The Heiress is a good drama that directed by Ruth and Augustus Goetz. It is a strong and powerful drama that full of tension. And a drama full of personality and vitality can really attract audiences. In this drama, what impressed me most is the character Catherine Sloper, who is the daughter of Dr. Austin Sloper. Jennifer Christa Palmer plays the role well in the play. In the play of the role, she is a character endowed with life and features.
I was full of admiration for her performance. In my opinion, an actor should fully demonstrate the charm of the role when performing, first of all, he should learn to understand the real life. Only when the actors have a full understanding of the script, combining with their life perception, can they reveal their true feelings in the work, and that is the charm of the character.
The actor’s words are the creation of the playwright, but in the actor’s expression of true feelings, his lines certainly lifelike. I think the actor’s active intention is to be able to flexibly and vividly showing the character art. At Morris’s first meeting with Catherine, he was asked by his aunt, Lavinia, about his impressions of the American girls. In this scene, Catherine’s flustered expression really attracts the audience. She slipped back two steps and accidentally dropped the teaspoon revealed the characteristics of Catherine’s social deficiencies, which also makes Morris realize that Catherine is easy to take the bait at first glance.
In order to shape Cathrine’s lack of interpersonal experience and personality traits, the actor’s flustered look is fantastic and smart in the play. In the scene where Cathrine wants to elope with Morris,, Cathrine is waiting for Morris but Morris went away. Cathrine was able to control her emotions at first, but in the end she was so sad that she huddled up and cried out and said some words with sad mood, she thought there must be someone that loves her and wants her!
Cathrine’s despairing screams, curled up in a helpless body to make the audience feel sympathetic. Imagine the scene in which Catherine is abandoned by Morris at the end. If she doesn’t curl up with her body when she is helpless but just stand and cry, it doesn’t show how much love frustration hits Catherine. Therefore, body movements are an important pillar of the character. Her character and behavior from the start paves the way for Morris’s abandoned desperation.
In a theatrical performance, no matter how better the actor’s acting ability is, props are in important tool. If the actors do not make full use of the role of props, the audience will feel that they are a little thin, unable to fully expand the performance space. Palmer vividly portrays Katherine’s character. Therefore, the existence and use of props is very important for performers. Judging by the scene of the teaspoon in Katherine’s hand, the look and character of the play is also more real.
Due to the use of props, as well as Catherine’s expression of panic, the trembling hands depict the characters. The sense of stage space and scene will be full of three-dimensional and hierarchical sense, and the language of art will become more vivid. Props integrate actors with time and space, strengthen the atmosphere of the performance and make the audience resonate. It naturally brings the audience into the artistic conception to be presented in the play, and creates the true faith very well. Catherine，who is a woman with a gruff voice and dares to love and hate.
Katherine’s voice choice is changing along the emotional lines, from tenderness and shyness, to the anger of her father and the despairing screams of being abandoned by Morris. Her physical choice was also highlighted along the emotional line. Her quarrels with her father and her rejection in face of Morris’ confession showed the woman’s confidence and helplessness. I also have a deeper understanding of Catherine through the drama. I saw the image of her cowardice and helplessness, and the longing for love.
In my opinion, the detailed performance of the actors in the drama is very important to the whole drama. For example, the use of props and the expression of the actor, the actor’s body movements and expressions are very important to the show. These are fascinating details. Palmer is very effective throughout the role. From the beginning to the end of the drama, Palmer’s eyes and actions can play up the atmosphere of the drama.
She connected the main lines of the drama, and even her slight sigh in the drama could show the sadness of the characters and the image of another character. The quality of an actor’s effectiveness is demonstrated to his work through his abilities and talents. Factors that are very important to shape the drama effectively. Including the flexibility and plasticity of the actors’ appearance and actor’s body movements, the timbre and tone of voice, the articulation of speech, the understanding, imagination, sensitivity and expression of the actors’ creative imagination, as well as the character’s temperament and charm of the actors themselves.
All in all, Palmer brings Katherine’s character to life. Palmer pays attention to the presentation of details, and her emotions are delicate and beautiful. What tests the actor’s skill is that the actor can flexibly show the charm of the characters of different scenes, while Palmer is able to express herself from the heartache of the confession to the despair of losing love. An actor becomes three-dimensional if he or she is constantly aware of a coherent set of details. The script itself is a success. When the actors are fully performing, the drama can become charming because of the charm of the characters.