Creating a Storyline

Yesterday in our lesson, we all tried to focus on bringing all of our ideas together into a string of linear events so that we know exactly what will be happening. This way, next lesson we can begin to act out and write up a script for the performance. So far we have already decided on characters, as well as the specific events that will occur throughout the play.

It has been divided into 4 separate scenes or sections.
First there will be a sort of introduction:

·         Kate (playmaker/narrator) directs audience in whilst in character, and has them sit in a semi circle around our stage. Dodie, Issy, Thea, Laura and I come in as part of the audience.

·         Annabel will already be sitting in the middle of the circle sitting on a stool with her eyes closed

·         Once everyone is settled, Kate says an introduction much like a game show, but does so in a creepy/haunting way instead of being welcoming

·         Kate then puts the blindfold on Annabel which acts as the entrance into the dreamworld

The next scene will introduce the first of the spirits inside the girls head – self consciousness. The events which will happen (but not in order) include:

·         The spirits (Thea and I) coming out from the audience which represents how these emotions are inner demons which come from ones surroundings

·         Spirits wrap a tape measure around girl

·         Annabel will be wearing all white clothes, and the self consciousness spirits will force a shirt on over the top with dotted lines on, drawing out the ‘desired’ body shape which is fairly skinny (maybe on the unhealthy side).

·         I had the idea that this could somehow occur behind a white screen with backlighting, so that the audience can see what is happening in the silhouettes, but not know precisely what that is..

·         Hold a mirror infront of Annabel and have whispering voices like those in her head saying mean things – what she feels about herself.

·         Kate will come behind her and egg on what is happening 

We still do not know how we will be entering into each of the different scenes, I’ll make sure that we discuss it next lesson. But the next scene introduces the peer pressure spirits.

·         Spirits come from audience

·         Choreographed dance involving copy cat – she does whatever the spirits do to emphasise the idea of peer pressure and how she is submitting to what they want her to do

·         Very sharp moves

·         Making her say, act and do things this ‘innocent on the outside’ girl wouldn’t on her own

Enter into scene 4 which introduces the spirit of loneliness – therefore why it comes last as we all agreed.

·         Emphasise her isolation and abandonment

·         Whilst not scary/haunting like a nightmare, this scene plays on fears of being forgotten and alone

Next lesson we will spend a bit of time outlining the last scene which is the closing, and I think it should involve all characters dancing around the girl in a choreographed dance, getting closer until she collapses from everything. Then the last moment take off the blindfold. But from now on we will focus on actually getting the performance started.