Higher Drama Performance Analysis (this took me a very long time to write; please read it, complete

the study questions and example exam questions).

The Woman in Black Performance Analysis Revision Booklet.

In the theory exam you will get one performance analysis question worth 20 marks. The question could ask you to discuss 2 from any of the following (the question will give you a choice of 4 possibilities). The company performing the playThe genre of the playThe theme/s of the playThe performance spaceThe director’s intentions and effectivenessThe acting and development of charactersThe setLightingSoundPropsCostumeMake-up and hairThe question will be in the context of genre, contrast, themes and issues, purpose, tension etc. Below are some ideas about how you can discuss the performance aspects that the question directs you to discuss.

When Writing about The Company performing the play you should discuss

- The history of the company – you will have to complete research based around the dates the company was founded; where and when it was founded; who founded it what the company’s first production was; famous productions; famous actors/directors who worked for the company etc;

- Famous directors and writers – research into the lives and works of the companies most famous directors; current director and writer/s (artistic leadership); most famous performances and/or tours

- The missions/aims of the theatre company – you will find this information on the company’s website mission statement or by directly contacting the theatre company. If there is no mission statement you will have to make inferences based on the themes they most often try to communicate or the work they do in their community.

- How the theatre company sits socially and culturally – You should figure out the company’s political stance; most theatre companies will

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have a specific political stance based upon collective ideals. When hiring staff a theatre company will take into account prospective employees political stance and opinions in order to make sure everyone has a similar outlook. They will take on educational projects within the community that directly affects the society around them, you should find out details about past projects. Production companies will also have a specific media device such as film or theatre. You will also need to consider how and why they hope to affect our culture and society.

- Finances – the company’s finances will dictate the venues they use, the casting, the staging, the tours. A company will generally not disclose their finances so you will have to consider this generally based upon the money they make from audiences, government grants etc. This should be relatively easy to work out based on the production you have seen and/or other productions because their resources will generally give it away. E.G if they have a famous actor/celebrity in a role and the latest set design equipment then you should be able to tell that the finances are in a very good way.

- Specific styles the theatre company favour – Do they favour specific writers e.g. are they Shakespearean? Do they often perform in a specific form e.g. epic theatre? Do they keep to a specific acting style e.g. melodrama, naturalism

- Theatres/spaces they perform in – are they located in a specific theatre e.g. Cumbernauld Theatre Company have permanent residency in Cumbernauld Theatre. Do they have preferred stage types or types of theatres? E.G. Bard in the Botanic generally perform in the botanical gardens but also tour other theatres. Visible Fictions only perform on thrust stages etc. You should also consider why they have made these choices.

The history of the company

PW Productions was founded in 1983 and is one of the West End’s most prolific and significant theatre producers, responsible for some of the most successful theatre productions in British theatre over the past 30 years.

Founded by - Peter Wilson MBE DL Chief Executive

Peter’s first West End production was Arnold Wesker’s ANNIE WOBBLER in 1985, starring Nichola McAulife. Since then his West End, Broadway and UK and international touring productions include JEROME KERN GOES TO HOLLYWOOD, BROKEN GLASS, ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD, THE WOMAN IN BLACK and AN INSPECTOR CALLS. He said: “I’ve built my career on good plays.”

Iain Gillie Managing Director

After leaving Central School of Speech and Drama, Iain worked as production manager with the Royal Court and the National Theatre, then with PW Productions in 1993 with the West End transfer of An Inspector Calls, which he also took to Australia, Japan and Austria, plus numerous regional theatres. As well as his extensive work with PWP, he worked with Matthew Bourne, Thelma Holt, Out of Joint, Opera North, The Ballet Boyz, TOHO and Sphere Theatre Japan, as well as Stephen Daldry, Yukio Ninagawa, Sir Peter Hall, Sam Mendes and Phyllida Lloyd.

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Mission Statement - Wilson is part of the trio at the heart of PW Productions, the producers behind the New Arts Theatre. As renovations commence, Wilson promises new ways of producing theatre, with an emphasis on quality, ethics and, as he puts it, ‘a spherical experience’.

‘The way we will run theatre is more inclusive and lateral,’ he says, ‘using network strength to engage people in a meaningful way, not just in social media, but to engage people financially and culturally, so people have a real stake in what happens and also the success of the theatre as well.’

