Conceptual Shakespeare

Shakespeare's original performances would obviously for the large majority, be bare of set - nothing extravagant, unrehearsed, in an outside venue - like the globe theatre and with very little prop and costume to help move the scenes on quickly. Whereas, with more modern day productions, they're extensively rehearsed, back up with props, set and costume and often performed inside. An extremely large difference between modern day Shakespeare productions and original productions is the general lack of audience interaction on modern day. Though audience interaction is quite common at the Globe theatre - actors entering and exiting through the audience, and talking to those in the pit - it's a lot less common in the more typical production. Due to the implementation of the 4th wall, it's very uncommon to go to a 2015 production of Shakespeare - for example, an RSC production, and have the actors talk directly to the audience and interact with them - whereas this was an extremely common occurrence in the Elizabethan times.

As like many of the globe productions, the Globe's 2013 production of Macbeth mixed the characteristics of both a modern day and a traditional Shakespeare performance. For example, they had individual costumes - purposely made and designed for that production, they had a backdrop and set built for the specific production and they would've gone through weeks of rehearsals. However, it's also performed in an open air theatre - specifically in the round, which the original productions at the Globe would've been performed in, and it has few extensive props - much like an original production would have.

The 2011 Old Vic production of Richard III starring Kevin Spacey and directed by Sam Mendes contrasts with both an original production and the Globe's production. With extensive set, costume, lighting design and sound design, the modern production is on the opposite spectrum of what an original production would have looked like. As most productions would've been performed outside in the evening as well as the obvious lack in technical advancements - there would've been no artificial lighting or digital sounds effects - unlike this production. As this is a modern production in a extremely modern setting, the costumes and set are designed to fit the production's concept - rather than being historically accurate, like an original production may have been (or at least tried to be).

The 2008 and 2014/15 revival Frantic Assembly production of Othello, is set in a modern pub, with a contemporary psychical take on Shakespeare's text. This production has extensive detailed set, as well as lightning and modern day costume - contrasting vastly with a traditional production. Furthermore, the piece uses physical theatre and modern day music to help aid the story - both would've been completely alien in Shakespeare's time as well as technologically impossible. Though Shakespeare may have included some movement in his original productions, a traditional dance perhaps, it definitely wouldn't have been such a pivotal part of the story telling.

In our modern time, Shakespeare's plays have often been abridged, changing them and cutting them down to make them shorter and possibly more understandable for a modern day audience. Traditionally, his plays would run at three or four hours, whereas now they're usually performed for around an hour and half to two. The condensing of the plays often allow the audience to follow and make sense of the language more easily whilst also allowing it to run at a quicker pace. Futhermore, his plays have been adapted into different languages and performed all over the Globe - whereas originally, they would've only been performed in English, in London. Due to all the modern changes to Shakespeare's work as well as the different conditions we are able to perform in now, we are a lot less confined to the traditional way of performing they would've done in Shakespeare's time and we are able to explore different concepts and styles with freedom and more importantly, accessibility.

http://www.franticassembly.co.uk/productions/othello/