Minds On
Let’s warm up!
Don’t forget to do your safety check!
Warm Up
Warm up
Find a comfortable position. Focus your attention on one part of the body at a time.
How does that part of your body feel? If possible, take a deep breath and allow your lungs to expand.
Focus your attention on one part of your body. Allow that part to relax before moving on to the next. As you scan through your body, keep breathing deeply. Once you have completed the scan, take a moment to stretch.
If you wish, you can this audio recording entitled “Body Breathing” to complete this breathing exercise.
Body Part Breathing
Drama game
Let’s create something new out of everyday objects.
Select three objects (such as a chair, a scarf, or a book), and imagine that they are something else entirely!
For example, a book might become a bird with its wings flapping. Use your imagination!
Using your three objects, create a short drama story. Record your ideas using a method of your choice.
Let’s get started
In every form of the arts, there are reviews for performances and the people that write these reviews.
What do you believe the roles and responsibilities of the theatre critic might be?
Record your ideas in a method of your choice.
Action
Get ready, get set…
What is a theatre critic?
A theatre critic analyzes a work of drama in written or oral form. Their review appears in print, radio, or digital media. The critic shares their interpretation of the work as well as help to build general awareness of the drama work.
The theatre critic shares their thoughts and feelings about a show that they experience. A critic has to take a number of elements of the show.
Some of these elements that the critic discusses include:
- the intention of the playwright when writing the script
- the intention of the director and how well they feel they succeeded in sharing their intention
- how the show relates to the culture of the times
- an assessment of the show’s performances, designs including costume, lighting, projection, and sound, the language of the piece and the impact on the audience
- an assessment of different elements and efforts of different teams separately
A critic needs to be honest and fair, knowledgeable, entertaining, and informative. They need to consider the following:
- Who is the audience for this show?
- What is the intention of this show? What is the intention of the company putting on the show?
- How large a company is putting on this show?
Use your knowledge to determine if the following would be fair or unfair for a theatre critic to review.
Pause and Reflect
Pause and reflect
Should a theatre critic have knowledge and understanding of the elements of drama? Why or why not?
Record your ideas in a method of your choice.
Press ‘Answer’ to access a possible response to these questions.
Without knowledge and understanding, a critic would not be able to discuss the elements such as design, character, time and place with any constructive criticism.
Press the following tabs to explore the elements of drama and consider the areas of a dramatic piece that a theatre critic would review.
- analyzing the background, motivation, speech, and actions of characters to build roles; using voice, stance, gesture, and facial expression to portray character
The theatre critic would analyze and discuss the quality of the performances of the actors, whether they believed their performances, and how effectively they used their voice, body, and face to communicate their message.
- analyzing relationships to develop the interplay between characters
The theatre critic would analyze and discuss the quality of the chemistry between the actors and how believably their relationships were portrayed.
- using props, costumes, and furniture to establish setting; modifying production elements to suit different audiences
The theatre critic would analyze and discuss the props, costumes and scenic design independently for their historical or cultural accuracy, how effectively each element helped to create the atmosphere the director was trying to create and would point out anything that stood out, either positively or negatively.
- using various stage effects to produce specific audience reactions
The theatre critic would analyze and discuss the sound, lighting, and projection design choices for their effectiveness in creating the tone, mood, and audience reactions the director intended.
- using a wide range of devices to highlight the central theme for the audience; making deliberate artistic choices to sharpen focus
The theatre critic would analayze and discuss the artistic choices and whether they added to or distracted from the intentions of the director.
Which element of drama would this theatre critic be analyzing?
Select the correct answer, then press ‘Check Answer’ to see how you did.
The theatre critic and conventions of drama
Along with the analysis of the various elements of drama, a critic would consider the conventions of drama in their analysis as well.
Tableau
Tableau is a group of silent, motionless figures used to represent a scene, theme, or abstract idea (e.g., peace, joy), or an important moment in a narrative. Tableaux may be presented as stand-alone images to communicate one specific message or may be used to achieve particular effects in a longer drama work. Important features of a tableau include character, space, gesture, facial expressions, and levels.
Explore this video entitled “What is a Tableau?” to learn about the four different features of a tableau. The four features are stillness, facial expressions, filling the space, and levels.
Mime is the use of gesture, movement, and facial expression without words or sounds to communicate actions, character, relationships, or emotion.
Explore the following video of an example of a mime performance. Consider how the performer creates their character by using exaggerated movements, gestures, facial expressions and props.
Monologue
A monologue is a long speech by one character in a drama, intended to provide insight into the character.
Explore this video entitled “Monologue” to learn more about how actors use monologue to communicate their ideas and emotions to the audience.
Narration
Narration is a convention in which a speaker describes the action that is occurring in a drama. Instead of creating dialogue, a playwright could decide to tell the story through the use of narration.
