Following on from using individually constructed Shakespearean ‘dialogues’ as transitional scenes, we were at the point of devising the final scene, the creme de la creme. It only seemed plausible that after using male monologues already, that the women’s voice of Shakespeare should be voiced, after all the interesting heroine characters of Shakespeare are either portrayed as the crazy or the virginal submissive. Therefore the characters such as Lady MacBeth, Juliet and Viola deserved to be re-interpreted and thus delivered in a comedic style. Sounds obscene, unrealistic?

Yet it is studying these notorious monologues hardly and uncovering the underscoring themes that helped to focus from another angle and therefore really bring the humour to light. For example, Juliet’s monologue that talks of her husband of three hours, Romeo, being banished for Tybalt’s death we understand as her weeping for Romeo, her recent husband, given the context of the whole play. Yet taking this monologue completely out of the context of Romeo and Juliet and focusing on the main aspect of the monologue; that Romeo has gone, enables the hilarity of the situation to ensue if we remember that she is a ‘Newlywed’.

And so finding comedic links between all of these female monologues created the perfect set up for a ‘Stand Up’ style outset for the final scene. Thus with certain aspects of these monologues being comedic through their themes, it is the themes that evoked the style of ‘Mock the Week’, and is what the scene is loosely based on. With each of the 6 performers adapting elements of a stand up comedian’s repertoire and channelling some of their comic timing in their deliverance of the monologues, these texts will hopefully achieve the transitions from monologues to ‘gags’. Therefore channelling the comedienne Sarah Millican whilst delivering Juliet’s monologue “Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?..” helped Jess Jarvis’ characterisation of developing comic timing as well as the new perception of this ‘Geordie Newlywed’…