| Alix Claps: "“There’s more in’t than fair visage:” Nontraditional and Colorblind Casting in Contemporary Productions of Shakespeare" continued... I believe that in a traditional production of Julius Caesar, with Trebonius portrayed by a man, the relationship between Trebonius and Antony would not have been so obvious to me. Despite a growing awareness of homosexuality in contemporary society, as a rule audiences still watch plays, especially classical dramas, with a predominantly heterosexual mindset. Trebonius speaks for the first time in Act II, Scene I at Brutus’s house when the conspirators come together to discuss their plans. During Brutus and Cassius’ discussion of whether or not to kill Antony, Trebonius does not speak, but rises in concern when Cassius urges Antony’s death. She speaks after Brutus has dissuaded Cassius, saying “There is no fear in him. Let him not die,/For he will live and laugh at this hereafter” (II.i.200-201). This is the audience’s first indication of Trebonius’s deep knowledge of Antony’s character. In the next scene, when the conspirators come to fetch Caesar to the Senate, Caesar asks Trebonius to remain close to him. Trebonius affirms she will, but follows with the aside, “And so near will I be/ That your best friends shall wish I had been further” (II.ii.131-132). This statement is the first indication that by being involved in this conspiracy, Trebonius is betraying or moving away from Mark Antony. When Trebonius speaks of Caesar’s “best friends,” she is specifically referring to Antony and how he will be crushed to learn of her role in the conspiracy. In Act III, scene i, the scene in which Caesar is actually slain, the other conspirators acknowledge Trebonius’s relationship with Antony. Cassius observes, “Trebonius knows his time, for look you Brutus,/He draws Mark Antony out of the way” (III.i.28-29). Trebonius reappears in time to observe the assassination of Caesar, although she does not personally strike a blow. She responds to Cassius’s inquiry of Antony that he is “Fled to his house amazed./Men, wives, and children stare, cry out, and run,/As it were doomsday” (III.i.105-107). She is the one on whom the other conspirators rely for information on Antony. When Antony arrives to meet with the conspirators, the interaction between him and Trebonius is heartbreaking. It is in this scene where her personal life is sacrificed for her political agenda. When Antony shakes each bloody hand, he ends with Trebonius, saying, “Though last, not least in love, yours, good Trebonius” (III.i.203). The handshake between the lovers lasts a beat longer than the others, and it is evident in Trebonius’s face that she does not want to let go. We are witness to Trebonius’s pain and her sacrifice for a cause, and she becomes a fully developed character, not just another conspirator. This moment is actually the last time Trebonius is mentioned or seen in the play. Every time she speaks or is mentioned before this it is in connection with Mark Antony. After their relationship is dissolved, she is finished. All of these indicators are much more present in this production because Trebonius is played by a woman, and is observable despite my predominantly heterosexual mindset. What is unique
about this instance of nontraditional casting is that I can say for certain
that the conclusions reached about Antony and Trebonius were not determined
beforehand. The director did not cast a beautiful woman specifically so
we could believe Antony’s involvement with her. Rather, the actors
discovered their relationship through rehearsal and then brought it to
their director, which helps to demonstrate that nontraditional casting
can bring out new elements within scripts, as opposed to the determination
to bring out new elements requiring the director to seek a certain actor
for a role.
