BLACK COMEDY

These are photographs for University of Minnesota's 2004 production of Black Comedy by Peter Shaffer. Use these photos as inspiration for a 500 word reflection on your character in the play. How would you develop your character to fit into this scene. What gestures, body mannerisms, speech inflections would you use to express your character's inner motivation. Finally, what is your character's prime motivation? What does she/he most want throughout the play. How would you identify with this motivation and express it through your characterization?

DRIVE

DRIVE your way to a review of the film, Drive, with Ryan Gosling and Carrey Mulligan (who is somewhat wasted as the love interest to be protected). Talk a little bit about the controlled nature of Gosling's performance. He's set up a number of contrasts within his character. What are they and are they effective? Once he let's go, do you believe him and can you see him as an integrated, multifaceted, yet contradictory character? How might you play the character differently (hard question)? Finally, where did he come from and where is he going? What about the theme song, A Real Human Being, A Real Hero. Yes, obvious, but is it effective and does the film succeed in creating one? Clearly, his heroism is more than just violence in defense of the woman and child. Wherein does his heroism really lie?

SUBMARINE

This is obviously a quirky 'coming of age' teen movie that charts the living hell some young folk have to endure in UK schools. In point of fact, the film/story takes place in Wales, which, of course, is very much part of the 'United Kingdom,' (not to be confused with Whales), but perhaps not so much a part of British/London school culture. You Brits out there can illuminate this for us.

Topic Question: What did you get out of this film? What's it's point (IF ANY)? How does it differ from traditional Hollywood 'coming of age' flicks. What part does bullying play in the story. Why does the female protagonist so dislike physical expressions of affection? What do you really think about the use of the word 'gay' to express anything lame, stupid, dumb, ugly...and sentimental. 

Give me a rambling, intelligent, insightful commentary on the film and its effect on your quivering, vulnerable, searching young minds. NO NOT TELL ME THE PLOT, because - guess what - I KNOW THAT ALREADY.

PICTURE BELOW of two wrestlers in the class, one British, one Jewish/Russian. (Rizzo: WHO?)

Welcome to Performance and Theater Blogspot. Your first thrilling assignment for the week of August 31st is to write up a brief character description of one of the main characters in Grease, together with your suggestions for playing the part. Give a short 'back story' for your chosen character, how did the character get to be the way he or she was at the beginning of the play? How would this influence the way you would make the character, talk, walk, look, and feel? . Girls - how would you deal with the stereotyping of women's roles in the play. Boys - how would you relate to the girls in the play if they were more contemporary 21st century women? What would you like to see changed about your character and what should remain the same. Be creative