Well, we’ll see’t. Come, madam wife, sit by my side and let the world slip. We shall ne’er be younger.
Hamlet asks Ophelia to sit by his side to hear the play.
But here, the atmosphere is more fun.
Let the world slip!!
We shall ne’er be younger!!
Isn’t Shakespeare wonderful?
In this early play, the feeling of liveliness and joy are felt from the script.
Next time, finally, we will look into Act 1, Scene 1 of the Taming Of The Shrew.
See you then, Bye!
===
ELICA reads The Taming Of The Shrew by William Shakespeare from director’s point of view. When you want some directing/acting inspiration, or studying Shakespeare, peep in! === If you like my cast, LIKE, SHARE, FOLLOW, and SUBSCRIBE! Contact me when you want to work with me. Details and contacts → https://elicamiwa.com === Shakespeare For You
🎭Seeing too much sadness hath congealed your blood,
And melancholy is the nurse of frenzy.
Therefore they thought it good you hear a play
And frame your mind to mirth and merriment,
Which bars a thousand harms and lengthens life.
— Attendant, The Taming Of The Shrew: Induction 2,
Hello, friends. This is Elica Miwa, a theatre director/actor in Japan. Today’s Shakespeare For You is of an Attendant in Induction 2 of The Taming Of The Shrew.
[Hakken (discovery) Time]
Well, what shall I say? The phrase tells the merit and goodness and meaning of theatre altogether.
Notice he says not “see or watch a play”, but “hear a play”. From the dawn of the ancient Greek theatre through Shakespeare’s time, theatre was to be heard, which means the words were the keys the audience enjoyed. It does not mean they didn’t have spectacular stage craft, or murder/fight scenes. They do have full of blood and fighting and acrobatic and slapstick comic scenes. But what is important is, the audience enjoy to know what is going on inside the character, and the words conveys it with metaphors and symbolism. And they are the exact points the reason I love classic plays.
Hello, friends. This is Elica Miwa, a theatre director/actor in Japan. Today’s Shakespeare For You is of Sly in Induction 2 of The Taming Of The Shrew.
[Hakken (discovery)Time]
Sly the drunkard, being treated as a Lord, cannot believe this is the reality, which is of course not. But the attendants’ acting are so truthful, Sly finally believes. It’s interesting that he tries his all five senses. If I were to play him, I would either speak this to the audience as a short soliloquy, or to the attendants one by one. For the latter, each attendant nods and agrees with excitement, for his lord has finally been awaken from his long illness.
What do you think?
How interesting Shakespeare is!
If you like my cast, LIKE, SHARE, FOLLOW, and SUBSCRIBE.
ELICA reads The Taming Of The Shrew by William Shakespeare from director’s point of view. When you want some directing/acting inspiration, or studying Shakespeare, peep in!
Hello, friends, It’s time for Today’s Shakespeare, the Taming Of The Shrew.
Let’s look into Induction 2..
Let me read the beginning.
–enter a loft Sly, the drunkard, with attendants, some with apparel, others with basin and ewer and other appurtenances, and Lord dressed as an attendant.
SLY: for God sake, a pot of small ale.
First servant: will’t please your Lordship drink a cup sack?
Second Servant: Will’t please your Honour taste of these conserves?
Third servant: what raiment will your honour wear today?
Sly: I am a Christophero Sly. Call not me Honour nor Lordship.
I guess the servants and the Lord were surprised with this reaction.
In Induction 1, they planned to treat him as an aristocrat to see him believe that.
But here, Sly refuses. He says quite honestly who he is.
If I were to play the servants, I would look at each other, not knowing what to say.
There, Lord jumps in to help.
Lord: Heaven cease this idle humour in your honour!
Oh, that a mighty man of such descent, of such possessions and so high esteem, should be infused with so foul spirit!
Sly says:
What, would you make me mad?
So funny. Then we know who he is.
Sly:
Am I not Christopher Sly, old Sly’s son of Button-heath, by birth a peddlar, by education a card-maker, by transmutation a bearherd, and now by present profession a tinker? Ask Marian Hacket, the fat alewife of Wincot.
You see the whole list of town workers, most of which were forgotten now. If we to put this play on stage, actors must look into what kind of jobs they were.
By the way, Wincot is a fictional town. It is thought to be Wilmcote, a small village 3 miles from Stratford-upon-Avon where Shakespeare was born and raised. Wilmcote is where Shakespeare’s mother was born, and you can visit her cottage as it was.
Now, the servants understand the game more and eager to join.
And Lord asks Sly what he favours to do.
Wilt thou have music? Hark! Apollo plays.
This, “Hark! Apollo plays.” should be the cue for the musician.
