When thou reviewest this, thou dost
review
The very part was consecrate to thee.
William Shakespeare (Son. 74)
Review A: “Audience
members FAINT during bloodthirsty showing of Shakespeare’s Titus
Andronicus”
—Mail
Online.
Review B: “First of all a warning: the production of Shakespeare’s
Titus Andronicus…is not
suitable for children. And that is a huge shame.” —Robert Crew for Stage,
The
Toronto Star.
Review C: “This splash elaboration of Ms. Taymor’s 1994
Off Broadway production turns Titus
Andronicus into a fluid
time-traveling fantasia on violence and revenge that has the
look
and feel of a sophisticated video game.”
—Stephen Holden for The New York
Times.
WHY AND HOW OF
REVIEWS
Whereas we explore and interpret
when we write essays about literature, reviews are an opportunity to voice an
opinion: to promote and pan, to praise and to criticize. In an interpretative essay, we turn the words
on the page into a three-dimensional experience. In a review, we take the three-dimensional
medium of the play and present it in writing.
In a review, we entice others to see particular performances or we warn
them off. Writing reviews is an
opportunity to own and hone your sensibilities—what Shakespeare refers to in
the epigraph as the part “consecrate to thee.”
How do we convince others of our
point of view? In his Rhetoric,
Aristotle distinguished three forms of appeal: emotional, ethical, and
logical.
Emotional appeals are laden with
sex and violence, tempting us to vicariously (and blamelessly) partake in what
later Christian texts term as the seven deadly sins: Anger, Envy, Gluttony, Greed, Lust, Pride,
and Sloth. Ultimately, for Aristotle, in
an effective play, good prevails through what he calls “catharsis,” reaffirming
the cardinal virtues of wisdom, justice, courage, and moderation. Emotional appeals provoke strong emotions and
quick reactions through vivid language and sensuous/sensual details.
Ethical appeals establish
believability. They create confidence in
the authority of the speaker/writer and in the authority of those who are cited.
We are invited to vicariously enjoy the caché of of someone “in the know.” Through
dramatic irony, we, the audience, and the reviewers who guide us, are meant to
feel we are “on the right side.”
Logical appeals inform and reason
with us. Because performances are essentially drama—the stuff of human
emotions—heavy logical appeals might deteriorate into lecturing or
summarizing. Boring the readers of our
reviews will surely not satisfy the purpose of promoting a play or creating
confidence in us as reviewers. The best reviews combine all three kinds of
appeals with verve, personality, voice, and knowledge.
The review excerpts above make
strong appeals. “Audience members FAINT” instantly piques emotional interest:
Danger! Danger! Read on to size up how safe we are. Violence. Fear. Vigilance. If we are tempted to skim, the all-caps FAINT
will ensure we don’t. Once our attention is captured and we commit to reading
on, momentum builds with the word “bloodthirsty.” For those who like horror and thrillers,
here’s an opportunity to indulge in some bloodlust, anger, greed, even pride—What
wimps others are! I can take it. I’ve got a superhero’s heart!
Headline A is followed by an
effective review technique: a bulleted list, starting with these three items:
·
Tragedy has the reputation of being the Bard’s
bloodiest play
·
Audience treated to scenes of rape, mutilation,
murder and cannibalism
·
The Globe’s current production…
The first item on this list is
an ethical appeal to the reader’s need to be “in the know”:
the writer knows the buzz on this play, and “surely you
are privy to it,” too. The cozy use of
“the Bard” is gossipy and friendly.
Using Shakespeare’s nicknames implies the writer as his familiar—thus
increasing credibility. The detailed list of atrocities in the second bulleted item
shows that the reviewer knows the performance well. That the performance is at The Globe—the
contemporary remake of the historic theatre in London—further adds to the
writer’s ethical appeal: the fainting
audience was at an important performance. As for a logical appeal, we can argue
that all three items give us historical information: that Titus Andronicus is a tragedy and Shakespeare’s most bloody; that
the play includes a range of violent acts; that the performance was at The
Globe.
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN
A REVIEW
Headline: As you write your review of a
performance—whether stage, film, or video—develop a headline to grab readers on
the emotional level:
Audience
members FAINT during bloodthirsty showing of Shakespeare’s Titus
Andronicus
Shakespeare’s
bloodbath becomes a sadistic delight in Titus
Andronicus
It’s a Sort of Family Dinner,
Your Majesty
“Would I were a devil”: Shakespeare’s Rockin’ Horror Show at The
Bellevue
Crafting the headline is a crucial focusing tool. You
sharpen your opinion and develop your anticipated relationship with your
readers. Use dazzling expressions as in Review C: “bloodthirsty,” “splash,”
“time-traveling fantasia,” and “sophisticated video game.” The best titles will include the title of
the play, and, if there’s a celebrity cast, the names of lead actors.
Head your review with a quote
from, in this case, Shakespeare! The
fourth headline above, “Would I were a devil”:
Shakespeare’s Rockin’ Horror Show at The Bellevue, starts with a quote
from Aaron, the arch villain in Titus
Andronicus. A direct quote will place
your readers into a front row seat.
Bulleted List: A bulleted
list gives your readers a lively summary of what’s to follow (and you, further
strategies for focusing) Remember that
no one has to read your review and that readers might have a short attention
span. Keep them surprised.
Title, author, venue, dates: Since
the purpose is to attract or discourage audience to a performance, it’s crucial
that we know the what, where, when, and who of it. Lyn Garner’s review of Titus Andronicus for The
Guardian starts like this:
Nasty, but oh so very, very
nice. Lucy Bailey’s 2006 revival returns
to the Globe, and
it’s gorier and funnier than ever.
We learn the name of the director, when it is and
where. Notice that Garner mentions the
word “revival” which signals that this is a play. In his review of the film Titus, Holden indicates the genre in his
first paragraph:
…the director
Julie Taymor has adopted in her shattering screen adaptation…
Let us know whether the performance you are reviewing is
a concert, play, musical, opera, film, or audience-interactive experience.
Your purpose: To riff on
Mark Antony’s eulogy in Julius Caesar:
Are you here to praise a performance or to bury it? Make this clear in all of your introductory
materials. Use charged words that
cluster at either the positive or negative poles of an emotional continuum.
Create a personal connection with your reader: Reviews A, B, and C make personal connections
with readers. Review A warns while it invites:
This production is not for the squeamish.
Review B is concerned about children: aw, what a nice person wrote this. Review C wants to play a video game with us.
Use allusions to pop
culture. “Rockin’ Horror Show” in the
headline above references the cult classic Rocky
Horror Show, and creates a sense of familiarity for your reader.
Reviews are for showing
personality—show yours. Know what matters to you and anticipate what matters to
your potential readers—whether it’s sex, violence, money, religion,
fishing—whatever. Which of the seven
deadlies does the performance explore?
