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- Mrs. Buzzell
- Nottingham, NH, United States
- I'm a middle school science teacher at Nottingham and I love biology!
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
7 Buzzell A/D/F Block Student Reviews of Encore! Plays
We had the opportunity to go to the Capitol Theater of the Arts to see Encore! - a compilation of short stories including performances of the Raven, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The Necklace, the Monkey's Paw and The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. Students each chose one story to review.
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Title: The Monkey’s Paw 4/5 Stars Genre: Horror Reviewed by Green Alpaca
Why I Gave It My Rating: I really enjoyed the show. The plot was absorbing and delectably dark. However, I think there were several parts in which they could’ve strengthened the intensity. Although I was thoroughly entertained by the twisted storyline and engaging presentation, it was not perfect so I could not give it five stars.
Plot: A family is visited by a friend that has spent a few years exploring India where she acquired a monkey’s paw. When she told the family about her new item, she wished to burn it, so she threw it into their fire. The family, being told it granted three wishes, recovered the monkey’s paw from the flames. The friend warned them of the bad aftermath caused by the use of the paw, but the family was too consumed by the magic the paw possessed. After making their first wish, the family discovers what dreadful consequences occurred in order for their wish to be granted.
Acting Quality: The actors were loud, energetic, and easy to understand. I also noticed their skilled bondage to the characters thoughts and emotions; they did an excellent job “becoming” the characters. For example, the actor casted as Herbert’s mother did very nice in capturing her character’s sorrow. I would say they had very decent acting quality.
Special Effects: Loud, sudden buzzes erupted when each wish was made; this was very successful in making the spectators jump. This affected the potency of the sullen mood of the production. Another featured effect was the appearance of lightning, which they used flashes of white lights to portray a gloomy storm. Other lighting effects such as the dark red lights that shone upon the set gave watchers an ominous feeling. Sounds of gates opening and/or moaning allowed the onlookers to foresee someone entering the scene. All of these effects immensely heightened the show’s desired atmosphere.
Other Important Details: Actors overemphasized their motions to ensure the audience noticed certain details; this helped the viewers better understand what was happening onstage. I noticed the changes of the backdrop as well. Using paintings on scrim, the setting was understood and also added to the understandment of the show. Lastly, the characters used props. Well thought out, well crafted props were clearly shown and used reasonably. The monkey’s paw was once such prop, and it could be used to show the watcher what was going on. These three details are things I noticed the gave the performance a better effect.
“The Monkey’s Paw” Reviewed by Purple Zebra
Genre: Horror
The Monkey’s Paw was my favorite performance. I gave the play four stars because I thought the play performers had good acting. I also thought that the play was mysterious. When the play started a woman walked out and had a monkey paw. She told the White family that it could grant three wishes but with some consequences. The family didn’t believe her so the woman threw the paw in the fire. Then, the family thought that they would try the wishes so they could prove the girl wrong. They wished for two hundred pounds. Their son went to work and got shredded up. After he got shredded up a man gave the family two hundred pounds to repay for his death. The family then wished for their son back. The zombified son came to the door and tried to get in. The husband did not let him but the mother tried to open it.
There was many reasons why I liked The Monkey’s Paw. First, I liked the acting quality. thought that actors followed their lines. Secondly, I thought the play was very cool and mysterious. You never knew what would happen next and was always on the edge of your seat. Lastly, there was lots of movement and talking. There was lots of emotion. The actors really showed off their emotions.
Title: The Monkey’s Paw ✭✭✭✭✰ Genre: Horror Reviewed by Green Alpaca
I really enjoyed the show. The plot was absorbing and delectably dark. I enjoyed how suspenseful the play was when the family made the wishes. However, I think there were several parts in which they could’ve strengthened the intensity. During the end of the play, the suspense could’ve been heightened to better the performance. Although I was thoroughly entertained by the twisted storyline and engaging presentation, it wasn’t perfect so I gave it four stars.
A family is visited by a friend that has spent a few years exploring India where she acquired a monkey’s paw. When she told the family about her new item, she wished to burn it, so she threw it into their fire. The family, being told it granted three wishes, recovered the monkey’s paw from the flames. The friend warned them of the bad aftermath caused by the use of the paw, but the family was too consumed by the magic the paw possessed. After making their first wish, the family discovers what dreadful consequences occurred in order for their wish to be granted.
The actors were loud, energetic, and easy to understand. I also noticed their skilled bondage to the characters thoughts and emotions; they did an excellent job “becoming” the characters. For example, the actor casted as Herbert’s mother did very nice in capturing her character’s sorrow. I would say they had very decent acting quality.
Loud, sudden buzzes erupted when each wish was made; this was very successful in making the spectators jump. This affected the potency of the sullen mood of the production. Another featured effect was the appearance of lightning, which they used flashes of white lights to portray a gloomy storm. Other lighting effects such as the dark red lights that shone upon the set gave watchers an ominous feeling. Sounds of gates opening and/or moaning allowed the onlookers to foresee someone entering the scene. All of these effects immensely heightened the show’s desired atmosphere.
Actors overemphasized their motions to ensure the audience noticed certain details; this helped the viewers better understand what was happening onstage. I noticed the changes of the backdrop as well. Using paintings on scrim also added to the understandment of the show. Lastly, the characters used props. Well thought out, well crafted props were clearly shown and used reasonably. The monkey’s paw was one such prop, and it could be used to show the watcher what was going on. These three details are things I noticed the gave the performance a better effect.
