EXAMPLES OF ACTIVE APPROACHES
Antony and CleopatraKey Stage 4
Peter Thomas
This exercise is taken from Peter Thomas's new book, The Complete Shakespearience to be published by NATE in summer 2008:
Resources at the Nate Shop »
Playing Political Chairs: two great men meet at the house of another
With ten words of script (Antony and Cleopatra, Act 2 Scene 2, see below), Shakespeare creates a very tense and hostile atmosphere between two men who do not like each other and who are proud of their own reputations. To make it worse, Antony thinks Octavius is young and inexperienced, and Octavius thinks that Antony is getting on and no longer worth respect.
What is each character thinking at each stage of this exchange? What must they do on stage to make this an exciting scene about power and rivalry?
Ask the students to discuss the thoughts that each character has before and after each bit of speech, describing the motive and the response to each other in this exchange. Copy the script below and enlarge on your screen.
There follow some exercises to try with this scene. They can be done first by one group in front of the class, then other groups can practise on their own before returning to show how they treat the script and use chairs as props.
1. The anxious host (one performer)
As host, Lepidus needs to make the arrangements for the meeting. Choose a pupil to play Lepidus arranging the chairs for the meeting, thinking out loud what will happen if Caesar or Antony thinks he has the second best chair, or an inferior position - or either of them thinks that Lepidus is making himself more important.
2. Status and position (two performers)
Practise ways in which one person sitting and the other standing can convey different messages about status. Try:
- Called to talk to the Headteacher about work: Head sits, pupil stands.
- Sitting in a police cell, answering questions: suspect sits, detective stands.
- Called into an interview in front of a panel of four people: all sit.
3. Body language (five performers)
Make players try various ways of expressing a state of mind or a status by sitting in a chair. Try:
- Casual, bored and indifferent
- Impatient, ready to start business
- Angry, not wanting to start talking
- Confident, relaxed, poised - my chair, my place
- Waiting to be called for an interview (fiddling with soles of shoe, cuffs, watch)
4. Status and chairs (one performer)
Give Lepidus a problem by not making all the chairs similar. One could be much better than the other two - or there could be three chairs of different size and shape (to denote status). What does Lepidus decide to do?
5. Caesar
How does Caesar sit down, and in which chair? (one or a group of performers)
6. Antony
How does Antony sit down, and in which chair? (one or a group of performers)
How does Antony take the remaining available chair? Does he move it? Or reverse it?
7. The supporters
What part is played by Antony and Caesar's respective supporters? (four performers: Maecenas, Agrippa, Ventidius and Enobarbus)
Antony and Cleopatra, Act 2 Scene 2
[Flourish of trumpets]
CAESAR Welcome to Rome
ANTONY Thank you.
CAESAR Sit.
ANTONY Sit, sir.
CAESAR Nay, then.
[He sits, followed by ANTONY.]
