9
English
Quarter 4–Module 4:
Composing a Play Review
Development Team of the Module
Writer: Janet D. Consumo
Editor: Sharie L. Miguel, EdD., MT-I
Reviewer: Sharie L. Miguel, Ed.D & Cherrylene M. Mendoza, MAED-Eng
Illustrator:
Layout Artist: Cherrylene M. Mendoza, MAED-Eng & Sharie L. Miguel, Ed.D
Management Team: Edgard C. Domingo.,PhD, CESO V-SDS
Melissa S. Sanchez, EdD CESE – ASDS
Shirley B. Zipagan, EdD CESE – ASDS
Celia R. Lacanlale PhD, CID Chief
Arceli S. Lopez PhD, SGOD Chief
Ruby M. Jimenez PhD, EPS-LRMS
June D. Cunanan EPS- English
Published by the Department of Education, Schools Division of Pampanga
Office Address: High School Boulevard, Brgy. Lourdes, City of San Fernando, Pampanga
Telephone No: (045) 435-2728
E-mail Address:
[email protected] 1
Introductory Message
For the Facilitator:
Welcome to the English 9 Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM) Module on Composing a Play
Review!
This module was collaboratively designed, developed and reviewed by educators from public
institutions to assist you, the teacher or facilitator in helping the learners meet the standards set
by the K to 12 Curriculum while overcoming their personal, social, and economic constraints in
schooling.
This learning resource hopes to engage the learners into guided and independent learning
activities at their own pace and time. Furthermore, this also aims to help learners acquire the
needed 21st century skills while taking into consideration their needs and circumstances.
In addition to the material in the main text, you will also see this box in the body of the module:
Notes to the Teacher
This contains helpful tips or strategies that will
help you in guiding the learners.
As a facilitator you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this module. You also need
to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing them to manage their own learning.
Furthermore, you are expected to encourage and assist the learners as they do the tasks
included in the module.
For the Learner:
Welcome to the English 9 Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM) Module on Composing a Play
Review!
This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful opportunities for guided and
independent learning at your own pace and time. You will be enabled to process the contents of
the learning resource while being an active learner.
What I Need to Know
This module will assist you in encouraging the learners to highlight universal human
values. This will help learners realize that no matter how different they might become in the
future; the value system should remain whole. This, as well, will help them understand that life is
more meaningful through literary pieces, reading selections, and viewing materials that are filled
with worthwhile values.
Please help the learners in sharing their ideas and knowledge from their experiences so
that there will be collaboration and learning will be easy.
Answers are written at the back of this module. Inculcate to the learners the value of
honesty and love for family and friends.
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For the learner
Let us value moments. In some point we will be faced with a broken heart or broken
dream, but let us find courage to let it go with grace and never stop believing.
Implant in our mind that we should arm ourselves with good values while we are on our
way to greatness.
At the end of this module, you are expected to:
1. identify five parts of making a play review;
2. analyze a play review; and
3. compose play review.
What I Know
Read the following statements. Then answer the questions by writing the letter of the
correct answers on your answer sheet.
1. Which of these is a subjective but educated response to a piece of theater?
A. Analysis
B. Precis
C. Review
D. Summary
2. Which of these is not provided by a play review?
A. Description of the plot
B. Summary of the entire play
C. Opinion on the quality of the play
D. Objective analysis of the performance
3. Which of the following are the steps in writing a play review? Put a check mark
for the steps; otherwise put a cross mark. Write your answers on your answer
sheet.
___A. Look at the traditional structure of a play review.
___B. Understand the purpose of a play review.
___C. Describe the plot in full details.
___D. Read the play you are going to review, if possible.
___E. Get a sense of the context of the production.
___F. Read and analyze review examples.
___G. Give much focus to the characters than all the other elements of a play
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Lesson
4 Composing a Play Review
Play can be understood as the dramatic work, characterized by direct
communication between the characters. It is designed for theatrical performance, which
is arranged into dialogue, acts and scene. It is meant for a particular audience, i.e. it can
be a stage play, screenplay or radio play.
The feelings, emotions, and ideas of the writer are presented by way of
characters. In order to increase the understanding of the viewers, the playwright makes
use of various dramatic elements. The main elements of a play are plot, characters,
dialogue, setting, conflict and resolution.
