His Advice to the Players: Shakespeare in Performance

Semester and Year	WI 2011
Course Number	ARTS-UG1019
Section	001
Instructor	Kristin Horton
Days
Time
Units	4.0
Level	U
Foundation Requirement

Description

“Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue. But if you mouth it, as many of our players do, I had as lief the town crier spoke my lines.” – Hamlet, (III.ii) Taking our cue from Shakespeare himself, this course will introduce students to methods of approaching the text from an actor’s perspective. We will investigate several interpretive techniques that help the performer make the connections between the text, mind, and body. Special focus will be given to the development of a strong vocal instrument and bold interpretive choices that embrace the muscularity of the language. We will explore the structure of the language and how the structure helps the performer make sense of the complexities within the text as well as specific choices related to character and action. The course will also feature a screening component where we examine the range of interpretation of the plays as demonstrated in the work of actors and directors by viewing contrasting versions of the same scene from video and film. Students will work on speeches and scenes from the canon and present their work in class. Students will also keep a journal and attend performances of a Shakespearean play in New York City.

Course Type

Arts Workshops (ARTS-UG)