http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDyGl2uIQ-Q
This film adaptation by Julie Taymore starring Helen Mirrem as Prospero and Felicity Jones as Miranda is slightly weird but whats interesting is it challenges the normal story-line and gender-based themes and analogy. The adaptation brings to the screen the drama and atmosphere which is often the case with cinematic productions. Because of the way it is acted and the lack of limitations this film holds it is perhaps easier to understand the language due to the actions and composition and therefore although, wacky I do like it.
Monday, 28 July 2014
Main Themes of The Tempest
- Power - the lack of it and fight for it as well as use of it by prospero/The King etc.
- Control - of the Island, of love, of servants, of magic.
- Betrayal - plotting against masters and enemies e.g Caliban and Pospero.
- Revenge - This ties in with Power and control and getting it back through means of revenge
- Forgiveness - combined with resolution at the end of the play
Synopsis of The Tempest
Own Synopsis
The Tempest follows the story of Prospero, a sorcerer and the rightful Duke of Milan and his daughter Miranda who were once set adrift on a boat as result of the Duke's brother, Antonio and the king of Naples, Alonso plot to steal the throne 12 years before. At present in the play they now are marooned upon an island where Prospero is served by Ariel, a spirit who he once freed from a tree. The story begins with a storm, summoned by Prospero, to shipwreck his enemies who sail near by with only scattered survivors making it to shore. The son on Alonso, Ferdinand is lured towards Ariel because of his singing and meets Miranda where she feels infactuated by him and tus a romance begins. Meanwhile Antonio, Alonso, Sebastian, and Gonzalo go in search of Ferdinand, however Antonio and Sebastian now plot to murder Alonso, however Ariel intervenes.
Meanwhile, the fools of the play, Stephano and Trinculo meet Caliban and plot to kill Prospero so that Caliban can rule the Island himself.
The climax of the play include Prospero descending trickery upon Alonso and Antonio by creating a magical baquet for them that disappears every time they try to eat it, and also sends Ariel in disguise of a harpy to scare the men as well as sending Ariel to punish Caliban and the foolsmen for the crime of engineering their own plot of murder.
Resolution occurs when Prospero finally confronts his brother and Alonso revealing his identity and demanding that he be restored the throne as the rightful Duke of Milan. He rebukes Sebastian for plotting against his own brother and reveals to Alonso that Ferdinand is alive and has married Miranda. Prospero then releases Ariel and Caliban of their services and leaves his magic behind to return back to Naples/.
The Tempest Characters
- Alonso, King of Naples
- Sebastian, his brother
- Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan
- Antonio, his brother; the usurping Duke of Milan
- Ferdinand, son of the King
- Gonzalo, an old and honest councilor
- Adrian, a lord
- Francisco, a lord
- Caliban, Prospero's slave
- Trinculo, a jester
- Stephano, a drunken butler
- Master of a ship
- Boatswain
- Mariners
- Miranda, Prospero's daughter
- Ariel, an airy spirit
- Iris, a spirit
- Ceres, a spirit
- Juno, a spirit
- Nymphs
- Reapers
- Other Spirits; attendants to Prospero
Thursday, 24 July 2014
Previous Production of A Midsummer Night's Dream
1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbPFvX2E13Y
The 1999 screen adaptation of A Midsummer Nights Dream starring Christian Bale and Calista Flockhart I think offers an understandable and imaginative outlook on Shakespeare's play, where you can really sense the plot and setting of the story with the scenery and camera angles. The CGI technology was a breakthrough in that time that highlights the fairy's and their significance. This previous production depicts a realistic performance on screen and therefore feels more real because of the lack of stage and limiting location.
2) Regents Park Open Air Theatre
https://openairtheatre.com/production/a-midsummer-nights-dream
In 2012 I went to see A Midsummer Nights Dream in the open air theatre and then our director used inspiration from that previous performance to adapt our own creative performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream that I performed in as Helena
3) Our own performance - Holy Trinity C of E Secondary School
The 1999 screen adaptation of A Midsummer Nights Dream starring Christian Bale and Calista Flockhart I think offers an understandable and imaginative outlook on Shakespeare's play, where you can really sense the plot and setting of the story with the scenery and camera angles. The CGI technology was a breakthrough in that time that highlights the fairy's and their significance. This previous production depicts a realistic performance on screen and therefore feels more real because of the lack of stage and limiting location.
