Next week is our performance day so today we started to patch together all the individual scenes and polish any rough moments. The production is starting to take shape and I think it's very clever how each piece links in with one and other. Our piece is very much an Epic Theatre performance as we have different stories being told through a collection of different scenes and situations. Our scenes flow form one to the next and each individual story contains music of some sort. I think out of all the groups the Dentist scene sticks to the guidelines of Epic Theatre the most as there is music, contrasting scenes and interruptions (the interruptions are performed by Megan, who throughout the piece makes noise and interjects comments about the performance). The point of epic Theatre is to expose the audience to a diverse range of themes and to encourage them to question the performance and come to their own conclusion of what they actors are trying to say.
So far I am very impressed with what the other groups have produced from the stimuli we were given and how they each connect and revolve around the main scripted piece Pick One that Michael, Khai and Ben are performing. Personally, I feel that the most effective and impactful piece so far is the Racist Olympics ( The Race Race) due to its derogatory remarks and the highly racist comments. The stereotypical and obscene characters in this piece stresses how racism is still very much present in sport today. I believe it will make the audience feel very un-comfortable which will make them start to question the sporting world in a new light. This group subtly enforces many Brechtian techniques, which makes the piece even more effective and explosive. Incorporating racist moments that have happened in sport into their piece helps it to become 3D and relevant to the audience. They have included the audience perfectly in this scene (they get them to throw banana's at Will and make monkey noises) which again is very Brechtian as well as including massive gestures and small qualities of Epic Theatre. The audience won't realise what they are doing until they have thought about it, as will is white they won't see it as being immediately racist, but soon the Breachtian techniques will come about and they will realise that they have become part of this racist and satire scene. Because of this I feel that this performance is the most influential. Brecht believed that the distinction between life and theatre was blurred, so the audience should feel enthused with energy that makes them want to question things and start to look at life differently. He wanted his audience to leave the theatre feeling powerful and knowledgeable. I think this group applies these qualities of audience participation the best, as their piece is very thought provoking and harsh.
The use of Nick Griffin as being Prime Minster and the host of the games is extremely witty and sharp as most of the audience will know who he is and what he believes in. Through using this very public figure it will give this piece gravitas which will enable the audience to understand the social connotations of the performance. I think that this performance will pose a lot of questions in the audience's minds and therefore make them create a political opinion and lead them to broaden their political horizons as they may leave our performance wanting to know more about Nick Griffin and his party.
After a quick warm up we went straight into rehearsing our scenes. Today we smoothed out any rough edges and transitions. We decided to sing the theme tune in a Brechtain manner, starting un-enthused and ending extremely over the top. We're going to have the song 'Too Sexy for my Shirt http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL06-Hcoe-Y playing as Danny comes down the 'single man lift'. I think this will add a comedic quality to our piece as it contrasts to what the audience would think Hitler would come down to. We also sorted out some props. We decided to use a realistic gun for when Danny shots me as we feel this will have a larger impact on the audience. I need a hat and an emotion sign which I will put on when we need the audience to clap or boo. I think our piece enforces Brechtian techniques. I need to make my gesture's larger and make sure I have a bold character. We have included music, large miss-match characters and an alienating effect on the audience.
After a short break we began to create the beginning and ending of our piece and work out the running order. The beginning of the piece will be a mixture of Brechtian techniques with the aim of making the audience feel alienated. We each received individual roles for the opening sequence. I have to record the audience and the footage will be projected onto the wall. I think this is an ingenious way of making the audience feel un-settled and exposed. Other jobs include holding up signs, the selling of sweets by a foreigner, some actors getting ready to perform, the three boys getting dressed for their scene, some people asking questions to the audience and Danny and Shyanne (playing Hitler and Eva) taking people's coats (which will be placed in a pile) and showing them to their seats. We will also have a political 'butterfly' (played by Oisin) asking people if they wanted to sit to the left or right of the circle. After Michael, Ben and Khai have shooed Jackie out (who demonstrates the foreigner) we all stand behind the audience's chairs while Danny gives a welcoming speech. We then start observing the audience and clapping them. This is supposed to make them feel awkward and thus enforcing the 'v' effect. Once the clapping starts to lack energy, Michael will come on and the pieces will begin. I really like the opening as I like the idea that straight away the audience are experiencing Brecht's theories and I think it eases them into our performance.
After the Pick One piece has finished, we will have a young white man, played by Ben Mcdougall (and ex-Brit Theatre student) voicing his outrage of the piece we have just performed, exclaiming how racist and inappropriate it was. He then carries on the say that, as a black man, feels incredibly sickened and offended by it. Khai, Ben and Michael (posing as pretentious actors) start arguing with him. During this dispute they will be tied together with tap and string. The rets of the cast then perform the song we learned last week (Brown Paper White Paper by flight of the conchords http://www.lyricsmania.com/sello_tape_lyrics_flight_of_the_conchords.html). The fact that Ben is saying he is a black man again keeps the alienation effect alive for the audience to intake. I think the ending is good as it is very Brechtian but at the same time restores equilibrium and a sense of catharsis to the piece. I think the audience will feel relieved that, at then end, the message is that we should treat everyone equally and not divide people because of their religion or their ethnicity. They song lyrics are silly and a bit cheesy but I think it offers a nice contrast to the rest of the piece, leaving the audience to start to look at the performance differently.
