Question 1: Explain why understanding the historical period in which a play is set is important for a performer.

Answer: Knowing the historical period helps performers understand characters' motivations, language, and actions, making their portrayal more authentic and believable.

Question 2: Describe how social attitudes during the Victorian era might influence the characters and themes in a Victorian play.

Answer: Social attitudes of the Victorian era, such as strict morality and class distinctions, would influence characters to behave conservatively and themes to focus on social status and morality.

Question 3: Identify two ways in which the cultural background of a play's setting can impact how a character behaves.

Answer: Cultural background can influence language, dress, customs, and beliefs, which in turn affect how characters communicate and interact.

Question 4: Sketch a simple costume idea for a character from a 1920s setting. Label key features that reflect the era.

Answer: A sketch of a flapper dress with a fringed hem, a cloche hat, and accessories like long necklaces. Labels should mention '1920s style', 'shorter hem', and 'art deco accessories'.

Question 5: Describe how knowing the audience’s expectations and cultural context today might influence a director’s interpretation of a modern play.

Answer: A director might adapt language, themes, or staging to resonate with current social issues, making the play more relevant and engaging for modern audiences.

Question 6: Identify a reason why a playwright might choose to set a play in a specific historical period.

Answer: To highlight particular social issues, create a specific atmosphere, or draw parallels between past and present.

Question 7: Explain how the setting of a play can reflect its overall message or theme.

Answer: The setting can symbolize key ideas, such as confinement representing oppression, or open landscapes representing freedom, reinforcing the play’s themes.

Question 8: Draw a simple stage layout that could be used for a play set in a Victorian classroom. Include labels for key areas.

Answer: A large rectangle divided into areas labeled 'teacher’s desk', 'students’ desks', and 'blackboard'. The layout should reflect a typical Victorian classroom arrangement.

Question 9: Discuss how the social class of a character in a historical play might influence their dialogue and behavior.

Answer: Characters from higher social classes may speak more formally and behave with more confidence, while lower classes might use simpler language and act more modestly.

Question 10: Identify one way a playwright might incorporate contemporary issues into a historical play’s context.

Answer: By including themes like inequality or injustice that are relevant today, even within a historical setting, to make the play more meaningful for modern audiences.