addition, he finds Leonarto intimidating when he talks about how Hero has shamed him. However, Leonarto is a comfoting father like figure who Benedick respescts and admires. Leonarto clearly likes Benedick adn is loving and playfu towards him which means Benedick has no real reason to hate him. On the outside, Benedick may show that he finds Leonarto annoying, however they are actually quite close.

I think it is clear in the play that Benedick dislikes Don Jon. He looks down upon him and thinks of him as bing a bastard and a villain. Don Jon is sly and manipulative and Benedick can clearly see this- meaning that he does not trust Don Jon at all. He cannot be too open abput his hatred for Don Jon due to his power and his group of soldiers surrounding him.  

WEEK 5 - SHAKESPEARE TODAY

QUESTION: Analyse contemporary Shakespeare productions with reference to live performances you may have seen or clips or footage available online. You should comment on what you notice about them and how they differ from what you know about the original performance conditions of Shakespeare’s work? (Don’t be afraid to point out the obvious).

Consider how these productions are employing all the techniques, technology and resources of modern theatre. 


In contemporary performances of Shakespeare, the technology available is obviously much more advanced than when it was performed in the Elizabethan period. Set was very bare in Shakespeare's time and usually still is when his plays are performed at the globe, where as now sets can obviously be an integral part of the play. In the Much Ado production with David Tennant, had a revolving stage, this allowed for fluid scene changes and for characters to enter and exit naturally without slowing the pace of the play. It also gives the stage a centre, having such a clear focal point makes it easy for the audience to engage with the performance and stay invested. There is now the opportunity of lighting, a medium to available to Shakespeare. This can obviously indicate the time of day, the atmosphere of the scene or whether its inside or outside. The advanced set also means audiences don't have to strain their imaginations as much beacuse the set can obviously be as grand as needed in professional productions. For example the audience know where David Tennant is the Much Ado production because the set is an indicator. The language in the play is usually changed in places. Cuts are made, contemporary language is added in, and improvisation is implemented. Because in modern times Shakespeare can be like a different language, therefore the main objective is to obviously communicate the story of the play to the audience. Plays may be set in contemporary locations that act as leverage for the audience to relate to.  

Recently, a production of ‘As you like it’ was put on at The National Theatre. They used a large and complex set to create an aesthetically pleasing and realistic world of the play. The epic transition from colour office block to a bleak forest was incredible. This was done by the desks and chairs being scraped backwards and suddenly suspended into the air. This was done by using modern technology. This created a dark tone and almost eerie atmosphere of the forest without dialogue. Rosalind was played by a woman which meant that when the character cross dresses Ganymede she had to wear a wig and introduce masculine mannerisms and characteristics. This was interesting when other characters fell for an illusion that she was actually a man. In this production, the fourth wall was never broken. This meant we felt completely immersed in the world being created. This made the characters more truthful and kept us fully engaged throughout. Women were not allowed to perform on the stage until 1660. This meant that the role of Rosalind would have been played by a man which means when the she becomes a man the actor could revert to playing their true gender.  This completely juxtaposes its modern day opposite. This might have been difficult for the actor as they were now a man playing a woman pretending to be a man. In original conditions there would have been a lot of audience interaction and breaking of the fourth wall. This was because the audience weren’t polite and civilised. Instead, they were loud and often threw food at the actors. This would have resulted in comedic improvisation and entertainment for the audience.   

Peer assessment

Hector played Benedick in the first half of the play and I assessed his performance. It was very interesting to see how differently we both played the character and the variation in our interpretations of Benedick. There were many aspects of Hectors performance which I thought were very entertaining. Firstly, his characterisation was very clear and he made bold choices. He portrayed Benedick as being laid back and smug and had comedic facial expressions which very funny. Benedick's arrogance and carelessness really came across well. Hector seemed confident and relaxed on stage which helped the audience see Benedick's relationships with other characters and his smug attitude. The playful relationship came across well in his scenes with Claudio. The childish and comedic nature of the scenes were very entertaining and the relationship was believable and truthful. Also, his American accent was consistent and natural. This made his diction and articulation clear which meant it was easy to understand what he was saying. There were some aspects of his performance which could have improved. For example, I would have like to have seen him play the characters on more levels in order to see the journey of the character in more detail. Although his characterisation was strong, I would have liked to have seen bigger or clearer reactions to particular events happening on stage. For example, I would have liked to have seen a larger change in his mood after he found out that Beatrice was in love with him. Also, I would have liked the relationship between him and Beatrice to be more apparent. Their hate for each other was clear and it was clear that Benedick found it amusing and fun to insult her. However, there was little connection between them and I would have liked to see that secret desire he felt for her and the pleasure he took in talking to her. Overall, Hector gave a very good performance with bold characterisation and playful relationships.

