Wolf,+Mavis

Email me: maew37@uga.edu

Olivier and Branaugh’s //Henry V// The script of //Henry V//, which serves as the basis for performances by both Olivier and Branaugh, was used as a springboard for the directors to create a war film that exhibited their country, Britain’s, outlook on the pressing international conflict of the time. Both directors took liberties with the original script as well as the many aspects of play production to portray what each thought most essential. **Text** By merely reading the edited scripts compiled by each director it is obvious that each looked at Henry’s war in a different light. Olivier created his //Henry V// in the midst of World War II (in 1944), and his choice of lines reflects the overwhelming sense of honor, bravery, and duty to one’s country that was often publicized through political propaganda. The scene set up by Olivier’s script is that of a greatly outnumbered British force. The men are portrayed as nobles who are “warrior all”, and despite their numbers, Henry is adamant that the bravery of the men who fight will give them glory whether they survive or not. When addressed by the French’s messenger, Henry replies with haughty confidence and a refusal to give up; he assures the Frenchman that the honor that will come to his dead soldiers will be enormous: “dying like men, though buried in your dunghills, they shall be famed…and draw their honors reeking up to heaven.” Olivier’s stance is that Henry’s British are inherently more honorable and principled than their enemy, and that victory will be awarded to the brave men who have faith and follow their leader. The edited script matches the Allied outlook on WWII in the ‘40s; the Allies were fighting for what they saw as a noble and honorable end, and although Britain seemed to be outnumbered, the inherent love of their cause and country would win the war. The proud and confident Henry V of Olivier’s imagining epitomizes the “go-get-‘em” attitude of the WWII era British military forces. Branaugh’s re-creation of Shakespeare’s play imagines war as more gritty, real and populated by the common man. This version of //Henry V// was filmed in 1989 during the era of the Falklands War between Britain and Argentina, in what seemed to be an unnecessarily grim and wasteful war. Gone are the noblemen “warriors” fighting for honor and powerful enough to overcome any foe. Branaugh’s soldiers are commoners wracked with the pains of battle, referred to as “husks of men”. Death is omnipresent in both French and British camps and is indirectly referred to in multiple parts of the script. The men of this war (in comparison to Olivier’s) are more uncertain of their own odds of winning in battle and are more wary of the threat of the French camp. Branaugh’s Henry is a strong man who inspires morale in his men, but he is more aware of the realities and dangers of the battle that lies ahead. Branaugh’s version of Henry’s speech to the French messenger is confident and defiant yet acknowledges his men’s humble and lowly nature: “We are but warriors for the working-day; Our gayness and gilt are all besmirch’d With rainy marching in the painful field…” There is a sense of desperation in Branaugh’s version of the event, and a sense of helplessness in the last line of the scene “…And how thou pleases, God, dispose the day!” The line seems to represent a lack of agency within these men as a whole. Britain’s darker attitude toward the war in Argentina was melded with the original plot of //Henry V// in such a way that the resulting play is quite different in feel and message from Olivier’s version filmed more than 40 years earlier. **Design/Costuming** Costuming and design for both versions of //Henry V// were essentially dictated by the changes in the script made by their respective directors. In Olivier’s production, filming was done completely on a sound stage due to the extreme risk that filming outside in the midst of WWII would entail. Fields and army camps were less realistic looking, but served the action well enough. The costumes for the French and British camps both contributed to the idea of British superiority and nobility. Each British soldier was fitted in a knight’s attire with chain mail and adorned with shields and crests; in contrast, the French were dressed in bright and motley colors reminiscent of a jester’s outfit. The French costumes rendered them less visually demanding and therefore weak as compared to the solid and strong unified British. The design of the camps had the same intentions as that of the costumes; the French camp looked sparse while the British camp was tightly packed with men to make them appear more cohesive and tough. The sets also made use of carts and horses to literally elevate Henry above his men and the French messenger as a physical representation of his power. Branaugh’s version focused less on the French camp and made more use visually of the British camp. The soldiers were tightly packed as in Olivier’s, but were shabbily dressed and dirty in appearance. Their clothing and faces were dirty and seemed to reveal the poor and stressful conditions of their lives in the camp. The few French seen were quite the opposite and were portrayed as serious foes, dressed in pristine armor and supplied with horses. Branaugh chose to have the French messenger ride a horse and have Henry V remain standing on the field; the height difference in this scenario makes the French appear to be a more serious threat and portrays Henry as an underdog. However, as Henry attempts to raise the morale of his own troops, Branaugh makes use of a cart to literally raise Henry above his men—the resulting image is that of a religious or godly figure. As previously noted, Olivier’s production places emphasis on Britain’s strength, power, and solidarity while Branaugh’s places the British in a serious position in the muck and danger of a pending battle. **Acting** The acting and mood created of //Henry V// is epitomized by the lead actor’s portrayal of Henry V himself. Olivier’s Henry is a noble knight figure that seems to be equal with his fellow soldiers and has a “band of brothers” mentality. Olivier plays Henry as calm, brave, inspirational and above all, honorable and dignified. This version of Henry is less worried about the challenges of war than the appearance and status of his own men. The resulting mood of the scene is gallant and proud. Branaugh’s Henry is more of a leader, though he also appears and acts like his “working-day” soldiers. He is concerned about the war efforts, worried even, and takes it on himself to inspire morale to battle the current mental conditions brought on by the situation. Branaugh’s speeches are more emotional then Olivier’s and portray Henry as a savior of sorts to raise his own men to the ranks of glory and honor. The mood that Branaugh creates is that of an underdog facing adversity; there is dark reality with a glint of optimism. Each production of //Henry V// has a specific perspective on the events within the original text, and then alters them visually and emotionally to best express the director’s vision. The directors, meanwhile, took inspiration from the international turmoil they saw in real life and created their own versions of Henry //V// to reflect “current” ideas, views, and aspirations.

