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 Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:27 am
I've just been cast as Mercutio in my youth theatre's modern production of Romeo and Juliet. Needless to say I'm thrilled.
I was wondering how you all felt about girls playing guys? We have a female Benvolio and a female Escalus as well.
Does it make a difference if it's modern or traditional, professional or amateur?
Should they play them male, female or just play the role?
What about costume?
I'm just really curious.
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Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:52 pm
Congrats on Mercutio! (Possibly my favorite character in R&J)
Our company does a fair amount of gender-bending... we, also, had a female Benvolio, and Hermia's 'father' Egeus was played by a girl (as was Puck, in fact) for Midsummer, and I'm actually playing a male gambler in Guys and Dolls (and singing bass?).
We usually find that just playing the character as you would normally, and not really taking the gender into account too much often works. If you make character choices that you're comfortable with, that's usuallt best.
(I'm afraid I can't help on costuming, though, we firmly belive that Shakespeare should be performed in jeans, T-shirts, and prom-wear.)
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Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:29 pm
Congrats on Mercutio!
Yeah. Most definitely Shakespeare should be played with gender-bent casts. It adds to the fun of it. That's one of the policies of the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, VA (home to the EXQUISITE Blackfriars' Playhouse, btw... biggrin )---whoever works best in the part, male or female, is cast. I've attended their summer camp for two years, and I've played Duncan and various lords in Macbeth and Falstaff in Hen.IV, Part II. Don't think of it so much as "Hey, I'm a girl playing a dude!" as "Hey, I'm playing a wicked awesome character!" My drama teacher isn't too fond of gender-bending, and my thinking is that if girls aren't willing to play guys and guys aren't willing to play girls then they shouldn't consider acting seriously.
And thus ends my catechism.
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 12:11 pm
Congrats on Mercutio!! biggrin
Last year I played Banquo when he is killed and his son escapes; I also played Macbeth through all of Act V as a final project; so yes, gender-bending is absolutely fine. None of the guys stepped up for the role, so I said, "Count me in!" and everyone was fine with it. As long as you act to the best of your ability and play the part of whomever you're cast as well, there shouldn't be problem with girls playing guys and vice-versa.
We didn't have costumes, so Macbeth was played in jeans and t-shirts with props to identify certain characters. But it was more fun that way, anyway. wink
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Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 1:01 am
I've just heard from the director that the Capulets are going to be all creepy and elegant in white and Mercutio and the Montagues are going to be scruffy scater/goths.
He wants me to play Mercutio kind of non-gender specific. I'm just gonna wear jeans and a t-shirt and play the character naturally, so I suppose I'll come off as a real tomboy, though they'll still be calling me Sir and Gentleman and stuff.
I can't wait.
Thanks for all the congratulations! biggrin
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Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 6:45 am
I recently saw a fabulous performance of As You Like It performed by an all female cast (as well as a traditional all male Macbeth). I must say, if it's well done it can be quite a show. The male characters wore jeans and white t-shirts and had flattened out their chest with tape. The female characters wore simple skirts and wore their hair down and curled. With only those differences (and of course, their acting skills), after about forty minutes of the play I nearly forgot that the male characters were being played by women.
So, congrats on Mercutio. Please let us know what your audience thinks later on. 3nodding
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Romantic Conversationalist
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Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 9:32 pm
My English teacher said that Shakespeare didn't care who played what role back then, and my teacher doesn't care who plays what role now!
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Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 3:54 pm
I was cast as a male character in our production of romeo an juliet, in the Shakespeare club over here we do a lot of gender bending, finding that over her males are not as inclined to Shakespeare as the females are. We oft have to cast a lot of main male parts to us females. It is really fun and does not really affect the impact of the play.
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Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 9:53 pm
I think it depends on an actress' ability to convincingly play a male. I myself have only once played a female because I learned how to walk like a guy, and so always get cast as one. If the actress can play a guy well then she should, but if not then you can have her play the role as a female. In Shakespeare's time guys played women all the time.
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 10:17 am
Well, since all the women back in Shakespeare's time were played by men, I see no issue with women playing male roles! I've seen a few productions like that, especially with Puck as female in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and I think it's a great idea. Congratulations, Mercutio is a fabulous character!
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 11:09 am
Indigo14 I've just been cast as Mercutio in my youth theatre's modern production of Romeo and Juliet. Needless to say I'm thrilled. I was wondering how you all felt about girls playing guys? We have a female Benvolio and a female Escalus as well. Does it make a difference if it's modern or traditional, professional or amateur? Should they play them male, female or just play the role? What about costume? I'm just really curious. That's awesome! My school did R&J but i didn't get in, but they had a girl as Mercutio and she was amazing! I played Philostrate in Midsummer and it was a small part but it was fun. I love the idea of girls as guys! I mean guys used to play girls all the time! I think sometimes girls can bring a different interpretation of the character. biggrin
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 12:22 pm
Yeah, I agree. Gender doesn't matter, since all the female roles were originally played by men.
Revenge of the X chromosome.
Anyway, I think women do some roles better. I played Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream. It was a blast.
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 10:53 am
I was in a production of Hamlet where Hamlet was played by a female. He was still portrayed as male, and she did a beautiful job. I've only seen a handful of versions of Hamlet, but that was by far the best...
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Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 11:42 am
I was Romeo in my class production we kept Romeo male. I like it, it was a little odd but I like the fight scenes...the kiss and morning after scenes were a little awkward though.
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Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 10:49 pm
My college is doing The Merchant of Venice, and at least half of the male roles are filled by girls. I'd say this is just because there are more girl actors than guys, and the play has more male roles than female.
Needless to say, it will be hilarious. A female friend of mine is playing the prince of Morocco, and someone had the great idea of having him walk in with 2 or 3 harem girls. So another girl and I are *ahem* in a harem xd It should be a lot of fun - we have gorgeous Arabian-ish costumes and everything. I'm so excited blaugh
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