In class writing

To relate the story to your own life. That is the most repetitive sentence I listened and learned from all presentation, especially Stanislavski and Lee.  They ask actors to no only rely on the script, they paid more attention on the interaction. For me, because I do not have much experience about playing Friar Lawrence, I need to watch different versions of Romeo and Juliet, just about the threaten part, I need to know how they act in order to let audience believe he was threaten by Juliet. Like repetition.  In order to understand Friar Lawrence actions and thinking way, after one day of rehearsal, I can ask Sam about her feeling as Juliet toward Friar Lawrence, first we need to make connections to understand Friar Lawrence and Juliet's personalities,  then the audience would believe that on the stage I am Friar Lawrence not I play as Friar Lawrence.  So jumped out from the script, but I need to live as Friar Lawrence on the stage.

First draft of script

ACT IV

SCENE I. Friar Laurence's cell.

For Friar Lawrence 

He would dress in dark color, like dark brown or dark red to show his personality. And also he needs to wear a cross in order to let the audience first understand his role in the show.  Also he needs to prepare a drink ( like Powerade)and places it in a tube as the poison. He does not need to wear fashion, just let the audience understand his role. 

For for Juliet’s costume, I think she could wear in white because when she uses weapon to threat Friar Lawrence, audience could find the contradict between a girl and a knife. It is very interesting because at that time period men dominated the power, so if we show a scene that girl uses power to threat a man, it must be interesting. So for Juliet’s costume I think she could wear any bright color, just do not wear the same color costume as Friar Lawrence. 

And in our show, we do not need much space, because its a private talk between Juliet and Friar Lawrence, it is easy for the setting part. And we will play our show starting on SL, as a fake door, when Juliet goes into the church, we will move near to the center. We will arrange a table and a chair in center in order to show the last scene for audience. We do not have much movements in the show, but we will focus more on the interactions during the conversation.  

I just added some details in my role, for Juliet’s part I think I need to talk more with Sam. 

JULIET

Are you at leisure, holy father, now;

Or shall I come to you at evening mass?

(I stand in front of the door) 

FRIAR LAURENCE 

My leisure serves me, pensive daughter, now. 

Juliet came in. 

(After I act I close the door, Juliet will be so sad and desperate.)

JULIET

O shut the door! and when thou hast done so,

Come weep with me; past hope, past cure, past help!

(In this part, I could add some actions in it, and I will accent some important words. ) 

FRIAR LAURENCE

Ah, Juliet, I already know thy grief;

It strains me past the compass of my wits:

I hear thou must, and nothing may prorogue it,

On Thursday next be married to this county.

JULIET

Tell me not, friar, that thou hear'st of this,

Unless thou tell me how I may prevent it:

If, in thy wisdom, thou canst give no help,

Do thou but call my resolution wise,

And with this knife I'll help it presently.

God join'd my heart and Romeo's, thou our hands;

And ere this hand, by thee to Romeo seal'd,

Shall be the label to another deed,

Or my true heart with treacherous revolt

Turn to another, this shall slay them both:

Therefore, out of thy long-experienced time,

Give me some present counsel, or, behold,

'Twixt my extremes and me this bloody knife

Shall play the umpire, arbitrating that

Which the commission of thy years and art

Could to no issue of true honour bring.

Be not so long to speak; I long to die,

If what thou speak'st speak not of remedy.

( Friar Lawrence would change the tone from average to low voice, and maybe a little serious but also very attractive because Friar Lawrence knew it is a good chance to solve this problem and then he wished he could use his power as alchemist to do something. )

FRIAR LAURENCE 

Hold, daughter: I do spy a kind of hope,

Which craves as desperate an execution.

As that is desperate which we would prevent.

If, rather than to marry County Paris,

Thou hast the strength of will to slay thyself,

Then is it likely thou wilt undertake

A thing like death to chide away this shame,

That copest with death himself to scape from it:

And, if thou darest, I'll give thee remedy.

