Unit 7 -Final CommissionBy Scott Day

Performance Brief: Selecting work from the existing repertoire in the performing arts (music, dance or drama), develop your own interpretation of the source material to create a production that is intended to convey a clear impact on your target audience. As a group, you must clarify your aims and objectives for the work to the moderator on the attached pro forma.Monday 24th MarchWith a total of 8 members in our entire class, made up of 7 performers and 1 technician, we decided that it would be in everyones best interest to complete our final performance as one big group. Keeping this group size is mind we began to research into some of the possible plays we could choose from. While also looking at scripts we were also discussing the possibly ways in which we could interpret them. On the whole, most of our interests were around the style Physical and Epic Theatre. Some of the possible plays we took interest in were: Lovesong by Abi Morgan The Red Shoes by Kneehigh Believers by Frantic Assembly Macbeth by William Shakespeare Mistero Buffo by Dario FoAfter discussion the pros and cons and these pieces some were immediately ruled out. For example, Lovesong was too small a cast and if we were to add in extra characters it would ruin the impact of the performance. As a result of our discussion we decided upon The Red Shoes by Kneehigh for our chosen script. The main advantages were that the cast size was large and flexible meaning all performers would be able to contribute a lot to the performance. Due to the nature of the performance, there are many opportunities to use a range of lighting techniques. As the play is roughly 25 minutes as a whole we will not have to cut scenes and also we have the possibility to create unique material. Finally, there is a demand for dancing and movement which plays to everyones strengths as both dancers and performers. Throughout this discussion we behaved as a professional theatre company allowing each other the chance to voice their opinion and also to critique others opinions respectfully. Once we had chosen our script we then began reading through thoroughly as we begin to form ideas as to which character we would like to perform as well as who we think would suit each character best. Fortunately, when discussing roles there were no disagreements with the choices made as we all shared the same opinion regarding casting. Even though this isnt how a professional acting company would decide their roles as there is usually an audition with a casting director, by voicing our own desires as to which role we would prefer we could communicate effectively between each other without wasting time as we only have a limited time to create this performance. The final casting list is as follows: Nicola = Lady Lydia (Storyteller) Stella = The Girl (Storyteller) Scott = The Soldier (Storyteller) Michael = The Butcher (Storyteller) David = The Priest (Storyteller) Jamie = The Old Woman/The Priests Wife (Storyteller) Adam = The Shoemaker/The Angel [Airman] (Storyteller)

With casting complete we then began to discuss the potential performance ideas for the script. Michael has the idea of using 2 tables in the middle of the stage as our main set and which we would use continually in different positions. I then suggested adopting a circus styled layout (audience in a semi-circle) meaning we could take full advantage of the two tables from different angles. While talking there were a few abstract ideas which we may use later on as they suit the style of our performance perfectly. Some of these included: Hovering shoeboxes with costumes inside, use of a puppet and hanging a sign saying The Red Shoes from the ceiling.

Tuesday 25th MarchDuring todays rehearsal we began to divide the lines of the storytellers among ourselves as though Kneehigh originally performed with Lady Lydia narrating the story we have chosen to have Lydia lead the story but have the Storytellers to help narrate alongside her. We managed to split up the first 3 scenes which included the most lines spoken by Lydia. By doing this now it will allow us to begin learning our lines and also start blocking the scenes. When dividing up lines Stella and Michael had already began this task just before the rehearsal which meant we could get started straight away. However, there were a few lines which I disagreed about and so I commented on these pieces of dialogue as we went along. Today we worked very professionally while we talked about the separation of dialogue as even though we had a leader in completing this task we ensured that everyone got the chance to voice their opinion and any disagreements were explained to the group maturely and compromising when necessary allowing us to move swiftly on.With the intention of using live and recorded music intertwined throughout this performance we began to look at some music we which all believed suited the mood of our play and also to give us some inspiration of dancing and movement techniques that we could use. Here a just a few of the songs that people mentioned as suitable: My Bad Angle Put A Devil In Me by Murray Gold Masquerade Waltz by Aram Khachaturian String Quartet No. 8 in C Minor by Shostakovich Dance With Me by Dario Marianelli Masquerade by Andrew Lloyd WebberThe next task for today was to begin researching the script into more depth looking at some of the recurring themes of the script. A great help was found by looking at Kneehighs Resource Pack written about their performance of Red Shoes going from script to stage. This pack gave us a lot of good ideas as to how to make our own ideas come to life onstage. With an idea of the plays demands now for performance space we all agreed that it would be best to perform in the theatre as there is a larger performance space, more technical equipment available and variety of shapes that our audience can be seated in. With time running out we began to create our set and stage layout with the idea of having the 2 tables with a circle cut from the middle which can be multi-useful for example a guillotine stand, a masseur table and a set of doors depending on where they are positioned. With a basic sketch drawn everyone then began to put their ideas forward or how to have the set. This was successful as we had used a wipe board meaning when someone suggested an idea we all liked we introduced it into the main sketch of our stage. See to the right our finalised sketch.

