Task 2: A Midsummer Nights Dream: Shakespeare Duologue Evaluation and Feedback

A Midsummer Night's Dream Performance Evaluation

What was your initial response to the practitioner Shakespeare? Track how this has developed / changed during the course of rehearsals and performance.

My initial thoughts when finding out Shakespeare was the practitioner we were working on was just pure worry because I have worked on him in the past and the hardest thing I found about it was the language. I found it hard to learn a script itself, let alone learn a script with Shakespearian language. During the development of the rehearsals I made sure I had looked up what some of the Shakespearian language was that I had on my script so I knew what each of them meant so I could act properly around them.

What was your initial response to A Midsummer Night's Dream? Track how this has developed / changed from initial reading to watching the performance.

I never had looked at the story of A Midsummer Night's Dream and I was confused what the story was about at first. After watching a few clips on YouTube about the story and the scene was working on, I had got the gist of the story. I thought the concept of it seemed pretty cool and it was very different from the rest of Shakespeare's work, with this one being a comedy. The concept of it being a show inside of a show seemed very virtuous. It also had a very good vibe to it, it feeling magical, mysterious and elegant.

Describe the challenges you faced in developing your character and how you overcame these.

Demetrius was a very different character to what I am. He seemed very stubborn and never in a good mood. It was hard to be angry in parts and then stay serious because of it so I made sure that was something I worked on too. 

What techniques did you incorporate into the rehearsal process? How did these aid/hinder the process?

Learning lines / language, genre, irony, meter tempo, dynamics, costume and setting.

What were the strengths and weaknesses of your performance?

I think a strength of the performance was my use of facial expressions and actions, I think I showed how disgusted I was very well and it helped my performance very much. I would say a weakness we had about our performance was there could've been more movement going on, both up and down stage. We did have little stools but they weren't exactly used that much.

What techniques from this process do you feel will inform your future development as an actor?

Learning and memorizing lines is definitely a technique I will need in the future if I was to peruse with acting. Also learning and working around different genres is something I will need to do more to continue as an actor as this could open up loads of different opportunities for the future.

What skills and techniques did you apply to your classic role performance to make it engaging?

We tried to make it as funny as we could in that specific scene, we done this by trying to get Helena to be really weird towards Demetrius and also make Demetrius very uncomfortable but try showing that in a funny manner.

Feedback

Your portrayal of Demetri exhibited a commendable range of acting techniques. the character’s romantic entanglement and how you had to portray the confusion he felt about Helena and Hermia. You used your understanding of staging, expression, physicality, and characterization to portray this. Your understanding of Demetri's emotional journey was evident, you could see that you have understood the character and how he felt in this scene, and you effectively communicated the character's internal conflicts with clarity and authenticity. You did at times struggle with the rehearsals and learning of your lines, but with your commitment to developing the character you were able to deliver a strong performance. The collaborative nature of the process, working well at times with Ellie, on setting, staging, costume and language seemed to deepen your understanding of Demetri's motivations and relationships. Performing a classical role like Demetri requires a balance of wit, charm, and emotional depth, and your portrayal started to show these qualities. Your ability to engage the audience as Demetri was very good. The charm and charisma you brought to the character drew the audience into Demetri's world, making his feelings seen and understood. Your interaction with other character and the audience's response showcased a strong connection. The dynamic range of skills, styles, and techniques you applied added depth to your portrayal of Demetri. your ability to shift between various emotional tones showcased a versatility that greatly enriched the character.

Congratulations on a fantastic performance!