JULIET

O, bid me leap, rather than marry Paris,

From off the battlements of yonder tower;

Or walk in thievish ways; or bid me lurk

Where serpents are; chain me with roaring bears;

Or shut me nightly in a charnel-house,

O'er-cover'd quite with dead men's rattling bones,

With reeky shanks and yellow chapless skulls;

Or bid me go into a new-made grave

And hide me with a dead man in his shroud;

Things that, to hear them told, have made me tremble;

And I will do it without fear or doubt,

To live an unstain'd wife to my sweet love.

( At this time. because Friar Lawrence gave the vial to Juliet, so I will act that I am very caring about the situation and ask Juliet about many things she needs to prepare before she drinks the vial, because if her parents found out I (Friar Lawrence) persuades Juliet to drink the vial, I wouldn't be a friar anymore. So I must show my stress. )

FRIAR LAURENCE

Hold, then; go home, be merry, give consent

To marry Paris: Wednesday is to-morrow:

To-morrow night look that thou lie alone;

Let not thy nurse lie with thee in thy chamber:

Take thou this vial, being then in bed,

And this distilled liquor drink thou off;

When presently through all thy veins shall run

A cold and drowsy humour, for no pulse

Shall keep his native progress, but surcease:

No warmth, no breath, shall testify thou livest;

The roses in thy lips and cheeks shall fade

To paly ashes, thy eyes' windows fall,

Like death, when he shuts up the day of life;

Each part, deprived of supple government,

Shall, stiff and stark and cold, appear like death:

And in this borrow'd likeness of shrunk death

Thou shalt continue two and forty hours,

And then awake as from a pleasant sleep.

Now, when the bridegroom in the morning comes

To rouse thee from thy bed, there art thou dead:

Then, as the manner of our country is,

In thy best robes uncover'd on the bier

Thou shalt be borne to that same ancient vault

Where all the kindred of the Capulets lie.

In the mean time, against thou shalt awake,

Shall Romeo by my letters know our drift,

And hither shall he come: and he and I

Will watch thy waking, and that very night

Shall Romeo bear thee hence to Mantua.

And this shall free thee from this present shame;

If no inconstant toy, nor womanish fear,

Abate thy valour in the acting it.

JULIET

Give me, give me! O, tell not me of fear!

(Also shows very careful mind.)

FRIAR LAURENCE

Hold; get you gone, be strong and prosperous

In this resolve: I'll send a friar with speed

To Mantua, with my letters to thy lord.

JULIET

Love give me strength! and strength shall help afford.

Farewell, dear father!

Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again.

I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins,

That almost freezes up the heat of life:

I needs must act alone. Come, vial.

What if this mixture do not work at all?

Shall I be married then to-morrow morning?

No, no: this shall forbid it: lie thou there.

What if it be a poison, which the friar

Subtly hath minister'd to have me dead,

Lest in this marriage he should be dishonour'd,

Because he married me before to Romeo?

I fear it is: and yet, methinks, it should not,

For he hath still been tried a holy man.

How if, when I am laid into the tomb,

I wake before the time that Romeo

Come to redeem me? there's a fearful point!

Shall I not, then, be stifled in the vault,

To whose foul mouth no healthsome air breathes in,

And there die strangled ere my Romeo comes?

Or, if I live, is it not very like,

The horrible conceit of death and night,

Together with the terror of the place,

O, if I wake, shall I not be distraught,

Environed with all these hideous fears?

Romeo, I come! this do I drink to thee.

I will play Friar Lawerence and Sam will play Juliet.

research acting project

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1zlwpn7yBPFYKgug79nMOzj-7ge5UfUL-1HVfhw04a6o/edit#slide=id.p

Edited version 4.1

 ACT IV
SCENE I. Friar Laurence's cell.


JULIET
Are you at leisure, holy father, now;
Or shall I come to you at evening mass?

FRIAR LAURENCE
My leisure serves me, pensive daughter, now.

JULIET
O shut the door! and when thou hast done so,
Come weep with me; past hope, past cure, past help!

FRIAR LAURENCE
Ah, Juliet, I already know thy grief;
It strains me past the compass of my wits:
I hear thou must, and nothing may prorogue it,
On Thursday next be married to this county.

