PROFESSIONAL PLAY CRITIQUE (HAMLET) WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

THE PLAY REVIEW

GETTING READY

• Before you watch the play:

• Think about your expectations.

• Have you seen other productions of the play before? Have you heard anything about the play from

friends or family? *Did you read the play?

• Picture the production.

• How do you imagine the characters? What do their clothes look like? How do their voices sound?

Who do you imagine portraying the lead role? How do you imagine the setting? Do you picture a

lot of color? Of sparkle? Or do you picture it dark and somber?

GETTING READY CONT’D

• While you watch the play:

• Take notes.

• Who are the actors? How are they portrayed? (Do you really believe King Lear has gone crazy? Does

he seem like he’s just pretending? Is that bad acting or is he playing the character that way on

purpose?)

• What catches your attention? What do you hear? What do you see? (Ex. The main character wears

red, but everyone else wears black. The production is a mix of futuristic and traditional elements.)

• Where is it set? When is it set?

GETTING READY CONT’D

• Before you write your review:

• Organize your notes.

• Likes and dislikes. (Why?)

• Reactions to the beginning, middle, and end.

• The play got off to a slow start (why?); the middle was one long fight scene and got a little boring (why?); the

end was very tense—I was on the edge of my seat (why?).

WRITING THE REVIEW

• Your first draft will not be perfect! Feel free to write it badly before you make it good.

• Remember, you’re expressing your opinion. If it helps, imagine you’re talking to a friend.

• If you’re spending a lot of time telling the reader what happened and not how and why it

happened that way, you’re focusing too much on the plot.

BASIC FORMAT

• Summary

• Thesis

• Supporting Details

• Conclusion

SUMMARY

• VERY BRIEF summary of the play.

• Who is involved and what is at stake?

• 2-3 sentences

• Ex. “King Lear” is about a man who must divide his land among his daughters, but goes insane after

casting out his youngest and favorite and being manipulated by his two elder daughters, who want

total control of his kingdom.

• Ex. “The Black Panther” is about a man who must decide if he will keep the riches of his kingdom a

secret and risk alienating his people or share his kingdom’s riches with the world.

THESIS

• What did you think, and why?

• Stick to a few main points.

• Ex. I had mixed feelings about Richard Eyre’s production of “King Lear” because I enjoyed the

more contemporary elements, and the casting was spot on for most roles, but the added twist

at the end was disappointing.

SUPPORTING DETAILS

• Use examples from the play to explain the main points from your thesis.

• Can make comparisons between the (written) play and the performance.

• Can make comparisons between your expectations and the performance.

WHY? BECAUSE…

• Anytime you make a claim, you should follow it by answering the question, “Why?”

• Ex. Even though Eyre’s “King Lear” used Shakespeare’s original script, the production felt

contemporary (why?) because it was set some time in the late 20th or early 21st century. The

costumes were modern (why?). (because) The soldiers wore the kind of camouflage you might

see in an advertisement for the Army on TV. The characters did things we would do today like

check their phones or go out for a beer. Placing the story in the present day makes sense

(why?) because the play’s themes of love, betrayal, and insanity are timeless.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Get help from the Writing Center

• For real-time tutoring, visit https://www.mdc.edu/learning-resources/tutoring-labs-

technology/computer-courtyards-labs/

• Click on “The Writing Center.” You’ll be connected to Blackboard Collaborate where you can request to

meet with a tutor virtually.

• Email your review to [email protected]

• Include your name, student ID, and basic instructions for the assignment.

• Turnaround time is < 24 hours.