women in black

Women In Black In this essay I will be reviewing the 'Woman In Black' which is being performed at the Fortune Theatre, London. Before going to see the performance I wasn't really looking forward to it as after reading the beginning of the text I found it boring and dull. When we first pulled up outside the theatre I didn't find the building to be what I expected it to look like. From the outside the building looked newly designed but the interior told a different story. The theatre held a cold and eerie atmosphere, whilst talking to the staff we found out why. The Fortune Theatre was the most hunted theatre in London and had many stories held to its name. The most famous story told is that when the actor that plays the woman in black looked out into the audience the first night it was shown she saw a black salute at the back of the auditorium. It was said that the black figure looked like it was wearing a bonnet and a Victorian dress. Once finding out the history peoples view on watching the show had changed. The auditorium was small and was hard to see what was going on onstage if you were sitting in the first four rows as you had to keep looking up. The only advantage of the space was that when one person screamed the whole audience screamed. This helped the actors as it made the audience more aware of what was going on and had tension building. When first seeing the

  • Word count: 1696
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Drama
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Woman in Black - Theatre Evaluation

Portfolio Task 3 - Evaluation phase (20 marks) On Monday 21st July 2008 we attended an evening performance of "The Woman in Black" at the Fortune Theatre situated in London. The play is an adaptation of a novel written by Susan Hill and the playwright in which adapted it was Stephen Mallatratt. The play involves only 2 actors; Ben Porter and Sean Baker. Ben Porter plays the part of the actor and stays as this character throughout the piece. Sean Baker plays a character called Mr Kipps who uses the technique called multi-rolling, which means playing all the other parts encountered throughout the play, and also "The Woman in Black" who is not listed in the programme giving extra effect for when she appears. The plot of the play explores the concept of human fears in the form of a ghost story. Techniques such as anticipation, suspense and the suggestion of the supernatural are used throughout the play. All these techniques need to be applied successfully in order to create the atmosphere intended. By using the technique of suspense it builds up a state of mental insecurity, uncertainty or excitement within the person. Along side this adding the technique of anticipation gives the audience the impression that something is going to happen, but didn't know what or when therefore building up the tension in the theatre and taking the audience by surprise applying the concept of

  • Word count: 1100
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Drama
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Compare Brimestone and Treackle with Death and the Maiden

Describe and compare Brimstone and Treacle with Death and the Maiden Brimstone and Treacle is a play set in the time when England was dominated by the industrial revolution. It is based on a young woman who was involved in a car accident and is left very disabled. A man, who appears to the family as her boyfriend, comes to the house and lives with her. Te gullible parents allow him to stay and then the plot unfolds. We read the final scene of the play, where flares of all of the characters personality really show. The supposed "fiancé" is with the parents in the evening, talking about issues that have been affecting them. One of the main points he makes is racist, infact so much so the father has to excuse him. You already can tell that there is an underlying, sickening streak in the fiancé's personality. The parents then leave the couple alone, in which time the fiancé rapes the girl. There are several suggestions that this is not the first time. The girl, who begins to scream, startles him. He runs away just as the parents arrive. While they tend to their abused child, she begins to speak. I think that the writer has based this play on society. There are several references to the government and race in it. I think that he is trying to show how corrupt and unequal the society is, however sweet and genuine it appears to be. He also tells us very plainly at the end, that

  • Word count: 573
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Drama
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OF Mice and Men Key Moments

Cultural Background In Of Mice and Men it was set in America in the great depression. It is shown by the racial comments that are made by the actors when they talk about a black person. Many times the characters say nigger which now is not accepted any where but back then it was just normal to treat people that way. It is also shown at how the people at the ranch treat Lennie just because he is different. Key Moments In one key moment in the play Lennie kills Curly's wife. He does it by accident because he can't control his own strength. She asks him to feel the fabric on her dress but he accidentally breaks her neck. He runs away to the river. People in the town find out about this and go to find Lennie to kill him. George hears about it and goes to find Lennie. He goes to shot him because he knows that the other people will hurt him more. He finds Lennie sitting by the river. He talks to for a while calming him down. Then when Lennie is facing the river listening to George, George shoots him in the back of the head. Lennie falls to the floor. Then he gets up turns to face George and walks of the stage. Then you see back to the prostitute's room and welcomes in curly. When Lennie kills Curly's wife the lights dim to show that she is dead. It also does it to darken the atmosphere. When Lennie is sitting by the river he is sitting on the bed. It is being used as the

  • Word count: 1503
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Drama
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An accidental death of an anarchist Review

Accidental Death Of an Anarchist Based around true events, Accidental death of an anarchist explores the investigation into the death of a criminal via the fourth floor of a 1970's police station, this is shown by the use of the blue heavy police uniform of the period, and the well used proscenium stage, decorated with the usual hideous wallpaper of the time, complete with wood cladding, unsightly filing cabinets and various photographs, it showed a convincingly accurate portrayal of the surroundings. On first examination, it seems simple, but on further inspection there are various well thought through details. There was not a massive use of sound in the performance & other than a few various well-placed & relevant sound effects such as comedy bangs & clashes, the performers' voices did 99% of the work, one particular highlight was the closing scene of the first act when the cast burst into a rendition of the Public Enemy hit "Don't Believe The Hype" utilising the dull office furniture in a way in which it's makers never intended. The only other use of music in the performance was the Sex Pistols' aptly named "Anarchy in the U.K." The dull lighting was what was to be expected, with no special effects used except for the spotlights used for the rapping cast members. The three main characters were the slightly slow Inspector Bertozzo, the short-tempered Inspector Pissani

  • Word count: 515
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Drama
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english / drama play review

