Skip to Main Content
WAB Faculty & Staff

G07: ARTS - Theatre: Physical Theatre

Objectives

Students learn to be expressive with their bodies and learn to communicate solely through physical work. They will create an original performance.
Focus, neutral, levels, space, stage picture.

Vocabulary - Physical Theatre

Space: The area we have to move in or perform in.  

Focus:  

  1. Concentrating or staying in character. 
  2.  Where the audience are supposed to be looking.  

Neutral: A stance that actors use to focus. Actors stand with feet shoulder width apart, hands by their side, knees are relaxed, Face is neutral and actors are silent. This stance is often used to begin and end performances.  

Stage picture:  What the audience sees. Directors try to make an appealing arrangement or grouping of performers onstage.  

Levels:  Using different heights or levels onstage creates visual interest for an audience.

Depth:  Using different planes to create an interesting stage picture, not everyone standing in one line.  

Freeze:  No movement, absolute stillness.  

Improv:  To create on the spot, no planning or preparation.  

Unison:  Moving together as one.  

Transition:  Moving from one part of a performance to the next – transitions should be planned and seamless.