What Performances Either Live or Recorded Have You Seen Which Demonstrates This Style of Theatre? Analyze Moments from These Productions, Which Demonstrate the Unique Qualities of Your Chosen Style of Theatre.

Verbatim tends to concentrate on political events and so most of the pieces preformed and recorded are about genuine events. The piece that I examined is a short video of "Talking to Terrorists" written by Robin Soans. This play explores the way in which terrorism could be stopped through negotiations and peaceful discussions rather than violence and hostilities.

There are many unique qualities this video uses in order to create an element of naturalism, as if the actor were a true terrorist. The first and perhaps most important aspect of verbatim is the accent and diction. The actor has changed the way he speaks in order to create reality in what he is saying. His r's are rolled and emphasized and some of his vowels are swallowed deep into his throat to give a breathy affect. This was to transform his original accent into a Middle Eastern accent.

The next quality that makes verbatim unique is in its name. The actor speaks exactly the same words used originally. Every hesitation and pause is timed exactly as the victim of terrorism. Even the movements are exactly the same. For example: when he shows us where the bullet entered.

Lastly the setting or atmosphere of the interview must be represented thus creating a complete reality to the acting. In the video, the actor is at a kitchen table with a cup (no specification of contents). This recreation of the environment the interview was set is able to add to the authenticity of the performance.

These three main qualities of verbatim theatre are what make it so unique.

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