Having intended to reflect daily this month on my experiences here in Staunton, I now find myself at day five and only having have written once thus far. So many exciting things are going on here already this week. I can’t begin to tell you stimulating the past days have been, and I think I have learned as much in this one week as I’ve learned in an entire course previously.
This past week focused on the history of Shakespeare’s theater – with an emphasis, of course, on Shakespeare’s Blackfriars theater, of which they have built a replica here in Staunton. That theater is housed in a very modern building, with an industrialized architecture throughout the inside, that is, until you enter the theater. The theater itself is like stepping back in time; its playing space is absolutely gorgeous. The theater, though, exists not just as a monument to Shakespearean theater, but a laboratory for exploring Shakespeare in the contexts of how it was originally performed four hundred years ago. Much of their practices are based upon the work of theater historians.
The most interesting and obvious feature of the theater is that they perform in the light. Their motto is “We do it with the lights on”. Original Shakespeare was performed in candlelight, and here they use electric candlelight – which better adheres to local fire code I am sure – to illuminate the entire theater evenly throughout the play. The effect can be dissettling. Not only can you see the players on the stage, but they can see you as well, and even more significantly, you are able to see the other members of the audience. This results in a very different experience for the audience, one in which they become much part of the show itself than in typical modern theater. Actors regularly point out audience members as they speak addressing them directly. Those members sitting on stools upon the stage – another Early Modern stage practice – are drawn most deeply into the action, holding props and even being invited to dance along with the players from time to time.
In addition to the academic side, I’ve been to two shows thus far – Twelfth Night and Measure for Measure – and am excited at just how different this theater company is. This is an exciting place for me right now, to be in a city that lives and breathes Shakespeare and so excitedly embraces the history of the theater so many have grown to love.
I’ll strive to write more regularly – daily if I can – over the next few weeks to keep my friends abreast of my work thus far.
Tonight are the fourth of July celebrations here. I’m looking forward to a fun Friday night! I hope your celebrations are happy too! Peace out everybody!