“THE MONKEY’S PAW”
A Review by The Pink Panther
✰✰✰✰✰
My favorite play was the horror play “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs. This is a play about a widow who is visiting with friends (the Whites) after coming home from a trip in India. She brings with her a horrid trinket, a monkey paw. After her story she flings it into the fire. She flings it into the fire because it has the ability to grant wishes, but they come with a terrible price. However, the Whites rescue it from the fireplace, she then leaves. I enjoyed this play because of three reasons. First it was very creepy, the fact that it was a monkey paw that the story is about is creepy all alone . I enjoy creepy stories like this . Another reason I enjoyed this story was the fact that there was a lot of mystery woven into the story. You didn’t know if what was happening was true or coincidence. My third reason for liking this play is that the actors were were very good. The wife and father were grief stricken when told about what happened to their son. I would give this play five out of five stars because of the actors great job and the amazing sound effects. The sound effects such as when there was a loud surprising crash that made the audience jump every time a wish was made. It made us feel we were a part of the story.
The Monkeys Paw
Rainbow Turtle
‘The Monkeys Paw’ is a horror story and I gave this a five star rating. In the ‘Monkey's Paw’ A friend of the Whites family had come back from her trip and had brought a Monkeys Paw that was mummified, When she had broughten it to the White’s house they had asked her what it was and she had told them all the stories that people had told her although the Whites did not believe her. The women had enough and threw the monkeys paw into the fire and the son fished it out and said they’d keep it. She said they shouldn't keep it but they wouldn't listen, The women left warning them that if not specific the paw comes with a great deal, which could be death.
The actors were very believable in this play. There emotions show very well when the parents find out the horrible news, however, at the end of the story was Mrs. White holding the door closed or trying to open the door while Mr.White trembled in fear and tried to undo the wish, I believe this was confusing to not only me, but the whole audience. Other than that one flaw I have to say the play was excellent in my opinion!
The special effects in this play were very effective, Causing me and other people watching to jump out of their seats, such as when Mr. White made his first wish and the huge ‘smash’ noise and how the lights were definitely made me slightly scared and on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happens next. I also loved how the actors did not just stand in one place they moved all around the stage.
I say this play is great for middle school, combining two things we both like, humor and fear. I would not recommend this to younger children, it would be too dark and scary for them, I wish they told us a bit more on what was going on though!
“The Necklace”
A-block
I gave "the necklace "four out of five stars. this play is about a woman who got invited to a ball but had nothing to wear.she asked her husband for 400 franks to buy a dress .she had no jewelry though.she asked her friend for a diamond necklace.after the ball when she came home she noticed the necklace was gone ,she had lost it.she had bought a new one and gave it to her friend.she had to work for 10 years to pay the debt off .after ten years past she finally told her the truth.
I gave the necklace four out of five stars because it was very well written and played. The props were very well set."the necklace"is a ironic drama.I would recommend this play to other sixth and seventh graders.I did not give this play five stars because the ending was confusing.
reviewed by:the pink ladybug
Beige Buffalo
The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. Rating: ****
Genre: Humor
In Calaveras County, a small mining town, there lives a man who will bet on everything. Whenever he bets on something, he wins! One day, he had caught a frog and taught it to jump very high. He then bets that his frog can jump the highest in all of Calaveras County. The man who he was betting against was angry that the other man won whatever bet he placed. Because of that, he sabotaged the bet and filled the man’s frog with buck shot so it couldn’t jump.
The reason I gave it 4/5 stars was because of the acting, special effects, and plot.
First of all, I enjoyed the acting. The reason I enjoyed the acting was because the actors were funny and full of enthusiasm. Secondly, I thought the special effects were good. The reason I liked the special effects was because it showed what they would use for the different sounds and had great lighting. Finally, I thought the plot was fantastic. The reason behind this was because it taught a great lesson to a younger audience. In conclusion, I enjoyed The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County very much.
“The Celebrated Frog of Calaveras County”- Reviewed by the Red Rhino
“The Celebrated Frog of Calaveras County”, was a comedy about a man and his pet frog. He had made a bet with a man, claiming that he had the highest jumping frog. As he proceeded with this bet, he needed to find another frog for the man. He left his frog with the man as he went to find him a frog. The outcome is not what you would expect from such a happy story.
“The Celebrated Frog of Calaveras County”, was a very well put together play. The actors were very good at playing their parts. The actor for the frog was goofy. The story wouldn’t have the same effect of a funny story without him acting this way. Secondly, the main character was interactive with the audience. He said hi to the crowd, then told them that he was going to tell them a story about him and his pet frog. Finally, the outcome was not as expected. These are some reasons as to why “The Celebrated Frog of Calaveras County”, was put together nicely.
“The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”
By: Blue Mongoose
Genre: Comedy five out of five stars
I enjoyed the “Celebrated Jumping Frog Of Calaveras County .” It started off with a farm boy named Jim Smiley , he would bet anything to win some money. He would even bet the death of a woman! Until one day he found a frog, he would later train the frog to jump. He taught him so well he thought the frog was the highest jumping frog in the County! Then came a man who bet his frog can jump higher. When they shook on it, he told Jim to get his frog. When Jim left the man fed Jim’s frog metal beads so he wouldn't jump as high. He returned with the man’s frog , then the battle began. Jim’s frog got sick and couldn’t jump but the other frog could jump twice as high. The man won the bet and he was paid with all of Jim's money. Jim lost all of his money, making Jim poor. The End.
