The play is set in Italy on the island of Sicily, where Leonato is the Governor of the town of Messina. Most of the action takes place in his house, where he plays host to a group of officers led by Don Pedro, the victorious leader in a recent military campaign.
This comedy has a dark and painful side as the relationships between the men and the women are often uneasy. It nearly ends in tragedy as Hero, Leonato’s young daughter about to be married to the young officer Count Claudio, is accused of grave sexual misconduct on the eve of their wedding.
The opening scenes between Beatrice, Leonato’s niece and Benedick a senior officer begin with both characters scoring points off one another but we realise that underneath the banter there are deeper feelings and that the witty, sharp-tongued exchanges conceal more complex emotions. As ever, we will trust Shakespeare, ‘letting the words do the work’.
Each workshop will begin with a brief vocal and physical warm-up. For this group activity we will use Beatrice’s speech from the end of Act III Scene1, beginning on line 108; ‘What fire is in mine ears’ to the end of the act. Bring some familiarity with this short speech to class.
Please wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Students should read the play beforehand and be ready to read aloud with good fluency and clarity.
Laptops should not be brought to class. Every student must bring their own printed copy of the play to workshops, including the first one. The Penguin edition is easy to handle and has a good introduction to the play.
Learning outcomes
- Gaining confidence in the speaking of blank verse and prose.
- An understanding of how actors make their choices.
- Exploring the subtext in this dark comedy.
