Community Theater Presentation – Amadeus

Reaction Paper to the Community Theater Presentation – Amadeus Your Name Subject and Section Professor’s Name June 10, 2019 The play Amadeus is perhaps one of the most well-known plays in the Western world. It depicts a Viennese urban legend about the death of the legendary composer Wolfgang ‘Amadeus’ Mozart, through the perspective of the royal composer Salieri. Nonetheless, while the plot itself is known for its ability to pique and keep the attention of its viewers, the elements of its adaptations are also of great significance. These elements include everything from the voice, actor’s facial expressions, and even the design of the backdrop, which must all fit perfectly together in order to deliver a lasting emotional impact on the viewers. In this article, I would discuss two scenes from a stage adaptation of the said play. I believe that by analyzing elements of the stage play, the reaction elicited by the play to its audience could be easily understood. One of the scenes that piqued my interests the most is the monologue of Salieri in Act 1, where he contrasted his experience of pleasure and pain while listening to a serenade (23:32min). At the beginning of the scene, a soft melody was played at the background. Salieri, who was wearing a pompous dress that is common in the Victorian era, started narrating how he was intrigued and enticed by the music that he heard. At this point, the character was emphasized as the lights were focused only upon him, while the background is dimly lit. As he continued with his narration, the music became louder, when he shifted from his experience of ‘pleasure’ to ‘pain’. However, the texture and the melody of the music stayed solemn, despite the character’s change in emotions. It was during this time that the actor started stuttering, crying, and clasping his head in a manner that portr...