Thursday 27th MarchIn todays rehearsal we spent the majority of our time devising the opening scene with a movement piece centred around the two tables. We had all agreed that the best music to start the performance with would be the Masquerade Waltz by Aram Khachaturian as this resembled our circus-style performance that we would be aiming to produce. Our main inspiration for this opening scene would be Frantic Assemblies performance of The Believers in which there was a dinner scene where all 4 actors were sat on invisible chairs with no table. This was really effective for me as an audience member and so we would like to attempt to recreate this. Stella suggested to present the idea of under someones control to the audience that we should opening the performance as if we were being controlled by Adam (Lydias assistant throughout the story). To start off we simple played the music and began to improvise some actions we could use while also watching each other in case we saw something that we liked. This would be one of my strongest scenes to help devising with as a dancer and a musician I could help the other cast members to recognise the 3/4 timing of the piece. Fortunately, as this was a waltz the rhythm of the piece was mostly steady and noticeable. In preparation for the next rehearsal when we continue to devise this opening movement I have acquired the piano music which will allow myself to learn the music and also if necessary to demonstrate the timing of the waltz as sometimes in the music the violins masks the beat that signals the start of each bar. Today I improvised my devising skills greatly as I got the chance to work with a piece of set which I have never experienced having a physically barrier preventing you from using some ideas. Also, as this piece had to performed while remaining seated this made me think of more abstract ideas that would be possible with only your upper body.

Friday 28th MarchContinuing from our last rehearsal we attempted to finish our movement piece today allowing us to progress with the play on our next rehearsal. Unlike last rehearsal we decided that it would be best if we acquired two tables to work with while devising the movement so we understand our limitations of movement. We used inspiration from a short physical theatre performance called Chair Duets in which a pair move only their upper body at the same time into different shapes that when performed together will appear to the audience as if they were tangled up. With this in mind we began to improvise with our partner to create something similar. Another devising technique we used was contract and release where each movement must swap between reaching/grabbing for something and relaxing/withdrawing. This created a cat-and-mouse like performance where your partner was always one step behind you.As this performance was only performed by 4 cast members with Adam controlling us (in the fashion of a conductor controlling an orchestra) Nicole and Stella were helping to create some ideas while we were rehearsing and also watched our finished product. Once we had performed to them there were a few improvements that were needed: Rather than tense and relax the entire performance should be relaxed to place emphasis on being controlled. Perhaps mimic a puppet in how they are controlled. E.g. strings at the wrists, elbows and head. Our movements need to be in synch otherwise the performance looks unprofessional. Adam needs more attention during this scene so perhaps have him walk round and over the table to start with. Also signalling the start of the performance.

Monday 31s t March (Absent)Today I was absent from rehearsal due to illness. As not all the cast were present, they decided the best option for us would be to leave the opening scene for now and begin working on blocking the Church scene which required fewer people.

Tuesday 1st April (Absent)Today again I was absent from rehearsal due to illness. They continued to work on the church scene which they had started previously.

Thursday 3rd AprilFor todays rehearsal, as the full cast was present we decided to continue the first scene from where we stopped. Our main idea was for Nicola to walk along the tables as we moved them around create a path as she welcomes the audience. Before trying this idea out we checked that wooden tables we were using were sturdy and weight-bearing for Nicola to walk on. We found that the tables were slightly shaky when people were stood on. For health and safety reasons we had to perform some maintenance on the tables, tightening the bolts and wheels, before using them. While the tables were being fixed we began to discuss our idea of having a semi-circle cut out from one side of each table. Although this idea was entertaining and would work theoretically, practically if we began removed parts of the table it would lose its strong structure when moving them around. Also, as we are using them throughout for laying and walking on this is a health and safety problem as someone could easily forgot the gap and fall off.With the tables ready we began to form a path that Nicola would eventually walk on. Me and Michael would lead the table movements as we were both positioned correctly after the previous scene. We had to rehearse carefully as the instant that Nicola stepped on one table it would be spun around into a different position ready for her to step onto. One problem we found was that to move the tables fast enough we needed complete control over them as on several occasions the tables slightly bumped together which made Nicola nearly lose her footing. While practicing this sequence 2 people were spotting Nicola until she felt comfortable on the tables.With Aliyah free to discuss lighting demands we mentioned our plan for performing the Butchers scene as a silhouette behind the two tables and sheets. With time available after successfully completing the first scene we decided to experiment with this silhouette idea to see if it would be possible. With me and Adam pulling the sheet tightly over the 2 tables with a gap in the middle we managed to create a blank screen which Aliyah would light up from behind. Today I have improved my devising skills by experimenting with different set pieces and realised that even though an idea may sound possible in theory, bringing that idea to stage is much harder.