Developments - Theatre Company PW Productions is to take over as operator of the Arts Theatre in London and has vowed to make the venue a home for plays. They want the venue to have a focus on good theatre and not spectacular theatre. “Not all theatre that looks good changes the way people look at things. We want to produce drama that changes the way people look at things. It’s just so necessary in our world right now.” Peter Wilson

Led by outgoing Theatre Royal Norwich chief executive Peter Wilson, the company will manage the theatre’s programming with a focus on “good plays” when planned improvement works are completed in 2018. Wilson, who last week announced his resignation as chief executive of Theatre Royal Norwich, said the Arts Theatre would be his company’s “single big focus” for the next few years. He also revealed the theatre’s programming would focus on plays and drama, and gave Liam Borrett’s upcoming play This Is Living at Trafalgar Studios as an example of the kind of work he hoped the venue would stage.

He said: “I’ve built my career on good plays. We’re very very strong supporters of Liam Borrett, who I think is a great talent as a writer and a director, and is the kind of talent that we would like to encourage at the Arts.” Planning documents reveal the theatre’s existing fly tower will not be replicated in the new interior, though Wilson said this was a “red herring” as to the proposed building’s capabilities. He said: “The Donmar doesn’t have a fly tower, the Menier Chocolate Factory doesn’t have a fly tower, and are they held back in artistic terms? No. It’s completely irrelevant. “Great theatre is not dependant on a fly tower. Great spectacle is probably dependent on a fly tower, but in a 400-seat theatre it would be a luxury.”

Specific styles the theatre company favour - He said: “I’ve built my career on good plays. We’re very very strong supporters of Liam Borrett, who I think is a great talent as a writer and a director, and is the kind of talent that we would like to encourage at the Arts.” Writer and director Liam Borrett: ‘Saying goodbye has always interested me. Whilst it happens at different times to different people, the fact remains that it is an unavoidable part of life.’ The production is wonderfully spare. Throughout the set remains the same – of a wet ground, the sound of running water. Only two people. We even feel disturbed for the actors. It is as if illusions on stage being conjured up during two hours ultimately cannot hold the bleakness of death at bay in real life. There is clearly a focus on minimalist illusionistic theatre. There are specific objects that represent the reality but not enough to create the world of the performance. The audience are left to build the rest in their mind. This places trust in the audience to create an individual experience for themselves. They believe in the subjectivity of theatre and the power of the imagination to create new outlooks.

When writing about the genre of the play you should discuss

- The genre- How the genre relates to the message/themes/purpose

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- How the genre is formed (through the use of form) - How the structure is relevant to the genre- In what ways the following production concepts fit with the genre:

set, period, location, characterisation, character relationships, costume, make-up, lighting, sound, style, actor/audience relationships, changes in mood and atmosphere, actors’ use of acting techniques.

- In what ways the genre creates or effects the overall production concept.

The Genre – Much debate about the exact Genre. Susan Hill the writer of the original novel, said she wanted to write a ghost story, which doesn’t imply that it falls within the genre of horror. Although the term Ghost story is a genre mostly associated with literature and not necessarily theatre, the play itself is a enactment of a piece of literature (Arthur Kipps’ story) and therefore it is my opinion that the play ultimately assumes the ghost story genre and retains the same conventions of this genre.

Male bravery – Arthur Kipps facing the fears of the past. (Find quote)

Importance of setting – Eel Marsh House is the typical location for a ghost story and the entire play is centred around it. (Find quote)

Supernatural Characters – The woman in black (find quote that shows she is not human)

A spell or a curse – the curse of losing a child when a person sees the woman in black (find quote)

Pathetic fallacy – Nature (especially the weather) reflects the emotions of the main character. E.g. fog clouding his thoughts and isolating him as he loses his wits whilst alone in the house. Or the nature around Eel Marsh house is a reflection of the woman in black’s emotions and lust for revenge.

Genre and themes Theme Genre convention

Influence of the past Male bravery Isolation Importance of settingFear Supernatural Character loss Spell or curseRevenge Pathetic fallacy or spell or curse

In what ways the production concepts fit with the genre

Set, period, location (Eel Marsh House and Griffin around 1910) – How does the use of scenery, curtains, furniture, and furnishing relate to the ghost story genre?

Very closely related to Gothic Fiction – period from late 17th to late 19th century – this is why The Woman in Black is set around this time.

Isolation is a key theme and the setting should convey this.

Pathetic fallacy is key in a Ghost story and the setting should create this.

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Study Questions Production Concepts and Genre

Set

1) How does the use of scenery, curtains, set, furniture, soft furnishing, set props show the period?