What’s In
1. It is a claim about something's moral, practical, or aesthetic worth.
A. descriptive C. prescriptive
B. normative D. value judgment
2. Claims start with information from the world, and from that information we form
beliefs and ideas.
A. descriptive C. prescriptive
B. normative D. value judgment
3. Guiding and directing and regulating about what is right and wrong is called
__________.
A. descriptive C. prescriptive
B. normative D. value judgment
4. It's important to be able to identify value judgments is that normative language
provokes contradictory intuitions about whether the reasoning involved is
explanatory or argumentative in nature. This statement is __________.
A. true C. neutral
B. false D. uncertain
5. If the conclusion of a rationale is a value judgment, then the rationale itself is an
argument.
A. true C. neutral
B. false D. uncertain
What’s New
Free Ticket:
You are given a free ticket to view either Adarna or Obra ni Juan. Which would you
watch? Here are the playbills and synopsis of these two well-known musicals to help
you decide. Write the reasons on your answer sheet.
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Adapted by Vladimir Gonzales for Dulaang UP's 38th
Season, Adarna is a retelling of the well-known
Filipino corrido about magic, love, family, and
responsibility. Directed by José Estrella, Adarna is the
coming-of-age story of Don Juan told through his
adventures and heroic deeds. Throughout the play, he
tries to prove his love for an enchanted princess and
fulfil his destiny as the successor to his father's kingly
throne.
Excerpts of the award-winning
musical Obra ni Juan, by the acclaimed
touring theatre company Philippine
Stagers Foundation, can now be watched
on Youtube. Written and directed by
Vincent Tañada and music by Pipo
Cifra, Obra ni Juan puts the spotlight on the Phot courtesy of Michael Kevin Tan
controversial and tragic life of the world-
renowned Filipino artist and political activist Juan Luna. See how Luna's famous
paintings such as the Spoliarium, The Parisian Life, and The Death of Cleopatra move,
sing, and dance on stage in an attempt to magnify the inner struggles of the great
Filipino artist.
https://ph.asiatatler.com/life/filipino-stage-plays-and-musicals-to-catch-up-this-june-2020
What Is It
What is a review?
A review is a subjective but educated response to a piece of theatre. The reviewer should
have a strong background in theatre so that their opinion is informed and credible.
What is the purpose of a review?
A review gives a potential audience member context for a production. Most people want to
know if they should spend their hard-earned money on a ticket. Is this show any good? If it is, what
makes it good? If it’s not, what makes the show falter?
What should we learn from a review?
A review should describe the situation of a play without giving too much information about the plot. It
should address the production elements individually and how they work together as a whole. It
should express an opinion supported by thoughtful analysis.
A play review aimed to make an objective analysis of the performance and provide an
opinion about its quality. A play is a live experience; thus, it can be an exciting but tough task to
review. You are both an audience and a critic. In your review, you are not only describing the plot but
also critiquing and analyzing the play. No worries, because you can create a well-written play review
with the right preparation and structure.
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Preparing to Write a Play Review
1. Understand the purpose of a play review. A play review is a subjective and educated
response to a piece of theater. The reviewer should have a strong background in theatre so
their opinion is informed and credible. Though this is not a requirement for writing a good
play review.
-Noting that you thought the play was ―good‖ or ―bad‖ will not create a strong play review.
Instead, you should be specific in your critique and have a thoughtful analysis of the
production. Your opinion on the play should be supported by a discussion of the production
elements and how they worked together as a whole.
2. Look at the traditional structure of a play review. The standard play review contains five
paragraphs. There are other approaches you can use, such as comparing two plays in one
review or writing longer reviews for one play. But traditionally, a play review will analyze
several elements of the production in five paragraphs.
3. Read the play you are going to review, if possible. If you are reviewing a popular play,
you should be able to find a hard copy of the play. Newer or more obscure plays may be
harder to find in hard copy. Reading the play will help you get familiar with the subject matter
and how it appears on the page before you see the production live.
4. Get a sense of the context of the production. You don’t want to do too much research
around the production as it may influence your viewing experience. But you should have a
sense of the context of the production; which theater company is putting it on, who is
directing the play, and what liberties, if any, have they taken with the original content.
