3 Quick Tips for Handling Shakespeare’s Language
Actors, if you want to get better at acting Shakespeare’s language QUICKLY, here are three things you can do to up-level your verse-speaking in a big way.
Watch for repetition! This is such a simple thing that really can help you understand which words and sounds Shakespeare wanted you to highlight. Sometimes it’s as obvious as alliteration or assonance (the repetition of consonants or vowels - e.g. “such a Wagoner as Phaeton Would Whip you to the West”), but sometimes it’s clusters of sounds. I like to encourage my clients to look for clusters of hard consonants (b, p, t, d, etc) or long vowels. When you spot these repetitions, EMPHASISE them. If they’re long vowels, make them super long. If they’re hard consonants, spit them out!
Roughly categorise the imagery your character is using. Don’t assume that all Shakespeare’s verse is beautiful! Some common categories of imagery include natural/pastoral (references to flowers, the moon, etc), mythical (Greek gods), martial (military references), spiritual (both Christian and pagan), or sexual (lewd puns). If you’re not sure, firstly, make sure you’ve done your research so you understand what you’re saying, and also notice the nouns and adjectives that pop up in your lines. Once you spot these, it’s easier to achieve the right tone for your monologue or scene.
Breathe at ends of lines. This might blow your mind a bit, because it feels counter-intuitive, but don’t skip it! For contemporary acting, especially for prolific playwrights, we’re often told to study the punctuation in detail and use it to understand our character’s mental and emotional state. In Shakespeare, the punctuation is different in different editions, because it was put in by EDITORS, not by the man himself! So it’s actually more useful to look at where the verse-line ends as an indication of phrasing.
As an exercise, try breathing only at the ends of lines. It doesn’t have to be every line, but try to avoid breathing in the middle of a line, even if there’s a period! This actually encourages natural moments to pump the brakes, find the right words, or change gears.
You don’t need to stick this as a hard and fast rule in performance, but it’s wonderful to do as an exercise. It also creates momentum and urgency.
There you have it! What do you find hardest about Shakespeare’s language? Let me know below so I can create more stuff for you!
