5.
Mechanicals naturalised
The mechanicals
wear no masks. Partly as a result, their acting has a
naturalistic dimension contrasting with the stylisation of
the masked characters. Moreover, unlike the generalised
theatrical costumes for the court, lovers and fairies, those
for the mechanicals have a precise social reference.
First still:
Bottom (front,
centre) is a barber.
Snout (at the
viewer's left) is a plasterer (he is later to become
"Wall").
Flute's, Starveling
and Snug's professions are signified by the first lettering
on their aprons or jackets ("Gyu", "Ya" etc.)
Flute (to the right
of screen) works at a take-away restaurant for
"Kamameshi-ya" (a meat, vegetables and boiled rice dish).
Starveling in the
orange shirt is a greengrocer (as signified by the word "ya"
and the emblem on his apron).
Snug (behind
Quince, to Starveling's right) works for a "Gyudon-ya", a
fast-food restaurant serving "Gyudon" (a cooked beef and
rice dish).
Second
still:
This shot of the
mechanicals in movement suggests something of their high
level of group coordination in this version relative to
their more relaxed group work in the other versions. The
shot also suggests the more stylised character of their
acting here, in spite of the fact that they do not wear
masks, and thus appear more naturalistic than the court,
fairies and lovers.
See also:
> School 8.
Mechanics costume
> Bar 10.
Mechanicals group
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