It has to be said, this term has been tough; we have put on two major performances in a short term and devised most of the material ourselves- so what we have produced makes me very proud as both a performer and student. We struggled with the piece up until the very last minute (quite literally) and yet we pulled it off when it came down to it, producing a thought provoking political piece.
The Devising and Rehearsal Process
The piece was devised mainly by us; we reacted to stimulus and interpreted the message uniquely, creating a montage of pieces that tackled a variety of issues that all centred around the closing of libraries. I believe creating these pieces have taken our imagination on a straining and yet rewarding journey. Libraries are not necessarily something we, as young people, feel strongly about, due to the fact that we believe the service that a library provides, is easily consolidated onto a small screen instead of a cavern of books and maze of tables. However this very ideology is the reason why our piece is so important. We have the world at our fingertips, so ignore the community landmarks that are libraries- yet we are the lucky ones. People in our communities and neighbourhoods do not enjoy the same luxuries as us, but who cares, it doesn't effect us, so who cares, right? WRONG! As students and as simple compassionate human beings, it is our duty to have an understanding of those in society who are not as fortunate as us. For them, libraries are the only way of accessing the internet as we do from the comfort of our homes. If this resource is taken away from them they will be at a huge disadvantage which is not fair. Education and learning should be open to all regardless of social or economic situations. Our piece tackles the reality these people will face if libraries close. I believe the message I took from our piece when devising was how very lucky I am to have all the resources I need in my home and I cannot ignore others plight just because it doesn't directly affect me.
Devising pieces for our performance is most definitely what I enjoyed most about this process. I believe we all wanted to give and take something different from the performance; for me that was bringing the books that I have enjoyed all my life, to life for the audience. I enjoyed letting loose my creative writing instincts, writing monologues and snippets of text, taking inspiration from the books I read, the people around me and the activities that took place inside the classroom. I believe this forced to involve mentally and emotionally in the piece, making me feel more obliged to see the piece through because it was rooted in my work.
I believe the weakest part of our process, was our rehearsals etiquette. Our rehearsal process was a little shaky and could've been a lot better. Factors outside rehearsal can effect your work in class, but learning to be performers also means learning professionalism, learning to be calm, collected and focused in rehearsal. This is something I know we can all improve but nevertheless I believe our rehearsal process would have run smoother if we remained on it throughout.
The Show
The final show went better than I thought. Our rehearsal had made me slightly apprehensive about how well we were going to perform and yet with the new found pressurised energy the audience created, we all pulled together to make the performance a smooth transitioning, interesting political piece.
I believe the best scene as an ensemble was the Nazi book burning piece. First and foremost is was extremely aesthetically pleasing due to the use of the torches creating a scene of starlight. However when the audience realised it was a piece on book burning, the torches held a new significance of intensity and maliciousness. I think people react to something that activates more than one sense, which this scene definitely did. Being in the dark with only torch light, transported them to the streets of Germany. When we all shouted the chant I believe it hit harder as a group due to an increased intensity in volume and atmosphere. By doing so the message was pushed further, handing the audience the reigns, allowing them to interpret the message for the first time in the play. One word to sum this scene up- haunting.
My favourite piece to perform was the verbatim pieces in the booths especially as the character I was impersonating came to watch. I really enjoyed embracing the Brechtian style, taking someone who I know very well and making them excessive and exaggerated. This let me loose with my creative instincts, moulding someone into a style that was unnatural, a originally challenging concept, but one I learnt to have fun with. To watch the person you are playing observe your performance is a strange experience, but one I thoroughly enjoyed.
The weakness of the final performance, the one that had been haunting us throughout the rehearsals too, was line learning. Even in the final performance some peoples lines went wrong and prompts from other cast members were subtly needed. However due to the fact that others were able to prompt them in such a way that the audience hopefully didn't notice, meant the smooth transitions of the piece weren't interrupted. However as a note to take forward, line learning is a essential to the performance and should be solid way before the final performance.
In conclusion, this term has been draining, challenging and odd; and yet I loved it. I was able to express myself in a way that differed so much from last term. I feel I have learnt something out of my comfort zone, which is always rewarding when executed well.
