Like I mentioned earlier, I really enjoyed the steampunk elements of the costume that added some quirky mystery and fantasy to her character. But what I liked most was how it functioned in relation to her being like a puppet in the hands of Prospero.
At the natural joints of her body, elbow and knees, there were gold wrappings that were sort of like a hinge. I imagined her the whole time being like Pinocchio where the puppet can only move strings that are attached to knees and elbows and probably the head.
Julia Motyka who played Ariel, showed distinct movements like a puppet on strings but always moving first at those hinges. Almost like those barbies too that have arms the move at the elbows.
What a fantastic representation of how she is used by Prospero, her puppet master. He controls her in a fashion that will get him what he wants. The picture below is particularly poignant of that where we see him using magic to bind and tangle her up. So brilliant!
I also noticed where the set had rope riggings on the sides of the stage as part of the boat, Ariel would often be amongst them when performing magic to the characters in centre stage. It was so clear to me that she was being controlled by some greater force to perform such magical acts.
I was totally in love with her costume too! (Steampunk makes me extremely happy. I wish there had been more elements in the show like her costume). I feel like they put so much thought and creativity into it. . . and then you looked at Calibans character and costume and think. . . "lame. . ." he was just a crude little troll. I think they should have put more thought into his character like they did hers.
ReplyDeleteI also talked with Angela and Dr. Burton after the show about the "puppetry" being portrayed in this show. One point where this really struck me was when Ariel was sitting on one of the characters shoulders (I think it was Stephano's?) And sort of speaking for him, (sort of like a ventriliquist) and then they'd throw their arms up simultaneously, etc. I saw it as her acting as a puppet master over him (which is ironic as she is the puppet underneath Prospero) while Angela and Dr. Burton said they thought it was just her mimicking him.
That is an interesting comment Christa, I can totally see what you're talking about. While Ariel is obviously Prospero's puppet, maybe there is more on the food chain. I wonder if this is at all how Shakespeare felt about himself, having power in his writing to control the actions of others. You know how a lot of people think he is related to Prospero, it makes sense because his plays, and in general his writing had a lot of sway on people, almost like magic.
ReplyDeleteI saw Ariel sitting on the back of Stephano (?) like he was controlling her actually. This makes me just further the thought that Ariel is like a slave character and bound by others.
ReplyDeleteThat can be related to Matt's comment too in that Shakespeare might have felt bound by his audience is always having to provide them with another great play after another.
Regardless, the presence of puppetry that is not entirely 'visible', is certainly great and symbolic.
I can't believe I didn't even pick up on the whole puppet idea! I must have been focusing on other things. There were many examples of puppetry in this show, especially when Prospero and Ariel were the only ones on stage. And thank you Kelsie for bringing up Ariel and Stephano's "chicken fight" stance. I didn't really understand why she was on his shoulders but I think it shows that because Ariel has been enslaved, she is almost everyone's puppet. She was obeying Prospero, but the moment she sat on Stephano, it was like he had control over her.
ReplyDeleteCool stuff! You guys basically beat me to anything I would have to say.
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