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How do the characters you have chosen from the stage production differ from your reading of them in the text?

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The question should be designed to engage others in a discussion around the stage production.

For example: Discuss why you believe the Royal Shakespeare Company used more modern costumes for their stage production of 'The Merchant of Venice'.

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Why did these production elements stand out to you?

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simplistic props (3 chests, single chair for courtroom scene): it was surprising to see professional production have subtle use of props as opposed to a large set

music interlude: there were some quite dramatic music sections that helped transition the scenes and acts, also further emphasising the mood

interaction with audience: again really interesting to see such professionals having a casual interaction with the audience instead of acting like they weren't there

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Three elements that appealed to me in the production was the modern feel they gave the characters, the minimalistic look they gave the stage and the darker lighting to further emphasis on the characters

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The obvious difference between the Royal Shakespeare Theatre's play and the book itself, was how Antonio and Bassanio was displayed. Antonio was given a romantic feel towards Bassanio, and Bassanio replied with the same feelings. However, in the book, since we did not know of their age or relationship state, they were more pictured as really good friends.

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The lighting stood out to me as it focused on the main characters who were speaking. The costumes related to the time period, the play was set in but it wasn't too exaggerated. The simple props also had a huge effect like the three chests which surprised me.

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Discuss why you may believe that the RSC chose to give the stage a minimalistic look for their production of "The Merchant of Venice".

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The costumes really stood out to me because they not only provided a more modern appearance to each of the characters, but made them more relatable and easier to understand. An example of this was Gratiano's costume because it was much brighter and bolder than the other characters, which showed that his personality was also more energetic and upbeat. I also noticed the metal ball in the background because I didn't really understand the purpose of it. There was also a lack of props which further emphasised the characters themselves.

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i was surprised by how simple the costumes were. i was expecting them to resemble the clothes from the time when the play was set. I was also surprised by how simple the lighting and stage set was, and i feel like it was to draw more attention to the characters and what they were actually saying.

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Modern clothing:
The modern clothing the actors were dressed in surprised me as the play is set in the Renaissance. This somewhat modernised the play.
Change of scene and characters:
Many plays have characters that are not on stage to be behind the set. However, in this play, actors could sit on the side lines of the stage, waiting to get on stage as soon as they were needed. The metal ball was also used in between each scene.
Music:
The music in the play was quite intense, adding to the tenseness of the scenes.

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The obvious biggest different in two characters, and especially their relationship was Antonio and Bassanio. This was because instead of a strong friendship, these two were given a romantic relationship, clearly shown in a romantic scene during the RSC's depiction of the play. This is extremely different to the script's depiction of their relationship, which was merely the fact that they were close friends.

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3 stage production elements that I noticed and drew my interest were the use of musical tension, the utilised props, more specifically the clothing that the characters wore, and the lighting used to demonstrate where they want the audience to focus.

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Three stage production elements that caught my attention were:
1) The scarcity of background props compared to conventional plays, which allow the aspect of imagination and speed in scene changes.
2) The costumes, and how they reflected the character's status and personality through the use of more modern fashion, rather than medieval
3) The lighting, which assisted in setting the mood and directing the audience's attention onto a specific area/person.

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3 stage elements
The Stage- When I started watching the play I was surprised to see such a simplistic area. This did catch my interest because been though it was blank and simple I feel that it really helped make the play ore meaningful. It also made the actors acting stand out much more. Rather then putting the audience's attention to colourful props they made it so that the audience can more focus what is actually going on in the story.

Interaction with audience- This caught my interest as I was not expecting this. Even though there was not that much it brought some comedic relief. Especially when Lancelot was speaking with the audience throughout the start of the play.

The music between Acts- This was quite unusual to me. Every time an Act ended a you could a here a ticking sound and then very melodic song until finally the next Act begins. This music got much more intense the more the play continued as the actors also started to sing.

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1. The costumes drew my interest as they were very simple and modern. Unlike other adaptations of the Merchant of Venice, they were not historically accurate. They took a much more contemporary approach which was very interesting.

2. The lighting was was dynamic. In some scenes it was quite dark and others it was brighter. This added depth to the stage as it there were few props.

3. The audience inclusion. I liked they way that the audience was used as a device. It added atmosphere made the play more engaging.

