All the world's a stage - Toastmasters at the Camelot room.

I'm speaking today at the New Zealand Toastmasters' Convention.  The venue is the Chateau on the Park hotel.  Yesterday I visited the Camelot Room where I'll be speaking and radically changed my plans for the session. 

To give you a feel: the room is a recreated medieval hall, complete with two huge cauldron fires hanging by chains from the ceiling.  It has a minstrel's gallery (sadly unable to be used), huge posts all around the room, and a ceiling approximately 25 feet high.   Or 5 times my height!  There is no stage, but the acoustic is lovely, and we're expecting approximately 60 people. 

I'm speaking on "Bringing your speech to life".  Faced with a room which is eye-popping, and the fact that my session is at 4pm, in a room where they'll be hosting a 15 minute morning-tea immediately before hand, and will still be clearing up when I start, I decided to change my plans.  

I plan to do more of a workshop, so others get to play with the acoustic, get involved, be active participants, and go away with useful tools.  Cross fingers it works...

I'll be loading a few resources onto this site for participants as I don't have time to revise handouts.  

First up, a speech by Jacques, from As You Like It.  The play was first performed at Wilton House, probably in the Tudor Great Hall  (since demolished).  Given today's surroundings, it seems apt!

William Shakespeare - All the world's a stage (from As You Like It 2/7)

All the world's a stage,

And all the men and women merely players:

They have their exits and their entrances;

And one man in his time plays many parts,

His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,

Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.

And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel

And shining morning face, creeping like snail

Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,

Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad

Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,

Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,

Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,

Seeking the bubble reputation

Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,

In fair round belly with good capon lined,

With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,

Full of wise saws and modern instances;

And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts

Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,

With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,

His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide

For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,

Turning again toward childish treble, pipes

And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,

That ends this strange eventful history,

Is second childishness and mere oblivion,

Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.