Theatre history - Essay Example

One of these elevated stages will represent Olivia’s house and will be found at the upper right side of the arena. The lower stage, a foot lower from the other, represents the front of her house. At the extreme right of the lower stage looks like an alley where characters enters and the other end where they exit. Lights flood the stage as each character enters and delivers his or her lines. We see gothic designs in the facades (I suggest that it would be a minimalist stage, perhaps columns to represent the foundations of Olivia’s house and steps that lead to the front of her house).

A tree or two (short-growing trees or shrubs, may be placed at one or opposite ends of opposite sides of the road, perhaps some props resembling a hawthorn tree, with apple-shaped, bright red resemblance of its fruit hanging on its branches). Most likely, this part of the play will take place later in the evening, perhaps a little after dinner time, that we will observe characters in the play are like having their relaxing time, in one of the dialogues Olivia reveals that she and Sebastian (mistaken as his twin Viola, who will disguise herself as Cesario) have just been married a couple of hours ago, and Toby will later be seen already drunk.

Colorful medieval costumes that are common during the Elizabethan and the Renaissance theatre will be seen worn by the actors, except for Malvolio who should be wearing all black which is evocative of his character’s mood throughout the play. Music is an element predominantly present throughout the play; it is through music that the love of Orsino is magnified, the irony as well as comedy is amplified in the portrayals of Feste, Malvolio and his tricksters, and in the drunkenness and merriment of Sir Toby Belch.

Music, as one of the underlying themes of the play suggests the comic as well as the tragic episodes or scenes in the play. Fast music is played every now and then, which becomes louder when a climactic episode is