JULIET
Tell me not, friar, that thou hear'st of this,
Unless thou tell me how I may prevent it:
If, in thy wisdom, thou canst give no help,
Do thou but call my resolution wise,
And with this knife I'll help it presently.
God join'd my heart and Romeo's, thou our hands;
And ere this hand, by thee to Romeo seal'd,
Shall be the label to another deed,
Or my true heart with treacherous revolt
Turn to another, this shall slay them both:
Therefore, out of thy long-experienced time,
Give me some present counsel, or, behold,
'Twixt my extremes and me this bloody knife
Shall play the umpire, arbitrating that
Which the commission of thy years and art
Could to no issue of true honour bring.
Be not so long to speak; I long to die,
If what thou speak'st speak not of remedy.

FRIAR LAURENCE
Hold, daughter: I do spy a kind of hope,
Which craves as desperate an execution.
As that is desperate which we would prevent.
If, rather than to marry County Paris,
Thou hast the strength of will to slay thyself,
Then is it likely thou wilt undertake
A thing like death to chide away this shame,
That copest with death himself to scape from it:
And, if thou darest, I'll give thee remedy.

JULIET
O, bid me leap, rather than marry Paris,
From off the battlements of yonder tower;
Or walk in thievish ways; or bid me lurk
Where serpents are; chain me with roaring bears;
Or shut me nightly in a charnel-house,
O'er-cover'd quite with dead men's rattling bones,
With reeky shanks and yellow chapless skulls;
Or bid me go into a new-made grave
And hide me with a dead man in his shroud;
Things that, to hear them told, have made me tremble;
And I will do it without fear or doubt,
To live an unstain'd wife to my sweet love.

FRIAR LAURENCE
Hold, then; go home, be merry, give consent
To marry Paris: Wednesday is to-morrow:
To-morrow night look that thou lie alone;
Let not thy nurse lie with thee in thy chamber:
Take thou this vial, being then in bed,
And this distilled liquor drink thou off;
When presently through all thy veins shall run
A cold and drowsy humour, for no pulse
Shall keep his native progress, but surcease:
No warmth, no breath, shall testify thou livest;
The roses in thy lips and cheeks shall fade
To paly ashes, thy eyes' windows fall,
Like death, when he shuts up the day of life;
Each part, deprived of supple government,
Shall, stiff and stark and cold, appear like death:
And in this borrow'd likeness of shrunk death
Thou shalt continue two and forty hours,
And then awake as from a pleasant sleep.
Now, when the bridegroom in the morning comes
To rouse thee from thy bed, there art thou dead:
Then, as the manner of our country is,
In thy best robes uncover'd on the bier
Thou shalt be borne to that same ancient vault
Where all the kindred of the Capulets lie.
In the mean time, against thou shalt awake,
Shall Romeo by my letters know our drift,
And hither shall he come: and he and I
Will watch thy waking, and that very night
Shall Romeo bear thee hence to Mantua.
And this shall free thee from this present shame;
If no inconstant toy, nor womanish fear,
Abate thy valour in the acting it.

JULIET
Give me, give me! O, tell not me of fear!

FRIAR LAURENCE
Hold; get you gone, be strong and prosperous
In this resolve: I'll send a friar with speed
To Mantua, with my letters to thy lord.


JULIET
Love give me strength! and strength shall help afford.
Farewell, dear father!
Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again.
I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins,
That almost freezes up the heat of life:
I needs must act alone. Come, vial.
What if this mixture do not work at all?
Shall I be married then to-morrow morning?
No, no: this shall forbid it: lie thou there.
What if it be a poison, which the friar
Subtly hath minister'd to have me dead,
Lest in this marriage he should be dishonour'd,
Because he married me before to Romeo?
I fear it is: and yet, methinks, it should not,
For he hath still been tried a holy man.
How if, when I am laid into the tomb,
I wake before the time that Romeo
Come to redeem me? there's a fearful point!
Shall I not, then, be stifled in the vault,
To whose foul mouth no healthsome air breathes in,
And there die strangled ere my Romeo comes?
Or, if I live, is it not very like,
The horrible conceit of death and night,
Together with the terror of the place,
O, if I wake, shall I not be distraught,
Environed with all these hideous fears?
Romeo, I come! this do I drink to thee.


I will play Friar Lawerence and Sam will play Juliet.