Wednesday, 9 December 2015
Monday, 7 December 2015
Lesson 5
Today was some what our pre-dress rehearsal. We started piecing all of our pieces together and took our first steps towards blocking it in the library itself.
We started off by creating the opening to our show; we would all dress up and walk around the audience, greeting them as our favourite book characters. The first book character I thought of was the same as someone else's- Peter Pan, so we teamed up, with me becoming the Wendy to their Peter Pan. Although I do love Peter Pan, Wendy is a character that I also hold very dear to my heart. We had to come up with a short speech that would explain to the audience who they were, when I first read the story and by who and why I loved them. My piece was:
"My favourite character is Wendy Darling, She is the best storyteller ever to be, with her talents being recognised by Peter Pan himself. She was chosen to adventure to Neverland, but even with her childlike dreams, she always came home to her family. I was first read this story when I was 5, sitting on my mothers knee in our rocking chair. She would rock and forth, making me feel like I was flying over London or sailing on the high seas. The story stayed with me and perhaps part of me still believes that Peter Pan will come to my window to rescue me. Peter Pan and Wendy taught me that childhood dreams are beautiful and all I need is faith, trust and pixie dust."
I think this is an effective opening to our play as it immediately immerses the audience in the stories they know and love, hopefully sparking a connection with books they read as a child or throughout their life. If they can carry this spark through the performance, they will hopefully form a bond and connection with piece, delving into its deeper message.
Next we started piecing together the different sections of 'Spine.' We hold books around Edgar when he talks creating a shied of books and we sit behind Mani holding the books directly in the air, almost in a literary salute. Creating such strong images to coincide with these speeches make their words and message more powerful, intertwining the different uses of books also identified in the 'books can...' piece.
We then worked on Ernesto's piece on Nazi book burning. We decided to line up behind him, holding our torches which creates both a bonfire setting and a beautiful image of starlight, which looks eerie when compared to the topic of Ernesto's speech. When he talks about the student march and what they used to shout we all say:
"Against decadence and moral decay!
For breeding and convention in the family state!
I turn writings by Heinrich Mann, Eric Glaeser and Erich Kastner over to the fire!"
All of us shouting these statements at the same time will hopefully hit the audience harder with the message we are trying to convey. It will transport them to the bonfires, evoking the senses linked to the lighting and our speech for them to do so. This makes the section more poignant.
Blocking in the library gave us a good grounding and insight into how the performance was to run. I got to set up my grandma speech in one of the booths and found how I could make use of the space. My favourite discovery we had in the library was the idea of performing 'Spine' through the bookcases. I think it is interesting for the audience to watch and differentiates from the normal occurrences of a monologue. I think it emphasises that we want the books to speak louder than we ever could, something I believe to be a key theme in our piece.
The final thing we did in today's lesson was to block Malala's bus scene. We have set it up like a bus with all the girls sat on it. When the sound of gun fire is heard, we all in slow motion fall forward. Malala stands above the crowd and jerks as if she has been shot. All the girls on the bus move around her so we can in turn lift her above our heads, creating an angelic, emoting shot. As I have said, I believe immersing the audience is important if we want to portray our message on the power of books. Acting out such a brutal scene in such a delicate fashion, I believe, projects this power that Malala has constantly fought for.
We started off by creating the opening to our show; we would all dress up and walk around the audience, greeting them as our favourite book characters. The first book character I thought of was the same as someone else's- Peter Pan, so we teamed up, with me becoming the Wendy to their Peter Pan. Although I do love Peter Pan, Wendy is a character that I also hold very dear to my heart. We had to come up with a short speech that would explain to the audience who they were, when I first read the story and by who and why I loved them. My piece was:
"My favourite character is Wendy Darling, She is the best storyteller ever to be, with her talents being recognised by Peter Pan himself. She was chosen to adventure to Neverland, but even with her childlike dreams, she always came home to her family. I was first read this story when I was 5, sitting on my mothers knee in our rocking chair. She would rock and forth, making me feel like I was flying over London or sailing on the high seas. The story stayed with me and perhaps part of me still believes that Peter Pan will come to my window to rescue me. Peter Pan and Wendy taught me that childhood dreams are beautiful and all I need is faith, trust and pixie dust."