I loved the play because it was funny ,it had an understandable story, and great sound effects. First, it was funny because it had people dressed up in frogs and they had an old western accent . Secondly, this story was more understanding from all the horror stories it went from an old guy sleeping to him being chopped to bits. Lastly, the sound effects were very original and funny. There were slide whistles and cans with beads in them. In conclusion, this why I enjoyed the “Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.”
“The Celebrated Jumping Frog Of Calaveras County” - Reviewed by White Wolf
The most enjoyable play was “The Celebrated Jumping Frog Of Calaveras County”. I would give the play three out of five stars. This play was more enjoyable because it was a very good humored play that was completely different from the first four plays. “The celebrated jumping frog of Calaveras county” was very entertaining play that had a fun story line.The costumes were the best part of the play as they made the play more exaggerated.
“The celebrated jumping frog of Calaveras county” was entertaining and made
a great ending to the show. It was easy to understand to plot and setting of the
play. I would recommend “The celebrated jumping frog of Calaveras county”
to elementary and middle school students. The acting quality was not great as the actors did not make the play as believable as it could have been.
4.5/5 Stars “The Monkey’s Paw” Reviewed By Tasmanian Devil
“The Monkey’s Paw” is about a widow who was in india when she was given the paw. When she came home from her trip, she was greeted by the White’s. The widow tells the tale of the paw and shows them how to use it. After that she grabs the paw and throws it into the fire. The White’s son grabs the paw from the fire pit and looks at it. The widow warns them of the paw and storms out of there house. The White family will soon learn the true fate of the paw.
My favorite play was “The Monkeys Paw”, this play tells a tale of horror by W.W. Jacobs. It was my favorite because the storyline and script were well said and well created. Also “The Monkey’s Paw” told an awesome story, the sound effects of when the Whites used the paw was my favorite part. If they told who gave her the Monkeys Paw and why she was gifted it, I would have gave this 5 stars, but instead I gave it a 4.5 star rating. The main message throughout the story was, to be careful of what you wish for.
Review By: Pink Platypus
“The Monkey’s Paw” is a very frightening story about wishes. A family is with a friend, who is telling stories about her travels. She brings back a magical monkey’s paw, from which you can grant wishes. But watch out, because the wishes are always given a twist.
“The Monkey’s Paw” was thrilling and suspenseful. The plot of the story was very interesting and had a good meaning to it. I would recommend it for anyone over the age of 12, because it is quite scary at times. Five stars!
“The Monkey’s Paw” Reviewed by Purple Zebra
Genre: Horror
The Monkey’s Paw was my favorite performance. I gave the play four stars because I thought the play performers had good acting. I also thought that the play was mysterious. When the play started a woman walked out and had a monkey paw. She told the White family that it could grant three wishes but with some consequences. The family didn’t believe her so the woman threw the paw in the fire. Then, the family thought that they would try the wishes so they could prove the girl wrong. They wished for two hundred pounds. Their son went to work and got shredded up. After he got shredded up a man gave the family two hundred pounds to repay for his death. The family then wished for their son back. The zombified son came to the door and tried to get in. The husband did not let him but the mother tried to open it.
There was many reasons why I liked The Monkey’s Paw. First, I liked the acting quality. thought that actors followed their lines. Secondly, I thought the play was very cool and mysterious. You never knew what would happen next and was always on the edge of your seat. Lastly, there was lots of movement and talking. There was lots of emotion. The actors really showed off their emotions.
Play Review for The Monkeys Paw Opal Echidna
a block
1/27/14
The monkeys paw was a great and riveting story about a widow that brings mummified monkey paw. She tells her friends the whites the story about the monkeys paw and how it has lots of power. They take the paw and the story begins to get dark from here. the story takes a turn for the worst when they ask the monkeys paw for a favor.
I thought that the story the monkey's paw was a great story, I thought it was also entertaining. so i gave the play a 4.5 out of five because of the fact that I didn't get to see the big reveal. other than that the story was great. i would recommend seeing this play because it was that good. it is for the older student maybe seventh to eighth grade. This play was reviewed by the one and only opal echidna!
Reviewed by: Chestnut Horse
“The Monkey’s Paw”
4 out of 5 stars
My favorite play I saw at the theater was “The Monkey's Paw” I gave this play a 4 out of 5 star rating. In the story a girl gives a family a mummified monkey’s paw attached to a chain. The girl says that the monkey’s paw could grant any of their wishes, but she warned them to be careful of what they wished for. One day while the family was sitting together in the family room and they wished for an extra 200 pounds to help pay off bills on the house. The next day the family received the 200 pounds they had wished for. Although the family had gotten the 200 pounds they had wished for, they had lost something more valuable than 200 pounds.
I gave this play this rating because the message the story brought out with the characters actions taught me to be careful what I wish for. Secondly, I thought the characters made me pay closer attention during interesting parts like when the owner of the company the family’s son worked at stood at the end of the driveway. Almost like he was about to break in. Lastly, the story always had me jumping out of my seat, waiting to see what came next. I would recommend this play to any 7th graders that like horror stories.
“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow “
‘’The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is a horror story that I give five stars. “The
Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is a story that tells about a schoolmaster named Ichabod
Crane who falls in love with Katrina Van Tassel. At Katrina’s party Ichabod
proposes to Katrina, to his surprise she says no. On Ichabod’s way home the
headless horsemen, as the one told in Brome Bone’s stories meet him.