Friday 4th AprilIn rehearsals today we backtracked slightly as someone brought up an idea of during our first movement piece we could pass red shoes between us discreetly without changing our routine. We all agreed that this sounded amazing and would add a foreshadowing element to the opening scene. Using a pair of tap shoes we began to add in this idea by first figuring out how they would pass between and then picking the perfect moment to carry this out. By chance there were 3 perfect moments in our piece which provided the opportunity to pass the shoe. It was then decided that the shoes would move in diagonally first being thrown, then passed to partner, thrown again and finally placed at the front of the table. As a group we required numerous attempts for this to work and we were all professional as a high level of concentration was needed for this idea to work. Also, we must be ready for the scenario where a shoe gets dropped due to the speed of the music. This scene has helped me develop my communication skills as it was imperative to communicate with your partner without using your voice. For example, I learnt how to use eye-contact to alert my partner that the shoe would be coming towards them soon and so giving them time to prepare to catch the shoe.With the entire group happy with the state of the opening scene we decided to carry on and create a link between scene 1 and 2. We realised that throughout the play one extra piece of set would be necessary; a wooden crate. This would provide a seat, a step and storage space when needed. With this new piece of set several cast members shared the idea of placing Stella in the crate and concealed from the start of the performance which would then be revealed as we move the tables around for Nicolas walk. This added an element of mystery and complimented the foreshadowing Red Shoes well.While Dave would be repeating a crescendo tone on the harmonic and Adam banging in a rhythm of 4 we thought to increase the mystery of the contents of the crate we would slide the box very slowly forward before snooping around and prodding the cloth. Dave will be in charge of signalling the ending of the music which will alert everyone else to be ready to jump sharply into a V sharp with Nicola on the table as the point.

Monday 7th Tuesday 8th AprilToday we decided to continue working on the first scene from the last rehearsal. We intended to completely finish the first scene by the end of today. Starting from where we left off with Stella in the box and the rest of the cast in a V shape we began to create different ways in which we could reveal Stella as The Girl. After trying several ideas we realised the easiest way would be for Stella to have someone pick her out of the box due to her legs being trapped in a space making it harder for her to wiggle out on her own. To ensure Stella isnt hurt during this we had to make sure she kept her body tensed which allowed her to slide out with the help of Adam lifting her up by her arms. A greater health and safety concern was that this movement would be performed with Stella covered by a piece of material, therefore to avoid any possibility of things going wrong Adam and Stella worked together and intensely rehearsed the removal till it was a swift move and both participants felt comfortable. It is important that Adam and Stella are comfortable with physical contact as it is important to have a certain level of trust between them. Before removing her, Michael had the idea to bring The Girl alive when Nicola first said, There was a girl. I then suggested that Stella should breathe in time with us showed by the cloth moving up and down. Added suggested that we repeat this idea 3 times but on the 3rd breathe we hold and face the audience stood straight while Stella continues to breathe showing that she is now in fact alive. By creating this scene I developed my collaboration skills as I experienced the process or developing idea amongst the entire cast and the end result was very professional and entertaining.Once we thought we had finished this scene Stella brought attention to the fact that wouldnt it make sense to include the puppet in this opening scene as this is the moment when the audience members establish characters and relationships between them. With this in mind, Jamie suggested that The Puppet should be inside a suitcase which Nicola could bring on in the opening when walking across then tables and then she would pass the Puppet to Nicola to show who is in charge of the other characters. This idea fitted extremely well with our concept and so began to work this into our scenes. The first problem we encountered was that the puppet laid flat was too large for our suitcase which we didnt want bigger due to it becoming in the way. To solve this we trialled removing the head and the creating the puppet on stage. However, when this idea was performed to some of our cast members it looked funny and awkward which was not the intended affect. Instead, we found that if the puppet was bent in half then she could fit inside the suitcase as one piece though extra care must be taken not to damage it. With Nicola now in possession of the puppet most shared the thought that Stellas actions should mimic those of the puppets to emphasise the point that Lady Lydia controls the Puppet who controls The Girl (a voodoo doll type effect)Thursday 10th April (ABSENT)I was absent again due to an external exam. Today the cast focused on transitioning into the Old Lady scene and also blocking the Old Lady scene.