In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of Shakespeare films designed to appeal to a vast commercial audience. According to Douglas Lanier:
Keeping this in mind, I would like to now examine non-traditional casting in two recent film versions of Shakespeare. I cannot say whether Denzel Washington was selected to play Don Pedro in Kenneth Branagh’s Much Ado About Nothing because he is a handsome, talented actor, or because he is a handsome, talented, African-American actor. As the latter, however, Denzel Washington’s performance affects the way the audience perceives Don Pedro and his interactions with other characters. “Good Signior Leonato, are you come to meet your trouble? The fashion of the world is to avoid cost, and you encounter it.” These are the words that we first hear Don Pedro utter. Leonato returns with “Never came trouble to my house in the likeness of your Grace.” While the men are teasing each other, the reference to the “likeness of your Grace” immediately brings his race to the front of the audience’s minds. The first “issue” that exists is raised within a minute. Don Pedro announces that his company will stay at Leonato’s estate for at least a month, which results in celebratory exclamations from all except Don John. Leonato goes over to Don John and says “Let me bid you welcome, my lord, being reconcil’d to the Prince your brother: I owe you all duty.” Don John is played by Keanu Reeves, who is decidedly not African-American. The discovery that he is Don Pedro’s bastard half-brother causes the audience to collectively go “oh,” as the difference in their races becomes extremely significant. The fact that the “bastard” is white and the “legitimate” Prince of Arragon is black likely fuels Don John’s resentment of his brother. Don John’s feelings towards his brother are presented openly the next time we see him. Don John also establishes his desire to destroy Claudio. He is jealous of Claudio, the young, handsome, white soldier who has been befriended by his brother. He believes that Don Pedro dislikes him and looks down on him because he is a literal bastard, not because he is a brooding slimeball. In the masquerade scene, Don Pedro shows his shining character. He woos Hero for Claudio, and having dispatched of that, sits and speaks with Beatrice. He is an enchanting, suave Prince, and after exchanging banter with her for a brief moment, he actually proposes to her. Now the reasons why she turns him down are numerous, and include her unacknowledged love for Benedick, but in this particular casting, the audience has to stop for a second and consider a unique possibility. As we see in Othello, racially mixed marriages are not a social norm. As we watch Denzel Washington and Emma Thompson as Don Pedro and Beatrice, we have to wonder if Beatrice is weighing the possibilities of a racially mixed marriage. He is so appealing, even though we know she loves Benedick, we wish they could really get together. And although she turns him down, Don Pedro’s perception causes him to apply himself to matching Beatrice and Benedick. Throughout the plot of the play, Don Pedro is “the other” as much as there is any. He is a Prince, held in high esteem as compared to his illegitimate brother. He is also the only of his company who does not find a love match during the time spent at Leonato’s. These circumstances are true regardless of who plays Don Pedro. However, in the case presented here, with Denzel Washington being the sole minority actor in the cast, the differences between Don Pedro and the rest of the characters are exacerbated. The final film version that I want to talk about is Baz Luhrmann’s William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet. Not surprisingly, there has been much written about this particular film. However, I want to strictly limit my discussion of this film to the characters of Capulet, Mercutio, and Tybalt. Each of these characters embodies a particular contemporary social stereotype that audiences are familiar with. As viewers see these particular actors play these characters, outside information and prejudices are brought into their vision of the film. The first character I’d like to examine is Capulet, played by Paul Sorvino. Sorvino is a heavyset, middle-aged, Italian man who sings Opera in addition to acting. Especially now, with the success of The Sopranos, all middle-aged male Italian-American actors are immediately mentally associated with the Mafia. Allen Rucker, creator of The Sopranos explains the fascination:
The opening montage of the film presents the Montague-Capulet feud in such a way that reminds us of the Mafia wars in New York City earlier in the Twentieth Century. Both families are given equal property and personnel for their corporate empires in the film, which are the source of their feud. However, Brian Dennehy’s Ted Montague is not as appealing as Sorvino’s Fulgencio Capulet. The visual imagery of Romeo’s parents implies slightly that they are the Irish Mob to counteract Capulet’s Mafia, yet as Rucker states earlier, it is the complete picture with Sorvino that makes the audience nod and think “Mafia Don.” During the chastisement from the Prince after the initial brawl, Sorvino is wearing a slick Italian black pinstriped suit with a black shirt underneath it, appearing as more of a fashonista than Montague, although Dennehy is clad in a tux with a white shirt. In the following scene, we see Capulet interacting with Dave Paris who is, of course, angling for Juliet’s hand. Capulet has