Doing Shakespeare: Myth #3

This is the third in our series of why you’re wrong to be afraid of auditioning for As You Like It at Newnan Theatre Company, Jan 26–27.

Myth #3: Shakespeare is hard.

Okay, let’s start by rewinding the tape a bit.

Acting is hard. Shakespeare is just a little extra work.

Why do people think that working on a script by Bill is “hard”? It’s the language, of course: the vocabulary is weird, the verse is impenetrable, the action inexplicable. These are all fair points except that all the issues fade away with that little bit of extra work.

Vocabulary? Look, English changes all the time and you had absolutely no problem picking up what google or noob or crowdsourcing or metrosexual or muffin top mean. The only difference with Shakespeare is that you have to loop back to find the definition of that weird word.

And sometimes you have to shift gears with words that we still use but mean something different. Still in its broader sense of always instead of yet; nice as petty or picayune instead of pleasant; comfortable as able to be comforted, not comfy.

Yes, I hear you whine, but what about the audience? Believe me, if you’ve done your homework, the audience will get it. Either they’ll tumble to the meaning of the word, or your brilliant acting will provide so much emotional context that exact meaning won’t matter.

Then there’s the verse.

I will admit that it takes more effort than a modern script does to untangle the sentences from the verse, to get the meaning clear, and then turn that into natural-sounding words coming from a human being. We are not used to having to say sentences that are longer than 10–15 words, and some of Bill’s lines are monsters.

Here’s the deal, though: the language is your friend, not your enemy. It is not a Great Wall, it is a jungle gym. Once you get a few more tools in your actor’s toolbox, it’s more fun than you have ever imagined. No, we don’t really talk like those characters, but how amazingly awesome would it be if we got to say things like:

But, mistress, know yourself; down on your knees,
And thank heaven fasting for a good man’s love.
For I must tell you friendly in your ear:
Sell when you can, you are not for all markets.

Or

Men have died from time to time, and worms have eaten them, but not for love.

Or

I do desire we may be better strangers.

How cool is that? All it takes is the tools.

How will you get those tools? The first five or so rehearsals will be basically Shakespeare boot camp. Before we block a single scene, we are going to learn all the little tricks and exercises that make Shakespeare a playground and not a fiery pit. That way, when we start working on the show in earnest, you will be prepared to tackle all of it.

You will not regret it.

LESSON: Shakespeare is not hard. All it takes is tools you don’t have yet, but you will.

NEXT: English accent? Pfft.