For this Lumos 2024 Drama Festival, excellent monologue works and play scripts were collected. After careful review by two judges, the winners are as follows:
Best Original Screenplay
🏆 The Best Original Screenplay Award was presented to Liu Wanyang, Yang Zhiting and Hu Zeyu. Their co-created work impressed both judges and audiences with its unique perspective and thought-provoking plot.
Comment 1
The choice of a specific historical period as the subject matter is very bold, implying that the author had to do a lot of research - both historical and literary. Firstly, in terms of script structure, the author has presented a complete dramatic creation: character introductions, dialogues, stage directions, etc. The author has also done well with the writing style and word choice, allowing readers to quickly immerse themselves in the story's era. Choosing Phillip's experiences and changes as the entry point is an excellent choice to reflect the changes of the era.
As Louis XIV's brother, Phillip grew up in the palace and was later exiled to the battlefield. He can serve as a mirror, reflecting the diverse aspects of royal life, common people, and the battlefield. I particularly like the moment when Phillip's old clothes reappear on stage - at that moment, it's no longer just a realistic prop, but represents Phillip's inner longing for family, peace, and all things beautiful. However, as time passes, it also gradually becomes worn.
The final monologue of Phillip, introduced by the servant's freeze and exit, is a powerful climax and ending. If an additional character action direction were added at the end, this work would become even more powerful and complete.
Comment 2
Typically, a script begins with the establishment of a concrete "basic reality". Once the audience accepts this foundational reality, they follow the writer into the story world. Many scripts fail to engage the audience, largely due to inadequate development of this crucial part.
The protagonist usually serves as a projection of the audience's emotional resonance. Their joys, sorrows, problems, and confusions all lead to or provide audience empathy. Therefore, whether the character's internal conflicts can establish a connection with the audience becomes the "key event". Character conflicts are usually divided into internal and external parts. External conflicts lead to emotional catharsis, while internal conflicts lead to thematic elevation.
The script does well in laying out the character's basic reality, including their passions and struggles. It then begins to show the consequences of these struggles and conflicts. Like the audience might relate to, a working-class person may have a passion for arts and culture. The more specifically this passion is presented in the basic reality, the better – for example, they might join a drama club, a choir, or take up painting. The audience is also interested in why they are so passionate, perhaps through specific stories. Then, they "have to" do mundane work, like programming or sales. The two aspects begin to conflict, with increasingly high stakes. For instance, they might face expulsion from their drama group (external factor) or start getting promotions and finding fulfillment at work (internal factor). Finally, they make a choice: pursue their dream at all costs, lose themselves in a job they once hated, find a happy medium, or learn to live with the unresolved conflict. This script does a commendable job in developing these aspects, with vivid content and clear characterization, which is quite praiseworthy.
Best Performance Award
🏅 The Best Performance Award was won by Wan Yilin. She earned high praise from everyone for her excellent acting skills and profound character portrayal.
Comment 1
This monologue performance effectively achieves the most fundamental elements of an actor on stage - finding one's anchor points and objectives within the context. It's evident that the actor has thoroughly analyzed their script, demonstrating clear emotional transitions and dialogue delivery, and has almost fully embodied the character. Although there were occasional word slips, these were naturally handled through character-appropriate gestures and tone.
The actor's physical expression is generally rich and relaxed, showing signs of rehearsal and adjustment, and appears quite proficient. This monologue could be directed at a specific individual or a group of listeners, but it's essentially the character's self-analysis, hence the relaxed physicality is necessary. Building on this foundation, if the actor could further open up on stage by exploring different anchor points, varying body heights and postures, it would likely make the character's emotional changes even more distinct and diverse.
The wooden stool behind the actor could also be transformed into props with various symbolic meanings. In a neutral space, neutral costume and setting can actually benefit our expression - it can become any object. Through this performance, we can see that the actor has thoroughly analyzed the character's inner world and has already established internal layers for the character. If the actor could further externalize their understanding of the character to the audience, this would become a highly playful and exploratory piece! I hope the actor continues to uncover their potential. 🥰 The future looks promising!
Comment 2
Typically, an actor's position on stage, movement, expressions, actions, and even micro-expressions and micro-movements are all designed to align with the character's inner state. Even the function of each finger and subtle changes in the corners of the mouth need to be considered and addressed during rehearsals. Conversely, small movements, meaningless actions, or out-of-character behaviors unrelated to the role, such as fixing one's hair or tugging at clothing, must be done with awareness or intention.
When addressing a specific subject, whether it's a fellow actor or even the audience in a monologue, the actor should have a concrete image of that subject in their mind, regardless of whether it physically exists. Therefore, actors need to maintain appropriate eye focus, which demonstrates a sense of belief. If portraying multiple characters, clear transitions between each character should be evident.
In this performance, the actor effectively conveys emotions and physical expressions, successfully establishing their character on stage, which is commendable.
Award winners will receive their certificates (in PDF format) via the email address used during registration.