I think this is an effective opening to our play as it immediately immerses the audience in the stories they know and love, hopefully sparking a connection with books they read as a child or throughout their life. If they can carry this spark through the performance, they will hopefully form a bond and connection with piece, delving into its deeper message.
Next we started piecing together the different sections of 'Spine.' We hold books around Edgar when he talks creating a shied of books and we sit behind Mani holding the books directly in the air, almost in a literary salute. Creating such strong images to coincide with these speeches make their words and message more powerful, intertwining the different uses of books also identified in the 'books can...' piece.
We then worked on Ernesto's piece on Nazi book burning. We decided to line up behind him, holding our torches which creates both a bonfire setting and a beautiful image of starlight, which looks eerie when compared to the topic of Ernesto's speech. When he talks about the student march and what they used to shout we all say:
"Against decadence and moral decay!
For breeding and convention in the family state!
I turn writings by Heinrich Mann, Eric Glaeser and Erich Kastner over to the fire!"
All of us shouting these statements at the same time will hopefully hit the audience harder with the message we are trying to convey. It will transport them to the bonfires, evoking the senses linked to the lighting and our speech for them to do so. This makes the section more poignant.
Blocking in the library gave us a good grounding and insight into how the performance was to run. I got to set up my grandma speech in one of the booths and found how I could make use of the space. My favourite discovery we had in the library was the idea of performing 'Spine' through the bookcases. I think it is interesting for the audience to watch and differentiates from the normal occurrences of a monologue. I think it emphasises that we want the books to speak louder than we ever could, something I believe to be a key theme in our piece.
The final thing we did in today's lesson was to block Malala's bus scene. We have set it up like a bus with all the girls sat on it. When the sound of gun fire is heard, we all in slow motion fall forward. Malala stands above the crowd and jerks as if she has been shot. All the girls on the bus move around her so we can in turn lift her above our heads, creating an angelic, emoting shot. As I have said, I believe immersing the audience is important if we want to portray our message on the power of books. Acting out such a brutal scene in such a delicate fashion, I believe, projects this power that Malala has constantly fought for.
Saturday, 28 November 2015
Death's Monologue from The Book Thief
"I am essential to life, although I am the opposite of such a luxury. I have been around since the dawn of time. I have met many a man, searched for many a hero and worked for many a fiend. I have witnessed both the worlds greatest triumphs and tragedies. I have been praised and cursed. I am the only certainty in life. I am rather fond of the image man painted of me as a hooded figure cutting down mortals with a scythe and yet I walk alongside man as it's neighbour. Of all the people I have witnessed in my lifetime, none have captured me like Liesel Meminger. Her love and need for books made me feel alive- an accomplishment not many can boast. She painted masterpieces with her tongue, making the hardest hearts melt like the winter snow in spring and the most stubborn minds flow freely like the river. She made the pages live beyond their dusty coats. She braved Hitler's bonfires, entering the fire of hell to save her beloved books. She was a rare creature fuelled by the written word she read. She was the only angel I have ever conversed with. If I was being selfish, which I often am, I would have taken her before her time, but I let her escape my grasp for many years so she could share her wisdom, words and books with this complicated yet beautiful world. If there is one thing you do before you join me, read about Liesel Meminger, share her love for books and perhaps you and I will have some more to talk about in the next life."
From the beginning of this process, I have wanted to create this piece and whether or not it is included in the final piece, I believe it has helped my creative process immensely, allowing me to understand what it was I wanted to say within this piece, an important conclusion when performing political Brechtian theatre. I took inspiration from both the book and film and then used my own words and writing to weave it together. I probably loved the idea of this monologue based on the biased view I have towards the original creation of the book. I believe this monologue expresses the immortality of books and how even the most detached of characters (and perhaps one the most famous and common characters of them all) would be moved by the internal and external power of the written word.
