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Flip through of physical notes.

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Personal Research Reflection

Am in discussion with another MFA student regarding their ideas for their 590. Everyone is still undecided but I know my angle will be stage manager focused. Having heard more during our presentations about their inspiration and goals, I decided to reach out to them to express interest. The concept of the audience choosing where they go in a theatre seems fairly unique, and the challenge of stage managing such a production would be fascinating. Not to mention the whole concept sounds intriguing as a whole, from writing, scenography and acting.

Ezra and I have discussed our scene from The Caucasian Chalk Circle and attended Whero’s briefing. We know now that they would value getting things moving quicker at the start, and better organisation. I understand I will take on the role of organising the production roles that are scenography focused: lighting, sound, staging, costumes, props etc, and leasing to make sure everyone is doing their work, and understands what each other are up to. Ezra as already mentioned a great idea for our specific scene which would use a lot of movement and provide many roles for the cast; excited to hear the groups thought on it when we return to university and to see how we can develop it.

My own research continues, mostly through consuming other theatre and observing stagings of things. I find this more helpful than readings, as there is little research on state management as performance. What I do have however is a wonderful starting block. But watching other work, doing research with behind the scenes interviews and videos, allows me to infer how a stage manager might operate in that specific show. That then gives me ideas about how I might work within a similar piece, or how what they are doing could be quantified into a single research project on it. It’s all very basic and thought based right now, but will soon be documented more heavily as we continue. Video elements/theatre is especially helpful right now, especially in the distanced world we live in but also because I will likely film my own process for my 590.

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York Mystery Plays

204 performance notes transcribed from 29 March 11:00-13:00:

Kōwhai: Medieval Gets Meta

Wow this one is really incredible. They use the online concept in a super creative way, not just going for the classic: people are zooming or face timing or going live. Making it a part of the story in a way that makes total sense was a really smart and innovative decision. Everyone seems really engaged, and the use of makeup to me, signals back to live theatre in a really good way. It can be easy to be a little lacklustre in performance/presentation when doing things online but honestly, this just really elevated what is a story I feel like everyone knows. Definitely interesting to remember if we have to go online for the next module

Kikorangi The Flood

Loved the dance at the end, aside from that, it was a nice little performance. The dance really brought it all together for me; showed really nice team work and also its cool they got to come in and do something all together in a stage space.

Whero: The Crucifixion

It’s really interesting watching them do the script that I was meant to do in 204 before COVID shut us down before the actual performance. What was really fascinating is that they seemed to have gone in a similar direction to what we were planning. The tradies as the guards, as signalled by high-vis vests and hard hats, and a sort of clubbing/alternative element as seen with the unique costume of Jesus as opposed to the classic robes his character might normally where. Does make one feel a bit un-original to realise we clearly went for a theme/concept that was obvious to another group years later, but also in that same respect, perhaps that’s just because it is a good idea! Interesting to see the group I’ll be working with on The Caucasian Chalk Circle with Ezra, will need to make sure those with minor parts in this one get featured more heavily in the next module if they wish to be.

Kākāriki: The final Testament 

Great to see a different sort of staging than the others. Loved the use of the space and execution of the lighting. They really made the most of actually being able to be creative with lights, art and staging in general. Loved seeing 93KP get used in this way, definitely shows the capabilities that I want to take into account when doing scenography for the next module. A very clever staging that made up for the fact I found this script hardest to follow.

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Inspo: Mark Tildesly

Set designer/scenographer for the 2011 season of Frankenstein at the Olivier Theatre. The use of lighting, with its roots in Galvanism (the idea of science in the creation of The creature and the steam punk energy throughout the entire show both thematically and visually) was a real show piece that served many purposes in the production. I enjoy the idea of using a specific large element that means you can go simple on other scenographic elements; especially useful when thinking of my upcoming module for The Caucasian Chalk circle: black box theatre, no budget, large casts, strong themes- can I find something, or somebodies that can be our big focus, to draw away from the fact there is little else actually on stage? Will be interesting to explore with the group.

