What are the artists trying to do?
How completely have the artists achieved their intention?
Was the artists’ attempt worthwhile?
Essay Paragraph Structure:
In the first paragraph, introduce the play you are critiquing and identify the writer(s) and director(s). Build a foundation for your essay by addressing the play’s genre and by giving a VERY BRIEF plot synopsis (1-2 sentences max). Introduce the main aspects of the production that you intend to explore in the next paragraph, BRIEFLY addressing how the director conceptually approaches the production and how the designers and performers support that concept.
In the second paragraph, focus on the direction of the show. Provide a reasonable hypothesis for the production concept (the metaphor or stylistic approach which the artists are using to explore the play). Be sure to explore how the writing (music/lyrics/ book) and the themes (ideas/messages) are revealed through the production concept using specific examples from the production. Give some thought to the challenges that the script, concept, or performing space pose to a director approaching the production and then briefly address how the director worked to address these challenges.
In the third paragraph, focus on the designers’ concepts and execution (scenic, costume, lighting, and sound). How are the themes and/or production concept supported or revealed through each design element? Be specific and use examples from the production to support and elucidate your theories. Do the designers seem to be working as a cohesive unit or do certain elements seem to be clashing with others. As always, defend your arguments with examples from the production.
In the fourth paragraph, choose a single performer whose work stood out to you (for either positive or negative reasons). Address how the performer navigates the production concept giving special attention to stylistic choices and execution of the role. What sort of performance hurdles do you think he or she encountered in approaching the character and how well did he or she overcome them? Finally, explore a specifically memorable moment from the production where you feel the performer’s work was especially noteworthy and explain why. Do not forget to always distinguish between the actor and the character: Refer to the actor by his or her real name when you are critiquing performance, but refer to the character by his or her name when describing things that occur in the plot.
In the fifth and final paragraph, conclude the essay with your personal response to the play that you experienced. Did you feel that the work of these collaborating artists was cohesive and supported their original intent? Did you agree with their choices and appreciate the execution of their concepts? How do you regard the show’s value as a piece of theatre? Use summarizing statements of the ideas you have previously explored in the essay to support your argument.