Smethurst’s staging night film
Smethurst’s staging of Act 5 scene 1 is better than Shakespeare’s globe staging of act 5 scenes because it is modernized, and more comical and more understandable. Smethurst production has adopted aesthetic and performances which has enhanced the live theatre broadcast of the play twelfth night. Shakespeare’s globe staging performances were directed to duplicate the original environment with no speakers, microphones, or amplification. The music was performed live, and the instruments were from the period, and the theatre explored the original playing conditions in the play texts. Smethurst production produces a complete directed play with real locations in West Sussex countryside. Although there are some awkwardness in its execution there are interpretive choices made in to producing classic plays with high quality and adapted to multiculturalism. The producer explores the characters and brings a clear transition of Viola from the suburbia world into the hunched and shuffling Cesario in act 5. There is subtext assimilation throughout the play and coordinates the codes of the upper-middle-class individuals. The production uses modern technologies such as microphones and cameras to ensure that they capture the moments appropriately and cut out the textual acts that don’t fit their interpretive angle. Shakespeare’s globe theatre uses the available stage in the theatre to recreate Shakespeare’s play. The play is not adapted to modernization and the use of developing technologies to capture acts accurately. The production by Smethurst is, therefore, better in achieving the modern setting and targeting the new generation.
The production is modern and has involved cultural diversification in the film making it more relatable. The character Viola is played by a black actor, whereas an actor performs Olivia with Indian roots, which makes the play more diversified. The modern world advocates for racial diversification, and in Shakespeare’s global production, the characters are only white, making it less diversified. The production has created exceptional drama through diversity creating multicultural audiences around the world where they can relate to and is easily accessible to the digital natives. Smethurst succeeds in creating a product for the new generation through storytelling and precise interpretations. The production is doesn’t have a strict adherence to the contexts of the play and makes choices to create both comedy and bold interpretive play. The climaxes are dignified through the performance of Malvolio, where the actors skillfully develop lovely performance in the emotional exit in the play. The production provides a mundane kind of luxury through the use of stately homes and grand estates. There is a bright contrast between the contemporary good lives with that of the ghetto people such as Antonio. The explicit depiction of the privileged world in the play creates subtle fun where the characters struggle to remain rooted to their social status. The wealthy such as Olivia, Cesario, Malvolio, and Orsino, are embarrassed to declare their love for each other due to their difference in their social status. Malvolio is desperate to get loved by Olivia since he would be the master of the home, which makes him an easy target to love tricks and make a fool out of himself. The use of real locations creates an interpretive play that creates a distinct contrast between the haves and the have not’s. The recreation of the play from the traditional setting has been swiftly changed in patterns to capture the evolutionary world.
Smethurst staging is more comical since it has engaged the audience through the use of modern analogies. The production has adapted Shakespeare’s comedy and embraced it thoroughly with the precise influence. The actors chosen have proven to enjoy the roles which are infectious and undeniable. Bunsee, the actor who plays Malvolio brings Malvolio to life demonstrating his understanding of the character and skill in physical comedy. The comedy is elevated in act 5 scenes 1 when Malvolio tries to impress Olivia and comes out acting like a mad man. Malvolio always wanted Olivia to love him and was tricked to a practical joke and make a fool out of himself. The production captures the moment so literally, making it a fun watch—the playfulness confines when Olivia tries to remain composed while she lusts for Cesario. Viola is bewildered and reacts taciturnly while she approaches Orsino and Olivia making their lavish life behaviors exposed. When the priest is invited to solve the issues between Sebastian and Olivia, he carries and enjoys his food in the middle of the chaos making the scene more comical. The minor and major characters bring about occasional playfulness ad shines such as Sir Andrew, who tries hard to uphold his dignity, which he can’t contain for a few seconds. The production experiences some restrictions of the real locations, but Malvolio conquers his long speech in the over-articulate annunciation breaking the theatrical mode through expressive gestures. He uses actions explicitly, such as possessing the countdom and sits on the bench, blinks tears away, and celebrates the joy of finding his love quietly. The production cuts away some texts such as him telling Olivia of his greatness and shows Maria’s and Olivia’s reaction to the outburst by Malvolio.
The use of original items in the production, such as buildings and outdoors, has made the production by Smethurt’s more understandable. The on-stage versions have been eliminated, but the use of a not so lavish production makes the setting relatable to the first theatre play. The characters have been brought to life in a realistic manner and the actor Viola is regal. The privileged world is well depicted where Orsino lives in a room full of trendy furniture and musical instrument, and the balcony was overlooking the swimming pool. The character creates subtle fun, which emphasizes relative childishness and a hopeless romantic lover. The actor Atim, who plays both Viola and Sebastian, pulls a rare double duty where her prowess is well depicted and shows their character comprehensively. While playing as Sebastian, Atim uses her eyes to show her exasperation and concern that Sebastian is too diplomatic to show. Viola is a more restrained character who brings a great attitude to the fight with Sir Andrew. Atim, as Cesario, is pleasingly awkward who tries to seem unintimidating, and Cesario is overwhelmed by the Viola’ emotions. The characterization of Smethurst production is unique, which makes the audience understand more the traits of the characters. The talent of the actor makes a clear distinction between Sebastian and Viola/Cesario. The production creates suspense by ensuring that the two characters aren’t seen simultaneously and captures the reactions of everyone else. Olivia’s increasing outrage of not knowing who she is talking to makes her overwhelmed, creating a practical need to ensure that Sebastian and Viola are separate. Smethurst makes the film longer to ensure that he captures the specific details of the textual play through the use of real locations and ensure that the actors embrace their naturalism. The evolution of the plays drama is well defined, such as where Sir Andrew accuses Cesario of beating him up. The confusion of all the characters that were present when Cesario was with them all the time made the drama exciting.
Smethurst production has made a bold attempt in recreating the twelfth night film. The producer has adapted Shakespeare’s highly appreciated comedy into the screen by embracing the influence precisely. The character Olivia has been unraveled as a younger and more privileged person, whereas Orsino is transformed into a spoiled millennial enjoyed some kind of luxury. The use of real locations profoundly amplifies the characters’ traits, such as real kitchens and windows. The decision by Smethurst to shoot the film as a full-text version is ambitious and admirable, especially that he brings out the enjoyable nature of the film with contemporary settings and influences. The production creates a story with core duality but creates a distinct version of Shakespeare’s play targeting different audiences. The production has created freedom in adapting Shakespeare’s play with a set of choice without losing the meaning f the initial production. The voice of the filmmaker is present and distinct as well as brings Shakespeare to the screen through talent and passion behind and in front of the camera. The old play has been adapted on the screen to reflect and reach multicultural Britain today. The production represents a combination of the world as we see it today and the love for the work by Shakespeare. Although the production has remained true to the full-text version of the play, they have created it to make people more connected to it.
Works Cited
Hanratty, Conor. Shakespeare in the Theatre: Yukio Ninagawa. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020.
Hawkins, Rowena. “Review of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night (directed by Joyce Branagh); Hamlet (directed by Damian Cruden); Henry V (directed by Gemma Fairlie); and The Tempest (directed by Philip Franks), for Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, at Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre, York, 23 and 24 August 2019.” Shakespeare (2019): 1-7.
Miller, Beth. For the Love of Shakespeare: A Companion. Summersdale Publishers LTD, 2016.
Winkler, Amanda Eubanks. “A Tale of Twelfth Night: Music, Performance, and the Pursuit of Authenticity.” Shakespeare Bulletin 36.2 (2018): 251-270.
