Jeff Sanders visited the Conversation Group this last Wednesday (I hope I have that name right). He talked to us about Shakespeare, specifically, how we should listen to the rhythm of the words before trying to decipher the meaning. It helps to think of The Bard's (a.k.a. Shakespeare's) work as being like poetry, or even like a song. It helps to know the tune, even if it is complicated (like jazz).
We recited the first few lines of Romeo and Juliet:
"Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean."
Repeating these lines helped us learn that rhythm, and where the rhythm changed on the word "break," helped establish the meaning of the entire play.
When acting these lines, the actors must treat this language as it is happening, whether it is thought or dialog. To help us understand how actors interact, we did a few exercises. The first exercise had us arranged in a large circle. One person pointed at another person and had to wait for a spoken permission of "yes" before taking that person's position in the circle. Then everybody in the circle just had to do it with their eyes, no pointing.
The last exercise was the funnest. Every time someone in the circle was pointed at, they had to imitate an elephant, a rabbit, roadkill, or Elvis. With the help of the two people to the side, they had to create a trunk and ears of the elephant, the hopping body and ears of the rabbit, the corpse and vultures of roadkill, or the King himself (Elvis Presley) with two screaming fans.
I bought new batteries for the camera, but forgot to take pictures of the circle of actors in performance.
Let me know about your opinions...any opinions...concerning acting, Shakespeare, plays...literally anything about the "performing arts."