5. Read and analyze review examples. Do a google search of local plays in your city that
have reviews online. Pick up a newspaper and check the Arts & Culture section for play
reviews. You can also access example reviews online. Read the review(s) and ask yourself:
How does the reviewer structure her review? Does the review follow the traditional structure?
Suggested Format of a Short Play Review
https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Play-Review
Paragraph 1: INTRODUCTION
Your introductory paragraph should describe what you saw on stage. You should also give
context for the play, such as the playwright or composer of the play and where the play is being
staged. It should cover basic information about the play, including:
The full title of the play.
Where did you see the show?
When did you see the show?
Who wrote the show? Who directed the show? Name the playwright, the director, and the
name of the production company.
Paragraph 2: PLOT SUMMARY
Briefly summarize the plot of the play.
Paragraph 3: PERFORMANCE
Discuss the acting and directing. React to the performers playing the characters in the play.
Paragraph 4: DESIGN ELEMENTS
Describe the design elements of the production, such as the lighting, sound, costumes, make
up, and set and props.
Paragraph 5: REACTIONS
React to the play as a whole. Would you recommend the play to potential audience
members? You can also include a recommendation, like a star rating or a thumbs up/thumbs down.
Writing the Play Review
1. Look at the play’s program. Try to get to the theater or production setting 15 minutes
before show time. Flip through the play’s program. Look for a director’s note and the cast
biographies. You should also check if there are any understudy replacements for the
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production, especially if the show is promoting itself based on the popularity of a certain
performer.
2. Take notes during the show. It’s important to write down any striking details during the
production. But try not to bury your head in your notebook during the entire production. You
may miss certain details or a key moment. Use the intermission, which usually happens
between acts in a play, to take more detailed notes.
3. Write a rough draft of the review right after you have seen the production. The longer
you wait, the less you’ll remember your experience of the play. Remember your role as a
critic is to describe, analyze, and judge. In your review:
Describe what you saw in detail and make the reader see what you see. Be specific
and thorough in your descriptions.
Analyze what you think the director or designer was trying to achieve. Why do you
think they designed the movements, lights, sounds effects, and costumes a certain
way? What do you think they were trying to make the audience feel or think?
Judge how effective the play was as a whole. Don’t be afraid to give an honest
opinion of the production but be sure you can back up your critique in the body of
your review (paragraphs 2-4).
4. Create a strong hook or line to open the review. You may start with a summary of the
play if it is a re-staging of a production your audience is familiar with. You may start with a
popular opening line which will allow reader to dive in. In one line, the reviewer has
introduced the play, noted the play is a ―classic‖ and told the reader it is a popular musical.
You can also start with a hook that challenges the audience’s expectations of a familiar
production. This hook works because it tells you that the play is a unique take on a classic
production and is interactive.
5. Answer who, what, where, and when in paragraph 1. The introductory paragraph should
cover basic information about the play, including:
The full title of the play.
Where did you see the show? Name the theater or setting where you saw the play.
When did you see the show? Maybe it was opening night, or the last week of the
show’s run. Be specific about the exact date you saw the show.
Who wrote the show? Who directed the show? Name the playwright, the director,
and the name of the production company.
If the show is a restaging of an existing play, you should note this in your
introduction. If the show is a new or original production, you should also note this.
6. Discuss the plot in paragraph 2. Briefly summarize the plot of the play, including the
setting, the main characters, and the story arc of the characters. Try to keep the summary to
one or two lines. You should give the reader just enough information to get a general sense
of the play’s plot.
7. Talk about the acting and directing in paragraph 3. React to the performers playing the
characters in the play. Use their real names and their character names. Write about the
acting based on questions such as:
Were the performers believable? Did their relationships or chemistry with the other
characters seem natural and appropriate? Did the performers stay in character
throughout the play?
Did the performers have a vocal quality (volume and articulation) that fit the context
of the play? Did their body movements and gestures stay true to the character they
were playing?
Were the performers engaging and interesting to watch? If so, why did you find them
engaging?
