Monday 23rd - Week 4

Monday 23rd November 2015

Our target for today's lesson was to run through our whole scene and work on the weaker parts. It took a while at the beginning to work out how we will have the washing line. Instead of moving the audience inside it, we have it covering around the door but still with the stall on the side of the audience. This stops the audience from moving straight into the room and from seeing the whole set straight away, focusing their attentions on the stall and the images covering the wall. I will go in and steal some oranges and other characters will begin to speak to the audience, whilst that is happening the washing line will begin to move in, then back out. Then the curtain is dropped and the audience are moved along by the begging children. They see the children eating the oranges and that starts the first gesture piece. We were originally going to have everyone doing a piece of gesture theatre to show a busy/ chaotic day however we found that it would be disorientating for the audience and the focus may be lost so it was cut to just Ruby, Lili and Poppy doing a synchronized piece.

By the end of the lesson we had an updated list of props to bring and had an outline of the whole structure. We know that our next focus is the individual scenes. Last week we went from having the parts but no transitions and now we have the opposite situation, however, everyone has contributed their ideas for making the scenes. As co-director I felt quite tested at the beginning of the lesson. Due to some people not giving it their all, there was some friction between some of the cast. However, after it had been worked out, I found that the group followed instruction more and were working very constructively. Overall we made quite a lot of progress in this lesson. Also having a clear structure helps the whole group clearly see the whole picture.

Sections:

Entering with the audience: Rio, Max and Esme
Food Stall: Aaron tends the stall, Zafra and Natasha steal oranges and play catch
Washing line: Charlie, Poppy and Lili hold up the washing line whilst Natasha and Zafra play catch and then drop it down to let the audience pass through (it was at first blocking their way and their view).
Oranges: Zafra, Ruby and Poppy eat the oranges and share them around. Lili, Poppy and Ruby steal the oranges and begin their day in the life.
Day in the life: Ruby, Poppy and Lili create gesture theatre to show a day in the life that ends with them opening up the box and scurrying away to the community.
Box: Amelia sat inside with stories and drawings on the flaps
Trafficked: Esme walks up and whispers promises in Amelia's ear. She is lead away but begins to struggle. Some dialogue to be added (perhaps begging the audience to help her).
Community: Zafra, Rio, Poppy, Ruby, Max, Lili, (Aaron?), Natasha are trying to get to sleep under the arches of a bridge (a sideways shelf). Mia and Charlie begin to create their scene through gesture.
Couple: Meet, fall in love and have a baby, child taken from them or abandoned and couple leave the room.
Abandoned child: Left in the arms of a stranger who cares for it (homeless child caring for another now homeless child).