Saturday, September 3, 2016

After watching this video from A Midsummer Night's Dream, from 1:36:52 and stopping at 1:54:00, what props are being used? Are they appropriate?...

The troop of actors who perform "Pyramus and Thisbe" for the Duke in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, are average men who are not highly educated. They are also tradesmen from the village who do not have a lot of money; so, they must be resourceful in order to produce their play. As a result, the tiny wooden swords and/or daggers used are enough to satisfy their needs for the play. Straw is used for Pyramus' beard and the lion's fur, which seems appropriate for what these average men would be able to acquire for their production. Also, the rough cast and lantern, which signify wall and the moon, are these players' way of creating a set with their own bodies; and, this is completely acceptable for their imaginations and to present to an audience. Audiences can accept whatever the actors tell them to in order to participate in the play.


However, some audience members, like Demetrius, make fun of their costumes and props. For example, Demetrius criticizes and/or makes fun of the moon because the props are ineffective for him; but, he lets this pass eventually to follow the plot of the play. Therefore, the props and costuming might be a little raw, which cause some to laugh, but in the end the story is accepted over the cheap props and costuming.

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