20 th Century Theatre Performance Analysis

LI To gain an understanding of how to conduct a critical analysis of a theatre performance SC I can identify the areas I need to discuss I can justify my opinions I can offer analytical comment on the effectiveness of techniques I can highlight links between the presentation and my own research/understanding of a theatre practitioner

System for Performance Analysis Checklist –helps us focus on areas of performance Order –can adapt to suit Take notes at the time and develop your findings later Choose a focus before viewing Avoid too many notes on the same thing e.g. tech

What are we asked to do? Present an analysis of aspects of theatre practice in one or two productions Productions should, within your interpretation, reflect the theories and/or practices of your chosen practitioner (Stan or Brook)

Focus Venue Performance Space Audience Space/Actors space Set Lighting Sound Costume Actor & Performance Text/Non text Impact and Audience reception

Questions to consider – Venue What building? – Purpose built theatre? History of building Place in the community? How does your view affect your experience? Can you make reference to another aspect of the analysis?

Performance Space Look at the theatre and performance space separately How do you enter the space? What effect does the “feel” of the theatre have? Colour of the auditorium? How does it affect your feeling of being there for performance? How do actors relate to audience area? How far/near to actors? What’s visible?

Actor & Audience Space No clear-cut conventions for the performance space Proxemics? How does formal/informal space affect way audience behaves? Affect the way the actors behave? Performance space appropriate or not? Advantages/Disadvantages?

Set Complete a rough sketch and word list Research designer/director (a lot of stuff online) to compare the process of decision making with their end result Is it representational i.e. Naturalistic? More than one set? Significant elements? What is shown? What is implied? What is being communicated? Texture, colours, form? What’s the message?

Lighting Are the lights visible? Types? How arranged to focus attention? Are you conscious of changes? How does LX change mood/atmosphere? What’s the purpose of particular effects? (slow fade, blackout) Effect on perception of performance?

Sound Source and purpose? Natural or abstract? From text or comm mood & atmosphere? Live or recorded? What does it communicate? Music – function?

Costume Relationship to design concept? What do they indicate about character? Formal/Informal? “In period”? Making comment on period? Present conventions? (Dame in a panto) Colour? Texture? How do they aid our understanding? Relationships between costumes? Mixed conventions?

Actor & Performance Relationship between individual performers and other cast members? Playing more than one part? Differences? Relationship between text and movement Voice/Movement Spatial relationships Relationship to set “Star” actor? What influence on expectation and evaluation? Acting style?

Text/Non-text & Directorial Interp What choices have been made? What aspects of perf tell you about these decisions? Sub-text? Genre? Structure/form? Translation? How has this affected interpretation? Thematic relationship between text and imagery? Devised? Group led? Actor input? End result?

Overall Impact & Audience Reception Assistance toward interpretation of meaning? Read any critical work? Reviews? What didn’t make sense? Wasn’t communicated clearly enough? Was this important? Your role as spectator? Passive? Interested or bored? Audience reactions Most important aural and visual moments? Long term impact?

Trailer y4&list=PLALSd9rxG97F1oK0o8_E927KXav- 6yyWy Audience Reactions s

Reviews “the vigorous ensemble tells [the story] with drive and authority” The Guardian ★★★★ The Guardian “a brilliantly accomplished staging” The Telegraph ★★★★ The Telegraph “Adam Best is excellent as the alienated student Raskolnikov” The Times ★★★★ The Times “a fearlessly rich production” The Herald ★★★★ The Herald “It’s both a classic come to life and an urgent new work” The Independent ★★★★ The Independent “magnificent” The Scotsman ★★★★ The Scotsman “under Hill, the taut script becomes an exciting commentary” The Stage The Stage “another milestone in the illustrious history of the Citizens” Sunday Herald Sunday Herald “an accessible insight into one of the most renowned works of all time” What’s On Stage ★★★★ What’s On Stage

Essay Could you detect a strong directorial imprint in Dominic Hill’s “Crime & Punishment”? If so, how did it manifest itself? You should consider such elements as the status of the text, scenography and visual language, the role of the performer and/or actor/audience relationships. Would the practitioner you have studied have made similar choices?

Some Brookian Key Features Free improvisations in rehearsals/Experimentation Worked with classic plays/pieces of literature Story that is mythic Text on stage differs from page An empty space Ritual to open and close the show – to focus the audience’s attention, generate electricity Story and presentation stripped down to barest essentials Use of a well known actor/Trusted actors