Bowell And Hep Theatre Play Analysis

This essay will be exploring two of Bowell and Heap’s six elements; role and frame. With close reference to the theatre in education performance piece and the reading, this essay will critically analyse and discuss how each element was useful in the creating of the Applied theatre piece, and how it influenced our experience as a group.

The element of role is best described as ‘another fundamental of theatre and central to all performance forms is the taking of a role.’ (Bowell & Heap, 2001). Being in role is when an actor plays the role of a character, adapting another form of characterization in order to deliver and address themes that are raised throughout the performance. Being out-of-role is when you remove yourself from a characterized character and essentially play the role of being yourself to the audience, but on a heightened scale, depending on

Frame is ‘tension is the theatre element which ‘charges’ the drama. In planning for process drama, frame is a term we have used to describe the tension-giver.’ (Bowell & Heap, 2001). The source of tension provided in the process drama, this is where the dilemma is presented and introduced to the audience. In the first frame work, we were introduced to three main students discussing their social outings. In this scene, we have two white male characters discussing the possibility of going on a European tour, which makes the black female character feel excluded. The tension is created because we begin to realise that the black female character is in a position of conflict. She has managed to invest her money in buying shoes that are beyond her financial standing in order to impress and belong amongst people who come from a more financially stable upbringing. When her friends discuss the possibility of going on a tour, we realise that she is incapable of going on it due to her