Compare
this production with others:
Comparing and contrasting the performance to
others will help you delve deeper into your experience and establish further
reviewer credibility.
POINTS
OF ENTRY
The
heart of your review is how clearly you support your yes, no, or maybe, with
specific details of the performance you saw.
The word “critic” derives from a Greek word meaning ‘question.’ Question aspects of the play that caught your
interest. Here are some points of entry
for reviewing a live performance. Don’t
attempt to address every aspect of the play.
Any one of these would provide ample opportunity to promote or pan the
performance:
1.
Staging:
a. Set:
Does the set offer visual metaphors for the dynamics of the play? For example, were there any numerical
symbols, such as three spears or seven chairs?
b. Costumes, Make-up, Hair:
Do these further amplify the characters?
c. Lighting:
Does the lighting effectively guide our attention? How?
d. Sound:
How do the sound effects orchestrate your experience? Was there effective use of dimming,
spotlights, coloring, and movement?
e. Props:
Do the props appropriately prop up the action?
2.
Acting:
a. Casting: Are the actors appropriately cast for the
roles they play: physically, vocally, by ability? Which actor(s) most effectively brought the
play to life for you? Which caused you
difficulty, and why? Do the actors
deliver their lines in keeping with the action?
Do their gestures enhance their delivery?
b. Directing: Is the action on stage smooth and appropriate
for the play? Are interactions between
characters effective and balanced?
3.
Adaptation:
a. Does
the play (film or video) stay faithful to the text, throughout?
b. If
it is a translation—either to another language, another genre (such as a
musical or opera or film), or to a time and place not originally intended by
the script—what is the effect of the performance? How does it affect your interpretation of the
play, as text?
c. Are
there gender switches—male characters played by females and vice versa? How
does this affect your view of the play?
d. What
are the effects of any cuts or additions?
e. Was
the play audience-interactive? How? What was the effect on you?
f. Compare
this production to others
4.
Reviewers:
Do you agree or disagree with other reviewers’ views? How and why?
5.
Relevance
to the community
CHECKLIST
Here’s a checklist of points of entry for your
review. You do not have to incorporate
all the strategies. These are reminders of what’s possible:
Format:
Headline
Bulleted
List
Title,
author, venue, time
Purpose
Readers
Point(s)
of Entry: Staging and Acting
Adaptation
Other
reviewers
Other
performances
Emotional appeal:
Charged
words and expressions
Humor and
wit
Personal
reactions
Relevance
to the community
Ethical appeal:
Establish
your believability
Incorporate
production details
Reference
to experts and other reviewers
Logical appeal:
Background and other relevant information
Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteWhat I found to be the most important portion of this blog post is that headlines are vital and need to grab the reader's attention. As a reader myself, a title or headline automatically intrigues or repels my attention. It's almost like another version of "judging a book by its cover". It's very easy to judge an entire post or review by its headline. Though this isn't the sensible thing to do, I have to admit that it's something I do and I'm sure others do as well. Readers automatically form an opinion based on just the headline. Though sometimes the headline doesn't do the entire review justice, some readers will never know because they won't continue reader if the headline turns them off. Therefore, the headline can be the lifeline of the rest of the review. It's very significant and should be crafted with one purpose in mind: attention grabber!
Best,
Larissa Carvalho
This blog is very informative and interesting. After reading it, I learned a lot goes into writing a review.
ReplyDeleteDr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteFirst, thank you for posting a blog post about how to write a review because to be honest, I never actually thought about or realized how much actually needs to go into a good review. I always knew that the headline had to POP to get reader's attention. I think back to times of when I read reviews for about anything and if the headline or title doesn't POP out at me, I move down to the next one. I really appreciate how you laid everything out for us and included everything that should be in a review. I found the points of interests such as staging, acting, adaptation, reviewers and relevance. I have never thought about it that way so it is cool to learn a new perspective. I have personally never written a review for a play, maybe just for items that I have bought, so I am excited to give it a try and to learn the proper way of making an interesting review that gives readers an outlook on the certain play!
Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteI’m glad you touched upon how much value there is in a title, especially when now most titles use clickbait to gain an audience. It’s better to be truthful with your title, but still use moderate flair to grab attention. Doing that is never easy and needs practice but it can be done. Also, I like that you broke down how to write a review because before you make a title you need to know what information you want to give the reader. Some reviews focus so much on performances and less on staging. When I read reviews I always see criticism or praise of an actor, and the staging is always a shorter paragraph. Also, in recent years Broadway has been adapting more screenplay inspired musicals thus reviews talk at length comparing the new play and the original source material. In Shakespeare I’m sure many reviewers compare the original text to the play’s recent interpretation. For instance, Kean is doing the Comedy of Errors but the play takes place in the Jersey Shore. It’s a strange choice and it will be interesting how others will perceive this different interpretation.
Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteThis blog post was very informative because I would have been totally lost without it. I like the part about the review heading because I look at reviews a lot on many things. One sentence can completely turn a person on or off and will decide if the reader will actually keep reading. You don't want someone to think its just a whole bunch of blah so its definitely best to catch them from their first glance. Your post will surely help me when I go to see the Comedy of Errors.
Vibrant colorful umbrellas, boardwalk signs and sounds from the shore set the scene for The Comedy of (Jersey) Errors at Kean University Zella Fry Theatre directed by Rachel Evans. The use of these vibrant colors, scenes, and sounds set the various moods that provided an excellent backdrop for the action to unfold. The Comedy of Errors was a joy to see set in the Jersey shore beaches of Point Pleasant while the original Comedy of Errors took place in Ephesus. A series of mistaken identities, misunderstandings and unfortunate situations make this comedy hilarious centuries later. The quest for two sets of long lost brothers to be reunited begins.
DeleteIntroduction from paper.
Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this post very much. It is interesting to dive deeper and to visualize the deconstruction of writing a review. Often times, they can come off as strictly critical, which is something I thought of as the only format for writing a review, but through this blog post I'm witnessing that logical and ethical points of view are other approaches one may take.
Dr Rich ,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing tips on writing a review. People will read a review and determine whether or not they should go to a play that you write about. It's important that we do not bore the reader by summarizing the play. I love how you touched upon voicing your opinion and convincing others of your points. Also, how headlines are very much important to grasp the readers attention. I will put these tips into practice next time I write a review. Thank you.
Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteAs I write this, my cat is currently resting her paw precariously close to the enter key. She's got an eye for Shakespeare reviews, I think! (But really, I hope she doesn't accidentally make me send this early...)
I actually just came home only a while ago from my viewing of The Comedy of Jersey Errors. I certainly am going to have a lot to write about - there was even some drama onstage that wasn't a part of the show! ;)
I appreciated the emphasis on including the director's name(s) in the headline - just like the pit crews and sound departments, directors often get very little love from the audience. Though not the focus of the post, little things like that remind me how reviews can be as kind as they can be critical.
