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. such elaborate scenery for the frequently changing locations in shakespeare's plays often led to a loss of pace. towards the end of the 19th 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. in the early 20th century, harley granville-barker directed quarto and folio texts with few cuts, while edward gordon craig and others called for abstract staging. both approaches have influenced the variety of shakespearean production styles seen today.