8. Analyze the design elements of the play in paragraph 4. The design elements are a big
part of a production and should be discussed in detail in your review. Focus your analysis on:
The set and the props: Did they establish the correct mood for the play and add to
the development of the characters, the plot, and the setting? Were they convincing
and well-made?
Did the blocking on stage make sense? Blocking means how the actors are
positioned on stage within the set. Were there any awkward movements by the
actors on stage? Did the set help or hinder the performances?
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The lighting: Did the lights convey a mood that fit with the tone of the play? Did they
draw attention to characters or props that seemed important in the play?
The costumes and the make-up: Did the costumes and the make-up of the
performers suit the time period of the show? Was there a unique approach to the
costumes or the make-up that affected the context of the play?
The sound: How did the music, if any, contribute to the show’s mood? Were there
sound effects used in the show, and if so, how did they add to the production? If you
are reviewing a musical, you should note if there was a live orchestra or if the music
was pre-recorded, and how that affected the tone of the play overall.
Try to be as detailed as possible in your discussion of the design elements.
9. React to the play as a whole in paragraph 5. Here is where your final critique should be in
the review. Avoid clichéd phrases like ―the play was bad‖ or ―the production wasn’t very
entertaining.‖ Instead state your opinion of the performance as a whole, and show why your
response to the play is valid and significant. The rest of your review should support your
overall judgment of the play.
Note if the audience seemed attentive and interested throughout the performance.
Also point to any possible adjustments or changes that could have been made to the
production to make it stronger or more engaging.
Leave your reader with a clear sense of your opinion on the play and with more
questions than answers about the play.
https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Play-Review
Below is an example of the Play review.
Play Review of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’
According to Wade Bradford from About.com (2013), at the start of the play, an opera ghost
lays havoc on the crew and cast in the French Opera House in the course of tutoring a chorus girl.
The ghost achieves the corrupting of the girl by way of a soprano. The ghost’s pupil gets hitched to
De Chagny, which creates a problem since the ghost has too fallen for his student. The Phantom
becomes angry as a result of the affair and kidnaps his student to be his bride forever. This plot
creates suspense and keeps the audience glued and interested to know what happens next. It
makes one want to watch if De Chagny will react to the kidnapping or whether the girl is eventually
seduced by the ghost to fall for him as a lover. This shows how the plot has made the film to be a
successful piece extending several decades of enchanted viewings.
Bonnie Radcliffe from Clothes on Film (2012) highlights that the play has interesting
characters, the main ones being the ghost known as Phantom, the music student Christine and her
lover De Chagny. The trio is caught in a love triangle. The Opera Ghost (Phantom) is a unique
character in the movie. While his appearance is terrorizing, with a disfigured face that forces him to
hide from the rest of the world, his coaching talent is unquestionable and has the potential to help his
student to be a world class singer. This character makes the audience to develop a mixture of good
and bad feelings at the same time towards itself. The student Christine is another main character;
she is a talented singer who just needs proper training to become world famous. She is young,
innocent, and beautiful, becoming interested in Phantom. The third main character is De Chagny – a
handsome man who is caught unawares of Christine’s attraction to him. He becomes Christine’s
lover and is ready to go to extreme levels to protect the love they share. This trio makes the play
catchy as people are tempted to watch the story unfold and whether there is eventually going to be a
happy ever after scenario or if the Opera Ghost going to carry the day.
Radcliffe (2012) says that elements of design have also made the play a fantastic one. The
Phantom’s clothes are dark while Christine’s clothes are bright, going in line with the characters.
Dramatic contrasts are created by the dark hues in the play. The Phantom character is created by
using costumes like a mask and clothing that forms an amazing acceptance of fear.
The Phantom is a voyeur, seeing Christine’s reflection on a mirror and a black lace veil. This
showed there ought to be a barrier between them for security reasons; this can be sartorial or
physical one like his mask. At some juncture, Christine destroys the mask from the Phantom’s face,
symbolizing that his soul is in disarray. The Phantom has a bare chest revealed by an open shirt,
which emphasizes the vulnerability of the disfigured man.
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Director Joel Schumacher made the play a lavish depiction of the illusions that life offers.
