St Columban’s College Arts Department TASK ‘Creating Excellence’ 9 YEAR 12 DRAMA TASK 9 – EXTENDED RESPONSE (WRITTEN) The Theatre of the Absurd has renounced arguing about the absurdity of the human condition; it merely presents it in being--that is, in terms of concrete stage images. This is the difference between the approach of the philosopher and that of the poet. Martin Eislinn, The Theatre of the Absurd (2004) This term your creative journey in Drama has exposed you to the styles of Absurdism and Surrealism, examining the way the human condition is presented through considered acting, design and directorial choices. After viewing the production Kafka’s Monkey by Theatre for a New Audience, editors from the online theatre publication Australian Stage have approached you to write an analytical essay about the performance. Your task is to examine how the creative team has used the conventions of Absurdism and Surrealism to present the human condition; is Kafka’s Monkey a strong example of the dramatic styles of Absurdism and Surrealism? You will need to analyse the performance holistically but should select three specific scenes to justify your position. In your response you will need to: identify the human condition/s apparent in the play and/or specific scene, identify the conventions of Absurdism and Surrealism used in the scenes selected, identify the skills of performance used in the scenes selected analyse and evaluate how these conventions and skills present the human condition (dramatic meaning) and why these choices may have been made by the creative team. Within your analytical essay you must analyse and evaluate the production, building a clear thesis that states your position in response to the question and examining some or a combination of the following dramatic languages: Elements of drama Skills of performance Conventions of style(s): Role, relationship, situation, tension, space, place, time, movement, mood, focus and symbol. Direction, design – stage, props, lighting and sound, voice and movement. Absurdism and Surrealism – presents the human condition; questions existence and absurdity of life; both comic and tragic; pauses in voice and movement; empty chatter, word play and fragmentation; direct address and participatory action; distortion of time and space through cyclical structure, flash-back, flash-forward and repetition; human/non-human distinctions obscured through voice, movement, costume and make-up; and visual/symbolic story telling. CONDITIONS At least two weeks preparation time in and outside of class time Teacher consultation and feedback on one draft during preparation time. Draft submitted with final response LENGTH 1000 – 1200 words UNIT 4 – REPLACING THE BULB ASSESSMENT ITEM NUMBER 9: RESPONDING Extended response (written) RESPONDING STANDARD A STANDARD B STANDARD C STANDARD D STANDARD E The student work has the following characteristics: The student work has the following characteristics: The student work has the following characteristics: The student work has the following characteristics: The student work has the following characteristics: discriminating analysis of use of the dramatic languages to facilitate dramatic action and meaning informed analysis of use of the dramatic languages to facilitate dramatic action and meaning analysis of use of the dramatic languages to facilitate dramatic action and meaning partial analysis of use of the dramatic languages in dramatic action and meaning explanation of aspects of the dramatic languages used in dramatic action perceptive and thorough evaluation with discriminating supporting evidence of effectiveness of the dramatic action in communicating meaning to audiences informed evaluation with convincing supporting evidence of effectiveness of the dramatic action in communicating meaning to audiences evaluation with supporting evidence of effectiveness of the dramatic action in communicating meaning to audiences partial evaluation with evidence of how dramatic action communicates aspects of meaning to audiences explanation of aspects of the dramatic action discerning synthesis of positions about dramatic action and meaning through use of relevant language conventions and drama terminology. effective synthesis of positions about dramatic action and meaning through use of relevant language conventions and drama terminology. synthesis of positions about dramatic action and meaning through use of language conventions and drama terminology. communication of positions about aspects of dramatic action and meaning through use of basic language conventions and drama terminology. communication of opinions using basic language conventions. 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