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🎭 Alas, poor Proteus, you have entertain’d 
A fox to be the shepherd of thy lambs.

— Julia, Two Gentlemen of Verona 4-4

[ACTING TIPS]

This is a soliloquiy moment of Julia, disguised as a boy Sebastian.

She is asked to be the cupid for Proteus and bring his message of love to Silvia.

Julia does not want to do that, but probably she thinks this as a good opportunity to ruin everything.

Thus, she is a fox, pretending to be a shepherd, who is supposed to protect the lambs from foxes.

I would play this with “O such a fool this man is” feeling.  Half entertained, half disappointed.

#shakespeare #english #actingtips #directing #julia #twogentlemenofverona #lifeinJapan #kimono

🎭 She dreams of him that has forgot her love; 
You dote on her that cares not for your love. 
’Tis pity love should be so contrary; 
And thinking of it makes me cry ‘Alas.’

— Julia, Two Gentlemen of Verona 4-4

[ACTING TIPS]

Julia, disguised as a boy Sebastian, is talking to Proteus (her boyfriend while in Verona) who shows his love toward Sylvia.  Sebastian sighed deeply and Proteus asked why, and thus answered.

I would play this with true sadness.  But to hide her true nature, I may act as if nothing important is happening, as if this is a funny situation.  I may make fun of Proteus, I may act nonchalant young boy like Ganymede in As You Like It.

#shakespeare #english #actingtips #directing #julia #twogentlemenofverona #lifeinJapan #kimono

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🎭 Go presently, and take this ring with thee,
Deliver it to Madam Silvia

— Proteus, Two Gentlemen of Verona 4-4

[ACTING TIPS]

Again!  Similarity with The Twelfth Night! — The ring giving through young boy’s hand.

Here, the ring is the one given by Julia, on the day of Proteus’s departure from Verona to Milan, as a memento and the promise of eternal love.

Proteus is now giving this to Silvia, the Princess of Milan.

Now, how would I play the scene?

If I make him a really hopeless, I see the ring on my finger and immediately, with joy, take out, thinking what a good idea to give this ring.  I would never think about Julia.

If I make him a little bit more human, I see the ring and take one breath moment of hold, then decide, saying in my heart “well, what the heck. she is dead for me long time ago,” and take the ring with a sense of resolution.

Think about the end of the play.

Julia will be with Proteus again, pardoning what he did.

Would you make the audience be dubious about her decision?

Or would you want the audience feel happy for Julia?

Then I can decide which action Proteus should take at this moment.

Dubious, no thinking.

Happy, remember her even an instance.

#shakespeare #english #actingtips #directing #proteus #twogentlemenofverona #lifeinJapan #kimono

🎭 Sebastian is thy name?  I like thee well,
And will employ thee in some service presently.

— Proteus, Two Gentlemen of Verona 4-4

[ACTING TIPS]

Proteus is hiring Julia disguised as a boy and named herself Sebastian.

It’s incredible that Proteus does not recognize her! 

How would I play this line?

Would I notice some recognition in “his” face?

Would I then try to look more closely into “his” face?

But then probably quite casually, hire “him”, with happy hope.

The reason?

Must be the same as Orsino (Twelfth Night).  

Orsino sends a young boy, hoping Olivia might listens to that boy.

Fun Tips:

Sebastian is the name of the twin brother to Viola in The Twelfth Night.  In Twelfth Night, Viola disguises as a boy named Cesario.  So, the situation and settings are different, but again, we see Shakespeare’s interests in the name Sebastian connected to a twin children.  

Well, Shakespeare had twin kids himself, so it’s quite understandable.

#shakespeare #english #actingtips #proteus #twogentlemenofverona #lifeinJapan #kimono