[open] We [won't] waste our lights in vain

[lumenrelegandus]

Who: FRIENDS, ROMANS, COUNTRYMAN, any & all
When: Wednesday nights
Where: The dojo
Format: Action, prose, poetry, quotation, rhetorical-pastoral-comical, anything!
What: This month's Shakespeare readings.
Note/proposed structure: My current thought is to put up one master log a month, with a fresh post linking back to it each week for that week's

Comments

I.1 As You Like It

[lumenrelegandus]

[He sets up lanterns and candles to set the mood and establish the path to the largest room. In less than traditional fashion, cushions and mats have been replaced by benches and chairs, but the setting is open and inclusive, circular, and sitting on the floor would yield as good a place to see, be seen, hear and be heard, as anywhere else. There is no differentiated stage vs. audience; the words will go straight up over the collective and everyone will experience them omnidirectionally. Everyone will look at and address each other, no scene exclusive only to those talking in them.

For the first session, he anticipates a small turnout. So the room is airy but set small. It's easier to make extra space with magic, so don't start intimidating. With Tonks's help there are Geminio copies of the script and more can be instantly produced. He's started with five. He keeps the master tome for himself to read stage directions and notes as needed, and just generally let there be some anchor, for those (many! including himself) who find more freedom in having some sense of leadership/direction, even just the possibility of it. Someone willing to take over if need be can often as not allow a freer situation than one where the focal point is in doubt. But this is Lupin's favourite kind of authority: the one where all he's really doing is creating the situation and giving people permission to take over for themselves. Then he sits back and observes.

The problem with intending something to take its own shape is striking the balance of enough anticipation to facilitate, but not so much to defeat the purpose of "self-created". So this week, he has a cast list prepared, should parts need to be assigned. (Feeling free enough to volunteer for a part goes against many instincts, like modesty and decency etc. Sometimes assignment is needed.) If called for, he'll assign Rosalind to Pepper, Celia to Verity, Orlando to Arthur, etc. But he'll not say this unless it comes up; anyone can play any part, and parts can be shifted. They're not here to put on a play. Having the book in hand is a form unto itself, and can be very vivid and specific, all the moreso in the absence of rigid structure.

Thank goodness he's not trying to explain this to anyone, it's ridiculous to put into words. ;-) He's looking forward to seeing if and how it plays.]

"AYLI" Play Notes

[lumenrelegandus]

Wikipedia synopsis
Full e-text (others available through wiki)

My extremely loose and optional casting ideas, based on those who responded to initial post, only if needed and/or to be swapped around and/or utterly rejected (and keeping in mind this is not ACTUAL CASTING, gender/age/appearance matters not a whit, anyone can read anything that's interesting!) :
Rosalind - Pepper
Celia - Verity
Orlando - Arthur
Phebe - Tonks
Jaques - Raphael
Frederick - Jin
Touchstone - Lupin

[oocsample:]
[As Phebe read, I would not be thy executioner: I fly thee, for I would not injure thee. Lupin's eyes flickered to Io.]