Performance Review on Shakespeare’s Sonette

WATCH AND REVIEW A LIVE PERFORMANCE: ROBERT WILSON’S SHAKESPEARE’S SONNETS

Link to Shakespeare’s Sonnets: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qODekVgJdOc

This assignment satisfies the following course objectives:

Students will develop an intellectual awareness and response to dramatic literature through an enhanced appreciation of structural elements such as plot, character, theme, and language.
Students will be exposed to a representative body of dramatic and culturally diverse literature in performance.

For the review paper, you will be assessed on your observations and response of a pre-recorded live performance. This paper will be moderated through Turnitin to check for plagiarism; you will be able to view the report of the paper on the due date of the assignment. Resubmissions are not allowed.

PROMPT

Pretend you are a reviewer/critic for a large newspaper. Your assignment is to write a review of a theatrical production.

PAPER REQUIREMENTS

Length: 1,000-1,200 words. Use WORD COUNT! This is equal to approximately two single-spaced or four double-spaced pages.
Do not use “I.” Review some other theatre critic’s articles to get a better idea of the stylistic approach when writing a review.
Give a flashy title to your newspaper review.

HOW TO WRITE A THEATRE REVIEW

A theatre review is an evaluation of the performance of a play. It should contain five paragraphs and a “flashy” headline. Below are some things to think about which you can use in your paper. You will decide, after seeing the production, which types of questions are applicable. These are only suggested guidelines, and you do not have to follow the prompts below specifically. The “article” you are writing is meant to read like a review in a paper.

Paragraph 1 – The Basics

Introduce the name of the play, author, place of performance, date of performance, Production Company, and director. In a few sentences tell about the underlying theme of the play and a very general plot. Do not give a synopsis of the production.

Paragraph 2 – The Acting/Singing & Dancing

React to the performers playing the characters in the play.

Were the performers believable: true to the play, the production, and the theatrical conditions?
Voice (speaking): volume, tempo, vocal quality, interpretation, articulation?
Voice (singing): volume, vocal quality, diction, intonation?
Body: Were the performers’ gestures, movement, and stage business suitable to the characters?
Emotions: Were reactions genuine? Were climaxes achieved in the play by the performers?
Relationships: Was there teamwork and collaboration among the various artists? Proper relationships by characters?
Projection: Project orally and visually to the audience?
Dancing: How was the execution of the dance moves?

Paragraph 3 – The Directing, Musical Directing, & Choreography

Directing: Did you like the concept of the play?
The director’s choice of tempo for the play?
Did the stage composition (blocking) seem logical for the characters?
Was the play unified? Smoothly run?
Musical Directing: Did you like the musical qualities of the show (singing and accompaniment)?
Choreographing: Did the dancing suit the style of the music and show?
Did the choreographer work within the capabilities of the performers?

Paragraph 4 – The Design

Set: Did it establish the right mood and background for the play? What kind of atmosphere was created?
Lights: Did they convey the proper mood, emphasis, and illumination?
Costumes & Makeup: Were they accurate to the period or the concept of the show? To the Characters?
Sound: How did the sound effects and music contribute to the show’s mood?

Paragraph 5 – The Reaction

What was your opinion of the play as a whole?
What is your recommendation to the reader?

DO:

Back up all your opinions with valid reasons.
Be objective and fair.
Evaluate the entire production.
Be constructive. Indicate good points along with those you felt needed improvement.
Be sincere. Believe what you say.

DON’T:

Don’t be overly negative or positive.
Don’t be overly critical. Approach a performance with an attitude of enjoying it.
Don’t be arrogant. Be humble, kind, and understanding of the difficulty of performing.