THIS IS A CRITICAL REVIEW PAPER

Content & Point Value Totals

Exc.

S

U

0

Points

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH — CATCH the reader’s attention and/or introduce the topic of the critical review. IDENTIFY the play (title, playwright) and where the production was presented. PROVIDE some background about this play’s origin, playwright, and the playwright’s intended objective(s) for writing this play. COMPOSE a thesis statement that indicates that this review is commentary on the director’s choices for the acting and the design, as well as the work of the designers and actors. [20 pts.]

FIRST IMPRESSIONS — HOW does the play begin? Does it provide any backstory, or set the atmosphere, or start immediately with the action of the storyline? DESCRIBE the design elements in the first scene: scenic, lighting, sound, costumes, makeup. Which design choices stand out to you—positively or negatively— and why? [20 pts.]

DESIGN — HOW realistic or theatrical are the designs? How do they impact your experience of the production? IDENTIFY, throughout the production, identify the scenic elements, costume elements, makeup, and use of lighting and sound that are most effective and/or least effective. EXPLAIN why they fit your decisions about their values. As the director has the final say on design, comment on the effectiveness (positive or negative) of each element you have highlighted; you may compliment his/her/their choices and/or question why a particular choice was made. [20 pts.]

ACTING — DESCRIBE the style of acting (realistic or stylistic). Does it fit with the design style? How does this style impact your experience of the production? As the director has the final say on the acting, comment on the effectiveness of what his/her/their choices and/or question why a particular choice was made. [20 pts.]

DIRECTING — Considering the guidance of the director, which elements (acting or visual design) indicate the director’s choice of focus? [10 pts.]

CONCLUSION - Give an overall statement about the elements (directing, acting, design) and how they impacted the audience experience of the production. [10 pts.]

Theatre terminology – incorrect use of terms = minus points

Writing quality – errors in spelling, lack of proofreading, fragments or run-ons, incorrect punctuation = minus points

Paper Grade

[Total of 100 points possible]