Much Ado About Nothing

 USQ Shakespeare in the Park Festival 2014 Much Ado About Nothing Teachers’ Notes Prepared by Christie Tickell-­‐Devey 1 Much Ado About Nothing Teachers’ Notes 1.
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Much Ado in 30 Seconds: Play summary Plot Summary Historical Context Language Character Map and exploration with activities Theme and Character exploration with activities Interpretations and USQ Production with activities Working with Shakespeare Project Page 2 Page 4 Page 4 Page 5 Page 5 Page 6 Page 11 Page 12 Additional Activities and Notes for Much Ado Language activities http://www.classicalcomics.com/education/MuchAdoNotes.pdf Excellent Teachers notes form America-­‐ resources plot, character, language and themes exploration http://www.calshakes.org/v4/educ/pdf/TeachersGuide_MuchAdoAboutNothing_2010.pdf Scheme of Work-­‐ UK http://www.clearcreativelearning.com/downloads/Much_Ado_About_Nothing_SOW.pdf Much Ado About Nothing in 30 Seconds! This activity is inspired by activities devised by Bell Shakespeare Company. This challenge of the activity is to have a group of students say the all lines within 30 seconds. The lines are from key moments in the play and help introduce the plot. Students are able to begin exploring themes, characters and key moments. This exercise is a great introduction to reading and understanding the text. Process: -­‐ Stand a group of nine students in a line in front of the class -­‐ Assign them each a character -­‐ Read through the script as a group -­‐ Reread and each time increase the pace until the lines are all said within 30 seconds -­‐ Once performed discuss the lines and what they suggest happen in the script and who might be saying them -­‐ Students could create still images to represent what interpret the lines to mean. This could become a compare/contrast activity once the play has been read and understood -­‐ Access the script-­‐ o use the lines as key moment to summarise the reading of the text or introduce characters -­‐ An interesting exercise to summarise the text is by finding a song title that represents each scene. The original exercise and example can be found here: http://www.calshakes.org/v4/educ/pdf/TeachersGuide_MuchAdoAboutNothing_2010.pdf. For your Reference Actor 1-­‐ Leonato Actor 2-­‐ Beatrice Actor 3-­‐ Don Jon Actor 4-­‐ Claudio Actor 5-­‐ Benedick Actor 6-­‐ Hero Actor 7-­‐ Borachio Actor 8-­‐ Friar Francis 2 Much Ado in 30 Seconds – Script Actor 1: A victory is twice itself when the achiever brings home full numbers. (Act1Sc1 8) Actor 1: You must not, sir, mistake my niece. There is a kind of merry war betwixt Signior Benedick and her; they never meet but there’s a skirmish of wit between them. (act 1 sc1 62-­‐65) Actor 2: I would rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me. (Act1 Sc1 188) Actor 3: I cannot be said to be a flattering honest man, it must not be denied but I am a plain-­‐dealing villain. (Act1Sc2 75) Actor 1: There's little of the melancholy element in her, my lord; she is never sad but when she sleeps, and not ever sad then; for I have heard my daughter say she hath often dreamt of unhappiness and waked herself with laughing." Act 2, Scene 1, lines 359-­‐362 Actor 3: Actor 4: Actor 5: Actor 6: Actor 4: Actor 3: Actor 7: Actor 4: Actor 6: Actor 8: Actor 4: Actor 6: Actor 5: I will, in the interim, undertake one of Hercules' labors, which is, to bring Signior Benedick and the Lady Beatrice into a mountain of affection th'one with th'other." Act 2, Scene 1, lines 382-­‐
385) Silence is the perfectest herald of joy: I were but little happy, if I could say how much. (Act2Sc1 306) One woman is fair, yet I am well; another is wise, yet I am well; another is virtuous, yet I am well; but till all graces be in one woman, one woman, one woman shall not come in my grace. (Act 2Sc3 26) …of this matter is the little Cupid’s crafty arrow made, that only wounds by heresay (Act3Sc1 23) If I see any thing tonight why I should not marry her tomorrow, in the congregation, where I should wed, there will I shame her." Act 3, Scene 2, lines 128-­‐130 Even she: Leonato’s Hero, your Hero, every man’s Hero. (Act3Sc2106) I tell this tale vilely -­‐ I should first tell thee how the Prince, Claudio, and my master, planted and placed and possessed by my master Don John, saw afar off in the orchard this amiable encounter. (Act 3Sc3, lines 156-­‐160) There, Leonato, take her