Sound

Sound is one of the most important aspects of theatre. Along with actors’ voices speaking dialogue, a performance can also include sound effects and music. Sound can create atmosphere and emotion for the audience and can also play a part in the plot. A sound engineer is usually in charge of this aspect of each performance in the theatre.

COMMUNICATING: GROUP DISCUSSION

In small groups, discuss what elements of sound you would choose for the following scenes to add to the audience’s experience of the performance in the theatre, and why.

Scene 1 Scene 2

Two men talking on the deck of a famine ship on the way to America in 1847 A flustered receptionist in a doctor’s surgery with a waiting room full of patients

Scene 3 Scene 4

A mother and baby yoga class gone horribly wrong A group of old men watching a game of rugby from the stands

PERFORMING Divide into small groups to create a soundscape for one of the scenes below. A soundscape is a group of all the different sounds and noises that help create a sense of place. a busy city a storm a supermarket checkout the jungle the seaside a hair salon You can create sounds by using your own voice or by using the objects around you. One person in your group should be the conductor or director of the soundscape and should give everyone their cues to start making their individual noises and sounds. The conductor should also be in charge of controlling the noise level, raising a hand to increase the volume and lowering a hand to decrease the volume. To practise, you could try recording your soundscape and playing it back to see where you need to make improvements.©The Educational Company of Ireland