Friday, October 2, 2009
Love, Serve, Honor, and Obey
As we have worked to develop a Shakespeare Ensemble scene that is true to the nature of the bard as well as contemporary and socially conscious, we have created perhaps the most compelling and agressive piece of my directing career. Something that I have brought with me from my college days is a propensity to find damaging attitudes about women in classical works. Shakespeare is not immune to this scrutiny and, if anything, his "Taming of the Shrew" is the flagship of sexism on stage of the period. It is appaling to me that this play is still performed straight in this day and age. The final speech indicates attitudes about women that are misogynistic, plain and simple. So, I felt that we needed to discuss those issues, both as a critique of the Bard himself, and as a commentary on the current state of affairs. I have chosen 3 scenes from other Shakespeare plays to revolve around Katherine's speech, that represent the 3 types of abuse. Hamlet chides Ophelia to a nunnery is emotional abuse. Chiron and Demetrius in the rape of Lavinia is sexual abuse. And Othello strangling Desdemona is physical abuse. As we have put this scene together it has become apparent that all of the types of abuse are interrelated. There is something of sexuality and violence in Hamlet's maddening emotional teasing. When Chiron and Demetrius are done with Lavinia they violently abuse her by cutting her and then are not finished until they have emotionally crushed her. Othello has much of the same. What it leads me to believe is that abuse is abuse, and it is not long before one who emotionally abuses moves on to other things. My hope is that the kids in the class have gained a greater respect for women (if they are men) and for themselves (if they are women). Next Friday will show if we are a success.
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This piece was hard. I won't lie. We spent hours and hours in and out of class working hard to try and create a piece that would give the statement on society of the mistreatment of women. Everyone put heart into it. And I feel like everyone in the class (Mr. Bauer included.) became a little closer thanks to this scene. Whether I was in class or out of class, I worked constantly to try and get into the mind of an abusive husband. I remember one day when you talked with me and Lauren about the relationships between Kate and Petruccio in our scene. And it was after that day that we decided we needed to become good friends out of class to try and build a bond for our characters. I hardly knew Lauren, but she's since become one of my best friends. That's what really made me upset during our critique, was how they bashed Lauren so hard yet complimented me. Because I got all of my emotions and cues off of Lauren... And they failed to see that. It was like they threw all of our hours of work into our faces, and you shouldn't do that. Especially since they only did it because they don't like experimental theater. It was wrong to treat everyone like that. I wouldn't have minded it if it was just to me, but it was to everyone. And I could honestly feel the sorrow of everyone. Thank you Bauer for letting me have the opportunity to partake in this scene. I feel that not only have my acting skills greatly increased, but my understanding towards women, society and people in general. Next year, I'll do whatever you need me to do to help us place better.
ReplyDeleteThis piece was so great! I loved it so much, I honestly watched it and was jealous that they got to do such a bold piece. Heck, this next year just makes me jealous!
ReplyDeleteBut the message that you are sending with this piece is one of the reasons I truely love and respect you so much Bauer, is your incredible respect for women that after this piece I know has influenced the cast, audiences, and myself.
Thank you, Mr. Bauer.