Melodrama

Introduction

The introduction of the paper "The Cambridge Companion to English Melodrama" primarily
focuses on the concept of realism and how it unfolds in the context of English Drama. The
central points in the introduction include:

1. Realism is relative: It becomes more realistic in comparison to prior art genres and modes.
Realism, in other forms of literature and drama such as the realist novel and melodrama,
represents itself as more realistic than its precursors.

2. Descendental Realism: It refers to the representation focused on common, seemingly

insignificant entities, refusing the transcendental realm, and focusing on the tangible world.

3. Probability and improbability: In improving realism, novelists moved from claiming

historicity (events that actually occurred) to the claim of probability (events that could
realistically occur). The happy endings of melodrama are seen as improbable in this new
context.

4. Typification of characters: Characters in melodrama tend to be typified, representing

social functions or sets of feelings rather than evolving as individuals.

5. Sociopolitical significance of melodrama: Melodramatic plot structures that steer away

from tragic outcomes at the end offer audiences a way to think about their new world while
also offering a measure of relief from it.

Origin and Growth

The origin of melodrama as a genre is traced back to the 18th century in Europe, particularly
France. This new genre termed as 'melo-drama' was brought to public notice through
Thomas Holcroft's adaptation of "A Tale of Mystery", a play based on French author René
Charles Guilbert de Pixérécourt's work, "Coelina". The premiere of "A Tale of Mystery" at
Covent Garden theater on November 13, 1802 marked the advent of melodrama in England.
The development of melodrama as a genre was driven by a desire to infuse vitality into
drama by combining traditional genres, intensifying emotional and sensational elements,
and enhancing the sensory effects of the drama. Components of melodrama—such as
emphasis on action and emotion, monopathic character types, polarization of moral
structures, and the sensational use of spectacle and action—began to evolve and become
popular trends across Europe. Melodrama started gaining immense popularity in France
around 1802, creating a swath of imitations and variations. The genre saw a similarly
impactful growth in England, where within a decade it emerged as the dominant form of
commercial theater. The influence and growth of melodrama were not confined to Europe; it
proliferated across the trans-Atlantic and European colonial world as well. In England and
elsewhere, melodrama evolved from native and local theatrical conventions. While
melodrama adapted to specific regional and national contexts, its core characteristics and
dramatic techniques found consistent expression. Over time, melodrama expanded its scope
to depict a broad range of themes, experiences, social struggles, and personal dilemmas. As
a result, it became interwoven with the full cultural experience of the era and served as an
important mode of popular political and social expression, shaping not only the arts but also
the tenor and conduct of life.

In The Late 18th Century

Melodrama originated in the 18th century, particularly towards its end. Though the genre
itself was not termed as 'melo-drama' until its introduction in England in the early 19th
century, pieces of work that could be classified under the umbrella of melodrama can be
traced back to the latter part of the 18th century. These early forms of melodrama across
Europe were diverse in nature and highlighted the mixing and condensing of traditional
genres, the extraction and combination of emotional and sensational elements, and an
overall move towards enhancing and intensifying drama's effect on the audience. There was
an increasing emphasis on action and emotion, clear moral structures, sensational spectacle,
the use of tableau and pantomime, and music to accompany and shape emotional
responses. Elements that would eventually be constitutive of melodrama - such as
monopathic character types, polarized moral structures, and its sensational use of spectacle
and action, the affective use of pantomime and tableau, even the use of music to
accompany action and shape feeling were evident in various works across Europe from the
1770s and became well-established norms and popular trends by the 1780s. Yet the genre of
melodrama as we understand it today - a genre centered around heightened emotion,
sensational action, and moral polarization - started to crystallize more in the 19th century.
The late 18th-century was more of a formative period, with various elements of what would
become melodrama appearing across Europe, hinting at the dramatic shift that was to come
with the advent of the 19th century.

Acting

Melodrama acting is characterized by exaggerated emotions, gestures, and actions. The goal
is to express the characters' inner feelings and states explicitly to the audience. Here are
some key features:
1. Exaggerated Emotion: The acting in melodrama tends to be larger than life. Emotions are
elevated and performers often project feelings of love, anger, sadness, and joy in an
extravagant manner.
2. Physicality and Gestures: Physical actions, body language, and facial expressions are
essential tools in melodrama acting. Actors often use exaggerated postures, movements,
and gestures to signify emotions. For example, an actor might clutch their chest dramatically
to show heartache or use broad movements to express excitement.
3. The Use of Music: A distinct feature of melodrama is the use of music to amplify the
emotion of a scene and influence the audience's reaction. Music was often played live
during performances to enhance the dramatic effect.
4. Clearly Defined Characters: Characters in melodramas are typically stereotypical and one-
dimensional, allowing the audience to immediately understand their role within the story.
The villain, the victim, the hero - these are traditional roles in melodrama acting.
5. Overemphasis on Speech: Dialogue in melodrama is often dramatic and pronounced.
Speeches can be lengthy and full of emotional intensity, intended to evoke a strong reaction
from the audience.
6. Distinct Performance Style: In contrast to naturalistic acting where actors try to "become"
the character, in melodrama, actors often "present" the character through a stylized
performance. The emphasis is less on being realistic and more on conveying the moral and
emotional content of the story. It's important to note that while melodramatic acting is
often associated with cliche and over-the-top performances, it's a style rooted in theatrical
tradition that requires commanding vocal and physical skills from the performers.

