The Royal Hunt of the Sun

How does Shaffer raise his play from being a simple tale of history to a memorable and spectacular theatrical experience?

Shaffer raise the play ‘The Royal Hunt of the Sun’ from a simple tale of history to a memorable and spectacular theatrical experience with the use of theatre effects and the use of contrasting characters, conflict and the narrative. These theatre techniques are going to explore and explain why it makes the play so memorable and spectacular.

The setting of ‘The Royal Hunt of the Sun’ consists of a theatre with an upper level and a huge ring, twelve feet in diameter. This was hung in the centre of a wooden back-wall with twelve pedals around its circumference to form a great medallion. When the great medallion was opened the pedals formed the rays of a giant golden sun, this was the emblem of the Incas. When it was closed, it formed the emblem of the Conquistadors. Shaffer uses this medallion to symbolise the contrast in the setting, cultures and the different philosophies.

The way Shaffer uses the narrator is a major part of the play as the narrator gives enlightenment into the story. The narrator is played by Old Martin who has an integral role in the action with flashbacks from the past when he

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No one moves until Atahuallpa claps his hands twice. Atahuallpa referred to an ‘all-powered spirit who left this place before my ancestors ruled you! … The White God returns!’ The Inca people believed that their great God of creation, Viracocha would return one day in white. For miles around the jungle lay black in its shadow. And he would not accept me, killed by men like you. The Spaniards begin to march in slow motion. ’ Shaffer uses these movements to depict the reality of the expressions and gestures in the context of what is happening.

Shaffer contrasts the Spaniards in scene two to the Incas in scene three both visually and aurally, he does this with the use of sound and theatrical devices.

The mood of this scene changes abruptly, this is achieved by the strange use of dialogue, with the words of Manco ‘I bring truth from many runners what has been seen in the Farthest Province. To let the audience know that time has past, Shaffer uses Domingo to show us this as he said ‘Six weeks in this pissing forest and not one smell of gold. ’ Shaffer also uses Old Martin to convey the message of such a difficult climb ‘You call them the Andes. ’ The servants also show respect for him. You may be King in this land, but never God. With greedy yelps, all the soldiers below rush at the sun and start pulling it to bits; they tear out the gold inlays and fling them on the ground, while terrible groans fill the air.

Approximate Word count = 2651
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)

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