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The biggest difference from the play and the novel was how Antonio and Bassanio's relationship was portrayed. In the play they seemed to have more of a romantic relationship as they would kiss, however in the novel we were not made aware of these details and we didn't know personal information like their age difference and other factors, so we were led to assume they were just close friends.

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The three stage production elements that I noticed the most were the modern clothing, the music and the use of lighting. The modern clothing especially surprised me, as the play was set several centuries ago. I believe that the clothing was modernised to give the viewers a better understanding of the play. The music in the RSC's version of the play also added tenseness to each scene, but sometimes it was also excited and upbeat compared to the quiet and glum music I would've expected. The lighting also set the mood and directed the viewers' attention on a single area of person.

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The stage production depicted the relationship between Antonio and Bassanio as a romantic one, both showing deep affection for each other. Whereas in the original text, the two were generally seen as friends. This could be due to the fact that certain scenes, such as the kissing scenes, were not described in the book.

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I was really surprised by the clothing choices, because I thought it would be more traditional, like the fashion style in the 1800s, and was surprised to find Nerissa in masculine clothes. The interaction with the audience was also surprising. I kept thinking about how they could keep their professionalism and also talk to the audience casually. The simplicity of the background and props, I really expected for there to be extragavent backgrounds and props relating to the old time period.

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Antonio - In the book Antonio is more reserved and composed. But in the play, maybe because it is a play, every small emotion expressed is exaugurated and and loud. He is also tuned to be more flamboyant and sensitive. This flamboyancy was most likely set up for the kiss between him and Bassanio.

Portia - In the play, Portia seems more in tune with with other people, while in the book she was much more colder and distant. She seems more close especially with her assistant, Nerissa, as in the book she felt more like a maid than a friend. This is just another way Theatre can make characters and relationships more richer and expressed.

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In the play, Antonio and Shylock's hatred for each other was much more direct, through the use of tone, body language, gait, facial expressions and lighting. However, these aspects cannot be so easily conveyed in writing, and so their sour exchanges are much more sugarcoated in the text, and their bitter meanings hidden between the lines or behind more courteous words.

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Why was Antonio and Bassanio's relationship was taken from friendship to a romantic one?

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The production had much more modern feel to it, as opposed to similar productions, had much greater emphasis to their character and set up of the stage.

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The stage, mise-en-scene and costumes were the elements of the play that stood out to me because of how minimalistic they were but at the same time provided an appealing performance to look at and enjoy.

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Antonio and Bassanio were to characters that truly stood out in the play compared to the text. Within the play, Antonio and Bassanio were displayed to have a much more intimate, and affectionate loving relationship, compared to the text's depiction of their mere close friendship.

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The main two character I had seen change in was obviously Antonio and Bassanio. When reading Merchant of Venice I did have a little thought that Antonio and Bassanio's relationship was much more than friendship. his was because of some pictures shown in the RSC book. However, I was not expecting this much affection. There were many moments in which Antonio showed his love for Bassanio and had said some lines that were not how I imagined it when I read the book. Most of the time when Bassanio and Antonio had stated their love in the book I had perceived it to be about friendship.

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Why did Antonio and Bassanio engage in a romantic relationship rather than a friendship like portrayed in the novel?

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portia - she was depicted as a quite modern, sarcastic woman, as well as being the independent, integrous woman in the original text

lancelot - he seemed much more pathetic and run-down than the cheerful jester i pictured in the original text.

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In my opinion, the biggest difference between the original text and the play, was the relationship between Antonio and Bassanio. In the text they are given a platonic relationship as really good friends, and there is also not much background info so we cant really really understand the depth of their relationship, while in the play their relationship is seen in a romantic manner as well, this can be seen in the kiss scene that is shared between them in the play

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Why did Lancelot begin his lines sitting amongst the audience rather than standing on the stage?

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Discuss why the RSC romanticised the relationship between Bassanio and Antonio as opposed to the friendship depicted in the original text.

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Why do the characters from Merchant of Venice wear modernised clothes in the RSC play and in what way does this choice of clothing enhance the play.

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Why did the RSC allow for audience interaction and not gear towards a more classical production interpretation?

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In the RSC's play, Antonio was portrayed in quite a unique way compared to the original text. His sadness felt a lot more continuous throughout the play than in the text but along with this, so was his value of friendship. In the RSC play he was shown to have a romantic relationship with Antonio, which further emphasised how much his care and trust, but with the other characters as well, his friendship and care for them was more clear.

