I have chosen to closely look at the middle section of the scene. I will identify how I want people to act or move. I have left the first page where Don Pedro states ‘How, how, I prey you? You amaze me. I would have thought her spirit had been invincible against all assaults of affection,’ I would like Don Pedro to be slightly distracted looking around the grounds looking for Benedick. This is followed by Leonato recognising this and in a slightly louder voice responds ‘I would have sworn it had, my lord, especially against Benedick.’ I would like him to stress the word Benedick at the end so that it encourages Benedick to listen on to the conversation. Benedick now responds quietly so that no-one else can hear him ‘I should think this a gull, but that the white- bearded fellow speaks it. Knavery cannot, sure, hide himself in such reverence.’ I think Benedick should be walking around the stage at this point possibly more downstage as at this stage the others are upstage. He should be shaking his head in disbelief of what he is hearing and almost looking up into the sky to pray that what he hears is true. I would like his tone of voice to be almost a question in a rhetorical tone. The next piece of text I feel should be said with no emphasis and quite fast as it’s not really relevant and more of a necessary response: ‘He hath ta’en th’infection. Hold it up.’ A response from Don Pedro is quite important so we want to capture Benedick’s attention. I want them all to walk a bit closer to Benedick so that he hears what they are saying but it makes it look like there is a secret. ‘Hath she made her affection known to Benedick?’ They are in a crowded huddle here and then Benedick should have a amused reaction eager to here the response. ‘No, and she swears she never will. That’s her torment.’ I would like Leonatio to be quite sarcastic when he says this and tries to stifle a laugh as he forgets that he is trying to fool Benedick. He should stress the words No, Never will and torment. These will give an added effect and will show Benedicks reaction as being even more shocked yet a little bit excited. He almost looks like he wants to yell out in pleasure but then reminds himself what he is doing. Claudio also brings some laughter into the conversation by saying in a loud, very sarcastic voice, ‘ Tis true, indeed, so your daughter says. ‘Shall I,’ says she, ‘that have so oft encountered him with scorn, write to him that I love him?’ Claudio should have a sarcastic smirk on his face and stress the last words ‘ that I love him?’ They should walk further away from where Bendick is as Benedick’s face turns into a big cheesy shocked grin. As the conversation comes to a sort of climax Leonatio chips in. Benedick has an eager look on his face as he knows that Leonato is a wise man and speaks the truth. ‘ This says she now when she is beginning to write to him; for she’ll be up twenty times a night, and there will she sit in her smock till she have writ a sheet of paper. My daughter tells us all.’ He must have a little smirk on his face so that they audience realise that he is joking but not so silly so that Benedick suspects something. Suddenly Benedicks head pops out from behind the hedge but is quickly gone. Leonato goes very serious and moves further away form Bendick so that it is not so obvious that they want his attention. I would like the rest of the text to follow pretty much that pattern, moving closer to each other and then further away again. Their voices should go up in a crescendo as it reaches climax when Claudio gets into the acing and shrieks with pleasure, ‘ Then down upon her knees she falls, weeps, sobs, beats her heart, tears her hair, prays, curses. ‘ O sweet Benedick! God give me patience.’ If I was a director this is how I may like to direct the scene of tricking Benedick.
