evidence for drama.

Reflection

As the task was first given to us, we had to first inquire on the globe theatre. Through this I found out that the globe theatre was really different from the usual theatres we see these days. As we can take upon from the name, the globe theatre is actually like a globe. This allowed the audience to be more connected to the play. Moreover, the theatre was divided in three sections according to the class.

After this task, we were told to find a monologue and conduct it. After reading a great deal of monologues, I came across a  Cleopatra’s monologue. Even though I was not familiar with the play or the character, I could fathom out that she was confident and the monologue was intense. After finding out the play and the character’s story, I was mesmerized by it. As a reference I saw some videos of the same monologue to find out how I should go about it. I then designed my set, make up and costume. I learnt that this scene took place in the basement. This made me realize that I don’t need to show the royalty of Cleopatra.

The I had to memorize the lines, I had to make sure to reflect upon my understanding of Cleopatra while performing. This is the part I faced a problem in, delivering my dialogues. I think the area I am lacking in expressing the emotions and at what time to deliver the dialogue. Before the performance I thought I could do it but as soon as I got in front of the camera I got extremely nervous that it didn’t turn out the way I planned it  to be.

Antony and Cleopatra.

Another one of Shakespeare’s tragic love story is Anthony and Cleopatra. Antony is a general for the Roman Army on a conquest to capture Egypt. In the midst of his work, he meets the queen, Cleopatra, and instantly they both fall in love. When word comes that they are together, Julius Caesar, a Roman General, decides to take matters into his own hands. He goes to Egypt to capture Cleopatra and destroy Egypt. Antony searches for his love, but notices that she had left without him. After a while there were rumors of Cleopatra committing suicide. Even though Antony was raging with anger he still had love for Cleopatra and wanted to be his love forever, so he stabbed himself. Though the truth was that Cleopatra was hiding. Soon the news of Antony’s death reached Cleopatra and she wanted to go and see. As she was going to meet him Caeser caught them. After Cleopatra’s continuous resistance to become his ‘trophy’ she killed herself. Finally he realized that Cleopatra’s love for Anthony is real and buried them together, with a bunch of snakes.

Task 2

                                         The reason that I think they look like Cleopatra is because all of them have a fierce look that is like Cleopatra’s character. So whenever I think about Cleopatra I imagine this strong women with a fierce look on her face that all of them have.

Justification of why my set has to be that way.

I want my monologue to be in the drama room because the official scene takes place in the basement. In this scene the Cleopatra sits on a throne like chair which resembles the chair in the drama room so I want to use that one. The most striking line according to me is “give me my robe; put on my crown”. For this I need a coat hanger and a table full of jewelry. Which the drama room can easily provide.  Plus the drama room captures the intensity of the scene as Cleopatra is in hiding and is committing suicide so she wouldn’t want to make it public.

Make up.

I don’t want heavy make up as Cleopatra’s look was clean and simple. The make up that this character would require is a pink lipstick and a long winged eyeliner. As Cleopatra is fierce, I want her to have an eagle tattoo on her arms as it represents freedom, power and clarity.

as you can see there isn’t much on the face but the eyes are done in a way that they stand out.

Costume design

A fancy heavy dress that would give somewhat of a royal look. Then to go according to the context a crown and robe, a robe that covers the only the back and is touching the floor. As Cleopatra clearly asks for those.

Light design.

The room shouldn’t be that lit up but at the same time shouldn’t be dull. One or two lights would be more than enough. One on the main chair and one to follow Cleopatra.

Music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2rzF_xVa_k

a dramatic song, similar to this would be suitable for the performance.

Justification of why my set has to be that way.

I want my monologue to be in the drama room because the official scene takes place in the basement. In this scene the Cleopatra sits on a throne like chair which resembles the chair in the drama room so I want to use that one. The most striking line according to me is “give me my robe; put on my crown”. For this I need a coat hanger and a table full of jewelry. Which the drama room can easily provide.  Plus the drama room captures the intensity of the scene as Cleopatra is in hiding and is committing suicide so she wouldn’t want to make it public.

 DRAMA – SHAKESPEARE MONOLOGUE- OTHELLO

Her father loved me, oft invited me;

Still questioned me the story of my life

From year to year — the battles, sieges, fortunes

That I have passed.

I ran it through, even from my boyish days

To th’ very moment that he bade me tell it.

Wherein I spoke of most disastrous chances,

Of moving accidents by flood and field;

Of hairbreadth escapes i’ the’ imminent deadly breach;

Of being taken by the insolent foe

And sold to slavery; of my redemption thence

And portance in my travels’ history;

SYNOPSIS OF THE STORY- OTHELLO

This is a love story about a black man names Othello from North Africa and is the military general. He gets married to a white venetian woman named DESDEMONA. She was pretty young as compared to Othello.

So at the beginning of the story they both fall in love and wanted to get married. After Desdemona’s father gets to know about their relationship and goes to find them with his men carrying swords and torches.

They found Othello and arrested him for using witchcraft for making Desdemona fall in love with her because it was hard to believe that a white woman falls in love with a black man. After sometime Desdemona came and explained everything to her father. Othello was released and both of them got married happily. Lago is one of his officers that hate Othello as it was rumored that Othello had relations with Lago’s wife. Lago wanted to take revenge by breaking his relationship with Desdemona and planned to make Othello suspect on her wife. He planned to make Othello doubt on Micheal Cassio the second-in-command. He goes with the plan and plays a lot of dirty tricks on Othello to make him suspect his wife for cheating on him with Micheal Cassio. Finally, Othello gets convinced to kill Desdemona his wife and the second-in-commando, Micheal cassio.