back again: / Give not this rotten orange to your friend; / She's but the sign and semblance of her honor. (Act 4, Scene 1, lines 31-­‐33) They know that do accuse me; I know none: If I now more of any man alive than that which maiden modesty doth warrant, let all my sins lack mercy! (Act4 Sc1) Your daughter here the princes left for dead, Let her awhile be secretly kept in, And publish it that she is dead indeed;... Change slander to remorse... She dying, as it must be so maintain'd, Upon the instant that she was accus'd, Shall be lamented, pitied, and excus'd Of every hearer. (Act 4, Scene 1, lines 204-­‐219) Give me your hand, before this holy Friar, I am your husband, if you like me. (Act5 Sc4) And when I liv'd I was your other wife; / And when you lov'd, you were my other husband...One Hero died defil'd, but I do live, / And surely as I live, I am a maid. (Act 5, Scene 4, lines 60-­‐64) In brief, since I do purpose to marry, I will think nothing to any purpose that the world can say against it; and therefore never flout at me for what I have said against it; for man is a giddy thing, and this is my conclusion. (Act 5, Scene 4, lines 106-­‐110) 3 Plot Summary In Messina, as Don Pedro, the Prince of Arragon, and his officers return from a recently concluded war, a message comes to Leonato that the prince intends to visit his house for a month. The Duke’s party arrives with Count Claudio, who had before the war been attracted by Leonato’s only daughter, Hero. Another of the visitors is Benedick, a bachelor, who enjoys speaking his mind in witty argument with Hero’s cousin and companion, the Lady Beatrice. Leonato holds a masked ball to celebrate the end of the war and the engagement of Claudio to Hero is arranged while the Duke’s brother, Don John, resenting the celebrations, seeks a way to spoil the general happiness. Don John plots with the soldiers, Borachio and Conrade, to deceive Claudio into believing Hero is false to him. As a result a trick is carried out with the unwitting assistance of Hero’s maid, Margaret, who talks from Hero’s bedroom window with Borachio at night while Claudio and the Duke watch secretly from a distance, under the delusion that the girl at the window is Hero. Hero and Don Pedro meanwhile are convinced that Benedick and Beatrice are ideal partners and by means of overheard conversations the two realise they do indeed love one another. At the wedding Claudio denounces Hero and leaves her apparently dead from shock, while her father, Beatrice and Benedick, amazed at the situation, decide that with the aid of the priest. Hero’s recovery should be concealed until her name can be cleared. Help is at hand as the village constable, Dogberry, and his assistants have arrested Borachio and Conrade after overhearing them boasting of their deception of Claudio and the Duke. The play comes to a joyful conclusion when Dogberry’s information is, eventually, after some difficulty, given to Leonato and Don Pedro. Claudio agrees to accept Leonato’s ‘niece’ whom he has never met, in place of Hero, whom he believes has been killed by his slander. The ‘niece’ turns out to be Hero, and as the lovers are reunited Benedick and Beatrice announce that they will share the wedding day. Don John has been captured while trying to escape and is left for future trial while the play ends with a merry dance. Summary found here: http://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/play-­‐summary/much-­‐ado-­‐about-­‐nothing/ Historical Context Much Ado About Nothing is generally considered one of Shakespeare’s best comedies, because it combines elements of robust hilarity with more serious meditations on honor, shame, and court politics. It was probably written in 1598 and 1599, as Shakespeare was approaching the middle of his career. Like As You Like It and Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing, though interspersed with darker concerns, is a joyful comedy that ends with multiple marriages and no deaths. Although one of the features of Shakespearean comedy is that no one dies, it would be a mistake to assume that death is absent from this genre. Often, Shakespeare’s comedies are more accepting of death than his tragedies, treating death as part of the natural cycle of life. Much Ado About Nothing is no exception, and Hero’s pretending to die of humiliation makes death more vividly present here than in any of Shakespeare’s other comedies. The crisis