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PlayShakespeare.com: The Ultimate Free Shakespeare Resource
PlayShakespeare.com: The Ultimate Free Shakespeare Resource
  Sunday, 04 January 2015
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Hi there,

I am putting on a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream in May 2015.

I was just wondering if I could get some advice from others on here about where to place the interval within this play? Usually, it's placed at the end of Act 3, Scene 1, when Titania leads Bottom off to her bower, but I'd just be interested to see if anyone else chose differently and why, or where you think it'd be better placed. :)

Thanks!
9 years ago
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#4307
Hi Katy,
Where is your production? Recently directed Dream and settled on exactly the area you identified. Our production was outside and fairly bawdy so was a great funny close to the first half. If you go with that spot, recommend making the most of the fairy seducing donkey close-out - not often you get to work that sort of lead-into intermission. Good-luck!
9 years ago
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#4308
Hi Russell,

My production is taking place in a local village hall, but the tone of this production is going to be darker than traditional ones, with a contemporary, punk-ish feel - I want to explore the darker side of the events of the play, leaving the ending with the relationships of the lovers ambiguous and obviously changed by the events that happen in the forest. There'll still be the comedy, of course, but I didn't know if there were better places to put the interval given the difference in tone of my production.

Equally, did you make any cuts to the text in your production? If so, what was cut and why? Because my production is going to have to adhere quite close to around the 2 hour mark I think, so wanted a second opinion about knowing what to cut and what other people have done before and how they've decided what to get rid of. Thanks!
9 years ago
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#4309
Hi Katy,

How about the very end of Act 2? There is quite a nice dark speech at that point, and would make for an unusual longer second half...or any cuts you decide upon can be more within the second half...

Where abouts is your production? If possible, I'd love to come and see it!
9 years ago
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#4310
Hi Gary,

Ooh, I hadn't thought about having it the end of Act 2 - that's work well I think!

It'll be in a village called Middleton Cheney near Banbury in Oxfordshire if it goes ahead but I am currently struggling to get a big enough cast together to fill all the roles I need which is a bit of a worry - auditions are tonight so hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised! :)
9 years ago
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#4311
There's a lot of scope for good darkness in this one, but I think you need to balance with humour or it becomes a hard slog for audience. You can set the scene of darkness with Hypolita and Theseus - a unwilling forced marriage resultant of military defeat. Got it to 2hr but no wholesale cuts, mainly trimming. Hope the auditions go well. Feel free to keep in touch if you need to bounce ideas. Good luck!
9 years ago
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#4312
Glad to be of assistance!

To work out interval positions, I like to think a good start is to see where the plays end the acts themselves, as they would be written for such a position...

Banbury is approximately 2 hours away from me, so please do let me know if it goes ahead! I have some input on a rehearsal schedule thread as well, hopefully there is some useful ideas in place there!

Perhaps, one way to cut part of a performance, is to knock out any seemingly superfluous characters...perhaps the reduction of this and handing out his/her important lines to another character with the slight adaptation on surrounding words to make it fit could benefit if you're shy an actor or two?

As I'm adapting a compilation play for just two people, I've been doing this a lot! Just finished Henry VI Part 1's handing out of the roses scene where Actor 1 plays the part of all the people who choose the White Rose, and Actor 2 plays all of those who choose the Red Rose - completely different concept and situations, I know...but generally the same sort of ideas...

If only I were closer, I would audition myself..!

Hope it all goes well
9 years ago
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#4313
Hello! So I have a cast for my production, which I'm so thrilled about as I really wasn't sure if I'd manage to get it off the ground! :)

I'll definitely take a look at the rehearsal schedule thread, as I'm not really sure where to start with putting one together, haha!

I think it might be best to keep the darkness to the beginning of the play with Theseus/Hippolyta etc - I still want to run with the idea of using modern instrumental music, and punk-style, modern costume, but I think you're right Russell - it could become too much of a slog, plus there is just so much that's hilarious about the play, it seems a shame to lose that in too much darkness!

Quick question - do you both have any suggestions for instrumental music I could use for the fairy songs and the bergamasque dance at the end? I haven't quite found anything that fits yet - I want the fairy songs to be spoken over the music and the bergamasque music to be fun and upbeat but still quite modern, but it'll cut off halfway through to make way for the final Titania/Oberon and Puck speeches. Any ideas? I was leaning towards using music by Hybrid initially but I don't know of it'll make the tone of the play just a bit too dark - I think it'll work in the switching from Act 1, Scene 2 to the next scene which will set the tone for the darker, more wild forest that I want, but I think all the way through, it might be too much - but I'm reluctant to have too little music as it might make the play a bit dull. What worked best for you guys?
9 years ago
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#4314
Katy,

I'm afraid that I can't think of anything off hand as yet in terms of instrumental music..it really depends on the exact sorts of sound that you are after.