Which brings me to my main takeaway: the importance of balancing my own, usually critical, opinions, and the objective quality of the performance itself. I could sit and opine the entire review about every minute detail, which would bore my audience just as much as if I paraphrased the entire play. Instead, I'll take a hint from here and try to make the body of my review just as gripping as the headline itself.
xx
Naomi v.
Kean University’s Theatre Conservatory presented The Comedy of Jersey Errors last week and it was remarkable! The play was adapted and directed by Rachel Evans. Rather than the play taking place in Syracuse and Ephesus, Evans decided that this play was going to the Jersey Shore. Its summer time in Point Pleasant, New Jersey and the sun wasn’t the only thing that was hot! The cast of The Comedy of Jersey Errors were remarkable and absolutely brought the play, The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare, to life. Each cast member resembled each character in the written play to a tee and surpassed my expectations of how the cast members should dress, act, and speak throughout the play. I would recommend this play to be seen by my friends and family who wanted a good laugh.
ReplyDelete(Paragraph from Comedy Paper)
The Comedy of Jersey Errors, Kean University’s current adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors, incorporated creative yet deliberate staging, formulating an innovative vision while keeping true to the original script. The director, Rachel Evans, made necessary changes to adapt the play to take place at the Jersey Shore, but she delightfully managed to uphold the authentic essence of Shakespeare’s play. The Comedy of Jersey Errors was driven by humor and the actors’ fresh embodiment of well-known characters, which caused the audience to invest in the story depicted. Multiple aspects of the staging, including the set, costumes, sound, and props enhanced the understanding of the play and made it increasingly entertaining.
ReplyDeleteLarissa Carvalho
(Paragraph from Comedy Paper)
Rachel Evans’ The Comedy of Jersey Errors at Kean University’s Zella Fry Theatre Saturday April 7th at 8pm was hilariously brilliant. Although the play doesn’t stay true to the text completely, the adaptation of it was well written. The changes made to the play made sense to fit the theme of the Jersey Shore and even though there was changes, Rachel Evans was still able to keep authentic spirit of William Shakespeare. The use of props, costumes, and sounds overall just added to the beauty of the play.
ReplyDelete(Paragraph from Comedy Paper)
The audience got a feel that the cast of The Comedy of Jersey Errors were an amazing group of actors who knew what they were doing when they got on the stage. Their acting skills prove themselves to the audience, and with this play, they proved themselves and more. They did an astonishing job playing their characters, physically and vocally. Antipholus of Long Beach Island, Meghan Landon, played her character not only talented but powerful. She played a man but did such an outstanding job doing so. She delivered her lines so confidently that you would have thought she was a Shakespeare queen, while keeping up with her actions. Angela, Arly Rubens, also played her character to a “T”. She was dressed and reminded me of Snooki with her cheetah attire and attitude. She played her character SO WELL, and also related her to a character from the Jersey Shore. Now that’s talent! None of the characters caused me any confusion or difficulty. The entire cast did an amazing job bringing their lines to life.
ReplyDeleteThe directing in The Comedy of Jersey Errors differs from many other plays. Because this play is based off of “errors” you would assume that the action on stage didn’t run smoothly, but in fact, it did. I think it’s even harder to “pretend” that you’re making errors on stage when in reality, it’s exactly how the play is supposed to be going. I think this is a harder task then making sure everything goes perfect on stage, and I think this cast did an incredible job of making their audience laugh and have a great time at the play.
Prior to Kean University’s wonderful performance of Comedy of Jersey Errors, I had never before seen a Shakespeare show. If someone were to have any sort of introduction to Shakespeare, I personally would suggest the most pleasurable way to do it, would be watching one of his comedies. Though it was adapted slightly to appeal to a more modern audience, the linguistic complexities were still prevalent. Shakespeare titling the original show Comedy of Errors was no understatement to the plot that is filled with hilarious unending errors that seem to add to the calamity of mistaken identities, misplaced treasures, and crime & punishment. From The Don, to the three best friends who see to resemble those of Washington Heights, to chain toting lifeguards, Comedy of Jersey Errors kept me plugged in and engaged to see how all the pieces of this complex puzzle were going to fit together. This play is unlike other popular Shakespeare plays; it is not filled with death, it is not heavily focused on unrequited love, and for once, it actually leaves you with a happy ending. I say this with no exaggeration; Kean’s production of Comedy was without a doubt the best show of this theatre season.
ReplyDelete(Paragraph from Comedy Paper)
The Comedy of Jersey Errors sure kicks up sand, in this exhilarating,energetic and funny comedy.It truly solidifies my true passion and intrinsic motivation for Shakespeare’s work.It transcends from mere art to a personal connection of both the mind and the spirit. If you have never had the opportunity to experience Shakespeare first hand this is the perfect opportunity.Not only will you get the real sense of what the play is about right away,even having no prior knowledge ,it's a easy catch on and you fit right in with a personal connection and making it relative.One will be mesmerized by its easy and it's simple language,theme, and its plot.It is so easy for the characters to lure you in as the sole motivation for any comedy and this is living up to its expectations.
ReplyDeleteMaudry
Before beginning my paper I will admit I was very unsure where to begin. However, this blog post set a direction for me. It is easier to see an in-depth guideline of what works and different examples because I see that there are endless routes to take in making a creative review. From my paper though I was unable to see Rachel Evans's Comedy of Jersey Errors, my favorite paragraph is:
ReplyDeleteAt the seventh annual Actors’ Circle Theatre Shakespeare in the Park, the audience was given a sweet and sour taste of Shakespeare’s mistaken identity in The Comedy of Errors. Chris McCartie’s revival of Shakespeare’s shortest play went through its up and downs in expectations. The performance was filmed live on August 3, 2014 at Depot Square Park in Peterborough, New Hampshire. The performance was surrounded by a minimalist set and a natural lighting as if to recreate Shakespeare’s Globe but in a park!
Sample by Brianna Martinez:
ReplyDeleteOh, God… I mean “O, Sinatra…” bless the cast of this adaptation of Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors the ability to reach equilibrium in enthusiasm as they go on tour within Union County, New Jersey (Err 1.1.132). After witnessing three of the eight shows performed at Kean University, it is evident that some actors were consistently more committed to their characters than others. Perhaps their future audiences will not spot the difference between The Don and Egeon, besides the Italian accents and gender bending. However, as an invested theatre artist, myself one may find it difficult to watch tremendously opposite levels of commitment in one stage picture.
Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteI have an internship writing music reviews and I have been doing them for a little more than a year so I know the content specifically for what goes in for a detailed music review which can influence the opinion of someone who reads the review.