The acting quality was amazing. The actors spoke loud so everyone in the
audience could hear. The actors also never broke character, their accents, and made
a mistake. The special effects, such as lightening or a foggy graveyard, made the
scenes come alive and feel more realistic. The sound effects, such as lighting, made
the scenes in the graveyard more scary and frightening.
I gave “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” five stars because I enjoyed the
characters and the props, such as the wood fences, the letter, and the town houses
back round. I also enjoyed the actor’s crazy voices and actions.
I would recommend this play to sixth and seventh graders because they
would not be scared by the special effects and by the content or be confused by the
higher level of vocabulary like little kids or fifth graders would. Reviewed by the
Black Butterfly.
“The Monkeys Paw” play review by lime green hamster 5/5 stars
I saw many plays yesterday, but one stood out to me. It is called “The Monkeys Paw”. I gave it 5 stars because the acting was excellent and the story was wonderfully told. This horror story is about a family visiting their widow friend after 15 years of not visiting each other. The widow shows the family the monkeys paw, a magical mummified paw that can grant three wishes to a person. The widow advises the family not to use the monkeys paw as it can cause many troubles. The family does not listen and use the paw to wish for money. After that there are many horrors for the family.
I would say the acting quality was excellent. First of all, when the monkey paw shocks the man. The actor acts as the shock hurt him a lot. Next, when they learn that their son died, actor of the mother acts really sad and depressed. Overall, the acting quality was excellent. For the monkeys paw. There were lots of lighting effects used. There were strobe lights for the lightning. The sounds were loud and scary, especially when there was a crash when the man held the monkeys paw.The play would be suitable for grades 6 and above. First this play has very loud and scary sound effects that could scare young children. Next, the lightning is very scary. Lastly, the plot is very hard to understand for younger audiences. All in all, The Monkeys Paw was an excellent play.
Orange Octopus
“Sleepy Hollow”
The play “Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving was my favorite play. “Sleepy Hollow” is about 2 guys named Brom Bones and Ichabod Crane, who are trying to impress Katrina Van Tassel. Later in the play Katrina’s dad invited Ichabod Crane and Brom Bones to their party. After a while at the party Ichabod proposed to Katrina but she ran after Brom Bones. After that Ichabod was never seen again.
I gave the play four stars out of five stars because at the end I was a little confused why Katrina left the schoolmaster and ran after Brom Bones. It took me a while to figure out that she was just using the schoolmasters to make Brom Bones jealous. I liked the play because I liked the sound effects and the lighting of the performance. I also liked the the actors and actresses they were all really good at there parts and remembering their lines. It looked like they never messed up once, they were always dead on. This is Orange Octopus and that is why I liked the play “Sleepy Hollow.”
“The Monkey’s Paw”
Reviewed by Colorful Kitten
Horror
This creepy tale is about how a family messes with fate and pays for it. A widower comes into the White’s house for tea telling stories of her travels in the Far East. She tells a story about a monkey’s paw that she claims to be magic; the old widow tells them of the agony the paw causes. She immediately throws it into the fire, but the host saves it and convinces her to let them keep it. He makes a wish shortly after she leaves. The family will soon realize that the monkey’s paw belongs in the fire.
The play was interesting, but their were some things that brought the rating down.The actors in The Monkey's Paw were pretty good. They projected their voices and got into their character, but the part where the wife was at the door was confusing; you couldn't tell whether she was trying to open or close the door. It was helpful how the actors used exaggerated movements in all the other parts so you could understand the play better.
The special effects were average. The lightning was believable, and the sound and light together successfully made the audience jump out of their seats every time. The backdrops were normal and did not depict any special setting.The actors used the stage well, moving about it as if it were a real house.
This play would be suitable for middle schoolers; it would most likely frighten anyone younger.It would be helpful to know the story beforehand, but it is not necessary. The costumes were great. They were definitely true to their time.
“The Tell Tale Heart” reviewed by Colorful Caterpillar
Horror
The old man had a vulture eye that made the narrator very nervous and frightened. Every night, she slowly creeped into the old man’s chamber and flickered a lantern. On the eighth night, the narrator snuck into his chamber once more. Even more quiet and sneakily than any other nights. However, this time she didn’t flicker the lantern, but the man woke up. He thought it was nothing more than the wind blowing the smoke back into the chimney. She then did something she has been wanting to do for a long time.
The acting quality was for the most part believable. One part that seemed very realistic to me was the woman sewing. Most of the acting looked very real to me, however, some parts weren’t as believable.
There were many special effects that made it more believable and realistic such as lighting and sound effects. They used different colored lighting and props to give the audience the effect of moving around a real house.
The Monkey’s Paw Review
The Purple WAMPAHOOFUS
1/8/14
The Monkey’s Paw Review
by The Purple WAMPAHOOFUS
The Monkey’s Paw is a horror short story about a family that invites their friends over to tell them about her recent travels. The friend brought back a souvenir. It was a dried monkey’s paw. She informed the family that the paw can grant three wishes, but with a great sacrifice. Before the woman got a chance to burn the paw in the fire, the family insisted on keeping it for their own not believing the story.
I found this play to be rather intense and would rate it a four out of five stars. The acting was very realistic and the scares very convincing. Most of the scares came unexpectedly and caused a great deal of fright on the audience members around me. Next I found a fascination in the plays special effects. Although the stage did not change often, the lighting including strobe lights and projections created an appealing look. Finally I think this play is a swell way to scare anyone, of any age. I found this play fantastic, especially for a low budget theater performance.
