“Why, I can smile, and murder whiles I smile,
And cry ‘Content’ to that which grieves my heart,
And wet my cheeks with artificial tears,
And frame my face to all occasions.”

WORKSHOP 1 – 14th July

First readthrough and discussions.

Topics explored included:

 
What is power?
The personal is political
How many actors?
Immoral/Secular?
Chaos Chaos! Are we actually in a Roman play?
Family
How many times does the crown change heads?
Femininity
Boy players?
Revenge
Surviving apocalypse – Richard as the new breed
Richard and Henry
Animal imagery – Nature and ‘gainst Nature
Family war
How do we make the story clear?
Edward
Soliloquy
The split scene
WTF corner

WORKSHOP 2 – 28th July

Masterclass: “Speaking the Verse” – Giles Taylor

An introductory session exploring the structure and ‘rules’ of classical verse, the poetic and structural use of rhetorical devices and the interplay between verse and prose.

Giles Taylor has worked as a verse and language coach and consultant on productions directed by Natalie Abrahami, Ian Brown, Roxana Silbert and Tim Sheader. He has studied verse speaking with John Barton, Cicely Berry, Peter Gill, Giles Block and Andrew Wade. Also an actor, Giles has appeared in numerous productions of Shakespeare’s plays at the RSC and elsewehere, under the direction of Gregory Doran, Edward Hall and Rachel Kavanaugh amongst others.

“Stamp, rave, and fret, that I may sing and dance.
Thou wouldst be fee’d, I see, to make me sport.
York cannot speak, unless he wear a crown.
A crown for York! and, lords, bow low to him,
Hold you his hands, whilst I do set it on.”