Using my own Knowledge and Experience

To begin, I am so glad that we are finally touching a subject in class, which I can relate to very much! The play, Hamlet by William Shakespeare, has so many small qualities that a normal person watching the play does not notice; therefore, he/ she cannot appreciate them. On the other hand, having danced and performed in front of big audiences since I was 4 allows me to have a different perspective and insight when it come to the fine arts.

The first scene, David Tennant's version of Act 2 scene 2, shows much more acting than in Kenneth Branagh's version of Act 1 scene 2. This for a play or a performance of any kind is vital. An artist (not the literal painting type) must be able to make what he/ she is doing look easy even if it is dancing on pointe for 3 hours straight without a break, or performing a play with 23874029384092384029384 lines like in a soliloquey. They must be able to convey their love for what they are doing. This is the beginning of how to connect with an audience. As if that were not enough, an artist must also adapt a separate feeling (the feeling being portrayed in the script, or in my case the dance) and express it so well, that the audience feels that feeling while they are watching. This, I feel, is the hardest part of being an artist. you must maintain your character at all times. You cannot take a break and slouch for a second or lose your smile when supposedly something great has happened to you in the play.

David Tennant did a very good job with this in his version. He not only showed the emotion he was supposed to be feeling, but he also knew how to use his stage. The emotions I felt while watching were confusion, frustration, and anger. His facial expressions never took a break. They continued to change with every knew emotion or question he asked/ felt. He paced constantly, which is what people tend to do when they are frustrated. He even threw himself onto the floor at one point which only made him captivate the audience even more! Overall, I felt that this version was very well done; but of course, this is from a performers point of view.

Kenneth Branagh also did a good job performing his scene. He showed anger and disappointment because of the recent events which had happened. He moved around his stage and used it to his advantage, but not as much as the previous scene. He annunciated every word as if he wanted the audience to feel and connect to his anger and fury. This scene was also much less modern. While watching the play, I imagined that this must have been what it looked like back in those times. The props and setting used helped the play in the sense that it helped the audience connect to the time period in which this play was taking place. This scene was also very well done but I liked the first scene much more.