26/10/11 Pinters "Caretaker"

Notes on Issues, Theme, and characters.

Issues

• The brothers had an awkward relationship: they don't talk to each other, and it seems like there is some unresolved conflict.
• The characters don't seem mentally sound, they go from contrast the contrast.
• The tramp is always asking for shoes. Could this be something to do with the war? Or just a wanting for nice things?
• The older brother told Davies about having ECT therapy, and how traumatic it was. He'd had a troubled childhood, and ever since the ECT he's been lost in his own little world, not able to talk to people.

Theme, is there a direct theme? Absurd techniques.

• Loud background noise: drips and window shutting. This build tension, and frightens the audience.
• Extreme repetition (passing of the bags)

Characters

• They will suddenly scream, and cough loudly.
• Extreme invation of personal space.
• Characterisation: they go from nice to violent, from quiet to loud and excited.
• Awkward silences between the three for ages.
• They explain the obvious. "What do you do when the bucket is full?" "There's a leak in the ceiling."
• They all have issues.
• The dialogue drags, it takes ages for the characters to say what they mean.
• The younger brother scares Davies for no reason. Turning the light off and chasing Davies with the hoover, whislt Davies attempt to defend himself with a penknife.

14/10/11 Intoduction to Harold Pinter, and The Theatre of the Absurd

• As a stimulus to the Theatre of the Absurd we watched a clip of "Bottom" This is strange play like performance. The characters are all based in one room; we never see what their character is like out side this room. The two characters appear to be close friends, maybe brothers; as they act like children together. In the clip they were making a home movie, like from "You've been framed." The character filming was shooting the other with darts and encouraging the other to set him self on fire, making it all look like an accident. The clip was completely childish but comical all the same.
• We then watched a presentation on Theatre of the Absurd.

We then watched the first couple of scenes of "Caretaker" by Harold Pinter, and made observations.

• There is hardly any background music
• You can hear sound that are supposed to be sutle really loudly e.g. Keys, Light switches and foot steps.
• The business man befriends a tramp; this wouldn't happen in real life.
• There are loads of pauses.
• Slow movement.
• The tramp is racist, could be something to do with the war?
• The business man sleeps in an attic, no normal?
• They don't talk about talk about themselves, they talk about inanimate objects. There is soo much pointless dialogue.
• Random beeps.

Next topics :D

The Theatre of the Absurd: Caretaker

And.... Jim Cartwright: Two

Open Evening!!!!

21/09/11

2nd Period

• This lesson consisted of everyone making sure everything is perfect.
• Set in place, making sure the lighting is just right so the audience can see everything.
• Costumes are all there.
• Monologues have been learnt back to front.
• Running through the scene as many times as possible to make sure we’re got it down. 
• Making sure we continue even when we slip up or miss a line; stay in character.
• Basic polishing.

20/09/11

1st period

• We all worked on polishing our monologue with out using our scripts.
• We also all worked on projection, and characterisation. (showing flare!!!)
• Whilst going through our monologues Emma and Molly searched for the appropriate music for our production. They were able to find an eerie song, with an innocent singer through out. The song was perfect because it begins innocent then builds the tension. This helps the environment draw the audience in, and pay attention to our performance. 

3rd Period

• We continued to go through our monologues with no aid from our scripts.
• We also had to think about what time we will be showing out performance?, how many performances should we do? How many people can we fit into our space.
• Emma and Molly also made posters in their free time after the lesson.

19/09/11

Lunch

Molly and Theo went with Beth to get more dresses. I got a dark purple dress with black netting, this works well with my character as she stole an expensive dress from the last place she worked at. Molly had Purdeys dress. Purdey had a white poofy one with patterns, this shows Purdeys characters innocence.

16/09/11

1st period

• We tried on all of our costumes but found they were all tight. Emma had Molly’s red dress as it fitted her. So Molly and Theo sorted out another session with Beth.
• We worked on our monologues mostly through out the lesson.
• We also disscused types of music we might use and where the spot lights would be positioned. 

Lunch 16/09/11

• Theo and Taz sorted the lighting out. Theo directing where we wanted everything and Beth re-arranging the lights so they pointed where the monologues were. Taz learnt the co-ordination of the lights, the que lines, and the order of our monologues.

12/09/11

3rd period

• After everyone had written their monologues we had time to go though them. We went in order of scenes one by one whilst the others watched, and gave constructive criticism.
• Once we were all happy with are monologues being: long enough, full of enough facts, and detailed. Sarah watched five minuets of our performance and also gave constructive criticism, such as: i needed to project more, and be flirtatious as a character.
• At the end of the lesson we organised a session with Beth, the lighting technition.

13/09/11 Lunch

• Theo, Molly, and I met up with Beth.                                                      
• We sorted out the costumes out first. A red dress for Molly. A light purple one for Purdey. A black one for Emma. A orange dress for Me. They all had the same old look to them; slightly netted with poofy frills. Alex and Theo both had black: stirts, trousers, and hats. Alex had an over coat, and Theo had a cape to make him more intimidating.
• We then went to props: We got a knife, a wine bottle, brushes and a mirror for the bedroom, a lamp, and two bonnets for Purdey and I.