The Merchant of Venice

The scene in Merchant of Venice where the cast donned masks and danced around and drank and partied with music playing would be a perfect scene to beef up with the elements of film. The stage can be set with hundreds of people, all in elaborate costumes, whether actually made of with computer effects to make very grandiose and complex costumes that would be hard to move in if really made seem more natural. The music wouldn’t be limited to only the amount of musicians that could fit on the corner of the stage either giving the experience a more warm quality. The setting for the party wouldn’t be limited to just one area forcing everyone to dance about in a figure eight, they could have a large square, or back alleys and roads, or even inside buildings. The usage and amount of props would also be increased; where tables of food and drink could be strewn all about making it seem like a grand banquet instead of a few actors holding bottles of alcohol.
Another scene that could have used movie magic is when Antonio and Gratiano both read the letter about Antonio’s misfortune. Instead of having the two read it together they can make both shots of both characters transparent and overlaid, while showing images of his ships crashing behind them both, and the events that the letter entails, making it more dramatic and visual, rather than forming a mental picture to be drawn.
-John Novi