APPROACHING CLASSICAL TEXTS

INTRODUCTION

This guide has been curated with the idea of helping anyone interested in classical theatre, no matter your level, approach a classical text without being put off by its structure, content, language, form, etc.

It is by no means an exhaustive list, but some of these ideas can really help when preparing a classical monologue either for audition, or for a performance.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to send an email to du.classicaltheatre@durham.ac.uk, or DM @ductheatre on Instagram.

The DUCT Exec 24/25

1. RESEARCH

It is important to do some research into things that concern your character to give you a more informed background on where the author was coming from when writing them. What sort of character are they? What role do they have both within the world of the play, and the narrative itself? Do they fit into a specific ‘stock’ role of classical theatre?

This research will be just as important as your given circumstances when informing your performance, and how you interact with other characters.

2. TRANSLATE

Translate the piece into modern language. You can do this by using a copy of the text that has keywords translated or through websites like SparkNotes or LitCharts.

LitCharts has an excellent (free) resource called Shakescleare that has full translations of every Shakespeare play, scene by scene.

Make sure to look up definitions of specific words or any trick/ambiguous pronunciations. Once you have translated the scene/monologue just speak it through (as yourself) to find out how you naturally relate and react to the subject of the piece and moments of comedy, drama, tension etc.

3. HIGHLIGHT

Highlight all the different types of punctuation in different colours, then recite your speech walking around a space.

Each time you reach a comma you quickly change direction; at a full stop, you stop then change direction; at a question you stop and ask it to yourself (or the audience) before carrying on in the same direction; at an exclamation mark you stop and stamp your foot. This will help you understand the intention behind the line (there were little to none stage directions in classical texts).

4. ANALYSE

Read through just thinking about the iambic pentameter (see the appropriate accenting below) and highlight any lines that don’t fit the iambic as well as determining if it is even in verse or whether the writer is using prose.

If MUsic BE the FOOD of LOVE, play ON,

Give ME exCESS of IT; that SURfeitING,

The APPeTITE may SICKen, AND so DIE.

(Duke Orsino, Twelfth Night 1.1, 1-3)

Once you’ve determined whether your lines are poetry or prose, consider the circumstances of the play and the moment. What does the use of verse tell you about that moment and your character? Why is this moment better served in prose?

In classical texts, there are two forms of verse: rhymed and blank (unrhymed). More often than not, if the text is rhymed, the character will have an intrinsic or playful awareness of the rhymed words.

Still, the character is usually coming up with the words in the moment (unless they are reading a letter, for example) – so a level of spontaneity always aids characterisation.

Verse can also imply a heightened state of emotion, signifying love, passion, rage, humiliation, etc.

As a general rule, not only in classical works but all texts, one thought

= one breath; you should follow the entire line through from beginning to full stop (period, question mark, exclamation point) without pause. This helps you, and the audience, follow your train of thought.

You could also think about any figures of speech used in the text. Obviously, it’s not necessary to go full English GCSE, but moments of alliteration, onomatopoeia, and assonance are always nice to accentuate in the rhythm of the language.

5. CONTEXTUALISE

Think about the character’s arc within the play. Where does this fall on their throughline? What have they had to overcome so far? What are their given circumstances at this moment?

6. STRUCTURE

This section is specifically for extended speeches/soliloquies.

Almost all classical soliloquies or speeches have similar structure and movement – namely, a thesis, argument, and conclusion.

• Thesis: the central idea or emotional state the character is grappling with.
• Argument: the character’s reasoning or internal debate about this idea – usually multiple sections, exploring a few different areas.
• Conclusion: the character’s resolution (or lack thereof) – the outcome of their internal debate, if you will.

Breaking a speech up like this really helps navigating its structure and the changing emotions and momentum. It is super important for classical texts which have unfamiliar language.

7. UNITS OF INTENTION

Break the text down into units of intention, i.e. what is the character trying to achieve in each section of the dialogue, and how are they doing it?

Figure out what they want and how they are going to get it. There’s not a clear right and wrong here; you can frame it as you wish, as long as it makes sense with the conclusion of the speech.

The units don’t have to be equal lengths – whenever you feel there is a shift in focus, mark it down and factor that into how it is performed.

8. FOCUS

You need to know who your character is talking to understand the intention and attention of the character in the moment. Using Stanislavski’s ‘Circles of Attention’ principle is useful when thinking about this, i.e. 1st circle – speaking to yourself (introspective); 2nd circle – talking to someone / a few people on stage, or to the audience if it’s a soliloquy, 3rd circle – talking to the world, the gods, the whole room.

Again, this is partially your own choice – work out throughout the dialogue if/when your character moves between circles. Label each time a new circle is entered and experiment. Work out what this says about your character.

This should really help with the focus of the speech and avoid a homogenised delivery.

9. REHEARSE

Speak through the dialogue with original language again with all these extra preparation things applied (it should feel much clearer intentioned and more comfortable).

Then after all of this you can finally put it on its feet and identify any moments for bold and fun physical choices, and/or moments that inject a bit of your own personality in. The latter is extremely important, as it is great to see personality injected into characterisation as it feels so much more genuine.

Guide curated by Emily Phillips (2024), with additions and edits by Ollie Cochran (2024).