WEEK 4 - THEATRES, ACTORS AND ACTING IN SHAKESPEARE’S TIME

 Playhouses

There were two different types of playhouse in London during Shakespeare’s time. There were outdoor playhouses, also known as ‘amphi theatres’ or ‘public’ playhouses, and indoor playhouses, also known as ‘halls’ or ‘private’ playhouses. 
All outdoor playhouses had: 

• A central yard that was open to the sky;
• A raised stage sticking out into the yard;
• A roof over the stage, which was called ‘the heavens’,although the first Rose theatre (1587-92) may not havehad one;
• A tiring house behind the stage with a backstage area,where actors dressed and waited to come on. Abovethis were lords’ rooms, rooms for storage, and a roomlevel with ‘the heavens’ to work the special effects from
• Galleried seating all around the yard, on several levels,which was roofed.

There were several differences between indoor and outdoor theatres. Indoor theatres were:

• smaller than outdoor playhouses, holding about 500
 people, not thousands.
• built inside an existing building, so not open to the sky.
• more expensive (ranging from 6d to 2s and 6d),
 compared with open yard standing (at 1d) as in
 outdoor playhouses.

• lit by candles as well as daylight through the windows.

The Globe 

Playhouses, like the Globe, were outdoor theatres – they had some covered seating, but the yard in the middle was open to the sky. Indoor theatres were inside a larger building, so had a roof. They were much smaller than outdoor theatres. Plays were performed in the round and the Globe was very large. Therefore, actors would have to be very loud in order to be heard as they didn't have any microphones. The design of this theatre was possibly adapted from the inn-yards that had been used for rehearsals. The building was a polygonal wooden building with three galleries that surrounded an open yard.The Globe was very expensive to construct by Elizabethan standards. 

Actors

In this era, it was only boys and men who were allowed to become professional actors in England. Women were allowed to act in other areas of Europe, however this wasn't allowed in Shakespeare's productions. Women were not allowed to perform in public theatres until 1660. Boys would play all the female parts in shows while men would occasionally play the older women. While most women's roles were played by boys or young men in the all-male casts, occasionally some iconic or comedic female parts such as Juliet's Nurse may have been played by a particularly famous or popular actor.This seems very unfair as women are just as important as men in plays within today's society and I think we would struggle to cop without female actors. I find it strange that boys would have to play female parts as this would take away from the naturalism or truth within a performance. However, Shakespeare's plays weren't usually naturalistic so it wouldn't have been too odd at the time. There was a large variety of characters to be played and some actors were renowned for specializing in a certain type of part. This meant that William Shakespeare wrote some parts for a specific actor to portray. For example, Dogberry, in Much Ado About Nothing, was written for William Kemp because he was very good at physical comedy. Actors in Shakespeare's time also had to be skillful in fencing, dancing, singing and playing musical instruments in his plays. The costumes in Shakespeare's plays weren't usually historically accurate. Instead, they were very modern and designed to be aesthetically pleasing and impressive, especially for the leading parts. Costumes provided the essential wonder and were a key part of the plays. They were often second-hand clothes once owned and worn by royalty. I find this interesting as today we usually go for naturalistic costumes rather than aesthetically pleasing costumes. It doesn't seem anywhere as important now than it was in Elizabethan times. It seems extravagant and wasteful to spend so much money on costumes in my opinion. How much an actor earned depended on the location the company performed at. Companies earned more money when they performed in London rather than the country, therefore they were able to pay their actors more money. Some actors would be paid 10 shillings a week in London but only 5 shillings in the country. In some ways, this seems unfair as actors do the exact same job and get paid less money. However, I understand this as theatre was more popular in London, therefore plays probably received larger audiences and more money, therefore companies would be able to afford to pay actors more. Actors normally performed in the afternoon because they relied only on natural light to be seen as they didn't have the same equipment we have in today's society to chooses the amount of light we want. Plays were performed in repertory, meaning that the same play was never performed two days in a row. Often, actors would have to be in several plays at once playing several different roles which would have been very difficult and confusing for them.

