Romeo and Juliet
As I attended Daytona State College’s Romeo and Juliet last Sunday, the matinee show, I enjoyed comfortable seating as well as a close up view of the play. The play took place in a thrust stage which provided a full view of the production. As I watched the performance take place, I noticed how different watching a production live is compared with watching a film. Though Romeo and Juliet, being a very popular Shakespearian play, has been performed live numerous times just like it has been made into film productions many times; there is quite a different feeling and experience seeing it live versus watching it already made.
One of the biggest differences in watching a live production is the actors and actresses facial expression, as well as their emotions and their movement. In Romeo and Juliet in particular I found that these elements were very different from the performance I watched at my school compared to both the Romeo and Juliet film produced in 1968 as well as the one made in 1996. In a film, we the audience are only able to see what the director of that film wants us to see. In a live performance, however, we can focus in on whatever we choose. For example, in many of the scenes involving Romeo and Juliet in the live performance, instead of focusing only on Romeo or Juliet when they were talking, I would look at some of the supporting cast members like Mercutio, Benvolio, or the nurse and watch the expressions they showed. Watching Romeo and Juliet live I felt like I was able to pick up on a lot more of the undertones and hidden meanings that occur quite often in Shakespeare due to the subtle queues I was able to observe only from this live actors, that I completely missed while watching the film.
The sound effects, background music, and props were another huge difference I observed in watching Romeo and Juliet live compared to watching it in film. Firstly, in the film version there is more of everything---more music, more sound effects, and more props. Secondly, everything is much more staged and unnatural. In the live performance of Romeo and Juliet I saw, the only music and sound effects I noticed took place to notify a change in scenes, accompanied by the dimming of lights. Props were sparse---a bed here, a chair there. Swords were used but nothing too fancy, just enough to get the point across. The only permanent piece of stage equipment was a balcony constructed with steps leading up to it, which also doubled as a wall when it needed to be. However, I found that this lack of extraneous additions allowed to help the audience focus more on the performers and the way that they interacted with each other.
Overall, experiencing a production live is drastically different than watching a movie. Though there may be cool special effects or catchy music in the movies, there is definitely a lack of intimacy in movies that only live performances can provide. Live performances are always unique, there will never be two identical performances of Romeo and Juliet, like the one I viewed last Sunday. I felt much more a part of the performance I viewed than I have watching any film version of Romeo and Juliet. Just being there seeing the citizens of Verona in their old-fashioned dress, hearing the Shakespearian dialogue, feeling the floor move as a group of members from the Montague or Capulet court enter the stage, made a very interesting performance that I was happy to be a part of.
Here is a comparison of a similar scenes from both the live and filmed version of Romeo and Juliet. The main focus here being the different amounts of props, background music, and focus, not the quality of the acting.
Pictures Cited:
Unknown Artist. 18 November 2009. Web.
http://cmcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/webquest/moran/rj.htm
Unknown Artist. 30 August 2007. Web.
http://www.taudiobook.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2900
Unknown Artist. 08 September 2008. Web.
http://media.modbee.com/smedia/2008/09/06/18/940-LIVE_p0909_09e2review.standalone.prod_affiliate.11.jpg
Unknown Artist. 07 October 2009. Web.
http://www.tenafly.k12.nj.us/~dling/Romeo_Juliet_1996_1200_l.jpg
Videos Cited:
Video#1
Poetic Touch. “The Balcony Scene-Romeo and Juliet-1968” 22 July 2009. Online Video Clip. Youtube. Accessed on 18 November. 2009.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Nk3cSlop5c&feature=related
Jethro Johnson. “Romeo and Juliet Balcony Scene.” 12 September 2006. Online Video Clip. Youtube. Accessed on 18 November 2009.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDa5dLDEQio&feature=related
