The amount of detail they put on paper is a matter of personal choice; if it helps them create the person they're playing, then it works.
Ben Hamilton, who last year gave such a memorable performance as Edmund in 'King Lear', has a vastly different task this year: playing servant (Tranio) and master (Lucentio) whilst trying to deceive Baptista and...you know what? This is the back-story that Ben's written for himself and that he's been generous enough to share with us. It will give you an idea of the lengths to which this year's cast are going to get it all right. And look out for the lovely little touches that Ben uses, referencing other plays by Will, to help him place his character.
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| Biondello, the Merchant and Tranio (or is it Lucentio?), plotting away. |
Tranio's Tale
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tranio Da Silva and this is the
tale of how I find myself within Padua this day.
Born the only son of
Martha and Mario Da Silva, in the mighty Italian city of Genoa, I lived a
charmed childhood, growing up in a villa over-looking the mighty harbor. With
its fleets of merchant ships, there I watched them plying their trade to all
corners of the empire and dreamed one day of venturing forth to find new lands.
Things however did not go according to my dreams, but more of that later; first
I feel a brief history of my upbringing is required.
As I mentioned, my father
is one Mario Da Silva and he along with his brother, my uncle, Luigi Da Silver,
were the joint founders of the great Waylandie Sail-makers. The Waylandie Sail-makers
were considered one of the best, if not the finest, sail makers in all of Italy
and beyond. It was said that a ship rigged with sails from the Da Silva brothers
was a good omen and would bring you a prosperous voyage. Rumour has it that the
long lost Duke, Prospero, was returned from the great seas in a ship rigged
with those very sails.
My mother was also
skilled with needle and thread, but more so on creations more delicate than the
meters of sail required for a galleon. Martha was a young prodigy of the dress
maker Elli Phantios, engaged by royalty and nobility alike to create wondrous
gowns. It is said her hands were as delicate as the very silk she snipped and
trimmed and sewed. She was also good at imitations and at parties would regale
her friends with her almost perfect mimicry. Father always said I took after
her. I never knew my mother though. Tragedy struck when I was very little. At
only 2 years old, she was taken from me. I was never told the true cause, only
that she had been very ill. The sense of loss was overwhelming, as if this huge
pit of emptiness opened and threatened to swallow me whole.
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| Ben being...Ben! |
I thank the gods daily that I was spared from this fate, for it was some
months after this that I was introduced to the young son of one of my father’s
clients: the Lord Vincentio. Well known as one of the most prominent merchants
in all of Italy, with a large fleet of ships, he was a regular visitor to my
Father and Uncles. So much so that there would be the occasional evenings where
he would dine with them and play a hand or two of cards. On these evenings, I
would be entertained at his lodgings, becoming the playmate to his only son,
Lucentio. Being several years older it was always seen, I assume, that he was
to be some sort of guiding influence upon me. Again, it never worked out that
way.
It turned out that Lucentio
was quiet the trouble maker, always creating schemes and half baked ideas. I
had many a happy time assisting and even, I must admit, coaxing him on. Sadly
tragedy was never far away. At the age of only 6 my uncle Luigi was murdered.
Run through the chest with a rapier by a disgruntled French captain, who
claimed the sails made for his ship were inferior to the other Italian ship
berthed. Uncle Luigi argued that they were not, and a fight broke out. The
Captain escaped justice but it seems we had the last laugh, for his ship,
rigged with shoddy sail, it is reported, split in two off the coast of Illyria.
Father was a broken man. For hours he would howl at the
injustice of the world, or worse disappear for weeks into the hills. He would
return and sleep for days on end. Eventually he moved the business to
Bergamo. This however was no place for a
young man to grow and more pain than a young boy could endure.
So it came to pass that I, Tranio Da Silva, was taken in by
the lord Vincentio and moved to his estate in Florence, to be trained as
servant and companion to his son. Neither of us, however, forgot those carefree
young days, although, on the surface we maintained the appearance of master and
loyal servant. When we would venture into the city or further afield, then the facade
slipped away and we became friends, nay almost brothers. It was during this
time that I noticed a trend, especially in our later years, for it was always
my master, with his eye for a pretty face and his puppy dog enthusiasm, that
would lead us into some trouble. For some reason, it was always I that had to
get us out of it.
