Evaluation of a Live Theatre Performance

The De Montfort School Drama Department Evaluation of a Live Theatre Performance

You will have experienced a live theatre performance as an informed audience member. You are required to write an evaluation of the performance that shows you have a working knowledge of theatre and be able to make critical and evaluative judgments.

What are the functions of a review?

A review should perform the following functions:

 To provide factual information about the production

 To give the reader information about the production

 To place the production in a context

 To evaluate the production

Before you start writing and structuring your evaluation, you must have a sound knowledge of the following points and questions and how they relate to the production that you saw. Make notes for the following questions – this will then act as research for your evaluation.

Before the performance

Playwright  New or established?  Previous plays?  Is there relevant biographical information about him/her? Genre of  Is the genre identifiable? Play  What do you know/can you find out about it?  Do you know other plays of this genre? Historical  When was it written? Setting  Is its setting contemporary with this (i.e. is it set at the time it is written)?  What do you know about the period in which it is set? Director/  Are either of these well-known? Company  Are they known to have a particular approach or style?  What has their previous work been?  Are they influenced by any particular practitioner? Venue  Is it an established venue?  Does it have a reputation for a certain kind of theatre work?  Have you been there before? Publicity  What messages do you pick up from the posters/flyers/website/mailshots?  How do text and image combine?

REMEMBER THIS IS AN EVALUATION!

For all the points you make and questions you answer, you must follow the WHAT? HOW? and WHY?

WHAT? HOW? WHY? The De Montfort School Drama Department Evaluation of a Live Theatre Performance What were the effects of the How were these decisions put Why were the decisions about production decisions on you as into practice in the interpreting the text taken? a member of the audience? performance?

During the performance and straight after

Before the performance, make notes on the following points:

The space  What is the acting area like?  Where are the audience placed?  What is the actor/audience relationship? The atmosphere  What is the pre-show sound and lighting?  Are there foyer displays relevant to the show? The set  You may be able to see the set and its architectural features.  What is the use of colour?  Are lights focused on particular features to draw your attention to them? The programme  Is there a programme?  What is the information?

After the performance, make notes on the following points:

Spatial Acting area  Does this change during the performance?  Are there uses of the height or depth Actor/audience  Does this remain constant? relationship  Do actors use the audience space? Visual Set (including scenery)  Where would you place it on the ‘realistic to non-realistic’ scale?  Is it a single set, allowing for the representation of different locations?  Are the entrances/exits well placed?  Is there a strong sense of period style?  Are the colours strong/muted?  Does the set seem to be making a statement about the play?  Are there different sets for different acts?  Does each setting make a statement? Costume  Apply the last four questions above to costume.  Do costumes reflect the characters?  Are some characters made to stand out? Maybe by the use of colour or style?  If characters have more than one costume, is there some evident progression being marked by the changes? Props  Do these blend in with the set, giving consistent visual impression?  Are there particularly significant props and The De Montfort School Drama Department Evaluation of a Live Theatre Performance are these affectively designed and used? Lighting  Is the performance generally brightly or dimly lit?  How does this vary from scene to scene?  Is it effective in contributing to the atmosphere of particular scenes/moments?  Is use made of particular colours/angles?  Are there special lighting effects? Aural Recorded sound  Is background sound used? Does it affect the atmosphere?  Are ‘functional’ sound effects (e.g. cars arriving) effective? Recorded music  What kind of music is used? Is it well- chosen and effective?  Does it create a sense of period or atmosphere?  Does it add to particular sequences or moments?  What kind of music is used in the interval id any? Live sound  Are any live sounds (doors slamming, footsteps, etc.) effective?  Does the cast contribute vocally in any way to live sound? Special effects Pyrotechnics, smoke,  If these are used, are they effective in etc. creating atmosphere or moments of shock etc.? Stage Scene changes  Are these effectively managed? management  Are they consistent with the style of production (e.g. done by the cast or stagehands in costume) or are they functional (stagehands in black)?  Do they seem to hold up the performance? Acting Interpretation  How does the actor’s interpretation differ from your impressions from the text, if you have had the opportunity to read it before hand?  Is there an overall acting style (this will affect your answers to the following questions)? Voice  What use is made of range, volume, etc. at different point?  Do the voices suit the characters?  Are accents used (and appropriate)?  Is the projection good enough? Movement  How do actors register their characters through movement and use of space? Relationships/interactio  Are these as you saw them from the text? n Are there moments in which relationships The De Montfort School Drama Department Evaluation of a Live Theatre Performance are defined or changed? Direction This takes in all aspects  Are there sequences or moments when of the performance you are aware that the visual, aural and spatial elements (as well as the acting) have been arranged to create particular effects?  How significant are these sequences/moments in the overall effect of the performance? (Endings are especially important as they leave a final impression on the audience.)  Are you aware of pace and rhythm in the performance? Audience Audience reaction  You will be able to tell by laughter, applause, etc. how the audience in general is receiving the performance.

Structuring your evaluation

Once you have complied answers to the previous points and questions you can begin structuring your evaluation.

Introduction Very brief details of the production you saw: what, when, where, who? Overview Brief account of your main impressions (e.g. how what you saw differed from your expectations. Make sure you explain why. Main points A paragraph for each, making sure that you include details from the production and that you analyse the effects of these details and that you evaluate them. Focus on some key moments in the production. Make links between aspects of the production wherever possible (e.g. how the visual aspects relate to the performances of the actors). The number of paragraphs will vary, but four or five will probably be enough. Remember that you can use diagrams and illustrations. Your choice of main points will be decided by your own main impressions, however they might include the following:  The play’s central relationship(s)  Interpretation of central roles  The handling of the main theme  The effect of the ways in which the visual elements combine  The acting style  Specific major choices by the director  The effect of staging decisions  Actor/audience relationship REMEMBER WHAT? HOW? WHY? Final summing-up Keep this fairly brief and don’t just repeat previous information. You might, for example, focus on one key moment which (for you) summed up the whole approach to the production. The De Montfort School Drama Department Evaluation of a Live Theatre Performance