4 ms·
Shakespeare's Globe in London did full OP productions (on the main stage) of Romeo and Juliet (2004, [1]) and Troilus and Cressida (2005, [2]). David and Ben we
by mrec 8y ago
Shakespeare's Globe in London did full OP productions (on the main stage) of Romeo and Juliet (2004, [1]) and Troilus and Cressida (2005, [2]). David and Ben were advisors. Highly recommended if you ever get the chance to see something similar; besides the rhyming/punning issues you mention, it's a lot brisker and more natural-sounding.
Interestingly, the prologue for R+J announces that the play "is now the two hours' traffic of our stage". It's rare for an uncut modern production to clock in much below 3.
[1] https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1G1-130566946/romeo-and-juliet-presented-by-the-globe-theatre https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1G1-130566946/romeo-...
[2] https://text.npr.org/s.php?sId=4761275 https://text.npr.org/s.php?sId=4761275
- samatman 8y agoAhh that sounds so amazing! Perhaps Stratford, ON will give that a shot someday. I can't imagine the original productions clocked in much under four, what with vendors selling pasties between each act and the occasional dancing bear. It points to a different concept of time: a modern Brit wouldn't dare describe a four hour affair as "two hours" but someone from Southern Europe might...
- mrec 8y agoI'm pretty sure intervals weren't a thing in Shakespeare's day; he certainly didn't write with them in mind. Which isn't to say that nobody was selling pasties, of course. Theatres were very much public spaces back then (and the Globe's yard still feels like one). Ref e.g. https://text.npr.org/s.php?sId=475128109 https://text.npr.org/s.php?sId=475128109
- digi_owl 8y agoSimilarly, the sunday matinee at the cinema was basically a family outing, complete with packed lunch, at one time.