Level 3 Drama - Practise
90610 Demonstrate knowledge of theatre form or period by
analysing and interpreting two scripted texts
“Waiting for Godot as a play which "has achieved a theoretical impossibility—a play in which
nothing happens, that yet keeps audiences glued to their seats. What's more, since the second act
is a subtly different reprise of the first, he has written a play in which nothing happens, twice."
Theatre of the Absurd – Notes
Background:
- originated in France in the 1940’s, out of WW2
- Based on philosophy of existentialism
- Prominent existentialist thinkers - Jean Paul Sartre, Albert Camus
- Existentialist’s: - view life as meaningless, believe in an absence of values and Christian
absolutes, emphasize personal feelings over moral values
- Beckett’s first 2 plays constitute a pivotal moment in the development of modern Western theatre. They
refuse both the psychological realism of Chekhov, Ibsen and Strindberg and the pure theatricality of the
body advocated by Artaud, and so are a transition into a new phase of theatre.
Theatre form:
-
aims to present a world where man must rely solely on himself
Portrays no values as being worthy of commitment
-
Celebrates the breakdown of language and communication
Deliberately baffles the audience
-
Usually lacks dramatic conflict and sequential plot
-
Shows the human condition as one of confusion and chaos
Explores the barrenness of life
-
Shows man without a basis for meaning in life
Gives an accurate picture of 20th century life without God
-
focus on human beings trapped in an incomprehensible world
“I don't know who Godot is. I don't even know (above all don't know) if he exists. And I don't
know if they believe in him or not – those two who are waiting for him.”
- Samuel Beckett, 1952
Features:
Feature
Mime
heightened
language
Example in Godot
Hat swapping scene between
Estragon and Vladimir
Lucky’s speech - Wearing
Lucky’s hat brings with it a
decidedly academic and
educated way of speaking.
Example in Endgame
This quote utilizes a very formal,
scientific diction that is intended to
make the audience think of
academia, which Lucky’s speech
identifies as a common conduit
through which people seek
meaning. This quote also
emphasizes the insufficiency of
words to convey substantial
meaning by mocking intelligentsounding words.
“Lucky: Given the existence
as uttered forth in the public
works of Puncher and
Wattman of a personal God
quaquaquaqua with white
beard who from the heights
of divine apathia divine
athambia divine aphasia
loves us dearly with some
exceptions for reasons
unknown…”
gibberish
Lucky’s speech
lack of conflict
No major conflict event in play,
although there are small
conflicts between characters
Between characters –
Estragon vs Vladimir
Lucky vs Pozzo
Act 2 is basically a repeat of
Act 1
contrast
cyclical plots
Theme of
alienation
The idea that God or fate or
some Supreme Being with
control toys with the lives of
men is startlingly clear. Every
moment of every day,
mankind waits for some sign
from God that his suffering will
end. And every day, God does
not arrive.
The parallel between God and
Godot is not simply verbal (in
the spelling and pronunciation
of names), but also in the
references to long white
beards, shepherds, and
Effect
absurdity of the dialogue is the
author’s way of calling attention to
the seeming absurdity of life
No resolution, one
wants to leave, the
other doesn’t want him
to but nothing
happens.
There is no real climax in Godot.
Act I happens, followed by a
parallel and nearly identical Act II.
Life goes on for the two
characters, and there is no
indication that the third day will be
any different than the first two.
The absurdist point is that nothing
really changes. The circular
structure of the play lends itself
well to this eternal stasis.
supremacy. Godot has saving
power; Godot has all the
answers to questions that
have not been asked. Godot is
selective in his punishments
and rewards, as God was with
Cain and Abel. In connection
with this theme is the virtual
impossibility of man's ever
having an understanding of
our relationship with God. It
seems impossible.
repetition
Phrases – What are we
doing? We’re waiting.
The characters repeat each
other’s and their own
sentences, words and
phrases. The doublet repetition
it takes more than one form in
the play.
EG:
Estragon: our relaxation
Vladimir: our elongation
Estragon: our relaxation
pseudocouples
broad comedy
Minimalist,
symbolic set
Actions – Hats, boots
Act 1 and Act 2
usually with interdependent
relationship like Vladamir and
Estragon OR one character
may be clearly dominant and
may torture the passive
character like Pozzo and
Lucky in Waiting for Godot or
Hamm and Clov in Endgame
Lucky being unable to think
without his hat and V and E.
putting it on him and taking it
off.