Friday 11th April

When I was next present at a rehearsal we spent the first part of the rehearsal performing the Old Lady scene to me so far and then began to taught me my role within this scene. However, upon watching I noticed there were a few sections which I didnt agree with so I raised this question to the rest of the cast. My main issue was that the movements seemed to break the tension we had spent the first scene creating. Similarly, when Nicola is counting 1, 2, 3,4 they had originally planned to jump off the tables. With all 5 people stood on the tables to then jump off made the tables rock which had the possibility of throwing Nicola off balance. I suggested the idea that during the counting we create 4 positions which becomes the Old Ladys stance. To devise these positions we stood in a circle and on the count of 3 tried to make ourselves look old. The most common changes were a hunched back, knees bent and a walking stick so these became our sequence of 4 steps with an added movement or arm behind back. This devising technique helped improved my improvisation skills as by putting pressure on ourselves to think of something within 3 seconds or so made my brain think quicker. Also, this technique worked because under pressure you are likely to create a stereotype of your character rather than a realistic interpretation which is ideal for our performance.

One thing in this scene that I really did like was the use of sound effects created by the actors for the Old Ladys walk. This was a simple idea but looked really effective as the Old Woman entered. 5 of us would be stood among the 2 tables and as we say Clickety-Clackety we would tap our left foot out and then in for each word ending on a stomp. Even though it is simple the hardest part was performing and speaking this in unison. Therefore, we decided to make Nicola our leader due to the fact she is the last person speaking prior to this.

Tuesday 29th April

The main aim during todays rehearsal would be to complete the Shoemakers scene and continue working on the Church scene. With our original idea the main problem we faced for the Shoemakers scene was the transition into this as one table gets completely flipped upside-down. As we didnt want to change the layout for this scene the only solution would be to rehearse this transition several times while experimenting with different methods of flipping the table. One idea we tried was to first lay the table on its side and then turn it over by lowering one side. Even though this worked we felt it took too long to get the table ready. Another possibility we tried was to stand the table vertical and then lower it completely so that it is upside-down. Similar to the last attempt, though this was a possible manoeuvre we believed it was drawing too much attention to the scene transition which we did not want to happen and distract them from the main action happening at the same time. In the end, we decided upon holding the table with crossed arms which allowed us to raise and turn over in one swift movement before placing it down. This was a lot more difficult than the other 2 ideas but this was the smoothest and quickest to do. This scene helped me improve my spatial awareness skills as it was imperative I knew exactly where the cast where on stage as when we flip the table we must be clear from anybody otherwise we could cause an injury due to the weight of the table. This health and safety hazard was reduced by practicing controlling the table till we were comfortable with flipping it mid-air while also paying attention to our surroundings.

With the Shoemakers complete we began to look at blocking the church scene. Immediately we noticed that there we a demand for 2 different dances between The Girl and The Soldier. We decided that the best use of our time would be to split into two groups; Stella and Myself to devise the dancing then the rest of the cast to block the church scene. The main reason for this decision was that we only have a limited amount of time and so by splitting into 2 groups we are able to progress quicker. Similar to the opening scene, this was another of my strongest scenes due to mine and Stellas dancing history. We started by choosing our music which we used a suggestion from David to use My Bad Angel Put A Devil In Me as it perfectly matched the intention of the dance which was for The Girl to seduce The Soldier. Using inspiration from several So You Think You Can Dance videos we began to choreograph our dance. Stella and I worked extremely well together as due to the fact we were friends and comfortable to criticise each other to help improve and adapt ideas our dance soon began to take shape. When working in a group it is important to understand everyones strengths and weaknesses. This is the same, if not more important, when dancing with a partner as you must understand each others limits when dancing. One big issue we came across was our desire to include a lift/catch. We felt this would enhance the dance greatly and also express the desire the characters were showing. We had to try out many various lifts including cradle, trust exercise, cannon lift where one dancer is help up in the air by the other. We quickly saw that as Stella and I were similar heights any lift which required to be put above myself would not be ideal. Therefore, we decided that Stella would run and jump sideways as I caught her in a cradle like a baby before kneeling down and rolling her outwards. While trying out different lifts we had to be constantly focused as if either of us felt uncomfortable or like we were about to fall etc. we would simple said stop and the lift would stop.

Thursday 1st May (Absent)Began to block and devise the Old Womans Funeral.

