PERFORMANCE REVIEW GUIDELINES FOR ALL PLAYS 

CRITERIA: 400 WORDS.

Using at least 5 of the Elements listed below, write a 400-word review of the performance attended. Describe the performance through your eyes. The review should be in narrative form with an introduction and conclusion. It should not feel like a list.

**Character What stood out about the main players?

**Plot DO NOT GIVE A DETAILED PLOT SUMMARY but you can reference the overall actions of the play.

**Theme – What ideas are explored? Is there a clean resolution or is the audience challenged to figure out the answers? Are ideas explored through the experiences of the characters or does the show preach? Remember plot is not theme.

**Language Were the actors clear? Were there dialects? Did the actors use the space appropriately with their vocals?

**Spectacle – How were set, lighting, costumes utilized to enhance the storytelling?

**Sound/music – Was sound or music used to enhance the production?

**Acting – Was the acting stylized? Believable? Did any actors stand out in good or bad ways? **Directing – Was the direction obvious or hidden? Any strong directorial choices?)

Be as specific with your ideas and opinions as possible. If there is an aspect of the show that you love/hate, give specific examples to back up your response. Tell me what worked and what did not work for you and WHY.

BAD EXAMPLE 1: The sets were lame.

GOOD EXAMPLE 1: The sets didnt seem to support the style of the play. Everything the actors did was realistic, but the sets were fantastical and crazy. In the garden scene, all of the flowers were purple with blue stems, but I didnt see a reason to support that choice.

BAD EXAMPLE 2: The acting was awesome.

GOOD EXAMPLE 2: The actors were especially truthful. In the scene with the murder, I understood why Joanna felt betrayed by Steve. The actress playing Joanna carried a tension in her body that totally released after the murder. To me, it seemed like she exorcised something in herself at that moment.