Friday, 27 November 2015
Lesson 4
Today we began the set devising process. My main job today was to take the first extract of the library interview conducted between my grandmother and I, applying Brechtian techniques to create a short piece that can be used in the performance. Applying Brecht's exaggerated styling and linking to my work on extension of the character, I had to make the physical and vocal choices for my grandmother bold and amplified. I first identified the natural traits of my grandmother's physicality and vocals: she is well articulated, emphasises expressions by extending the word and looking up, she sits straight with her legs crossed and holds a cup of coffee. To magnify these qualities, I chose to employ a posh accent, overly extend my emphasis on words and sit up straight, completely rigid, and throughout the whole thing, I constantly sip from my coffee cup. I believe that their is a comedic element to it, identifying Brecht's Spass which creates an interesting character that will entice the audience to watch my piece and listen to what it is that I am saying. The over exaggerated emphasis will particularly help the audience identify the important elements of the piece- a natural quality that I believe makes my grandmother easy to listen to.
Something the whole class worked on this lesson is the 'We Don't Need No Education' song by Pink Floyd. As a ensemble, if we find the intent and aggression behind the lyrics, it could be a powerful Brechtian tool commenting on the education system and the utopia that a lot of students dream of. However we struggled, because the tune is an unusual key and the females especially struggled to find a happy medium between the normal depth of the notes and the natural tone of their voice. We also struggled with the beat, often speeding up too much. With all these factors, we lost the words and their meaning, causing the song to become a depressing sounding mess. The song is not an upbeat tone, so if we cannot bring energy to the song, it will sound dull. It took us longer than it should, but eventually we all worked as a group to give the song meaning and depth. I hope we can bring this in following rehearsals and in the performance without half an hour of bickering and slacking.
The last thing I worked on in the lesson was developing my ideas for my piece from 'The Book Thief.' I am not sure whether the piece can be interwoven within the whole performance, yet I am eager to work on something to put forward as it is something I have felt strongly about since the opportunity arose at the beginning of term. I have decided on doing a monologue from the perspective of death, the narrator of the actual book, talking about how Liesel's love of books made him feel alive- and as death, this is not an accomplishment many can boast.
I hope next weeks rehearsal sees us bringing all our ideas together making a strong piece with fluid transitions. I believe this piece has so much potential, but relies heavily on the participation of the whole cast meaning everyone must be on top form when we come to running it through.
Something the whole class worked on this lesson is the 'We Don't Need No Education' song by Pink Floyd. As a ensemble, if we find the intent and aggression behind the lyrics, it could be a powerful Brechtian tool commenting on the education system and the utopia that a lot of students dream of. However we struggled, because the tune is an unusual key and the females especially struggled to find a happy medium between the normal depth of the notes and the natural tone of their voice. We also struggled with the beat, often speeding up too much. With all these factors, we lost the words and their meaning, causing the song to become a depressing sounding mess. The song is not an upbeat tone, so if we cannot bring energy to the song, it will sound dull. It took us longer than it should, but eventually we all worked as a group to give the song meaning and depth. I hope we can bring this in following rehearsals and in the performance without half an hour of bickering and slacking.
The last thing I worked on in the lesson was developing my ideas for my piece from 'The Book Thief.' I am not sure whether the piece can be interwoven within the whole performance, yet I am eager to work on something to put forward as it is something I have felt strongly about since the opportunity arose at the beginning of term. I have decided on doing a monologue from the perspective of death, the narrator of the actual book, talking about how Liesel's love of books made him feel alive- and as death, this is not an accomplishment many can boast.
I hope next weeks rehearsal sees us bringing all our ideas together making a strong piece with fluid transitions. I believe this piece has so much potential, but relies heavily on the participation of the whole cast meaning everyone must be on top form when we come to running it through.
Sunday, 22 November 2015
Evaluation of Political Protest
Today we performed our political protest in front a large group of students during their break-time. After watching the protests from last year, I had a lot of expectations for both myself, my group and for the reaction we would generate from the audience and although we faced some challenges as a group, I believe the strengths of the piece fulfilled my expectations.
The piece was focused on the government cuts to the NHS and how it effected the most basic treatments, especially in emergency situations. There was also a focus on the slow privatisation of the NHS by the government due to issues with the production of medicines and their distributions. We set the scene with 3 doctors in bloody aprons and bloody hands, begging for money with posters detailing the reasons for our plight. Behind us was a stand labelled 'Tory NHS Tuck Shop' and laid out were packets of drugs, plasters, bandages and vials of blood. As the doctors begged for money the Tory MP was selling the drugs for extortionate prices. To enhance the message we had someone walk in half way through the piece and convulse on the floor in front of us. When the doctors tried to treat her, the equipment and treatment required would be denied by the Tory claiming it was too expensive. The message behind this piece related to the lack of basic treatment as a direct consequence of the £20 billion cuts made to the NHS.
