Characterisation - The creation or construction of a fictional character
Differences Between Versions of West Side Story
Glee
While performing the character was quite stationary for the majority of the performance, only taking a few steps back and forth until later in the song where he began moving through the band. The performance seems a little flashy and due to the character being in an audition he is doing everything he can to show off his skills, deviating from the original song by adding in belting notes in particular during the ending of the song. I feel this takes away from the song's overall optimistic feeling and instead adds a sense of over confidence.
Original Film
This performance conveys the overall optimism of the character and the song much better, his voice is much softer and his level of movement is much more controlled and spread apart, he travels more overall but also spread over the entire song. His energy also matches the song and the way he is singing it, his vocals are softer but have an underline power to them, highlighting the character's optimism and his excitement for what the future holds. In this performance, the character is singing for himself instead of performing to impress an audience in an audition.
Characterisation in Close Every Door To Me
"Close every door to me,
Hide all the world from me
Bar all the windows
And shut out the light
Do what you want with me,
Hate me and laugh at me
Darken my daytime
And torture my night
If my life were important I
Would ask will I live or die
But I know the answers lie
Far from this world
Close every door to me,
Keep those I love from me
Children of Israel
Are never alone
For I know I shall find
My own peace of mind
For I have been promised
A land of my own
(Instrumental)
Just give me a number
Instead of my name
Forget all about me
And let me decay
I do not matter,
I'm only one person
Destroy me completely
Then throw me away
If my life were important I
Would ask will I live or die
But I know the answers lie
Far from this world
Close every door to me,
Keep those I love from me
Children of Israel
Are never alone
For we know we shall find
Our own peace of mind
For we have been promised
A land of our own"
"Close every door to me" - I will begin on my knees on the floor with a closed off posture, softer vocals and keeping my head relatively low and a defeated facial expression.
If my life were important I - I will lift my head higher at this point and begin making gestures with my hands.
For I know I shall find - At this point I will stand up and open up posture a lot more and have a more determined facial expression.
A land of my own - My posture will become closed off once again and I will revert to the more defeated facial expression as before, like my glimmer of hope has been snuffed out once more.
(Instrumental) I will begin to travel up stage and sit on the wooden block placed there
Just give me a number - After sitting down on the block, I will lift my head up and begin singing the next verse
Close every door to me - I will stand up at this point and begin moving down stage for the end of the song. My posture will become more open again and I will use my gestures and facial expressions to appear more confident.
A land of our own - The song will end with Joseph holding his head high his hands straining against the cuffs down by his side and a new found sense of determination.
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