Explore this example narration audio clip for “The Wasps, the Bees, and the Hornet.”
The Wasps, the Bees, and the Hornet
Visual Aids/Props
Visual aids are pictures, projections, or objects used to enhance drama performances.
A prop is a portable object used in a drama to support the action or to give authenticity to the setting.
Explore this video entitled “Props” to learn more about how actors use props to get into character.
Soundscapes/sound effects/musical accompaniment
A soundscape or sound collage is a combination of sounds used to create an atmosphere or to enhance important moments of a scene using voice and/or instruments.
Musical accompaniment includes musical scores (compositions) or songs are added to a production to also create an atmosphere.
Using artificial sounds artistically in performance is referred to as sound effects.
Revised text: Explore the following video entitled “The Magic of Making Sound” to explore how sound effects are made.
Pause and Reflect
Pause and reflect
Would a critic analyze and discuss each of these conventions in a single review of a production?
Why or why not?
Record your ideas in a method of your choice.
Press ‘Answer’ to access a possible answer to these questions.
They would only analyze and discuss the conventions that appear in the production. For example, narration would not be discussed if the entire production was told through dialogue.
Go!
For this task, you will become a theatre critic. You can choose to review a production of Charlotte’s Web, provided here, or you can choose to review a production of your choice.
Option 1: Charlotte’s Web
Imagine that you are a theatre critic for this secondary school production of Charlotte’s Web. You will be exploring a small portion of the production and will base your review on these moments.
Press ‘Plot’ to reveal the plot of Charlotte’s Web.
Charlotte’s Web is a children’s novel written by E. B. White. It takes place on Homer Zuckerman’s farm and centres around the relationship between a pig named Wilbur and a spider named Charlotte. Charlotte lives in the doorway of Wilbur’s pigpen.
In this scene, the Zuckerman’s have brought Wilbur to the county fair to try to win the prize of a Blue Ribbon. Wilbur’s animal friends, Charlotte and Templeton the rat, have joined him to keep him company while he is there. Charlotte has been weaving words into her spiderweb in the doorway in the hopes that if people understand how special he is, they will want to keep him around the farm.
Access this video to explore this scene from the play.
Option 2: Review a production of your choice
Find a filmed version of a live production of your choice. Explore the first 12-15 minutes of the production. Locate a plot summary of the production so you are aware of the story. Then, answer the questions as a theatre critic:
- What were the key elements highlighted in this portion of the drama performance?
- How were they highlighted?
Press ‘Elements of drama’ to access information about all elements of drama.
Role/character: analysing the background, motivation, speech, and actions of characters to build roles; using voice, stance, gesture, and facial expression to portray character.
The theatre critic would analyze and discuss the quality of the performances of the actors, whether they believed their performances, and how effectively they used their voice, body, and face to communicate their message.
Relationship: analysing relationships to develop the interplay between characters.
The theatre critic would analyze and discuss the quality of the chemistry between the actors and how believably their relationships were portrayed.
Time and place: using props, costumes, and furniture to establish setting; modifying production elements to suit different audiences.
The theatre critic would analyze and discuss the props, costumes and scenic design independently for their historical or cultural accuracy, how effectively each element helped to create the atmosphere the director was trying to create and would point out anything that stood out, either positively or negatively.
Tension: using various stage effects to produce specific audience reactions.
The theatre critic would analyze and discuss the sound, lighting, and projection design choices for their effectiveness in creating the tone, mood, and audience reactions the director intended.
Focus and emphasis: using a wide range of devices to highlight the central theme for the audience; making deliberate artistic choices to sharpen focus.
The theatre critic would analyze and discuss the artistic choices and whether they added to or distracted from the intentions of the director.
- Did the drama performance include any particular drama conventions? If so, what were they?
A reminder that conventions are: tableaux, mime, narration, monologue, visual aids and props, soundscapes, sound effects, musical accompaniment.
- In your opinion did the conventions help enhance the performance? Why or why not?
- How successful were the actors in using their body movements, facial expressions and tone to create interest?
You can record your notes in a method of your choice or use this chart provided.
Complete the Theatre Critic in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts. Consider adding your work to your drama portfolio.
Consolidation
Putting it all together
It’s time to create your final review for the publication of your choice.
Be sure that your review includes the following:
Review Checklist
Portfolio
Review your learning
Consider adding your answers to the reflection questions to your portfolio.
- Do you feel that a theatre critic’s review would affect audiences? Why or why not?
- What do you feel would be the biggest challenge for theatre critics when they go to a theatre performance? Why?
Reflection
As you read the following descriptions, select the one that best describes your current understanding of the learning in this activity. Press the corresponding button once you have made your choice.
I feel…
Now, expand on your ideas by recording your thoughts using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.
When you review your notes on this learning activity later, reflect on whether you would select a different description based on your further review of the material in this learning activity.