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Top 2: Images from productions of the Caucasian Chalk Circle. The staging of Grusha as centered is of great interest, as well as an example of how the bridge scene has been done. We will likely use people as our “bridge,” creating a living, breathing set that adds movement and life to the otherwise plain/empty black box stage as seen below

Bottom 3: Example of the in-sync movement we will likely aim for in regards to the movement of our acts/set, as well as the bleaker lighting. Middle image is from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime stage show. The use dynamic lighting and ensemble as set/a way to “transport” other actors is very similar to our initial ideas for how Grusha will “travel.” The picture of the blackbox next to it is very similar to 93KP and acts as a visual guide as to how these other pictures could be incorporated into that space.

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Inspo: Mark Wendland

Scenic designer for Next to Normal (and many Shakespeare productions). Known for his use of basic staging, using the bare skeleton of theatre; almost construction like scaffolding on which he can creatively light according to themes, seasons, times of day and year with a basic backdrop. These “sets” can become whatever they need to be, allow for fluid movement and expansion of imagination. Studio 77 reminds me somewhat of the potential for such staging, makes me think about how I might utilise the bare bones of a theatre as set. Where will the crew go? How will safety be managed? How can we still get across clear visual and themes that don’t make it seem like we are just being lazy? Similar thoughts when I consider the bare black box that is 93KP.

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A Tale of 2 Filmed Plays

The key difference between the two filmed versions of a Shakespeare play at the National theatre, is that A Midsummer Nights Dream, was put on in 2019 just before COVID really hit our world,, whereas Romeo and Juliet, was filmed during the heights of the pandemic in 2021. 

So the first was filmed in order to archive footage and be shared to National Theatre subscribers at home, bringing theatre into a modern, online age, but was still performed live as the norm. 

Then the other which was filmed specifically knowing this new world we now live in, and how theatre can and must operate in said world; with filmed productions until live audiences are an option again.

I felt Midsummer operated very much as a live theatre production. The “groundlings” were vital to the performance, commenting, calling out, and interacting with he cast. The unique staging, with raised platforms that rose and fell, and silk acrobatics that took place hanging and moving overhead, would have made this an incredible live spectacle. At the end everyone comes together to dance, crowd and audience. It is very much a production of its time, eg. Before COVID. It being filmed was not a clever way to showcase performance in a new safe way, but an extension of the live show, a bonus if you will. However Romeo and Juliet, which was made solely to be filmed, did not feel like just a film to me, which is good! I would put this down to the use of many theatre actors, rather than screen stars, and the staging of it in the theatre. That last part was especially important, because it reminded me of R+J’s roots, and what this performance was meant to be: theatre, a stage, a play. The film aspect more so just elevated what was already there, allowing exploration of themes and parallels: see the kisses between Romeo and Juliet intercut with Benvolio and Mecrutio as an example.

I see both filmed versions as examples of how recording productions truly has a place in theatre now and maybe always has. It makes it accessible, it pushes our craft, it opens new doors!

Both of these were phenomenal production, and were they not filmed, especially Midsummer, I would never have gotten to experience them and learn from them!

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Inspo: Deborah Warner

A director of theatre, opera and poetry/art installations. Inspired by her takes on Shakespeare, her frequent collaborations with actors and crew and the visually stunning stagings she is able to bring forth. Her Richard II (left half of grid) and Medea (right half) are both productions I take great inspiration from; tragic, a woman as the lead, dramatically staged. She chooses traditional scripts and stories and then stages them in darker, grittier ways that are always new and pushing the boundaries of society and theatre

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This is some scenographic inspiration. I love the natural element of it and the way it looks like you could walk into the trees.

