Messengers
by Elliot Sommerfield
Messengers is an existentialist play focusing on three Shakespearean messengers from Hamlet, King Lear and Love Labour's Lost, as they meet in an abstract café between scenes to ponder their purpose in what lives they have.
Directly inspired by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard, Messengers focuses on Shakespeare's use of news-givers as expository tools - and the absence of character within these tools. The play also focuses on the fleeting nature of our lives, how humanity has knowledge and hardships built into them, and the inevitability of death - our entrance and exit from womb to tomb.
Cast:
Waiter- Arden Winant
Gentleman- Arno van Zelst
Reynaldo- Heather Woodhouse
Mercade- Jimmy Stephen
Written by Elliot Somerfield
Directed by Grainne Robson
Produced by Hannah Jayne Productions
Performed at The Backstage Theatre, Mountview
Creation:
After its debut performance on Zoom for Goldsmiths Drama Society, I believed it was the perfect absurd production to bring back for my Masters showcase at Mountview as part of my MA in Theatre Directing. Due to restrictions within the amount of actors we were allowed on stage, we removed a character from the original script and re-worked the script to make sure the dynamics of the characters and the relationships remained the same.
We conducted extensive research behind each character's Shakespearean production with the cast and I used directing techniques of using playing cards in creating status, heirarchy and character in rehearsals we made sure that this complicated text was expressed with an understanding of ones background and character.
The character's costumes reflected on each time period/ production of their specific play and contrasted with the scenery which was a run-down greasy-spoon.
©2024 by Grainne Robson