http://zoesshakespeareblog.blogspot.co.uk/p/background-context-theatres-actors-and.html
In General
In today's performances of Shakespeare an obvious difference is that females roles are often actually played by females, making it in my opinion somewhat more believable as it is closer to the truth, unlike in Shakespearean times when boys were forced to play women, in my opinion, undermining some of the best more serious roles.
Although some performances do remain with all male casts.
Film interpretations
As we know television and film was not around when Shakespeare wrote, his plays being limited to the confines of theatres like the Globe and the limited props, set and costumes that were available. Audiences in his theatre would've had to rely on their imaginations to be transported to the exotic locations and watch the vast battles he wrote about. However with the world so connected, in film and TV there is little need for imagination when an audience can watch the characters waltz through Verona in Baz Luhrman's interpretation of Romeo and Juliet and other films alike.
Film versions also seem to make the acting more naturalistic as the many monologues and soliloquies when performed on stage are directed to the audience which can break the fourth wall and remind the audience that they are in a theatre, sometimes disengaging them from the action.
EXAMPLES:
-The Tempest
Helen Mirren as Prospera
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnlrV8vl0JI
In this interpretation Prospero is played by a woman, which contrasts heavily with what would've been full male casts in the Shakespearean era. In this film the audience can clearly see the world of Prospera's island, jumping from scene to scene to different locations with no need for any set changes but a short flick of shots. In original productions the set and props would've been limited to reduce the audiences waiting time between scenes, in order to maintain their attention and in some particularly long changes may have been dealt with through song and dance.
-The Taming of the Shrew
(Ten things I hate about you)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzYVwHZuTQE
-Twelfth Night
(She's the man)
These two interpretations above are set in the modern times, with today's language, mainly focusing on adaptation of Shakespeare's stories and how they could be shown in a new way. Therefore suggesting more importance in the story telling can suggest to me that they believe that it is not the importance of Shakespeare's word which make him so famous, although I disagree believing most of his stories (minus The Tempest) were all derived from previous tales, telling me it must be the way his writing transformed the stories to make them so popular.
However with language having changed so vastly since his era I understand for modern audiences his words maybe hard to understand, therefore I think that these modern translations make it more accessible for mass audiences, especially the younger generation, which is also made easier due to the media they've been created for: TV/film.
Theatrical interpretations
-Romeo and Juliet
Orlando Bloom and Condola Rashad as Romeo and Juliet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMFlvz_05Jk
In my eyes this is traditional performance of Romeo and Juliet, using the language and form that Shakespeare wrote, although again it includes female actors unlike Shakespeare's productions. They do however bring the context of the play up to date, setting it within a modern gang culture so that the modern audience can relate better to it. This is what the original plays would've been like, using the costumes and customs of the times within the plays.
It is different from Shakespeare's productions as it is performed on a Proscenium stage, with the audience only watching from one side, unlike in thrust theatres similar to the Globe. The performance is also inside with no weather restrictions and for today's audience there is little distinguishing between seating arrangements between social classes, which applies to a lot of other Shakespearean interpretations.
-Othello
Frantic Assembly
This is a heavily physical piece which uses un-naturalistic movements to express the feeling and relationships between characters. Although in Shakespearean times they would've choreographed fight scenes, none would be similar to Frantic Assembly's interpretation. They rely on the movement to display the story, instead of the words Shakespeare wrote, suggesting the story telling was more important.
Again it also has females within the cast and has adapted the set to suit a modern audience.
Other interpretations:
-Macbeth
James McAvoy as Macbeth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO7vUrLIb1w
-Hamlet
Jude Law on Broadway
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICbBJYgxnwA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP0fEcDSO2k (interviews)
-Julia Caesar
Royal Shakespeare Company Gregory Doran's 2012 production
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q7apiYunEU
-As you like it
RSC September 2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72pyUuNLuoE
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