Analyzing a Playscript

Analyzing a Playscript

Literary and Theatrical Lenses

After viewing, you can. . .

• Explain how literary lenses can be applied to reading a play

• Provide scenarios and questions for actors to consider while preparing for a role

Literary Lenses: Narrative

Plot Structure

Plot: Theatrical Considerations

• Plot
• unfolds through a series of events that propel the story forward

Conflicts

• Conflicts
• essential for plot

• create tension

• heighten emotional stakes

• are intrusion

Conflicts: Theatrical Considerations

Resolution

• Resolves the conflict
• ties up loose ends
• establishes "new normal"

Resolution: Theatrical Considerations

Let's Review

Literary Lenses: Theme, Symbols, and Motifs

Literary Lenses: Theme, Symbols, and Motifs

Use the buttons to explore the terms and corresponding examples.

Example and Acting Considerations

Themes

Example and Acting Considerations

Symbols

Example and Acting Considerations

Motifs

Answer the following questions

Theatrical Lenses: Characterization

Characterization

In literature, readers use direct and indirect characterization. In a play, actors use:

• Dialogue

• Actions

• Stage Directions

Characterization: Types

Dialogue

Actions

Stage Directions

Theatrical Lenses: Form and Conventions of Reading Scripts

Acts and Scenes

Acts - mark major divisions within the narrative Scenes - indicate changes in location, time, or focus within each act.

ACT I SCENE I. A desert place. Thunder and lightning. Enter three Witches. First Witch When shall we three meet again In thunder, lightning, or in rain? Second Witch When the hurlyburly's done, When the battle's lost and won. Third Witch That will be ere the set of sun.

Stage Directions

Instructions that provide guidance regarding movements, gestures, entrances, exits, and other actions. They are typically italicized. Stage directions within dialogue (usually in brackets) guide the actor on how to deliver their lines. These are called parentheticals.

Quiz Yourself

ACT I scene i Horatio Have heaven and Earth together demonstrated unto our climatures and countrymen. Enter Ghost but soft, behold! Lo, where it comes again! I'll cross it though it blast me. -- [fearful] Stay, illusion! It spreads his arms. If thou hast any sound or use of voice, Speak to me.

Practice identifying the different elements of a script. Then, check yourself with the tooltips.

Word Bank

• line

• stage direction
• parenthetical
• character

Lines

Aside

Soliloquy

Monologues

A speech delivered by a single character while alone on stage

A character speaks, but it is unheard by other characters on stage

speech delivered by a single character

Example

Example

Example

Lines

Putting it All Together

Performance Considerations

In this course, you’ll need to take into consideration how:

• the script might be interpreted

• it might be performed on stage

• the lines are delivered

• the staging of the scenes

• visual elements contribute to the meaning and interpretation of the production

Video: At first, we might be tempted to call this a soliloquy or a monologue, but notice how Romeo seems to speak to the audience. The fact that he is not speaking to Juliet once she appears, or adressing himself (as he might if it were a true soliloquy), makes the opening of this scene an aside.

Conflict

In class, we discussed how conflict is intrustion.

You must also consider:

• how your character creates, solves, or avoids conflict

A Midsummer Night's Dream

In A Midsummer Night's Dream, the forest is a motif that helps explain the confusion and blurring of boundaries in the play.

Like with a symbols, a production must consider how to make effective use of motifs to convey the message of the narrative.

Video: Notice how Oberon starts the scene, but Puck continues it with only his lines for quite some time. Only Puck is speaking, but he is addressing Oberon.

Hamlet

Shakespeare’s Hamlet explores themes of madness and performance. Readers consider ideas such as: is Hamlet mad or only pretending?

An actor must consider:

• How do they portray Hamlet's changing emotional state?
• What impact does thir performance have on the audience's understanding of the play?

Video: Kenneth Branagh performes one of the most famous soliloques from Hamlet. You will probably recognize the opening lines "To Be or Not to Be." Notice how Branagh commands attention and builds emotional intensity.

Hamlet

In Hamlet, the flowers Ophelia gives aware are a reminder of her innocence; they also symbolze a bride, reminding the audience of her thwarted love.

An production must consider:

• How do they make effective use of symbols to convey a message

Resolution

In theatre, the resolution is stasis.

• provides a sense of relief for the audience
• catharsis is achieved for characters and audience

Theatrical Considerations

An actor must consider how their character's decisions, dialogue, and actions contribute to the plot.