the scream in my head: Act One: Scene One

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Act One: Scene One

Welcome to One Theatre Friend. Through this blog experiment, I hope to engage in discussion about theatre, share some opinions on performance, and offer information on resources, books, DVDs and teaching materials. I'm interested all things theatrical through my involvement with theatre as:

An enthusiastic theatre audience member
A High School Drama and English teacher
A community theatre director and designer
A frustrated playwright

I will endeavour to build on this initial entry in the near future

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review philosophy

I've got plenty of students who get little to no exposure to theatre. This is only a problem when students are required to study playscripts in both English and Drama. Some of these students struggle to develop a "dramatic imagination" when it comes to reading the plays as "a blueprint for performance" open to interpretation and not just as a literary text. My students are required to develop set, costume and publicity designs concepts, directorial visions and to perform excerpts from the plays. This can be difficult when students a narrow perspective of what theatre can be. I have started directing a season of youth theatre each year and organise the rare excursion to offer some experiences.
However, I am always on the search for additional teaching materials that might help students and work as teaching tools offering a alternative trace of performance through books, reviews, Posters, DVD's, Theatre Designs etc. All my reviews will tend to have this teaching focus.

Memorable Theatre - the list continues

Belvoir Theatre / Kneehigh Theatre: Tristan and Isolda (2005)
NIDA Theatre: 12 Angry Men by Reginald Rose (2002) performed by the third year NIDA students. 12 Angry Men is the play that I have always wanted to direct. The opportunity for an ensemble cast to create an atmosphere of tension as 12 un-named characters are locked in the restrictive space of a jury room with one decision to make. The play taps into an array of universal themes. Albeit, this production was so brilliant, it temporarily satisfiied my desire to direct the play. Having seen a fantastic production, I had little to add.
STC: I am my own wife (2006)
STC: The Shape of Things by Neil La Bute. This 2002 production directed by Jeremy Sim brought together all the qualities and ideas I enjoyed about playwrighting, acting, directing and theatre designing into one powerful contemporary production.
The Globe Theatre, London: Richard II by Shakespeare (2003) I saw three production at the Globe but for this one, I purchased a cheap ticket and managed to position down centre stage with my elbows resting on the stage. Mark Rylance performance playing up to and working the audience moving us from the comic to and tragic was such an engaging theatrical experience, I finally felt a connection with what Shakespearean theatre might have been like.
Q Theatre Penrith: Hamlet by Shakespeare. This (1986?) production represents the beginning of my love affair with the power of theatre. Originally dragged to the theatre by a school friend who was now studying Hamlet in a first year university course, I was transfixed by the immediacy and intimacy of the action. In the finale with Laertes, the actor playing Hamlet was cut and the performance was stopped. We were invited to return another evening and relive the action. I look back and remember the power of this experience finally give me a theatrical and shakespearean production that finally spoke to me as a teenager. When I now organise school excursions, I live in hope that the excursion might provide a similiar experience for the students.

the scream in my head

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Act One: Scene One

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review philosophy

Memorable Theatre - the list continues