Thursday, October, 22, I was privileged with the opportunity to see the production La Muerte Bila, written in collaboration with the cast, and directed by Rebecca Marinez. The play was performed at the lovely Milargo Theater in Portland, Oregon. La Muerte Baila takes place in the afterlife, a place that is neither heaven nor hell. The standout performers in the play were Alejandro, played by Jonathan Hernandez, and La Muerte, played by Sofia May-Cuxim. La Muerte Baila is much different from most…
The production of In the Blood would be classified as a mix between “outside” (external/presentational) and “inside” (or internal/representational). This is an effective strategy because it keeps the audience involved and makes them pay attention to the plot. As Cohen says, “Great acting, therefore, comes from both the inside and the outside”. To continue, according to Robert Cohen, “Presentational performers directly and continuously acknowledge the presence of audience members by singing to…
When considering all of the chapters, I decided to choose chapter fourteen, Acting, with hopes of learning more about the acting process. I have never been in a theatrical production so I was very interested in learning about the process, especially the actors because they possess a lot of talent. This chapter discusses concentration, scene study, and memorization and line reading, which were three things that really stood out to me as topics that I wanted to know more about. This chapter is all…
the yearning to enlighten people intertwine together make theatre everlasting. Even the spelling of theatre compared to theater had a level of comprehension resonating in it. While the term theater is more synonymous with American English, theatre is commonly known on a global scale. While theater can be perceived a form of entertainment and profitable venue, theatre is much more complex than those qualities. Theatre is an art form. Theatre, combined with essential dramatic elements and cultural…
on many topics. After reading a translation of Poetics by Aristotle and David Ball’s Backwards and Forwards I noticed the different thoughts the authors had on what makes a truly good play, which prompts me to ask questions of my own. In terms of theatre what makes a play dramatic? Is any single drama better than next? What makes…
Screen and stage entertainment are very different; although, they seem to have strikingly similar characteristics and have many comparable features that some do not even realize. Stage provides live entertainment that creates a bond with the audience that can be the same plot but performed so differently each time. Screen is filmed entertainment that can have special effects and captivate every single detail but has no real connection to the audience. Usually, how a person feels about stage…
In 1891, Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler debuted at the Residenzentheater in Munich, Germany. Hedda Gabler has been adapted to screen several times since it's original 1891 run, though the majority of English translated versions remained televised adaptations. The most notable stage to screen adaptation is the 1975 remake which was adapted and directed by Trevor Nunn and stared Peter Eyre, Patrick Stewart, Glenda Jackson as the titular character. This version garnered critical acclaim from the New…
Jerzy Grotowski was an innovative theatre director whose practice and theories has contributed significantly to contemporary theatre practice and actor training. In order to access a broad understanding of Grotowski, this essay will examine his life and the historical context in which he developed his practices. The lineages of actor training that influenced Grotowski will be briefly analysed, and then we will discuss Grotowski’s artistic journey over the course of his life, I will then discuss…
On the 18th of September 2014, I went to watch the adapted theatre production of “Private Peaceful” at the Queens theatre, Barnstable. The production that was originally a novel written by Michael Morpurgo but Simon Reade adapted and directed the theatre production. The theatre company was called: Fiery Angel and scamp theatre; the actor for the solo role of ‘Tommo’ and 21 other roles, was characterized by Andy Daniel. He did an exceptionally good job and skilfully brought all the characters to…
On the night of September 18th, I attended the play All the Great Books. The weather was nothing but perfect, as the temperature allowed me to sit outside on the ground comfortably. Being one of the only performances I have ever attended, I was quite surprised to sit on the ground in an open field, with only a stage in front of me. Having such open audience seating made the actor/audience relationship more personal and enjoyable. To say the least, the production was not equivalent to pulling…