Unseen Drama – sample answer
notes – body language, actors’ movement,
tone of voice (volume), music,
lighting
Q3:
If I were the director, I would give the
actors specific instructions regarding their body language, movement and tone of
voice in order to create tension. I would also make creative use of
lighting.
Because most of the tension is caused by
Frank’s attitude, I would have him use very tense and uptight body language.
When he is sitting in the chair, he would have his arms folded defensively and
his shoulders hunched. As he moves away from Rita (when he says, “Perhaps,
perhaps,”) I would have him keep his back to her in order to emphasise how
annoyed he is with her. Rita should have much more open body language for the
first half of the scene, using her arms to emphasise her points. However, when
she loses her patience in her final line, she should place her hands on her hips
and face him squarely as she gives out to
him.
I would also direct how the actors should
sound. For many of Frank’s lines (“talking” / “you didn’t tell me” “everything”)
he should sound sarcastic and petty. He is making Rita do all of the work in the
conversation. In Rita’s final line, she should sound angry and exasperated with
Frank, as she has lost her patience. Finally, I would have just a simple spot
light on the two of them, and the rest of the stage in darkness, in order to
increase the tension that the audience will
feel.
notes – body language, actors’ movement,
tone of voice (volume), music,
lighting
Q3:
If I were the director, I would give the
actors specific instructions regarding their body language, movement and tone of
voice in order to create tension. I would also make creative use of
lighting.
Because most of the tension is caused by
Frank’s attitude, I would have him use very tense and uptight body language.
When he is sitting in the chair, he would have his arms folded defensively and
his shoulders hunched. As he moves away from Rita (when he says, “Perhaps,
perhaps,”) I would have him keep his back to her in order to emphasise how
annoyed he is with her. Rita should have much more open body language for the
first half of the scene, using her arms to emphasise her points. However, when
she loses her patience in her final line, she should place her hands on her hips
and face him squarely as she gives out to
him.
I would also direct how the actors should
sound. For many of Frank’s lines (“talking” / “you didn’t tell me” “everything”)
he should sound sarcastic and petty. He is making Rita do all of the work in the
conversation. In Rita’s final line, she should sound angry and exasperated with
Frank, as she has lost her patience. Finally, I would have just a simple spot
light on the two of them, and the rest of the stage in darkness, in order to
increase the tension that the audience will
feel.