Portia, in the original text, seemed more proud of her status and wealth, and it came across like she thought she was too good for the suitors. In the RSC's play, she had a more unique personality and felt like she was more caring. She was more expressive in her love for Bassanio and also in her friendship with Nerissa.

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Why did the RSC modernize some aspects of the play, for example why did Nerissa wear the shirt and pants, which would be uncommon for a woman to wear during that time peroid.

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Antonio is significantly older than I imagined him to be in text. In the text his age is not explicitly mentioned, so I assumed that he would of similar age to Bassanio as they were close friends. In the play he is quite a bit older than Bassanio. His relationship Bassanio is also different with it being a romantic one instead of a platonic one. Though I think it makes sense as it explains a lot of both characters choices. Bassanio also to appears to be much less apprehensive towards Shylock, in the text he seemed to have a quite strong outwards dislike of him.

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1. How the actors interacted with the audience was very done, especially with Lancelot's involvement, making his attributes as a clown and a servant stand out.
2. The costumes were a production element that would stand out to anyone with the modernity of it, and it helped build onto the character's natural behaviour, despite the appearance differing from the original text.
3. The simplicity of the props proved inefficient at times, leaving the audience to use their imagination of the scene, making it hard to sometimes figure out where the scene was taking place.

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How did engaging with the audience further enhance the characters and their interactions with each other?

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What influenced the RSC to have very simple clothing and stage? How did this enhance the depiction?

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1. The lack of stage props were surprising which meant that for most scenes, the settings had to be assumed by the audience through the context of the story. Additionally, props were sometimes but rarely used and the only props that were used were essential to the story such as the 3 chests, the castle/house where Shylock's daughter is introduced in and the tables and chairs in the court scene.

2.  The modern clothing of the characters was an interesting twist on a Shakespearean play as I was expecting them to wear more traditional clothing appropriate to the time. However, it really made the characters more relatable and engaging.

3. The layout of the stage was also different to what I was expecting. I normally associate plays as people performing at front while the audience in the back watches. However, in this play, the audience wrapped around the stage which made the audience seem part of the performance as well which was also reinforced with audience interaction.

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Two characters the stood out to me would be the relationship between Antonio and Bassanio for in the play, their love and affection for each other were more definite and evident in the play with the way they expressed their emotions to one another, as opposed to Shakespeare's original text, where they were described to be good friends, but ultimately that Bassanio's love for Portia would not separate itself for Antonio's love for Bassanio.

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The three stage elements that I noticed is the modern clothing, the soundtrack and the props used. The modern clothing gave the play a new appeal and was simpler than what I had expected. The singing between the changes in scenes was surprising as most of the soundtrack was modern, not opera. There wasn't much props used is different to other plays I have seen.

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Dulana - Nicholas Fang's Question: Why was Antonio and Bassanio's relationship was taken from friendship to a romantic one? 

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Dulana - Nicholas Fang's Question: Why was Antonio and Bassanio's relationship was taken from friendship to a romantic one? 

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I believe they went with this direction purely because of they way they interpreted the play. Of course it may be a reach, but it is exciting to explore a part of a story that represents the close bond between Bassanio and Antonio. In the end I believe its purpose is to add something to the play with a slight change/exaggeration to the plot that both provides a way to advocate gay love and explore the relationship between these two men.

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The stage set-up and dynamic was really captivating as there was a varied height of platforms across the play. For example the audience had the stage above them and the stage had the balcony above it which was also used by the choir. The lighting was also very interesting as it created a unique atmosphere in which there was a dark and lit up environment together. It also focused the spotlight on the characters they really wanted to showcase for certain scenes of the play. The costumes were used to depict characters for their personality and show them in a more modern interpretation with their clothes.

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Bassanio was quite different to what I thought. My initial idea of him was that he was very quite and not as giddy as he was portrayed in the play. Instead he was represented as an energetic and bubbly personality who was very passionate about his emotions in situations. Portia was interestingly not as quiet and oppressed as I though her to be, in fact through the play I saw that she was actually rather bold and stood for her own beliefs, as well as being educated and smart about the decisions she took.

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The stage was way more simplistic than what I expected. It was probably implemented so that the play was more focused on the character development.