He got convinced by thinking that why would a white women fall in love with an older black man. Lago committed to help Othello in this crime. Othello kills his wife by covering her face with a pillow and smothering it on her face. After Desdemona dies. Amelia comes and tells Othello that micheal cassio has been murdered. Amelia tells Othello about the dirty deeds of Lago. After Amelia told Othello the trust she got stabbed by Lago. At the end of the story Othello stabs himself because of the guiltiness and dies.

Characters with description-

Othello –

A black man who is a military general in venetian and a virtuous warrior. Husband of Desdemona. Othello does not relay on people that are close to them. He gets jealous very easily and starts suspecting.

Desdemona- 

she is Othello’s wife. A young venetian woman who falls in love with Othello. She is very kind and helpful as she helped cassio at his bad time. She is a loyal towards Othello as she never cheated on him nor suspected him.

Cassio-

The second-in-command. He is smooth talking and a loyal man as he never broke the trust of any of the characters. He had honorable in intention towards Desdemona as she was trying to help him at his bad time.

Lago-

he wanted to take revenge from Othello. He is the villain in the story as Othello and his wife die because of him. He played many dirty deeds with Othello so make is suspect his wife. His actions were without any justification. He had an ability to manipulate people easily.

Five examples of Othello adaptations-

Ø https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp6LqSgukOU 

Ø https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nxTLOYrN00

Ø https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miayispMAi8

Ø https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIcCE3s_rFc

Ø https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmw3vp5Boj0

SOURCES-

http://www.gradesaver.com/othello/study-guide/character-list

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp6LqSgukOU

http://www.monologuearchive.com/s/shakespeare_006.html#wF5vcwD8PwS6I1VW.99

Props- Props that are being used in set design are staffs, sword,Facial hair, earing chair, stairs, and a golden sun with a face

 

 

Set design-  

The set is placed in our theater room. Sources like the props chairs and staircases have been used with to make the set design for the scene.

Othello is a general and a scene of the general in which the monologue will be said will be King’s throne. To make the

king’s throne I took of my peers to set the throne. In the middle, the yellow seat will be the place for the King to sit. In front of the king will be Othello speaking his monologue in front of the king. Two stair cases have been placed on both the sides of the chair to make to give a bigger look of the throne Two guards will stand on right and left of the king to give a proper look and image of king’s throne. Behind the chair, a golden sun that has a face on it is placed which gives a royal and majestic look to king’s throne as well as the guards will be holding staffs which also gives a better look of a king’s throne.

 

Character sketch with interpretation – Look-alike characters to interpret the Facial look of Othello. The look-alike characters are given below.

 

My Interpretation of facial looks for Othello

The story mentioned that Othello was old and had a dark skin color. I drew the facial looks of Othello according to my interpretation.

Costume -

 

Sleeveless jacket                                    Dark colored trousers with boots

Lighting-

The red circles state the placing of lights and the yellow color states  the direction of light on the set. Two to four lights facing the entrance of the throne as shown on the design given below. Two to four lights facing the throne as labeled on the design given below. After the entrance of king and Othello is ended the entrance light switches off and lights on the throne are switched on and throughout the monologue, the lights on the throne are switched on and the directions of the light stay constant.

 

Reflection-

This unit has been a very challenging and rewarding experience. This unit has enabled me to improve on my ATL skill. I have improved my thinking skill in designing the costume, set and lighting which was appreciated by my mentor. I learned a lot of skills to design and perform my monologue. First step was to make a presentation on Elizabeth theater to have and visual image of the Shakespeare monologue performance. The second step was to choose any Shakespeare monologue in which I chose Othello’s monologue from “Othello” (act 1 scene 3). The third step was to write the synopsis of the story which helped in designing the set according to the situation in the story. I have enhanced my designing skills through this unit which required different kinds of designing skills. The fifth step was to write the description of the characters which helped me to know the background of my character and express myself according to the character.  Step six was to find adaptation of the character which enabled me to make a character sketch as well as gestures and expressions of character. The seventh step was to design the character from my own interpretation which gave me an understanding of how I should be expressing myself while speaking the monolog. For example- anger, love or respectfully. The eighth step was back to designing where we had to design the lighting according to the et design. To explain the design, I made a sketch of the design explaining the entry and the place where the character will be speaking the monolog. The next step was to choose the costume which was a challenge for me because choosing how to look like the character in my performance was a key element and to express myself like the character it was important to look like that character. Choosing what to wear to look like the character and arranging the needs accordingly was a challenge but as a result I was successful finding the needs and look alike Othello in my performance. The last step was the performance. For that I had to first learn the monolog which was the greatest challenge I faced in this unit. Learning and speaking a monologue in Shakespearian language was a challenge. While performing I did not stop in forget or stammered my monologue while performing. I was successful in learning and speaking my monologue with expressions but while performing I made a mistake of not using the full setup of my design and stood at one stationary place facing the king and speaking my monologue. I could have improved by utilizing the space given to me from one place to another and expressing myself better with gestures.