2) How does the set convey the theme of isolation? 3) How does the set help create the pathetic fallacy?

Costume

1) How does the costume show the period? 2) How does the costume indicate the idea of male bravery?3) How does the costume portray the idea of a supernatural character?

Make-up and hair

1) How does the make-up create the impression that the Woman in Black is a supernatural character?

Sound and Genre Notes The period – When Arthur Kipps and Mr Bentley are in the office the recorded sound of Victorian London is used. The audience hear sounds of horse’s hoofs and carts. clocks chiming, and people chattering.

Isolation – The recorded sounds of creaking throughout Eel Marsh House, and doors closing over amidst the eerie silence.

Fear – Live sound of Stuart Fox playing Arthur Kipps’ voice. His projection is very quiet whilst telling the beginning of the tale. His pitch faulters continuously. He pauses quite often unable to speak the next word.

Recorded sounds – Very loud unexpected sounds of doors closing and screaming at specific times as to create the effect of panic and fear within the audience. E.g. the door slamming shut. These loud sounds are mixed with quieter sounds such as the squeaking of the rocking chair. There is no gradual increase in the volume of sound. No crescendo. It alters from quiet to loud in order to startle the audience – e.g. when the train goes through the tunnel. This is typical of a thriller, and there are elements of the Thriller genre in ghost stories.

Supernatural – Recorded sound of creaming when the woman in Black appears at the end and when Arthur Kipps loses his child.

Pathetic fallacy – Recorded sound of swirling wind when the sea fret comes. Recorded sound of birds to indicate morning. The recorded sound of the carriage being swallowed up in the marsh.

Lighting and Genre Notes

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Location – Gobo used to create effect of train. Gobo used to create the interior staircase of the mansion. Particular gobo design that is representative of a Gothic mansion. Especially the windows.

Isolation – The angling of the lights to create shadows. Especially when AK is walking around the mansion with the lantern and lit match. Shadows are created against the back stage wall and are elongated to create a looming effect as though the fear of being alone is looming over AK. Flood lights are also used to light up behind the gauze in order to create different dimensions to the house, revealing the size of the place, again making AK seem very small in comparison thus exaggerating his loneliness.

Fear – Angling to create shadow effects, particularly behind the gauze in order to scare the audience. The lights on the pyrotechnic smoke machine creating a dull blue mist that obscures the vision of the audience creating a sense of fear an expectation of what is within the midst.

Physical response from audience - The snap of the spotlight used when the woman in black appears in London and screams makes the audience react physically in fright.

The snap when the train passes through a tunnel. The cue is perfectly in time with a loud booming sound which startles the audience in fright.

Supernatural - The angling creating ghostly shadows within the house. There is a shadow looming over the rocking chair that Arthur Kipps doesn’t notice indicating a ghostly presence making it rock back and forth. A green colour gel is used on the spotlight which lights up The Woman in Black. This creates a green colour upon her white face make-up, green symbolises evil, and evil is associated with supernatural forces. A Fresnel is angled deliberately towards the locked door and fades up when Arthur decided to attempt to get in. This indicates to the audience that there is something behind this door

Structure and Genre Notes

The Woman in Black uses the story-within-a-story (or frame story) structure for The Woman in Black. In fact there are three stories nested - the story of Jennet Humphrey, inside the story of the young Arthur Kipps, framed by the present day Arthur's Christmas Eve.

This structure has a disorienting effect. It also highlights the theme of the past and memories

the structure maintains suspense to the very end of the story the frame story disorients the reader and adds to the sense of supernatural events the story follows a structure of rising action, climax and resolution. This keeps us

engaged, waiting for what we feel should come next

Rising action – Arthur Kipps searching for the will in Eel Marsh House and the story of Janet Humphreys gradually becoming revealed. His psychological state of mind also slowly deteriorates.

Climax – Arthur Kipps is trapped in the sea fret in the fog and the supernatural noises of the enactment of Janet’s son being killed in the accident. Arthur Kipps finds himself being forced to re-live the horror of the accident.

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Resolution – The Woman in Black gets her revenge when Arthur Kipps’ own son is killed in an accident. The curse is complete. There could be no other ending, and this assures the genre of a ghost story.

Set Design/performance space. The performance space is extended into the audience and the audience become the sea fret during the climax which ensures the audience become a physical part of the story line and are therefore more engaged. Smoke fills the audience acting as fog and we become the area in which the boy is killed.

