Shakespeare’s Verse: How the Language Stages Action and Emotion

What is it about Shakespeare’s verse form that makes his plays so playable? So stage-worthy? So timeless? Why did Shakespeare write in verse—and why did he sometimes not? What did the words sound like in “original language”—the dialect of Shakespearean England? How did actors rehearse the plays in Shakespeare’s time? How do actors today unpack the texts to bring his plays to life on our very different stages of today? And, why is it that actors love playing Shakespeare?

In this explorative course, through lectures, demonstrations and visual presentations we will learn about the origins of language and the fluid invention of language in Elizabethan England. We’ll unpack how iambic pentameter drives character and thought, plus learn how spelling in the First Folio gives clues to dramatic force. We’ll find how the text itself tells the actor what to do onstage; we’ll discover the “playability” of Shakespeare’s words in pace, space, direction of thought and action—all tools for the actor preparing for performance. Let’s delve into what it takes for the playing of the marvelous language of Shakespeare!

Patsy Finlay is a theater professional, teacher and voice over artist. Patsy taught for 21 years as senior artist in residence in the department of theater and dance at Union College in Schenectady, New York, as a performance studies expert and director in the college theatre season. For 12 years, she was also a member of the Acting Company with Saratoga Shakespeare, a professional outdoor summer festival in upstate New York, appearing in numerous roles over the years and teaching classes as well as coordinating professional workshops for the intern company. In Patsy’s work as a professional director or voice coach, she has been associated with professional companies in Albany and Boston. Currently, Patsy is an active walking tour guide for the Newport Historical Society.