Performing the Sonnets

Sonnets are excellent exercise pieces for actors and in five practical workshops each student will be given a Shakespeare sonnet to bring alive in performance. These are all like little self-contained scenes only fourteen lines long during which various ideas and emotions are explored and finally resolved. Sometimes the sonnet is directed to a lover, sometimes it is more like a soliloquy.

They are written in blank verse metre with a defined rhyming scheme, ending in a rhyming couplet which sums up the arguments in the first twelve lines. As ever, Shakespeare’s wordplay is there to help the actors make their choices in performance. These amazing sonnets, full of love and desire, are wonderful to work on and reveal the extraordinary power of poetry to express the truth about human emotions.

Students will be given a sonnet each at the start of the course. However, if they want to come with a choice of their own that will be fine. They should come prepared to be playful with the language and be able to speak English with a degree of confidence. We shall start each workshop with a brief physical and vocal warm-up, so wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Laptops should not be brought to class. Students should bring an edition of Shakespeare’s sonnets to every class, including the first one.

Learning outcomes

1. The sonnet form and structure will be understood;
2. Shakespeare’s wordplay will be explored;
3. Perform a sonnet with wit and enjoyment.