Suspense is created by the set. The shadows behind the gauze. The room behind the gauze and the set changes when the room changes from neat and tidy to very dishevelled suggesting there is a ghost within the house. The wicker basket and the documents and letters suggest there is something to find within the house. The letter from Janet to Alice Drablow is the key find within the documents it explains the reason for the haunting.

Sound – The Climax – it is the volume during the sound effects of the horse and cart in the sea fret as well as the screaming that scares and haunts the audience. The sound effects within the smoke suggests there is action taking place that we can’t quite see and it is happening amongst us. This entices the sense to have a physical and emotional response of fear. Suspense/rising action – the creeks, wind (pathetic fallacy) create a sense of suspense, the audience know there is something supernatural within the house and are waiting on the edge of our seat for it to reveal itself. The frights are built up during the suspense in order to provide anti-climax within the rising action. When the train goes through a tunnel there is a high pitches rumbling sound that is played very loudly in order to startle the audience, this sets the tone and makes the audience fearful of potential future frights.

Lighting – the pyrotechnic smoke machine creating fog within the climax. Lots of smoke is blown into the audience and a blue light is angled onto it to create the sense of deep fog. This heightens the fear because we cannot see what is going on within it and are very afraid of the images we conjure in our own minds. Suspense – the angling of the lights behind the gauze creates ghostly shadows that continuously reveal themselves. The gobo which creates the staircase that Arthur walks up and disappears into another area of the house. This creates the illusion that there are other parts of the house that the audience cannot see we become fearful for Arthur Kipps when he disappears because we extend our disbelief and accept that there is another area of the house and we cannot help him because he is too far away. This representational approach is what helps the audience believe and empathise with Arthur Kipps. We believe he is really climbing a stair case and going to another area of a very big house. Not climbing up treads with a gobo projected onto them.

Study Questions on Structure and Genre

1) Give another 3 examples of how set design, lighting, and sound help create rising action, the climax, and the resolution.

Characterisation and Genre.

The Woman and Black herself is the typical supernatural villain of a ghost story. She has come back from the dead to seek revenge because life has punished her. She is associated

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with death and danger therefore the audience are afraid of her. She look like the ‘other’, her make-up creates the impression of a wasted face giving the impression of death. Her costume is a long black dress with a black veil which is associated with a funeral, death, and loss. She is associated with violence through the stories people in the community tell and their reaction to the mention of her. The idea of death and violence is associated with hell which is religiously the most undesirable and scary of ends for a human being, therefore we are extremely scared on anything associated with it.

Arthur Kipps is the typical protagonist in a ghost story; innocent at the beginning and slightly arrogant in his belief in Victorian rationalism and how quickly he dismisses the idea of the supernatural. However, he goes through a major change due to his experiences and these experiences change and shape him as a more rounded individual who has learned the lessons of life.

Study Questions Character and Genre

1) What are the other elements of both characters that are typical of characters in a ghost story?

When writing about the acting and development of characters you could discuss

- The overall production concept- Acting style - Pre-show rehearsals- Period in which it is set- The quality of characterisation- The number of parts the actor plays- The different ways that the actor uses his/her Voice- The different ways that the actor uses his/her movement- The relationship between spoken text and physical movement or gesture- Interaction with other actors throughout the performance - dramatic monologues, dialogue, stage directions, other proxemics. - Working as an ensemble- The actor’s use of props- The actor/audience relationship – soliloquy, aside etc.- Changes in mood/atmosphere

Acting Style Notes

The acting style is naturalism. Characters change rolls, however the audience are willing to accept throughout that the actors are the characters they become. Although naturalism is used and to a certain extent achieved, that actors still convey the idea of this being a ghost

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story being rein acted. The actor playing Arthur Kipps (Stuart Fox) changes roles throughout and at the beginning his confidence effects his ability to act/perform, it becomes miraculously much better as the play progresses; he starts to get the hang of accents, projection, body language, posture, and gestures until the audience believe he is the character he is playing at the time which is testament to Stuart Fox’s acting ability. However he still maintains a sense of naturalism in regards to his original character Arthur Kipps; Stuart Fox makes sure to never perfect any other character – he is always just slightly off. This maintains the idea of a story being told and at the same time upholds the style of naturalism.