Blog 4

Yichen.Li

Oct. 10th. 2016

Liter & Performance

Today I watched the 1996s Romeo and Juliet, which was directed by Baz Lurhmann. This version is my favorite one because the main characters’ beauty and interesting plot. First of all, in the movie, the director retained most of the language use from the book, which was written by Shakespeare. However, in order to show difference and creativity, director improved some language into modern language and also moved the time period of Romeo and Juliet into modern days, which gave audience a new feeling and understand on the show Romeo and Juliet. In the last two acts of the play, the director made the new version of the show that was faithful to the original, but also added some new elements in it in order to make it seem more modernized.  For example, after Juliet went to the Friar Lawrence cell but met with Paris, she wanted Lawrence to give her some solution to avoid the marriage, she throat Lawrence with a gun in stead of a knife. Also instead of using a priest to go to Mantua to tell Romeo about the fake death of Juliet, in the movie it used a “ post post haste dispatch “ as a modern element in the movie to show why Romeo did not get the letter from Lawrence. So these modern elements make me feel that it exists in my period not Shakespeare time because it relates closer to my time period. However, the director also deleted some scenes form the Shakespeare’s version.  For example when Romeo went into the churchyard, there was no Paris inside the churchyard but there were many policemen outside. And also Lawrence did not go to churchyard to save Juliet. However these elements are not important, they are not related so much on the main plot, the most important scene is the death of Romeo and Juliet. Both the additional modern elements and deleted scenes make the whole video become modernized and attractive to the audience. For me, as an audience, I could have more time in the movie to look at Romeo and Juliet whatever they were in Juliet’s room or in the churchyard. The absence of Paris made me pay more attention on the despair Juliet showed when she realized her lover was died in front of her. 

Moreover, compared with Shakespeare’s version, in the 1996 version, the audience would feel the plot from peace to despair to happiness then finally turn to despair. I like the plot that the director arranged the scenes. His style was similar with Shakespeare’s writing style, which everything was in peace however if one thing disturbed, all the things would have a chain reaction to break. Audience have to adjust the fast change style in the movie. In the movie version, audience would feel Juliet and Romeo always stays in the two different world, Romeo always got wounded by Tybalt or the police. But Juliet always wore in white and smiled. The direct difference between Juliet and Romeo made the audience get a hint about their final tragic result.  The main feeling audience felt would be the continues despair and disappointment. For example when Juliet felt she was abandoned by her families and her dad, her mom and the Nurse can nothing for her. She felt helpless and lonely. And after she woke up she would experience another despair from her husband. Also, one of the most surprising scene in the movie is when Juliet woke up but watching her husband died in front of her. In the original story, Juliet saw her husband died in front of her and finally made the decision to kill herself by a knife. However, in the movie version, she did not do the soliloquy, the director made the Romeo did not die soon after he drunk the poison, the director wanted to make a dialogue between Juliet and him. So Juliet watched her man drinking the poison without any thinking and then she felt this was not a good thing, so she touched Romeo. For Romeo, it was the most surprising and most tragic movement in his life. His wife did not suicide but he drunk the poison, he can not accompany with her in the future.  So he stared her a long time but only said: “ Thus, with a kiss I die.” He knew he had no time to accompany with Juliet but he wished time could be traced back, so under the comparison between the surprising of Juliet’s live but the despair of drinking the poison, he only desired a kiss from her. For the audience, because we know the whole story from Juliet and Romeo sides, we would think Romeo is stupid on Juliet’s “death”. However, if you really experience in that situation, you would do the same thing with Romeo. I feel sorry to Romeo but I would also say the director was also awesome because even he deleted the battle scene between Romeo and Paris, he letted Romeo to show more love on Juliet. Thus the audience could watch more unsuspected situations from the original book. 

Blog 3

In Romeo and Juliet, I have seen a great world, where everything arranged in their own place. However, after I read the whole chapters in Romeo and Juliet, I began to think deeply on its setting. Why did Shakespeare create this story as an epic? What are characteristics that  show its superiority?  Then I found several factors which led Romeo and Juliet become the treasure.

