Moosariparambil,+Alex

My name is Alex Moosariparambil, and I am a second year majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. I like to stay involved while on campus and serve on a variety of different organizations. I am currently a Franklin College Senator, a member of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, and a member of Tate Society. My interests include a variety of sports, especially at the college level.

AM Performance Critique for 39 Steps AM Performance Critique for Life Is a Dream AM Realism Assignment AM Beckett's Play Assignment AM Theatricalism Assignment AM Performance Critique for All My Sons AM Musicals Assignment

Assignment 1


 * 1) Describe how comedy seems to be communicated by the clown servants in the two videos.

The wayang kulit ceremony depicts the making of holy water by a dalang puppeteer. Although this is a serious ceremony, there are a variety of comedic elements present. One of the easiest and first examples, of this, is the characters themselves. The two clown servants are depicted as being “pleasantly plump” to convey a jovial mood. Their round faces and large noses can also be signs that they serve as comedic relief in this ritual. Another way comedy is expressed is in the motion of the puppets. The dalang puppeteer moves the puppets in a quick and jerky style to give them an almost exasperated feeling. As you watch the puppets move across the stage, you understand that one clown servant is trying to explain something to the other. His frustration is apparent and is exploited for its comic relief. One of the last ways comedy is revealed is through the tones of the clown servants. The high-pitched voices as well as the speed of conversation allow an audience, even one not fluent in Balinese, to understand the argument between the two servants is funny.

2. Why do you think the puppeteer elects to use such tactics during these serious events?

The use of comedy to convey a message is a trend seen throughout history. And the reason being is that comedy helps to keep an audience engaged in a ritual or performance. As stated in class, this ritual is based off of an excerpt from the Indian Mahabharata andI believe that comedy allows the puppeteer to explain this complicated and auspicious ritual in a way for all to understand it. Another reason comedy could be used is to help small children understand the making of holy water. It is common to convey important lessons in story form, in order that children will understand them. Comedy helps them to stay excited during the ritual and remember it better.

THEA Assignment 2

In //Joe Turner’s Come and Gone//, the audience is given some insight into the black community during the early 20th century. Slavery has ended and many freed slaves are heading north in hope of a better life. However, life in the North is still not as utopian as some would think. August Wilson uses a variety of examples to show that even in the North, prejudice and racial discrimination run rampant. One of the first examples of discrimination occurs early in Act 1, Scene 1. Seth is talking about how many freed slaves come searching for work in the North and are ignorant to fact that many “white fellows [are] looking too.” He goes on to say that these people become more profitable then himself in six months. This statement portrays Seth as a straight shooter. He understands that many jobs have a preference to whites, and that the North is not as “free” as many blacks think. Another example of racial discrimination is seen in Act 2, Scene 1, when Jeremy is fired for refusing to pay his white foreman fifty cents out of his eight dollar salary. Although this is clearly racial discrimination, I was more intrigued by how Jeremy responded to Seth’s reaction. Seth said Jeremy should have just paid the man, but Jeremy is more willing to lose his job than his freedom. This is telling of the younger generation of free blacks.

Assignment 3

When comparing Olivier’s and Branaugh’s take on //King Henry V// there are a variety of different factors to take into account. Historically, these plays were directed forty years apart. Olivier’s takes place during 1944, the height of World War II and the Nazi bombings of London. Branaugh’s, on the other hand, was written in 1984 in the midst of the Falkland’s War, a dispute between the British and Argentina over the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. Apart from their historical differences, these plays also show a different tone and mindset surrounding the battle between the French and English camps.

In Olivier’s play, the French are seen as a regal enemy. The knights are treated with the utmost respect, and the attendants seem almost servant-like. The French also give off an almost victorious air, exemplified by the knights laughing and drinking wine. Contrasted with this, the English camp seemed to show everyone on “equal” ground. Cavalry, infantry, and bowman all seemed worried about the impending battle and differences in the strengths of the armies. When King Henry enters, his speech is joyful and almost playful and helps to ease the nerves of his fellow Englishmen. This particular scene takes place during the springtime and helps to promote the almost jovial nature of the French and King Henry.

In Branaugh’s, the French camp is much more serious and focused. A staccato military drumbeat helps to set the mood of both camps, as the camera pans to the English camp. Again, the English are busy working and attempting to fortify their embankments and show the same worry as in Olivier’s, but this time King Henry enters as a more serious and reverent king. His speech is moving and diplomatic and motivates his men to battle, and it is aided by both crescendos and decrescendos of music. The sterner king is also seen when the French emissary arrives. Rather then sending him along, as in Olivier’s, Branaugh has Henry dismiss him with a look of disgust and disrespect. This generally more serious tone is aided again by the setting. The play in the dreary winter or fall time frame.