Units 12 and 4 - Classical Theatre - End of Unit Marks

Post Medea Blog Review 17 / 12 / 13 NOT Final Grade

Student: Abi Powell	Post Medea Blog Review: December 2013
Criteria that have been MET are highlighted in GREEN Criteria that have been ALMOST MET are highlighted in YELLOW Criteria that are NOT YET MET are highlighted in PINK
Unit 12: Classical Theatre Performance
Assessment and grading criteria	Feedback and questions to help you meet the grading criteria
1: Social, Historical and Cultural background - MERIT
PASS 1 discuss the social, historical and cultural background of classical roles	Your Elizabethan character research discusses this well.
MERIT 1 explain the social, historical and cultural background of classical roles	You explain the social and cultural aspects of Elizabethan life.
DISTINCTION 1 analyse the social, historical and cultural background of classical roles	Finish Effect on “Medea” question
2: Research and Analysis – PASS
PASS 2 use research and analysis to develop performance style of classical roles in rehearsals	Good responses to research and analysis are evidenced in your sections on “Spaces of the Mind” and “Mary”
MERIT 2 apply skilful responses to research and analysis in rehearsal	You DID actually achieve skilful responses in your development of the Captain and Fransico, but there is not enough evidence of this in your blog.
DISTINCTION 2 apply imaginative, disciplined and skilful responses to research and analysis in rehearsal	In Medea evaluation talk about how you used specific mask techniques in specific sections (quote from text) i.e.Jason punching your arm
3: Developing Roles – PASS
PASS 3 develop contrasting classical roles through rehearsal with tutor support	There is some mention of this in the “Spaces of the Mind” section.
MERIT 3 develop two contrasting classical roles through rehearsal with some tutor support	You responded well to direction and at in the performance week your characters were well developed and different to each other. Evidence this through rehearsal diaries.
DISTINCTION 3 develop imaginative and creative interpretations of two contrasting classical roles through self-disciplined approaches to rehearsal	Use Medea evaluation to show specific examples of when you did something imaginative and creative (messenger and relationship with Sarah’s messenger)
4: Performing Classical Texts – MERIT
PASS 4 perform classical texts using appropriate vocal and movement skills to communicate the role.
MERIT 4 perform classical texts using appropriate vocal and movement skills in a considered way, to communicate the role confidently.	Teacher assessed due to illness. The last run through that you did showed some confidence in your characterisation.
DISTINCTION 4 perform classical texts using appropriate vocal and movement skills to communicate the character creatively, inventively and assuredly.	Medea evaluation.
Unit 4: Historical Context of Performance
Assessment and grading criteria	Feedback
1: Background Context of Performance Material - PASS
PASS 1 outline the background context of performance material, providing some research findings	Your Elizabethan research outlines some background context.
MERIT 1 explain the background context of performance material, providing detailed research findings	You will meet this criterion if you compete the missing tasks in the same way as you have done the first one.
DISTINCTION 1 provide a comprehensive account of the background context of performance material, providing detailed research findings	go a bit deeper in comparing Medea in Greek women bit and also in “infanticide” bit.
2: Performance Material Contextualised for Contemporary Use – NOT YET MET
PASS 2 describe how performance material is contextualised for contemporary use	Use the “Macbeth on the Estate” task and the task about finding 3 examples of a modern Shakespeare production to meet this criterion.
MERIT 2 explain how performance material is contextualised for contemporary use	When completing these tasks, make sure you directly compare the separate aspects of production.
DISTINCTION 2 comprehensively explain how performance material is contextualised for contemporary use	Including discussion of the themes in the plays and how they are handled by productions will meet this criterion. OR – use the Henry V and Medea that we saw in London.
3: Communicating Result of Research –PASS
PASS 3 communicate the results of research.	Your Elizabethan Character section is a good example of how to communicate the results of your research.
MERIT 3 communicate the results of research effectively in an imaginative and coherent manner.	You present your findings well and your writing is clear and confident. Your use of diagrams and photos shows promise. Annotate the Theatre History timeline.
DISTINCTION 3 communicate the results of research in an informed, highly articulate and creative manner.	Add annotations, mind-maps, photos and diagrams to meet this criterion.
Overall Grade: PASS Abi – at the moment, this is right in the middle of the PASS mark band, though as there is on criterion that has’t been met yet, if this was your final blog, you would not pass. I advise that you spend a minimum of two hours per week on your blog in order to bring it up to date. I strongly believe that you are capable of a DISTINCTION in these units because: You are excellent at research, as evidenced by your work on Iambic Pentameter and “Mary”. You are good, confident actor, using appropriate vocal and movement skills to communicate roles to an audience Your responses in rehearsal show a good understanding of how to interpret Classical Theatre roles. Unfortunately, “doing” isn’t enough for these units. You must show us more evidence of your process in your blog, discussing in more detail what you have done and why you have done it.

