Humor Game As previously discussed, Elizabethan psychology drew heavily on the theory of humors that governed a person’s temperament and even sometimes their physical appearance. Unbalanced humors could lead to illness or prompt a person to behave in certain ways. a. Reviewing the qualities associated with the different humors. As a class, begin walking around the room at a comfortable pace and with an easy, casual posture. Then begin improvising the execution of simple household activities such as sweeping the floor, making a bed, washing windows, putting away dishes, etc. The teacher or leader will call out a particular humor: sanguine, melancholic, phlegmatic, or choleric. Continue your household activities, but in a way that reflects the nature of the selected humor. Think about how the humor is affecting you, both in terms of your physical rhythms and how you feel about the task they are engaged in. Do this for all four humors. b. In groups of four, improvise a scene from a simple scenario (for example, the group arrives to dinner at a restaurant but the reservation has been lost, the group arrives for a party at a hotel but the wrong date was booked and no rooms are available). Each actor draws a card, each of which has one of the four humors written on it. Then play out the scenario in a character based on the humor drawn. At the end of the scene discuss: • Did the actors generate a recurring set of responses to the situation or to the other characters? • How did the emotions behind each character influence each character’s objectives? • Do any well-known characters come to mind that exhibit similar behaviors to those in the humor-based scene?
Creating a World on Stage Illyria is a world of excess and extremes where anything goes. For this Hartford Stage production, set designer, Alexander Dodge created a lush, topiary labyrinth to communicate the sense of confusion and beauty. What is your interpretation of Illyria? On a sheet of paper, draw a sketch of your ideas for a set design for Twelfth Night. Incorporate these locations in the script: • Duke Orsino’s Palace • The sea-coast • A street in Illyria • Inside Olivia’s house • Olivia’s garden • A street outside Olivia’s house What colors or textures would you use to create this world? Do you envision a literal or an abstract world? Think about how the environment you create will support the sense of the Twelfth Night holiday. The director and designers of this production chose to use the 1920s in America as an inspiration. Research this era: what were the shapes and sounds of the 20s? What elements of the 20s did you find in the production? 20
Imagine that you are directing Twelfth Night. When and where would you place it? Choose a place or time period for inspiration, and create a collage of images (from magazines, newspapers, photographs, internet research, etc.) of the time period. Share your ideas with the rest of the class.
Telegram Monologues Many of the speeches in Twelfth Night include complex grammatical constructs that can be confusing to the reader on first glance. Actors performing in plays like Twelfth Night must ensure that they thoroughly understand the through-line of their characters’ thoughts and communicate that clearly to the audience. The following exercise will help you to find the core meaning of a speech by reducing it down to its most essential words. These words are the skeleton of the speech; if one or more words were removed, the speech would lose its meaning. Try rewriting the following monologues, using only the words that are absolutely necessary. For example: CAPTAIN. True, madam; and, to comfort you with chance, Assure yourself, after our ship did split, When you, and those poor number sav’d with you, Hung on our driving boat, I saw your brother, Most provident in peril, bind himself,—Courage and hope both teaching him the practice,— To a strong mast that liv’d upon the sea; Where, like Arion on the dolphin’s back, I saw him hold acquaintance with the waves So long as I could see. (I.12.8-17) Would become: CAPTAIN. Madam to comfort you Assure yourself, after our ship split, When you, those sav’d with you, Hung on our boat, I saw your brother, in peril, bind himself,-Courage and hope -To a strong mast Where, I saw him hold So long as I could see. (I.12.8-17) Try these: VALENTINE. So please my lord, I might not be admitted, But from her handmaid do return this answer: The element itself, till seven years’ heat, 21