By Charlie Bierend, production and directing assistant
I stumbled upon the Shakespeariment in the University Players newsletter. Having attended several university seminars on Shakespeare, I found the idea of replicating the rehearsal conditions of his time fascinating. Working within such a limited time frame on material as complex as Shakespeare’s sounded like a fun challenge, plus the tight schedule was attractive as I can’t always commit to a time-intensive full-scale UP production. So the decision to throw my hat into the ring as directing and production assistant was made before I’d even finished reading the newsletter.
Working with Brian helped me understand the key factors to be considered when staging a play. His approach to the text and the relationships between characters provided me with new insights, furthering my understanding of Shakespeare’s dramaturgy and writing. In addition, I felt that Brian was very good at making everyone involved feel safe and seen. Regardless of the size of their role, everyone received his attention and appreciation.
Because of the short time frame, we had to simplify the rehearsal process, focusing on what was absolutely necessary to ensure that the audience could follow. In my own projects, I tend to get lost in the detail and lose sight of the bigger picture. Brian’s approach to the lack of detailed stage directions by highlighting that it is all in the text was inspiring. Exploring the dialogue for hints regarding staging, blocking, and interactions, I discovered a new way to approach Shakespeare’s plays. The experience and knowledge gained from working with Brian will stay with me and shape my work should I ever stage another play.
Overall, I remember the Shakespeariment as an exciting and fun time. I learned a lot and truly feel that I took away something for the future. It was scary, though, having to fully trust the actors to take care of elements such as props and costumes themselves. Until the day of the show, I seriously doubted that everything would come together. But it did, teaching me another lesson about trusting people.