CRITIQUE GUIDELINES:
Your critiques must be double-spaced, 3 pages in length, one inch margins with 12-point
characters. Critiques must be submitted no later than 3:00 p.m. on the first Monday
following the viewing of the play. Late work will not be accepted. NOTE: No critiques will
be accepted after 3:00 p.m. Monday, May 2nd, 2022.
CRITIQUE: Your critique will be a review of one of the Theatre productions we watch in
class. Think of your critique as a statement of your opinion. Please keep in mind the
following:
1. Absolutely NO story outlines. Open your critique with an introduction that identifies
the play, the playwright, the producing body, the date you attended, etc. This
information will be in the program you received when you entered the theatre. At this
point you may want to include a statement presenting your overall impression of the
production. When you list a character’s name for the first time, please include the
actor’s name.
2. A critique is an opinion-driven 2-3-page essay. Any person can write about their
observations, but only you can address your reactions to your observations. Think of
your critique as an essay of your opinions. Your objective is to access “your
reasoning” for your opinions. For example, it will not be enough to simply write that
you enjoyed a certain production aspect, you must support your opinion by explaining
your thoughts – why did you enjoy X and can you provide an example?
3. When viewing the production leave your senses open to the experience and don’t
concern yourself with copious note taking. Enjoy the show. The production will affect
you in one way or another; you will be surprised how easily the reasons for your
impressions will come back to you. The production program that you receive as you
enter the theatre will help rekindle your thoughts and reactions to the performance, so
do not toss it away, but use it to reignite your thoughts and opinions.
4. You may focus on acting, directing, set design or technical elements and discuss how
they relate to the production. You may also compare and contrast actors, or write on
the elements that reinforced or detracted from the production. However, in all cases
remember to cite specific examples from the production, and most importantly,
state WHY any of the aspects of the production were significant.
