The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow

d “The Devil and Tom Walker” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” by Washington Irving, there are a lot of characteristics of Romantic literature. These three short stories are exemplary of the literature produced during a time referred to as the Romantic Period in American Literature. I’ll be pointing out these characteristics and relating them to these stories. These characteristics include poetic experimentation, rebellion, and emotion.

In regards to the actors and their acting, I found myself with an abundance of mixed reviews. Keeping in mind that this was their first viewing with an audience I can understand that this performance differs from what is currently being preformed; as is the thing with live theatre. Beginning with the eldest brother, the character Anthony was played by actor Carlo Mestroni. I found that this actor most definitely did not struggle

The acting was good however, the director could have told the actors to pick up the pace. The entire play could have been done in 25 minutes however, it took about 45 minutes. Another problem that slowed down the pace of the

The set was very simple so it didn’t distract from the characters. There were only a few set pieces that went in the middle of the stage so the set was mainly the backdrop, which was really pretty and had a cool design. The lighting was cool. I really liked the first scene when it was dark and there was smoke. It set up the eerie theme in the play. Although it was live, everything ran smoothly and if anyone messed up, they played it off really well. The actors were great. They all fit their role perfectly and played their part well. I think there was a good audience. We all laughed and clapped when we were supposed to.

Sleepy Hollow is a small Dutch town in rural New York. The women of these Dutch communities sit around their spinning wheels telling each other folklore and legends. One of these legends is about a Hessian soldier who got his head shot clean off by a cannon-ball in the Civil War. Every night he goes out to look for his head. This is what a female story looks like during the 1800’s. Focuses on legends and myths that the women can talk about during their gossip. However, a masculine story usually is about a hero who saves the day. Washington irving combines the two types of stories. In “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, the main character, Ichabod Crane, is given feminine characteristics to create mock-heroic irony and compare male and female storytelling.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving tells a story about Ichabod Crane and his attempt to be loved by Katrina. Ichabod arrives to Sleepy Hollow, New York from his home state, Connecticut. Ichabod comes to Sleepy Hollow to be the village's schoolmaster. He is a strict teacher who earns almost no money. He earns extra money for teaching singing lessons- which he prides about greatly.

The performers played well together as an ensemble. Each actor was worth noting, but standout would have to go to Nicholas Vitela. To see him switch voices so quickly and move that puppet so quickly was so amazing. The costumes are unique to each character and everything complemented each other.  It was easy to see and hear what is going on, the lighting enhanced the show in its own way. Spotlights played their own distinct parts in the show. The colors on the stage were luminous and pleasant they really helped set the scene and added to the atmosphere. The entrances and exits were smooth along with the scene changes, they changed out scenes quietly and swiftly. There were many stage props that were very effective. Props and how the characters used space made it easy to recognize the character's emotions and see which character had what status.

The conflict and stories force Ichabod to feel like a complete outsider to Tarry Town, and these feelings lead to more criticism. “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is known as one of the greatest ghost stories of all time. However, many scholars have their own questions and opinions on Washington Irving’s work.

The actors utilized the stage in a practical way and spaced themselves out in an even matter. They made a balance throughout the stage and I noticed for most of the play the actors made sure they were spaced correctly. It felt like the actors were able to communicate with their body language as if it was natural to them, therefore making the stage symmetrical. I believed that the actors did take use of the small stage they had and made it seem as if it was double the size. I also believe that I knew I was in the presence of great actors, since they knew how to utilize the stage in that

The set design I thought looked great. I always thought that all the plays and musicals put on by my high school, the set always looked great. The set for this musical was very interesting. It was an allusion, there was 4 openings almost looking like windows with stage curtains painted on them looking like they covered these windows. Then, in the middle there was a “door” with fake stairs going up towards the door. This set was something I had never seen before, so I thought it looked good.

I think the choice of a thrust stage design was excellent because it shorted the aesthetic distance and made the audience really feel like a part of the performance. The scenery was fantastic, everything felt very authentic and original to me, which set the atmosphere even more. From the moment I walked into the theatre till the end of the performance I truly felt like I was at a circus from the funky mirrors to the painted canvases overhead, it all set the mood perfectly. All of the costumes were effective in portraying the play except for Miranda’s. I feel like the choice of putting her in all white may have been to signify her innocence and youth, but I just felt it was too plain compared to everything else. The lighting to me was not structured the best because at various times during the performance they were directed right in my eyes. This is probably an inevitable issue to have though when working with this type of stage were the audience surrounds the performance. Lastly I thought the sound effects were effective. I don’t feel it was over or underused but used just enough to keep the audience captivated and on their

In all, I think this movie was a good example for me to study the acting. These characters were vivid, and the performers’ performances were

Boyd also staged the play really well. When the Capulets’ had a party in the speakeasy, there were many actors on stage to make it look like an extravagant party that you, as an audience member, wanted to be of attendance. However during fighting scenes, I found it a little distracting with so many actors on stage. Very often I did not know where I should look as there was a lot going on at once. In addition, the actors seemed very comfortable on staged and moved around the set with ease and no mistakes. Overall, Boyd staged her actors in places where it made sense and flowed throughout the entire performance.

I guess all the acting played very well on the performance and they did very good. The actors played all their rolls good and they could mesmerize all the lines without mistakes or even pauses. The actor has to leave that personal so he can be able to play a good personality for whatever personality he played

The Legend of the Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving is a tale of supernaturalism written in Nineteenth-Century America during a time when American literature was not yet fully established. Irving wrote this story with multiple historical events in mind and presents a legend full of problematic ideas of wealth, greed and rejection. Amongst many other literary elements, Irving uses the American setting and Sleepy Hollow itself throughout in relation to the development of the story. The setting in relation to the characters is also an important factor that establishes the mood for this creepy, supernatural legend. The location of Sleepy Hollow is the basis of the setting and is influenced by a full range of historical facts and events. This instantly creates a frame of mind for the readers and prepares them for certain themes. The city of Sleepy Hollow and its name at first glance describe the story in general very well. Lastly, the setting impacts the characters throughout and directs the way the characters should be. Without the heavy description and use of setting, the mood in this story would not be so well founded and the context not as impactful. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow would not be the supernatural tale it is without Irving’s focus on the setting.