Classical Theatre Performance Questions
How were the plays staged and performed to their original audiences?
What social, cultural and political themes were contained in the plays?
Social
Social
The play was based on the theme of the family and the social relationships between the different family members and the way this has effected their relationships due the actions done through out the play and before hand. For example Electra does not like her mother because of the death of her late father. Clytomnestra who is afraid of her own son and Orestes as she knows he could come back to kill her.
Cultural
The cultural theme that is linked to Electra was the tradition in the Greek times, which was that the son to avenge his father, which this caused Electra to have to give her brother away. This obviously had an effective on the family and the upbringing of their childhood and family relationships. The play was also present as a greek tragedy, The play was divided into 3 parts with different actors playing Electra in each section, and the chorus reminds electra that grieving will not bring her father back from the dead.
Cultural
The cultural theme that is linked to Electra was the tradition in the Greek times, which was that the son to avenge his father, which this caused Electra to have to give her brother away. This obviously had an effective on the family and the upbringing of their childhood and family relationships. The play was also present as a greek tragedy, The play was divided into 3 parts with different actors playing Electra in each section, and the chorus reminds electra that grieving will not bring her father back from the dead.
Political
One of the political views in this play is 'sexism'. We know this from wondering why did electra have to reply on her brother to avenge this father? Why did she not do it herself?. In Ancient Greece it was thought that women were weak and not capable to do such a task and this left the men to do it.
One of the political views in this play is 'sexism'. We know this from wondering why did electra have to reply on her brother to avenge this father? Why did she not do it herself?. In Ancient Greece it was thought that women were weak and not capable to do such a task and this left the men to do it.
How did you tackle the play’s language practically?
When I fist got the script I did not understand any of the language and found it very challenging to get the rang of what I was meant to be saying.
Our teacher Rachel, cut down our script a lot which mean it a lot easier because I could just focus on a small section to understand.
I did not begin the properly understand the language and text until i started acting out the dialogue. I found this helped because I could started the read the script along with the other sister , Natalie and Electra, Beth and using the tone of their voices and what their body language was showing when saying their lines began to help me. With directions from Rachel of how to say the lines and how to deliver them I began to start to develop an understand and character from the script.
When I fist got the script I did not understand any of the language and found it very challenging to get the rang of what I was meant to be saying.
Our teacher Rachel, cut down our script a lot which mean it a lot easier because I could just focus on a small section to understand.
I did not begin the properly understand the language and text until i started acting out the dialogue. I found this helped because I could started the read the script along with the other sister , Natalie and Electra, Beth and using the tone of their voices and what their body language was showing when saying their lines began to help me. With directions from Rachel of how to say the lines and how to deliver them I began to start to develop an understand and character from the script.
What did you do to ensure you were fully appreciating the context of the plays?
To make I fully understood the texts I thoroughly researched both plays and their time periods and continually asked Rachel for advise and help on how to act my character and role. This confirmed the ideas and opinions I had about my understand of my character. I also watched the performance of the professional Electra show at the Old Vic in London and made notes.
To make I fully understood the texts I thoroughly researched both plays and their time periods and continually asked Rachel for advise and help on how to act my character and role. This confirmed the ideas and opinions I had about my understand of my character. I also watched the performance of the professional Electra show at the Old Vic in London and made notes.
What vocal and movement skills did you use to create your performance?
The performance was done 'in the round' so when performing we had to make sure that everyone in the audience we hear us and see our movement and us performing.
When doing this it obviously made us move around the stage a lot more and we were more aware of our staging and projection in our voices.
What were your intentions for your characters?
''Chrysothemis is the younger daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon. Although she recognises her mother's corruption and although she understands the injustice of her father's murder, she refuses to mourn in the way that her sister, Electra, does. She realises that she will gain the greatest benefits by siding with those in control. Unlike Electra, who adheres to the principles of justice, Chrysothemis clings to the principle of expediency in the hopes of maximising her own comfort and profit.''
http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/electra/characters.html
The character I played was Chrysothemis.
When I researched and spoke to director about this character I realised that I needed to be stubborn and a little old.
Both me and my other sister in the play, were torn between Electra and the her Mother, we needed to comfort Electra in parts of the play when she was sad and try to understand what she was thinking and going through her mind. For example the voices Electra heard in her head we didn't hear but we needed to know something was going on. We also need to try and persuade her that our Mother was okay and she did the things she did for a reason, and finally needed to be scared and frightened of her.
Because we deiced to cut one sister out and join the characters together , both me and Natalie needed to be close and together in the performance, as we are both thinking the same feeling and view toward the family.
When I researched and spoke to director about this character I realised that I needed to be stubborn and a little old.
Both me and my other sister in the play, were torn between Electra and the her Mother, we needed to comfort Electra in parts of the play when she was sad and try to understand what she was thinking and going through her mind. For example the voices Electra heard in her head we didn't hear but we needed to know something was going on. We also need to try and persuade her that our Mother was okay and she did the things she did for a reason, and finally needed to be scared and frightened of her.
Because we deiced to cut one sister out and join the characters together , both me and Natalie needed to be close and together in the performance, as we are both thinking the same feeling and view toward the family.
Did you tackle your roles with confidence?
At the end of the performance I felt the most confidence and happy with my role/character.
The first 2 performances I lacked in confidence as I felt i wasn't doing a very good job at my role. I let the remembering of lines get to me when I knew what I was meant to say and when to say it but always hesitated before doing that. I questioned myself in what i was doing and didn't perform to the best of my ability.
As the performances went on I grow in confidence and by the last performance I finally delivered my lines correctly and confidently and with the pauses and emotion in the right places.
The first 2 performances I lacked in confidence as I felt i wasn't doing a very good job at my role. I let the remembering of lines get to me when I knew what I was meant to say and when to say it but always hesitated before doing that. I questioned myself in what i was doing and didn't perform to the best of my ability.
As the performances went on I grow in confidence and by the last performance I finally delivered my lines correctly and confidently and with the pauses and emotion in the right places.
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