Watched by many millions of people, the show has proven to be one of the top-ranked in current
culture. The opulent sets and sweeping compositions and lyrics have gone a notch higher to provide
an amazing experience of live theater.
https://answershark.com/writing/creating-review/play-review/the-phantom-of-the-opera.html
What’s More
Independent Activity 1
Arrange the following steps in pre-writing the play review by using numbering them from 1-5. Do
this on your answer sheet.
_____ Describe what you saw on stage for your introduction.
_____ React to the play as a whole.
_____ Discuss the acting and directing by reacting to the performers playing the characters in
the play.
_____ Summarize briefly the plot of the play.
_____ Describe the design elements of the production, such as the lighting, sound, costumes,
make up, and set and props.
Independent Assessment 1
Reacal what you have discussed on Writing Play review. Be able to tell whether each statement
is a Fact or Bluff. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
1. The reviewer needs to have a strong background on theater for an informed and credible
opinion.
2. Reading and analyzing review examples online or through news papers don’t contribute
much in writing a play review.
3. A reviewer’s opinion on the play should be supported by a discussion of the production
elements and how they worked together as a whole.
4. The standard play review contains five paragraphs.
5. Reading the play will help you get familiar with the subject matter and how it appears on
the page before you see the production live.
6. In ending a play review, the reviewer can create a strong hook or line to open the review.
7. Design elements plays only a minor part in the production of the play so it should not be
discussed in detailed in the review.
8. The set and the propos, make-up and costumes, including sounds make up the design
of the play.
9. It would help much if the reviewer takes note before the play show.
10. A raft draft can be written before the play as a backgrounder.
Independent Activity 2
Read the short Play review of the Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller. Then do the activities
that follow. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
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Review: In Death of a Salesman,’ Arthur Miller words take on a new edge
1
Early in "Death of a Salesman," it is late at night and an exhausted Willy Loman arrives
home having not made it to even one of his sales calls that day. The end is nigh for Willy, that's clear
from the moment we see him shuffle in. Upstairs are his two sons, Biff and Happy, smoking
cigarettes together in the darkness of their shared childhood home, contemplating their lives. They
are young men but not that young. Biff is 34, Happy, 32 — old enough to have shaken off any
residual arrested development that might have followed them out of their teens.
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But here they sit, in Biff's old bedroom, a couple of 30-something, middle-class straight
white guys who have the privilege to look around and scoff at a world they think hasn't given them
enough opportunities — or rather, the right sort of opportunities, fulfilling opportunities. (It makes you
think this production might not be a bad pairing with "Straight White Men" by Young Jean Lee,
currently in a run at Steppenwolf.)
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It's not that Biff and Happy aren't allowed a measure of discontent in the privacy of this
moment. But as men, they are their own worst enemies. And only Biff ultimately comes to see this.
4
In this 1949 drama, Arthur Miller managed to evoke both a compassion and a piercing
judgmental stare for these men, Willy included (played here by Brian Parry), and it might be one of
the most important reasons the play works such magic.
5
The lies in the Loman house — the delusions and exaggerations — are many. Linda (Jan
Ellen Graves), the all-seeing matriarch, is the key enabler; but make no mistake, she has come to
understand all too clearly. She just had the bad luck of hitching herself to the wrong guy (not that she
sees it that way; Linda has her own delusions as well). She is surrounded by inward-looking men
who are never, ever satisfied, searching for external validation and quick to lash out when
confronted with the reality of their mediocrity.
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It's a funny thing, hearing the way some of Miller's dialogue is phrased. Willy has a way of
talking, a cadence — there's no missing it, a certain boastful, outer-borough New York
distinctiveness to it that sounds very familiar to the news cycle these days, and I wasn't expecting it:
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"I got important contacts!" Willy says to his frenemy and next-door neighbor Charley.
(Charley with a priceless, sarcastic response: "Glad to hear it, Willy.") "I'll go to Hartford, I'm very
well-liked in Hartford!" Or of his son, Biff: "He's got loads of personality, loads of it!"
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The Loman men are con artists. Their primary mark? Themselves. Under the direction of
Steve Scott, Matt Edmonds' floundering Biff and Zach De Nardi's phony-baloney Happy really do
look and feel like restless brothers raised together in that home. (De Nardi is so good, you would
never know he was filling in for Benjamin Kirberger, who has been having some health issues but is
hoping to return to the production.)
