SPD130-Theatre Critique

Introduction to Theatre Online Course

Dr. Eric W. Trumbull, Professor, Theatre/Speech

This page last updated: February 14, 2008

PLEASE NOTE: for all papers you submit for this class (critiques, short papers, extra credit), you MUST include the following information at the top of your paper; include it as part of the text of the paper and not as a header, as this will make it easier for me to mark the document electronically:

Your Name
Your Class (SPD 130, Introduction to Theatre)
The semester for which you are registered (i.e.: Fall 2004, Summer 2004, etc.) & section number
The Assignment (i.e.: Critique One, Paper Two, etc.)
Date of submission

This information MUST be included on ALL written assignments.

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Theatre -- Critique Assignments

Each student will complete THREE critiques. These critiques MUST be of FULL-LENGTH PLAYS READ and/or SEEN during the semester, IN ADDITION to the assigned play readings (full-length is considered to be two- or three-acts -- NOT one-act plays -- and movies / videos are NOT acceptable unless approved by me IN ADVANCE!) In other words, students are required to READ or SEE at least THREE additional plays that are different from the ones assigned for class.

AGAIN: Critiques are to be about plays you choose to read and/or see during the semester and NOT about the plays you are REQUIRED to read during the semester (Oedipus Rex, The Menaechmi, The Second Shepherds' Play, A Doll House, Death of a Salesman, A Raisin in the Sun, Rent). Furthermore, critiques on Othello or Tarfuffe are to be done ONLY as extra credit and ONLY with instructor's approval.

Critiques are expected to be AT LEAST TWO (2) full double-spaced typewritten pages long, and I suspect you will want them to be longer in order to address the questions you need to answer.

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VERY IMPORTANT: DO NOT, I REPEAT NOT, GIVE A SYNOPSIS OF THE PLAY (A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT HAPPENS -- THE STORY, IF YOU WILL), EXCEPT FOR A VERY BRIEF ONE (ONE PARAGRAPH OR SHORTER). ASSUME YOUR READER IS FAMILIAR WITH THE PLAY. ANY ELEMENTS OF A SYNOPSIS SHOULD BE USED ONLY TO HELP SUPPORT / DEVELOP THE IDEAS YOU MENTION AS YOU ANALYZE THE PLAY / PRODUCTION.

YOUR CRITIQUE MUST BE AN ANALYSIS OF THE PLAY / PRODUCTION.
BE SURE TO BACK UP / SUPPORT / CLARIFY YOUR IDEAS WITH SPECIFIC EXAMPLES.

FIRST, immediately following is the Play READING assignment, which you will follow if you are going to be reading a play only:

Play reading critique: (**NOTE: Be sure to indicate what VERSION of the play you read and are writing about by citing it in proper bibliographic format.)

Do TWO of the following:

A. Describe and analyze the play's characters.

1. Are the characters clearly defined?

2. Are they realistic or symbolic?

3. Which characters are in conflict? How do minor characters relate to major ones? Are they mirror images, contrasts, parallels?

4. Which characters are poorly presented? Are they incomplete, inconsistent, unbelievable?

5. Which characters did you identify most closely with? Why?

B. Describe and analyze the content and plot structure of the play. 1. Is the structure serious or comic? Realistic or fantastic? If serious, is it tragic or more down-to-earth? If comic, is it plain comedy or farcical.

2. Does it mix elements? Serious with comic, realistic with unrealistic?

3. Is the play written in climactic form, episodic form, or some other form? What is the major conflict and its initiating incident? Does the play have an early or a late point-of-attack? How is antecedent action made clear? How are complications developed and how does the play resolve?

C. Describe and analyze the theme of the play. 1. What is the play about? Is it easy to understand or not?

2. Does the play present the subject clearly?

3. Does the playwright seem to have an opinion, or does the playwright appear neutral?

4. How is the theme brought about? Words? Actions? Symbols?

5. Is there more than one theme? Are they consistent with one another?

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If you decide to attend a play as an audience member, you will want to complete the following play VIEWING critique (please note that the last item, item "F," allows you to use the play READING form for ONE of your choices to analyze):

Play viewing critique: (NOTE: Be sure to identify clearly WHAT PRODUCTION you saw [name of theatre company, place, date, etc.] that you are writing about.)

Do TWO of the following:

A. Describe and evaluate the acting in the production.

1. Choose the performers you liked best--citing illustrations from the production. Note things they did well--gestures, moments, bits, etc.--and explain why you think they were good.

2. How was the performer's voice, movement, interpretation of the role?

3. Separate the performer from the role. Can you dislike a character but admire the performance?

4. How did the performers relate to each other? Did they listen and respond naturally, or did they look like they were "acting?"

B. Describe and evaluate the directing in the production. 1. Has the director helped the actors perform convincingly?

2. Do the performers play together as an ensemble?

3. Is it easy to see and hear what is going on?

4. Are entrances and exits smooth? Scene changes?

5. Is the stage space used well? Are some areas ignored?

6. Does the pace and rhythm seem right? Does it drag or move swiftly?

C. Describe and evaluate the set design of the production. 1. Is the scenery helpful to the play? To the performers?

2. Is it a hindrance? Too distracting? Too overbearing?

3. Does it contribute to the mood? Is it appropriate for the style of the production?

4. Is there a symbolic element in the scenery? In the shapes or colors?

5. Is the design aesthetically pleasing in itself?

D. Describe and analyze the lighting of the production? 1. Is the lighting realistic or nonrealistic?

2. Does it help create mood?

3. Are all actors properly lit? Can we see their faces?

4. How does the lighting use color and direction (where does it come from: below, above, behind, etc.)?

5. Are light changes made slowly or quickly? Is this right for the play?

E. Describe and analyze the costumes for the play. 1. Are the costumes right for the play? In period and style? For the theme of the play?

2. Are they right for individual characters, in personality, station in life, occupation, etc.?

3. Is the design good? The colors? Why or why not?

4. Are there differences between costumes for major and minor characters? Between one faction in the play and another?

Describe and analyze the playscript--characters, plot and structure, or content and theme, as in the play reading critique--and explain how the production realized that element of the written text in its production.

This page last updated: February 14, 2008