Understanding performance in Shakespeare's plays

Shakespeare's plays were written to be performed, not just read, and their meaning can shift dramatically depending on how they are staged. Choices made by directors, actors, and designers about staging, movement, voice, costume, and lighting can highlight different themes, emotions, and character dynamics.

Understanding these elements helps reveal how a play can be interpreted in multiple ways.

Staging and movement in Shakespeare's plays

Staging refers to how the physical space of the theatre is used, while movement involves how actors position themselves and interact on stage. These choices can shape audience perception of relationships, power, and conflict.

How staging affects interpretation

• Stage layout - The arrangement of the stage (thrust, proscenium, or in-the-round) affects how close the audience feels to the action. A thrust stage, like in Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, creates intimacy, making soliloquies feel personal.
• Set design - Minimalist sets can focus attention on language and emotion, while detailed sets might ground the play in a specific time or place, altering its tone.
• Levels and positioning - Placing characters on different levels (e.g., a balcony or throne) can symbolise power or isolation. Characters standing apart or close together can suggest tension or unity.

How movement shapes meaning

• Blocking - Where actors stand or move during a scene can show relationships. For example, a character turning away during a conversation might suggest rejection or secrecy.
• Physical interaction - A fight scene choreographed with slow, deliberate moves might emphasise inevitability, while fast, chaotic movement could show raw emotion.
• Entrances and exits - The timing and manner of a character's entrance (e.g., bursting in or creeping) can signal their state of mind or role in the scene.

Example: Romeo and Juliet balcony scene

In Romeo and Juliet, the balcony scene (Act 2, Scene 2) can be staged differently to change its meaning. If Juliet is placed high above Romeo on a balcony, it might emphasise her as an unattainable ideal, with Romeo literally looking up to her. If they are closer, perhaps with Juliet on a low platform, the scene might feel more intimate and equal, focusing on their shared passion.

Voice and costume in performance

The way actors use their voices and the costumes they wear are powerful tools for conveying character traits and thematic ideas in Shakespeare's plays.

The impact of voice

• Tone and pitch - A high-pitched, wavering voice can suggest fear or uncertainty, while a deep, steady tone might convey authority or confidence.
• Pace and rhythm - Speaking quickly can show excitement or panic, while slow, deliberate speech might indicate thoughtfulness or menace.
• Volume and projection - A loud voice can dominate a scene, showing power, while a whisper can draw the audience in, suggesting secrecy or vulnerability.
• Accent and dialect - Using a specific accent can ground a character in a social class or region, adding layers to their identity.

The role of costume

• Historical context - Costumes reflecting the Elizabethan era can make the play feel traditional, while modern dress might highlight timeless themes or make the story more relatable.
• Colour and style - Bright colours might suggest joy or status, while dark, tattered clothing could indicate poverty or despair. A crown or robe can instantly signal royalty.
• Character contrast - Costumes can show differences between characters. For instance, one family in a feud wearing red and another blue can visually represent conflict.
• Symbolic elements - Items like a sword or cloak can carry meaning, showing a character's role (warrior, ruler) or hinting at their fate.

Example: Macbeth's dagger soliloquy

In Macbeth, the title character's voice in the dagger soliloquy ("Is this a dagger which I see before me?" Act 2, Scene 1) could be delivered with a trembling whisper to show fear and guilt, or with a determined, loud tone to suggest ambition overriding doubt. His costume might start as a nobleman's garb, then shift to darker, blood-stained clothing after Duncan's murder, visually representing his moral decline.

Lighting and its effect on mood

Lighting is a crucial element in performance, shaping the emotional atmosphere of a scene and guiding the audience's focus.

How lighting influences interpretation

• Brightness and shadow - Bright lighting can create a sense of openness or joy, often used in comedic or romantic scenes. Shadows or dim light can suggest mystery, danger, or sadness.
• Colour tones - Warm, golden light might evoke nostalgia or warmth, while cold, blue light could indicate isolation or supernatural elements.
• Spotlighting - Focusing light on a single character during a soliloquy can isolate them, making their inner thoughts stand out against a darkened stage.
• Transitions - Sudden changes in lighting can mark dramatic shifts, like a blackout after a death or a slow fade to show the passing of time.

Lighting and thematic emphasis

Using plot summaries and key moments for performance analysis

Short plot summaries and key moments from a play are useful starting points for exploring how performance choices can alter interpretation. By focusing on pivotal scenes or turning points, students can consider how different directorial decisions might highlight various aspects of the story.

Creating short plot summaries

• Break the play into acts - Summarise each act in 1-2 sentences, focusing on major events and character decisions.
• Identify turning points - Note moments of conflict, revelation, or change (e.g., a death, a betrayal) that shift the play's direction.
• Link to performance - Consider how these moments could be staged differently to change audience response.

Analysing key moments

To explore how performance choices can alter interpretation, follow these steps:

Step 1: Select a key moment

Choose a scene that is central to the play's themes or character development, such as a confrontation or a soliloquy.

Step 2: Consider staging options

Think about how the physical space, actor positions, and set could be used to create different effects (e.g., open space for vulnerability or a confined area for tension).

Step 3: Explore other elements

Reflect on how voice, costume, and lighting could shape the scene. Would a loud, angry delivery change the mood compared to a quiet, resigned one?

Step 4: Compare interpretations

Discuss how two different stagings of the same moment might alter the audience's understanding of the play's message or characters.