THE CONCEPTUALISATION

 

Once you have made the final decision on the play that you will stage, it is now time for you as a theatre director to develop an overarching vision or concept for the play. This may be guided by the following questions:

  • What type of story do you want to tell?
  • What is the central conflict?
  • What is the present-day significance to the play?
  • Why do you want to direct it?
  • What did the action of the play mean in its time?
  • What type of play is it?
  • How would you describe its style?
  • When and Where should it be set? Why
  • In what type of world should the action take place?
  • What are some potential design metaphors from the text – and your own imagination?
  • What images come to mind when you think about the play as a whole?
  • What images come to mind when you think about each character?
  • What is one word (usually an action verb) that could describe your vision/concept?

It is always important to keep coming back to your vision/concept and to inform the student actors of your vision/concept for the play as a whole.