Animated Shakespeare

I came across something that might be good for us to look into.
Shakespeare: The Animated Tales (1992–1994)
It is a BBC series of animated shakespeares. The voices were done by the Royal Shakespeare Co. and the animation was done by very accomplished Russian artists.
This might be good for our group to look into for more story boarding ideas.

Here are some images from Midsummer:

And this is from Romeo and Juliet.

Love's Actions Analyzed

I was reading Andrew's post and it got me thinking. I actually started to comment when I realized that it was turning into a really long awkward blob of text, so I decided to put it here instead.
I'd have to agree that Love's Labours Lost was a little heavy in the gushy romance department. But this kind of thing is common even now-a-days in chick-flicks and what not because, and you're right Andrew: It speaks to girls. And franckly it is commenting on how people act when they are in love. These actions, or labors, must be the focus of the play because it's in the title, clearly.
So I say that with this one Shakespeare is addressing the age-long question of what a girl wants and what actions speak loudest of love. The technical "right answer" is everything the men do in Love's Labour's Lost along with anything else you see guys do in the typical chick-flick; namely, poetry, favors or gifts, flowers, chocolates, and what have you. But actually, I think it comes down to a lot more. These sort of actions that are categorized as romantic are a big part of media and entertainment because I believe they actually happen in real life. But I believe they happen in real life as a natural result of love. If you love someone (even unromantic love) you want to spend time with them, you want to make them happy, and you truly have their best interest at heart. In romantic love you find yourself saying things that are cute to the other person naturally, because you like them, you actually think they are pretty, etc. I guess it is the sincerity that we are all looking for. We are all looking for a person that is compatible, but also a person that we can love sincerely and be loved sincerely in return.
Because we are so emotionally driven, we find ourselves acting like "fools" to everyone else, because we are driven to do things that we wouldn't if we didn't have someone to do it for, someone we sincerely loved.
We see a lot of this in poetry, gifts, the spending time together. Though these actions are natural, I think that sometimes they are forced because we put such pressure and precedence on them. When this is the case, you end up with a really awkward situation where one person is trying a little too hard. I have experienced such smotherings.
I guess this is my take-home-message. Love's labours are not something to worry about. They are not the center of relationships; love is. And these actions come naturally if you find yourself really liking someone. In other words: the guys won't wait for Valentines day to show their affection if they actually have any. ;)

"Real" Characters

I just wanted to revisit one of the discussion topics from this week's class; being invested in characters. I am real a sucker for fantasy and I am prone to getting very invested in characters. At one point during this semester, I was watching Once Upon A Time, I realized that I was holding my breath when the commercials came on. It was out of excitement and suspense, because I was so invested in the characters and the plot. My roommate put it this way, "there is liking a show, and then there's not breathing." Hahaha.
I've also been known to cry in a good book. This is another manifestation of loving the fictional characters.
I have to admit that I cried in Harry Potter, when I was reading the 7th book. I couldn't believe that Hedwig was gone. How could she die? She had always been right there with Harry. And how could I have cried over an owl dying in a random book? But that is the power of being invested in a character.
What about you? What character(s) do you love? Any Hunger Game fans out there? It comes out in about 27 hours!

Magic, Metamorphoses

I read a book, a study of Midsummer and I learned a lot that I think can help. I won't reiterate every example from the book, but I will give my ideas for how we could incorporate these things into our play.
(It showed that there was a lot of influence from Ovid's Metamorphoses in Midsummer. Bottom was given the head of an ass and the play within a play about Pyramus and Thisbe is a parody of Ovid's work.)

To Change:
Metamorphoses was described as "changing form" and there were lots of examples given.
- I think the best example of this in our play will be when Puck's memories are lost and his love changes. This would not be a physical change, but an emotional one.
- He could also "change form" into a bird or some other animal in order to steal for Oberon more effectively.
Exchanges:
It also talked about "exchanges" especially the traffic of women in marriage.
- We could have the girl's father reluctant to give her to Puck in marriage just like Hermia's father Theseus. "As she is mine, I may dispose of her..." (Midsummer 1:1)
- We can also have the girl send a message telling Puck that if he hears that she is engaged to another man, it is not true because she loves Puck. (Anne's quote can be used in this note.) This message can be "exchanged" between different messengers and somehow it doesn't ever reach Puck.
The Moon:
The moon was a symbol of change and the passage of time. (The moon was also seen as female, so if we want to reference it we need to use the pronoun "her".)
It was also thought to be the cause of "Lunacy".
- One of Puck's pranks can be to use moonlight (like "moon shine" from Midsummer) and shadows to drive a man mad and becomes a "Lunatic". Because he is then "lunar" he can take the note that is sent to Puck, and therefore he never gets the message and thinks that the girl has "changed her mind".

