What am I Really Writing About?

What am I Really Writing About?

What you are really writing about is the performance which you saw. You are writing about the work that the actors have done onstage. You are writing about the technical elements of the production. You are writing about the overall success or failure of the performance.

You are not writing about the story of the play. You are not writing about what the characters do. You are not writing about the physical location in which are seated. You are not writing about the moral of the play. You are not writing about whether you enjoyed the story or even agreed with it.

There are certain questions that every critique must answer. For those of you who have seen many plays, keep in mind other plays you have seen. These other experiences will help you to be more detailed in your observations. Don't ever disregard your previous experiences. Also, remember a review is "what" and a critique is "what and how". 

While it is not always necessary to address each and every item, your critique must be considered and well-thought out. The following chapters should assist you in making sure that the most important questions are answered. 

Given that--the following issues or performance elements must be addressed in ALL of your critiques:

• Actors/Acting (guideline: if 1-5 actors--you must deal with all of them; if 6 or more actors--you must deal with at least 4 actors...the leading actors should be included)
• Costuming
• Scenic Design/Props/Scenery

For Actors/Acting: focus on the work of the actor! You are writing about the actor NOT the character. How do you know which is which? Start with....Actors do and characters feel. Focus on HOW and WHY the actor made you believe their performance.

For Costuming: focus on how the costuming communicated the character to the audience. Does the costume make sense for the type of character? Is the costume appropriate to the time and location of the play?

For Scenic Design/Props/Scenery: focus on the appropriateness of the scenery. For example--If the play is set in 1900, does the scenery reflect that?