that lies at the center of Much Ado About Nothing troubles many readers and viewers, since the play creates a very strong sense of anger, betrayal, hatred, grief, and despair among the main characters. Although the crisis ends quickly, Much Ado About Nothing sometimes seems only steps away from becoming a tragedy. Indeed, the line between tragedy and comedy is sometimes fuzzy. Many critics have noted that the plot of Much Ado About Nothing shares significant elements with that of Romeo and Juliet. Much Ado About Nothing also shares many features with Shakespeare’s late play The Winter’s Tale, which most critics assign to a different genre—that of problem comedy or romance. Like Hermione in The Winter’s Tale, Hero stages a false death only to come back to life once her beloved has repented. Although the young lovers Hero and Claudio provide the main impetus for the plot, the courtship between the older, wiser lovers Benedick and Beatrice is what makes Much Ado About Nothing so memorable. Benedick and Beatrice argue with delightful wit, and Shakespeare develops their journey from antagonism to sincere love and affection with a rich sense of humor and compassion. Since Beatrice and Benedick have a history behind them that adds weight to their relationship, they are older and more mature than the typical lovers in Shakespeare’s comedies, though their unhealthy competitiveness reveals them to be childish novices when it comes to love. Summary found here: http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/muchado/context.html 4 The use of Language Verse or Prose Shakespeare is known for his intricate use of language. Unlike many of his plays, Much Ado About Nothing does not use iambic pentameter verse throughout, although there are examples of it in the play. Prose is used significantly throughout the play. The language is often very detailed and excessive as Shakespeare is poking fun at the language of courtiers to explore the theme of social graces. What’s in a title? Shakespeare’s clever use of language opens suggestion of themes from the start with the title of Much Ado Much= a lot Ado= fuss or business Nothing= nothing of importance On a basic level, the title translates to ‘ A lot of fuss about nothing of importance’ but there are theories about some hidden meaning in the title. Nothing= Noting One theory is based on the idea that on Shakespearean times, ‘nothing’ would have been pronounced as ‘noting’. Noting meaning to take note, to witness, to watch or to eavesdrop. The plot relies on characters noting or witnessing events (whether true or tricks), the key event being where Claudio witnesses who he thinks is Hero being unfaithful. In a world where reputation is everything, what is noted by others can make all the difference. An extension of this interpretation is the idea of gossip. Making a fuss over nothing relates to the idea of gossip. The concept of gossip is something we are all familiar with, gossip is the preoccupation with chatter of the sensational, intimate and generally unconfirmed details of other’s lives. It’s the work of rumours and is generally the reflection of things that are not of great importance. Rumour and gossip link directly to reputation that is a theme that will be explored later. OR a different take on the title… A bawdy title full of sexual innuendo! One way to attract audiences into the theatre in Elizabethan times was with the promise of a bawdy comedy. The title plays into the commonly understood slang of the day. Nothing was slang for vagina. A ‘thing’ was a penis and therefore a ‘no-­‐thing’ is a vagina. This slang reflects one of the main issues of the play, Hero’s virginity. Sex and purity are key to the play and driving forces for some of the male characters. Shakespeare was establishing these themes for the audience with the use of this slang in the title. More can be found on this interpretation here: http://www.digitaltheatreplus.com/study-­‐guides/much-­‐ado-­‐about-­‐
nothing/language/whats-­‐in-­‐a-­‐title This use of sexual innuendo ties in with many of the characters’ preoccupation with being cuckolded. You were considered to be a cuckold if your wife was unfaithful. Benedict in particular is concerned about becoming a culkold and this is at this base of his negative opinions of marriage and women in general. Again the idea of a woman’s perceived purity is a key theme in Much Ado. Character Map An excellent character map from the 2011 Much Ado About Nothing, starring David Tennant and Catherine Tate can be found here: http://www.digitaltheatreplus.com/sites/default/files/public/assets/Study%20guide%20sub%20page/1065/much-­‐ado-­‐
