Shakespeare Electronic Conference, SHK 8.0190. Tuesday, 11 February 1997.
(1) From: Ron Moyer <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Monday, 10 Feb 1997 11:08:14 -0600 (CST)
Subj: RE: SHK 8.0180 Q: RII Productions
(2) From: Chris Stroffolino <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Monday, 10 Feb 1997 14:16:35 -0500 (EST)
Subj: Re: SHK 8.0180 Q: RII Productions
(3) From: Warner Crocker <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Monday, 10 Feb 1997 15:09:36 -0600
Subj: RE: SHK 8.0180 Q: RII Productions (2nd Mailing)
(4) From: Peter Greenfield <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Monday, 10 Feb 1997 16:21:39 -0800
Subj: Re: SHK 8.0180 Q: RII Productions
(1)----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Ron Moyer <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Monday, 10 Feb 1997 11:08:14 -0600 (CST)
Subject: 8.0180 Q: RII Productions
Comment: RE: SHK 8.0180 Q: RII Productions
J W Aykroyd addresses suggested doubling in R2 in her _Performing Shakespeare:
A Guidebook_. She suggests minimum cast as 15 male, 2 female, with the
following doubling: Gaunt/Gardener; Mowbray/Fitzwater/Servant 2.2/ Salisbury;
Marshall/Abbot/Welsh Captain/Murderer; Aumerle/Berkeley; Bagot/ Exton;
Greene/Man/Keeper; Bushy/Man/Servant 5.4/Surrey; Ross/Groom/Lord 3.1/ Herald;
Willoughby/Murderer/Scroope/Herald; Duchess of Gloucester/Duchess of York/Lady.
Her suggested doubling is for the purpose of achieving minimum cast size and
does not address your specific questions nor thematic doubling, but it notes
potential for doubling the duchesses and offers a range of possibilities.
Barry Kyle's '86-87 production for the RSC (w/ Jeremy Irons) doubled Bushy/
Gerdener; Scroop/Abbot; Lord Marshall/Welsh Captain; Green/Keeper; Surrey/
Murderer; York's Servant/Murderer; Exton/Gerdener's Man. Garland Wright's 1990
Guthrie production doubled Ross/Groom; Abbot/Berkeley; Lord Marshall/Glendower;
Willoughby/First Gardener.
FWIW,
Ron Moyer, Univ. of South Dakota <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
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From: Chris Stroffolino <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Monday, 10 Feb 1997 14:16:35 -0500 (EST)
Subject: 8.0180 Q: RII Productions
Comment: Re: SHK 8.0180 Q: RII Productions
Dear Nancy Doherty--Where ARE you doing Richard II? You didn't say. By your
address, I could presume BARD college, but then Sx was "the bard" so hmmmm. I
have not seen R2 performed much. Last time was in the Edith Wharton stables in
I think, er, (I was dating Claudia then so it must be er) 1994 and they did it
with pretty much 3 people--the woman who played the QUEEN also played
Bullingbroke. ---Let me know where you're performing R2 and when.
Thanks, chris stroffolino
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From: Warner Crocker <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Monday, 10 Feb 1997 15:09:36 -0600
Subject: 8.0180 Q: RII Productions (2nd Mailing)
Comment: RE: SHK 8.0180 Q: RII Productions (2nd Mailing)
Don't know exactly how they do it but currently Writer's Theatre in Glencoe,
IL, just north of Chicago is doing Richard II with a cast of 8 or 9. Writer's
Theatre performs in a very small space. I haven't yet seen the production but
will be seeing it this weekend now that I have returned from directing Romeo
and Juliet at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival (nee Fahrenheit Theatre
Company). An acquaintence of mine is playing eight roles in the production.
WC
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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From: Peter Greenfield <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Monday, 10 Feb 1997 16:21:39 -0800
Subject: 8.0180 Q: RII Productions
Comment: Re: SHK 8.0180 Q: RII Productions
I worked on an outdoor production of Richard II at the Marin Shakespeare
Festival (way back in 1969). It was directed by John Argue of the San
Francisco Mime Troupe and involved extensive doubling, though not the pairings
you mention. I can remember Gaunt/Gardener/Groom, Mowbray/Exton, Bushy and
Green with Ross and Willoughby, and (perhaps, my memory fails) the duchesses.
The doubling was done quite openly, with the whole cast on stage at all times,
often acting as a chorus, and putting on their different costumes in view of
the audience.
Peter Greenfield
University of Puget Sound