Greek Back Story-
I found that Titania based off of the Greek Goddess who is Queen of the Night (daughter of Titan the Sun God). This might be a good place to start looking for names and characters to base the other fairies that we are creating, especially the love interest.

The Meaning of Star-Cross'd

First, some more proof.
Our play is obviously connected to other Shakespeare plays.
We are using characters from Midsummer Night's Dream: Puck, Oberon, Titania.
And from The Tempest: Ariel.
And as Anne said, our title is from Romeo and Juliet. Interestingly, these 2 plays (Romeo and Juliet and Midsummer) are many speculate to already be connected. The play within Midsummer about Pyramus and Thisbe is sometimes thought to be the source for Romeo and Juliet.  Both of these are tragic stories about lovers. Both of these end with the death of both of the lovers. Therefore are tragedies.

This brings me to my 2nd point. We need to be very clear about what genera we are making Star-Cross'd. We can really go to ways. If we call it a Romance, like Midsummer, the focus will be the mystical, magical aspects of the play; the fairy world and Puck's pranks in the forest. We could also make it a Tragedy like Romeo and Juliet, which is what the title Star-Cross'd might really make people think of. It would play up the fact that the lovers don't get to be together and focus on the sad ending. The other part of a Shakespearean Tragedy is that people die at the end. If we want to officially call it a Tragedy, I suggest that we make Puck's love commit suicide at the end because of miscommunication and Puck's forgetting. Like in Hemlet, there needs to be something of a body count at the end of the play.

Puck's music

This is a piano piece that my friend told me she had played. It is based on Puck the Character.
I just thought it was really relevant to our Star-Crossed play.
Check it out. Maybe this can help us in the music department.

Quite Humorus, quite indeed

The Fairy-tale Aspect

I realize that I wasn't clear about where Once Upon A Time fit in with the story. If you watch the show you probably caught on, but this will clear things up for those of you that haven't...

The coolest part about working on a story for Puck would be the mysterious woods and the magic. I am quite partial to the idea of using a magic potion. It is like a reverse love-potion. It would cure Puck of his unattainable love in a very lighthearted way. The effect would be to forget all memories of the person you were in love with. This way you would never suffer over it. You would not be bothered by the memories, or the image of the person that you are in love with.
I can totally see Puck having his mischievous side come out after drinking this potion because it makes you completely oblivious when you were so preoccupied and obsessed before.
I think it would totally be an OK rout to go because Shakespeare used magic and even a love potion before in Midsummer Night's Dream.
Here is where Puck talks about it.

On the ground

Sleep sound:

I'll apply

To your eye,

Gentle lover, remedy.

[Squeezing the juice on LYSANDER's eyes]

Plus if this is the back story for Puck, it would add dramatic irony when Puck uses potions on other people later in his life in Midsummer Night's Dream, because that is exactly what he did, only he doesn't remember of course.

This kind of potion was actually used in Once Upon A Time, which is where I got the idea.
This clip shows the effect of the potion. I can really see Puck becoming apathetic and adding to his joking attitude as a result of this potion.
(Just to clearify the clip: Snow Wight was in love with Prince James (charming) but he was being forced into an arranged mariage and therefore they couldn't be together. That's when Snow decided to forget him.)

Here is another clip that explains more about how the potion will function. (Snow makes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin to get the cure for a broken heart.) - Watch out Rumpel is very creepy!

Puck's Tragic Tale

OK - now that my ideas are coming together I am getting excited. I am really liking the Puck back story idea for the final project (by Andrew). Here are some possible particulars.

1st - The Chorus Character

Like I said in  my previous post I think a chorus or chorus like character is an important part of a play. They really help the audience get the big picture of the play or in some cases understand the background. When they are not acting like the traditional chorus like from Greek historical plays, they are found as a common character that is very relate-able and therefore the audience can readily trust them.
The person could be one of Oberon's servants who is a friend of a friend of Puck. He will fill the function of a chorus character in the way that he tells Puck's story to Oberon (like royal gossiping) and then proceeds to comment on it which leads to Puck solution to his issues. Sorry, I am purposely being vague here because I am going to go into more detail about the plot which will clear things up.

