Critiques Artist Repertory Theatre’s The Revolutionist or Theatre Vertigo’s DARK SKY FULL OF STARS

Critiques Artist Repertory Theatre’s The Revolutionist or Theatre Vertigo’s DARK SKY FULL OF STARS

UNDERSTANDING THEATER CRITIQUES Type-Written, 2¼-3 Page Production Critiques: Each critique should consist of the following: PART I: A brief opening statement giving an overview of the whole production: ¼ – ½ page This is not just an “it was good” or “it was awful” statement. Try to give a sense of the overall impression or mood or idea or theme or image that pervaded the entire production. (What do you think held the whole play together?) PART II: A discussion of how the performance elements helped to convey the overall impression, mood, etc. described in opening: 1½-2 pages This discussion should be limited to the description/analysis/evaluation of one actor’s performance and 2 of the following: -A Second Actor’s Performance -Direction (stage direction / musical direction / choreography) -Scene Design (includes props and special effects) -Costume Design (including makeup) -Lighting Design -Sound Design -Theater Architectural Configuration A. Describe what you saw and heard In describing an actor’s performance, you might consider: What kind of physical life did the actor give to the character? Did he/she adopt a particular stance/pose for this character? What appeared to be the actor’s physical center (the stomach? The heart? the head?)? What kind of movements did the actor employ? Was he/she physically static or very dynamic/energetic? Did the actor’s movements appear restrained? frantic? lethargic? elegant? What kind of gestures did the actor employ? Large sweeping arm movements? Small precise movements? How did the actor speak his/her lines? Was the actor’s delivery rhythmic? Soothing to the ear? grating? Did the actor employ a dialect, a special “vocal mask,” a speech “tag” (for example: repeated use of “Eh” at the end of speeches)? What kind of tempo and pitch did the actor employ? Did these vary throughout the performance? What do you think was the character’s underlying, perhaps unspoken motivation throughout the entire performance? What inner qualities did the actor project? Did he/she change or grow during the course of the play? What animal or thing did the actor’s performance call to your mind? What about his/her performance elicited this response? In describing scenery, you might consider: What does the set “say” about the where and when of this play? What forms, shapes, etc. did you see on stage? What was the general layout/ground plan of the set? Did the scenery change? How was it changed? What materials were used–that is, what was the scenery made of? What textures did you see? What colors did you see? (Was there a consistent color palette underlying all the scenic choices? What kind of color shadings and combinations did you see?) Did the scenery look like a real place? How stylized was the scenery? What kind of environment was created? In describing costumes, you might consider: What do the costumes “say” about the where and when of this play? the kinds of characters that are in the play? What kinds of line, shape, and silhouette did the costumes employ? How was color used? (What colors, color combinations did you see? Was there a consistent color palette?) What type of fabrics were employed? (What kinds of textures did you see? Were the textures/fabrics coarse? smooth? Were the fabrics heavy? diaphanous?) What kind of makeup did the actors use? (Was it subtle? extremely stylized?) Did the actors wear masks? In describing lighting, you may consider: What does the lighting “say” about the where and when of this play? How bright or intense was the light? What kind of color was the light? (Were the hues rich and expressive or did the light seem “natural” and or “white”?) What was the direction of the light? (Did there seem to be an offstage or on stage motivation for the light?) What was the form and “shape” of the light? (Did the light appear as clearly delineated shafts of light or as a diffuse type of light?) How general was the illumination? Were spotlights used frequently? What kind of lighting changes took place during the course of the play? (How often did the light state on stage change? How obvious were these changes? Were there any/many blackouts?) You will probably not discuss all the above aspects of the elements you’ve chosen to discuss; however be sure to cite specific instances and examples to support your general conclusions!! B. Analyze what you saw and heard Ask yourself, why did you see and hear what you saw and heard? How does it relate to the overall impression, mood, etc. discussed in the first (¼ page) section of your critique. (Sometimes what you initially think of as a poor choice may on further consideration appear to be totally in keeping with the apparent goals of the production.) C. Evaluate what you saw and heard Did the element you have described and analyzed communicate anything to you? Did it contribute to the communication of the overall impression, mood, theme, etc.? Did this element seem appropriate to or inappropriate to the production as a whole?