Whether that influence be a positive or negative one, I give my honest opinion about how I feel about the music I review. In the beginning I was just agreeing with other articles written about the music not giving an input of what I actually felt about the music. Then I realized that I can't write reviews like that I need to be honest. In reviews where I specifically don't like the kind of music such as country, I will say something along the lines of, "While I am not the particular kind of person to like this genre I can appreciate the artists creativity and other people who enjoy this style of music can appreciate it more than I can."
I try to be fair with my reviews but I make sure that I keep all the concepts discussed in your blog in mind when I write them. I spend so much time and research on my reviews looking at the artists, where they came from, and what their previous background is in writing music. Getting into contact with them can be difficult it can sometimes take me weeks before they get back to me which delays the time the article must be published. But at the end of the day it is my opinion in my review and whether a reader can take my review in a positive or negative way is up to them.
Kristen Calderoni
Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteThis is a paragraph I've taken ou of my paper to share on this post.
The Comedy of Jersey Errors not only illustrated Adriana as the wacky Spanish women, but the wacky Spanish lady that spoke Spanglish! There is nowhere is the original text that has Adriana speaking any other language except English. Evans had Adriana speaking the modern Shakespeare language but also completely added some versus in Spanish, such as “coño”(cunt), “mi corazon”(my heart) and “dios mio” (oh my goodness). These phrases were used when Adriana was distressed about her “esposo” another phrase she used that means husband. Hence Evans completely changed Shakespeare’s language to Spanglish.
Adriana shows distress when her husband does not come home for dinner,
Unfeeling fools can with such wrongs dispense.
I know his eye doth homage otherwhere,
Or else what lets it but he would be here?
Sister, you know he promised me a chain.
Would that o’ love he would detain,
So he would keep fair quarter with his bed! (2.1.102-107).
Adriana shows her distress perfectly fine in the original text. There is no use of any other languages except for English. Shakespeare on the other hand, portrays Adriana’s concerns in a dramatically way. When Adriana is accusing her husband of adultery she uses the word “homage”, when pronouncing the word “homage”, you say “homage”, meaning the word sounds like the word “hoe”. Therefore, Adriana calling an imaginary woman a hoe.
Anastasia Vazquez
Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteThis blog post was more informative for me. Prior to reading, I didn’t know that there were specific ways or outlines for writing reviews. I always was under the impression that people just tried a product, read a book, watched a movie and just said whatever came to mind about it. Seeing how much detail and outlining actually goes into writing a review makes me appreciate them. I also can appreciate the note to connect with your reader /viewer, otherwise your review can go unconsidered. I believe that this blog is definitely necessary.
Eniola
Hey Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteThis blog was everything I could've asked for and more. I appreciate the clear examples and all of the different techniques you provided to enhance our review papers.
(Paragraph from my essay)
Directed by Assistant Professor, Rachel Evans, The comedy of (Jersey) Errors gives the audience a relatable backdrop with a more modern take of Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors. This remake incorporates aspects that remind any true Jersey native of home all while maintaining the authentic essence of Shakespeare's original play. Ms. Evans' outstanding direction is evident from what might seem to be the most inconsequential detail of each character to the most elaborate creative aspects of staging. Her changes to the original Shakespeare play are seen as necessary in order to fully manifest a Jersey Shore appeal and the incorporation of both Jersey Shore and Shakespeare's original play are mastered beautifully.
I found this post to be so helpful! I've been asked to write reviews in the past for different classes and have never been given much instruction or direction. It helps a lot to have a starting point and explanation to build off of, and I feel like I won't be so insecure about my approach because of it.
ReplyDeleteI've learned a lot about Aristotle's work in my Persuasion course this semester, including his three traditional appeals, and it's interesting to now see it applied to a different subject. I guess it could also be connected in the fact that you are hoping to encourage the reader to either see or avoid whatever you are reviewing - so there's still persuasion involved. I also found it interesting to read about the bullet list technique, as I've never seen, or heard of it before. It makes a lot of sense to open with a layout of what you will discuss throughout the rest of the review, and helps to make your writing more reader-friendly.
I tend to stray away from reading reviews because I worry about walking into any experience with a bias, especially when it comes to websites like www.ratemyprofessor.com . Even though I've heard that their ratings can be very accurate, I still don't like the idea of forming an opinion about someone before I've met them. When it comes to film, I've avoided those reviews for an entirely different reason, which is that I tend to disagree with them.
Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteThis review checklist is a tool that I plan on utilizing in the near future! The information within this blog truly shed some light on how much a headline matters when writing a review. It just goes to show you how much critics have to pay close attention when they are viewing a production for the first time in order to carefully and thoughtfully form their opinions. However, this subject is also tricky because almost anyone can assume the role of a critic and spur out reviews of different shows that I may be interested in viewing. This allows for there to be an open bias roaming around that may lead to one changing their mind about going to see a certain show. For this reason alone, I tend to disregard indulging in reviews of any sort at all costs. I have written many reviews in the course of my academic career for many different shows that I have seen however, the use of detailed headlines such as the ones above were never taught in any of my classes leaving me to feel a bit deprived. I was always told to simply place a "catchy title" at the top and call it a day.
Scenic Designer Ola Farrag creates a perfect version of a scaled down Point Pleasant beach. She brings the set to life with colorful collage trifolds and a wall of umbrellas. It also includes the symbolic boardwalk, which is present at almost every beach. The actors wore clothes that revealed it was summertime. The costumes amplify the characters. “Costumes were elaborate at the Globe- the young men in colorful “doublet and hose”, the kings and queens in the robes of royalty, knights in armor” (Fallon 67). They had to wear the same get-ups all the time regardless of the weather or season. They did not have much of a choice. The umbrella wall looked exactly like the defense strategy that was used by empires.
ReplyDelete(Paragraph from the paper)
The word "Rhetoric" will forever trigger my desire to run and hide. But ignoring that, review writing is just journalism as its very best. And that is why I love it so. Though I do not want to make journalism a career, I did in fact take a few classes in Journalism in High school and was a part of my High School Newspaper. Reviews had to be the big wow because reviews were what people used to go or veto, in this case, a play. Thinking about modern day society everything is about reviews, going to a store, kid's place, movies, food, moving into a new neighborhood, finding a good school and so on. But it's not just about what you talk about, it’s about the words you use. Emphasis is key. That was what my journalism teacher always told me. Instead of telling someone what you thought you should tell them how it felt; make them feel like they are truly there. Especially if it is your career, you want your reader to get a good idea of what you thought and exactly why. Your reader wants to make sure that if they choose to go or not go, do or not do, eat or not eat this thing it was for a good reason.
ReplyDeleteHello Dr. Rich
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned this in class and how it could help writing a review and I wish I had read this before doing my assignment. You wrote our clearly and in detail how to write a review and it is a very good outline and very clear. With these formats it's better to grasp the hidden meanings within the performance that was watched. I've saved this blog post onto my computer just now for good use if I ever have to write a review for anything.
