🎭 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
