I have memorized the prologue of Romeo and Juliet as a monologue to audition for a play and I am having trouble trying to emote. My problem is, that I can't really grasp the feel for the prologue and can't say it other than strongly. Could anyone help me? See below is the monologue:
Two households, both alike in dignity,
2 In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
3 From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
4 Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
5 From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
6 A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;
7 Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
8 Do with their death bury their parents' strife.
9 The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,
10 And the continuance of their parents' rage,
11 Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,
12 Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;
13 The which if you with patient ears attend,
14 What here shall miss, our
2007-09-09 08:22:29 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Theater & Acting
It takes a bit of time to get the feel for the language of Shakespeare, but the beauty of it, is that it IS so relatable and timeless when you can get through the antiquated language. It might as well be in Greek for some people.
As a professional singer, I often find myself having to memorize things in languages I don't speak. I first have to go through and translate word for word what it is that I'm saying, then I have to make it relatable to me and really delve into the character.
In this prologue you are setting the scene for the play. Here's my quick paraphrasing for you:
1,2 There are two families of equal social standing in Verona.
3 They have a long-standing feud that new members of the family are going to break from.
4 Being civil to eachother in these families is not looked well upon, as most members are still honoring the feud.
5 From these two families, were born two who would fall in love, despite their families' hatred of eachother.
6 They choose to love anyway, ultimately bringing their death.
7,8 But with their death, brings the end of the feud.
9, 10, 11 This is the story of their ill-fated love and the rage of the families that brought about the death of the beloved children.
12 This play lasts two hours on the stage.
13 Be patient and watch...
2007-09-09 08:33:29 · answer #1 · answered by rumezzo 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's not a big emoting speech. It's there to set the background and to move the audience from their normal lives into the world of this play.
If you want a more emotional speech from the play, find Benvolio describing the death of Mercutio, or Romeo on seeing Juliet on the balcony, or the Friar describing how everything went wrong.
But this speech is sort of like the Gettysburg Address; too much emotion and you'll ruin it.
2007-09-11 17:20:34 · answer #2 · answered by Bucky 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
awesome i memorized some of the blacony scene
what's in a name?
a rose by any other name would smell as sweet
and romeo, were he not romeo called
would still retain that sweet perfection which he owes
without that title
o romeo refuse thy father and deny thy name
or if th ou wilt not
be but sworn my love
and i'll no longer be a capulet !!!
that was all from memory !! i kno i made a few mistakes! i love shakey...he's brilliant!
; D
*WELL i would tell u to just really think about what ur saying and really pur ur heart into it...put a lot of feeling into it...as if u were a witness to what happened!
2007-09-09 15:28:17 · answer #3 · answered by *Fluorescent Adolescent* 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
read Hamlet's advice to the players, Act 3 sc 2. Then follow the punctucation as you deliver the speech. It is called the argument of the play, that is a breif synopsis of the plot, so you are a storyteller, telling a story. Have fun with it, that is the point of acting.
2007-09-10 14:17:10 · answer #4 · answered by Theatre Doc 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you need to go for serious and solemn and sad, rather than "strong".
The first eight lines of the prologue are recited quite gently in the beginning of Zefferelli's "Romeo & Juliet". If you can rent that, you'll see how to tone it all down, and also get a feel for the tempo.
2007-09-09 18:59:11 · answer #5 · answered by helene 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Think of something very close and dear to you. Something important to you and feel that feeling in your heart while you say it. You should be able to say it differently that way instead of trying to imitate it which causes you to say it the way that first comes to mind and not the way it is supposed to be recited.
2007-09-09 15:28:27 · answer #6 · answered by Momiji-chan 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
How one could read this and NOT emote, only baffles me.
Shakespear is about human nature, not words.
Decipher the "nature" of his poetic words and you will but naturally emote the meaning of his elocution.
2007-09-09 15:32:27 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
imagine you are romeo...
how would he be feeling during that certain part?
think of something or someone close to you.
BE IN THAT SITUATION! you are romeo, what is going through your mind? your heart? say it with FEELING!
hope I helped! â¥
If you have ever had a bad audition please answer my question:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AsdLAVA3R3vXUTOFAxj2SkLsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20070906144703AAOo6K4
2007-09-09 15:33:56 · answer #8 · answered by verleybe 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
wait. what is this about
2007-09-09 15:24:58 · answer #9 · answered by darnell s 1 · 0⤊ 3⤋
lol
2007-09-09 15:25:03 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