- The Purple WAMPAHOOFUS
The Tell Tale Heart
Reviewed by Black Raven
The story of the telltale heart is one that captures the mind of insanity perfectly. Truly a great story. As performed for us in a play it was very good. The actor who played the insane woman was very expressive, and she captured the feeling of having a strange disgust/pity for the old man she killed. The lighting of the set really added to the depressing feeling, as did the heart thumping playing through by some sort of speakers in the background. These effects helped to set the tone perfectly. The only issue I had with this performance was that the actress did not play the character as the “psycho” that she was. She said her lines well but something was missing. She lacked intensity. If she had included more gestures with her hands and body, she would have seemed more distressed. I also did not enjoy the performance of the constable that questioned her. He seemed awkward and unconvincing in his character. I must give praise though for the laughing in the background that mixed with the heartbeat and red lights. This idea was very effective in giving the play a vibe of insanity. I give this play four stars.
The Celebrating Jumping Frog of Calavaras County-By Dark Blue Donkey
4 out of 5 Stars
“The Celebrating Jumping Frog of Calavaras County” by Mark Twain was is about a man who bet on everything and got a lot of money from it. One day he had found a frog and trained it to hop. A couple days later the man decided to bet on his frog with another person. Obviously, the other person had no frog and needed one. I would give the play a rating of four out five stars because of the acting and characters. I got a little lost with the switching of characters. The lady in the beginning died and then apparently turned in to one of the frogs. Overall, it was a good show that was funny, unique, and good for middle aged students.
It was my favorite play out of the of the rest. I liked it because it was fun and funny; it lightened up the mood after the other scary plays. Another reason, is all of the noises the narrator made with tools to make the story more interesting. The narrator made sounds to the frogs hopping and to the man getting money.
By: Dark Blue Donkey
“The Necklace” original story by Guy De Maupassant - Reviewed by Violet Kitten
star rating: ****
“The Necklace” is included in the genre of drama. It was shown fifth of the six shows included in the “Encore” performance. The story begins as a young woman has been invited to a ball with her husband, although she feels as if she has nothing to wear. Because of this, the young woman becomes jealous of her rich friend and decides to borrow one of her diamond necklaces, but loses the necklace while walking home that same night. Soon she will face the consequences of her actions.
There are many reasons to why I have rated this play four out of five stars. First, I found the acting quality to be wonderful and the actors as well as actresses were very expressive to show their emotions, such as the sadness in the young womans voice. I also believe that the special effects were used correctly and appropriately. There was one part however, that I found confusing when the young woman’s friend told her the diamonds were fake. This confused me because I did not catch which necklace she was talking about. Overall, I found that the performance was beautiful.
“ The Monkey’s Paw” - Reviewed by the Neon Green Octopus
Genre: Horror/ Fiction
✩✩✩✩- 4 out of 5 stars
I thought that this play was well thought out. The play was also very entertaining and
it made me sit on the edge of my seat and at some points even jump a whole foot!
Although one of the male actors did mess up his line, but other then that the whole
performance was really good. Secondly, the sound effects were amazing! You could hear
every word clearly and everything was loud and well heard. The actors did a really good job
on stage. They exaggerated their movements and expressed their words and thoughts with
their movements. Finally, the costume artists made the actors look the part. They dressed
them in the right clothes for their part. In conclusion, the play was well done.
The Whites family is visited by a widow that lost her husband to a fever in India. She
had shared her stories about a mysterious paw. Then, she pulled out the paw and
threw it in their fireplace. The family saved it as she was telling them the dangers of
it. They wished her away and got ready to make dinner. If only they knew what they
were in for.
-“The Monkey’s Paw”- Reviewed by Seagreen Salamander In the classic horror story, “The Monkey’s Paw”, many strange things happen. A widowed friend of the White family comes back from India with a rather odd trinket. It’s a monkeys paw told to have magical properties. As the widowed friend is telling the Whites about the monkeys paw, she hurls it into the fire place, tells the family to never use it and that it is a horrible object. The Whites manage to save the paw and they decide that the story isn't real. Just to be funny they decide to make a wish and then terrible things start to happen, but after all, it was their wish.
The actors portrayed their characters and they told the story very well. They made their characters very believable. This play would be perfect for seventh and eighth grade. There are some rather frightening parts and it had the crowd jumping out of their skin. The sound effects brought the story to life and the actors used the stage very well. It looked like they were moving around a real house!
I liked this play the best because I found that it had the best moral and that it was the most interesting. The first reason for this is because there were many twists and turns in the story. For instance, when the widowed friend throws the paw into the fire. Second, is because the story is saying that not all wishes turn out good and sometimes bad things happen when you mess with fate. An example of this is when the man wishes for 200 pounds so he could pay off his mortgage and his life changes drastically, but not for the better. Lastly, the play was interesting because the props were very true to the story. The monkeys paw was very realistic and the fire that the widow throws the paw into looks like a real fire. In conclusion, “The Monkey’s Paw” was the best play by far.
The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe -Reviewed by RainbowUnicorn * * * *
“The Raven” is a horror poem by Edgar Allen Poe. It is about a man who is overtaken by his love towards the death of the love of his life. The man was reading as he heard a quiet knock on the door. He slowly opened the door and peered out, but no one was there. He stared out for many minutes, surprised, until a raven flew in, which took him by surprise. The raven then took the form of a humanoid spirit as the man cowered in his dark doorway. It returned all of his questions about his love with “nevermore” to make him grieve more about her and make his decision whether to forget about his love or to keep remembering her even harder.