Joseph Chance playing the actor who plays Arthur Kipps uses naturalism when playing the role of the actor and when the actor uses naturalism to play the role of Arthur Kipps. He adapts his body language, accent, gestures, body language, facial expressions, posture etc. in order to portray his role effectively and realistically. This allows the audience to sympathise with Arthur Kipps and our sense of fear is heightened because we are afraid for him as we would be for a real person. This is a very complex system and if the actors were not as accomplished as Stuart Fox and Joseph chance then the audience would find themselves very confused. Perhaps this is why the Woman in Black isn’t often performed by amateur companies – the characterisation and complexity of roles doesn’t lend itself well to amateur acting.

Study Question Acting Techniques

1) How do the actors adapt their vocal and movement skills to take on different roles? Give examples.

Actor/audience relationship. The actor audience relationship is first established when Stuart Fox approaches the front of the stage and reads from his memoir. His altering pitch and quiet projection along with nervous body language and gestures instantly allows the audience to sympathise with him. The audience are bewildered to begin with not understanding why an actor who is clearly so bad is on stage. It is not until Joseph chance who plays the actor comes on stage through the audience that we understand what is going on. In the onstage world the performance space of the theatre is supposed to be a rehearsal space within which Arthur Kipps will be provided with acting training by The Actor, in order to tell his story and do it justice; we are not supposed to be there. The audience then take on a voyeuristic mind set and want to watch Arthur Kipps’ development. We sympathise with him because we can see the difficulty of his situation and can relate to his lack of confidence. He makes numerous attempts to read the first paragraph but doesn’t have the technique, this become quite comical for the audience. However, we feel a sense of suspense due to his obvious discomfort and fears over telling or re-enacting the tale. We are left to consider why he is so frightened and this is where the initial suspense comes from. Joseph Chance then takes the memoire and reads from it in a much more gripping way. He is actually reading the first paragraph from Susan Hill’s novel The Woman in Black. This allows the actors to set the scene using Susan Hill’s descriptions and in particular the imagery she creates using the senses. When Joseph Chance does this he is taking on the role of the narrator. However, doing this in the context of a rehearsal in an empty theatre allows the performance to maintain a sense of naturalism. What’s more, the use of the manuscript allows the audience to see events through the eyes of Arthur Kipps even though he is not playing the role of his younger self.

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Study Questions – Actor/Audience Relationship

1) Stuart Fox changes role 5 times during the performance, how does this effect the actor/ audience relationship?

2) How does Joseph chance use movement and voice to become the character of Arthur Kipps?

When Writing about The Set you should analyse

-Period and location -The set – the scenery, furniture, and decorations used. They may be illusionistic, stylised, or realistic in their representation. -Colour flats, stage cloth, back cloths, cyclorama, hue, saturation, texture. - A representational approach- Use of abstract ideas - Use of expressionistic ideas - The use of furniture and set dressing – the positioning, dimensions, fabric, colours etc.

- Changes in mood/atmosphere

Period and Location

Representational Approach.

Scenery, curtains, flats, and furniture are designed and used and manipulated to represent real objects and areas.

London Office – The wicker basket is tipped over to become an office desk with a chair at either side.

Eel marsh House Grave yard – The gauze at the back provides the separation of the house at the front of the stage and the grave yard outside. Grey sheets hang over medium height structures to create the effect of grave stones positioned at angles that create a sense of distance and therefore a realistic perception of a grave yard.

Eel Marsh house inside – The room itself contains only the wicker basket and a chair which is situated centre stage. The basket acts as a chest containing all of Alice Drablow’s paper work. A very large door flat is positioned stage left on. The door itself has been painted to create a wooden effect with an iron handle and is similar in style to the type of door the audience would expect to see in a gothic mansion. Space is created by the gauze curtain which is intermittently lit up to reveal another room that contains realistic oak furniture that the audience would expect to find in a child’s bedroom of that era. The bedroom itself was previously the grave yard, the structures that were used to create the grave stones are in fact the furniture. This is one of the best examples of the resourcefulness of the set design.

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PlotThe wicker basket is used expertly to advance the plotline by being manipulated very creatively to represent objects and furniture that change circumstantially based upon the plotline. It acts as an office desk at the beginning in London. It is then used as a train seat, its soft flexible material allows the actors to move their bodies around in order to mimic the movement of a train – this encourages verisimilitude within the audience. The train progresses the plot by taking Arthur Kipps to Griffin. The wicker basket then becomes the cart area of Keckwicks horse and cart. The horse and cart advances the plot by taking Arthur Kipps from the village of Griffin to Eel Marsh house. Within Eel Marsh house the basket becomes a chest containing Alice Drablow’s documents that Kipps has been sent to search through. It is also used as a bed in which he sleeps. The success of the wicker basket is very much reliant on the actors’ movement techniques and the sound effects, however it is in itself another example of the resourcefulness of the set design in the production.