2) Regents Park Open Air Theatre
https://openairtheatre.com/production/a-midsummer-nights-dream
In 2012 I went to see A Midsummer Nights Dream in the open air theatre and then our director used inspiration from that previous performance to adapt our own creative performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream that I performed in as Helena
3) Our own performance - Holy Trinity C of E Secondary School
Themes of A Midsummer Night's Dream
- LOVE
- LUST
- DISAPPOINTMENT
- CONFUSION
- MARRIAGE
- ENCHANTMENT
- MISCHIEVOUS
- MAGIC
- DREAM
A Midsummer Nights Dream Synopsis
The plot of AMSND revolves around three parallel stories; two sets of lovers where their love becomes entangled and twisted; the enchanted forest where lives the Fairy King and Queen dealing with their own domestic dispute; a group of rough craftsmen (also know as the fools) trying to secretly rehearse a badly-written play of Pyramus and Thisby also in the enchanted forest to perform on The Duke of Athens wedding day.
The four lovers' love quadrangle consist of Hermia and Lysander who love each other and run away to the enchanted forest due to Hermia's father being insistant of her marrying Demetrius. Demetrius pursues the two lovers to the forest with Helena at his heels for she 'nurses an unrequited passion for him'. The famous line 'The course of love never did run smooth' best describes the climatic plot of A Midsummer Night's Dream. The love quadrangle is further complicated when Oberon commands Puck, (The kings hand help) to use the drop of a magic flower aid their love lives. The magic accidentally turns in Helena's favor with both men falling for her under the influence of magic, yet she thinks all three of them 'have conjoined all three to fashion this false sport in spite of [her]'. All the lovers quarrel and become confused and aggressive under Puck's smog of magic.
Manwhile, Oberon and Titania are estranged after arriving in the forest to attend Theseus' and Hippolyta's wedding becasue Titania refuses to give up her Indian page-boy to Oberon for use of his henchman because she has looked after him since the child's mother (one of her worshipers) died.
As the plot unfolds more magical enchantment is bestowed upon the mechanicals and Titania.
However, in the ruins of Athens. as the end draws near, the play is performed in front of the Duke and Duchess and all magic is removed from the lovers and thus they decide it must have all been a dream. Yet, the magic is allowed to be left upon Demetrius so that he may return Helena's love and all discord is removed. A double wedding occurs and all ends in resolution.
Resource website
The four lovers' love quadrangle consist of Hermia and Lysander who love each other and run away to the enchanted forest due to Hermia's father being insistant of her marrying Demetrius. Demetrius pursues the two lovers to the forest with Helena at his heels for she 'nurses an unrequited passion for him'. The famous line 'The course of love never did run smooth' best describes the climatic plot of A Midsummer Night's Dream. The love quadrangle is further complicated when Oberon commands Puck, (The kings hand help) to use the drop of a magic flower aid their love lives. The magic accidentally turns in Helena's favor with both men falling for her under the influence of magic, yet she thinks all three of them 'have conjoined all three to fashion this false sport in spite of [her]'. All the lovers quarrel and become confused and aggressive under Puck's smog of magic.
Manwhile, Oberon and Titania are estranged after arriving in the forest to attend Theseus' and Hippolyta's wedding becasue Titania refuses to give up her Indian page-boy to Oberon for use of his henchman because she has looked after him since the child's mother (one of her worshipers) died.
As the plot unfolds more magical enchantment is bestowed upon the mechanicals and Titania.
However, in the ruins of Athens. as the end draws near, the play is performed in front of the Duke and Duchess and all magic is removed from the lovers and thus they decide it must have all been a dream. Yet, the magic is allowed to be left upon Demetrius so that he may return Helena's love and all discord is removed. A double wedding occurs and all ends in resolution.
Resource website
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