Analysing the acting

Description:

This week while reflecting on German expressionism we saw that the acting is one of the most important things, the body expression. We went to see “Elektra y Orestes”, and I focused in the acting of the chorus.

Analysis:

The acting in the chorus: The chorus represented the salves, the low social class who worked for Clitemnestra and Egisto.

Body orientation – The chorus mostly faced the audience and this gaved the effect that there where talking to you, as they are the “conscious voice”. When the chorus enters the stage in the first act they do not face the audience, this gave the effect of entering without calling the attention so the stage presence decreased (also because of the lighting). Then sometimes a part of the chorus faced the audience and the others were giving the back, this gave an effect of two choruses, this helped to give dynamism to those big texts.

Postures and displacement – The chorus posture was as if there were pulled downwards, with the head to the floor, this helped to build the character of servants as they looked as tired and miserable. When the chorus spoke this postures where changed, there were more straight and the force was in the foot, as they move and do like dance steps producing sound and rhythm, this increased their stage presence and change the focus of the character from the servant to the conscious voice.

Connections:

Regarding body orientation, it’s very contrasting the use of this in “La Madre” In this case the body orientation made the audience to feel as if the the woman was approaching to other people in the backstage, towards the “scenary” or if looking to the front to the audience, so giving a personal reflection.  This helped to make the play dynamic and so the long texts didn’t get boring (as in Elektra & Orestes maybe because the long texts where repetitive and didn’t add much more interest in the story, there wasn’t “suspension of disbelief”)

Reflexion:

Although the acting was good, the sensations, impulse and movements weren’t felt in the audience, as if there was no connection with the audience. Was this because the long texts? Or can a long text play can still work nowadays? Maybe long texts can still hook up the audience if found a good game, but this performance played with the chorus, and if this was its game, although was good didn’t hook up the audience.