how do you evaluate a director's work?

Hey Lisa

Good question :)

I believe that everyone who experiences the Arts brings with them a different frame of reference and diversity of experiences, which means that we all glean different impressions from exactly the same performance.

Therefore, there is no one "right" way to evaluate Direction, nor will we all come up with the same conclusions. I recently was a member of a jury, and in deliberations I was often stunned by the observations others had made, thinking "were we in the same courtroom????" The same applies to art/theatre.

However, with that said, these are the things I would focus on when I was directing:

Suitability of cast - Physical compatability with the character and other cast members and obviously their skill level being matched with the role.

Originality & Script Interpretation - My ideas here are influenced by how well I know the show and how many times I have seen it done.

Achievement of Genre - If it's meant to be a comedy (for example) - it's fairly important that the audience finds it funny. If it's a drama/tragedy - how do I keep them on the edge of their seats and the brink of tears? More complex styles like Surrealism and Theatre of the Absurd can be really interesting and challenging for an audience, but effective if done well.

Credibility - Trying to create an atmosphere where the audience is prepared to suspend their disbelief for the duration and accept the story/theatrical experience. Things here I would look at are historical authenticy, references to setting e.g. accent choices.

Blocking - I think about making it interesting to watch, making the movement compliment the dialogue and how balanced the space looks.

Continuity, Pace, Dynamic, Climax - This has a lot to do with attention to detail, entrances, exits and transitions but also things like the intensity level you have the actors play the scene at. Creating a sense of journey.

To a slightly lesser extent, because these areas often have a dedicated manager, the Director would also have a significant hand in staging choices like: Set, Props, Costume, Music, Choreography, Lighting & Sound. It depends on how big the production is on that one.

I'm sure the best way to learn more is by watching others. As you know, I have just had the pleasure of working as ASM with Shakespeare guru, Stephen Lee and I have learned from him some very valuable skills across all aspects of performance and direction. I also have the privilege of seeing a lot of theatre and I pick up more tips and tricks that way.

I hope that has given you a starting point or something to think about at least....

Take the plunge! Maybe start with a one-act show to get your toes in the water :)

Warm Regards

Julia