By Paige Combridge
OUTCOME 4: Performance Analysis
SAC.
Q1.
Describe examples of how two non-naturalistic
theatrical conventions were used to tell the story
in this performance.
COSTUME:
• When singing popular Glinda’s wide range of shoes
were on display. Showing the audience that to be
popular you have to take pride in you appearance.
• Because Elphaba only wears dark plain clothes it
adds to the fact that she is green and she thinks
whatever she wears won’t match.
•The amazing green outfits that the citizens of
emerald city wear makes it look like a wealthy city.
•The Wizard and Madame Morribles costumes look very
expensive and show that the look after themselves.
•The different colours of the costumes represent
evil and good for Elphaba and Glinda.
•The costumes helped explain to the audience the
social standing of each character.
SONGS:
• All of the songs helped the story be told . They
added so much depth to the story line and
performance.
•When Elphaba sang the Wizard and I, it gave the
audience a background to Elphaba’s character. It
also gives us the first glimpse of what Madame
Morrible is like because if Elphaba makes good then
she can be with the Wizard.
•The climax of the play was defying gravity, it was
such an important part because it is when she
decides to do her own thing and not follow orders
for the Wizard. She is going to do what she thinks
is right.
• The song popular is a great contract to the rest
of the story. It is so boppy and happy, which is
just like Glinda’s character. It takes the audience
to Glinda’s point of view which in this case is,
everything will be ok if your popular like her.
•The closing song “For Good” is so moving. The way
it was staged and sung just made the perfect end to
the performance. The mood of the scene was ideal
and showed that they would forever be friends.
Q2: Describe one character from the performance,
including a brief description of their
personality, status and motivation (what did they
want?) AND their purpose in the plot (who or what
did they represent?)
ELPHABA.
Elphaba is a determined, misunderstood young lady.
She is upfront, honest and no one really likes her
to begin with. The student of Shiz are threatened by
her and are frightened of her green skin. Her father
doesn’t treat her very well and only sent to her to
Shiz to help look after her younger sister
Nessarose. But when she is made to room with Galinda
the Good, a friendship develops.
Elphaba’s motivation throughout the story to help
save the animals in Oz. Her purpose in the plot is
the evil villain. But until you read the whole story
that just isn’t true, she was all along just trying
to help. Elphaba represented the misunderstood
villain, she whole town celebrated when the news of
her death was announced because they were made to
believe she was working evil.
LUCY DURACK
VOICE
Lucy gave Glinda a high pitched, buzzing and quite
annoying voice. It was a contrast to Elphaba’s dull, low
voice. This was good when they were singing, because
Lucy was up so high and Amanda was low.
Lucy also spoke really fast and the pace made her seem
excited all the time. She also had her own little
language and when she said a word that was twisted she
slowed it down for the audience to understand.
FACIAL
EXPRESSIONS
Lucy had a lot of different facial expressions through
out the performance. But they all help to portray Glinda
as ditzy and energetic. The most memorable were here
head tilts, really sad face and her shocked face. She
would overemphasize everything and that gave the
character a drama queen feeling.
MOVEMENT
Lucy Durack gave Glinda leg twitches, dance moves and a
lot of energy. She put a skip in Glinda’s step, every
move she made was bubbly.
Q3: Evaluate how one actor used his/her expressive skills
to portray their character. You will need to describe at
least 3 specific expressive skills the actor used and
evaluate how effective these were to portray the
character to the audience.
Q4:
RHYTHM, was used to keep the play
Evaluate
flowing and keep the audience
how two
interested. The rhythm that the
dramatic
play went along was song,
dialogue, song, dialogue. This
elements
the audience foucused on
were used kept
each event as it happened and not
to engage guessing what would happen next.
the
MOOD, the mood of the play
audience
changed all the time. For a
moment you would he happy and
and
then get scared, all in the same
communicate
scene. The lighting helped set
meaning.
the mood of each scene and make
You may
it so appealing to the eye.
THE WITCH FIGHT
refer to
For the first time Glinda and
the use of
Elphaba took physical action on one
any stage
another. It was a personal climax
for Elphaba because her best friends
craft
elements as had given away her sister’s shoes
that she wanted and for Glinda it
part of
was the first time she had seen
your
Elphaba since she took Fiyero from
her. This resulted in conflict
answer.
between the best friends. It filled
the audience with tension because we
had seen this friendship blossom and
it looked to be coming to an end.
You may
describe
one moment
from the
performanc
e where 2
dramatic
elements
were
present
together
or 2
separate
examples
for each
dramatic
element.
DEFYING GRAVITY
When Elphaba rose into the
air the set design was so
clever and made it really
look like she was flying.
The timing for this moment
had to be perfect, so the
direction for this was very
well done. It would be
practiced over and over
again to pull it off so
effortlessly.
EMERALD CITY
The little fairy lights that
lit the whole stage green
made this moment so
unforgettable. The costumes
it this part were also
amazing, they were so
extravagant.