“The Raven” was rated four out five stars because of many things including the acting quality, special effects, lighting, and the organization of the play. The acting quality of the show “The Raven” was very well considering the fact that the actors had to transform the poem into a short story and a play. The special effects of the show were also very good, but could use a few more improvements. Although it is a horror story, the story was still a little too dark for anyone to see the action. If the lighting people could use something little, like a candle or two, it would make the play a lot easier to see, making it easier to understand. The dramatic scenes of “The Raven” could also be a little better because of the lack of special effects. The lights only dimmed when a dramatic or scary scene came on for all of the plays, but specifically for “The Raven”. In many occurrences, there are flashing lights to make the scenes seem more dramatic. Doing this will also make the play better for the audience. The main reason it is rated four stars is because it was hard to understand. The play consisted of two parts: the narration and the act. The problem about this is that many people are not good at multitasking and multitasking was the key to understanding the play. In conclusion, this play had very good acting, okay lighting, and it was hard to understand, but it deserves four stars for the fact that there are only five actors and a lot of work toward the production and result of the play.
“The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”reviewed by the pink pony
“The Celebrated Jumping Frog Of Calaveras County” by Mark Twain is a fun and entertaining play. This play was based in a western county in the 1800s. Jim Smiley, who bets on anything and anywhere, befriends a frog. One day he bets with a cheater to see who’s frog could jump the highest. Would Jim Smiley and his Jumping frog win the bet? You will have to go the theater and watch the play to find out that answer.
I would rate this play 4 stars out of 5. First, I thought the actors did an outstanding job playing their roles. The accents the actors had were terrific and they made the characters come to life. Also, unlike the other plays, this one was not scary at all but rather funny. For instance, watching the frogs jump around was unexpected and humorous. Lastly, I thought the stage setting was acceptable but I thought it could have been a little better. There should have been a better backdrop on the stage. Overall, I thought the play “The Celebrated Jumping Frog Of Calaveras County” was very good and I recommend it to people of all ages.
“The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”reviewed by the pink pony
“The Celebrated Jumping Frog Of Calaveras County” by Mark Twain is a fun and entertaining play. This play was based in a western county in the 1800s. Jim Smiley, who bets on anything and anywhere, befriends a frog. One day he bets with a cheater to see who’s frog could jump the highest. Would Jim Smiley and his Jumping frog win the bet? You will have to go the theater and watch the play to find out that answer.
I would rate this play 4 stars out of 5. First, I thought the actors did an outstanding job playing their roles. The accents the actors had were terrific and they made the characters come to life. Also, unlike the other plays, this one was not scary at all but rather funny. For instance, watching the frogs jump around was unexpected and humorous. Lastly, I thought the stage setting was acceptable but I thought it could have been a little better. There should have been a better backdrop on the stage. Overall, I thought the play “The Celebrated Jumping Frog Of Calaveras County” was very good and I recommend it to people of all ages.
“The Monkey’s Paw” Review
by the Hot-Pink Chinchilla
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
I gave The Monkey’s Paw a 4 out of 5 stars. The genre of the play was fantasy and
horror.
In the story a woman comes from India to visit her friends and their son. she brings an
artifact, an enchanted paw of a monkey. This is not just any enchanted paw, but one that
grants your wishes at a price. The family takes it and uses it in a greedy way. Thier wish
backfires and something happens…
The acting quality was good. The actors used facial expressions to make you believe
that they are really scared or happy. The acting was well thought out and you could tell that
they took the time to practice. The special effects were not as good as the acting. They used
strobe lights to create fire and thunder multiple times. The sound systems were very good and
made things seem real even though they weren’t.
I gave The Monkey’s Paw a 4 out of 5 stars because the plot was interesting, the
acting was good and the special effects were ok. I would not recommend this to children
under the age of eight years old because there are some parts that can make you jump and
the overall story is something that could really scare someone that young. Overall it is
a good play and I would definitely recommend seeing it.
The Teal Piggy
1/8/14
D Block
“The Monkey’s Paw”
By: The Teal Piggy
“The Monkey’s Paw” is a very suspenseful play full of horror. It shows you not to test your fate. However the white family thought it be a good idea too even after their friend tried to throw the paw in the fire so no one would get hurt. Later on they found out why the woman tried to destroy the paw. The poor White family will have to live with their wish forever….there’s no going back
“The Monkeys Paw” was an interesting and helpful in a way. But, caution I don't think this play is appropriate for age 10 or younger. I found that it was helpful in a way that said don't take things for granted. I gave the monkey's paw 4 out of 5 stars because I felt that it could use better actions instead of just running around elegantly….make it more realistic. I found the story interesting because you are always wondering what’s going to happen next. All in all, “The Monkey’s Paw” was very dramatic and entertaining.
“The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs
Reviewed by Blue Beluga
✰✰✰✰
I gave this play four stars because the characters in the play put on a scary and an emotional show that blew me away. This story tells how a man, his wife, and their son mess with fate and a bad thing happens because of it.The genre of this play is horror. I only recommend this play for middle school and older. The Monkey’s Paw might be too scary for children.
