Earthquakes in London: Performers' physical interpretation of character (build, age, height, facial features, movement, posture, gesture, facial expression) – A Level Drama and Theatre OCR Revision

Earthquakes in London: Performers’ physical interpretation of character (build, age, height, facial features, movement, posture, gesture, facial expression)

Characters in ‘Earthquakes in London’ are multifaceted and complex, requiring the performers to physically embody different aspects of their personalities and situations.
The interpretative choices concerning character physicality are vital in distinguishing the numerous characters portrayed by a relatively small number of performers (multi-roling), but should also reflect wider themes and resonance.

The performers’ posture and body language are key tools for capturing a character’s age, social standing, emotional state and personal conflicts.
Subtle changes in posture can signify a shift in a character’s emotional state or standing within a scene, promoting the fluid storytelling narrative.

Facial expressions are utilised extensively to convey character’s emotions indirectly, fostering deeper audience engagement with the narrative, and increasing the intimate nature of performances.
As characters often express opposing viewpoints, a range of contrasting facial expressions are corresponding with a wide array of emotional and intellectual reactions, evoking thoughtful debate within the audience.

An actor’s interpretation of characters’ distinct physical traits (build, age, height) can accentuate the distinctiveness and the complexity of multi-roling.
The performance is not about perfect physical imitation of a character’s physicality, but rather a suggestive and symbolic portrayal to highlight key aspects of their personality or function within the plot.
This may lead to the exaggeration of specific traits - an old character may be shown as frail or decrepit than they would be in a naturalistic play to symbolize the age and wisdom.

Movement adds another layer to a character’s identity and can accentuate elements of the character that dialogue alone cannot express.
By incorporating unique and significant gestures for each character, the performer can quickly and silently communicate shifts in their role, making the multi-rolling clear and efficient without obstructing the dynamism of the play.

Through their physical interpretations, performers help establish the themes and tones of the respective scenes and the play as a whole.
Mimicry and exaggeration of physical attributes may expose societal stereotypes and preconceptions, underpinning the play’s critique of modern society.