2nd - The Plot

The is the main reason I am getting so excited. Reading Andrew's idea I started to see a connection with one of my favorite TV shows right now: Once Upon A Time. I know I'm a nerd, but here me out, I think the story could be really cool.
Here is the main outline.
Puck travels from his home in Athens to India with a trading group.
Puck meets and falls in love with a fairy there, who unbeknown to him is the princess.
Puck returns home and finds out about his love and hears that she has just gotten married. 
Puck is sad and enlists the help of Oberon's magic.
Puck receives a curing potion in exchange for service to Oberon. This potion makes him forget about the princess all-together and he enters Oberon's court as a personal attendant destined to do all sorts of odd little jobs for Oberon.

Here are the specific details.
Act 1 - Introducing Puck and his family. They live under the rule of Oberon and Titania in the woods by Athens. They all celebrate his coming of age with a feast, dancing and a short play (play within a play). He is invited by his father as a gift to go with him on a journey to India to do trading. (This is already referred to in Midsummer Night's Dream with Titania's changeling child from India.) They prepare for travel and depart.
Act 2 - They have arrived at the woodland in India. They are getting reacquainted with fairies that they have done business with previously. One night, Puck wakes with a strong wind and he decides on a midnight stroll. He sees a beautiful fairy by the lakeside and decides to have some fun with her. He pretends to be a royal ambassador from Athens to heighten his prestige. She turns out to be the princess, or lady in waiting and they obviously fall in love. He continues to hide his identity, but low and behold she is holding out as well; she is engaged, betrothed since her birth to marry and take over the ruling of the Indian woodlands. It comes time that Puck's traveling party is about to leave and so he and the princess part promising to a sweet reunion later when she must represent her royal family in Athens.
Act 3 - Back in Athens Puck is welcomed home with another celebration. At the party Pucks friends reacquaint him with all the gossip and the goings on. He is told that he and his father must have just missed the big news. There was a big royal wedding in India. Hearing this Puck is distraught. He finds that his love could never be. This is where it connects to Anne's true love idea. We could easily use her lines reworked from Antony and Cleopatra. His heart is broken. He is distraught and hurt somewhat like Andrew was talking about. His friends and family obviously see his blues, but find him awkward to be around and therefore leave him to himself.
Act 4 - In the royal court Oberon receives official royal announcement of the wedding in India. While commenting on this he asks for any other gossip from his servants and they tell him of the the trade that happened in India and the welcome home party. This retelling will be done by the chorus character who is also privy to Puck's personal plight. He talks up Puck's success in India and explains about the lost love and his current situation. Oberon takes petty on him and decides to use his magical skills to help him. We works on a magical potion and then attempts to find Puck on one of his nightly strolls. When they meet that night, Puck confides how broken hearten he is hoping that Oberon's magic might hold some cure for him. Oberon responds that he can help him. With this magic potion! But of course Puck must agree to something in return. Oberon offers the potion while requesting Puck's service as a personal attendant. Puck sees this as a great opportunity; his troubles will be fixed and he will gain prestige in the king's service. He asks more specifically after the potion and is told that it is a complete cure, it will erase all memory of the Indian fairy princess he is in love with! This is extreme, but obviously love needs the strongest cure. He reflects and has a moment to decide his course, before he drinks the potion. The final scene is of Puck learning the ways of Oberon's court and being taught the tricks of the trade. His family and friends try to greet him and socialize with him, but he denies them because they had not stood by him in his dark time.

The Shakespearean Chorus

I talked before about the concept in acting of  breaking the 4th wall. I am thinking that this is something we could put into our imaginary play because Shakespeare did it often. It is found most commonly in connection with the chorus or a chorus like character.

Shakespeare, in some of his histories, loosely followed the ancient Greek tradition of having a chorus in the play. This person or group of people would usually brake the 4th wall and talk directly to the audience about the plot and events and background of the play.

Here is an example from Henry V - 

Chorus (Henry V, prologue)

O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend

The brightest heaven of invention,

A kingdom for a stage, princes to act

And monarchs to behold the swelling scene!

