how do you evaluate a director's work?
Thu, 26 Mar 2009, 05:59 pmLisa Skryp49 posts in thread
how do you evaluate a director's work?
Thu, 26 Mar 2009, 05:59 pmI have been reflecting on my reactions to theatre that I see.
As an actor who has yet to tackle directing, I realise I generally look at things from that point of view. My observations re: lighting/set design/sound are generally minimal - unless it is particularly amazing or dreadful. Sad I know, but true.
As to the direction of a show, it is a similar thing for me; unless someone makes some very different thematic/interpretive/stylistic departure from the expected, I don't tend to notice & the lucky actors get all the credit for a great show.
To me it would seem that if a director has done a good job, no one will really notice, as the show will flow smoothly, tell the tale effectively & captivate as it should.
Just wondering - how do you evaluate a director's work? What are your thoughts on this, folks?
The actor knows....
Sun, 5 Apr 2009, 09:59 pm...when he or she has been directed and directed well. You feel it...instinctively. Perhaps its up to the actors to be honest and say "This person guided my performance and shaped the play". I remember working with James Hough Neilson a couple of years ago at Garrick and being astonished at how intimately he knew the script, how he had the blocking pretty much worked out in his mind, what he wanted character-wise, how he wanted the set to look, etc, etc, etc. It really impressed me - it was one of the first times I truely believed that the director had a complete vision for the play. I really believed he milked the script for all it was worth and I learned a lot as an actor. Perhaps thats the director's reward - the complete trust and respect of his/her actors.