She Stoops to Conquer Review
She Stoops to Conquer
What do you consider to be the director’s main message and evaluate how successfully it was communicated to you in the live performance?
On the 18th of November 2014, my theatre group and I attended a live production of ‘She Stoops to Conquer’ at the Liverpool Playhouse. She Stoops to Conquer was written by the Irish born author Oliver Goldsmith in 1771 and was performed for the first time in 1773. The play is written in the style of a ‘Comedy of Manners’, meaning it mocks the society of its time, particularly within and between the social classes.
I consider the main message that the director, Conrad Nelson, was trying to reflect in his production is that not everything is what it appears to be. Placing particular emphasis on the social classes, Nelson uses his play as a tool in highlighting the difference in attitudes between the North and South of England. I also suspect that Nelson is using the production as a microcosm for our modern society today.
One of the ways that the director’s main message was successfully communicated was through the design of the production, in particular the costuming selection. The designer, Jessica Worrall, creates a very striking contrast between the avant-garde hair, tightly laced bodices and woollen suits and the garish, bold leopard and tiger print. These two costume decisions working in opposition with each other are used to transport the production from the 18th century into the modern day. In terms of social class, this costume choice highlights the director’s message of showing how not everything is what it seems to be. This is shown through the wealthy family wearing cheetah print, which in today’s British society is seen to be cheap and tacky. This could portray one of Nelson’s secondary messages that money can’t buy class.
Another way that the director’s main message was successfully communicated in the performance was through the lighting of the Proscenium Stage. During the scenes that took place
What do you consider to be the director’s main message and evaluate how successfully it was communicated to you in the live performance?
On the 18th of November 2014, my theatre group and I attended a live production of ‘She Stoops to Conquer’ at the Liverpool Playhouse. She Stoops to Conquer was written by the Irish born author Oliver Goldsmith in 1771 and was performed for the first time in 1773. The play is written in the style of a ‘Comedy of Manners’, meaning it mocks the society of its time, particularly within and between the social classes.
I consider the main message that the director, Conrad Nelson, was trying to reflect in his production is that not everything is what it appears to be. Placing particular emphasis on the social classes, Nelson uses his play as a tool in highlighting the difference in attitudes between the North and South of England. I also suspect that Nelson is using the production as a microcosm for our modern society today.
One of the ways that the director’s main message was successfully communicated was through the design of the production, in particular the costuming selection. The designer, Jessica Worrall, creates a very striking contrast between the avant-garde hair, tightly laced bodices and woollen suits and the garish, bold leopard and tiger print. These two costume decisions working in opposition with each other are used to transport the production from the 18th century into the modern day. In terms of social class, this costume choice highlights the director’s message of showing how not everything is what it seems to be. This is shown through the wealthy family wearing cheetah print, which in today’s British society is seen to be cheap and tacky. This could portray one of Nelson’s secondary messages that money can’t buy class.
Another way that the director’s main message was successfully communicated in the performance was through the lighting of the Proscenium Stage. During the scenes that took place