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Something about the actual production design, though, doesn't quite work. It wisely avoids
momentum-killing set changes, but the physical world of the play feels like a whole lot of nothing,
which is a step down considering Redtwist has experimented with some incredible set designs in the
past.
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Director Scott's production is really about the performances — small things, like the way
Parry's Willy, on his way to work, distractedly says, "Eh, goodbye, I'm late" — and Scott also has a
couple of aces up his sleeve in the smaller roles of Charley (played by Adam Bitterman) and
Charley's son, Bernard, the bookworm-turned-hotshot lawyer (played by Devon J. Nimerfroh). The
way Nimerfroh finesses that late pivotal scene with Willy, when he delicately tries to get to the
bottom of the Loman family neurosis — it's just terrific, a wonderful bit of hesitancy and confidence,
all of it coming through in his body language.
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But let's talk about Bitterman, because he is giving such a delicious, scene-stealing
performance, with a perfect roughshod New York accent, that I wanted to follow him off stage and
watch whatever play Charley should have been starring in. When Willy finds out Bernard is arguing a
case before the Supreme Court, he says to Charley, somewhat surprised: "He didn't mention!"
Charley's beautiful throwaway reply: "He didn't hafta."
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And therein lies the difference. A Loman would have been bragging about it all day.
[email protected]
10
Determine which paragraph tells or discusses the following parts of a Play Review. Write your
answers on your answer sheet.
Parts of a Play Review Paragraph Lines/Phrase Proving the
Number Presence of the Part/s
1. Introduction to the play review
2. Brief plot review
3. Discussion on the acting of the
performers and the directing
4. Description of the elements of
the
design production
5. Reactions to the play as a
whole.
Independent Assessment 2
I-KNOW-LYSIS: Refer to the play review of The Death of a Salesman on Independent Activity
2. Evaluate it using the given checklist below. Do this on your answer sheet.
Points to Consider Your Response Your Reason/s
(Yes/No)
Is the sample play review interesting to
read?
Does the review include a brief summary
of the play?
Does it give clear idea of what the play is
about?
Does the play review talk about the
acting of the cast?
Does the play review mention the
technical aspects (props, music,
production) of the play?
Independent Activity 3
Using again the Play Review of the Phantom of the Opera under the Discussion part,’ Fill in the
diagram below with information taken from the play review. Write your answers on your answer
sheet.
Areas/ Parts of the Play Review Statement/ Phrase Support
1. Sentence/ Statement which introduces the
play
2. Elements of design
3. Plot summary
4. Reaction on the direction of the play
5. Positive comment/ statement to end the
play review.
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Independent Assessment 3
Refer back to the Play Review of the Phantom of the Opera under the Discussion part.’ Then,
Write five (5) positive points which the reviewer mentioned about the play review. Write your
answers on your answer sheet.
1. __________________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________________
4. __________________________________________________________________________
5. __________________________________________________________________________
What I Have Learned
Final Countdown!
Find out how you understood the lesson in this module by filling out the 3,2,1 +1 Graphic
organizer below.
3 Three things you found out _______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
2 interesting things you discovered _______________________________
_______________________________
1 issue you have discovered _______________________________
1 question you still want to ask _______________________________
What I Can Do
Get yourself ready to write a play review about Act 1 of Death of a Salesman. You can watch
the video on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z6qWSJg9nA. Be guided by the
parts of the play review:
Introduction
Thesis Statement and Summary
The Review: Performance of the Casts
Technical aspects of production
Reactions/ Conclusion/ Recommendation
Take note of the standard for scoring your play review:
Criteria 10pts. 7pts. 5pts. 3pts.
Understanding There is at least There is at least The theme of There is little
one paragraph one paragraph the play is partly evidence to
mentions the mentions the mentioned in the show
theme of the theme of the paragraph and understanding of
play and has play and included only 2 what the play is
identified all the included 3 names of the about. Only one
names of the names of the characters. character is
characters and characters and identified and
their description their description described.
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Opinion At least 5 At least 3 At least 2 An opinion was
reasons are reasons are reasons are given with no
given why the given why the given why the real reason.
he/she does or he/she does or he/she does or
does not like the does not like the does not like the
play using play. play.
appropriate
words.