Within __Joe Turner’s Come and Gone__ racism is addressed and referred to indirectly through the characters’ conversations, interactions, as well as their reflections on their past and present lives. Jeremy faces discrimination at his job working on the city roads when a white worker makes all the African Americans pay him to keep their jobs. Since society had previously deemed white the dominant and more powerful race, the man in Jeremy’s situation decided to take advantage of the vulnerable blacks. As a result of wanting to keep all his wages, Jeremy was promptly fired— fired on the whim of a greedy racist. Seth, the owner of the boarding house also has big plans to teach his metalworking trade to others and create a veritable business, but he is limited by his white boss. Not only is Seth forced to work nights, his business ideas are consistently rejected despite their projected success. Although Seth was born free, he faces discrimination and a lack of trust in the society he has lived in his entire life.The foils of Mattie and Molly illuminate the different mentalities concerning life after slavery. While Mattie works a job cleaning, Molly dismisses her work and lowly and submissive. Molly condemns the common working life and claims herself too independent to stoop to labor similar to slaves working for the white man. The discrimination between the two black women reflects the psychological effects of living under rampant discrimination. Discrimination within __Joe Turner’s Come and Gone__ is well-voiced and each character copes by bonding with each other over their experiences. After the hardship of slavery, it seems that the best way for these characters to thrive is to endure and work hard towards changing their lives and making their own opportunities. At such a transitional stage in their lives, all the members of the boarding house realize that their fate is in their own hands and to overcome racism they must find their own identity and support themselves and their community.
 * __Joe Turner's Come and Gone__**

1. Comedy is established by the dalang puppeteer through the creation and use of the contrasting characters he presents to the audience; he ensures that each puppet has a fully-crafted and unique physical appearance, voice and personality which he manipulates to get the biggest comedic result. The puppets are humorous with their physical slapstick and movements as well as with their constantly changing voices that portray extreme emotions as well as odd sounds and songs. The characters’ actions are similar to what humor is seen in modern sitcoms when they evince comedy from odd or awkward interactions. The puppets’ appearances lend themselves to comedy more than any other feature, and the puppeteer takes advantage of his medium by creating exaggerated statures, oversized facial features and bloated stomachs to add to the situational comedy.
 * Balinese Ceremony**

2. For much of society, humor and comedy are used as ways for people to cope with or celebrate large milestones or events in their lives. Since the holy water ceremony takes place for serious events, I think it is a natural tendency for the puppeteer (or anyone for that matter) to use comedy to make it more lighthearted and enjoyable for all present. Interjecting comedy and humor into a performance—in this case, the epics of the great divines—mainly serves to alleviate the tension of the subject matter being performed. The character of the clown or the fool has been in countless numbers of plays and written works and often serves as the sense of wit in a time of hardship or chaos, and I think the same applies to the puppet servants in the wayang kulit theatre; they present a serious message or moral in a funny and humorous way.



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