Which do you prefer, A: the musicians are all ready and so eager and wait on the cue, or B: the musicians were too shocked to be ready and just watched the scene, until Lord gives this cue, winking or waving hands to get attention, then the musicians upsettingly try to start the music.
Either is fun.
Lord continues:
Or silt thou sleep?
Say thou wilt walk.
Or wilt thou ride?
Dost thou love hawking?
Or wilt thou hunt?
Aren’t these questions reminding you of anything?
Yes, Titania of The Midsummer Night’s Dream, when she asks Bottom the ass what he would like to do.
It would be fun, the servants immediately prepare what the Lord suggests: when he says, wilt thou sleep? and the servants bring a pillow; when he says wilt thou ride, and the servants bring the riding boots, and so on.
And finally Sly says;
Am I a lord?
Or do I dream?
Or have I dreamed till now?
I do not sleep: I see, I hear, I speak. I smell sweet savours and I feel soft things.
Yes, it resembles Bottom when he wakes up in the morning, remembering the hideous night and make it sure that he is awake.
Then, there comes Page, disguising as his beautiful young wife.
This time Sly admits he knows her.
Sly asks: what must I call her?
Lord says: Madam.
Sly: Alice Madam, or Joan Madam?
Lord: Madam, and nothing else.
Now Sly is getting more bold and says:
Madam, undress you and come now to bed.
Page is quick enough to say the Doctor says it is too shocking for you to jump into that.
But Sly insists.
What are they going to do?
If he persists, he would find out this fake wife is a boy, and the game is over.
There comes a messenger, a very good timing indeed.
Your Honour’s players, hearing your amendment,
And come to play a pleasant comedy.
For so your doctors hold it very meet,
…I like the rest of the speech:
Seeing too much sadness hath congealed your blood,
And melancholy is the nurse of frenzy.
Therefore they thought it good you hear a play
And frame your mind to mirth and merriment,
Which bars a thousand harms and legthens life.
The merit of theatre!!
And Sly says:
Well, we’ll see’t. Come, madam wife, sit by my side and let the world slip. We shall ne’er be younger.
Hamlet asks Ophelia to sit by his side to hear the play.
But here, the atmosphere is more fun.
Let the world slip!!
We shall ne’er be younger!!
Isn’t Shakespeare wonderful?
In this early play, the feeling of liveliness and joy are felt from the script.
Next time, finally, we will look into Act 1, Scene 1 of the Taming Of The Shrew.
Hello, friends. This is Elica Miwa, a theatre director/actor in Japan. Today’s Shakespeare For You is of the Lord in Induction 1 of The Taming Of The Shrew.
[Hakken Time!]
It seems men thought that we women can shed tears whenever we wanted, and that was the talent, the gift from heaven to women in general. Beside, the tears were not like one or two modest ones, but like shower! If you are a woman, have you ever done that? Shed tears like shower as you commanded to yourself? Anyway, it’s worthwhile knowing that in Shakespearean time, male audience must have said, “yeah, definitely!” when they heard the character said it. Was it some kind of fashion?
The phrase goes then, if he (the boy actor) couldn’t do that because he was a boy, the gender which was not gifted the ability),
an onion will do well for such a shift,
Which in a naplin being close conveyed
Shall in despite enforce a waterly eye.
Interesting stage direction!
We can see how the actors weep or shedding tears on stage! An onion wrapped in a handkerchief!!
That still works I am sure.
Very useful acting tip!
As I read this scene, I have a feeling that Shakespeare might be the one who played the role of the Lord; giving actions and what to do as a theatre director.
What do you think?
How interesting Shakespeare is!
If you like my cast, LIKE, SHARE, FOLLOW, and SUBSCRIBE.
Hello, friends. This is Elica Miwa, a theatre director/actor in Japan. Today’s Shakespeare For You is of the Lord in Induction 1 of The Taming Of The Shrew.
[Hakken Time!]
When I was in Canada, as an exchange student from my university to University of Victoria in British Columbia, some friends brought me to a pub, and there was a sign board at the door, saying “Happy Hour 1700~1800”. It was the time when you can have a drink at discounted price. Of course you must be happy for that.
“some sport in hand”: sport does not mean physical activity, but some fun to do and watch at the same time.
So the Lord is saying:
Wow, you have just come to me at the right time for some happy fun event I am planning here in my hand.
There is another HAKKEN:
the words Lord uses are quite open and wide, such as “Well, are, come, happy, time, rather, sports, hand”. Which shows his excitement is open and bright and welcoming.
How interesting Shakespeare is!
If you like my cast, LIKE, SHARE, FOLLOW, and SUBSCRIBE.
Hello, friends. This is Elica Miwa, a theatre director/actor in Japan. Today’s Shakespeare For You is of the Lord in Induction 1 of The Taming Of The Shrew.
[Hakken Time!]
“Even as” means “just as.” “Fancy” here means “imagination”.
