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From humble beginnings, Frantic Assembly has emerged as one of the boldest and brightest stars in the theatrical firmament. Given unique insight into the devising process from 'first thoughts to first night' this lively and engaging film celebrates Frantic Assembly's approach to production and offers in-depth interviews and practical demonstrations that will excite facilitators and inspire students as they begin their own 'devising' journey.
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Not long after the start of the 20th Century, playwrights, influenced by the horrors of war, began to experiment with theatre in a way which depicted many of the long held historical, social and cultural beliefs and practices as meaningless and chaotic. Incorporating interviews with influential directors Bijan Sheibani, Steven Berkoff and other key figures, this film traces the evolution of modern theatre from its Existentialist roots through Absurdism to Realism via the works of Ionesco, Beckett, Pinter and even the writers of Coronation Street.
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The world of theatre arts has a language of it own. This DVD discusses some of the many terms and definitions that an acting student might encounter during his or her exposure to the world of drama. A working knowledge of some of the specific terms used in theatre will enable any student of the stage to understand others in this field and to interact successfully and creatively with them.
Learning Objectives:
1) To define key vocabulary used in the theatre.
2) To familiarize the student with the stage and backstage area.
3) To examine the actor's progress from audition to opening night.
Discuss the importance of theatre as an art form; explore the essential elements, and see how each is utilized in every production.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
1) Students will learn about the eight essential elements of theatre.
2) The importance of theatre will be discussed.
3) How each element of theatre is used to create a successful performance will be shown
What kinds of costumes would be most appropriate for your play? By knowing when the play is set, you can research the fashions of that era and determine what upper-class, middle-class, and lower-class people wore at a particular moment in history. This information is important, because costumes that accurately reflect a period help actors to more authentically portray the characters. Costuming is one of the elements of a production that can either draw the audience into the play or make them feel removed from what is happening on-stage.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
1) Students will learn how to analyze a play for the purpose of designing costumes.
2) Students will learn about fashion features of key historical eras.
3) Students will learn how to conduct fashion research.
The theatrical element called "improvisation" does not allow for rehearsals and costumes. It is the acting equivalent of performing "without a net," and is an exercise that allows actors to go out on a creative limb and test themselves artistically. For serious actors, it is a wonderful method for developing their craft, but anyone can have a great time performing improvisation.
Profile of theater director Andrei Serban, including conversation with theater critic Margaret Croyden and reflections on Serban by Joseph Papp, director and theater producer, and Ellen Stewart, owner of Cafe La Mama in New York City. Filmed excerpts of Serban's productions are included. Performance excerpt from Serban's workshop production of "The Master and Margarita" or the "Gospel According to the Devil" by Bulgakov, a Russian playwright under Stalin.
Excerpts from "Oba Koso", the famous folkloric Nigerian drama-musical-dance play about a wicked man who tries to overthrow the king, performed by the celebrated National Theater of Nigeria directed by Duro Ladipo. In this drama the king resists all the magical power of his enemies and becomes the thunder god or god of magic, still recognized in Nigeria by the Yoruba tribe today. Commentary by drama critic Margaret Croyden.
Interview with Lee Strasberg. Performance segments from class of The Actors Studio at the Lee Strasberg Acting Institute. Strasberg: "our school has principles but no rules the "method" is a basic means of solving actors' problems." He teaches a class at Actors Studio, a lesson on walking, and analyzes two students rehearsing a scene from Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya.
Discussion of theater, acting, British versus American audiences, and schools of acting -- with Alexander Cohen, producer of the David Storey play "Home"; and its two stars, the renowned British actors Sir John Gielgud and Sir Ralph Richardson. "Home" is in New York after a successful London run, and all three men have plenty to say about its journey over the Atlantic.
Two of the greatest stars of Japan's kabuki theater reveal what has only rarely been seen: the actual acting techniques used in this most difficult and splendid of theater forms. Onoe Shoroku II and Onoe Baiko VII discuss and demonstrate their craft in conversation with the well-known author of works on Asian arts, Faubion Bowers. Includes film of great kabuki performances of the past. These great kabuki actors make the mechanics of theater kata (poses) clear and show some of the gestures and nuances of body language that communicate specific emotions and situations. Baiko, a famous player of women's roles, performs a classic woman's speech in full costume and heavy white-face make-up, and then does the same scene again in plain face and simple clothes. He shows how the Japanese fan speaks in its own language. He and Shoroku act out a fight scene; Shoroku demonstrates one of kabuki's elaborate exit walk sequences, and compares different ways of making stylized gestures.
Actors Murray Hamilton, James Earl Jones, Jack Klugman and Rip Torn give advice to young and would-be actors. Themes: the lack of good roles, the place of television, Hollywood vs. Broadway, the importance of regional theater, and the necessary mobility of an actor, and about why they went into acting and why they think others do.
Features a celebrated star of Peking Opera, Hu Hung-Yen, who began her training at he age of eight. As a master of the movements, manners, and style of Peking Opera, she mimes the gestures and expressions of the hua dan, or coquette role, as well as traditional male roles such as the scholar and the warrior.
Kabuki is the popular, traditional theatre of Japan. It has been acclaimed as the most perfect, total theatre in existence. The legendary Onoe Baiko VII demonstrates applying the onnagata (female impersonator) makeup. He is also seen rehearsing a Kabuki classic derived from the earlier Noh play Ikkaku Senin (One Horned Hermit).
Euripides is the most modern of Greek dramatists, examining issues, which are still important today: women's status in society, the rights of minorities and the abominations of war. The film traces the development of the Greek theatre, explores daily life in Athens, and links the atrocities of warring Athens with Euripides' great tragedy, The Trojan Women.
The plays of George Bernard Shaw are reflective of the Edwardian period. The film gives vistas of Edwardian London: the manners, the dress and the etiquette from the period of Man and Superman.
The two scenes shown from Man and Superman, (1903 version), address aspects of Shavian and Edwardian theatrical styles. "Shaw" is seen rehearsing his actors with lines taken from The Art
of Rehearsal, a book in which Shaw outlined his specific manner of directing.
The acrobatic martial arts of traditional Peking Opera are precisely shown and explained on film. Sequences of movements are labeled with their appropriate Chinese characters, and translated. Discusses the movements, manners, and style of Peking Opera.
World-famous dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai recreates the classical Indian dance forms of the Sanskrit Theatre. Scenes from The Vision of Vasavadatta, by Bhasa, introduces the viewer to Indian manners, movements, "mudras," costuming and makeup.