The lighting was also darker than I expected. I expected there to be lighting based on the scene but it was dark throughout the play except for the front of the stage. It was probably like that because most of the acting was taking place in the front.

The costume was also more modern than I expected. The costumes were more modern and contrasted to the clothes worn in the time the play was made.

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Why did the RCS's interpretation include humor and sarcasm regarding a piece that held quite controversial concepts?

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1. Antonio was much more emotionally unstable than I interpreted in the text. At the start of the play, he was already in a distressed state to the brink of tears and his actions were greatly exaggerated with emotion throughout the whole play.

2. Shylock was also less resentful and more innocent than in my interpretation of the text. Within the play, he was in more of the receiving end of the main characters. He was often manipulated and targeted against such as when Antonio spat in his face, or when he was outwitted in the court scene which made it more tragic when he was undeservedly forced to convert to Christianity by the end of the play.

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What was the role of the jester within the play and why was he included in the cast of characters?

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Antonio in Shakespeare's original text is portrayed as someone who dislikes Shylock and I imagined him as someone who keeps his composure but the character played by the RSC is more aggressive in his actions and expresses his emotions more openly. The duke of Venice in Shakespeare's original text and the character played by the RSC is similar, in terms of their dislike of Shylock however the character portrayed by the RSC is more open in their dislike of Shylock. I also thought the duke was a man in Shakespeare's text.

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The difference in the characters depicted in Royal Shakespeare Theatre's Play and the text are the characters Antonio and Bassanio. Their relationship in the text seems to be just friends, close friends infact, whereas in the play there seem to be in a more romantic relationship.

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Discuss the reason behind the RSC's choice to limit the setting provided within the play.

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The Antonio and Bassanio in the RSC's play are the most different to their script forms. Though in the script they are portrayed as close friends, in the actual play they are shown to have a more romantic relationship.

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The relationship between Antonio and Bassanio was much more intimate as opposed to the text. The fact they engaged in physical displays of affection whereas such scenes where not descripted in the book

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Why was the play modernised instead of the traditional style usually used?

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Discuss the reason why the Royal Shakespeare Company chose to use a minimal amount of props.

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3 stage elements that I noticed was that there werent many props or backround and the stage was very minimal. Something else that caught my attention was how most of the actors sat next to the stage rather than behind a wall. The third thing that got my attention was how they wore very modern clothes, they wore coats, shirts and dresses which you wouldn't expect to see around the time the play was set.

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Antonio and Bassanio were 2 characters that were different compared to the original text. In the text Antonio and Bassanio were shown to have a close friendship while in the play, they were shown to have a more loving relationship with the kissing scene near the start.

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Why was there more of a modern approach rather then how it would have been back when it was made?

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Why was there a deeper emphasis on Antonio's and Bassanio's relationshio

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The costumes were very noticeable in the way that they used more modern clothing, rather than clothes of at that time. Moreover, there was no great use of backgrounds in the stage. The lighting helped to set a mood throughout the play

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One difference between the play and the original, is the relationship between Antonio and Shylock is more much hateful and stable, as well as being much more dramatic.

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What were factors that made RCS change it to a more modern adapted style, such as the clothing

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What influenced the more minimalistic version of the play?

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The main difference between the text and the RSC's take on the play was how the relationship between Antonio and Bassanio was portrayed. In the text the relationship was portrayed in a more friendly manner whereas in the RSC's take on the text it was more romantic with the 2 kissing. I believe that this is mainly because they wanted to show a different perspective to the play but also to add newer ideas to appeal the the newer audiences that were present.

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The costumes of the productions were a lot more modern, which was something I hadn't been expecting. I had expected the characters to be wearing clothes similar to those of the time, however they were clothes that could still be worn today.
Another thing that I noticed that the set was not very complex, actually quite simple with only very few things being used, such as a chair and few hanging things. I would expect the set to have more props but there was not.
Something else that drew my interest was how simple the overall production was. There was not much music, only very few bits of music here and there

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Portia- I had not expected Portia to be someone who seemed very simple. This production portrayed her as a simple girl who was very talkative, however reading the original text made me have the impression she would be very sophisticated and posh

Antonio- When reading the original text I thought he was a middle aged man, however the production showed Antonio to be a man quite older than Bassanio.

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What was the purpose of modernizing certain aspects of the play, such as clothing and set, while keeping the language the same as the original play?