Oh What a Lovely War: Performers' physical interpretation of character (build, age, height, facial features, movement, posture, gesture, facial expression) – A Level Drama and Theatre OCR Revision

Oh What a Lovely War: Performers’ physical interpretation of character (build, age, height, facial features, movement, posture, gesture, facial expression)

Characters in “Oh What a Lovely War” are often portrayed through symbolic and exaggerated physicality, highlighting the caricature-like nature of the play and aiding the conveyance of its themes and messages.

Actors often use exaggerated body language to represent different characters, ensuring clear differentiation for the audience.
Muscular build can be used to symbolically represent the idealised ‘macho’ soldier, whilst a frail build could represent the vulnerable youth sent to war.
Height is used to visually emulate power dynamics, with the higher-ranking officers often represented as taller figures.
Age is crucial in conveying the inexperienced youth of many soldiers, with actors adopting youthful, naive behaviour to depict their characters’ inexperience.

Facial features and expressions play a vital role in communicating the emotional state of characters. Smiling, frowning, and other exaggerated expressions help to visually punctuate the dialogue.
In the grim setting of war, the constant smiles of the emcees give them a disturbingly jovial appearance, juxtaposing the harsh reality of the conflict.
Characters often adopt blank or vacant expressions during scenes of intense violence, suggesting shock or disconnection from the reality around them.

Actors embody their characters’ states of mind through their movement and posture. Fidgety, nervous movement could portray fear, while stiff, upright postures are related to military discipline and authority.
Gestures are also paramount. For instance, salutes become markers of mockery, sending mixed messages about respect and conformity.
Dance sequences use movement to both satirize and acknowledge the horror of war. The rigid, mechanical movements during the ‘Trench Tango’ encapsulate the dehumanising effect of industrial warfare.
Gesture and movement are also effective in conveying irony, such as the high kicking can-can girls symbolizing the juxtaposition between the entertainment of war and its gruesome reality.

In summary, performers’ physical interpretation of character in “Oh What a Lovely War” is an integral device to communicate meaning, evoke emotions, and underscore the play’s social critique. It plays a fundamental part in the representation of the play’s anti-war sentiment and its critique of world leaders and society during World War I.