changed into a white jacket but has kept the black shirt, creating a more modern interpretation of the 1920’s Zoot Suit, popular among gangsters in Chicago. In that scene we hear Capulet speak for the first time. His thick Italian accent helps the audience establish more completely its association with Capulet as Mafioso. In the middle of the written scene, the location changes to a steam room – a stereotypically popular indulgence among wealthy Mafia men. At his party, Capulet demonstrates another stereotype of a Mafia Don; he is surrounded by women, and is not subtle about the probability that he is cheating on his wife. Capulet is dressed as a Greek or Roman God, and at the height of Romeo’s Ecstasy trip, we actually get to hear him sing a few operatic notes over the top of the pop music. We also see a scene that has been recreated in many representations of the Mafia – the Don cautioning the young, fiery man to show restraint. Capulet sees no reason to throw young Romeo out of the party, as he has given no offense, and he must calm down Tybalt, who looks for a fight at any occasion. When Tybalt attempts to cross Capulet, the full force of his authority comes to light. A single smack across Tybalt’s face does the trick. Instantly he has been reduced to the status of twelve-year-old boy. No other man in the world could have that effect on Tybalt. There are further examples throughout the rest of the film of Capulet as Mafia Don. He sells his daughter in marriage to form an alliance with Dave Paris. When Juliet exposes her unhappiness with the situation, his rage and violence are stereotypical. His disownment of her for her disobedience is his only way of casting her out of “the family.” As the head of a powerful, rich, Italian family, how could Capulet be anything except a Mafia Don? Paul Sorvino’s appearance and heritage help to reinforce the visual and aural illusion that Capulet’s words and actions create. I next want to consider Harold Parrineau’s presentation of Mercutio. The most striking part of him as Mercutio is not his race, but his onscreen sexuality, and the obvious connection between Mercutio and Romeo. Mercutio is given perhaps the best entrance in the film. He comes driving up and we can only see his head. Then he puts on lipstick. Then, as he begins to get out of the car we are finally able to see his silver pumps, silver miniskirt, silver halter bra, not forgetting his shoulder holster, topped off by a bleach-white wig. The fact that he is introduced while on his way to a costume ball is a useful devise for Luhrmann. It allows Mercutio as drag queen to be seen before Mercutio as everyday character. It also promotes Mercutio’s feminine side, for out of all the young men in the play, he is most prominently not part of the warring factions. He’s a lover, not a fighter. Mercutio’s Ecstasy-induced “Queen Mab” speech presents the audience with flashbacks to Studio 54 and other mind-altered locales, where free love and homosexuality were rampant. He belongs to their world, so the audience brings that world to onscreen “Verona Beach” in their minds. It takes Romeo to snap Mercutio out of his momentary “bad trip” at the end of his speech. Mercutio actually shows signs of being manic-depressive, a frequent mental illness among young gay men. His behavior is a combination of flamboyant sexuality and energy followed by bouts of anger and sadness. The flamboyance is seen most clearly during his performance on the stairs at the Capulets’ party. Even the following morning, while he is searching for Romeo, he is dressed better than the Montagues, avoiding their Hawaiian shirts in favor of a transparent white long-sleeved shirt. His movement is all sensual, even his mock fighting with Benvolio. During his speech about Tybalt, Mercutio performs a sort of dance with his gun to prove his point. He is more graceful and suave than Benvolio could even dream of being. When Benvolio emulates his movements, they are swift and macho where Mercutio’s were smooth and stylish. When Romeo arrives on the scene, we learn the most about Mercutio. He has obviously been slighted by his friend, but begins their interaction with seemingly mock anger. Unable to say what he truly wants to express, he begins to wrestle with Romeo. Mercutio is most shaken, however, when their match is interrupted by Juliet’s nurse, who takes Romeo aside to speak privately with him. Mercutio does not like being unaware of things in Romeo’s life, and this new twist has shaken his confidence. He attempts desperately to gain back Romeo’s attention. He screams to him, and then pulls out his gun and fires off a warning shot. All he can then muster is to ask Romeo if he is going to his father’s for dinner, and when Romeo dismisses him, the sheepish smile on his face fades away heartbreakingly. It is obvious that Mercutio is desperately in love with Romeo and sees him slipping irrevocably away. In Mercutio’s fight with Tybalt, there is no actual contact between Mercutio and Tybalt until Tybalt has attacked Romeo. Mercutio leaps into the fray to protect Romeo. The image of Romeo’s blood-smeared face is enough to cause Mercutio to abandon caution and focus only on pounding Tybalt. Romeo steps in to stop Mercutio from killing Tybalt. Mercutio sees over Romeo’s shoulder that Tybalt is coming at him with a weapon, and turns Romeo away from the blow, taking the brunt of it himself. This is the single boldest choice Luhrmann makes with Mercutio. He is not accidentally mortally wounded. He steps in the way of the blow to protect Romeo, whom he loves. Romeo weeps over his friend’s death but still does not love him the way Mercutio desires. Mercutio has made the ultimate sacrifice for love – he has died protecting Romeo. It is infinitely more dramatic to have Mercutio step in the way then to be stabbed accidentally. It is only in a contemporary production, however, where Mercutio’s sexuality can be used so openly as his dramatic motivation. Finally, I want to look at John Leguizamo’s Tybalt. The fact that Leguizamo wrote a show called “Spic-O-Rama” gives an indication of where this character is going. Steven Bender teaches a class on Latino Culture and wrote that:
When Bender questions his class on Latino Stereotypes, they respond with the following:
These stereotypes about Latinos are incredibly accurate for Tybalt, particularly a contemporary presentation of Tybalt. All of the basic stereotypes that Bender’s class came up with exist within Leguizamo’s Tybalt. Tybalt commands the screen from the moment he enters, during the initial skirmish between the Capulets and Montagues. He wears gaucho-inspired boots with silver heels. He lights a cigarillo, and his face is defined by his dark, smooth facial hair. He carries at least two weapons, and when he opens his jacket to show them to Benvolio, his shirt, with a silk-screened Jesus on it, becomes visible. Bender’s class never mentions another Latino stereotype, a dedication to religious imagery. Whether strictly Catholic or Santarean, or stemming from some other belief system, Latino households are stereotyped by religious displays and large votive candles, and Latino children often wear crosses or St. Christopher’s medals. As Tybalt shoots at the Montagues, his choreography is a combination of bullfighting and flamenco dancing. As he prepares to take his final shot, he kneels, puts the sight on his pistol, prays, kisses his gun, rises, and takes out a Montague. At the Capulets’ party, Tybalt is dressed as the devil, in a slick black suit and red sequined horns. We see his excessive, almost uncontrollable sexuality (as referenced by Bender’s class), as he kisses his Aunt during their dance. Later at the party, he demonstrates his fiery temper when, without provocation, he desires to throw Romeo and his friends out of the party. Tybalt is next seen the following morning when he and his “hermanos” come onto the beach to encounter the Montagues. Tybalt is dressed in tight black clothing – his shirt is of a thick black material with long sleeves and a collar, and is entirely buttoned. His attire screams defiance – defiance against the beachgoers, against the Capulets, against what the weather itself would recommend. Tybalt has confidence and attitude to spare. When he challenges Romeo, he merely stands, boldly exposed, while his second removes all but a single bullet from his gun. He demonstrates no fear of death, but seems to be calmly waiting for his turn to fire. His ire is increased by Romeo’s offering of peace, which he is unable to understand. He fears that he is being mocked by Romeo, so he looses his cool and begins screaming and kicking at Romeo. He is still attempting to attack Romeo even as he kills Mercutio. When Romeo comes to kill him, he fights as best he can, and upon being shot, falls backwards into water in a reference to religious baptism. He dies on the street, not unlike the stereotype of the drug-running Latino thug of contemporary society. Throughout these contemporary productions of Shakespeare, the use of minority actors to play roles originated by white men creates new and interesting interpretations of the characters. Celia R. Daileader was most eloquent when she wrote of “the Catch-22 of colour-blind casting: even when the director is ‘blind’ to ‘colour’, the audience often will not be” (Daileader 183). These productions, whether the director was “colorblind” or not, take advantage of the understanding that audiences will not be. The directors and casts are able to use the appearance of the actors and the conformities and stereotypes of society to their advantage. They draw the audience into the play more deeply, and transmit more information to the audience because they are using the audience’s own ideas in unexpected ways. Works Cited Bender, Steven W. Greasers and Gringos. New York: NYU Press, 2003. Daileader, Celia R. “Casting black actors: beyond Othellophilia.” Shakespeare and Race. Catherine M.S. Alexander, and Stanley Wells. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Lanier, Douglas M. “Shakescorp Noir.” Shakespeare Quarterly 52 (2001): 157-80. Lehmann, Courtney. “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Agenda: How Shakespeare and the Renaissance Are Taking the Rage Out of Feminism.” Shakespeare Quarterly 53 (2002): 260-79. Much Ado About Nothing. Dir. Kenneth Branagh. Perf. Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Robert Sean Leonard, Denzel Washington. The Samuel Goldwyn Company, 1993. Osborne, Laurie E. “Clip Art: Theorizing the Shakespeare Film Clip.” Shakespeare Quarterly 53 (2002): 227-40. Rucker, Allen. Sopranos: A Family History. New York: Penguin Group, 2000. Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar. Ed. Louis B. Wright. New York: Washington Square Press, 1959. William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet. Dir. Baz Luhrmann.
Perf. Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes, Harold Parrineau, John Leguizamo,
Paul Sorvino. Twentieth Century Fox, 1997.
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