ELICA MIWA

Tag: Two Gentlemen of Verona

  • Now We Are Alone [Shakespeare For You]

    Now We Are Alone [Shakespeare For You]

    🎭 But say, Lucetta, now we are alone, Wouldst thou then counsel me to fall in love?

    — Julia, Two Gentlemen of Verona 1-2

    [ACTING TIPS]

    Julia is to choose a husband from suitors, and ask advice from her maid, Lucetta. 
    This husband choosing with the maid scene is repeated in The Merchant of Venice’s Portia and her maid Nelissa. 

    Both Julia and Portia are going to disguise themselves to be a boy.  But think that you are going to perform both of them, then you must make big differences between these two ladies. 

    How would you do?

    Just to point out for fun that “now we are alone” resembles Hamlet’s “Now I am alone” just before he starts his third soliloquy.

  • My Horns Are His Horns [Shakespeare For You]

    My Horns Are His Horns [Shakespeare For You]

    🎭 Why then, my horns are his horns, whether I wake or sleep.

    — Speed, Two Gentlemen of Verona 1-1

    (I said scene 2 in the video; it is scene 1!)

    [ACTING TIPS]

    Speed is the servant to Valentine, and a comic character.  This Master/Servant pair is typical for Renaissance Italian comedy (Commedia Dell’arte), and shows Shakespeare is influenced by it.  So, be funny!  

    You may know the “horn” gag.  When a husband has a horn, it means his wife has betrayed him.  The horn on the head of a man is the proof that this man cannot sexually satisfy his wife.

    The servant is the property of the master.  Therefore, the servant’s property is his master’s.

    “Whether I wake or sleep” is deprived from the Bible.

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  • Once More, Adieu [Shakespeare For You]

    Once More, Adieu [Shakespeare For You]

    🎭 Once more, adieu.  My father at the road
    Expects my coming, there to see me shipped.

    — Valentine, Two Gentlemen of Verona 1-1

    [ACTING TIPS]

    Finally, Valentine is leaving, after exchanging a word-association game on love.  

    Say good bye to Proteus.  

    Think, why “My father at the road expects my coming” is said.  Maybe Proteus shows hesitation?  Maybe Valentine needs another minute to say something?  

    Find many reasons and choose one at a time.

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  • More Than Over-Shoes In Love [Shakespeare For You]

    More Than Over-Shoes In Love [Shakespeare For You]

    🎭 That’s a deep story of a deeper love; For he was more than over-shoes in love.

    — Proteus, Two Gentlemen of Verona 1-1

    [ACTING TIPS]

    An example of their word association game.  Valentine’s former words leads Proteus to say this.  Valentine has referred to Greek mythical love story Hero & Leander.  Leander drowned himself in deep sea.  Valentine laughs at Proteus is shallowly in love.  Then, Proteus says this.  “More than over-shoes” means “head over heels”.

    In acting this, it is important to keep your humour, but you’ve got to be different from Valentine.  Need to talk with the actor of Valentine to make differences clear.

    Also, this line is a good example of iambic pentameter.

  • Shallow Story of Deep Love [Shakespeare For You]

    Shallow Story of Deep Love [Shakespeare For You]

    🎭 That’s on some shallow story of deep love.  How young Leander cross’d the Hellespont.

    — Valentine, Two Gentlemen of Verona 1-1

    [ACTING TIPS]

    One of the “hard-to-understand” phrases for the modern audience.  Leander is a Greek mythological character who is in Hero and Leander story.  It is a love tragedy so popular during Shakespearean era.  Hero and Leander were in love secretly.  Leander swam the Hellespont (now the Dardanelles) to see her every night.  But one night, he lost the way and drowned.  Shakespeare refers the theme of Hero & Leander many times. 

    From this line, two gentlemen of Verona interchange conversation for a minute, on shallow, deep, love, and boots, aa a word-association game.  So, be playful.  Pick up the word you want to change the meaning upside down.  Win the game.

  • Wilt Thou Be Gone? [Shakespeare For You]

    Wilt Thou Be Gone? [Shakespeare For You]

    🎭 Wilt thou be gone?

    — Proteus, Two Gentlemen of Verona 1-1

    [ACTING TIPS]

    You can say this in any tone, feeling, and style.  You can say this sadly.  You can say this nonchalantly as if he doesn’t really care, although he really doesn’t want him to go.  You can say this as if you had enough.  Or, you can say this as if he is your love, which is possible during Shakespearean era.

    The same phrase is used by Juliet in the famous bed scene.

  • See The Wonders Of The World [Shakespeare For You]

    See The Wonders Of The World [Shakespeare For You]

    🎭 I rather entreat thy company
    To see the wonders of the world abroad
    Than, living dully sluggardized at home,
    Wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness.

    — Valentine, Two Gentlemen of Verona 1-1

    [ACTING TIPS]

    Whether this play is the first written one or not, it is certain one of his earliest.  

    Putting that in mind, “To see the wonders of the world abroad” must be young William’s great desire, for he repeats this idea in another earliest play “The Taming of the Shrew,” and as we know, he traveled many places in his imagination all through his writing history.  

    So, say the line “to see the wonders of the world” with fully positive excited energy like you are about to go to your dream pop-rock concert or baseball games of Dodgers.  

    Then, put a tone of disgust in “dully sluggardized” and “shapeless idleness”.

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  • Shakespeare’s First Ever Line? [Shakespeare For You]

    Shakespeare’s First Ever Line? [Shakespeare For You]

    🎭Cease to persuade, my loving Proteus;
    Home-keeping youth have ever homely wits.

    — Valentine, Two Gentlemen of Verona 1-1

    [ACTING TIPS]

    If this play is the first ever written play by William Shakespeare, this phrase is the first ever written line by Will himself.  Valentine is about to leave Verona to see the bigger world.  It seems his best mate Proteus is trying to stop him.  Speak the line as if you are telling your best friend not to stop you enjoying your life with excitement.

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