Character development

Once the script has been written and the roles have been cast, the writers and actors have the job of building/developing the characters in the play.

They want the audience to decide themselves if they have feelings of like or dislike towards the character.

The actors must show the audience who their character is rather than going on stage and telling them – this wouldn’t make an effective performance! To do this, they must create an engaging story with convincing characters.

How to develop a convincing character:

Physicality 

You must have a clear idea of what the character’s physical traits are, everything from looks, smells and sound.

The character’s costume will tell you a lot about the character so details on the costume should be specific and detailed; is the character well-dressed or dressed in old, ripped clothing? This will immediately tell the audience the culture and class of the character.

You must also develop the body language of the character and how this can be affected by the environment, for example, the weather can make you move differently.

You must get into the shoes of the character and live a day in their life; find someone similar and watch how they walk and behave. Dialogue also reveals a lot about the character, so work on developing their speech patterns, accents or emotions.

Voice can tell the audience what class/age the character is with the word choices they use.

Backstory

The character’s backstory may not be important on stage but it is important that you develop the story of where the character’s come from, where they’re going and what their home/love life is like.

You must think about the social or historical context of your character; what would their fears be at the time the play is set and how would they be behaving? Giving your character a backstory helps you to learn more about the person you’re playing and give a believable performance.

‘Interviewing’ your character may be a good way to help you find out more about them and can allow you to imagine what it’s like to live in their shoes.

Similarities & Motivation

No matter what character you’re playing, you should always try and find some similarities between yourself and them.

This could help the backstory fall into place and help you to relate with them. If you’re playing an evil character, think about what they’ve been through to make them evil and what your pet hates are.

When you’re showing emotion, think of a time that you felt the same way and get in touch with how you felt so you can show your true emotions on stage.

To expand the plot, think about the motivation behind the character and why they act the way they do as there will always be a reason behind the behaviours; it may also help you to work out if they’re brave, shy or selfish and how this affects the character.

Emotional baggage

Most people in life are dealing with something emotionally, so no matter how big or small it may be, decide what the character is dealing with and what problems they’re trying to overcome.

This can help you to put emotion behind the words you’re saying and tap into the character’s emotions to make your performance more believable.

The audience will interpret the emotions in a way that relates to them. 

Use your past experiences to think about how the character may be feeling and remember a time when you felt it and how you dealt with it. This can help to convey feelings and show a convincing character.