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.