Ensayo Analisis Teatro (Ingles)

Discussion of the visual design and the use of space of three current Melbourne live theatre productions.

In this essay I will analyse three current plays in the area of Melbourne. The first one to be talked about is a sketch show at The Colonial Hotel by BuST Co. named “Boom Tish“. Later on the horror comedy “Zombatland“ by the Suitcase Royal which was presented at the Arts House will bediscussed. And the final play to be presented in this work is the dramatic play directed by Damien Richardson and a production of La Mama Theatre “Lock Up“. Given that there are many points to be considered in a play analysis I will focus on two specific points. On one hand the visual design used for staging purposes more precisely the use of lights, costumes and props will be a topic wich will belooked at closely. So the different staging styles are a focal point to get closer to understand the aims of each performance. On the other hand I will be examining the use of space of the shows. For this matter the room and the placing of the audience and stage as well as their relation to each other will be described. Studying the use space helps to restudy the type of impression the audience wasanticipated to be given. And with those two subjects of staging design and placement I will approach a look into the diferences of the concerning performances.

The 8th Annual Deakin Comedy Ruvue by BuST Co. called “Boom Tish“ presented short sequences of sarcastic and amusing everyday life happenings. A very basic visual design to set the focus of the performance on the situations showed andcreated a certain casualness in the play. Wright (1972, p.161) stated that lighting should underline the emotional and psychological properties of the play. Applying this rule to the performance „Boom Tish“ one could see that the simple use of headlamps accentuates the usualness of the happening. The way the scenes were devided by black outs instead of fade outs supports this plainness. Execept for ashort flickering light in a scene there was no variation in the lightning. Simplicity is carried on with the costumes. The actors wear blue jeans, a black shirt with their respective name printed and the girls wore black shoes whereas the boys had white ones. The unadroned clothing not only emphasized the storytelling but also helped the performers change characters and settings birefly. Nocostume should clash with the set (Wright 1972, p.162). So it matched that the dressing chosen went along with the common black drop curtain. Props were kept to the minimum just to aid the comedians to illustrate the narrative so the audience was engaged in the happening too by envisioning the rest of the picture. The scenic style used on the performers space can be is theatrical since the backgroundis not used as a scenery just as an background. Plus the actors play infront of the setting and not in it. Something that is typical for revues (Wright 1972, p.154-5). The entire performing space was placed in the thrird storey of a hotel in a small, bar-like room supporting the ordinary feeling of the play. In the back of the room there were even couches to watch the performance from. And thefirst row was a foodstep away from the little stage. So the entire space was completing the informal mood of the presentation.
“Zombatland“ a horror comedy by The Suitcase Royale creates a fictive location telling a mysterious story. The deployment of various and colorful lights signalizes an unreal world. Many surprising light effects backed up by loud sounds builded up the needed tension in theplay. Furthermore having a stage area with no side entries, lights were used for a simultaneous setting to easily change localities without changing the whole scenery on stage (Wright 1972, p.158). The straightforwardness was required as there were only the three actors to change their own setting. Regarding the semiotics, the reading of the signs to gain meaning, of this play one can not oversee...