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Acting Critique A Separate Peace Did the actor present a believable character and an interesting performance? The actor, Jason, created a very believable character in the sense that I could understand why John Brown would want to go live in a hospital. I understand why he wanted to stay away from everyone and everything and Just go to a hospital where he could be taken care of. He even says it literally in one of the lines, “l came for the clean linen, I came for the calm, the meals on tray, time passing by and bringing nothing. ” He idn’t want anyone expecting anything from him; he Just wanted to do nothing.
This was his “separate peace”. Did the actor create believable relationships? Yes, the actor created believable relationships, ones that the audience could have thought unorthodox but these relationships reflected his unusual character and this added more to the plot of the play. For example, when the Matron asks him “and how are we this morning? ” his reply is “we are very well thank you, how are you? ” This is bizarre in the sense that a patient doesn’t normally ask a doctor/nurse/matron how hey are when they’re coming to check on you. Again, this Just adds to John Brown’s peculiar character.
Also, Jason created a believable relationship with Maggie who is Brown’s “special” nurse. His relationship with Maggie was one that showed his fondness of her, yet at the same time their relationship suggested that it could never be anything more than a mutual fondness because of the state John Brown was in and because of an uncertain future, even when Brown tells Maggie “l like you very much”, she replies, “l like you too, Brownie, but there is more in life than that. As an audience, I felt the relationship between these two characters was well defined.
Did the actor ‘listen, respond and react’ truthfully under the ‘imaginary circumstances’? Yes, he would listen very well to the other actor/actress with him on stage and then he would respond with his line at the right time, in the right tone of voice. He did not Just say lines flatly and his movements on stage were motivated from the lines. For example, when he asked Maggie “what are you like when you’re not wearing your uniform”, he was painting right before that but he paused, went to it on the bed while rolling around the paint in the bucket and then asked her that question.
He didn’t meant it in a sexual sense but rather in a curious one because he always sees Maggie in the hospital context with her uniform so he was wondering what she was like out of that environment. Under the imaginary circumstances, the actor was truthful and believable. Was the character sustained throughout the performance? The character was sustained throughout the whole performance; it was always John Brown there, rather than Jason. Even when he was painting he was still 100% focused concentrate in order to end up with such a beautiful painting and still be able to stay in character and focused isn’t exactly easy.
Furthermore, when he went into his “dream-like” state when he was talking about the wartime, he absorbed the audience into his thought process in a sense that they could feel the pain he went through at that time. Could you hear and understand what the character was saying (projection and subtext)? Yes, the actor had outstanding projection, even when he was painting and is back was towards the audience, I could still hear him very clearly. Regarding subtext, the character did a good Job revealing it.
For example, when he tells the Doctor “it must be wonderful to have the healing touch”, he says it in a sarcastic tone of voice and that gets through to the audience so they laugh. The actor also portrays John Brown’s humorous side well after the Doctor tells him “Matron will be along to discuss your case with you tomorrow” and he replies “my finger? “, when really he knew it had nothing to do with his finger but rather with his unnecessary stay at the ospital.
Please conclude with comments on the following: Visual (set, costumes, lights) The set was simple; it reflected the white typical hospital set. The costumes really fit the actors well, and especially matron’s costume was very appropriate and added more to her character, she wasn’t wearing the clich???? scrub uniform but an actual black outfit. Furthermore, the lighting was an important component of the play; the diming, and the dream-like state when Brown was talking about the war all added more suspense to the mood. Sound
The sound suited the play very well, all four music tracks were calm and this added more to the hospital setting and Just the overall environment of Maggie and Brown’s relationship. Also, the music that was playing during the time Brown was painting went with his painting of nature and the trees and landscape. In addition, the song that was on when Brown was changing was very romantic and built up on the suspense of both the preceding and proceeding scenes. Lastly, the fact that the music faded in and out created an overall serene atmosphere.