richard iii notes for exam.docx
TRANSCRIPT
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7/27/2019 Richard III notes for exam.docx
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Tobacco Factory Bristol 7th March
DirectedAndrew Hilton
RichardJohn Mackay
Shakespeare at the tobacco factory
Script not altered
Lighting, music, propsmore psychological
Tobacco Factory Original Performance Conditions
Coronation SceneAct 4 Scene 2
Richard crowned
Wants princes dead
I wish the Bastards dead
Modern depictionmain villain
ield inin procession
Knelt in rowsRichards feet
Froze centre of proxemics
Richardpaced round outsidecalled characters
from middle
Casteerie blue light
Richardwarm yellowSpiked crowndull grey
Richarddark clothes
Close to audiencegain relationshipintimacy
Not on his sideenjoy villainous character
Trumpetmusic between scenes
We are Richards co-conspirators/closest friends
Over the top
Audience enjoyed royalty
Set in Church
Richard killed way to power
Queen Elizabethno heirsAudience unsure who
will take over
Could arrive through groundlings
CelebrationReligious figures
Audience part of congregation
Richard talkingBuckingham/TyrellGroundlings
cheered
Villain from beginning
Withered Hand SceneAct 3 Scene 4
Council sessionblames Edwards wife for deformity
I am bewitch'd; behold, mine arm
blasted sapling wither'd up.
& this is Edward's wife, monstrous witch,
Consorted with that harlot strumpet Shore,That by their witchcraft thus have marked me
Underplayed/subtle
Psychological tool
Couldnt pull out chair
Hand in claw position
Laid hand on tableblaming someone else
In roundaudience close to action
Naturalistic
Modern audience view disability differently
Audience scared/shocked of hand
Disability caused by cursestrong views
No medical knowledge
Prop usedscare audience more
Close to groundlingsscare them
Richard evilCursed
Exaggerated
Audience not quietgrab attention
Declamatory style
Ghost Scene Act 5 scene 5
Despair and dieIt is now dead midnight.
Is there a murderer here? No. Yes, I am
Entered wearing hooded cloaks
Waiting for battle
Revealedpeople Richard killed
Hoods down
Ghosts = manifestation of Richards guilt
Blue lightnot reality
Guilty conscience
Darkstudio space
Spooky atmosphere
Night time
More focus on ghosts
White face paints
White cloaks
Balcony looking down
Psychology didnt exist no understandingguilt
Believed in ghosts
Daylightno atmosphere
Balconyhigher upheavenly
Richard low downhell
Ghosts close to upper class
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7/27/2019 Richard III notes for exam.docx
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Original Performance conditions
Actors
No directorworked in companies More declamatory style Boys played women Entirely male cast Closer relationship with audiencehad to
fight for attentionnot
modern/respectfulmore didactic style
Actors doubled upAudience
Allowed to talkdisruptiveactorsfought for attention
Expressed feelings during performancethrow fruit - boo
Paid more to sit down Walk about during performance Lean on stage Poorer people stoodgroundlings Allowed to talk Rife with disease and illness Groundlings presence imposed upon
actors as they were closest to the stage
Shakespeare never insulted audiencelifeblood of theatre
Charge more for indoor theatres, manycouldnt afford to go Black Friars
15000 went a weekonly form ofentertainment
Stage/Theatre
The Globe/The Theatre Thrust stage - Surrounded - open yard Stage at one endgoing into audience Three sides of yardthree tiers of
galleries
Sitting or standing (groundlings)
Apron stage raisedhad trap door Balcony Live musicians Minimal set/Basic props Outdoor theatrePerformed in daylight
2pmused natural light
Performance affected by weather Poorer people stood Indoor theatresperformances in candle
light
Possibility of walking amongst audience
Technical Elements
Live music Make upused to show female
characters
No lightingtime of day/weatherincluded in text
Costume not historically accurateonlywhat available to themwhat worn at
timeclass easily recognizable
Richard III
Richard III performed officially at TheTheatre/Blackfriarsperformed on
streetsout of Londonspread of
plagueTheatres closed
Performed at time when audienceworried about monarchyQueen
Elizabeth had no heirsWhod be next
ruler?
Scared of Richardcomes into audiencewith withered hand scared of
deformity
Oliver Cromwell got rid of theatresbecause he thought they were evil
Earliest recorded performance163315
thcentury
Custom built playhouse built by JamesBurbage1576
Richard III played by Richard Burbage settings (time) - Around 1485
General
Difficult to understand psychologically -clearly power-hungry and sadistic
Motivations - malevolent hatred - hard topinpoint.
Richard does not possess a complexhuman psychology(psychology didnt
exist)
stock character early medieval drama -simply represented the evil in man,
Richard does not justify villainyhe issimply bad.
704 words