Sensory Motor Training

The paper by Craig Liebenson titled "Self-help advice for the Clinician: Sensory-motor
training" discusses the importance of sensory-motor training in improving balance,
equilibrium, and proprioception, particularly in patients with musculoskeletal conditions or
impaired balance. It highlights the human body's reliance on somatosensory, vestibular, and
visual inputs for balance and motor function, and how dysfunctions or conflicts between
these systems can lead to issues like dizziness or nausea. The article explains in detail a
range of simple exercises, including the 'short foot' exercise, lunges, the use of balance
sandals, and sensory-motor therapy, all aimed at strengthening posture, improving speed of
contractions, and increasing proprioceptive response. The paper also provides normative
data for balance tests and discusses the demonstrated effectiveness of balance training for
diverse conditions like ataxia, ankle instability, and low back pain. The take-home message is
that sensory-motor training provides a cost-effective, efficient, and fun method of
rehabilitation that can be incorporated into everyday clinical practice.

1. Balance and motor functions depend on somatosensory, vestibular, and visual inputs.
Dysfunction or conflict between these systems can cause issues like dizziness and nausea.
2. Imbalances in the human body can lead to various conditions such as ataxia, ankle sprain,
neck pain, cervicobrachial pain syndromes, low back pain, knee instability, and
osteoarthritis.
3. Sensory-motor training is beneficial in improving proprioception, balance, and
equilibrium, and is particularly helpful for patients with musculoskeletal conditions.
4. Several exercises are recommended to improve balance and train the sensory-motor
system. These include standing on one leg, lunges, exercises on unstable surfaces like rocker
boards, and usage of balance sandals.
5. The 'short foot' exercise, involving the active shortening of the longitudinal arch of the
foot, is suggested to improve proprioceptive outflow. This may be challenging for some
patients and alternatives methods are proposed.
6. Unexpected perturbations can be used to evaluate a patient's stability response.
7. Instructions are given for the single-leg standing balance test, a tool for assessing
proprioception and gluteus medius functionality.
8. Balance training, whether short-term or long-term (e.g. Balance board training, Tai Chi),
has been shown in studies to produce significant improvement in balance abilities in
different types of conditions.
9. Sensory-motor training, compared to traditional exercise, is found to be more effective
for treating non-specific low back pain.
10. Balance training can improve postural sway and single-leg standing balance in patients
with functional ankle instability. It can also prevent future injuries in soccer players with
ankle instability.
11. Sensory-motor training is cost-effective, efficient, simple, fun and promising which
should form a fundamental pillar in rehabilitation alongside strength, endurance,
cardiovascular fitness, and flexibility training.

Stanislavski – Moscow Art Theatre

The Methos of Physical Actions

Emotions to be brought from unconscious to conscious via physical action.
1. Units and Objectives – points of reference, every portion/unit has objective,
expressed through verb, directed towards a person to ensure interaction, self-
indulgent acting.
2. Through Line of Actions and Superobjectives – objectives strung together through
line of action, create sense of whole, superobjective carriers through line of action.
3. Analysis of Text Through Action – what do I do? Why do I do it? How do I do it?
Understand main idea of play, analyze psychosocial behaviour of actors in action.
4. Truth, Belief and Magic If – create reality/truth on stage, imaginative creation of
character and not believe to be them, “if I were _______ what would I do?” scenic
truth, plane of imaginative and artistic fiction.
5. Imagination – knowledge of technique only useful with imagination, theatrical and
imaginative.
6. Subtext – meaning underlying text/dialogue, interpretation by actor.
7. Motivation – will, feelings and mind.
 8. Concentration – counteract distraction caused by audience, get actor sufficiently
interested, circles of concentration, external and internal attention, intellectual and
emotional attention.
9. Relaxation – relax muscles to achieve control over motor and intellectual abilities.
10. Communion – communication with audience indirectly via communion with actors,
soliloquy – prana from Hinduism, importance of body usage.
11. Adaptation – what/why/how with respect to action problem, adjustments to be
made.
12. Tempo-Rhythm – bridge b/w inner experience and physical expression, speed and
intensity of emotion in a pattern.
13. The Physical Apparatus – not just creation of inner life but also physical
embodiment.

 Emotional Memory – Recreate event from distant past to regenerate feelings

experienced at that time. Eventually develop multiple cards for emotions that can be
pulled out when required.
 Limitations – exhausting, unconscious refused to give memories to remember.
 Use body as an instrument to gently coax out emotions rather than forcing them.
Developed method of physical actions.
The American Method – Stratsberg followers distorted and took advantage of “method”
acting