Reviews are a great way to reflect on the work you have done and what you have learnt. They give you the opportunity to celebrate the positives you experienced in your learning, but also to think about what you might have done differently, opening up considerations for what you might go on to do in the future.

So, what is a theatre review? A theatre review is a critical and reflective account of an experience you’ve taken part in. While these are normally reviews of shows or people’s work, we will be using the format to reflect on our own skills development through the workshops. It will encourage us to think about what we have learnt, how we can use the acquired skills, the ways in which we continue to develop them, and why they are useful for applying for university or a job.

 Use this template to help you write your review and show your employers/HE your skills in critical thinking (by reflecting on the positive and negatives and how your learning will assist you in the future), communication (how you worked with others, or created a piece of work to share your knowledge and experience), collaboration (working with others), and creativity (developing something new and presenting it a new format)

 Before you begin, it is helpful to identify what skills developed and the experiences you had in:

Critical thinking:

Communication:

Collaboration:

Creativity:

 Before you start to write your review, you need to understand the purpose of it. Complete the box below to help you:

 The workshop I am reflecting on is.....

The skills I am going to cover in my podcast are.....

My audience is.....

Now we can begin writing. Our opening paragraph should introduce us to the workshop you completed, sharing with us where you took the workshop and who was delivering it.

Paragraph One:

Example: In September 2022, De Montfort University ran a workshop on communication. The workshop focused on the ways in which we communicate, and how we might use non-verbal communication. A range of solo and group activities were offer to help develop new and existing skills....

In paragraph two, it is a good idea to outline some of the activities you completed and what their purpose was. Here you can add the strengths of the session.

Paragraph Two:

Example: The first exercise responded to the need to develop non-verbal communication. Using a format similar to charades, the exercise developed team building and collaborative working skills by....

Now we are ready to reflect on the skills we have learnt. Discuss the activities in detail, giving examples of how you how developed your skills. Let’s start with Critical thinking:

Paragraph Three:

Example: The workshop developed critical thinking skills by challenging the ability to communicate without words. Thinking about alternative means of communication, adapting for others, and considering how to develop clarity are important in being critically adaptive to situations.

Communication:

Paragraph Four:

Example: The workshop developed communication skills by asking me to work directly with an audience and....

Collaboration:

Paragraph Five:

Example: The workshop developed my collaboration skills by enabling me to work with other members of the group to think about what is funny and how we make people laugh.....

Creativity:

Paragraph Six:

Example: The workshop developed my creativity by giving me the chance to design my own comedic scenarios, trying out new methods of being funny and making people laugh....

In order to make the most of the workshops, it’s important to think about what you take forward. So, what can you do to continue to develop these skills beyond the workshop? 

Paragraph Seven:

Example: While the clowning exercises completed might not work in an everyday environment, the skills learnt from them will. For example, the continued development of communication skills is possible in.....

To finish your review, you should talk about how you will use the skills you have learnt in the future and why they make you suitable for the company/university.

Paragraph Eight:

Example: The skills gained in the 4Cs make me a perfect fit for De Montfort University because.....