The plot of this story is about a family who lives in a sweet little home and their friend who just returned from India. She returned with a mummified monkey paw. She told the family that the monkey’s paw granted three wishes but at a cost. She threw the paw into the fire place. The man took it out before it burned and said he wanted it. So she warned him about it but he didn't listen. The man granted a wish with the monkey paw but a bad thing happens but the wish comes true. The man and his wife didn't know if it was a coincidence or if the wish he made came true. The family messed with fate and is now paying for it.
The actors put on a really good and entertaining show.I think they really got into character with their movements, emotions, and tones. They exploded the scenes with emotion and you could really tell what they were feeling. You could also tells what kinds of moods they were in because they showed their emotions and let the audience know what they were experiencing.
They had some really good special effects. After the man would grant a wish a bright light would create a big flash and their would be a loud bang. The characters really used the stage and the props. They had the stage set up as a little house and they made me believe that they were actually living in a house.
“” “The Necklace”
My favorite play I watched during encore out of all of them would have to be “The Necklace” .The reason i chose 5 stars was because I liked the fact that the story is based on be careful what you wish for.Also I loved how she made her own dress.I think the actors did a really good job.In “The Necklace” there was a married couple that didn’t have very much money but meanwhile the wife dreams about owning pearls,diamonds, and dresses.Then the couple gets invited to a ball and when wife borrows something that would soon be lost and she would spend the next ten years trying to pay it off but there is an unexpected ending that will leave you on the edge of your seat.The genre of this play would be drama.This play would be a good show for 4th Grade and up.
Reviewed by: Teal Unicorn
“The Monkey’s Paw”- Reviewed by Maroon Armadillo
“The Monkey's Paw”, a classic horror story, was told as a lesson of why we should never twist fate. A friend of the White family, brought home a monkey's paw that she said could grant wishes. Along with the wishes, the friend tells them that there is a bad price to pay with it. Because of that, the friend tosses it in the fire so that no one would get hurt. Thinking there friend was crazy, the Whites grabbed it out of the fire. Soon after they used it for the wishes, they learned why the should never twist fate
During the production of encore, many plays were shown, but “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W Jacobs was my favorite. I would recommend it mainly for grades six and up. The actors in the play did a pretty decent job, and I wouldn’t mind seeing them again in another play. They did a very good job with all the lighting and sound effects too. For example, when someone would grant a wish with the paw, a loud bang would go, and make you jump in your seats. Along with that the lights would go on for the split second, and then go back on again. “The Monkey’s Paw was an enjoyable play and I would love to see it again!
✩✩✩✩ “The Monkey’s Paw” Reviewed by Red Squirrel
Monkey’s Paw, a fictional/ horror story, is a sensational play that keeps the audience guessing the whole way through until the end. This play was set at a family’s house a long time ago; before electricity. The family’s old neighbor came to visit and gave them a monkey paw with three wishes to grant, but warns the family to be careful what they wish for...
I would recommend this play to audiences ages 10 and older because there are startling noises and light changes; it could also be hard for younger children to understand due to the horrible happenings for no reason when a person made a wish . When the family made a wish, the lights would turn dark blue like lightning, and the theater would shake from a loud “BANG! There was also a scrim to change the scenery in the background. Overall, I would rate this play four out of five stars because the actors were very dramatic in the play, but their actions were sometimes delayed to the sounds of thunder or bangs.
“The Necklace” – Reviewed by the Turquoise Manatee I enjoyed “The Necklace” the best out of all of the plays. In this play a woman borrowed a friend’s necklace to wear to a ball. Upon leaving the ball the woman loses her friends necklace. Scared to tell her friend the woman goes out and buys an exact replica of the lost necklace. She returns it to her friend and goes home. For years to come her and her husband work and work to pay back the debt of which the necklace costed. Finally, paying back the debt the woman tells her friend about the misfortunate losing of the necklace and tells her she bought an exact replica which they have been paying off for years. The friend slowly turns to the woman and says, “Oh, Matilda, mine was a fake not even worth 500 pounds!”
This play portrays a wonderful lesson. Firstly, when the woman loses the necklace instead of telling her friend she lies and buys a new one. By just telling her friend she could save time and energy, and it would show that she was an honest person. Secondly, the woman pays off debt for years and loses almost, if not all, of her belongings. She pays for her mistake almost as if karma was out to get her. Lastly, when everything is said and done she not only lost all of her belongings, but she also lost a friendship. All in all, the main lesson is to be honest with the people around you because you never know what might happen.
The beginning was confusing but once you got into the play you started to understand the beginning. I think that sound effects and visual effects really added to the story and the background music made it feel more realistic. In conclusion, this play was put together well over all and a good lesson to follow.
Red Grasshopper
1/9/14
Encore Review
The play that most impressed me was “ The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” a legend told in the 1700’s. Its about a singing, dancing, school teacher who has a crush on a wealthy girl, but there is a dangerous thing that rides the nights on a horse. Igabob is a scared coward who freaks out on owl sounds and his shadow. The actors who did the characters had amazing emotions that fit that certain character. the costumes were highly well done, looked like it was real to me. I would give this play a 5 star rating. All the actors did a very good job in each of their roles..
When they started this play I knew it would be creepy. The scenes changed from happy and funny to scary and terrifying. They play was very realistic. The actors’ performance was accurate and every character was well performed. They looked exactly like the characters in the book when I read the story. The effects are what impressed me the most. The thunder, lights and background was really good. The effects specialist did a really good job and it felt like I was actually in the 1700s. This is why I would rate the play the highest rating of 5 stars.
