Task 3 - Creating and Developing a Physical Theatre response to Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

 The Paper Carousel Exercise was an activity where three large sheets of paper were circulated between three teams. Each sheet had a different title: Physical Theatre, A Midsummer Night’s Dream , and Me!. each group would rotate through the papers, adding their thoughts and contributions to each one. By the end, every team and group member had contributed to all three sheets. This exercise served as a way to:

  1. Identify the group's strengths, both as an ensemble and as individuals.
  2. Discuss the qualities and characteristics of physical theatre.
  3. Highlight what makes a successful production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream 

The Veil Scene

One of the main things we discovered was our shared interest in how the original play contrasts the natural and supernatural worlds, as well as the moral and immoral actions of the characters. This exercise helped us remember key aspects of the play, including its themes and techniques.

These ideas formed the foundation for our “The Veil” scene. We started by working in pairs to create a mirroring sequence, inspired by the idea of natural and supernatural beings. After that, we switched partners and combined our sequences to create a new one. We repeated this process a few times, so the movements became familiar to everyone in the group. Eventually, the movements didn’t look like mirroring anymore, but rather a shared sequence.

As we developed the scene, we decided to show supernatural beings trying to communicate with natural beings and bring them into their world. The supernatural beings were split into good and evil groups. Our movements felt like casting spells on each other, which became a central theme in the scene. This connects to A Midsummer Night’s Dream because the play also has a divide between the natural and supernatural worlds, as well as the use of magic. This magic appears through things like the love potion Puck uses on the lovers and Titania, and through the fact that some characters are fairies while others are human.

The Mirror Story Structure

We also worked on developing the “mirror” story structure for our scene. To do this, we paired up and created a sequence that focused on different themes. In my pair, we chose to focus on conflict and fighting. We started with Physical Theatre to make it look like we were having a fight or argument. We got close to each other and used strong, sharp movements to show the conflict. We also used a Physical Theatre technique called Round-by-Through, where we moved each other’s body parts with other parts of our own bodies 

In the scene, we performed the sequence twice. We repeated the movements exactly the same both times. this shows the conflict and how it is repeptitive

In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the main conflict comes from characters trying to interfere in each other’s lives and control their fates. This causes problems between the characters. For example my character, Puck causes conflict by magically changing people’s love and even transforms Bottom by giving him a donkey’s head.

What Interests Me About This Group Project

This project stands out to me because it combined thinking and physical theatre in a creative and team-based way. It wasn’t just about analyzing A Midsummer Night’s Dream from the script to stage, but also figuring out how to show its themes through physical movement. It was exciting to see how the group took big ideas, like the clash between the natural and supernatural, and turned them into actions and concepts, like the veil. The way we rotated between the papers also brought out lots of ideas, showing how teamwork helped shape the production.

What the Group Needed to Know About A Midsummer Night’s Dream to Succeed

To succeed in the project, the group needed to understand several key themes of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, such as:

  • The conflict between the natural and supernatural: The play explores how the magical world of the fairies contrasts with the grounded reality of the Athenian court and the forest.
  • The tension between love and reason: The characters’ romantic entanglements challenge their rational decision-making, creating chaos and comedy.
  • The adaptability of reality: The play demonstrates how dreams, illusions, and transformations can blur the line between what is real and what is imagined.

Also to make this piece work, we needed to understand more than just Shakespeare's language. We had to learn his writing and acting techniques. It was important to understand the text so we could explain it clearly to the audience. If we didn’t know what the words meant, we wouldn’t be able to share the story properly.

Key Quotes 

"My mistress with a monster is in love..."
Puck - Act 3, Scene 2

This quote by Puck connects to several themes in the play. First, it ties into the theme of Love, showing how love can be irrational and blind. Second, it touches on the theme of Appearance vs. Reality, suggesting that true emotions can exist regardless of outward appearances. The quote also illustrates how love can be confusing and chaotic.

"Fetch me that flower; the herb I showed thee once:
The juice of it on sleeping eyelids laid
Will make or man or woman madly dote
Upon the next live creature that it sees."
[Oberon - Act 2, Scene 1]

This quote connects to the theme of magic and control. Oberon’s use of the magical flower to manipulate love shows how love can be manipulated through external forces, leading to chaos and confusion. It also highlights the theme of power—how Oberon uses the flower to control the emotions of others, regardless of their true feelings.

What I Think the Group Will Need to Know About Physical Theatre in Order For the Piece to Succeed? (Identify Physical Theatre Devising Techniques That Were Used)

For this piece to succeed, the group needed to understand the core principles of Physical Theatre, which involves using movement, body language, and non-verbal storytelling to communicate the themes and emotions of the play. It’s not just about acting with words, but about creating meaning through our physical presence and actions. The group would need to be comfortable using their bodies to convey emotion and intention, especially in moments of heightened conflict or magical transformation. We needed to explore how to use space, contact, and physicality to make the themes of love, confusion, and magic come alive.

Several Physical Theatre devising techniques were used throughout the process:

  1. Mirroring: This technique helped us explore the relationships between characters, especially when showcasing the conflict or emotional connection between them. It also helped in portraying the clash between the natural and supernatural worlds.

  2. Round-by-Through: This technique was used in physical conflict scenes, where one actor moves through another's space, showing tension or power dynamics without using words.

  3. Proxemics: The use of space and distance between characters helped to visually represent the emotional and psychological gaps between them, such as the separation between the lovers or the divide between the natural and supernatural.

  4. Physicalizing Themes: The group used movement to embody key themes like magic, love, and confusion. For instance, in the "veil" scene, we used movements to suggest the idea of separation and illusion, aligning with the play's themes.

What techniques did you use to perform the text to a high standard?

To perform the text to a high standard, we combined strong physicality with a deep understanding of the language. Using techniques like gesture, expression, and physical contact helped to give the words more power. By embodying the emotions behind the lines when recording them, we created a more engaging and dynamic performance. We also worked on timing and rhythm, ensuring that physical moments matched the emotional beats of the recordings.

The process (consider what made you succeed as an ensemble and what obstacles you overcame).

The group succeeded as an ensemble because we respected each other’s ideas and were open to trying new things. Our ability to adapt and adjust based on feedback was a big strength. One of the biggest obstacles we overcame was finding the right balance between physical theatre and the Shakespearean text. It was challenging at times to make sure the physicality didn't overpower the words but still supported the meaning of the text. By trusting each other and staying focused on the themes we wanted to explore, we were able to find a harmony between the physical and verbal elements, which made the performance stronger as a whole.


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