The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 13.2068  Monday, 12 October 2002

From:           D. Bloom <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date:           Friday, 11 Oct 2002 09:55:34 -0500
Subject: 13.2058 Re: Shakespeare's Performance World
Comment:        Re: SHK 13.2058 Re: Shakespeare's Performance World

I'm getting a bit weary of this thread -- and doubtless many others are,
too. So, I'll supply only one more comment.

It is immaterial to me whether the actors playing Viola / Cesario,
Rosalind / Ganymede, Julia / Sebastian, Portia / Balthasar or any others
were 19 or even older. If they are short, slight, beardless and
high-voiced they will appear (when wearing male clothing) like boys of
about 14.

(You got me on the Portia gaffe. I remembered something, gave a cursory
look to the text, and missed what I didn't want to see. Dumb, but not
unprecedented.)

(I'm neither surprised nor troubled that the production CW refers to was
found engrossing. Excellent acting can transcend all manner of strange,
unexpected and even mistaken directorial decisions, provided the text is
not too crummy. Since Shakespeare's texts are some distance above
crummy, you can do all sorts of things with them and have them work --
if you've got the actors.)

Cheers,
don

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