Conventions The work is free The work has The work needs The work has
(almost free) of few grammar editing for many many errors in
grammar and and spelling grammar and grammar and
spelling errors. errors. spelling errors. spelling and it
interferes with
meaning.
Elements of the All elements are Certain Different Elements of a
Play described in elements are elements of a play are not
detail and described and play are mentioned nor
critiqued critiqued mentioned. described.
(dialogue, (dialogue,
acting, staging, acting, staging,
costumes, costumes,
props, musical props, musical
scoring, etc.) scoring, etc.)
Assessment
Read the items and answer. Choose the correct answer by writing the letter of your choice.
Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.
_____1. A literary form of writing for theatre which narrates a story with elements of conflicts,
tensions, and actions through dialogues of characters.
A. Play C. Character
B. Play Review D. Performance
_____2. An objective analysis of the performance and provide an opinion about its quality.
A. Play C. Performance
B. Play Review D. Character
_____3. An opening paragraph which introduces characters and status quo (stable situation in
the world of the play).
A. Performance C. Introduction
B. Plot Summary D. Role
_____4. The sequence in which the selected scene unfolds
A. Design Elements C. Plot structure
B. Role D. Plot Structure
_____5. The entirety of a character's part in a play
A. Performance C. Reaction
B. Role D. Character
______6. A play is divided into acts and scenes.
A. True C. Sometimes
B. False D. I don’t know
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______7. The standard play review contains five paragraphs.
A. True C. Sometimes
B. False D. I don’t know
_______8. The Plot Summary should cover basic information about the play
A. True C. Sometimes
B. False D. I don’t know
_______9. ―I‟ve seen Grease done many times by teenagers, and this has been one of my
favorite productions!” This is an example of describing the Design elements?
A. True C. Sometimes
B. False D. I don’t know
_______10. The line “The play was „good‟ or „bad‟” will create a strong play review.
A. True C. Sometimes
B. False D. I don’t know
Additional Activities
The primary aim of this module is for you learners to appreciate the beauty and style of a
play, to create love for English literature, and to develop imagination in you.
Do this activity on a separate sheet of paper. Complete the Play Analysis: Review
Worksheet by answering the questions provided.
Play Review Analysis Worksheet
What is a review? A subjective but educated response to a piece of theater.
Introduction: What I Know?
_____________________________________________________
Execution: What did they do/
__________________________________________________________________
What makes the production unique?
________________________________________________________________________
Opinion: How did they do?
__________________________________________________________________
Recommendation: Is this play worth seeing?
__________________________________________________________________
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What I Know What’s More Assessment
1. C Individual Act 2 1. A
2. B 2. B
3. / - A, B, D, E, F Answers may vary 3. C
4. X – c, g 4. C
What’s In 5. B
Individual Assessment 2 6. A
1. D 7. A
2. A Answers may vary 8. B
3. B 9. B
4. A 10. B
5. A
What’s More What’s More What I have learned
Individual Act 1 Individual Activity 2 Answers may vary
1.1 Answers may vary
2.5
3.3 Individual Assessment 2
4.2 What I Can Do
5. 1 Answers may vary
Answers may vary
Individual Activity 3
Individual Assessment 1 Answers may vary
1. F
2. B Additional Activities
Individual Assessment 3
3. F
4. F Answers may vary
Answers may vary
5. F
6. B
7. B
8. F
9. B
10. B
Answer Key
References:
―A Journey Through Anglo-American Literature Learner’s Material,‖ Department of Education-
Instructional Materials. Vibal Group Inc., Philippines
―How to Review A Play,‖ Academic and Professional Writing. University of Wisconsin –
Madison, March 28, 2017, accessed July 12, 2020,
https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/assignments/playreview/
―How to Write a Play Review,‖ Michael Billington, The Guardian, accessed July 23, 2020,
https://answershark.com/writing/creating-review/how-to-write-play-review.html
―How To Write A Play Review,‖ Research and expert knowledge come together, accessed July
14, 2020, https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Play-Review.
―Writing A Play Review,‖ Lindsay Price, Production-Teaching Drama, October 25, 2015
accessed June 3, 2020, https://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/write-play-review/
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