This first picture shows the group in our costume, actively protesting during the piece. The second, our 'Tory NHS Tuck Shop.' These 2 pictures illuminate the ideas that we have been brainstorming for 2 weeks and the finished product we created. To further understand the effectiveness of the final piece, I must look at the strengths and weaknesses of both the piece as a whole and the role I played throughout the process.
I think one of the main strengths of the piece was it's ability to immerse the audience in the protest. We weren't tied down by the requirements of any particular space, so were able to walk around within our area, approaching audience members and discovering the best locations to push our protest forward most effectively. By making the doctors beg for money, we were showing the sheer desperation for funding caused by the government cuts. With 3 of us taking on this role, by spreading out throughout the space, we were able to ask everyone, pushing our message through at all angles. It also meant people would most likely here the message more than once, allowing them to identify the desperate cry from the NHS asking for funding. The loose configurations of the piece, allowed the performance to spread it's message widely, a very important, effective technique within political theatre.
Another strength of the piece was the topic we chose- the cuts to the NHS. It is something that has been headlining the news since 2010 and therefore a topic the audience could identity with quickly, efficiently enticing them to further investigate our protest. The effectiveness of a political protest greatly depends on the topic; if you can get people to rally behind your protest, you have fulfilled a key demand of the piece- people will stop and think about the issue and perhaps do something about it. Proof of this was the fact that we had donations from the audience, showing their awareness and want to interact with our cause. If this is the case, your political protest is successful, as it has brought the issue to the forefront of your audiences mind, forcing them to question outside the box they are put in by social and moral standards- something Brecht would encourage.
However, to fully evaluate the piece I must also look at the weaknesses of the piece. Although the location didn't restrict us in some ways, it did in others. At break-time, the reception is one of the busiest places in the whole school. If we had been the only group protesting in this area I believe it would have made the piece more effective; unfortunately, there was a total of 5 groups in the reception area, causing a hectic atmosphere for both performers and audience members. I believe the audience became bombarded by all the different group, all of whom were shouting and fighting to try and get their point across most effectively. I believe somewhere within this process, the audience members lost what we were saying and turned their attentions to escaping the now loud and busy lobby. I believe part of our message was lost in the hustle and bustle of the crowd. In the future, I would choose a location with the same steady flow of people, but perhaps a larger area, instead of confining them. Moreover an extended communication with the other groups about their locations may have sorted some problems.
Although immersive, our piece was not necessarily interactive. From personal experience and also what I witnessed from the performance, the audience seemed to be drawn to pieces that immersed them further by forcing to interact with their piece. Some examples I saw, were people buying children and they had to write down which child they wanted and people selling cakes to the audience. I think this makes the people feel less like spectators and more like vital people within a performance. In future I would involve interactive elements within the piece to centre the audiences
attention to our piece.
Overall, putting on this performance in under 3 weeks has been a challenge, but one every member of the group was willing to tackle, with an end goal of an effective, thought provoking piece. I feel very happy with our piece and am delighted to have worked with people who's passion and motivation drove the piece to it's destination.
The piece was focused on the government cuts to the NHS and how it effected the most basic treatments, especially in emergency situations. There was also a focus on the slow privatisation of the NHS by the government due to issues with the production of medicines and their distributions. We set the scene with 3 doctors in bloody aprons and bloody hands, begging for money with posters detailing the reasons for our plight. Behind us was a stand labelled 'Tory NHS Tuck Shop' and laid out were packets of drugs, plasters, bandages and vials of blood. As the doctors begged for money the Tory MP was selling the drugs for extortionate prices. To enhance the message we had someone walk in half way through the piece and convulse on the floor in front of us. When the doctors tried to treat her, the equipment and treatment required would be denied by the Tory claiming it was too expensive. The message behind this piece related to the lack of basic treatment as a direct consequence of the £20 billion cuts made to the NHS.