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| Ben (with Gil Garland) as the thoroughly lovely Edmund, in last year's 'King Lear'
It was during one such
venture to a tavern in the city of Milan, that we encountered a young street
urchin, a boy called Biondello. Not the most inspiring of first encounters: he
tried to steal a loaf of bread from us. A chase ensued, in which it became
clear this lad possessed an acrobatic energy level and, though not the smartest
of God’s men, he was basically honest and willing. An orphan from Milan, he
spent his early days begging and stealing whatever he could, but, upon good
report from my master, he was taken into service within the household.
So the years passed and we three roamed the streets of Florence,
growing and experiencing the culture around us. However it could not last. My
master was after all the son and only heir to a lord and a man of high renown.
In this respect we were dispatched to Pisa, to oversee one of his father’s
assets within the fine walls of that fair city. So for awhile it was Biondello
and I, exploring wherever possible and gaining experience that I knew would
prove more useful than anything my master could learn in a book, whilst
Lucentio took upon himself the mantle of a noble man.
Then one day, in early spring, my master decided that we
would move; for, he claimed, he had a great desire to visit and study in Padua.
At first I was not keen, but, owing my position, and in some cases my life, to
my master and his family, I agreed. Of course Biondello would not be left out
and so the three of us embarked upon a voyage of many months, from Pisa on the
west coast, down around the very toe of Italy and back up the east coast in
what can only be described as a ship fit for nothing more than sinking.
Survive this we did though,
even after encountering a whale - whose size was beyond all expectation, unless
it were told in some ancient mariners fable - and storms so strong we were
blown backwards for a day. Once these dangers passed, and upon navigating the Fiume
Bacchiglione, we disembarked at fair Padua...though no sooner had we reached the
main street, than we were party to a display of family discord.
Ben as Malcolm, taking up the Scottish crown in 'Macbeth'
And this is where the story
really starts. My master and I were witness to an affray regarding the two daughters
of one Baptista Minola, who was, as we discovered later, one of the greatest
noble men of Padua. It seemed his youngest daughter was most sought after,
whilst the eldest, a right shrew it would seem, was unwanted. The father
however would not allow anyone close to his youngest, other than teachers,
until the elder was wedded.
At first I found this most amusing, more so as the two
apparent suitors were ancient men of no distinction. Then however, things
became complicated: my master fell in love. Now he has done this at least 4
score times before. This time though, something seemed different within him, as
if the younger Lucentio I knew of old, the one I schemed with as a boy, had
returned. Unfortunately this also led to one of his elaborate ruses.
I did suggest that perhaps he should become
a teacher, if he really did love this maid as he claimed, although I did have
to point out he was also meant to be here making a name for himself. Before I could stop him he declared that I
would impersonate him and, swifter than a greyhound, he had us exchange clothes
and told Biondello, who had recently come ashore, to obey me, claiming that he
was in hiding after killing a man.
He then contrived to meet
with one of the suitors, Gremio, convincing him that he was a teacher of
languages, new to the area and enquiring of any posts. Gremio immediately latched
onto the idea to have my master teach Bianca, the youngest daughter, of love
and loving him. To gain access to Bianca, my master readily agreed. I was set
the task of securing lodgings; whilst nothing extravagant it would have to
suffice as the residence of Lucentio and his only servant Biondello.
So I return to my dream. I have indeed ventured forth to
new lands, though lands not as far-flung as originally desired. I have, after a
fashion, a servant of my own and power to wield, though none of it my own. Even
after my attempts to dissuade him from this part of the plan, I must be Tranio
no more, for now I am Lucentio, son of Vincentio.
Now…how do I even begin with this imitation? Of course, I will do my duty, it is only that
I have never undertaken anything this serious. In the past we swapped identities as
mere child’s games, now things could get really out of hand. If only mother or
father were here to ask. Perhaps, perhaps the answer lies within?
Hark I hear my master call! No… it is Cambio as he calls
himself now. Though the plan proceeds apace, I worry; his Latin is passing
good, as long as mathematics is not required, this should proceed accordingly.
Cambio will travel with Gremio ahead of myself and Biondello. We are to join
him shortly and announce the arrival of ‘Lucentio’ in Padua and his intention
to woo Bianca. So for now I leave the page open and part with a phrase much
used by Uncle Luigi: fortune favours the bold!
Onwards noble Biondello!
Fetch our horses! Let us go win a maid’s honour for good Lucentio! No matter
which one of us he is at the time…
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And that, my friends, is how it's done! Different people have vastly differing methods for getting in touch with their characters, but this one, actually writing a back-story, seems to be really sparking the imaginations of everyone involved and getting us all engaged.
Thanks Ben.
Next?
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