THE RUNNING ORDER:
-the opening sequence
-first half of Pick One
-Café Negro/Café Sun
-second half of Pick One
-Take Me Out with Hitler
-third half of Pick One
-Racist Olyimpics (The Race Race)
-fourth half of Pick One
-The Right Wing Dentist
-fifth half of Pick One
-end sequence
So far I am very impressed with what the other groups have produced from the stimuli we were given and how they each connect and revolve around the main scripted piece Pick One that Michael, Khai and Ben are performing. Personally, I feel that the most effective and impactful piece so far is the Racist Olympics ( The Race Race) due to its derogatory remarks and the highly racist comments. The stereotypical and obscene characters in this piece stresses how racism is still very much present in sport today. I believe it will make the audience feel very un-comfortable which will make them start to question the sporting world in a new light. This group subtly enforces many Brechtian techniques, which makes the piece even more effective and explosive. Incorporating racist moments that have happened in sport into their piece helps it to become 3D and relevant to the audience. They have included the audience perfectly in this scene (they get them to throw banana's at Will and make monkey noises) which again is very Brechtian as well as including massive gestures and small qualities of Epic Theatre. The audience won't realise what they are doing until they have thought about it, as will is white they won't see it as being immediately racist, but soon the Breachtian techniques will come about and they will realise that they have become part of this racist and satire scene. Because of this I feel that this performance is the most influential. Brecht believed that the distinction between life and theatre was blurred, so the audience should feel enthused with energy that makes them want to question things and start to look at life differently. He wanted his audience to leave the theatre feeling powerful and knowledgeable. I think this group applies these qualities of audience participation the best, as their piece is very thought provoking and harsh.
The use of Nick Griffin as being Prime Minster and the host of the games is extremely witty and sharp as most of the audience will know who he is and what he believes in. Through using this very public figure it will give this piece gravitas which will enable the audience to understand the social connotations of the performance. I think that this performance will pose a lot of questions in the audience's minds and therefore make them create a political opinion and lead them to broaden their political horizons as they may leave our performance wanting to know more about Nick Griffin and his party.
After a quick warm up we went straight into rehearsing our scenes. Today we smoothed out any rough edges and transitions. We decided to sing the theme tune in a Brechtain manner, starting un-enthused and ending extremely over the top. We're going to have the song 'Too Sexy for my Shirt http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL06-Hcoe-Y playing as Danny comes down the 'single man lift'. I think this will add a comedic quality to our piece as it contrasts to what the audience would think Hitler would come down to. We also sorted out some props. We decided to use a realistic gun for when Danny shots me as we feel this will have a larger impact on the audience. I need a hat and an emotion sign which I will put on when we need the audience to clap or boo. I think our piece enforces Brechtian techniques. I need to make my gesture's larger and make sure I have a bold character. We have included music, large miss-match characters and an alienating effect on the audience.
After a short break we began to create the beginning and ending of our piece and work out the running order. The beginning of the piece will be a mixture of Brechtian techniques with the aim of making the audience feel alienated. We each received individual roles for the opening sequence. I have to record the audience and the footage will be projected onto the wall. I think this is an ingenious way of making the audience feel un-settled and exposed. Other jobs include holding up signs, the selling of sweets by a foreigner, some actors getting ready to perform, the three boys getting dressed for their scene, some people asking questions to the audience and Danny and Shyanne (playing Hitler and Eva) taking people's coats (which will be placed in a pile) and showing them to their seats. We will also have a political 'butterfly' (played by Oisin) asking people if they wanted to sit to the left or right of the circle. After Michael, Ben and Khai have shooed Jackie out (who demonstrates the foreigner) we all stand behind the audience's chairs while Danny gives a welcoming speech. We then start observing the audience and clapping them. This is supposed to make them feel awkward and thus enforcing the 'v' effect. Once the clapping starts to lack energy, Michael will come on and the pieces will begin. I really like the opening as I like the idea that straight away the audience are experiencing Brecht's theories and I think it eases them into our performance.
After the Pick One piece has finished, we will have a young white man, played by Ben Mcdougall (and ex-Brit Theatre student) voicing his outrage of the piece we have just performed, exclaiming how racist and inappropriate it was. He then carries on the say that, as a black man, feels incredibly sickened and offended by it. Khai, Ben and Michael (posing as pretentious actors) start arguing with him. During this dispute they will be tied together with tap and string. The rets of the cast then perform the song we learned last week (Brown Paper White Paper by flight of the conchords http://www.lyricsmania.com/sello_tape_lyrics_flight_of_the_conchords.html). The fact that Ben is saying he is a black man again keeps the alienation effect alive for the audience to intake. I think the ending is good as it is very Brechtian but at the same time restores equilibrium and a sense of catharsis to the piece. I think the audience will feel relieved that, at then end, the message is that we should treat everyone equally and not divide people because of their religion or their ethnicity. They song lyrics are silly and a bit cheesy but I think it offers a nice contrast to the rest of the piece, leaving the audience to start to look at the performance differently.
THE RUNNING ORDER:
-the opening sequence
-first half of Pick One
-Café Negro/Café Sun
-second half of Pick One
-Take Me Out with Hitler
-third half of Pick One
-Racist Olyimpics (The Race Race)
-fourth half of Pick One
-The Right Wing Dentist
-fifth half of Pick One
-end sequence
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