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adiva_calandiaDramaturgy III: Adaptation. We've been reading and watching adaptations of various theatrical texts all semester: The Tempest and Forbidden Planet (which is THE MOST FUN to MST), Othello and A Play About A Handkerchief, Richard III and The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui, etc. Each student has also been working on a project in which we examine a source text (Antigone, Hamlet, A Dream Play, The Wizard of Oz) and its theatrical adaptation (Anouilh's Antigone, The Lion King, Churchill's A Dream Play, Wicked).
Now, the last part of the project is picking any source text we want and writing a proposal for a theatrical adaptation, and I find myself at a bit of a loss for what I want to do. I can think of dozens of novels I'd like to do cinematic adaptations for, but I'm having trouble thinking of something for the stage. Right now I'm considering The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (maybe set in modern times, since the original plot is supposed to be the "re-appearance" of an 11th century myth), but I'm not sure I like it that much. There are plenty of source texts that might be interesting for a straight-forward import to stage, but I think most of them are too modern to satisfy Doc (I'm thinking here of Rose Madder, which I think could be fascinating done onstage -- I mean, a lot of the horror in that book is either the horror of person-on-person, or implied and not seen. Not to mention that the challenge of creating a labyrinth onstage intrigues me).
I might be able to make a case for that theatrical version of Princess Bride I was playing with a while ago, if I specify that I'm doing it as a feminist rewrite, but I'm not sure. Or maybe I should just do a zombie musical based on "Re: Your Brains."
What do you think, f-list? What do you want to see adapted for the stage?
(If Dean's Tam Lin weren't so freaking sprawling, I would look at that -- but it is so sprawling that I think you really need a movie for it. I suppose I could look at the original ballad, but I'd have to avoid modernizing it too much because I will end up plagiarizing Fire and Hemlock and Pamela Dean if I bring it all the way up to the late 20th century.)
ETA: Just rambling about more possibilities.
Now, the last part of the project is picking any source text we want and writing a proposal for a theatrical adaptation, and I find myself at a bit of a loss for what I want to do. I can think of dozens of novels I'd like to do cinematic adaptations for, but I'm having trouble thinking of something for the stage. Right now I'm considering The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (maybe set in modern times, since the original plot is supposed to be the "re-appearance" of an 11th century myth), but I'm not sure I like it that much. There are plenty of source texts that might be interesting for a straight-forward import to stage, but I think most of them are too modern to satisfy Doc (I'm thinking here of Rose Madder, which I think could be fascinating done onstage -- I mean, a lot of the horror in that book is either the horror of person-on-person, or implied and not seen. Not to mention that the challenge of creating a labyrinth onstage intrigues me).
I might be able to make a case for that theatrical version of Princess Bride I was playing with a while ago, if I specify that I'm doing it as a feminist rewrite, but I'm not sure. Or maybe I should just do a zombie musical based on "Re: Your Brains."
What do you think, f-list? What do you want to see adapted for the stage?
(If Dean's Tam Lin weren't so freaking sprawling, I would look at that -- but it is so sprawling that I think you really need a movie for it. I suppose I could look at the original ballad, but I'd have to avoid modernizing it too much because I will end up plagiarizing Fire and Hemlock and Pamela Dean if I bring it all the way up to the late 20th century.)
ETA: Just rambling about more possibilities.
- Midsummer from the point of view of the First Fairy and Puck (who have a Crowley-Aziraphael relationship)
- The Hunting of the Snark
- Something Greek -- obscure myth? I've been meaning to write a show about Pandora and Prometheus since freshman year . . .
- GNeil short story -- maybe "Study in Emerald"
- I kind of want to put House of Leaves on here, but that REALLY needs to be a movie.
- Maybe I should revisit that Ariel/Miranda idea, since you can never have too much Shakespearean adaptation
- You know, if we blithely adapt Indian stories and cast them with white people (Peter Brook's Mahabarata, I'm looking at you), can we do quote-unquote white stories and set them in India? Like if I did Oedipus as an Indian epic? Mm, nah, still cultural appropriation in awkward ways.
- Raven stories -- maybe even Someplace to Be Flying?
- Twelfth Night as a legit queer romance?
