Today was the day for the beginning of something completely new to me: it involved a crown, some tennis balls, and Shakespeare (no obvious connections). This new (and what I like to term a 'yes' experience) goes back to last year when I signed up for a module (as part of my English Literature degree) called Ceremony and Performance in Shakespearean Drama. Now, I am not someone who has ever wanted to act, in fact the very idea of reading aloud in front of people makes me nervous. My voice tends to go all wobbly, my face goes stupidly red, and my hands shake, along with the book I'm holding. So why, you might very well be asking, did I sign up for this module, which in its very title impies that performance is involved? Well, even whilst I'm not comfortable acting, I love theatre and I have become increasingly interested in how the text translates into performance - in other words, I like the behind-the-scenes bit. So, it was to gain experience in this area that I initially signed up.
In my positive thinking yes mode, it seemed like a brilliant opportunity to be adventurous. Well, adventurous for me. And there I was, offering myself to play the part of Henry V in a short section of the play. Considering I'm short, fairly slim, and female, I probably wasn't the most kingly of people. But there you go. If you can imagine me sitting upon an imaginary throne, with a prop crown on my head, holding a tennis ball (it was the tennis ball scene) and attempting to convincingly speak Henry's lines, then you've got the picture. My hands still shook like crazy with my paper noticeably moving around. It must have been a funny sight, but it was also fun and a totally different experience (especially as I got to chuck the ball across the room - it's not every day you get to do that in a seminar).
I also almost forgot to record my 'yes' moment the other day. Having seen posters in the English department and having been sent an e-mail about it, I have decided to venture into the world of the Long Poem reading group. Yes, that means I will be reading aloud some more, this time Tennyson's In Memoriam and parts of Idylls of the King. All very exciting as Tennyson is marvellous and I love Arthurian legend. Apparently tea and biscuits are involved which makes it all the more exciting.
I'll be venturing off into the wilderness of Friday night nightlife tomorrow/tonight, dressed in fancy dress. I still can't quite work out what the actual theme is, something along the lines of 'French'. Thus, I will be donning blue and white stripes, with a bit of red thrown in the mix. I resisted the beret.
Much love for now
xxx
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ReplyDeleteWhen I was in college (I studied theatre at NYU), I got to play Oliver in As You Like It (an all-female cast). It's a lot of fun playing a role usually assigned to a different gender, and it is one of the few times in your life that you'll get to do something like that. And the best advice I was ever given by teachers about Shakespeare: don't try to act it, just say that words, fill them with life, open the vowels, let the resonant consonants hum, let the explosive consonants explode.
ReplyDeleteAnd welcome to the blogosphere, I hope you're enjoying yourself so far. If you'd ever like any advice, feel free to ask.
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