Tempest evaluation

 

 

We didn't do our performance to an audience, we all just took turns in sitting as the audience when not on stage. The seating was set into a round, to represent the seating at the Globe Theatre.

 

I wasn't in the final performance due to being ill but I have based this evaluation on the final performance of The Tempest which I have seen on video.

 

Scene 1

 

The opening lights were very effective. The mix of the blue and red created some mystery. The colour red often symbolises danger or blood and the blue is a very cold colour.

 

The que word 'howling' said by Boatswain was not listened to by the other cast members which were supposed to use this line as a que for some background noises and speech. This issue could of been sorted by more rehearsals as a group.

 

The fast, loud dubstep music used in this scene is very clever. It tells the audience clearly that the story has been contextualized to the future. The music has a very exciting tense feel and adds to the atmosphere.

 

There needed to be slightly more lighting on the stage blocks as a lot of cast members were in this area but could hardly be seen. In this scene it needed to have a chaotic feel but you couldn't feel it, maybe partly down to not being able to see them enough. 

 

The ending of this scene in which the boat breaks was performed in slow motion. It could of been done in a much more effective way. If there was more time it could of been properly choreographed.

 

Scene 2

 

There was a good use of levels in this scene. Lindsey was low down on the floor, Amber was standing and Megan was on the blocks. The more use of levels the more interesting it is for the audience.

 

In this scene I realised how different the lines would be said if was at the Globe. A line said by Joe was a very intense and serious line which he said passionately but quietly which added tension. But if it was at the Globe however intense the line is it has to be projected to the audience.

 

The music added humour to the moment and was very cleverly used. Again the music shows the contextualising of the story. If this was in the time it was set they wouldn't of had music playing from a cd, it would of been live and a very different genre.

 

The lighting was very bright which was a strong contrast with the lighting in scene 1. It showed a strong scene change.

 

Scene 3 

 

The entrance by the cast on the third scene didn't give the audience any idea of the setting. In this scene they are walking through a forest type place and its hot and they would be tired and starting to struggle. They needed to make this clearer to the audience.

 

There was a good use of the stage used by all actors. Polly was positioned in the right bottom corner right near the audience and Emily and Charlotte were on a diagonal from her but more upstage. The better the stage is used, the more interesting it is for the audience.

 

The section in this scene where Ariel appears and a few characters go to sleep wasn't made very clear. The going to sleep part needed to be made more obvious as it was easy to miss and not understand.

 

The music used for Ariel was very effective but could of stayed on for longer to add more mystery.

 

Scene 4

 

Matt and Max both used their voices very well. They changed the tone and way they spoke which added humour and also made their characters stand out.

 

Maisie uses the stage well. She travels around and still projects her speech out to the audience.

 

Scene 5

 

The music gap was very effective and worked well.

 

Lindsey and Joe needed to position themselves nearer to the audience. It needed to have a personal feeling with the audience. So they felt could connect to characters.

 

The lighting could of been darker to give a more intimate feel.

 

Scene 6

 

Max's lines were quite hard to follow. The breaks in his speech weren't always in the correct place which made it hard to understand. This could of been improved by doing the Cicely Berry exercise.

 

Megan's character, Ariel, is very powerful and think needed more lighting to give a strong main character feel. Lighting was quite dark while she was on the stage blocks which didn't draw any attention to her.  

 

Scene 7

 

The stage was used very well and gave a busy feel.

 

Beth's lines were said very well, clearly and loudly and easy to follow.

 

Sarah and Lizzie's movement's needed to be made bigger. It wasn't very clear what they were doing.

 

Scene 8

 

By having Joe, Lindsey and Ben's backs to the audience it gives the stage a different feel. Its not what the audience expect to happen so it gives them something to notice and get their attention.

 

The lighting needed to be more on the people acting as in the show rather than the ones watching it. It wasn't clear what was happening but if the lighting went down on Lindsey, Joe and Ben it would of been clearer to the audience what was happening.

 

The dance was very well done for the time had to perform it in. With more time we could of researched into dance when this was set and explored different ways of doing the dance. Then properly choreographed it.

 

Bens monologue was said very clearly and easy to understand. Well rehearsed.

 

The lighting for the ending speech would of been effective as a spot light. It would of intensified the moment and also felt more like a ending.