Thankyou.
Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your instruction to include the title, author, venue and time. When we see commercials on television or see written reviews for shows- big or small- we are inundated with information. If we cannot remember the name of the play, we may remember what original work it may be based on or the general subject. We may remember where it is being shown or which month it leaves the theater. Another big one is an actor. We go to see shows because an actor we ‘love’ is starring in it. But no matter what stood out to us and caught our attention, we always walk away with a few key pieces of info to be able to find it later. And to actually google it later, we need something that will make what we’re looking for come up right away; What we remember has to stand out.
Remembering that my review needs to stand out and be memorable will help me to write my review.
Dear Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteThis blog was an essential and very helpful tool for this paper. At first I wasn’t sure what I would do or how I would write it out. The idea of a review was so far off; I have never made one for a play before and didn’t know how to start. I questioned whether or not I needed to take a book to write down notes. After reading this post however I felt a lot more at ease and much more calm in regards to writing this review. You did an excellent job of pointing out what the review should consist of. I appreciate the guidelines and they will make writing this paper much easier, it helped me gain a few new ideas for my paper which I will look forward to writing.
Stephen Corrales
Being that I have never wrote a formal review hearing about the assignment where we would watch a play and create a review was frightening. Of course I have read many reviews and have admired them greatly because of the information behind the review and also the format of what I was reading. I wanted to make sure my review was not a plot summary. This post was crucial for me to be able to write a capturing and interesting review. I really like the information on how to format the review with bullet points etc.
ReplyDeleteThank You,
Tori White
This post has helped me to understand what is needed to be done in order to write a review. I have never written a review before this and when I looked at reviews for movies or plays, I only get sections of the reviews and most of the time they contained just spoilers or it was a generic review where since everyone else loved it, I have to write a review where I loved it. That was the part I loved, when it comes to reviews it is important to voice your own opinion and I thing today with how so many things are all follow the group we do not get that honest opinion of certain things. When you first start the blog you talk about a phrase or line that will hook someone into reading it. That is true in my opinion you are going to need something to get a reader to look at a review and if in the beginning of your review if it is just long dragged out boring you wont get anyone to read what you wrote.
ReplyDeleteDear Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteThis blog post help keep mind what guidelines and concepts to keep an eye on during a performance. Not only does this help with writing my paper but it further implores certain thoughts and actions during my performances. It also has me keep in mind the smaller details that no one really notices in a production like the lighting and costumes that some much effort goes into.
Dr Rich,
ReplyDeleteTo follow up from the paper we had to write, I really enjoyed this post and the assignment within itself! I loved having this as prior knowledge before going to see the play as this allowed me to know what to look for as I was watching the play.
It was fun! I felt like I was pretending to be a Broadway critic, but the cast didn't know I was actually going to be writing a review about them! It felt comicial and almost like I was in a movie.
When it came time to write this paper, it was one of the easier ones I've done in a long time! The words flowed easily and it was like I was writing for a newspaper. I've actually always been interested in journalism and I always enjoyed giving my opinion about things (haha) so the words just came naturally to me!
This information is so relevant to not just the mandatory play, but also over forms of media we see in our everyday lives!
Full of errors, but certainly full of comedy, the production of The Comedy of [Jersey] Errors, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors, takes place during a modern day Point Pleasant Beach. Adopted and directed by Rachel Evans, the play in the Zella Fry Theatre uses physical comedy that brings a different comedic dynamic for audience members to experience. The play is something to see, because it uses technical aspects such as to help tell the story and enhance the show.
ReplyDeleteWriting a review on something is about being completely honest. No one has the same opinion as you, and that's completely okay. But it's important to express your opinions in a professional manner, instead of just saying "I hated this play" or "This play was horrible." It's more about expressing why you didn't enjoy certain scenes or part of the play, but also understanding the other side as to why people enjoyed it. You have to write a review as if it was going to be printed in the New York Times and millions of people are going to be reading it. You have to be professional, as well as use specific details. Get the reader engaged into what you're talking about. Make them get excited to see the play, or movie, or read that book. Throw in specific events that happened, and use descriptive words that gives the reader a preview of what went on. I thoroughly enjoyed writing the review for Comedy of Jersey Errors because the play of course, was a comedy, and it was interesting to write something I don't normally write. I was able to kind of bring myself back, and picture myself sitting in the audience and write about my experience. I enjoyed the play, so writing about it was pretty easy. The only thing I had difficulty with was finding other words to use instead of "funny" or "hilarious", trying to change up vocabulary so I wasn't constantly repeating myself was challenging.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing about writing reviews is, you're writing about what you already know. You aren't forcing yourself to write a research paper or something you aren't interested in. Reviews are about something you've personally experienced, so it makes the process a little easier because it's pretty much all coming from your own mind. I look forward to writing more reviews in the future.
I really enjoyed reading this post because the one thing that I have trouble writing is reviews. It never seems to go right for me. I always think that I'm doing it the right way, but I always end up not expressing my opinion the way that I should to catch the readers eye. Yes I know a review is about something that I already know, but I can say I have trouble putting this experiences and opinions into words.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you had the outline of how to write a review on this blog. It is something that could really help me in the future and something that I will definitely reference back to if needed. I honestly wish I read this when I first started college because it would of helped a lot. But now that I have a clearer understanding about how to write a review and what should be in a review I will feel more comfortable writing one.
Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteI am always interested in reviews, and the most interesting thing to me for let's say plays, and musicals, are that a magnificent show can get bad reviews simply because one of, or multiple actors had a bad night. I agree with a post I saw above, about heading being very important. That can make a person want to read more, or put it down before even getting to the first paragraph. First impressions in writing are imperative. I appreciate your formatting tips, and instructions. The right formatting will only make a review that much clearer, and more pleasant.
Hey Dr. Rich
ReplyDeleteThis was a really informative blog post. I've written reviews before for an online student publication, and I always put care into crafting a really catchy and informative title. The title is what draws people to your review or critique of the film/video/play that people might want to see. Even if your review could 100% guarantee that they will see this play, if the title doesn't grab them, then the review won't either. Having an outline to refer to was also really helpful. The rhetorical appeals are extremely important as well, so having bullet points to refer to is really handy. I also thought that the bullet point idea is a really interesting one. It not only lays out the highlights of the review itself, inciting people to read the review if the points included are interesting, but it might also help persuade readers to check out the film/video/play that you're writing about (depending on the highlights chosen). Reviews are an extremely important way for people to know whether or not a show might appeal to them. Personally, I know that I've watched (and avoided) several movies based on how well the critic sells me the movie (or in some cases, warns me to back off).