Off text improvisations

My off text improvisation was a scene involving Benedick and Beatrice before the play started. We came up with a theory that they had previously been in a relationship or at least dated before the play had begun. This explains the reason why they seem to know each other very well and also seem to dislike the other one and find them infuriating. We decided that this would be an interesting way to explore the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick, but also the relationship they both have with Margaret. It is very clear in the first half of the play that Beatrice and Benedick do not like each other. It could be considered that they hate each other. However, I don’t think this is true as they enjoy each other’s company purely to take the piss out of each other. I think they both enjoy their ongoing banter, even if it seems as if they both despise the other one. They can’t stand the site of one another and their mood changes whenever they see the other one. We decided that there must be a deeper and logical reason behind this, which we concluded occurred when the two ex-lovers broke up the first time. We then thought about the concept of Benedick and Margaret’s flirty banter between them and their strong relationship. Moreover, Margaret gains when the soldiers return home and the cold, sarcastic tone Beatrice takes with her could be the perfect explanation. In our improvisation, we decided that Benedick became bored of Beatrice and her foul behaviour and attitude. Therefore, he cheated on her with Margaret which made Beatrice hugely annoyed.

Gulf War

Wars in the Middle East since 1990

Gulf war

The Gulf War  started on 2nd August 1990 and finished on 28th February 1991. The aim of it was to set up operations leading to the build up of troops and defense of Saudi Arabia and Operation Desert Storm  in its combat phase, was a war in the Persian Gulf region waged by coalition forces from 34 nations led by the United States against Ba'athist Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait Saddam Hussein, the leader of Iraq,  ordered the invasion and occupation of neighboring Kuwait in early August 1990. This lead to Saudi Arabia and Egypt calling the United States and other Western nations to help out. Hussein defied United Nations Security Council demands to withdraw from Kuwait by mid-January 1991, and the Persian Gulf War began with a massive U.S.-led air offensive known as Operation Desert Storm. After 42 days of relentless attacks by the allied coalition in the air and on the ground, U.S. President George H.W. Bush declared a cease-fire on February 28; by that time, most Iraqi forces in Kuwait had either surrendered or fled. Though the Persian Gulf War was initially considered an unqualified success for the international coalition, simmering conflict in the troubled region led to a second Gulf War–known as the Iraq War–that began in 2003.

Gulf War Syndrome (PTSD)

This was a medical condition affecting many veterans of the 1991 Gulf War, characterized by fatigue, chronic headaches, and skin and respiratory disorders. Its origin is uncertain, though it has been attributed to exposure to a combination of pesticides, vaccines, and other chemicals. It relates to Post traumatic stress disorder and affected many soldiers, particually during the gulf war. 
Symptoms of PTSD include:

• Vivid flashbacks (feeling that the trauma is happening all over again)

• Intrusive thoughts and images

• Nightmares

• Intense distress at real or symbolic reminders of the trauma

• Physical sensations, such as pain, sweating, nausea or trembling.

Effect on play

It was interesting to research the gulf war as it gives me a better understanding of my given circumstances and the effect this has on my character. This explains why Benedick always tries to act masculine and strong as this is so crucial as a soldier. Furthermore, only 6.8% of American soldiers in the Gulf War were women, this explains his desire to always please women and why he acts like a bit of a ladies man. I don't think Benedick was heavily effected by Gulf war syndrome as he appears confident and relaxed most of the time. However, this might have effected him deep down to make him insecure, hence why he is trying to act so macho. The gulf war sets the context of the play and means that everyone is happy to be alive while always being slight on edge. Moreover, it means that everyone is happy to be alive and is more grateful for what they have on their lives. 

WEEK 3 - SHAKESPEARE’S LONDON AND ELIZABETHAN AUDIENCES

Who came to the theatres? 

 In general, there were more men than women who went to the theatre, but there was a huge variation in the type of people who went. Somebody described the audience of a show as ‘a gang of porters and carters’. Other people said it wad filled with servants and apprentices spending all their spare time there. However, the wealthy and elite members of society also went to the theatre. Occasionally, the royal family also went to the theatre. However, they didn’t go to public theatres,instead they summoned a group of skilled actors to perform at the courts of Elizabeth I and James I. This happens in A Midsummer Night's dreams where the mechanicals perform for the duke. I find it interesting how William Shakespeare was often influenced by his surroundings and included these in his famous plays.

