Berkoff: Metamorphosis

As part of the A Level drama course we have to study two different playwrights. The second is Steven Berkoff. The first script we looked at by Steven Berkoff was Metamorphosis.

Originally, Metamorphosis came from Kafka's famous story. Steven Berkoff adapted it into a modern day version. It is about a family named Samsa but really based on the character Gregor of the family. Gregor balances all his and his families worries on his back making him depressed until he wakes up one morning transformed into an enormous dung beetle. His family allow lodgers to stay in their house whilst Gregor is like this but he becomes very hard to handle...

During lessons we were put into groups of 5 and had to pick a character to play and practice it as a group. I worked with Paige, Michelle, Taylor and John. The first lesson we looked at the script I did not have a part because there was too many people so I helped direct my group and help improve/advise different techniques Berkoff used to make sure they get the grades they should. In the second lesson the lodgers were involved so I played the character of the lodgers which was quite hard as I had to be 3 lodgers all in 1. Although this was quite difficult to do it was also very interesting adapting to it.