THE DESIGN QUESTION20 marks of pure delight bruv!

The question …Give a full written explanation of your design ideas for this section.

In your answer you should refer to:your chosen production style and how it is linked to your choice of stage;your choice of set;how you would use colour to create atmosphere;any other ideas you might like to include

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The extract …

Let’s look at Act I, Scene X – page 32 - 34

The choice of production style …

BRECHT!

So why Brecht?

The choice of production style … BRECHT

So why Brecht?The play has a non-linear structureThe presence of the chorus (the Street Voices), who comment on the actionThe presence of a narrator (Narrative Martin) who directly addresses the audience and breaks the fourth wallThere is a clear social message, which develops after Martin is injuredThere are many changes of location and time, which must be achieved quickly and clearly; you’re probably going to use representative props and costume to achieve thisThere are a number of characters who fulfill stereotypical roles (and are identified only by titles) – the police officer, the nurses, the pusher etc.Tableaux (appear in this extract specifically and at other points in the play)

The choice of stage shape …

MUST BE JUSTIFIED IN LIGHT OF YOUR PRODUCTION STYLE!

Thrust stage

Why Thrust?

The choice of stage shape …

MUST BE JUSTIFIED IN LIGHT OF YOUR PRODUCTION STYLE!

Why Thrust?The thrust of the stage literally breaks the fourth wall and will support moments where the Street Voices or Narrative Martin speak to the audience

Again, you must find specific moments within the extract to justify the choice of Thrust

The Thrust shape

Audience Audience

Audience

The choice of set (and furniture and props … )

The back wall: use the exposed brickwork or concreteWill you add graffiti to it?How about the floor? Again, would we use concrete or perhaps paving slabs? It suggests location and allows us to see the exposed workings of the theatreWhat specific bits of representative set or props will you use to create the scene? I like body props, but I am inclined to suggest we use specific bits of furniture, props, set etc. as it is a design question: body props are really more a performance element

Furniture and props … When describing the props or furniture, ensure you discuss colour and condition of the material or fabric (a battered old piece of furniture tells us something different to a new, pristine piece of furniture). Justify creatively!What set, props or furniture could we use in this extract?Remember to link to specific moments in the text Brecht would use representative props and costume to suggest location or character. So, you might use one school desk and some chairs (on casters) to suggest the classroom. Perhaps those actors playing the students would wear matching school ties.

Lighting ... This is your best opportunity for using colour to create atmosphereWe have to be creative and interesting and sophisticated with lightingDon’t be lazy; if your inclination is to just use one lighting state – don’t! Find three or four key moments that you can convey with a lighting change (if you’re really struggling with options for sound effects or music etc., focus on four – or even five – lighting moments, but you do need some other areas to write about to achieve all of the indicative content)

Types of light ... FRESNEL- lights a particular area but with a soft edge PROFILE – creates a hard edged spotlightFLOOD – gives a general wash, covering the whole stage

Other areas of lighting ...

GEL – these are coloured cinemoid, which are placed in front of a light. This is what creates the colour that creates atmosphereGOBO – metal cut-outs, which are placed in front of the light to create effects such as prison bars, tree branches etc.STROBE LIGHTING

Lighting in this extract ... Where would you use lighting in this

extract? What are the three or four key lighting states that you could use?What colour will you use? What does that tell us about the atmosphere?What are some interesting words we can use to describe atmosphere?Use your technical terminology!

Other design options ... SOUND

Where could you use sound effects in this scene?Are you using music?Is the SFX or music live or pre-recorded? Brecht liked live music, often contrasting the emotional tone of the scene. You could extend the desire for live music out to the desire for actors to create the sound effects, or soundscape to create atmosphere or suggest locationIf you are using music, be specific – what track are you using, by what artist? Show you’ve thought in creative detail about the show

Projections ... Will you use projections? If so, why? Where and when? For how long? Think about the colour of your backdrop – will they show up?Will they be realistically filmed, or animated?

Smoke machine ... Just ‘cause I love a smoke machine!’

Can be useful in suggesting the location, or creating atmosphere (particularly for night scenes)Could be particularly useful combined with orange/red gels during the car crash scene

More options ... LED – can be used in strips to highlight something or outline something. Neon signs can achieve a similar effectYou could line the graffiti on the back wall with LED lights which light up at certain points (and in different colours): either to highlight key words/messages (BRECHT!) or to suggest locations (SCENE 10: The Bassment Club). This is VERY Brechtian, using captions to inform the audience of the location, and could be a very useful way of dealing with the rapid changes of time and locationIt could also be used for the fairground scene, creating the signs for the rides, or as a scoreboard for the gym competition etc. – be creative!

And remember ... ALWAYS USE YOUR TECHNICAL TERMINOLOGYALWAYS USE THE DRAMA FORMULA:

WHAT YOU’RE DOING (EXPLAIN IT CLEARLY )WHERE YOU’RE DOING IT (LINK TO EXTRACT – SPECIFIC LINE/MOMENT)WHY YOU’RE DOING IT (WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING TO ACHIEVE, REFERENCING THE EFFECT ON THE AUDIENCE)