Friday 2nd May

By the end of todays rehearsal we wanted to keep going to attempt to finish the play completely by the end of this week if possible. However, this was not achieved but we will complete the play on Tuesday 6th May. Today we worked on The Girls journey as she dancers everywhere she goes. I suggested that to make Nicolas first walk relevant to the play it would be good if we reused the idea of creating a path with the tables for Stella to dance along. Therefore, we began to start trialling this idea as the main concern was that as Stella danced along the tables they may begin to wobble making it a lot more difficult and unsafe to dance on. I suggested that as a solution those who move the tables around (4 cast members, 2 for each table) then hold the table steady to prevent it from moving. The creation of the path was the collaboration between the entire cast as we all had an input as to how the path should progress.

As our time was running out we decided that today it would be best to discuss our finalised costume ideas. While coming up with ideas an idea of wearing the basic clothing items, such as underwear and white plain shirt/vest, allowing us to physically become the characters we were on stage with a few key items of clothing. I then suggested that we could wear black tights or tight black trousers under the underwear as not all people would be comfortable in wearing just underwear onstage myself included. These combined ideas quickly became popular as they suit the eerie and unnerving tone to our play. Below is an entire costume list:NicolaBlack Tights, White Underwear, White T-Shirt, Robe

StellaSkin Tights, White Dress, Red Dress

MichaelBlack Tights, White Underwear, White T-Shirt, Apron

ScottBlack Tights, White Underwear, White T-Shirt, Army Jacket

AdamBlack Tights, White Underwear, White T-Shirt, Tool Belt

DavidBlack Tights, White Underwear, Black Blazer, White T-Shirt, Crucifix

JamieBlack Tights, White Underwear, White T-Shirt, Black Shawl

Tuesday 6th MayThe main aim for todays rehearsal was to run-through our play and focus on the scene transitions as these are currently our weakest moments. We started by doing a stumble through of the performance stopping and starting to correct or remember any parts that we have forgotten. This allowed us time to concentrate on the finer details of our performance such as raising specific hands or standing feet together/apart etc. This gave us an insight into how close we are from having our play ready to perform. Today also offered us the chance to practice some of our ideas for the first time since we havent had chance before due to lack of equipment. As we now had a white sheet one main focus was to experiment with our Silhouette idea as the best way to make it seem realistic. Due to Stella having to change quickly during this scene we decided that my arms would pose as her legs. This also made it easier to drop the scenes as if they are being chopped off. One issue that arose was getting the white sheet into position without it looking messy. The final decision we made was for Adam and David to pull the white cloth over the tables and tighten in front creating our sheet. Rehearsing today helped me improve my communication skill as all of the scenes transitions had to be performed in silence so we do not distract the audience. This made me learn new ways to communicate by agreeing on simple hand gestures a nod of the head.

Our Scene Interpretations1. Opening SceneWe open with movement piece showing us being controlled like puppets. This is to the music of a Waltz by Aram Khachaturian. The audience will then be welcomed by Nicola and the story begins with The Girl also represented by a puppet shown 2. Old WomanThe Old Woman is a stereotype of a religious, rule-abiding, strict old person. She is also represented by the 4 story tellers stood on the stage behind her. We create our own sound effects for the womans walk and interact with her character only when she demands assistance.3. Shoe MakerWith the Shoemaker sat at his work bench there is a row of shoes in front of him that move and dance as he crafts The Girls red shoes foreshadowing a magical future may lie ahead.4. Red Shoes in ChurchBegins and Ends with a dance between The Girl and The Soldier, the first being a gentle and caring waltz whereas the second is a seductive dance using her red shoes to seduce The Soldier. The church doors are shown by the two tables stood vertical which are then placed onto their side to create the pews in the church as the priest begins preaching.5. Old Womans FuneralWith one table stood normally and another behind stood vertically to create a coffin-type set The Old Lady will be laid on the table dead as The Girl climbs over the corpse to regain her red shoes. As the Preacher begins the funeral the action freezes as The Girls feet start to dance. 6. Over The Hill, Over The DaleUsing the tables to create a path for The Girl, she then starts to dance over them. All the other cast members are helping manoeuver the tables except The Soldier who has returned from war.

7. Soldier ReturnsLady Lydia narrates as The Girl and The Soldier dance together. Repeating the waltz from before except this time The Girls waltzing become tap dancing as she starts to scare the Shell-shocked ex-military.8. Angel/AirmanWith the tables set in the Church Door position The Angel wearing an air pilot hat and using an umbrella as wings appears from behind the door. As The Airman curses The Girl 2 storytellers appear from behind the doors and trap her in several positions.9. ButcherAs the possibility to chop The Girls feet off in front of the audience we decided to use a White Screen to create a silhouette where we simply hear The Girl scream as her feet get chopped off one by one. To bring the shoes back to lie we are using a simple puppet string mechanism to control the shoes allowing them to dance on their own.