- John P.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn this blog, I found to be very helpful since for me, it always had been a struggle to write a proper review that a movie, or a play deserves. The many steps that are shown above facilitates and breaks down into writing smoothly without missing any part out. I understand now how important a headline is because it needs to capture the reader’s attention and persuade the reader to go and see the movie or play or not. I understand that is important to mention all areas like staging, acting, adaptation, little things that many does not see, little areas that makes a difference. Last month, I went to see a play called “Blood Wedding,” with the title gave me a clear idea what the play is all about. As the play goes on, I noticed what costumes they wore, the make-up and the props they used, what language they spoke, the lighting, and music they used, how the actors performed, now that I realize that all these areas is linked to one another. These areas are all important and worth in mentioning. Reviews are great to credit and to improve all who works within the plays or the movies, I think without reviews we wouldn’t know the difference what is bad or good to see. Writing reviews also can help not just actors or directors, but also can help costume designers, make-up artists, and others who works backstage, which makes the play successful or a failure.
ReplyDeleteThis post was perfect for me because I have to write a review for Dr. Rich’s Shakespeare Survey class and I had no idea where to start. I was mainly concerned with what to write about and how to format my writing and this blog post clearly sums everything up. I read reviews all of the time before going to see a movie. I want to see who plays what characters and if other people thought the movie was good. Reviews are really important to me. If there are a lot of bad reviews about a movie, then I most likely will not go to see it and waste my money buying the ticket. If a book has a lot of bad reviews I most likely will not take the time out of my life to read it or spend money buying it. I have always read reviews but I have never even considered writing one so I am expecting this assignment to be a challenge. Hopefully it is one I can overcome. I learned how to write lot of different ways in this class so I am sure I will be fine.
ReplyDeletePriya Jhaveri
When writing reviews there is a certain tone a writer must take. This relevant because when I write reviews for movies or even videos for my past classes it developed my ability to write more better. However, there are positives and negatives when it comes to reviews. The positives are when you want to go see a movie and you hear good reviews about it, it will increase the chances of you seeing it and then you as part of an audience will agree with it. So in other words it was money well spent. However, the negatives are that once you hear bad things about the movie chances are you are not going to go. Rotten tomatoes, known for being a review website, holds a large amount of the populous opinion when it comes to movies. People will give movies that are good some bad reviews that I believe some movies don't deserve and because of this people won't see a good movie. So in other words reviews holds a lot of importance of other people opinions and how it will increase or decrease the chances of seeing it. However, when i read these reviews it does alter my decision of the movie and I even go against it as well. I believe we all need reviews in our lives because just reading simple words can motivate us to either go or not.
ReplyDeleteDr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteBefore this blogpost, I really didn’t think too much about reading reviews for films or plays. To clarify, yes, I did read the critics’ reviews, however, I did not think about what went into reviewing films, videos, or plays. Reviews can either make or break films and plays, so, these are valid points to make while I am writing my review. I feel like this also applies to restaurants, hotels, etc. Depending on the review, it will determine whether I will go eat at that establishment or stay at that hotel where the staff was rude to its patrons. The same also goes for when I am shopping from an online clothing or shoe store. I do pay attention to the reviews and decide if I will spend my money there or not. I really enjoyed reading this blogpost. Since we must review one of two films showed to us in class for our next paper, it really clarified what we need to cover and what to avoid. I loved seeing two different interpretations of Cymbeline. There obvious differences but there were also similarities in both adaptations. One film is more in your face and modern, whereas the other film is subtle and chooses for the audience to listen and feel the emotions through words. This is going to be an interesting challenge for me because I have never done review before for a film. I am no movie critic, but I think that I am up for the challenge of writing a review for the film.
Reading this blog post has really been helping me as I begin to write my movie review for your class on Cymbeline. I have never written a movie review before but I have had to write reviews on orchestras and symphonies for a music class is took here at Kean. The most important part when it comes to writing any sort of review is having some sort of rubric or outline of what the professor wants you to cover. For writing this movie review on Cymbeline I find it easier due to the fact that Dr. Rich has been kind enough to not only give us an outline of what she wants us to write in our review, but she has also given us sample papers to get an idea of what she wants in a good paper. When it comes to writing review papers I do find them more entertaining because we get to compare the play we are reading to a movie version and physically get to see what we were reading about. Along with also including out opinions where in most papers we dont normally get to voice our opinions because readers dont care for that. On the flip side, for movies people want to hear our opinions so they can decide if they want to watch a movie or not and there are people who actually get paid to watch movies and review them. This blog post is very informing and is truly going to help me when it comes down to writing my movie review.
ReplyDelete-Melanie Azevedo
For our last paper of this semester you had us do a review of one of the adaptations of Cymbeline, and at first I was very nervous because I have never really done a review like this before. In other classes we were supposed to write a review but the prompt for the review was basically already writing our papers for us. But that is what I love about your class that you give us the freedom and opportunity to let us have our own creative paperclip for our papers. I must admit that I was also very nervous about that in the beginning of the semester because that was something that I have never been allowed to do but I got the hang of it and have come to realize that I am a lot more creative than I thought I was. So with this Cymbeline review I decided to take the role of a Youtuber, and I came up with this idea because I like to watch YouTube videos but if I am being completely honest, it was because of your blogs. I was never one to really be into writing blogs (I don’t really know why) but because of yours, you inspired me to go in my direction. Which I have to say I am grateful for, I might actually become a YouTuber (who knows?!). But I hope you like my paper because I really loved writing it. Thank you Professor.
ReplyDeleteGrace Carranza
I like the three areas listed for appeal of a work: emotional, ethical, and logical. When reading or watching a film my mind goes to these three topics when reviewing the work. Writing a good review is similar to crafting an engaging story, or better yet summary of the work. To include the film, dates, or places you could go is a good idea because you are intriguing the reader about the work so it would be helpful to provide that information. A review should be brief no one wants to read a script, using bullet points is a good way to ensure you are not adding too much. Comparing it to a similar work is a great idea this will help the reader decide if it's something they would be interested in. I never really thought that much about reviews before I usually never read them. I hear about a new movie and then someone on the radio reiterates how well it was received and if it's worth seeing. The trailers are the new reviews in my opinion. I feel like people watch trailers and decide for themselves more than reading a review of it. Sounds like a good job to me though being paid to watch movies and talk about what you thought of it.
