Proposal timeline

Essay

Compare in detail two productions/story that has been a play and a film – is theatre more effective?


Which is better? Theatre or Cinema? This of the most common question asked when deciding to see a performance or creation for entertainment. In this Essay, we will be discussing different opinions based around different examples of this and I will be including personal experience as well.


“I just can’t wait to be King!” – One of the most well-known songs by many people across the globe. This is due to the fact that it emerges from the Award Winning motion picture Lion King (1994) directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff. It portrays the responsibilities we all have to face when we reach adulthood and to appreciate what we have before we lose it, in other words to not take it for granted. This can be said to be one of the most debated on whether the original movie still remains a better adaptation of the story rather than the most popular productions in Broadway and the West End. There are many opinions sharing the similarities/differences and the benefits/problems of these factors that are integrated in to the final production on the stage compared to the movie. In an article stated on Quora.com, Marc Bodnick had brought up the one very large difference of Rafiki as it was played by a female instead of a male. He said that “This is because the producers felt there weren't any truly strong female characters in the film”, which can be said to be true due to the fact that the original story is based among power and in the animal kingdom, the male lion is seen as the ‘King’ of the jungle. In addition to this discussion, as I have seen both adaptations of Lion King the motion picture as well as the stage production, I have to say that although the film was absolutely brilliant, the musical got it for me. This is because it felt more alive as the voices of the actors were heart-warming along with the creative costumes of the animals which made the whole production feel more alive as they passed us through the audience making their way to the stage. It made me feel as if I was actually a part of the production. So it can be said that the theatrical version can build a stronger connection to the audience, rather than the film which can be debated to be easier for younger children to understand due to the fact that the animals seen in the movie can be depicted easily with the animation.


Another example of a film and in a theatre production is Macbeth. Macbeth is about a brave Scottish general named Macbeth. He receives a message from witches that one day he will become the King of Scotland. Engulfed with greediness and ambition, which was spurred to action by his wife, he murders King Duncan and takes the Scottish throne for himself. This then lead to him feeling guilty and resulted in him having a sense of paranoia. There had been many different adaptations and interpretations of this particular piece by Shakespeare so it can be incredibly debated to which on portrays the plot in a more efficient way. According to the source from enotes.com, a head teacher states a clear point that both film and theatre are two very different mediums, where interpretations of the original plot can be twisted and changed or exaggerated to suit the differences of the changes made. An example that was stated in this source was that “Macbeth, Roman Polanski’s version focuses on death and violence. His version includes the death of the original Thane of Cawdor, as he chooses to jump off and hang himself”, as some adaptations did not. The later state that “The action of this is accompanied by eerie music that dominates the descent of Macbeth into evil, and there is a lot of blood and gore in the way that Macduff's family is killed, Banquo is killed and then the murderers themselves, having killed Banquo, are themselves dispatched.” This statement exposes the fact that moving from scene to scene is definitely easier and that music definitely a heavy factor which can make the film more effective as it creates the atmosphere with the dialogue and actions taken. However this can contrast with the stage production as silence at certain places in in the performance, especially Lady Macbeth’s monologue, can still maintain an eerie atmosphere without the use of music. So as this can be said, it really depends on how the director ought to portray the peace in the most efficient method possible. Again, as I have seen many adaptations of both mediums, I find that it really depends on how the audience understands what is being portrayed, especially with a piece that is also very well known around the world with its reputation to show how wrong doings can lead to insanity. However, I feel that film portrays this type of performance more effectively due to the use of music and camera angles, especially when it comes to the murdering and the breakdown of Lady Macbeth.