The plot is also advanced by the gauze curtain which is lit up when Arthur Kipps enters Eel Marsh house. It reveals the grave yard outside (*see earlier description) and later on reveals the child’s bedroom where much of the action revolves.

The climax itself takes place in the offstage world which is created through the use of a smoke machine, however the area of the sea fret is created within the performance space. The audience area becomes the sea fret, which makes sense in terms of side and proportion.

Mood and atmosphere

The set design really contributes to the gothic eerie, mysterious mood and atmosphere. The use of the gauze curtain and the door flat are the most obvious examples. The grey gauze curtain, when lit up creates a smoky dusty effect and slightly obscures the audience’s vision whilst simultaneously casting long shadows across the stage, creating a sense of isolation which creates an atmosphere of gloom that is often associated with the Ghost Story genre.

The gauze also lights up to reveal a grave yard. The use of hanging grey sheets over furniture creates the illusion of grave stones that are falling apart. This illusion creates a decaying ruined scenery creates a macabre mood and atmosphere of death and morbidity.

The large looming door that is situated stage left is very imposing and increases the suspense. Its size is not proportionate to the set and the audience therefore understand that it is significant. We appreciate that there will be at some point something supernatural lurking within it and this creates a mood and atmosphere of terror, especially when it is complimented with creaking, banging sound effects, and a spotlight.

Study Questions Set

1) In what ways does the use of furniture and positioning enhance your appreciation of the performance?

When writing about Lighting you should be writing about…- Period

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- Time and place- Abstract lighting- Naturalistic lighting- The part lighting plays in the creation of expectation; building tension; releasing tension- The part lighting plays in conveying the structure- The part lighting plays in conveying the genre- The part lighting plays in portraying themes/issues/message- Symbolism- How lighting affects characterisation-How lighting creates mood and atmosphere

Period/Time and Place

Lighting: The use of Gobos project different locations onto the stage. The train – a gobo projects the image of a train window over where the actors are sitting.

Eel Marsh House – a gobo projects the image of a stair case and the interior wall structures of the house.

The Sea Fret – the use of a pyro technic smoke machine coupled with blue lighting creates fog and mist which is blown out into the audience to indicate the sea fret amongst us. This also gives the audience an idea of the weather.

Naturalistic lighting - Coloured lighting is rarely used within the play, creating a realistic atmosphere for each location. The lighting is very dull which is in keeping with the level of light that the audience would expect to be exposed to in a Gothic mansion.

The part lighting plays in the creation of expectation; building tension; releasing tension The use of tight spotlights focus the audience on particular objects, such as the rocking chair or door handle, and the audience become aware that something is about to happen. The frequent use of blackouts again controls the suspense, as at times nothing at all can be seen onstage directly after a moment of heightened drama. The stage is always kept at a minimum level of darkness, so the whole playing space is never fully visible. Lighting then controls what can and can’t be seen by the audience, so quick reveals and vanishes can be used for The Woman in Black throughout the action. This is instrumental in the creation of suspense and expectation.

*see genre notes.

When writing about Sound you should discuss: - The overall production concept- Preshow- Period - Sources- Naturalistic sound FX- Abstract sound FX- Recorded sound FX- Live sound FX- use of music

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- use of soundscapes- The part sound plays in suggestion- The part sound plays in the creation of expectation; building tension;

releasing tension - The on-stage world - The off-stage world - Changes in mood/atmosphere- Changes in location- Environmental sound FX

Recorded Sound effects - the sudden loud noises enhance the experience for both the characters and audience. Slamming doors is a repeated theme, along with the sound of the rocking chair. The director uses the sound to build up throughout a scene, getting louder towards a climax. In most cases, the audience are aware that the sound has something to do with the Woman, and as Kipps begins to follow it the source of the sound is slowly revealed. Echoes and reverb makes the sound louder than natural, echoing around the theatre to create effect.

The part sound plays in suggestion – Creaking and rocking noises suggest that there is a supernatural force lurking within Eel Marsh house. However sound is used more subtly to suggest the existence or illusion of vehicles such as the train and the horse and cart. The recorded sound of a moving steam train is played when Arthur Kipps is making his journey to Griffin which compliments the actor’s movement on the wicker basket. The recorded sound of horse’s hooves and the rocking of a cart is also used when Arthur Kipps and Keckwick are journeying to Eel Marsh house therefore encouraging the audience to become more willing to conjure the image of the train and horse and cart in their imagination.