A dream is made of imagination. It is fun, but worthless because it is not a reality.
But we know that without imagining, nothing can be realized. I think Shakespeare uses the word “fancy” not as creative “imagination”, but rather “delusion”.
How interesting Shakespeare is!
If you like my cast, LIKE, SHARE, FOLLOW, and SUBSCRIBE.
Hello, friends. This is Elica Miwa, a theatre director/actor in Japan. Today’s Shakespeare For You is of the Lord in Induction 1 of The Taming Of The Shrew.
[Hakken (discovery)]
The Lord is looking at a drunken man Sly sleeping in front of the door of an inn.
The citizens of Shakespearean time must have had many chances to see dead bodies, and felt untouchable.
If I were to play the Lord, there are some choices.
CHOICE1
I may simply detouched from sympathetic feeling and detest it,
CHOICE 2
with much sympathy, just like The Duke in As YouLike It, when he sees dying old Adam in the forest of Arden.
CHOICE 3
with much scientific interests and even try to look closer.
Hello, friends, it’s time for Today’s Shakespeare; The Taming Of The Shrew.
Let’s read through from Induction 1.
We have done the first interaction of Sly and the Madam of an inn. Because Sly didn’t pay, Madam push him out, and Sly just went to sleep. There comes the Duke who governs the area.
Lord: What’s here? One dead, or drunk? See, doth he breathe?
2nd huntsman: He breathes, my lord.
Lord: Grim death, how foul and loathsome is thine image!
↑
A pandemic called Black Death was covering all Europe and London was no exception. I can imagine how Sly was sleeping on the roadside.
Lord: What think you: if he were conveyed to bed, Wrapped in sweet clothes, rings put upon his fingers, A most delicious banquet by his bed. And brave attendants near him when he wakes, Would not the beggar then forget himself?
1st Huntsman: Believe me, lord, I think he cannot choose.
↑
The Duke offers a playful idea.
Lord: Even as a flattering dream of worthless fancy.
↑
“Even as” means “just like”. Shakespeare is fascinated with dreams. He mentions dream in every play.
Servant: An’t please your Honour, players That offer service to your Lordship.
Lord: Now, fellows, you are welcome.
↑
It reminds me of Hamlet welcomes travelling players.
A player: So please your Lordship to accept our duty.
Lord: With all my heart. This fellow I remember Since once he played a farmer’s eldest son. Well, you are come to me in happy time, The rather for I have some sport in hand Wherein your cunning can assist me much. Go, sirrah, take them to the buttery And give them friendly welcome every one. Let them want nothing that my house affords.
↑
Again it reminds me of Hamlet ordering Polonius to take care of the actors. And we see one of the actors in this play is a farmer’s eldest son.
Lord: Sirrah, go you to Barthol’mew, my page; And see him dressed in all suits like a lady.
↑
This phrase is the very evidence that boys play women’s part.
Lord: Such duty to the drunkard let him do With soft tongue and lowly courtesy, And say, “What is ‘t your Honour will command. Wherein your lady and your humble wife May show her duty and make known her love?”
↑
The lord gives lines and acting directions to his servants, just like Hamlet to the players.
Lord: And if the boy have not a woman’s gift To rain a shower of commanded tears, An onion will do well for such a shift, Which in a naplin being close conveyed Shall in despite enforce a waterly eye.
↑
Revealing a secret of crying on stage!
Lord: I’ll to counsel them. Haply my presence May well abate the over-merry spleen Which otherwise would grow into extremes.
↑
I agree! Without the writer or the director, actors don’t know what to do, or do too much!
It is so interesting that this short scene (Induction 1) can tell so much about the theatre and culture of the time. What we the theatrists should do is not to keep those information on the page, but to put it on stage.
The Taming Of The Shrew is full of extraordinary insults. They are really funny and so good. Let’s hear it.
🎭 A pair of stocks, you rogue!
A stock is a kind of ankle cuff of the time, a wooden bar with a hole and you put the criminal’s ankle in it to hold him. It must have been used as a pair, so that both ankles were kept locked.
The hostess of the inn says, literally like “I’ll lock you at the gate, ankle cuffed, to humiliate in front of everybody, you rogue!
The second one is:
🎭 Y’ are a baggage.
Sly the drunken man answers the Hostess. A baggage meant a woman who takes in anything, which means a whore. Hilarious
The third one is:
🎭 Let the world slide.
Sly says “I don’t care”. If the world slides, let it. Hmm, some people may think like that to see our world of politics and wars.
The last one for today is:
🎭 Go to thy cold bed and warm thee.
Well, I am not allowed to say or write in this public space. Your bed is cold. That means you don’t have a company to sleep with. Thee means you, which means you must warm yourself. Yes, this literally means “Go Four-Letter-Word yourself”.