From a personal experience, from not only one, but now two performances, I have felt the magic of theatre and how it can express a plot in various number of ways yet quite enjoyable to watch compared to film. This can also be said that film will always stay the same whereas theatre productions can always be altered and changed every night it is performed adding that risk factor which can result in a better insight from the audience. I have performed Little Shop of Horrors and now Peter Pan, where I have also watched the films of both productions. In addition for my character development, I have had to research and see other stage interpretations of these performances, with the main source of youtube.com. I have seen interpretations of Little Shop of Horrors, especially in the film, the Seymour’s character is heavily backed up with background music exaggerating his actions, similar to other stage plays I have seen during my character research. Especially in the scenes where he had to mutilate Audrey’s ex-boyfriend Orin Scrivello (Audrey being Seymour’s crush as he also can be related to Macbeth as he was engulfed by greed to get what he wants by going way above legal actions) with the use of background music creating the shock factor in the 1986 film. Whereas when I performed there was no use of background music but with clear dialogue to exaggerate the fact that Seymour was going ahead with the murder and a blackout to change the scene to Audrey II (the evil plant) devouring on the remains of Orin. This can be argued that the film can be more effective in this sense as it did play a major role in the film compared to my interpretation of it.
In Peter Pan, both known film adaptations – 2003 version by P. J. Hogan and the Walt Disney Peter Pan as a very confident boy with a strong personality which intertwined after my research as my initial interpretation of his character. However, the biggest difference and advantage of theatrical arts is that the plot can be changed dramatically or factors can be added or taken away. Exaggerated in my performance was that a key part of both films show the magical flying scene to Neverland, whereas my production did not express this in a similar manner due to the equipment available. In addition, songs were also added as my performance was based on the script by Piers Chater-Robinson. This can also stress the fact that although the original version did not have songs included, theatre can change this to a level where there are always better ways in improving the performance whilst it is showing live, whereas things cannot in movies and will always be noticed if wanted to be improved afterwards.


In conclusion, it can be said that film can be seen as a way of keeping a permanent record of your work out there for it to be seen by so many people, however, the world is your stage and as actor myself, I do personally love theatre as it allows me to express myself in various characters and revealing the true beauty of taking risks on stage. On the other hand, although filming can be a whole new experience, I find that even having the chance to interact with an audience makes it that extra special. This is because having a connection with the audience is what feeds me to put on an even bigger or better performance than the night before. In addition, theatre can also be an experiment room and you do not always have to stick to the script. You can always make it your own and put a piece of who you truly are in to it, and that is what I love about the theatre, it just expresses the fact that the world is your stage and that we should always take risks.


Bibliography:


Author: Los Times
Article Title: From screen to stage: Musical movie adaptations - 'The Lion King'
Website Title: latimes.com
URL: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-from-screen-to-stage- musical-movie- ad-017-photo.html
Published: 2017


Author: Marc Bodnick
Article Title: Are there any substantial differences between the Broadway musical and the film’s version of the story of The Lion King?
Website Title: Quora.com
URL: https://www.quora.com/Are-there-any-substantial-differences-between-the-Broadway-musical-and-the-films-version-of-the-story-of-The-Lion-King
Published on: October 16, 2011


Author: Study Guide
Article Title: Peter Pan Summary – eNotes.com
Website Title: eNotes
URL: https://www.enotes.com/topics/peter-pan


Author: High School Teacher
Article Title: What are the differences between Macbeth the play and Macbeth the movie, directed by Roman Polanski?
Website Title: eNotes
URL: https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-differences-between-macbeth-play-macbeth-400373
Published: May 30, 2011


Article Title: Little Shop of Horrors (1986 film)
Website Title: En.wikipedia.org
URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Shop_of_Horrors_(1986_film)


Article Title: Little Shop of Horrors (musical)
Website Title: En.wikipedia.org
URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Shop_of_Horrors_(musical)

Actor Proposal - February 7th

Throughout the first year of this course I have picked up various skills that may benefit me in the future of dramatic arts. For example, breaking down and analysing a script of what the line may be implying or the scene may be portraying. In addition, a building up of who I am as a person and an actor have grown which may relay to characterisation of role given to me. It can be also be said that a personal objective for me has been improved with my articulation and diction when speaking in a performance which has benefited off the stage too. This has helped me build my confidence in performing as I have also been taught to take my own risks and to be myself in the character as much as I could as the future me wanting to attend Drama School requires you to select a monologue representing you.


I am proposing myself as an actor as part of a performance. My aims are to fulfill the role that is given to me and to do as much research as required to meet the standards of the Director as much as possible. In addition, I am willing to dedicate myself to the role and adapt different techniques by various practitioners that would help benefit my character’s development. For example, listening music that may interest my specific character in order to make them as convincing as possible. Furthermore, I will use rehearsal time to line run when the Director is absent, run scenes and apply the research that was collated once the role was introduced and briefing after the script reading is complete. I will also add annotations to the script, highlighting key points such as where to go on what line and what action to pursue to achieve the purpose of the scene. This may result in having to use the Drama Studios as the role I am given in a group may require more time to rehearse out of lesson time. Feedback by other students is encouraged as this may help other actors develop the character in a manner where it is understandable to the audience.


