UNH The Events of Second World War Using Scenery of Small Island Essay

To write a 600-750 word paper that analyzes and provides detailed examples of the use of SCENERY in Small Island.

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Scenery provides the physical environment in which the dramatic action comes to life. Two important functions of scenery are to create a visual world for the dramatic action and to provide an interesting space for actors and director to use in creating physical action onstage. Scene designers use style, color, mass, form, line, and texture within a defined space (usually a stage) to create the world of the play. When analyzing scenery in a production, consider the following topics:

• Environmental conditions: What does the scenery convey about time of year, weather, geography, or other environmental conditions?
• Movement potential: How do actors enter and exit the stage? Are there staircases, spiraling ramps, large open spaces, or other features that suggest specific movement patterns?
• Style: Does the scenery create a realistic sense of time and place? Or is the space symbolic or abstract? Does the scenery employ scenic conventions from a different time or place? Japanese Kabuki staging, for example, or painted scenery in the style of 18th century England?
• Color, texture, line, and rhythm: Does the scenery use bright or subdued colors? Rough, jagged, soft, or silken surfaces? Smooth, undulating lines or rectilinear forms? One door or many doors? What atmosphere or mood do these choices create? Size and scale? How large or small are the scenic elements in relationship to the actors and the audience? What might scenic scale imply about the action of the play?
• Scene changes: Does the scenery change, how often, and why or why not? How do the scene changes influence the overall rhythm of the action?
• Relationship to audience: What relationship between the audience and the performance does the scenery suggest? Do scenic elements blend into audience space? Is the audience separated from the performance space by a spatial or physical barrier?

Assignment Guidelines:

When you see the play:

1. Remember to pay close attention to all aspects of the performance—not just the element that you are assigned. Try to gain an understanding of the play’s plot, themes, and style, as these will inform your analysis of scenery within the play.
2. Be thinking about how the use of scenery works within the performance as a whole. How does scenery reflect setting, theme, or character? What did particular set pieces communicate in the world of the play and why are they important? List specific pieces of scenery you noticed and moments within the performance where the scenery was used or highlighted.

As you write:

1. Start brainstorming by listing all the examples of scenery within the play. Based on your examples and your opinions of said examples, develop a claim about how your element contributed to the production of the play. This will become your thesis statement.
2. Support your thesis statement with detailed examples from the production. Use language that is both vivid and descriptive. Your examples should (1) objectively describe the use of scenery (2) provide your opinion on its effect and importance and (3) explain whether or not it was effective in production.
3. Remember, your paper should tell your reader both what you saw and why it matters. Just describing your production element is not enough—you are crafting an argument about its importance within the play!
4. Where appropriate make sure to reference the play’s cast and crew by name (found in the program). Since you are writing about scenery you will want to include reference to both the director and the set designer.
5. Before submitting, make sure to proofread for both grammar and content.