Playing bit parts in Shakespeare

• Main Author: Mahood, M. M. (Molly Maureen)
• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Published: New York Taylor&Francis 2016
• Subjects: Characters and characteristics in literature; Drama > Technique; Acting
• Online Access: Click Here to View Status and Holdings.
• Item Description: Originally published: Bit parts in Shakespeare's plays. Cambridge [England] ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 1992.
• Physical Description: viii, 284 pages : 25 cm
• Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references (pages 223-242) and indexes
• ISBN: 9781138152885

Playing Bit Parts in Shakespeare is a unique survey of the small supporting roles - such as foils, feeds, attendants and messengers - that feature in Shakespeare's plays. Exploring such issues as how bit players should conduct themselves within a scene, and how blank verse or prose may be spoken to bring out the complexities of character-definition, Playing Bit Parts in Shakespeare brings a wealth of insights to the dynamic of scenic construction in Shakespeare's dramaturgy. M.M. Mahood explores the different functions of minimal characters, from clearing the stage to epitomizing the overall effect of the comedy or tragedy, and looks at how they can extend the audience's knowledge of the social world of the play.