Reviewed by
Amber Arab
“The Necklace” review
“The Necklace” is an enjoyable pay that I watched. A girl who does not have a lot of money gets invited to a ball. She borrows her rich friend’s diamond necklace. She eventually loses the necklace. With only a little money left she finds a way of buying a replica of the original. She spent a couple years trying to earn back the money she lost.
I give “The Necklace” a 4 star review. The genre of this play I believe is drama category. The play had very good acting quality but not the best. Some special effects they had we excellent sound quality without being able to see the microphone. That is why I gave “The Necklace” a four star rating.
The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
✰✰✰✰✰ I gave “The Celebrated Jumping Frog” four stars. I did not give it five stars because of how the ending was. Instead of a happy ending in a funny play they ended it with them never finding him again. “The Celebrated Jumping Frog” was almost the best out of all the plays. All of the other plays were not as funny and effective as this one. The other plays had sound effects but not like this one. The other plays were scary but the Jumping Frog was very funny. I would say the celebrated jumping frog is for fourth or fifth graders. overall I liked this play and I give it a four star review. This play was very funny and the sound effects made it seem so real.the sound effects matched up with what the action was. But the sound effects were a little off with the action. The jumping frog had a few surprising parts that were really funny.
By Red Hawk.
“The Monkey’s Paw”
***
Reviewed by Neon Blue Gorilla
Genre: Horror/Drama
In “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs, a woman from India comes back to visit her friends. She talks about her monkey paw and how it gives you three wishes, but with a terrible price. The woman throws the paw into the fire, but the son of the family fetches it. She urges them to put it back into the fire. The family doesn’t listen and will soon find out the consequences.
I thought “The Monkey”s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs was an okay play. The actors did a nice job and the effects made the play come to life. I would recommend this play for grades 6-9. I gave it three stars because I was bored at some moments in the play. The actors could’ve done a better job because I heard them mess up twice on their lines.
Purple Huskey
1/8/14
✭✭✭✭✰
This horror story captures a family welcoming their friend home from her travels. She brings a monkey's paw with her. She states that with the monkey paw can grant people three wishes. She says that she didn't know a mans first two wishes, but the man’s final wish was death. She then freaked out and threw the paw into the fire. The family then convinces her to let them have it and she lets them. She warns about the danger that may come but the family does not heed the warning.
The actors were very believable with their roles. The family acted like normal people would if something bad happened.The actors acted like it was real life. I would recommend this to anyone except for little children. At times the lights and noises could scare children. There were very little scary things, but it was loud at times.Other than that this story is fine. It is a little disturbing for children but a great story for kids about eleven and up.
The Teal Piggy
1/8/14
D Block
“The Monkey’s Paw”
By: The Teal Piggy
“The Monkey’s Paw” is a very suspenseful play full of horror. It shows you not to test your fate. However the white family thought it be a good idea too even after their friend tried to throw the paw in the fire so no one would get hurt. Later on they found out why the woman tried to destroy the paw. The poor White family will have to live with their wish forever….there’s no going back
“The Monkeys Paw” was an interesting and helpful in a way. But, caution I don't think this play is appropriate for age 10 or younger. I found that it was helpful in a way that said don't take things for granted. I gave the monkey's paw 4 out of 5 stars because I felt that it could use better actions instead of just running around elegantly….make it more realistic. I found the story interesting because you are always wondering what’s going to happen next. All in all, “The Monkey’s Paw” was very dramatic and entertaining.
✰✰✰✰
“The Necklace” - Reviewed by Magenta Killer Whale
This drama is the story of a woman named Matilda. She is a lovely woman, but she believes she deserves better than the life she has. One day, her husband comes home with an invitation to the house of the minister of the department of education. Matilda is distressed because she has no jewelry to wear to the occasion. Her husband has the idea of asking her richer friend for something to borrow. Her friend lends her a beautiful diamond necklace, and Matilda and her husband head to the event. Matilda’s wish for an elegant life seems to have come true for the night. She danced with everyone and had a lovely time. Everything seems great, until they get home…
I think that the characters were well portrayed. The character of Matilda’s rich friend was especially believable. Matilda’s distress at not having anything to wear was also very realistic. I do think that the ending of the play could have been more detailed without spoiling the effect. The character’s emotional reaction could have been more dramatic in this scene, too.
This play would be great for students in fifth grade or older. It is a little dark, but not scary. It is also ironic and mildly humorous. Younger students may find the idea a bit confusing, but it depends on the person.
“ The Celebrated Jumping Frog Of Calaveras County” reviewed by the Blue Dog
Genre: comedy
Rating: 4 stars
“Celebrated Jumping Frog Of Calaveras County” is about a man who always won every bet he wagered. One day he met a frog and the man taught him how to jump very high. He taught the frog by throwing flies up in the air and telling the frog to jump and get it. Soon enough the frog was the highest jumping frog the man has ever seen. A man then came along and bet that there was nothing special about this frog. The man went along and of course bet, but then he met his match.
I believe the acting quality of this play would be very good. I think this way because they made me feel like it was happening right then. Special effects would be when all the lighting was changing. Also, the sound effect like every time the frog jumped they did a noise for it. The reason I did not give this play five stars is because it was so silly that you couldn’t hear what the actors were saying. I think this play is appropriate for kindergarten through eighth grade because it is nice and funny for younger kids but not too young for older grades.
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