Then should the warlike Harry, like himself,

Assume the port of Mars; and at his heels,

Leash'd in like hounds, should famine, sword and fire

Crouch for employment. But pardon, and gentles all,

The flat unraised spirits that have dared

On this unworthy scaffold to bring forth

So great an object: can this cockpit hold

The vasty fields of France? or may we cram

Within this wooden O the very casques

That did affright the air at Agincourt?

O, pardon! since a crooked figure may

Attest in little place a million;

And let us, ciphers to this great accompt,

On your imaginary forces work.

Suppose within the girdle of these walls

Are now confined two mighty monarchies,

Whose high upreared and abutting fronts

The perilous narrow ocean parts asunder:

Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts;

Into a thousand parts divide on man,

And make imaginary puissance;

Think when we talk of horses, that you see them

Printing their proud hoofs i' the receiving earth;

For 'tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings,

Carry them here and there; jumping o'er times,

Turning the accomplishment of many years

Into an hour-glass: for the which supply,

Admit me Chorus to this history;

Who prologue-like your humble patience pray,

Gently to hear, kindly to judge, our play. 

I thought it was interesting to see that though Midsummer Night's Dream is not a history and there is no chorus, Puck brakes the 4th wall quite often.
Here is an example -

Puck (Midsummer Night's Dream, Act V end)

If we shadows have offended,

Think but this, and all is mended,

That you have but slumber'd here

While these visions did appear.

And this weak and idle theme,

No more yielding but a dream,

Gentles, do not reprehend:

if you pardon, we will mend:

And, as I am an honest Puck,

If we have unearned luck

Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,

We will make amends ere long;

Else the Puck a liar call;

So, good night unto you all.

Give me your hands, if we be friends,

And Robin shall restore amends.

After doing some research on the use of a chorus I found this from Wikipedia. 
"Plays of the ancient Greek theater always included a chorus that offered a variety of background and summary information to help the audience follow the performance. The Greek chorus [also] comments on themes..." Here is the interesting part. "The chorus also represents, on stage, the general population of the particular story, in sharp contrast with many of the themes of the ancient Greek plays which tended to be about individual heroes, gods, and goddesses." Knowing this I thought back to my personal play (Richard II) and tried to find a representative character. I also found some other supporting online references that pointed me in the direction of the Gardener. This is supported by they fact that he was a commoner whose lines are sandwiched in-between 2 scenes heavy in Kings, Queens, Lords and Ladies and such. He is also asked to recall the events of the play up to that point and continues on to foretell what he thinks will happen (he thinks that King Richard will loose the crown to Bolingbroke and maybe die). Because of his occupation, he is also able to articulate this using plant metaphors.

Gardener (Richard II, Act 3, sc. 4) 

He that hath suffer'd this disorder'd spring
Hath now himself met with the fall of leaf:
The weeds which his broad-spreading leaves did shelter,
That seem'd in eating him to hold him up,
Are pluck'd up root and all by Bolingbroke...

From these examples we see that a chorus character is an important part of Shakespeare.
I think that it would fit nicely in the Puck story that has been suggested by Andrew.
Please stay tuned for more about this.

Composition Analysis

I was reading the musical post by Kim and it was really interesting to me even though I have not read Macbeth. She posted a classical rendition of Shakespeare. Here it is again.

I just thought I would give a few of my own ideas and analysis of what is here in a musical sense.

I think the part layering (where the parts would come in a little bit after one another in a cascading fashion to build the chord) that they did multiple times was a really good reiteration of the "Double Double" idea. It showed the build up of the spell, potion, or what ever the case may be. It was also good that it occurred in both directions (women to men, men to women) it gave variety and farther interest to the repetition in the composition that mimics literary Shakespeare's repetition.
The sliding (where you don't sing a note but you slide from high to low or low to high like a siren) was a good addition to the ethereal feel of the song. This is not that easily achieved with a whole choir.
Their work with the vowels was especially good. First they used spread  vowels that gives a really eerie sound. Then they used tall or rounded vowels that give a very for eccohy sound. Both lend different sounds that seem the most strange when combined with each other.
The spoken part of the song added the element of an incantation.
Staccato was also good.  "SOMEthing wicket this way comes, SOMEthing wicked this way come..." It gave emphasis and made you focus on the something. What is this something? The fact that it doesn't say combined with such an emphasis really makes the mystery and the creepiness.

Overall, it was in my estimation it was a great musical rendition of Shakespeare and I believe it represented him well in another medium.