The part sound plays in the creation of expectation; building tension; releasing tension - Loud noises and screams happen frequently, often as if from nowhere and are used to startle the audience who aren’t expecting the noises because there has been no build up. Tension is released when the noise stops abruptly instilling nervous laughter in many audience members. Tension is created at other times within eel marsh house with the use of quiet creaking and moving noises surrounding the audience who wait in suspense for the loud noises that do not come until we are least expecting them.

The offstage world – the use of howling wind and crashing noises during the climax to indicate that the accident in the sea fret is taking place within the audience is an excellent use of sound effects which serves to pull the audience into the action and physically become the sea fret.

Changes in location – background sound effects are used to create the sound of a Victorian London street and a pub in a village. The image of a London street is created through the use of sound. The audience hear the chatter of people outside the office window and the sound of vehicles typical of the era. Within the village pub the audience is exposed to voices with dialect of the area as well as glasses being moved around.

Changes in Mood and Atmosphere – The funeral. A macabre mood and atmosphere of death and decay is created through the sound effect of the crow squawking which is a sound strongly associated with death and funerals. The quiet creaking and groaning sounds within the house create

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an eerie mood and atmosphere that is associated with the supernatural. The loud screams and banging that come out of nowhere contribute to the mood and atmosphere of terror.

Study Questions Lighting and Sound

1) How does the use of lighting enhance characterisation for the audience?

2) How does the use of sound enhance characterisation for the audience?

When writing about Costume and make-up you should discuss

- The overall production concept- Period- Style- Age- Personality- Status- Location- Occupation- Occasion- Immediate circumstances- Fabrics/materials- Colours- Proportion- Texture- A representational approach - does the costume aim to depict the

realistic representation of a character? E.g. fireman, monster etc. - Use of abstract ideas – Is the audience subtly aware of ideas that may

take on different meanings through the costume design? E.g. torn tights indicating abuse etc.

- Use of expressionistic ideas – should the audience have an emotional reaction to the design?

- The on-stage world and the off-stage world – is there any representation of what has been going on before the character appears on stage e.g. blood stains on clothing etc.

- Changes in mood/atmosphere

Study Notes

Create your own notes like the notes above based on your own observations/analysis of costume and make-up in The Woman in BlackRemember in Part B of the question you must explain how the observations you have made (notes above) enhanced your appreciation of the play. You should refer to how they…

Contributed to the flow of the drama

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Contributed to the staging Contributed to the overall purpose/message/themes Contributed to the emotional response Contributes to the awareness of issues e.g. social, cultural etc. And if they affected your…

- Self-image- Interaction with other audience members and the performance - Willingness to interact and remain open (the fourth wall)- Willing suspension of disbelief (verisimilitude of the drama)- Sympathies and empathy towards characters and relationships - Identification with characters and events- Identification with common human experiences - Acknowledgement of relevance within your own lives and/or culture and society - Physical expression of emotional reaction (catharsis)

Student Review

Susan Hill's novel The Woman in Black was written in the Gothic tradition. Specifically, she wanted to write a Victorian Ghost story, even though her novel was written in modern times. Stephen Mallatratt, in adapting the novel into a play, wanted to stay within the novel's tradition, especially by focusing on terror instead of horror: "Darkness is a powerful ally of terror; something glimpsed in a corner is far more frightening than if it's fully observed." The play contains many classic Gothic elements, including: Tension, "True" story, Sounds, Whispers, Bangs, Ghost/Person to get scared, Darkness and a House/lonely place.

The Woman in Black is a scary gothic play. Stephen Mallatratt, the playwright, achieves a terrifying effect through writing an effective mise-en-scene. These include the setting, lighting, props, sound, the text and stage directions for actors, these combine and make a "nerve shredding experience"

Stephen Mallatratt also uses lighting effectively, this is seen in (p40) when "Kipps takes up the torch and moves outside, fade to black-out" on stage this is very daunting as the stage is pitch black you don't know what is going to happen next, this creates a mysterious setting and "truly nerve-shredding experience" for the audience. In addition, another area the light was used effectively was the scene that when Kipps is looking for Spider in act III. The Woman in Black is in the nursery where it is light however, 'she is outside the light, yet we see her as a crow-like silhouette, violently flapping in the dark'. The use of light plays on the audience's emotions; as we are conditioned to believe black represents evil and light represents good.