Layer Upon Layer: Eva Jospin Sculpts Cardboard Into Dense, Mysterious Forests

Sculptor Eva Jospin constantly reinvents the idea of what a forest is over and over again. She cuts, layers, arranges, glues and builds cardboard into different interpretations of The Woods. Her pieces range from smaller 2D pictures compiled from dense sticks, branches and flaky bits of wood, to life size 3D installations that you are invited into, and can move around within. For Jospin, cardboard is just the medium for a larger message; these trees express many things:

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Works used

A Midsummer Nights Dream dir. Nicholas Hytner, Ross MacGibbon. Shakespeare. The National Theatre. 2019

Romeo and Juliet dir. Simon Godwin. Shakespeare. The National Theatre. 2021

Beavan, Caitlin Albery. Deborah Warner (Masterclass). Inspiration by Education. Theatre Royal Haymarket. 2 March 2010. England. https://masterclassattrh.wordpress.com/2010/03/02/deborah-warner/ 

Bedell, Geraldine. Profile: Disturbing the picnic: Deborah Warner: The director who shocked Glyndebourne is bold, emotional but no iconoclast, says Geraldine Bedell. Independent. 17 July 1994. England https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/profile-disturbing-picnic-deborah-warner-director-who-shocked-glyn debourne-bold-emotional-no-iconoclast-says-geraldine-bedell-1414397.html 

Canning, Hugh. Behind the scenes of a gritty, modern take on Britten’s Peter Grimes. The Sunday Times. March 13 22. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/behind-the-scenes-of-a-gritty-modern-take-on-brittens-peter-grimes-3v5 rn7tbq 

Christiansen, Ruper. Deborah Warner (ABOUT). 2018 https://www.deborahwarner.com/about 

Dickson, Andrew. ‘Life is never what you expect!’ Deborah Warner on theatre, nature and new parenthood. The Guardian. 7 July 2021. England. https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2021/jul/07/life-is-never-what-you-expect-deborah-warner-on-theatre- nature-and-new-parenthood 

Dombey, Daniel. Deborah Warner: ‘I didn’t know you could ask actors to sing with masks.’ Financial Times. April 26 2021. https://www.ft.com/content/90662e06-668c-41fc-a178-e040af298f3b 

Jones, Melissa https://northwestend.co.uk/index.php/professional-reviews/london/5258-frankenstein-national-theatre-live 1 May 2020

Kinser, Grace R., "Next to normal: a costume design based in psychological research" (2014). Honors Program Theses. 187. https://scholarworks.uni.edu/hpt/187

Laundy, Kathleen. https://www.mclennancostume.com/blog/frankenstein-at-the-national-theatre

Ledger, Adam J. Deborah Warner. ‘Experiments of words, bodies, places.’ Contemporary European Theatre Directors. Routledge, 2nd edition. 2020. 25 pages. 

Maloney, Skip. https://www.onstageblog.com/reviews/2020/5/4/review-streaming-the-national-theatres-frankenstein 

Smurthwaite, Nick. https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/20-january-2011/profile-mark-tildesley/  20 Jan 2011

TB. 14 March 1994: The perils of messing with Beckett. Official London Theatre.com. 23 April 2008. England. https://officiallondontheatre.com/news/14-march-1994-the-perils-of-messing-with-beckett-98450/ 

Taylor, Paul. Deborah Warner: Breaking the rules again. Independent. April 15 2005. England. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/features/deborah-warner-breaking-rules- again-488674.html 

Taylor, Paul. Deborah Warner: How I learnt to love opera. Independent. July 3 2006. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/deborah-warner-how-i-learnt-to-love-op era-6096443.html 

Weigand, Chris https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2020/apr/28/the-national-theatre-frankenstein-designer-mark-tildesley-danny-boyle  28 April 2020

Wendland, Mark. http://www.markwendland.com/ (2017)

Wyver, Kate. Waiting for Gobnait? Beckett’s ban on women challenged. The Irish Times. October 19 2020. Ireland. https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/stage/waiting-for-gobnait-beckett-s-ban-on-women-challenged-1.43850 15 

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A flip through of physical notes