This first picture shows the group in our costume, actively protesting during the piece. The second, our 'Tory NHS Tuck Shop.' These 2 pictures illuminate the ideas that we have been brainstorming for 2 weeks and the finished product we created. To further understand the effectiveness of the final piece, I must look at the strengths and weaknesses of both the piece as a whole and the role I played throughout the process.
I think one of the main strengths of the piece was it's ability to immerse the audience in the protest. We weren't tied down by the requirements of any particular space, so were able to walk around within our area, approaching audience members and discovering the best locations to push our protest forward most effectively. By making the doctors beg for money, we were showing the sheer desperation for funding caused by the government cuts. With 3 of us taking on this role, by spreading out throughout the space, we were able to ask everyone, pushing our message through at all angles. It also meant people would most likely here the message more than once, allowing them to identify the desperate cry from the NHS asking for funding. The loose configurations of the piece, allowed the performance to spread it's message widely, a very important, effective technique within political theatre.
Another strength of the piece was the topic we chose- the cuts to the NHS. It is something that has been headlining the news since 2010 and therefore a topic the audience could identity with quickly, efficiently enticing them to further investigate our protest. The effectiveness of a political protest greatly depends on the topic; if you can get people to rally behind your protest, you have fulfilled a key demand of the piece- people will stop and think about the issue and perhaps do something about it. Proof of this was the fact that we had donations from the audience, showing their awareness and want to interact with our cause. If this is the case, your political protest is successful, as it has brought the issue to the forefront of your audiences mind, forcing them to question outside the box they are put in by social and moral standards- something Brecht would encourage.
However, to fully evaluate the piece I must also look at the weaknesses of the piece. Although the location didn't restrict us in some ways, it did in others. At break-time, the reception is one of the busiest places in the whole school. If we had been the only group protesting in this area I believe it would have made the piece more effective; unfortunately, there was a total of 5 groups in the reception area, causing a hectic atmosphere for both performers and audience members. I believe the audience became bombarded by all the different group, all of whom were shouting and fighting to try and get their point across most effectively. I believe somewhere within this process, the audience members lost what we were saying and turned their attentions to escaping the now loud and busy lobby. I believe part of our message was lost in the hustle and bustle of the crowd. In the future, I would choose a location with the same steady flow of people, but perhaps a larger area, instead of confining them. Moreover an extended communication with the other groups about their locations may have sorted some problems.
Although immersive, our piece was not necessarily interactive. From personal experience and also what I witnessed from the performance, the audience seemed to be drawn to pieces that immersed them further by forcing to interact with their piece. Some examples I saw, were people buying children and they had to write down which child they wanted and people selling cakes to the audience. I think this makes the people feel less like spectators and more like vital people within a performance. In future I would involve interactive elements within the piece to centre the audiences
attention to our piece.
Overall, putting on this performance in under 3 weeks has been a challenge, but one every member of the group was willing to tackle, with an end goal of an effective, thought provoking piece. I feel very happy with our piece and am delighted to have worked with people who's passion and motivation drove the piece to it's destination.
Library Interview Transcript
Person 1: Did you use libraries as a child?
Person 2: After my father was killed in the Second World War, the military paid for me to go to private school- I hated it. All the girls there came from rich families and liked to tease me about my military scholarship. So I retreated to the library. Firstly because my mother couldn't afford all my text books and because it was quiet- no one could tease me there. So yes, libraries were hugely important in my childhood- as a fountain of knowledge and a safe harbour.
Person 1: Do you think children use them now?
Person 2: I know they do. Maybe I'm just old, but it always shocks me that all your work is done online with no regard to whether your family has access to the internet. I know you have libraries of your own at school, so I suppose that proves how important they really are for students with no internet at home. Libraries are so vital to those families and I dread the day children are at a disadvantage because of their families financial situation. Years as a social worker showed me what can happen if a family's financial issues becomes an issue for their children.
Person 1: What do you think closing libraries will do? Who will it effect the most?
Person 2: Maybe books aren't cool any more, but I know when I was a child, a book, new or old, was precious. I still see children reading on buses and trains and in coffee shops, so libraries and their books are still being read. If closed the last flicker of interest in a new book will be lost. The source of books will be killed and they will die out. Children will definitely be effected badly with no access to learning. So much vocabulary is discovered through reading and being read to, so if they can't access this, their development could be deeply effected.
