victorian productions of shakespeare often sought pictorial effects in "authentic" historical costumes and sets. the staging of the reported sea fights and barge scene in " antony and cleopatra" was one spectacular example. too often, the result was a loss of pace. towards the end of the century, william poel led a reaction against this heavy style. in a series of "elizabethan" productions on a thrust stage, he paid fresh attention to the structure of the drama.