All right! Coriolanus time.
This is a perfect play for thinking about all the ways we reduce state politics to simplistic powerplays.
As always, part of the essay is free-to-read: that includes analysis of the 2011 film, to connect Shakespeare's play to today's war-weary world.
Then paid subscribers get to dive into Shakespeare's version, Plutarch's version, Livy's version, and what each history reveals to us about what "the state" really contains.
(Hint: A LOT more.)
https://open.substack.com/pub/mlclark/p/coriolanus-and-coriolanus-and-coriolanus
@MLClark: Wonderful show. I was in it twice, both time as a Protean. I got to murmur and hubbub as a Citizen, Senators (V. and R.) , Usher, Captain, and Lieutenant. 🙂
Oh wow, that's terrific. I feel like, with the right direction, the secondary and background characters in Coriolanus should always be distinct and striking.
I don't doubt you were! 🙂
@MLClark: The secret is to always work to deliver focus to where it needs to go on-stage, which is usually to whomever is speaking. That said, sometimes you have to do that via acting "against" focus, if some character(s) is/are meant to be scheming or asiding. Your own diverted attention marks contrast and thereby causes the audience to notice them more.
It's great fun, like a dance and a game of chess.