3-4 pages

Similar to film and music reviews which analyze and critique the whole work, a review of a play or musical should also critique the production as a whole, in addition to its variety of elements.  The purpose of a review is to provide a potential audience with an unbiased opinion of the production, supported by facts.

This last written assignment requires you to attend the fall UT Department of Theatre and Film production -- ARCADIA.  This assignment is to analyze and critique the production, using theatrical terminology, not merely “liking or disliking” the play (do not turn in a rewritten version of the plot summary)

Like any written essay, a theatre review should contain an introduction, body and conclusion.  Elements that could be discussed in this review (but are not limited by) include:

• introductory material (name of the play or production, playwright, performance location, date)
• the production’s themes and/or playwright’s voice (what he/she was trying to say)
• expected audience response
• visual elements (set design, costumes, lighting, sound and/or music) and how they support (or don’t support) the production
• artists’ performances (actors and their roles, director, designers), including their honesty/believability
• successful moments in the play vs. unclear ones
• conclusion or overall impression of the production