Friday, 20 November 2015
My Ideas For 'Spine' Performance
A lot of the work we will make for spine will be devised by us, the students and therefore I have started to come up with some ideas that could be intertwined within our show.
The Book Thief
One of my favourite books and films is 'The Book Thief.' When the topic of libraries, education and books was presented to me, my attention turned to how I could involve such a poignant, touching story into our performance. It was then suggested that Nazi book burning would also be incorporated into the piece and I knew it was a story that had the potential to heighten the piece and add a story that could express the complete themes and message to the audience. I believe that the old lady in 'Spine' could be Liesel Meminger as an older woman and her hoard of books are a collection from when she saved books from Hitler's book burnings. I would present this in flashback form of a scene in which Liesel discovers the social and political value of books. I think this would be a good scene to include because it gives the story more depth and gives the audience a perspective through the eyes of a girl who defied one of the most dangerous dictators to save her beloved books.
Inkheart
'Inkheart' is another of my favourite books, a story that quite literally, brought the books to life. In our piece, immersing the audience in the books, both by being in the library and centring all our extracts around books, would be enhanced by bringing the stories to life, as they do in 'Inkheart.' One of the small details included in 'Inkheart' was the writing on all of the characters faces, stating their story; their face were the pages of the book and they were tattooed with these words. If we all chose our favourite book and then wrote a extract on our body, I believe it would be both visually pleasing and thought provoking. I think its effect would be representing to the audience that the books we read are part of us and become the very skin we wear. In the end, we are all just the pages of a book.
Malala Mirror
Malala Yousafzai has been campaigning for girls education despite the threat she has faced first hand from the Taliban for doing so. To depict the difference in the view on female education on two sides of the world, I had the idea of creating a mirror, created by two girls standing back to back, standing in front of their parents, one being told the school work she is doing is impressive and that they are extremely proud of her achievements, but the other girl being told she is bringing shame on the family and that girls don't need an education as it is not important within their role in society. Then I would have a comparison in the two girls reactions- the first girl saying she hates school and wants to leave as soon as possible and the second begging her parents to stay in education. Showing this contrast shows how much we take for granted our free access to education and how desirable to is to those who aren't lucky enough to live in a society in which female education is tolerated.
The Book Thief
One of my favourite books and films is 'The Book Thief.' When the topic of libraries, education and books was presented to me, my attention turned to how I could involve such a poignant, touching story into our performance. It was then suggested that Nazi book burning would also be incorporated into the piece and I knew it was a story that had the potential to heighten the piece and add a story that could express the complete themes and message to the audience. I believe that the old lady in 'Spine' could be Liesel Meminger as an older woman and her hoard of books are a collection from when she saved books from Hitler's book burnings. I would present this in flashback form of a scene in which Liesel discovers the social and political value of books. I think this would be a good scene to include because it gives the story more depth and gives the audience a perspective through the eyes of a girl who defied one of the most dangerous dictators to save her beloved books.
Inkheart
'Inkheart' is another of my favourite books, a story that quite literally, brought the books to life. In our piece, immersing the audience in the books, both by being in the library and centring all our extracts around books, would be enhanced by bringing the stories to life, as they do in 'Inkheart.' One of the small details included in 'Inkheart' was the writing on all of the characters faces, stating their story; their face were the pages of the book and they were tattooed with these words. If we all chose our favourite book and then wrote a extract on our body, I believe it would be both visually pleasing and thought provoking. I think its effect would be representing to the audience that the books we read are part of us and become the very skin we wear. In the end, we are all just the pages of a book.
Malala Mirror
Malala Yousafzai has been campaigning for girls education despite the threat she has faced first hand from the Taliban for doing so. To depict the difference in the view on female education on two sides of the world, I had the idea of creating a mirror, created by two girls standing back to back, standing in front of their parents, one being told the school work she is doing is impressive and that they are extremely proud of her achievements, but the other girl being told she is bringing shame on the family and that girls don't need an education as it is not important within their role in society. Then I would have a comparison in the two girls reactions- the first girl saying she hates school and wants to leave as soon as possible and the second begging her parents to stay in education. Showing this contrast shows how much we take for granted our free access to education and how desirable to is to those who aren't lucky enough to live in a society in which female education is tolerated.
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