mjRealism

There are many forms of realism in theatre. The setting, language, and story line all play a role in determining whether a performance is considered realism. In “And the Soul Shall Dance”, the set design was two rolling house units (1). Although it is a representation of the houses, it is not a photographic representation. “Hedda Gabler” and “True West” look as if the actual house had a wall removed (3). The audience is able to peer into the lives of the characters. “True West” and “The Glass Menagerie” both use actual props, such as the water used to mist the plants and the glass figurine that shatters on the floor (3). The language used in “And the Soul Shall Dance” is more of poetic realism because of Emiko’s song and dances (2). In contrast the clips use realistic conversation between the characters (3). “The Glass Menagerie” portrays a mother and son arguing, a scene that is common in real life. “Fences” also shows a common idea, a father and son having a disagreement. The story line in “And the Soul Shall Dance” is set in a specific period in time and is about real characters rather than elevated people (1). Similarly, “Miss Julie” and “Hedda Gabler” are set in specific time periods. They are known based on the costumes, but also because servants are included as characters, which is not common in today’s society (3). Others, such as “Oleanna”, do not convey a specific period from the story line. Even though all of the examples are considered realism, each uses the elements of theatre in different ways to create realism based on each play. Word Count: 268 (1) Arnold (2) Richmond Lectures (3) Wiki Space video clips
 * There are important differences between ** **__ And the Soul Shall Dance __** ** and the video illustrations linked to the schedule page demonstrating "realism" in the European, English and American theatre. Briefly discuss a few of them that you consider the most important. **