about-­‐nothing-­‐learning-­‐resource-­‐relationship-­‐map-­‐v2.pdf It details the characters and their links to one another in a clear and visually appealing way. 5 Activities to Explore Character: The following link takes you to the RSC 2012 Much Ado About Nothing teachers’ notes. This production used the setting of modern day Delhi as a location to highlight the theme of tradition versus modernity. The notes provide activities that explore the characters, particularly Hero and Beatrice. In the original text, Hero is quite a silent character, this can be interpreted to show that she is a compliant young lady who follows the expectations of a young woman in patriarchal society. In this production however, they wanted to show that Hero’s silence does not always mean compliance, rather that she has a private and public face. For this production they have utilized Hero’s silence to explore her public and private face and to use her ‘noting’ and reactions to demonstrate that her silence does not always mean compliance. Within the notes are activities to explore characters and their reactions using excerpts of the script. http://www.rsc.org.uk/downloads/rsc_edu_much_ado_2012_pack.pdf Themes and Interpretations While Much Ado about Nothing is a comedy, Shakespeare continually reminds the audience of how quickly things could have become quite tragic for the characters. Shakespeare refers to death with regularity and play is full of lies, deceit, shame and heart break. The comedic moments come from the witty banter between Beatrice and Benedick and the fumbling antics of Dogberry and his watchmen. Below is map of some of the themes: Activity: Using the themes as a guide, brainstorm settings that would be appropriate for the play and would highlight the themes, for example: a Gossip Girl program setting. 6 Activities to Explore Themes and Characters Gossip and power of suggestion A theme in Much Ado About Nothing that is very relatable to modern world is the idea of gossip, suggestion and the general fuss of nothing of substance. We live in a world surrounded by people who are famous for not really doing much at all. The media allows us all to witness the events of celebrities’ lives and make judgements based in the gossip seen or heard on websites and television. Benedick and Beatrice are both swayed by the power of suggestion, each being lead to believe that the other is in love with them. Claudio and Don Pedro are both deceived into believing that Hero has been unfaithful. Imagine if the characters of the play had access to Twitter! Don John’s plan to unravel the love of Claudio and Hero and upset Don Pedro could have been carried out in 140 characters or less. An activity to summarise the text and help reveal the characters and their true feelings is to use twitter as the format for summary. Reducing character input to a limited number of characters forces the students to draw out the essence of the scene. It also enables the student to play with the concept of gossip and suggestion. The tweets can reflect lines from the character or be the musings of minor characters who are watching or ‘noting’ what is going on. Using the minor characters allows for exploration of character and dramatic action through an understanding of the ripple effect of the events. The Twitter format also enables students to explore what they think the reactions of character could be by being able to retweet and comment on tweets from other characters. In order for students to access Twitter at school, this website can be used: http://faketweetbuilder.com . This site enable students to input the characters and their tweets that have already been drafted and the site processes it to look like a twitter feed. As an example, here is an excerpt of Act IV Sc 1. This scene sees Claudio publicly humiliates Hero and dumps her at the alter as he is convinced he witnessed her being unfaithful to him the night before. The following show an excerpt of the original scene and a basic Twitter feed summary generated using the faketweetbuilder.com: ACT IV SCENE I. A church. Enter DON PEDRO, DON JOHN, LEONATO, FRIAR FRANCIS, CLAUDIO, BENEDICK, HERO, BEATRICE, and Attendants LEONATO Come, Friar Francis, be