First, for the characters’ change, especially on Romeo and Juliet, they changed the most. For Romeo. One obvious fact is that he changed his lover from Rosaline to Juliet,  he began to have his own thinking and realized more about this society.  Moreover, so was Juliet. Before she was only an innocent girl who just listened to her parents’ order. However, after she met with Romeo, she grew up from a child to a mature woman, and also her thinking also developed to a mature woman who could even argue with her mom and won. From Act 3 Scene 5, she said to her mom that “ I must wed ere he that should be husband comes to woo. I will not marry yet, and when I do, I swear it shall be Romeo whom you know I hate, rather than Paris.” Juliet leads the talk and her mom seemed no chance to interrupt her and finally called her dad, Capulet to solve the problem. Also, two families’ relationship was also changed by their change.  In the before, Romeo and Juliet believed that love is a solution for their family conflict, but their parents thought the love was not the solution, but like a catalyst to Montague and Capulet. However, after several main characters died, and the Prince’s curse, “ Capulet! Montague! See what a scourge is laid upon your hate, that heaven finds means to kill your joys with love. “ After all things happened, two families, both figured out what they really need to do. But it was ridiculous that their recognition was based on the death of Romeo and Juliet. On the other hand,  Romeo and Juliet believed that their love was the solution for their two families’ conflict. In fact, their death was the true solution of their families’ conflict. So with the sadness on the death of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare used another way to sarcasm the ancient society which all the power controlled in the highest positions, lower class had no power to against. Which made the style of this story be more sad and ironic.
 
Moreover, characters’ change did not make up the whole world, but also the setting was changing. In the book Act 1 Scene 1 and Act 3 Scene 1 readers could directly know the fight happened usually during day times. Also during the conflict happening, the play will increase its speed, so Shakespeare increases the processing of the play. However, when time goes to evening, the love scenes always take place (for example in Act 2 Scene 3 and Act 3 Scene 3 )until the next day’s morning, in this time period, the speed of the show is quite slow. I guess because Shakespeare wanted to make the comparison between the daytime and the night time in order to let readers feel the kind atmosphere in the night and begin to treasure the night time because no one knows what will happen tomorrow. The second change was the climate, it did not only mean the weather but also related with the condition in Verona where Montague was opposite with Capulet. Their conflict made the sadness of Romeo and Juliet, Montague and Capulet’s relation changed from opposition to cooperation because of Romeo and Juliet’s love and death. Readers could understand the tone of the story changed from aggressive and sharp to sad and regret. From Act 1 Scene 1 67, Capulet said that “ My sword, I say! Old Montague is come, and flourishes his blade in spite of me.” To the end, Act 5 Scene 3 298 Capulet said that“ Oh brother Montague, give me thy hand. This is my daughter’s jointure, for no more can I demand.” So the image of the whole play changed from opposition and conflict to the love between two crossed stars and finally turned to the regret and sadness of both families. Shakespeare arranged all the characters and the plots in the most suitable place which let the readers follow with his mind and also can understand his writing world deeply.

ACT 4&5 note

R&J Act 4&5.

Act 4 Scene 1

Main character: 

Juliet, Friar Lawrence, Paris

Place:

Friar Lawrence’s cell

Happen: 

Juliet went Lawrence’s cell, found Paris is making marriage on Thursday. Then she talked with Lawrence, Lawrence had an idea that he could let Juliet fake die due to a fake vial in order to let her out to the family cemetery. Then he could call Romeo to the cemetery to get her to go Mantua together. 

Marriage due to little love. That maybe must be. I will confess to you that I love him.  God joined my heart and Romeo’s, thou our hands. 

Act 4 Scene 2

Main characters: 

Juliet, lord Capulet, lady Capulet, and Nurse( she did not talk just stand)

Place: 

Capulet’s home

Happen: 

Capulet is planning about the wedding. Juliet disguised that she did wrong things, she should not disobey her father, she will marry with Paris. Capulet was happy and told the information to Paris. 

Act 4 Scene 3

Main characters: 

Juliet, Lady Capulet, Nurse

Place: 

Juliet’s bedroom 

Happen: 

Juliet went back to her room, let nurse go and let mom leave so she can imitate she would be prepared for marriage. Then she took out the vial, worried about no work ( marry with Paris tomorrow )or poison ( Friar may felt dishonored) , then she drunk the mixture and lay down. 

