Important:
· This assignment is Personal Response, please use “I” statements (“I noticed”, “I thought it was weird” etc).
· You need to watch TWO music performances: 1st is Othello, by William Shakespeare, directed by Iqbal Khan & 2nd is The Tempest, by William Shakespeare, directed by Phyllida Lloyd. (You must watch both Performances and choose correct director as required)
o Othello typically pits Othello (a Black man, a Moor) against Iago (a vengeful white man). Think: Why Iqbal Khan decided to see what would happen if Iago was also cast as Black. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRbcbNaBxQY
o Phyllida Lloyd’s The Tempest utilizes an all-women cast. She also brings us into the world of a women’s prison and incorporates modern elements. Think: Why the director might have staged the play in the context of a women’s prison?
o I will provide some links to help you answer the questions below
§ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxBoNnBJ6AE
§ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtW-JpP0fu8
· You need to understand Aristotle’s 6 Elements to answer the questions below.
o Aristotle’s 6 Elements: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNFxpK67I9s
· Total 4-5 pages, double space, but you need to write both performances for the below questions, at least 2 pages for each music performance, you can write it separately, but you need to answer all the questions below for each performance!
· NO AI or plagiarism because need to submit to school AI and Plagiarism system!!!
Prompt:
1. What music performance(s) did you see? What is the name of the theatre where it was produced (and the date / year, if you have that information), and who directed the play? (Please write both music performance separately, also this info is found in the Link,)
2. What 1-3 things brought you into and held you in this music performance, either in directorial vision, actor approach, or design elements? What was your personal visceral or emotional experience of these elements? (Please write both music performance separately)
3. What 1-3 things took you out of show (meaning, it distracted you or made the experience less engaging)? (Please write both music performance separately)
4. What 1-3 things in the show felt meaningful to you? (Please write both performances separately)
5. What 1-3 things left you feeling confused or wanting to know more about how the director/actor/designer made their choices? (Please write both performances separately)
6. What questions would you ask those artists? (Please write both performances separately)
7. Aristotle’s 6 elements are: Plot, Character, Language, Theme, Rhythm, and Spectacle. Which of these elements did you find to be most compelling / strongest in this performance, and why? Weakest? (Please see the short video under Performance #1 to learn about Aristotle’s 6 elements.)
8. Conclude your paper: Referring back to the Context Videos and Links, how did you perceive and experience the difference between how these two performances functioned? Compare and contrast different aspects of the performances. Wrap up your paper by sharing your understanding of how they worked on you viscerally and / or emotionally—and how you feel they speak to today’s world.
9. Be sure to use specific character names (and actor names if you have them), and use clear, specific examples of moments between characters, design elements, etc, to back up your observations and questions. If the professor can’t visualize what you experienced, in detail, it will be clear to professor that you/we did not watch this performance!!! Please watch both performances. TKS!