Drama Term 1+2 8 Flashcards
what is a mime
mime = making something out of nothing, making invisible visible.
it’s about walking into an empty space with an expressive body and creating a world around that body, a world that without that body would be invisible. its a skill that has to be learnt. Mime is copying
how to copy
we need clarity of observation. we need to observe our actions and that of the world very clearly and specifically. need to look at ourselves and life around us all the time
what are the 6 basic principles of mime
1 - Contact and release (5 stages) 2 - Fixed point 3 - Still point 4 - resistance and opposition 5 - Visualization 6 - Weight, shape and rhythm
describe the principle of contact and release and what are the 5 stages
because there’s nothing in the space we need to define the exact presence of those objects. we make the invisible visible by making clear the moment when we make contact with it and the exact moment when we release it.
5 stages - nothing, preparation, contact, release, nothing
describe the principles of the fixed point
once and object is created in the space through making contact with is remains a fixed point unless it is released. for e.g if I make contact with a table, I need to release it if I move away. if I remain in contact but move around, towards, away, that spot remains a fixed point in the space and the body needs to organise itself so that one part is still while the others move. this of course doesn’t affect a small object that can be picked up and moved around in the space. it does affect them however if they are put down, released and picked up again. where they are first put down is a fixed point as they need to be retaken from the same spot, otherwise the object has either grown of I am taking another of the same
NB: the fixed point defines the object in space (or environment)
describe the principles of the still point
the still point is used to define movement and clarify actions. for the invisible to be made visible the performer has to clearly define movements so that the audience can distinguish one action from another. the performer does this with the use of the still point - a slight moment of stillness that gives the audience time to see each separate movement and mentally process and visualize the action in relation to their own experience / frame of reference to a ‘real’ object / environment. I.e the still-point give the audience a chance to catch-up with what the performer is doing and what’s going on.
describe the principle of resistance and opposition
every object when it comes to contact with the body offers a certain amount of resistance. this resistance is set up because of the objects weight, speed, the force that it exerts on the body etc. this resistance cause opposition to be set up in the body. the greater resistance the object offers, the greater the oppositions are that are set up in the body.
Pushing:
the more resistance that objects offers in space the more the body will move in the opposite direction. the head moves forward in opposition to the direction of the external force. the shoulders move back. the hips engage (it is impossible to counter a strong force with out the engagement of the hips).
the oppositions that are set up in the body are the most extreme when the resistance is greatest. e.g pushing a car: the head will move far back if the car is going uphill, will move less as it goes downhill.
describe the principles of visualization
if you don’t see the object, person, environment, and event the audience will not. this is where the mime artist really moves into his own ability to make the invisible visible. it is the power of his imagination combined with level of skill that define the world.
describe the principles of weight, shape and rhythm
all physical objects have both weight and shape - no matter how large / small, how light / heavy. the weight and shape of and object / human govern the way it moves / is moved through space. the weight, shape and rhythm of an object is reflected or mirrored by the way it engage with surrounding objects (including humans) - i.e. how a person ‘handles’or engages with that object. in creating the illusion of objects and or environment, the mime performer needs to simulate the weight, shape and rhythm (i.e. the physical properties and forces) of that object / environment in order to give the illusion that it exists
meaning: theme, plot, exposition, climax and character
theme -
just as the theme of a piece of music is the recurring melody, so the theme of a play is the recurring idea. it is the thread which binds the various incidents of the play together.
plot -
the theme is expressed through the plot and the characters. the plot of a one-act play must not be too complicated. a single incident should make up the story. there is no time to deal with supplementary incidents or sub-plots as they are called.
exposition -
at the beginning of every play (one-act / full length) the author must give the audience sufficient information to enable them to understand the action which follows. this necessary explanation is known as the exposition. in a full-length play, the playwright may spend most of the first act doing this, but this is not possible in a one-act play. as a result, every speech and every action must have a purpose, no words may be wasted.
when he has given the audience all the required information about the events and the people, the writer proceeds to introduce a new fact or a new character which changes the situation and stirs the interest. this makes the action more complex and is, therefore, known as the complication. he continues adding surprise to surprise until his story reaches its climax.
climax -
the climax in a play is the high point of the action. this high point occurs in a tragedy or dramatic play when the conflict becomes most intense, and in a comedy or farce when the confusion becomes most hilarious or ridiculous. after this point, the problem presented in the first part of the play is solved. in a one-act play the climax sometimes comes right at the end and any further explanation is unnecessary; at other times it is reached before the end, and the play has a more quiet ending.
character -
because a one-act play lasts approximately 30 minutes, there is little opportunity for the development of character. the author has no time to show how the character changes with age or with changing circumstance. if we were to watch an artist paint a portrait, we would see the picture grow stroke by stroke. we can observe such a growth in the building-up of a character in a novel or a long play, but in a one-act play, the process is similar to the unveiling of the finished portrait the characters are revealed to us almost immediately. in studying the one-act play, it is interesting to note how the writer goes about his task, bearing the above-mentioned elements in mind
what elements does traditional praise poetry include
use of:
- rhythm
- repetition
- gestures and movement
- nature and animal imagery
- audience and contact
what is a praise poet
- traditionally called “imbongi” and their poetry called “izibongo”.
- they interact with audience and may use gestures such as clapping, making a fist or nodding their head.
- primary job is to esteem someone ( they celebrate / acclaim a person)
what different roles does a praise poet play
other than esteeming someone:
- commentator = comment on & question society
- memory = remind community about events from the past
- mediator = help people communicate & show both sides of story
- political = share political message & encourage people to vote
what can praise poetry be used to do
- declare wars
- greet visitors
- celebrate military victories
- educate
what does a praise poets wear
- traditionally they would wear animal skin hat & and animal skin robe.
- would also carry spear.
- contemporary poets have greater freedom of dress, some wear 1 / 2 traditional items but its not required.
- contemporary poets may choose dress in way that reveals something they believe in (colours of political party)