How much did it cost? 

The cheapest tickets in an outside theatre were only 1 penny, these tickets bought you a place among the ‘groundlings’ standing in the ‘yard’ around the stage.  Bench seats were two pennies and these were situated in the lower galleries which surrounded the yard.  The most expensive seats were in the ‘Lord’s Rooms’. these seats usually cost around 6 pennies. The tickets to watch a piece of theatre were extremely cheap in comparison to today's society where tickets to see a west end show may cost around £80. This influenced why theatre was so popular and loved in Elizabethan times.

How did the audience behave? 

Some of the rich or powerful members of Elizabethan society went to the theatre to be seen and admired rather than to watch and enjoy the show. They dressed in their best clothes and some people would sit on the stage so that they could be seen by everyone. A lot of people in the audience were very loud and rude rather than watching shows in silence like we do today. This suggest that people went to the theatre as a social event or for fun rather than purely to enjoy the performance. They clapped the heroes and booed the villains, and cheered the special effects. It seems strange that they cheered the special effects as this is so unheard of in today's society. However, cheering heroes and booing villains is still common, especially in pantomimes. The theatre wasn't always a pleasant environment due to a large number of thieves  in the audience and occasionally fights broke out. In indoor theatres, the audience were thought to be more educated and richer than the audiences of an outdoor theatre. 

What was London like?

London was quickly growing due to migration from citizens from rural countryside areas into the city.  Between 1550 and 1600, the population grew from around 50,000 people to over 200,000. New buildings were being built everywhere in order to create room for the new people. Outside, the suburbs grew steadily into the countryside. London was a bustling, overcrowded city. The city was ridden with a large number of thieves and the overcrowding brought diseases such as the plague which struck almost every summer in Elizabethan times. In 1593 about about 10,000 people were killed and all the theatres were closed.

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WEEK 2 - SHAKESPEARE’S LIFE AND BIOGRAPHY

Where was he born? 

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford upon Avon in 1564. This was a very small country town in Warwickshire which wasn't much bigger than a village or a market. The population of England in 1564 was less than five million people. Stratford upon Avon had about 1,500 people living there. The town consisted of half - timbered buildings and was surrounded by countryside and woodlands. I get the impression that this was a very ordinary and quiet town. In 1553 King Edward VI re-founded the grammar school this was introduced to Stratford upon Avon so that young people could study there. This benefitted William Shakespeare greatly and made it an excellent place for him to live. Shakespeare was lucky as he could afford an education. However, he didn't like school very much and even mocked it in his plays. I find this interesting as this was such as valuable part of his life as the school taught him to read and write. 

Who was in his family?

Shakespeare had a large family as shown above. However, this wasn't uncommon in Elizabethan times. In proportion to the sizes of most families in that era, Shakespeare’s family was not large by those standards. Shakespeare's brothers and sisters consisted of:

Joan, born 1558, died before 1569.
Margaret, born 1562, died 1563 (aged 5 months).
(William, born 1564, died 1616.)
Gilbert, born 1566, haberdasher, died 1612. (A haberdasher sells hats, clothes, thread, ribbons etc.)
Joan*, born 1569, married William Hart, died 1646.
Anne, born 1571, died 1579.
Richard, born 1574, occupation unknown, died 1613.
Edmund,* born 1580, "player," died 1607.



William Shakespeare's father was called John Shakespeare. It is strange that there isn't very much known information or personal details about William, however there is quite a lot of known information about his father. John Shakespeare was a glove-maker and owned a few public offices. over a twenty year period. From about 1577, when William was 13, John Shakespeare suffered financial loss and ceased to play a part in local government. His situation improved from 1596 until his death in 1601.

William's mother was called Mary Shakespeare.  Mary was the daughter of a landowner in a lesser branch of an aristocratic family. Mary's maiden name was Arden. Shakespeare used this name as the setting of Shakespeare's As You Like It. This is interesting as it shows Shakespeare's strong relationships with his family and how this affected his work.



Unfortunately, William lost his two older sisters to the bubonic plague. This was very common in this period and 20% of the population of Stratford died from the plague. 

This could explain why a lot of his work focuses on sibling relations such as reunion in Twelfth Night or the loss of siblings in King Lear. Also, growing up with a socially mobile mother may hhave had an influence on his views about the roles of females in society; this was because he writes complex, three dimensional, diverse women throughout most of his plays. 