From famous comedian duo,
Laurel and Hardy.
Beckett's own script notes can
best describe the setting of
"Waiting for Godot": "A country
road. A tree". The setting is
constant; the only change
occurs between Act I and Act
II, when the barren tree of Act
I gives birth to five or six
leaves in Act II.
the characters live in
an unchanging, static
state. Each day
contains the actions
and reactions of the
day before EG: . the
number of knocks
Hamm makes on a
wall
Words: Endgame's
opening lines repeat
the word "finished,".
Hamm and Clov are
mutually dependent,
have been fighting for
years and continue to
do so as the play
progresses. Clov
always wants to leave
but never seems to be
able to
Hamm’s parents live in
rubbish bins
The setting for
Endgame is a bare,
partially underground
room, by the sea,
although the dialogue
suggests that there is
nothing left outside—
no sea, no sun, no
clouds
Absence of typical
plot
Time
Mood
Endgame: emphasizes idea that
beginnings and endings are
intertwined, that existence is
cyclical
There is an otherworldly
alienation in this sparse setting. It
could be anywhere, in any
country of the world. No visible
horizon exists; no markers of
civilization are present.
The absence of plot emphasizes
the futility and monotony of
human existence
Time is elastic and nonlinear
Tragicomedy
Tragicomedy
'You must realise that Hamm and Clov are Didi and Gogo at a later date, at the end of their lives…” –
Samuel Beckett
QUESTION ONE
(a) First key feature
(i)
Identify ONE key feature of the theatre form or period that is relevant to the selected text.
(ii)
Explain the way(s) in which the playwright uses this feature in the selected text. Support your
answer with examples and appropriate quotation(s) from the text.
(iii)
What is the playwright’s intention in using this feature?
(b) Second key feature
(i)
Identify ANOTHER key feature of the theatre form or period that is relevant to the selected
text.
(ii)
Explain the way(s) in which the playwright uses this feature in the selected text. Support your
answer with examples and appropriate quotation(s) from the text.
(iii)
What is the playwright’s intention in using this feature?
QUESTION TWO
(i)
Identify ONE key feature of the theatre form or period that is relevant to the selected text.
(ii)
Explain how this feature is used in the selected text. Support your answer with examples and
appropriate quotation(s) from the text.
(iii)
What effect would this feature have for today’s audience in a production of the play?
(iv)
Choose TWO characters from the selected text.
Character (1):
Character (2):
As the director, explain to the actors portraying these characters how you would like them
to interact in the play using voice, body, movement, and space to reinforce the ideas of the
theatre form or period.
Support your answer with examples and appropriate quotation(s) from the text.
As the director, I would like:
QUESTION THREE
(1) A production concept is an overall vision of the style in which a text will be staged.
As the director of the selected text, describe a production concept that will convey the
playwright’s intention.
(2) Explain how you would realise (put into action) this production concept through the use
of theatre technologies and performance style.
Consider TWO of the following:
set
design
props
lighting
sound
costume
acting style
QUESTION FOUR
(1) As the director of the selected text, answer the following questions.
(i)
Explain the message the playwright intends to convey.
(ii)
Explain the concept you intend for your production that will convey the playwright’s message to
the audience.
(This concept will be referred to by the director, actors, and production and technical teams
during the process of creating the play.)
QUESTION FIVE
(d)
Select a design role from the list below, and answer the following questions.
Design role:
Costume designer
Lighting designer
Set designer
(i)
Explain, from the point of view of this design role, how you would interpret the director’s
concept.
(ii)
In your selected design role, sketch your ideas to interpret the director’s concept.
Write notes on and / or label sketches as appropriate.
QUESTION SIX
(a) key feature
(i)
Identify ONE key feature of the theatre form or period that is relevant to the selected text.
Note: The feature must be different to the two features identified in Question One.
(ii)
Explain what it is about this feature that makes it typical of the form or period.
(iii)
Describe how this feature is used by the playwright in the selected text.
Support your answer with examples and appropriate quotation(s) from the text.
QUESTION SEVEN
(1)
As the director of the selected text, answer the following questions.
Select a main character from the text.
Selected main character:
Explain to an actor how you want them to interpret this character so that ideas of the theatre form /
period are conveyed.
Support your interpretation with examples and appropriate quotation(s) from the text.