What are the ingredients of a good theatre review?

• Context of the production, what the production is about (role of wife in 19 th century marriage, psychological abuse of a wife by her husband, specifically “gaslighting” (Jack convinces Bella she is losing her mind)

• Production borrows from the genre of Victorian melodrama ) • STOCK MELODRAMATIC CHARACTERS of Villain (Jack), Heroine/Victim (Bella), Hero (Inspector)

• Production also draws on genre of whodunnit (murder mystery)• Quite a simple storyline, but contains a plot-twist (an unexpected development)• Information about set design (location, space (3-sided auditorium)• Comments about casting – are actors appropriate for the role they are playing? Why?• How are we encouraged to respond to the characters? E.g. we are encouraged to find

Detective Rough funny, to feel sympathetic towards Bella, and to dislike Jack.• Aim of production to generate SUSPENSE. How is this done? How successfully?

Moments that make you jump?• Description of lighting and sound effects AT CERTAIN MOMENTS and how effectively

they create an appropriate atmosphere• Supporting characters are also described (e.g.casting, function within the play)• Show you have a sophisticated understanding of the acting by analysing the SUBTEXT

(reading between the lines, is a character lying? How do you know?)

Focus teams• Bella

– Megan & Jodi• Jack

– Lia & Georgia• Detective Rough

– Laura• Elizabeth/Nancy (maids)

– Sakura & Phoebe• Set

– Imogen & Josh • Lighting

– Jacob & Ashley• Sound

– Ellie & Mikey• Costume/Props

– Charlotte & Amber

Character teams will look particularly for:

• the character’s personality and how the actor communicated that to you (face, voice, body etc)

• Observe how the character changed in different circumstances and with different characters

• Evaluate the casting – does the actor suit the character (age, gender, appearance)

Note EXAMPLES (specific moments) that PROVE YOUR POINT!

Design teams will look particularly for:

• How has the Victorian setting been communicated

• How has the atmosphere been created?• How the design choices impact on the audience

(manipulate the audience’s response

Note EXAMPLES (specific moments) that PROVE YOUR POINT!

What is the structure of a good theatre

review?1. Begin with a catchy statement to attract the reader's attention and

put the play in context. 2. Provide a brief summary of the plot and a little bit of history about

the playwright or the theatre company who created the production.3. Discuss the performance's direction. Give the director's name and

discuss the director's approach. For example, did the director try a new approach (non-naturalistic), or was the staging more traditional?

4. Review the performances. How did the actors play the roles? Were they believable? Be sure to provide the actors' names and the names of the characters they played. Give examples of moments from the play.

5. Mention the set, costumes and lighting. Be sure to name all of the designers. Discuss the importance of these items to the performance. Give examples of moments from the play.

6. Summarise what you feel the overall MESSAGE of the play was. This is a much better way of finishing a review than just saying “Overall I really enjoyed the production.”

Useful review vocabulary

1. Opening contextualising paragraph:

Next, during, however, in the end, finally, first, then, after that,

melodrama, whodunnit, style, genre, mood, atmosphere, Victorian, pace, suspense

Useful review vocabulary

2. Provide a brief summary of the plot and a little bit of history about the playwright or the theatre company who created the production:

Anguish, virtue, suffering, “gaslighting” (psychological abuse), Patrick Hamilton (playwright), sophisticated version of a melodrama

Useful review vocabulary

3. Discuss the performance's direction. Give the director's name and discuss the director's approach. For example, did the director try a new approach (non-naturalistic), or was the staging more traditional?

Stage picture, techniques (e.g. split stage), monologues, narration, non-naturalistic moments, naturalistic

Useful review vocabulary

4. Review the performances. How did the actors play the roles? Were they believable? Be sure to provide the actors' names and the names of the characters they played. Give examples of moments from the play

Talented, confident, charismatic, believable, realistic, excellent, credible, gripping, amateurish, satisfactory, witty, body language, gesture, mannerisms, tone of voice, nervous, predatory

Useful review vocabulary

5. Mention the set, costumes and lighting. Be sure to name all of the designers. Discuss the importance of these items to the performance. Give examples of moments from the play:

Atmosphere, audience, emphasises, eerie, suits the character, flickering gaslights, dark, light, focus, suspense, jumps, scares

Useful review vocabulary

6. Summarise what you feel the overall MESSAGE of the play was. This is a much better way of finishing a review than just saying “Overall I really enjoyed the production.”

Scared, jumpy, madness, finally, terror, edge-of-your-seat, relieved