Relationships in his life

Many people contemplate the question of whether or not Shakespeare was homosexual. There are very few details of Shakespeare's sexuality that are publicly known. Many people have suggested that Shakespeare's sonnets are actually about someone he knew personally. There is some evidence that they are about his love for a young man. However, different interpretations suggest the same passages are a form of expressing an intense friendship rather than romantic love. It is known that he married a woman named Anne Hathaway in 1582 at the age of 18 after he impregnated her. This was an unusually early age to marry in this era. He also wrote sonnets about her which suggest that he was heterosexual.

Work

William Shakespeare was born in 1565 and died in 1616. His exact date of birth is unknown which adds to the mystery behind the famous playwright. He is the world's most famous playwright and is renowned for his sonnets, poems and creating new words and linguistics. He wrote 38 full length plays, 154 Sonnets and two long narrative poems. However, there are various rumours that not all of his work was written by him. His work is very mysterious and secretive as few records were kept in those days; some say some success could be attributed to his contemporaries, other writers, aliens or even time travel. Despite all the controversy, his influence has affected western literature for hundreds of years and will continue to do so for many more years.

WEEK 1 - SETTING THE SCENE – LIFE IN ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND

 Population

Life in Elizabethan England life was either very luxurious or the complete opposite; depending on whether you were born into nobility had a significant impact on what your lifestyle. Those who were born into nobility were wealthy and powerful members of society. They lived profligate lives and if they were close to the monarchy could enjoy all the benefits of court life. However this was only affected a small percentage of the population, 97% of the population lived in extreme poverty. Most people lived in old, damp and miserable cottages in the countryside with minimal possessions. They lived in an agricultural society where growing your own food was the only way you would be able to eat. During this period there was a shift in the economical/societal model as the mediaeval feudal system was adapting to a new hierarchical scheme based around trade and barter with goods from the newly discovered world were making their way into Elizabethan Britain. 

Entertainment

In Elizabethan England, private entertainment didn’t exist. You were considered lucky if you had a court jester or a minstrel to sing you songs or tell you a story. The most common way to have fun was to entertain yourself. This meant that people listened a lot more; secrets and scandal were widespread everyone’s secrets were known. However there were constantly outbreaks of the bubonic plague which meant morale was low so the poor needed a way to lift their spirits, forms of entertainment that did this include: travelling actor troupes, banquets and feasts, festivals celebrating special events, social dancing, jousts and tournaments, hunting and of course plays. Most Elizabethan entertainment was public which meant there must have been a strong sense of community for these people.  

Religon

Religion played a significant role in Elizabethan England. Due to the reformation of the church by King Henry VIII many people were split between being Catholic or protestant. This became a very important choice in your life as if you didn't follow the practises of the dominant religion you could risk being executed. Therefore, you had to constantly change religion or face religious persecution. After the days where ‘Bloody Mary’ tortured non-Catholics for going back to another system must have made it very hard for the Tudor citizens and must have caused confusion in their faith.  

Superstition

Superstitions were so common that they almost became facts in these days. Witchcraft was seen to be a serious threat and magic was more than just a fairy tale or myth.  Witch hunts was a sexist way to control the female form and make sure that women did not educate themselves and remained domesticated mothers and wives. William Shakespeare added his topic to some of his most popular plays. The tragedy- Macbeth warns against dabbling with the supernatural as it can have dire consequences on your immortal soul. However, superstition could also be positive people would believe in fairies and the magic of the night and of the forest such as in Shakespeare’s comedy- A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This meant that their imaginations could easily be ignited with stories, poems and plays.

Trade

Trade was a crucial skill and men learned this by becoming an apprentice or learning from school. They would train for careers such as tailors, merchants, masons, smiths, shoemakers etc. Women were more likely stay at home and raise the children but to earn a bit more of your upkeep you made take up weaving to make clothes or even servitude as cleaning appliances didn’t exist at this point. 

Medicine

Tudor medicine hadn't evolved that much from medieval times meaning that life expectancy was very low and general health was quite poor. In the countryside most cures would be from herbal solutions passed down through "old wives tales". This meant that villagers would live off the land for everything including solutions to their ailments. In towns and cities however blood letting was still a popular cure. Patients would have leaches attached to them because it was believed that too much blood is bad for you. Only the rich and powerful could afford doctors so if you really injured yourself you better start praying!