This document summarizes student drama productions in English at the University of Padua from 1998 to 2010. It describes the genres performed, including sketches by Harold Pinter, Arnold Wesker's play The Kitchen, and adaptations of Shakespeare plays like Henry VI and Romeo and Juliet. Over time, the productions grew to include plays in other languages and more ambitious projects like a musical adaptation of West Side Story and John Webster's The Duchess of Malfi. The productions provided opportunities for students to improve their English skills and experience theatre in a collaborative, extracurricular setting.
1. From Wesker to Webster via West Side Story: student drama productions in English 1998-2010 Fiona Dalziel Seminario CLA L’innovazione nell’apprendimento linguistico all’Università di Padova Padova, 14 - 16 Aprile 2010
2. Dramatis Personae Genre(s) on the Move Naples, 9-11 December 2009 GIUSEPPE BRUNETTI, colleague to Fiona, and professor to Andrea. ANDREA PENNACCHI, a student of Padua, and director. NADIR BASSO, PIERANTONIO RIZZATO, directors. FIONA DALZIEL, SARA PEARCEY, gentlewomen, attending on the actors . RALPH CHURCH, a gentleman of America . MARIO MELCHIONDA, a gentleman of Naples . MARIANA BISSET, a gentlewoman of Wales, and artist . STUDENTS, the actors . FRIENDS, FAMILY, the audience . Musicians and other Attendants. SCENE: Teatro Popolare di Ricerca, Padua
3. The actors Genre(s) on the Move Naples, 9-11 December 2009 Students enrolled on language degree courses (BA and MA) Students from other faculties PhD students (English Literature) Erasmus exchange students (UK, Austria, Germany, Czech Republic) 3 credits now awarded Spanish theatre group started performing in 1999 (with collaboration of Giovanni Cara, Carmen Castillo, Borja Gómez) German theatre group set up this year (with collaboration of Marco Rispoli )
4. Revue Sketches by Harold Pinter Dialogue for Three Genre(s) on the Move Naples, 9-11 December 2009 2nd MAN: The snow has turned to slush. 1st MAN: The temperature must have dropped. WOMAN: Sometimes I think I’m not feminine enough for you. Revue Sketches by Harold Pinter Dialogue for Three
5. The Kitchen by Arnold Wesker Genre(s) on the Move Naples, 9-11 December 2009 This is a play about a large kitchen in a restaurant called the Tivoli. All kitchens, especially during service, go insane. There is the rush, there are the petty quarrels, grumbles, false prides, and snobbery. Kitchen staff instinctively hate dining-room staff, and all of them hate the customer. He is the personal enemy. The world might have been a stage for Shakespeare but to me it is a kitchen, where people come and go and cannot stay long enough to understand each other, and friendships, loves and enmities are forgotten as quickly as they are made.
6. Roses (the war of …) based on Henry VI, Part One by William Shakespeare Genre(s) on the Move Naples, 9-11 December 2009 The performance is a semi-serious study of Henry VI, Part One, by William Shakespeare. The play tells of the political struggles between English nobles leading up to the famous Wars of the Roses and terrible war between England and France, famous for the role of two heroic figures: the brave Talbot on one side and the heroine par excellence, Joan of Arc, on the other. The English theatre group set out to deconstruct the play, performing a selection of scenes and exploring the potential of the figure of the narrator. The whole group participated in the adaptation of the text and the narrative sections.
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8. Challenges and benefits Genre(s) on the Move Naples, 9-11 December 2009 Actors (and audiences) mostly non-native speakers of English (simplification and cutting of texts) Little or no acting experience (initial workshops) Large numbers who all require a “decent” part (one-act plays; plays with large cast; duplication of roles) Lack of male actors!!! Improving language skills Engaging with culture Self-expression and creativity Working in a group
9. Let’s make a musical WEST SIDE STORY Genre(s) on the Move Naples, 9-11 December 2009 Celebrating 10 years ...
10. Let’s make a musical WEST SIDE STORY Genre(s) on the Move Naples, 9-11 December 2009 Celebrating 10 years ...
11. Let’s make a musical WEST SIDE STORY Genre(s) on the Move Naples, 9-11 December 2009 Celebrating 10 years ... What the critics said … “ the show was great! you all did such a good job, and I particularly admired the students' confidence and lack of stage fright. I think the director in particular must have worked very hard and deserves a special round of applause”
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13. The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster Genre(s) on the Move Naples, 9-11 December 2009 The cut version Some modernisation, but mostly original text Length of play dramatically reduced (to one and a half hours) No use of “narrators” as such, but exploitation of role of character Delio as an informer: […] Delio is the only major character who does not die at the end of the play, just as Horatio in Hamlet. As his role of informer requires, Delio often speaks to the audience rather than to the other characters; we decided to make this function explicit. Since I play Delio, I sometimes address the audience directly, while the other characters on stage temporarily “freeze” (Anna Santucci)
14. The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster Genre(s) on the Move Naples, 9-11 December 2009 Six duchesses Role divided into three (according to the age of the duchess as part demanding and cast large) All three appear on stage together after her death Each of three duchesses has a “shadow” or alter-ego, dressed in bright red, while the “real” duchess is dressed in white The Shadow embodies and speaks the Duchess’s deepest thoughts and fears (Anna Santucci) […] her Double, prompter and counsellor in her hard moments, her Conscience (Beatrice Cinti)
15. The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster Genre(s) on the Move Naples, 9-11 December 2009 The madwomen Original: SERVANT. There 's a mad lawyer; and a secular priest; A doctor that hath forfeited his wits By jealousy; […] Our version: SERVANT. Madwomen all, they came, number of four […] A lonely teacher is outraged to see Denied her role, her learning underrated And asks: what good has ever come to me From working hard to be so educated? […] DESIGNER. Years and years of hard work and sacrifice … and look at me now! HOUSEWIFE. [singing and dusting] I want to break free … BROKER. I started work as a receptionist … TEACHER. [speaking very bad English] Be quiet … listen to me … Don’t do that ….
16. The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster Genre(s) on the Move Naples, 9-11 December 2009 Music by the Beatles The Duchess secretly marries her steward, Antonio, without telling her brothers, Ferdinand, Duke of Calabria and the Cardinal You’ve got to hide your love away One night, the Duchess gives birth to their son A Hard day’s Night Ferdinand refuses to give Bosola his reward for killing his sister You never give me your money The Carninal kills his lover Julia by making her kiss a poisoned book Julia
17. The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster Genre(s) on the Move Naples, 9-11 December 2009
18. The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster Genre(s) on the Move Naples, 9-11 December 2009
19. Final comments Genre(s) on the Move Naples, 9-11 December 2009 Performing at the theatre was a unique experience: we were actors, we improved our English and, above all, we were a group of friends. We shared happy moments and bad moments, too. We were no longer ourselves, instead we were Antonio, Delio, Bosola, the Duchesses and the Madwomen and the theatre became part of us. What we performed was ‘our’ Duchess […]
20. The Repertoire Genre(s) on the Move Naples, 9-11 December 2009 Harold Pinter - Revue Sketches Arnold Wesker - The Kitchen Tim Stoppard - The Dissolution of Dominic Boot, If you’re Glad, I’ll be Frank, The Fifteen-minute Hamlet William Shakespeare - Henry VI, Part One William Shakespeare - Romeo and Juliet Ted Hughes - Tales from Ovid William Shakespeare - The Merchant of Venice One-act Plays including Three tall Women and The Sandbox by Edward Albee and Landscape by Harold Pinter William Shakespeare - Twelfth Night Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim - West Side Story John Webster - The Duchess of Malfi