ReplyDeleteLet me start off by saying Unfortunately I am not a fan of plays. I actually fell asleep during Wicked. (people call me crazy for that) All my life I was never really into the play scene, except for Disney’s productions in Disney World. I never really knew there was professional reviews of anything besides a mad or happy yelp review. After seeing this post, I realized there are professional reviews and how much thought is put into them. I found it very interesting how much thought goes into the actually writer and date of the play, besides the venue and title. I realized while reading this that every time I go to see a movie or read a book I look at the title first to see if it catches my eye. If the title doesn't amuse me, I usually never even give it a chance. (I know I am missing out on so many good books because of that) I like the personal connection with your reader part of the blog because that to me is one of the most important things. You need to be able to draw in all types of audiences in by relating to them and the usual crowd all at the same time. Every word used is key to having a successful show. Lastly, the staging and acting is the most crucial part. If your actors and the set up of the production are not almost to perfect, the show will never go on.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this informative blog post, I have also properly realized the intricacies of writing a successful review. From the catchy headline to the personal connection to the purpose. It all ties in with the effective format of reviewing. Although I have only seen 2 Broadway productions, and have never read a review for them, I can firmly claim that I have constantly found myself reading reviews for movies, albums and video games. To such a degree that, I will at times skip a project if the reviews are all negative. Why do I place so much faith in the opinion of strangers, I honestly don't know. I plan to watch AMSD at Kean in the next coming week, so hopefully I can watch it not as a spectator but as a critic. With that being said, hopefully this production is able to meet my expectations.
ReplyDelete- Robin Gill
ENG-3215-01
After reading this very helpful and resourceful blog post I now have a clear understanding and what I must write in my paper for A Midsummer Night's Dream. I saw the play over the weekend on opening night and had an amazing experience. But I'm going to see it a second time so I can better analyze the play bit by bit. I know there are some things I probably missed due to the show being utterly hilarious. However in conclusion, I'm very thrilled to unleash my inner critic. I hope I succeed in this endeavor.
ReplyDeleteThank you Dr. Rich.
Hi Dr. Rich, I have always dreaded the infamous review of a show (especially as a theatre student). Not because of being required to see the show (I love that part), but mostly because writing the review always feels forced. I do not feel as if I enjoy writing those because, most of the time, they are tedious and having to write multiple reviews is difficult, and they become somewhat similar. I always find the outlines and questions we are told to answer boring and make the review so defined that it takes away all personality that I could have inserted. I feel like there is a fine line between writing a review and writing a college essay, and it's difficult for me to always make that distinction. With that being said, I really appreciate this article. These are some very insightful and helpful tips for someone who struggles to put "personality" into their school writing. I normally find myself using the sets of questions in 1 and 2, under "Points of Entry," and rarely using 3-5. Maybe this time around I'll focus more on one of those. I also always appreciate a checklist; as a perfectionist, I enjoy checking things off and making sure my assignment is exactly what the teacher wanted. I know some teachers do not like to provide that, but I appreciate it very much, as it is helpful to students like me. Reviews can sometimes be monotonous and tedious, but that is due to my approach. Hopefully this time around I can take some of your tips and make it more enjoyable to read and write (not in that order).
ReplyDeleteSofia Feggulis
Reading this blog post, I now understand a review can make or break a literary work whether it is good or bad. The tips you’ve mentioned to write a good eye-catching review seems very effective. Personally, when I read a review the headline is the first attraction for me to even set my focus into reading that specific review. Creating a crafty headline does have a better chance of being reviewed by people more often. Something that I have learned from this blog is how reviews are structured in a certain way. How I perceived it to be is individual writing out their thoughts, but in this case, there is more to it in which I did not know.
ReplyDeleteFrom reading the blog “Writing Reviews” I have learned about various aspects of reviewing a play or any given work. What stuck with me throughout the blog is that when I am completing a review, I should give either praise and/or give critiques. I have written reviews for plays that I have seen in the past but it did not occur to me that I should be providing my truthful opinion. Instead, I frequently summarize what the play entailed while voicing my likes and/or dislikes. Although it is significant to mention one’s likes and/or dislikes one should also mention WHY they liked or disliked a certain aspect. I’ve learned that my reviews should draw others to see the play or alert them in regards to not seeing the play. This all depends on how I word my review and how I also form it. On the contrary, I have also grasped what to include in a review. I have never thought to include a headline in my reviews, but I understand that with the addition of a headline it permits one to be drawn into your review. A headline should ultimately grasp one’s attention. After viewing A Midsummer Night’s Dream, I will surely strive to utilize the points discussed in the blog specifically ethos, pathos, and logos. It did not occur to me the amount of thought and personality that went into writing a review.
ReplyDelete- Bailey Vick
Dr. Rich
ReplyDeleteThis blog is just what I’m looking for.
I am creating a blog for reviews of movies, plays, products, etc..I have decided yet. However, I want to
expand my online presence and I want to attract readers who don’t have time or want to read an entire
summary and opinion piece.
I like your format to create a short emotionally appealing sentence. The internet has afforded viewers
opportunities for variety. Reader will look for about 3-5 seconds before they move on to the next piece.
A short sentence appealing to the readers emotions can help me capture their attention. I think about
such review sites as “ Rotten Tomatoes,” who use this technique. Unlike using “stars” and other
characters, the short emotional sentence gives the reader a preview. It also, alerts the viewing audience
to some themes that may be unsuitable for some viewers.
As a writer, I am prone to writing descriptive and, at times, long sentences. The strategy to write bullet
points can provide just enough information for the viewer, without having to read long sentences.
Writing comments about the set or some cinematic element can help broaden my understanding of the
film and offer another aspect of the film or play.
Writing reviews can help marry my love of writing and watching movies and plays. Writing reviews is
another aspect of creative writing which I look forward to sharing with readers..and build my online
presence. The summer months are busy movie and entertainment seasons. I will use these tips
I realized that I used this information to write my play review, but never answered it on the actual blog post. Better late than never! I enjoyed that this blog is open for everyone to read, because writing reviews are much different than writing papers. Papers need a main point, quotes, all that fun stuff. With a play, you do not want to summarize the whole play (boring) but you also don’t want to explain the play. It can get really difficult, really fast. One of the best pieces of advice that you give in the writing reviews blog is “In a review, we entice others to see particular performances or we warn them off. Writing reviews is an opportunity to own and hone your sensibilities—what Shakespeare refers to in the epigraph as the part “consecrate to thee.” When writing the review you want to convince someone that it is the absolute best play you’ve seen in your entire life, and if they don’t see it, they are missing out. But instead of giving the entirety of the play, just sprinkle some spoilers and some really juicy stuff for them to get enticed. Once you have the audience excited about the play, they should be buying tickets before they even finish putting your review down.
ReplyDeleteDear Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteReviews are a taste of the actual meal…whether delicious or nasty, it gives one a sense of what to expect. The title, however, is what will grab my attention and I normally try and not feed into just the title but I think its more or less the sample. I wasn’t aware that so much went into writing reviews however. The list provided by this blog will absolutely help me with tackling future reviews. This is such an insightful blog post and I plan on also sharing it with my fellow writing/reading junkies (: I believe that it is crucial to give credit when its due and I will remember you Dr. Rich and this blog the next time that I search for a movie, book, play etc.
