Drama

Q1. Costumes? Did they fit in with the setting?

Q2. Did the Ensemble create an atmosphere?

Q3. The best actor? Why? Tone of Voice? Movement?

Q4. Theme?

Q5. Atmosphere? Lighting? Effects?

Q5. Did the actors stick to there characters? Personality?

Q6. Did the actor make it obvious his/her circumstances (homeless, rich...etc)? Did he/she show there profession?

Were there emotions made obvious?

Happiness - Actors can show happiness by smiling, laughing and making gestures such as hugging each other.

Sadness - Actors can show sadness in a drama by crying, looking thoughtful, or using comforting gestures with each other.

Emotional pain/physical pain - Actors can show emotional pain and grief by crying, shouting in anguish, or holding their head in their hands. They can show physical pain by facial expressions and gestures.

 Anger - Actors can convey anger and aggression by facial expressions and by aggressive gestures towards the camera or other characters.

Madness-Actors can communicate insanity by looking dishevelled adopting a wide-eyed stare, or brandishing weapons menacingly.

Anticipation - Actors often create a sense of excitement or anticipation by looking off-stage, sometimes open-mouthed.

Concentration -Actors can purse their lips, furrow their brow and focus intently on what they are doing to convey concentration.





Q8. Uses of drama?

Freeze frames - a piece of action can be stopped at a particular moment, to allow an audience to appreciate what is happening.

Thought tracking - This can be done during a freeze frame .Sometimes in daily life we would like to know what someone thinks at important moments. We really want to know how people have been affected by a situation. When we know more of what they are feeling, we understand them better. In drama, too, when we know more of what a character thinks or feels, the drama is deepened and the audience becomes more involved.

Cross cutting - Cross-cutting is what you do after you've created a series of scenes or sequences, and you re-order them to create a drama that goes forwards and backwards in time. Can create tension.

Marking a moment - Marking the moment can happen when a scene has been created, and the group decides it's a significant moment in the drama, and they want to show this in some way. This can be done by freeze frames, emphasis and or slow motion. Gives the production some emphasis and it also helps the audience understand and appreciate what is going on.

Q9. Sounds

Sound music - Sound and music obviously play a crucial part in musicals, but they can also be used in other productions to:

• add atmosphere
• emphasize action happening on stage
• help set the scene
• indicate a change of time or location
• focus attention on to a character

Q10. Lighting

Lighting -As well as helping the actors to be seen, lighting can also indicate the time of day, or a place, and can focus audience attention on a character.

Strobe - a flashing light, used for special effects. Often used to give the effect of old movies. Produces a jerky effect on the movements of actors when used on its own.

and others, say what effect it gave, (gloomy, cheery, day time....etc)

Q11. Levels

Levels - Levels give a stage more visual interest, and the various levels can be useful, as they allow different characters the opportunity to communicate different status.

What effect was given?

Q12. Movement

Movement covers:

• where we move to on and around the stage - upstage, downstage, avoiding masking another actor, etc
• how we move to help with characterisation - slowly, painfully, lightly, etc
• how we move in relation to other characters - threateningly, fearfully, in a friendly manner, etc

What effect did this give? Who did it?

Q13. Voice

When using your voice during your drama, think about:

• Tone - does your voice sounds appropriate - perhaps harsh or soft, angry or happy? Is it suitable for the character you're playing?
• Volume - have you got the loudness or quietness of your speech right? Can everyone in the audience hear you?
• Pitch - does your character speak with a high or low pitched voice? If you were playing a hanging judge, would a squeaky voice sound right?
• Pace - how quickly do you say your lines? Too fast, and the audience won't keep up, too slow and they might get bored. Can you alter the pace according to what's happening in the drama?
• Clarity - have you practiced speaking very, very clearly? It's crucial!

did the characters use these appropriately?

Q14. Was the climax dramatic enough? Was there enough tension?

Did it fill your exspectations? Why?

If not - it didnt excite, thrill, or did it peater out?

If so - The situation was strong, it was realistic, its feasible?

Q15. Symbols

Dramas are produced to a great extent through the use of symbols - or representations - standing in for real things. Many of the following can be understood as symbols.

• props (eg a torn wedding photograph to represent a divorce)
• gestures (eg finger on lips as a symbol of silence)
• expressions (eg open mouth to represent surprise)
• costume (a white costume as a symbol of innocence)
• lighting (eg blue lighting to represent night-time)
• setting (dry ice vapour to represent a snowy wood)