Agreed. And we know you were close to real theatrical practice at the Globe, where there was massive doubling, trebling, etc. I think you did brilliantly at casting as "FEW" actors as possible for a play with so many listed speaking roles. The scholars who have worked out the doubling rules claim that "even minor actors who doubled many roles usually had a scene off-stage in which to change costumes and any actor who doubles in principal parts is off-stage for an interval of at least one full scene between roles." Well I think you proved that they DON'T need that full scene offstage, so there!

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Internally I thought of switches from male to female as "impossible costume changes" that needed at least a whole scene to do, and I thought of everything else as doable in under 10 seconds if you needed to. It was tough on the actors, but the effect was worth it, I think.

As you know, we switched the order of the elbow scene and the surrender of Harfleur so that Rhonwyn would have enough time to go from being the nurse to being Nym.

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I really only noticed yesterday that Christian plays two different, and distinct, English soldiers in IV.1.

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I'll bite - what floated your boat about it?

My memory is a bit hazy, but I think I can conjure up enough. I have a very vivid memory of a moment that I suspect is the same scene which you are remembering. At least it probably is, because it has stuck with me all this time.

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What floated my boat about it was that actions have consequences. Ariel is a bound creature of Prospero's, and yet, when he finally releases her, it's clear (at least in that show) that he developed real feelings there - and that those feelings may spark a sea-change in the way he deals with the creatures around him. It was sort of unclear up to that point whether Prospero had a better nature or not, and Ariel's release was an indication that maybe he did, though it certainly didn't hold absolute ascendency over his actions.

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Very similar, although I would express it differently.

Prospero started down his current path by indulging in the unacceptable behavior of abdicating responsibility for his duties to indulge his wants. At that moment he is on the cusp of getting everything back, but in order to do it he has to let go of those wants and assume his responsibilities.

What made that moment poignant and raised it above simply moving the plot or the theme forward was the emotion they imbued in the touch, the look. It gave it depth and shading.

So I think the effect we are describing is the same, although - as you say - as the director I looked at it differently.

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ladysprite dubbed that the fastest costume change in the history of costume changes.

I almost regret altering my other two quick changes... ...almost.

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