One of the techniques that the author uses to make the play "nerve-shredding" is sound. For example, as the noise of the pony's hooves gets louder and louder as if it's coming closer, a

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child's cry rises to a scream of terror which is then choked and drowned. The audience should feel the fear and worry of what was going to happen next. Another example is seen in the play for example when the "Market noises fade and foot steps echo" (p19) Mallatratt uses this to show the audience that the scene is taking place out side and to give a chilling, eerie affect on the audience. As "The lighting dims slightly to give filtered effect through trees. They walk on, which creates an atmosphere to the scene. This includes, a moody and foggy setting, however, Kipps and Mr Daily acts as if they are going into a church, Kipps "I take it she is to be buried in the churchyard?" discussing about The Woman in Black.

The stage props were minimal due to the limited amount of space at the theatre. Therefore, the props that were used had to create maximum effect. These included, a wicker basket, clothes hanging on a rail and chair for the actors to sit on. The wicker basket was used as a prop to illustrate a train carriage, a bed, horse carriage and a desk. The clothes rail was situated up stage and never moved from its position. The purpose of this prop was to illustrate a cloak room. The chair was used by the actors to portray someone sitting on a train. Alternatively, as piece of furniture in a room; for example, a desk chair or an arm chair.

In the play Mallatratt only uses three actors. Kipps plays many roles, his main is narrating the story; however, Kipps also plays 'Keckwick' and 'Mr Daily'. This is due to Kipps not feeling confident enough to tell his story; therefore he tells an actor who plays Mr Kipps. Whilst he is telling the actor the audience become aware of his story through the actor. The Woman in Black is the final actress; she is used for effect as the actress has no lines. The main purpose of this actress is to create fear in the audience. The audience on view her when Mallatratt is creating terror.

There are very thorough stage directions given throughout the play 'from the skip he takes out the bottle of brandy and a glass and pours himself a largish measure'. This is an example of the detail Mallatratt uses in his stage directions. Therefore, any director could re-capture the same effects from his stage directions. Furthermore, his stage directions include lighting and sound effects 'the lights have dimmed to virtual darkness'. This illustrates that Mallatratt uses light to give an illusion or effect of eeriness and emotions of fear to the audience. The director uses sound for effect "as the sound fades down, changes apparent direction, swirls and fades as if carried on the mist". He use of sound fading, gives the illusion that the fog is dispersing.

In conclusion, I feel Mallatratts play was a "truly nerve-shredding experience". His use of lighting when the Woman in Black was on stage was classic. The experience made my skin crawl and my hair stand on end. The sound created an atmosphere of terror, the most effective scene was the sound used to recreate the pony's hooves. Mallatratt truly made me feel that a horse and carriage was entering the stage through the sounds effects. However, I feel he could have used more props to give more effect. An example includes a silhouette of the little boy. By using three actors Mallatratt has still captures Kipps story. I suggest that due to his precise and detailed stage directions any other director could be re-capture the essence of his play. Overall, I found the theatre experience far better than reading the play due to being part of the atmosphere.

Practice Questions! 16

1. Analyse the extent to which two of the following helped to create contrasts in a theatrical presentation that you have seen recently:ActingSettingCostumeSound.Your analysis must include details of the dramatic impact achieved and audience response.You must give equal weighting to your two chosen production areas. You must give detailed analytical points to gain full marks.

2. Analyse the extent to which two of the following helped to create mood and atmosphere in a theatrical presentation that you have seen recently:LightingThe performance spaceCostumeSound.Your analysis must include details of the dramatic impact achieved and audience response.You must give equal weighting to your two chosen production areas. You must give detailed analytical points to gain full marks.

3. Analyse the extent to which two of the following helped to establish theme in a theatrical presentation that you have seen recently:ActingThe director’s intentions PropsSound.Your analysis must include details of the dramatic impact achieved and audience response.You must give equal weighting to your two chosen production areas. You must give detailed analytical points to gain full marks.

4. Analyse the extent to which two of the following helped to create tension in a theatrical presentation that you have seen recently:ActingSoundGenreThemesYour analysis must include details of the dramatic impact achieved and audience response.You must give equal weighting to your two chosen production areas. You must give detailed analytical points to gain full marks.

5. Analyse the extent to which two of the following helped to create conflict in a theatrical presentation that you have seen recently:ActingSetting

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LightingSoundYour analysis must include details of the dramatic impact achieved and audience response.You must give equal weighting to your two chosen production areas. You must give detailed analytical points to gain full marks.

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