Whatever character I am given, during research I am going to build my character based off of different characters to fuel the most accurate interpretation suitable to fit the play. For example, Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, how she felt suicidal or went insane after the murder of the King, I may explore different interpretations of the role, on stage and in film that may relate to my characters’ personality. I will constantly compare the similarities and differences and what works best for the final interpretation. As mentioned, feedback from peers is especially important as this may also help the building of the character and what works and what may work better if something in the initial interpretation was changed or improved. I will keep a constant update on my blog stating what was achieved in rehearsal time and what needs to be done by the next.

Research Breakdown, Challenges and Presentation - March 27th

What would my character wear based upon their back stories and background and culture - costume.

• Based upon what happened before the scenes, Marion and I were set the task of exploring what happened before the scene that takes place in the performance. For this short showcase, I decided to play three different characters for exploring Marion's state so I played Jonah (his bully), his abusive dad and the Pillow man. To differentiate the characters, I used different pieces of clothing to help explore for my two characters on what play different characters are like. Going through Marion's scene, we learnt that he was beaten up by Jonah and his gang on the way home from Sixth Form and ended up getting hit more by his dad when come face to face with him at home. He then ran upstairs where the scene with the Pillow man begins. The emotion that were exposed in the scene was mainly depression and also anxiety can also be noticed. This  meant that he felt that he was not good enough for anyone and that suicide was the perfect way out. In result for Marion's costume we would need a suit to act as his Sixth Form Uniform.
• We then explored the other characters and what they may where based on their back stories. Because my character came home from college and wanted to differentiate my character from Marion's clothing was that I would where tracksuits as this also considers our age group where some people who go to colleges typically wear full tracksuits. This can also be a suggestion for my character for being laid back and having a relaxed personality where as for my other character, we discussed that a typical basic look for someone who is insane is just a plain t-shirt and jeans as this is a contrast to what is actually in their mind - clothing empty but the mind is full; suggesting a mysterious personality allowing the audience to interpret what personality that character actually may have. For Stephanie's, it was a grey jumper and jeans as her character was someone who was similar to Prince going to college and just wearing casual clothes. And for the Pillow man, at first we discussed that it would consist of a gas mask as they are seen as something that represents something mysterious or something that is scary with the addition of an Egyptian mummified figure. Another idea that was considered were a witch doctor mask and a cape as we also the Pillow man acting as near a Grim Reaper and inspired off the Slender Man as they are both icons of fear yet we always remember them with the Slender man having a blank face and the Grim Reaper having the cape (The Pillow man would combine both). Factors that were considered were how Chris' microphone would fit in to the mask so that he would not sound like he is always shouting without the microphone.

Discussing implications of black out of hanging, what people may imply, history of hanging - Factors that may come in to play on stage, how will the hanging be carried out.

• Displaying hanging on stage is a very controversial factor as it can be seen as something too extreme for some audiences and we have to consider the effects that it can have on certain to on others. However the intention of the performance is to allow the audiences to be more aware of suicide and that it could be happening to anyone, some around our ages.
• The history of hanging dates back to the Medieval Times where it was a form or punishment through execution or in this case suicide. There a couple of different methods to hanging, for example a Suspension, a short drop with little struggle, which is the method going to be used in our performance. Other methods such as a Standard drop and a Long drop depended on the length of the noose/rope and the height of where the person is dropped with their weight considered.
• The next challenge was portraying the hanging on stage and how it could have been done. One method that was discussed was a silhouette of the corpse projected after the hanging or during the whole process of the hanging as at some points, the hanging felt too extreme to be performed. However we decided to use the method of actually showing the person hanging themselves and as the lights go out the chair and person drops. This had to be practiced in the dark a couple of times and for health a safety reasons we had to test out our balance and where the chair would drop to avoid injury.

Presentation - use of space, give words purpose.

• The play would be set out in the character's bedroom and in the last scene in a room with just a chair. The way the stage would be presented in the first three scenes was to have a bed and a bed side table and  a table on the left side of the stage with the chair where the hanging would be taking place. We also wanted to use the Cue builds originally with the smoke machine underneath to open the whole performance with Chris looking at the audience continuously cracking to allow the audience to interpret the Pillow man as someone scary or comforting as his actions involved a helping hand. We also originally planned to have a window on the right side as it provided a feeling of 'escape' for the characters. However this idea was dropped as we could not find a suitable prop for the window. In addition to this we decided to add a stack of drawers in the back of the room as the room looked empty, however this idea was also dropped as it was a unnecessary and the feel of the room being empty also represented the character's emotion of being empty.
• In my scene, the way the blocked it is that I would use books to study and a Rubik's cube to occupy me. This also gave the space of the room a purpose as it would feel to contained if I just stayed sat there on the bed. Furthermore during the whole blocking of the scene, I had pin pointed what part I would walk to at certain parts of my script which links to a skill I have learnt to do last year and apply it to the Final Major Project which was to always annotate my script. Being at certain places, giving actions at certain parts of my monologue was a effective as it gave the words that I was saying a purpose and gave emphasis on how the character was feeling and exaggerated what their problem was compared to the others.

