All's Well That Ends Well Theatre Productions

These two trailers that present All's Well That Ends Well are very different when compared to each other. The National Theatre Live version seems to have a more modern take on the play when it comes to the costumes. The music is dramatic and the scenes shown are darker and more mysterious. The trailer shows the scene where The King and Helena are dancing out of the bedroom once he is healed. "I'll like a maid the better whilst I have a tooth in my head. Why, he's able to lead her a coranto (II. iii. 39-41). However, when it shows Bertram and Helena kissing, Bertram seems to kiss her with such passion and love when in the actual play it is very clear that he is not too fond of her or their very forced marriage. 

On the other hand, The Shakespeare Theatre Company's version is much more whimsical and seems to play on the fact that the play is a comedy. The music is a light piano tune and most of the scenes shown were joyful. The costumes seemed more true to the times as well. The trailer showed the scene where Helena and Bertram were married, even though he did not want a marriage, and a look of disgust is shown on his face as they join hands. "But never hope to know why I should marry her" (II. iii. 113). Both companies seemed to portray the play very differently to draw audiences in and yet they both represented it well. 

posted on behalf of Avery Postema