Abstract

Since the mid-1970s, five-actor troupes have been touring US campuses, teaching classes and performing Shakespeare's plays (in part or, from 1983 onwards, in whole) as part of the AFTLS (formerly ACTER) programme. This extensive article details the particular challenges, opportunities and insights found within these five-actor productions, from the difficulty of working on the road without a director, sets, or many props and costumes, to the creative steps taken to embody multiple characters within one actor, frequently in the space of a single scene. The 'magic' of the title applies not only to the performance of Shakespeare's supernatural elements (for which many an inventive solution is here to be found), but also to the 'theatrical magic' conjured when the exigencies of a five-actor production become an asset rather than a limitation. On these occasions, a creative necessity (such as a mimed prop, invisible character, or doubled role) may resonate beyond the usual effect of a fully-equipped production, thanks to the trust built between the small cast, their audience, and the text.

Keywords

ACTER,AFTLS,Touring performances,Limited casts,Doubling,Cross-casting,Bodies,Properties,Costumes,Magic, 

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