Mental illness/health based upon Jake character and murder - can compare to Amityville Horror of being told to murder whole family - can contract Kevin's voice contrasting with real case of paranormal activity.

• My second character is Jake and the scene is based after the murdering of his own family, him being the murderer. He then hears a number of voices in his head, one of which he murdered, his own father. This then brings forward that Jake may be traumatized by what he did and in result becoming mentally ill.
• Although the exact cause of most mental illnesses is not known, it is becoming clear through research that many of these conditions are caused by a combination of genetic, biological, psychological, and environmental factors. In Jake's case, his one can be interpreted by the audience in many ways. The way I had interpreted him and portrayed him as was influence of the paranormal which led to the use of an Ouija Board and leading to him releasing a spirit killing his family which then he realizes before being killed by the Pillow man. At this point of the performance the Pillow man has already had enough of ending people's lives, however for Jake's scene he did not consider his back story so it was not developed and killed him even before en explanation. The scenes purpose was that the Pillow man helps any one even if they are insane and could bring forward to suggest that the Pillow man could have been insane himself as well.
• To help me fulfill the paranormal back story, I watched the Paranormal Activity series which helped me come up with the block back story of Jake as he was influenced by having a huge interest in the paranormal. Relating to the films, later in the series one member of the family murders their whole family. This was beneficial to me as it gave me a way of how to portray the character. Kevin - one of Jake's friends is one of the voices heard in his head and in result can be represented as the entity that was released from the Ouija board playing with Jake's mind therefore making him 'mentally ill'. The thing about Jake's scene is that it can be interpreted in so many different ways allowing the audience to explore the scene creating that mysterious atmosphere to the performance. 
• To add to the scene of making it clearer that Jake had committed a crime, police sirens were an idea to be added as this may allowed the scene to be set up, giving a brief scenario to the audience that a crime was committed and that this scene was different to the previous three as it was not set in a bedroom. Another challenge that emerged from this was that I had to make the characters have a difference, one being costume. This was also a fun experience of performing more than one character in a performances and the obstacles that were faced. Changing costume was fun as it allowed me to explore the sense in changing personalities from Prince to Jake. In addition to this, as we decided to portray the fact that his whole family was murdered, we had to go out to buy some additional props being the fake blood and a fake knife.

Planning, Production and Research - March 13th

There are many things that have to be considered when coming up with the final interpretation of your characters. One of them is research. For my performance, especially being a sensitive topic that it is revolving around suicide. This can now link to what the first research point is about what the performance is about and how it originated. As mine was mainly devised, it was originally inspired by Slender Man who is seen as an iconic horror figure but will be researched more in depth as we break down the scene of both my characters and how the Pillow man acts as someone who assists the suicide or can be seen as therapy. This then links to the second research point on what therapy is and how it can benefit a person and the different types of therapy there are for different cases such as mental illnesses. The way that this is gong to be researched is through an interview/therapy session with a therapist to explore what actually happens when someone is put in to therapy and how it allows them to express themselves to someone who just listens and gives advice just like the Pillow man. This then leads to research about the different types of mental illnesses and how they may be caused and what side effects of having a mental illness can cause.

Murder can be considered to happen due to mental illness which links to my character of Jake and the fact that he murdered his whole family and becomes insane. Usually when one is to go insane, some jump to the conclusion of suicide to terminate the guilt after the deed is done which is integrated in to my character. However, as I am playing two characters, I have to make sure that their personalities do not mix, so I intend to research the culture and go deeper in to creating a back story for the character and how they got in to the scene in that moment in time on stage. Due to the fact that I intend to research to help build a solid foundation of a back story for my character, this may also influence the clothing they wear on a daily basis or if it is dedicated to the day of the suicide. Furthermore, this can help expose the character's personality and why they think suicide is the solution. So this results in having to research split personalities which I may explore by living a day as them. This can also lead to the point where research is made to find articles relating to certain situations in the play to help benefit us when it comes to putting the final pieces to the scenes. Although these research points are very important, one is the key to getting the correct audience to come to watch the piece - market research. I need to research those who are typically interested inn watching this piece as it is sensitive some due to the nature of its topic.