1. In the Elizabethan era theatre was part of the resistance . Queen Elizabeth loved theatre and was all about the arts it was highly respected in Elizabethan culture . It was part of every classes day to day life to go to the theatre for entertainment and cost 1p to sit in the front row ! The trouble is there was a lot of rowdyness within the theatre . People where all bunch into a wooden theatre that was typically in the round and refered to as the 'wooden o'.People would drink , eat , prostitue and even go to the toilet where they would sit or stand ! People a higher class would sit up in balconies away from the poor working class who would stand around the stage in mud and human waste . The theatre was open topped letting all the elements in and was refered to as the heavens . Trap doors where refered to as hell . Plays where held between 2-4 as that's when they would have the most natural light . Plays like Macbeth and Dr. Faustus would of been staged like this . Also all the actors would of been male as women weren't allowed to act so if there was a female role an actor would have to dress as a women in exaggerated clothes and wigs. Also plays in the Elizabethan era would be highly exaggerated ; almost panto style. This was to keep the audience entertained as plays could last to up to 4 hours with no interval !
2. Personally I think that Faustus connections a lot with my generation . It may be a totally bizarre and deep way of looking at it , but i think our generation wants it all and are prepared to do crazy things just for popularity and we aren't thankful enough for what we have already much like Faustus he always wants more and does something stupid to get it (sells his soul!) . Also I think it relates to a lot of political affairs in our day an age. For example radicalization and extremists wanting more and more power , exploiting it and using religion much like Faustus does. But even simple emotions and topics effect us now much as they did in the Elizabethan era . For example we all want to be ambitious but we doubt ourselves and fear things in the future and over look the present. The relivence that I think Faustus had to its audience back in the Elizabethan era was religion and the black magic aspect . Henry the 8th had set up his own church (the Church of England) and deemed himself as a protestant. This caused a lot of controversy on who's religion was correct and true ect. It also showed the power that Henry had as he had started up his own church that people are still part of today. Perhaps Marlowe wanted a religious aspect in Faustus to reflect on what political events where happening in his life time .
3. The language can be hard to over come in Elizabethan theatre what I did to research the language was looked at scene summeraies online and read about the events within the scene . This really helped me understand what they wher trying to say and also a scene of the story. Also words I didn't understand I would look up and find the definition . After awhile I fond myself naturally trying to interpret what words meant . In the rehearsal process of there was a point in time where no one understood what was happening in we would all get together and discuss possibilities of what was happening. Also I researched verse , prose and chorus. Verse is meant to be rhythmic and poetic when recited. Prose is what we would call 'natural speech' and this is where is dialogue we will naturally find pauses. And chorus is recited in a ensumble almost in a dramatic narration .
4. I really enjoyed doing is the duke scene. And in particular I don't have alot of direction as I am again observing Faustus talking to the Duke. I stand to the side as they stand at the front to show I am ominously looking on. One of my favorite parts is when I have to interact with the duchess (Amber) . I will bring on a platter of gapes . I have thought about how I will display them. I think I could make it quite fun by showing them off to the audience like an exhibit . Also I could try and snatch a grape off the platter and even throw some out to the audience to show Mephs cheeky side. Another example is the horse courser scene wher I had dialogue with Dannii . I chose to interpret the line "I tell they he has not slept this 8 nights" in a very scary , stern tone to show Mephestopheles evil and harsh side .
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