Metamorphosis Live Theatre Evaluation

What: Metamorphosis

(Adaptation of Kafka's Metamorphosis by Splendid Theatre's Kerry Frampton

At: Stroud High

On: 17.1.18

Brecht:

• episodic structure
• make the audience think about moral questions
• non-naturalistic (it would be hard to naturalistically create a giant bug)

Berkoff:

• to show different characters (there were only three actors and minimal costume changes)

Stanislavski:

• used to find the truth of a character (when they dropped the facade of a character and we connected with them)

Main:

• three narrators
• Greta Samsa (most invested in Gregor)
• Johanna Samsa
• Bernard Samsa

Supporting

• Gregor Samsa (of low status)
• Gregor's Boss (of high status)
• Alarm Clock
• The Woman
• Three Bearded Men (of high status)
• Wardrobe
• Charwomen (of low status)

Physical Skills:

• heavy gait
• bent knees
• arms out in a circle, but hands not touching (show that he's overweight)
• angry facial expression (furrowed brow, jaw forward, flared nostrils and face in a grimace)

Vocal Skills:

• manly voice (loud, husky and rough)

Physical Skills:

• stiff posture
• walks on tip toes (as if in heels)
• high brows
• constantly smiling, but it doesn't reach her eyes (wide smile showing all teeth to appear happy and satisfied)

Vocal Skills:

• posh accent (cut glass accent)

Physical Skills:

• bouncy gait (bounce while walking)
• permanently smiling (naïve and innocent, contrasts Johanne's smile)

Vocal Skills:

• happy tone

Physical Skills:

• arms out to create a more rounded figure
• lowered stance to appear smaller

Physical Skills:

• arms open used them to show doors opening and closing
• bent knees and legs spread to create a larger figure

Physical Skills:

• didn't move legs (the woman is stuck in painting)
• held the cloth like a dress to appear more feminine
• exaggerated hand gestures

Vocal Skills:

• heavy breathing
• low volume (but with microphone)
• slow pace
• monotone

Effect:

• shows that they should be ashamed of what they've become (dehumanizes them)
• allows us to pity them for what they've become as well as compare ourselves to them (morality play)
• used to hide the fact that the parents know and are ashamed about Gregor
• they don't want to face the reality and severity of the situation
• shows their true feelings beneath their facade

• very bare so it doesn't look like a naturalistic house (is very impersonal)
• minimalistic (few props which are repurposed)

• cloth used as a table (to hide Greta until her entrance - like a wall separating two rooms)
• pride badge (taken away to show his hidden shame)
• shame masks

Rope:

• used for imagery - prop is reused for multiple purposes (made a table, a window, a small table and a photo of Gregor)

cards with questions on asking: 'Am I Normal?'

• engages the audience (has an audience member come up and read the card and all of the audience answer)
• links into the morality play
• offers a moment of comic relief after a tension filled scene

•  round brown glasses
• effectively showed transition between characters and narrators
• makes them appear more intelligent (stereotype) as if they know more than us and the characters
• detaches them from the play (acts as a type of mask)

• all characters wore bland costumes which were beige and boring (makes them seem more normal as they don't stand out or draw attention to themselves)

• recorded at the beginning
• use of mic and loop pedal
• ties into Brecht and breaks the fourth wall / gets rid of it entirely

• removes the audience from the action
• used after a tense scene as a method of comic relief