brief; only to the plain form of marriage, and you shall recount their particular duties afterwards. FRIAR FRANCIS You come hither, my lord, to marry this lady. CLAUDIO No. LEONATO To be married to her: friar, you come to marry her. FRIAR FRANCIS Lady, you come hither to be married to this count. HERO I do. FRIAR FRANCIS If either of you know any inward impediment why you should not be conjoined, charge you, on your souls, to utter it. CLAUDIO Know you any, Hero? HERO None, my lord. FRIAR FRANCIS Know you any, count? LEONATO 7 I dare make his answer, none. CLAUDIO O, what men dare do! what men may do! what men daily do, not knowing what they do! BENEDICK How now! interjections? Why, then, some be of laughing, as, ah, ha, he! CLAUDIO Stand thee by, friar. Father, by your leave: Will you with free and unconstrained soul Give me this maid, your daughter? LEONATO As freely, son, as God did give her me. CLAUDIO And what have I to give you back, whose worth May counterpoise this rich and precious gift? DON PEDRO Nothing, unless you render her again. CLAUDIO Sweet prince, you learn me noble thankfulness. There, Leonato, take her back again: Give not this rotten orange to your friend; She's but the sign and semblance of her honour. Behold how like a maid she blushes here! O, what authority and show of truth Can cunning sin cover itself withal! Comes not that blood as modest evidence To witness simple virtue? Would you not swear, All you that see her, that she were a maid, By these exterior shows? But she is none: She knows the heat of a luxurious bed; Her blush is guiltiness, not modesty. LEONATO What do you mean, my lord? CLAUDIO Not to be married, Not to knit my soul to an approved wanton. LEONATO Dear my lord, if you, in your own proof, Have vanquish'd the resistance of her youth, And made defeat of her virginity,-­‐-­‐ CLAUDIO I know what you would say: if I have known her, You will say she did embrace me as a husband, And so extenuate the 'forehand sin: No, Leonato, I never tempted her with word too large; But, as a brother to his sister, show'd Bashful sincerity and comely love. HERO And seem'd I ever otherwise to you? CLAUDIO Out on thee! Seeming! I will write against it: You seem to me as Dian in her orb, As chaste as is the bud ere it be blown; But you are more intemperate in your blood Than Venus, or those pamper'd animals That rage in savage sensuality. Text found here: http://shakespeare.mit.edu/much_ado/full.html 8 9 Performance Activity This activity is inspired by the RSC 2012 production notes which can be found here: http://www.rsc.org.uk/downloads/rsc_edu_much_ado_2012_pack.pdf. This activity deals with the same scene as the Twitter scene in the previous activity. This activity could be done a pre writing/ Twitter activity to explore character thoughts and reactions or way of accessing and performing the scene. Activity: 1) In groups of 6-­‐8 students, create a still image of a wedding. Each student needs a defined role, for example: bride, groom, priest/celebrant, father of the bride, mother of the bride, bridesmaid/groomsmen, guests etc. They can decide the type of wedding. 2) Have the groom character read the accusation of Hero’s infidelity. a. Myself, my brother and this grieved count Did see her, hear her, at that hour last night Talk with a ruffian at her chamber-­‐window Who hath indeed, most like a liberal villain, Confess'd the vile encounters they have had A thousand times in secret. 3) Each student then needs to think of a line that their character would be thinking at that moment. 4) Move around the still image and when you touch a student on the shoulder, they are to say their thought. 5) As a class discuss the reactions of characters to this accusation 6) Repeat the image or discuss later pieces of text such as where Leonato disowns Hero, when Hero defends herself or when Beatrice asks Benedict to challenge Claudio to restore Hero’s honour. 7) This could also be repeated and extended for key scenes throughout the text to explore character, dramatic action, themes and imagery. Extension Activities 1) The RSC notes suggest a version of Conscience Alley-­‐ Students could take a piece of the insult and in lines forms an alley for Hero to walk through, as she passes they say the insult. The volume could increase as she moves along. Discussion could explore how it felt to be Hero and how to incorporate that into performance. You could also explore how the power of suggestion sways the opinion of others, creating a mob mentality. Ask the question, ‘why was Leonato so quick to believe ill of his daughter?’ 