Interaction in MND

    I watched both the 2013 Rice University production and the 1964 ITV Play of the Week version. First off, just to say, I LOVED the 1964 version. It was in black and white, had quite a bit of dramatic music throughout, and the acting was incredible. If you didn't watch it, you should...just for fun...because it rocks.
    I was intrigued by the difference in the interaction between characters in the two different versions, especially in the first act where Egeus, Lysander, Demetrius, and Hermia all go to speak to Theseus (on behalf of Egeus who is pretty mad about his daughter loving Lysander) about the love affairs. In the 1964 version, Egeus and Theseus both are depicted as very powerful men. They speak louder and assert themselves more aggressively. However, in the Rice University version, this hint male dominance is not as obvious.
    For example, in the 1964 version, Egeus seems to be pretty disgusted with his daughter. Egeus is played out to be very eager to shame his daughter in front of Theseus. It seems like he had to drag her to Theseus against her will. However, in the Rice University production, Egeus, Lysander, Demetrius, and Hermia all show up to Theseus’s place on the same pace as if they were all going their for their own sake.
     In the 1964 version Egeus even goes as far as to physically push her forward to face Theseus's wrath. And when Theseus does speak to her, he is standing higher to look down on her, and his tone of voice is very condescending..like when you get pissed at your dog for chewing on your shoe? Well thats how he speaks to her. Plus, she doesn't really look him much in the eyes, she seems pretty ashamed. And the actress who played her did not make much of an attempt to stand up for her love for Lysander. She was played to be much less strong willed than she was played in the Rice University production.
    The obvious Male dominance throughout MND in the 1964 version carries throughout the play. “1964 Hermia” is a lot more timid than “Rice University Hermia”. This distinction has made me conclude that societies acceptance of a “powerful” woman has changed the way different decades portray females in Shakespeare. Because although Shakespeare scripted Hermia to be expected to follow her fathers advice on her love life, Rice University played her as a stronger willed woman, and the 1964 version did not.