It could be an idea to source any local bands / artists that might be able to write something fitting - and by having them perform live at the show would bring another level to this. With a lesser known band as well - a lot of the younger players simply enjoy the chance to play so you can afford to pay them less. After researching elements in this, you would have to thoroughly detail any music to the Performing Rights Society 3-4 months in advance for them to quote how much you would owe to use these songs. It may end up being no great difference in cost, and because this band are working for you then the PRS need not get involved, and will save some of that hassle.

Just because I say band, it doesn't have to mean a rock band...there are lots of different sorts of artists out there (I do even have a lute player near me that I may call upon later!)
9 years ago
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#4315
How is it coming together?
9 years ago
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#4316
Hi there! :)

It's coming along well so far thank you! We'll be going into our 4th week of rehearsals and I've blocked several scenes so far: Act 1:1, Act 1:2, Act 3:1 and roughly Act 4:2.

I'm really pleased with the Rude Mechanicals scenes - suffered a setback earlier this week though as the person I'd cast as Quince has decided to drop out, so I'm a Quince short at the moment which isn't ideal. I have someone who is currently playing Puck who read in earlier this week when we were rehearsing the scenes as Quince and was really good....but I'm not sure I can ask her to give up the role of Puck for Quince! :/ In that case, I'd probably take on the role of Puck myself as I know the character, so would be easy to block the scenes, but I don't want to end up offending or upsetting anyone. :/ Do you think she'd be offended? Have you ever been left in a bit of a pinch coz of cast members dropping out?

I'm struggling with the blocking of the opening scene a little, purely for the fact that our stage isn't particularly wide and there's a lot of people onstage for the scene, so I got into a bit of a mess making sure people don't all stand in a line or cross over one another so I'm going to revisit that at a later date I think.

Starting at 3:2 this week, which should be interesting! But overall, I'm really enjoying directing and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves in rehearsals too, which is the main thing I guess! :)
9 years ago
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#4317
I know it can be hard to not offend people - I struggle with this a lot myself as I tend to put everyone else first. In the long run, it should be down to what is best for the performances...after all, it is your reputation as a director that you need to consider.

What I would probably do in your situation, to keep the peace, would be for your actress to continue to play Puck, but when she is reading in for Quince, then you could take what you like from that and fill in for Quince's role once the relevant scenes are happily blocked and everyone knows what they are doing...this is, of course, if you don't find a replacement!

I will hopefully begin some filming of short sequences myself within the next month or so - that will be interesting..!
9 years ago
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#4318
So, I took the plunge and spoke the actress I have playing Puck earlier today - turns out, she'd actually been thinking of asking me if she could play Quince instead, but she'd been worried that it would have left me in a bit of a quandry!

She also said that she'd actually be a LOT more comfortable playing Quince (admittedly, I thought she looked a lot more comfortable too), - also, she'd never really intended to take on such a big role when she first auditioned, but because I didn't have anyone else to choose from, she sort of just slotted into place - but this way, she's now got a smaller role that I know she's much happier with, as I'd suspected for a short while that she'd been struggling with capturing Puck's character.

Of course, this still leaves me in a pickle about what to do with Puck but I think in all honesty, I'll just have to assume that role, because I had no interest from anyone about recruiting for Quince (even though that's a smaller part) so I'm not convinced that I'd find anyone for Puck, either! Plus, I'm sort of running out of time to rearrange and add in new cast members to be honest - I mean, it's not been too bad up until this point because I've not tackled any scenes with Puck anyway, but I will be starting those scenes after next week, and can't really afford to wait much longer for someone to come along. It's not ideal, but I'm hopeful that this will work better for everyone involved :)

Ooh, that's exciting! Do share them if you'd like to, I'd love to know how yours is coming along! :)
9 years ago
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#4319
Are you casting just within your community? I've finally resorted to casting on a couple of websites, and within the first half day I have already had 4 applicants for one role. 3 of which have had quite a fluency within their Shakespeare experience. This was on "tobeseen", and I didn't even need to set up a profile for myself.

It couldn't hurt to post a plea on there specifying your requirements...

I will certainly post links to the videos when they are completed - they will all be on youtube eventually!
9 years ago
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#4320
I wish I could say that I was - we have a Facebook group which includes all members of all the amateur dramatics societies in our town of Banbury and the surrounding area - I am reluctant to make people travel too far for rehearsals (and sadly don't think I have the time to audition groups of people for one role!) - but I had no response from anyone within that group, which boasts a large number of members - I think the fact it's Shakespeare puts a lot of people off to be honest!

It's definitely worth a shot, I guess!

Fantastic, I'll have to keep a look out then :)
9 years ago
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#4321
I can relate to that. Before posting the advert, I had sent out many personal requests to people for the interest but have not had any come back with any sort of response over the past couple of weeks..!

Good luck with it. I have been surprised with the willingness to travel - especially younger people who are happy to get whatever experience they can so will bend over backwards!

I've even explained that I'm not in a position as yet to offer paid work, which hasn't deterred...but with the opportunity to have something for them to show off afterwards is a massive help to them, and a simple nicety to give in return.

Best of luck again, and hopefully you will be able to pluck your Puck in the near future!
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