There are so many works of literature out thereto read and I believe that different opinions will always try and steer you into a specific direction. However, if we become aware of the credentials and information the review has then we can steer ourselves into what is worthy and what is not. I have actually never written a review before but I think that was mostly because I never really knew how to. This blog is encouraging and a guide for future attempts that I may want to approach after seeing or reading a well worth while work of art.
-Marilyn Hernandez (Shakespeare Survey 3215-04)
Before reading this blog, the only reviews I would take the time to read are customer reviews from hair vendors. I read the reviews to see which quality hair I should order from and the benefits in ordering the hair. I also read reviews of teachers in ratemyprofessor.com to see what the class is going to be like for the semester. Other than that, I do not read reviews on any literature works unless I am being instructed to do so.
ReplyDeleteReading this blog post, I now understand a review can make or break a literary work whether it is good or bad. The tips you’ve mentioned to write a good eye-catching review seems very effective. Personally, when I read a review the headline is the first attraction for me to even set my focus into reading that specific review. Creating a crafty headline does have a better chance of being reviewed by people more often. Something that I have learned from this blog is how reviews are structured in a certain way. How I perceived it to be is individual writing out their thoughts, but in this case, there is more to it in which I did not know.
As I created my first review for the Midsummer Night’s Dream play, I was nervous that I was not going to have anything interesting to say. But as I continue to write out and explain my personal views on one certain thing about the play which were the costumes, I was surprise that I ended up having lots to say. I enjoyed critiquing the costumes and I ended up understanding the play a bit more rather than reading from the book itself.
As a theatre performance major, it is safe to say that I have experience in writing reviews on plays that I have seen. But for most of my classes, they have us write a paper on every aspect of theatre. Describing what we see and why do we think it enhanced the play. Depending on the type of class it might even ask how it was directed or how we may feel on the production concept or the acting choices. But, that would all be tied together into one boring paper that a person could honestly make up without actually seeing the play. What I like about this particular way is that it makes you focus on one topic for the paper. It really shows that a person actually watched the show because it would be fairly easy to discuss how one little thing can impact an entire production. We have to land the helicopter when it comes to reviews. Even though for regular critical reviews of Broadway shows you will never see this type of format because in today’s society no one has time to be reading a 3-page article on just the lighting of a show unless they need it for a research paper. They want to see if the show is good or not and if they should waste their money to see it. But, in this literary point of view, I think it is an excellent idea to focus on one thing and to even have a headline that will keep readers engaged while they read about the certain production.
ReplyDeleteFrom reading the blog “Writing Reviews” I have learned about various aspects of reviewing a play or any given work. What stuck with me throughout the blog is that when I am completing a review, I should give either praise and/or give critiques. I have written reviews, when taking Introduction to Theatre, for plays that I have seen but it did not occur to me that I should be providing my truthful opinion. Instead, I frequently summarized what the play entailed while voicing my likes and/or dislikes. Although it is significant to mention one’s likes and/or dislikes one should also mention WHY they liked or disliked a certain aspect. I’ve learned that my reviews should draw others to see the play or alert them in regards to not seeing the play. Grasping one’s attention all depends on how I word my review and how I also form it. On the contrary, I have also learned about what to include in a review. I have never thought to include a headline in my reviews, but I understand that with the addition of a headline it permits one to be drawn into your review. A headline should ultimately grasp one’s attention. It has been brought to my attention that after viewing, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, I am to write a review on the play. I will surely strive to utilize the points discussed in the blog post specifically ethos, pathos, and logos. Ultimately, it did not occur to me that I should put my personality in my review as well.
ReplyDeleteBailey Vick
The format that was given is perfect. Most people just give their bs opinion and you can tell if their review is credible if you had the chance to get to know them from afar or if you already know them personally.
ReplyDeleteFor the Emily Dickinson course, classmates "Reviewers" said the play would be boring and isn't portrayed at all how we learned. After seeing the play I can agree that it was partially boring but overall I liked the play. I only say it's boring because the woman who played Emily Dickinson was on a stage for 2 hours by herself having conversations with her family but to herself. To me, it would have been more entertaining if a man was actually casted and appeared on stage.
For the Belle of Amherst play I loved the staging. I love the old fashion furniture styles - the chairs, the rug, the couch, the lighting, even the pen. I always felt like I was born in the wrong era. The costume was up to par. It's what we learned about Emily and the actress held true to the wardrobe. The props- the wooden box, the old fashion pen added an extra bonus since I remembered reading about Lavinia finding a wooden box with Emily's writings after Emily passed.
The acting was done well, her lines flowed, she made a few jokes, everything was accurate to what we have learned. The only detriment was the lack of other characters. The adaptation was accurate as can be. The relevance to the community is that people get to learn about Emily! Now that I'm taking the course people ask me what courses am I taking and when I tell them "Emily Dickinson" most people just nod their head no. I tell them all the time to google her because they are missing out on great poetry.
I would definitely see another Emily Dickinson play - except next time it needs to have 2 or more people!
Normally on a day to day basis I am constantly reading reviews in a sense of clothing, movie, devices, plays, and so on. However I do not always trust reviews completely because it is based on not absolute facts because opinion is involved. For example, if a movie in theaters did not get good reviews I will wait to watch it when it comes out on television. I think that reviews can be either helpful or misleading but it can be a generalization of some of the play but I would only truly know the play if I saw it for myself. When I wanted to see Spiderman on broadway people I talked to said it was "dumb" I ended up taking my brother to see it and we both loved it! The play was interactive and thrilling!!
ReplyDeleteI always thought that writing reviews were simple, but I was wrong. It’s much more than just writing a summary of the play, movie, book or whatever you may be reviewing. You as the writer need to sell that work of art to the audience and persuade them to watch/read whatever it is that you are reviewing.
ReplyDeleteLast year, I created an Instagram account based on reading and writing and I try to upload pictures of books I’m currently reading with little reviews about them and what I’ve read so far. However, I never truly understood nor knew the “proper” way to write a review, but after reading your blog post on the steps to make an effective review I will most certainly use this for my personal and professional blog site.
AWP 5000
I am a person who enjoys plays and Broadway musicals and etc. I’ve seen what it takes behind
ReplyDeletethe scenes to put together such an elaborate production. No wonder they say the crew becomes family. From the actors, directors, producers, musicians, stage crew, wardrobe, hair/makeup, ushers, dancers,subs, landlords and maintenance; the world of the stage is incredible. Their time is valuable and for them to spend it creating something they believe in completely. The second, minutes, hours, days, weeks and months spent perfecting their talent or skill.
What we rarely consider are the writers who have to write a review whether negative or positive. To write it to share a piece of you with an audience, without considering the size. A review takes into consideration all sizes of the audience and shares his/her raw thoughts. It becomes a make them or break them moment. It's writing without biases. It’s writing with a full supportive cast within your keyboard or pen.
I have so much respect for people who write any type of reviews. Talent, patience and honesty.
Meagan AWP 5000