Shakespeare contextualised for contemporary audiences

Three examples of how Shakespeare plays have been adapted to suit modern audiences 

 

Romeo and Juliet

This film was created in 1996.

Shakespeare's famous play is updated to the hip modern suburb of Verona still retaining its original dialogue.

The 2 main characters were played by  Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.

The costumes worn are very up to date and in fashion for when the film was created. The costumes lets the audience know that this is set in very up to date time compared to the original Romeo and Juliet. If this was performed by a Shakespeare actor Juliet would always be 15th century dress. A dress that showed her families wealth and class. In this film version of the Shakespeare play Juliet still always wears reasonable classy clothes to show the audience her family state.

 

The set in this film is all very urban. This creates a huge difference to the way it would be set when originally performed. This version is set in Italy. A interesting decision made by the director and set designers was to replace the swords with guns. Violence is a strong theme in this storyline so to change the weapon used is brave but it keeps the story with when its set in this version.

 

Very interestingly although this film is all set in the 20th century they speak original Shakespeare dialogue. This is a huge contrast from the costumes and set. It makes the speech more powerful and noticeable. The way the characters move is also different from the original version. In a Shakespeare version the characters all are very expressive with their movements but they are not as free and loose as they are in the film.

 

When Romeo and Juliet was first performed it would most likely be performed in an open aired theatre. This means the lighting would all be natural. In the film the light is mostly natural which makes it similar to the play lighting.

 

The sound in the film is massively different from the Shakespeare version. In the plays they would mostly use instrumental music that is very classical. Whereas a large variety of music is used in the film. The music in a film can be very important. There are songs used in this film that are now remembered and famous for being featured in this film. The music in a open aired theatre would of been played live most likely whereas obviously for the film it was all pre recorded.

Medea

 

The original Medea was produced 431BC.

 

It is an ancient Greek tragedy which follows the life of a woman who takes revenge on her husband who betrayed her.

 

The version I am going to be talking about is an adaptation which was performed at The Rose Theatre in Kingston and directed by Abigail Anderson.

 

The costumes used in this play were very simple. They were all very dull and plain colours. It gives away no clue about the setting of this story. That is what is interesting about the way this is performed. (more detail on this in set section). The costumes had no similarity to Greek costumes which were worn when this was first produced.

 

The set for this show was very unique. The play was performed using aerial  rope work and gymnastic type movements. The set was plain and gave nothing away about the setting. There was decisions made about this play and the idea the directors wanted was for the audience to have the choice to decide things e.g. where this is set. By not telling the audience exactly things like this then it leaves  it open to the audience. The set although basic was very effective.

 

The script was spoken the same was it would of been when performed originally. By keeping this the same it kept the fact it was an Ancient Greek written play very obvious. The way the characters moved was obviously very different from the original because they had the aerial rope. They used this is in a very clever way, e.g. an argument between Medea and Jason was, rather than just being spoken, shown through movements in the air. The rope aerial was something that would not of been available when this was first performed.

 

The lighting used in this show was very basic and standard for a theatre in the 21st century. This would of been performed in an open aired theatre originally and this can only happen in daylight so this is very different by having it in a dark theatre with bright stage lights.

 

There was sections in this show were instead of using music they used their voices. This is similar to how they may have performed it in times when they didn't have the ability or equipment invented to record and produce music. The singing was live and not pre recorded. There was noise effects used in this show and this is something that would not of happened when originally performed.

 

 

Henry V

 

 The set they used was very clever and effective. They had a very small cast and this worked very well until they needed to have lots of solders on stage. So to create the look of lots of people on stage they used balloons. They had 2 different colour balloons and they were spread around the stage. They gradually were popped to show the idea of solders being killed. This is very different from the way it would of been set originally. It was originally written in 1599 and balloons weren't invented until 1824 when people were experimenting with various gases.

The lighting used was very simple. In Elizabethan times the plays were always shown in the afternoon so no artificial lighting was needed but they would occasionally use some lighting just to create a atmosphere for night time scenes. The main difference between what I saw and what would of been experienced in Elizabethan times is that I watched it in a dark theatre and it would of been watched before in day light.

The costumes used were effective for understanding the time this play was set. They wore costumes that were correct with when the play was set but slightly adapted to be more move able in and also so they were slightly more in fashion.

There wasn't much sound used in the show. A key noise for me was the noise of balloons popping. This had a similarity to Shakespeare theatre simply because this was a live noise and the music or noises would of been played live when this was originally performed.