Jonathan Tindall10x1 Final Draft

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Direct a scene from ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Discuss how you would stage this in modern and Shakespearean times.

In this essay I will imagine that I am directing a scene from Romeo and Juliet. I will be discussing how I would stage this scene in both modern and Shakespearean times. Throughout the play there are strong scenes of violence between the two warring families (the Capulets and the Montagues) and the scene I have chosen to base my essay on is a prime example of this. The scene I have chosen to discuss is act three scene one. This is an extremely powerful scene and is one of the most pivotal points in the play as it shows us the deaths of both Mercutio and Tybalt while also showing us the banishment of Romeo.  It also portrays the characters deepest feeling towards the family grudge. Staging the play in Shakespearean times will obviously be a lot different to a modern day production. To show this I will be looking at cast, costumes, sets, props, lighting, the most important points in the scene and how imperative the audience are to the play. I will start by discussing whom I would cast in the roles of the main characters.

Casting roles in Shakespearean times would be a lot more difficult because of the fact that in those times only males were allowed to perform on stage. This would obviously cause problems when casting roles such as Juliet, Juliet’s nurse, Lady Montague and Capulet and other female parts. I will be discussing whom I would cast as Romeo, Tybalt, Benvolio, Mercutio and Prince Escales for both modern day and Shakespearean times. I will not be looking at Juliet for the simple reason that she is not in this scene. For a modern day Romeo I would choose someone like Elijah Wood. This is because he is handsome, he is an average height and he gives of a great impression of innocence through his boyish facial features. I would want a handsome Romeo because I believe that today’s audiences are more likely to enjoy a love story with someone who is attractive and someone they could imagine themselves falling in love with rather than someone who an audience couldn’t stand the sight of. I believe he should have an innocent look because the character of Romeo does not wish to fight, but is more concerned about falling in love. “Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage!” (Romeo, Act three scene one, line eighty-six.)

In Shakespearean times I would want to convey the innocence of Romeo further by casting a younger and slender actor. This is because I would have not have the comforts of make up and decent costumes to make Romeo stand out as one of the main two characters and so I would need to use other methods. Casting an actor with more of a boyish look would make him stand out from the other characters. On the other hand I could do exactly the opposite and cast an actor a lot taller than the others actors. If I did this, the actor would have to have more grown up features rather than a boyish look. An actor like this would look superior to most of the other actors as he could look as if he is ‘above’ the fighting. He would look as if fighting is something he would never do unless he is put under extreme circumstances.

For a modern day Tybalt I would cast Russel Crowe. This is because with a modern audience they judge characters as much on how they look than how they talk. So Tybalt’s fierce lines would not convince the audience enough that this character is going to start trouble. He would have to be rugged, well built and give a sense of fierceness to the audience so that as soon as he enters the stage the audience know that he is going to cause trouble. Russel Crowe is also handsome which helps give a reason to why Tybalt is such a conceited character.

For Shakespearean times I would cast an actor of the same features apart from I would cast an uglier actor. This is so that the actor’s looks matches the evil thing’s Tybalt says and does. This is more likely to help the audience know that this character is one to boo.

For Prince Escales I would cast an actor that portrays a sense of nobility and royalty. For this role I would cast Jason Isaacs. This actor has portrayed both of those features in films he has made previously (for example Harry Potter). I think that him acting better than the other characters is how someone who is in charge and who makes the decisions should act. Jason Isaac’s also has very firm facial features (almost plastic looking), this would easily show the audience that he royalty and is in charge and is a symbol for his iron fist.

For Shakespearean times I would cast a more handsome actor so that the audience can comprehend that this character is royalty. This is because in those says royalty were always treated with the uppermost respect and anyone who would describe them as ugly would be punished. This means that most Shakespearean people would have the preconception that all royalty would be handsome even though in most cases they will have never seen or met royalty.

For the role of Benvolio I would cast a tall, handsome, shaven, bulky but not overweight and someone who gives off a sense of sensibility. I think Heath Ledger would be perfect. He would be wonderful to portray an actor who will not be pushed around but who is also sensible and will not fight. The audience will also identify that he is a good-hearted character by his shaven face and his good looks. They would be less able to identify a good character if he was ugly and unshaven.

In Shakespearean times I would cast an actor more average looking so he would not be confused with other characters. This is because people in those days were not educated and were not as smart as they are today so if two characters are both good looking then they will be more easily misled than a modern day audience.

Finally for the role of a modern day Mercutio I would cast someone not as large as Benvolio or Tybalt for the reason that I do not want him to stand out as a great fighter (his only fight lasts for a matter of moments before he is slain by the sword of Tybalt), I also would like someone who can portray a sense of loyalty. Throughout the scenes he is in Mercutio depicts great loyalty to his family. The actor I think would be apt to demonstrate this kind of character would Orlando Bloom. He has portrayed these kinds of roles in many of his other films (Lord Of The Rings, Ned Kelly). The characters in both of those films were faithful and he played them to great effect.

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For a Shakespearean Mercutio I would cast someone similar to that of the modern day Mercutio. The only difference I think would be that a Shakespearean Mercutio would have be not as handsome as a modern day Mercutio. This is for the reason that the Shakespearean audience can identify that this character may not last till the end of the play. Because of his death I would make sure the modern day Mercutio would not be as handsome for the reason that modern day audience’s like to see a heroic death whereas in Shakespearean times people were so used ...

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