Marry, this is the short and the long of it.
- Holly Weaver
- Jul 6, 2019
- 3 min read
"Please remember to pack black trousers/skirt and a black top to wear during your final performance," states the email preparing us for the workshop. Your. Final. Performance. Somehow I’d forgotten the whole “performance” part of the title Teaching Shakespeare through Performance . . . *Cue heart beating fast.* I am not going to pretend like I'm totally scared of stepping on that stage. There's definitely some excitement mixed with my fear. I loved acting in high school and can't wait to bring these techniques to my classroom.

Our residency guide asked us to prepare for our time at the Globe in a few ways, including familiarizing ourselves with the plays we'll be studying. We'll learn about three Shakespearean works, A Midsummer Night's Dream (MND), Henry V, and The Merry Wives of Windsor (MWW). I've always adored MND, but I was reminded of its oddity as I read about swinging couples, magic forest drugs, and mischievous fairies. The 1968 film was quite entertaining not only because of the hilarious special effects, but also because of the super young Helen Mirran and Ian Richardson.
Initially, I wasn't thrilled about seeing Henry V on the list. It's not Shakespeare, it's me. War movies have never been at the top of my must-see list. I realized how misguided I was when I watched Tom Hiddleston bravely lead the British in taking over the French in BBC's The Hollow Crown. This dramatic TV show captures the goodness and nobility of King Henry V, as well as the heartbreak and bleakness of war.
Henry V and MWW have a few crossover characters. Rumor has it that Queen Elizabeth I loved Falstaff from Henry V so much that she requested an entire play on the knight falling in love. In this play, I wouldn't say Falstaff falls in love but rather into a tub of dirty laundry. No doubt Queen Elizabeth enjoyed the play nonetheless. This plot's so convoluted I needed to watch a hilarious Shakespeare & Company performance, which did not disappoint.
The fact that I needed to watch all these performances confirms the philosophy behind this workshop; teaching Shakespeare's work cannot be boiled down to a copy of the play and a desk. Students need to visualize the play, hear the inflections, and experiment with tone to grasp the characterization and themes of his works. While I've experimented with teaching Shakespeare through performance before, I am really looking forward to learning from the experts.

I'm not quite sure about the curriculum details, but I know we get to see performances of these plays from the groundling's, or commoner's, section of the Globe. This standing room section dates back to when the first Globe was built (1599). The price to stand on the ground during performances was exceptionally cheap, as it exposes you to the weather and potential distractions like mud, sweaty men, or drunkenly thrown apples. (Now that I think of it, the groundling section was probably no different than Bonnaroo.) The new Globe Theatre has chosen to honor this standing tradition by keeping the cost of groundling tickets low. We have the option to pay more for a seat, but I want an authentic experience.
I suppose I will get an even more authentic experience during our final performance. I believe we are performing a scene from A Midsummer Night's Dream. For this, I can only think of this piece of advice on which I will end: "And most dear actors, eat no onions nor garlic, for we are to utter sweet breath. And I do not doubt but to hear them say, 'It is a sweet comedy.' No more words. Away, go away!" (4.2.23-27)
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