Hole in the heart 'Hole in the heart is a well thought out play, written and directed by George Eugeniou. It was not confusing to me at all except at times I found it hard to distinguish between dream world and reality, but if you kept in tune with the play you could really tell what it was about. The story is one filled with anger, jealousy and death In my opinion there isn't one main character as there is a lot going on with each character but if you had to choose, then at first it's Tina and towards the end it becomes Rosie.' It starts off in a snowy winter, with a young boy freezing to death, loosing his life in a race he was forced to run in, despite warning everyone of his bad heart condition (The hole in his heart). The boy was named Alex. The opening part of the play is emotional and captivating as there is action straight away. But too much monologue. Just before Alex dies, we find out he has a little sister that has been taken away from him and his mum by social services. Whilst dyeing he has a flash back of his mum begging

  • Word count: 675
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Drama
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Drama Coursework - The Women In Black Analysis

Based on Susan Hill's best selling novel, The Women in Black is an extremely successful theatre production that is renowned for its gripping and terrifying plot. In his adaptation, Steven Mallatratt has combined the power and intensity of live theatre with a dark ghostly tale to fashion a spine-chilling production which re-lives the hauntings of the eerie Eel Marsh House. The play itself is actually a play within a play, somewhat merging the borders of fantasy and reality. Meet Kips, a Lawyer from London entangled in the dark secrets of the secluded Yorkshire Village of Crythn Griffin. Obsessed with a curse that has been put upon him and his family, Mr. Kipps wishes to lay his horrific memories to rest. For this he has employed the services of an actor, whom he expects to help him re-enact his tale and in doing so allow him to overcome his fears. But will the malevolent spectre of Jennet Humphrey oblige? Or will Mr. Kipps' sinister secret lead him and those close to him into further peril? The venue for the production of the play my classmates and I were taken to see was the Theatre Royal in Newcastle. As it was a professional production, I was constantly studying the play as it unfolded to determine how different types of drama medium had been incorporated to enhance the performance. Although the Women in Black consists of many characters, the company had employed just two

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  • Word count: 1281
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Drama
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Character Comparison - Journeys End

Character Comparison I am going to write about two characters which I found very interesting when I saw the play Journeys End in the New Ambassador's Theatre in London. Journeys End is set in a dugout in the early First World War. It is an ensemble piece and contains lots of indirect action. It is an extremely naturalistic play, due to it being written from first hand experience. It contains aspects of ordinary English life back then. One of the two men is Michael Siberry, who played the knowledgeable Osborne a lieutenant who was treated with respect in the production. I am also going to write about Ben Righton, who played the brave and important part of Stanhope, the leader and captain of the men. Michael Siberry played the important part of Osborne in Journeys End. He played a protective and sensitive part as second in command to Stanhope, who he looks after and defends. He is much more sophisticated and civilised with very manly behaviour. He is older, wiser and polite officer and is a true Englishman. Siberry brings a strong sense of authority, although he is only second in command. His age and tone of voice show he is very wise and clever. When he ends up in a conversation about Stanhope and his drinking problems, he was able to change the conversation with a slow calm vocal tone, instead of talking or maybe shouting with aggression and power and ends up saying

  • Word count: 796
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Drama
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Review of Taming Of the Shrew

The Taming of the Shrew Review I watched an abridged version of this play on Monday, 13 October 2008 in the drama hall of my school Kidbrooke School. It was written by William Shakespeare, directed by Miss Hagan and performed by the Drama Club. The play was about a father, who has two daughters Katherine, the elder one and Bianca. Many men fancy Bianca, however she cannot be wed as the father Baptista Minola decides that Katherine the eldest should marry first, if she has not been taken as a wife no one could marry Bianca. Many men in the city of Padua disagree with the decision as the all are in love with Bianca and in fear of Katherine and therefore try to make deals with Baptista, who stays firm to his conditions. A member of the community has a not very noble friend outside the city that he calls in order to marry Katherine, the shrew. As he introduces his companion to Baptista and explains their reason for being at his house; Petruchio is then given the permission to marry Katherine, who does not agree with this as her father tells her the good news. Thereafter the wedding followed an Katherine moved to her new husband who immediately starts taming her as he sees her bad behaviour; his ways of taming included starving and psychological conversations, that enforce her to believe whatever he says. Meanwhile at home the younger sister Bianca is an affair with a man who

  • Word count: 909
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Drama
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My chosen play is On the Waterfront which I went to see with my GCSE drama group on Tuesday ...th April at Nottingham Playhouse. On the Waterfront is a play written by Budd Schulberg with Stan Silverman and for the performance that I went to see it

Choose a play that you have seen in your course in which the actors worked well together on stage. Discuss in detail the ways the performers played their roles and interacted in at least one scene. Include reference to voice, movement, characterisation and relationships. --- My chosen play is 'On the Waterfront' which I went to see with my GCSE drama group on Tuesday ...th April at Nottingham Playhouse. On the Waterfront is a play written by Budd Schulberg with Stan Silverman and for the performance that I went to see it was directed by Steven Berkoff. In 1950s New York, the dock workers' unions are in the stranglehold of the Mob. If you're on the inside then life is sweet - kickbacks, bribes and easy shifts are your rewards. Go against them and your life isn't worth living. The actors in this play worked well together in many ways. For example, in the scene where Johnny and Charlie are in the car together, many of the other actors were in the wings producing the noises of the car. They worked well together because they were all producing a slightly different sound but when they put them all together they sounded very realistic and this added effect to the scene. Another small touch to this scene was that the actor playing the driver of the car was miming having a column gear stick and this small touch added reality to the scene for the audience. Also, the actors playing

  • Word count: 530
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Drama
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