What Kind of Fool Am I? (Parte the Firste)
Artificial Fool or Natural Fool?
The Fool of the Early Modern stage derives from the idea of the
court jester, who from the Middle Ages on had been “licensed”
(permitted and expected) to express the truth as long as he did so
entertainingly. Robert Armin was the first actor in such roles as
Feste, Touchstone (in As You Like It), Thersites (in Troilus
and Cressida) and Lear’s Fool; all are examples of what Olivia
calls “an allowed fool.” Armin consciously drew upon the history
of Fooling in his performances, including the career of Henry VIII’s
jester, Will Sommers; he wrote about Sommers in Foole Upon Foole,
published in 1600 (around the time of his debut with Shakespeare's
company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men). Armin was also mindful of Queen
Elizabeth's jesters, including John Pace, who gave up an academic
career for fooling (no comments, please!) – first in the Duke of
Norfolk's service, and then for the Queen. Shakespeare further gives
Feste an awareness of his character's origins in Medieval drama,
singing about “the Old Vice” – a figure who mocked authority,
performed (and often improvised) song and dance, is very interested
in money (note Feste's skill in begging), and calls attention to his
entrances and exits (note Feste's first appearance, after a long
absence from Olivia's household).
Fools could also be “natural” – what different eras would
term “simpletons” or “the mentally disabled.” Malvolio
criticizes Feste for being outdone by “an ordinary fool that has no
more brain than a stone.” Maria suspects Sir Andrew of being
“almost natural” – that is, the natural kind of fool. Feste is
instead an “artificial” fool, a skilled (or artful) performer
wittily able to document Olivia's and Orsino's own folly. As Viola
observes: “This fellow is wise enough to play the fool; / And to do
that well craves a kind of wit. / He must observe their mood on whom
he jests, / The quality of persons, and the time . . . . This is a
practice / As full of labor as a wise man's art.”
The
Production and Touring Schedule for Flatwater Shakespeare's Twelfth Night:
June
13-17 and 20-24 – Lincoln Community Foundation Garden (near 14th
and N)
June
28 – Antelope Park (27th
and A)
June
29 – Trago Park (22nd
and T)
June
30 – Henry Park (44th
and Prescott)
July
1 – Wyuka Cemetery (35th
and O)
July
5 – First Plymouth Church (20th
and D)
July
6 – Havelock Park (62nd
and Havelock)
July
7 – Irvingdale Park (19th
and Van Dorn)
July
8 – Bethany Park (66th
and Vine)
All shows starts at 7 p.m. Call 402-473-2897
for performance information.
posted by Flatwater Shakespeare | 9:24 PM
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