Act 4 Scene 4

Main characters: 

Capulet, Lady Capulet, Nurse, Sirrah. 

Place: 

Capulet’s home

Happen: 

Lady Capulet and Nurse wanted to remind Capulet that he needed to sleep, but Capulet did not care and felt excited. annoyed about their actions. Suddenly as the servants passed, he heard that Paris was coming, so he met him and told Nurse to wake Juliet up. 

Act 4 Scene 5 

Main characters: 

Capulet, Lady Capulet, Nurse, Paris, Juliet, Friar Lawrence, Peter, three musicians. 

Place: 

Capulet’s home. 

Happen 

Nurse tried to wake Juliet up, can not be shaker up but she’s dead, cold, blood is settled. joints are stiff  Everyone came and found out that today was not a good day.  Paris seemed not good due to her death.  Then Friar Lawrence orders everyone to move. Then he took Juliet to family burial place. Then Peter talked with Musicians about the music. 

Accursed, unhappy, wretched, hateful day. miserable hour. She’s not well married that lives married long. But she is best married that dies married young. All things change to contrary. 

What a pestilent knave is he. Wait for mourners. 

Act 5 Scene 1

Main characters: 

Romeo, Balthazar, Apothecary. 

Place: 

Mantua street. 

Happen: 

Romeo waited Friar Lawrence impatiently because he dreamed Juliet came and found his death. Strange, but Suddenly Romeo received news of Juliet’s death and buried in family tomb from Balthazar. Then he bought a poison from a meager apothecary. Decided to kill himself besides Juliet. At that time, he did not receive that Juliet is only in deep sleep. 

She is well and nothing can be ill, her body sleeps in Capel’s monument. 

Forty ducats, poison. My poverty but not my will, consents, I pay thy poverty, and not thy will. Not liquid, beat twenty men. 

Act 5 Scene 2

Main characters: 

Friar Lawrence, Friar John. 

Place: 

Friar Lawrence’s cell

Happen:

Friar realized that Friar John and her order were suspected to be inflected by plague, so his letter did not deliver to Romeo’s hand. So he decided to go to family tomb alone with crow bar in order to let Juliet out of tomb.  Three hours. 

Act 5 Scene 3

Main characters: 

Paris, Page, Romeo, Balthasar, Paris, Friar Lawrence, Juliet, watchmen. Capulet, Lady Capulet, Prince. Montague. 

Place: 

Churchyard

Happen: 

Paris visited Juliet alone, let servant outside. Nobody noticed. Then a warning,  Romeo arrived to the tomb, asked Balthasar leave with money. Then he wanted to open tomb, Paris appeared and stopped him. Began to fight and Paris died. Then Romeo found Juliet’s body, drunk the poison beside hers. died. Then Friar Lawrence came and Balthasar came and explained all things,  then Lawrence found out the blood of Paris and then figured out Romeo died too. Suddenly Juliet awake, figured out two men were died, Friar Lawrence wanted to escape but Juliet rejected and stabbed herself no poison, Lawrence escaped. Then after all people came together, Montague announced that Romeo’s died due to grief and Lawrence was caught, so did Balthasar and then he explained everything. Then Balthasar explained all things he knew and gave the letter Romeo wrote to his father to Prince. Also Page talked all things he knew, he called the watch after he saw his master died. Prince became angry about M and C’s division’s result.  They decided to give their children a final destiny.  

Some fact: 

Vile montague. Banished haughty montague. Murdered my love’s cousin, do some villainous shame to the death bodies. 

I love thee better than myself. 

O I am slain, be merciful open tomb and lay me with Juliet. 

I fear some ill unthrifty thing. I dreamt my master and anther fought and that my master slew him. What an unkind hour is guilty of this lamentable chance. 

No friendly drop to help me after. Kiss lips. this is the sheath. 

Because Lawrence and Romeo’s follower has the weapon to open the tomb. 

Alas, my wife died,what further woe conspires against mine age? O what manners is in this, to press before your father to a grave. 

I stand both to impeach and purge myself condemned and myself excused.  

This letter he early bid me give his father, threat me with death, going in the vault if i departed not and left him there. 

Poor sacrifices of our enmity.