2) Hot Seating – students in character, are questioned by the class to explain their actions and reactions. Some topics could be: a. To Leonato: questions about his haste in believing the gossip about his daughter and the repercussions b. Beatrice and Benedick on their changing feeling for one another and love/marriage in general c. Hero: the unwanted advances of Don Pedro, falling in love with Claudio, the shaming at her wedding, tricking Claudio with her fake death d. Claudio: why he so easily believed Don Jon’s suggestion rather than trust Hero 3) Using the scene and character explorations students could write monologues as different characters or could improvise scene where the characters could behave differently to see how it alters the outcome. Students could explore how the comedy could have become a tragedy, focussing on Hero’s ‘fake’ death and Benedick revenging her honour. Comparisons could also be made between Much Ado About Nothing and Romeo and Juliet. 4) Discuss different settings that have been used or could be appropriate to explore the themes or highlight different aspects of character. Page four on the scheme of work found at the following website, sets out some scenarios for improvisations based on the events and characters of the play but in a modern and accessible setting http://www.clearcreativelearning.com/downloads/Much_Ado_About_Nothing_SOW.pdf 10 Interpretations and Productions There have been various interpretations of Much Ado About Nothing over the years on stage and film. The 1993 film Much Ado About Nothing directed by Kenneth Branagh is probably one of the best known versions. It takes on quite a traditional interpretation of the text and setting. Trailer can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYj-­‐2vFLbtc In his 2012 film, Joss Whedon applied a contemporary setting for the film, highlighting the relevance of the original play’s themes for a modern audience. Trailer can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk5kkLNPg8g David Tennant and Catherine Tate starred in the 2011 West End stage version of Much Ado About Nothing which again uses a modern setting. Trailer can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjmqSJ0ElNs USQ Shakespeare in the Park The USQ Shakespeare in the Park Much Ado About Nothing is taking on a modern, gritty, urban New York setting. The director, Kate Murphy, wants to create an energetic, physical show that transports the text into a contemporary setting full of passion and risk. You can see Kate’s inspiration, thinking and planning on her Pinterest board here: http://www.pinterest.com/smurfs15/much-­‐ado-­‐concept-­‐ideas/ Here is a snapshot of the board. Activity: Pinterest is a great tool for collecting idea around a particular idea. Not only are they collecting images, they are also reflecting upon and critiquing the image by commenting on each image. Students could use Pinterest or create their own collage and collect images for any of the follow: -­‐ Settings -­‐ Themes -­‐ Characters -­‐ Costumes -­‐ Set Design The board could then be used as the basis of an assessment piece. Students could use the board as a basis for a design concept or stimulus for character development and analysis. 11 Working with Shakespeare The USQ based Working With Shakespeare project is currently developing a website: www.workingwithshakespeare.com The website is full of resources, practical and written activities to access the texts as well as numerous resources linked to this year’s Shakespeare in the Park Festival. It has been developed by theatre and education professionals with the aim of becoming a preeminent resource for all things Shakespeare. For this year’s production go to the ‘Star Track’ tab to find link to the actor’s video journals, director’s comments and inspiration, set and costume design as well as interactive activities and curriculum links. The site also has resources from previous productions, including full performance recordings, exercises, curriculum activities and assessment, video clips covering historical information, research material for alternative readings and much more! There will eventually be a subscription process for the site, but for now check what’s available while we are in the development phase. 12