TIE - Part 15

The script below is what we have written/devised thus far - I would like to take credit for writing and recording lines to put int the script as it was quite stressful. The comments like this are my opinions on certain parts of the script:

(General welcomings in. Everything hopefully settles down and then – our fake students enter. They sit down at their exam chairs. The thoughts pop up from behind them and begin massaging shoulders, calming them down etc.)

BRUCE: You have 2 hours in which to complete the extracts in front of you. Your time begins now!

MARLON: Okay okay etc

PETER: Breathe in. And out. Okay.

HANNAH2: Okay, okay. That’s a really good letter A and its sunny outside. Ohmygod. Nope! We need to focus on Macbeth.

MARLON: Right. Okay. There’s nothing. Let’s just have a look round – ohmygod she’s wrote loads!

PETER: Blah blah blah waffle waffle waffle. Lady Macbeth and power. Done. What does that even mean?!

HANNAH2: Art thou a man? Nope, cross it out.

PETER: Oh god the examiners here, don’t look, okay we’re looking.

(Fart joke)

BRUCE: You have five minutes remaining.

(Various states of panic. And then. Calm)

PETER: There’s a question two!

The humorous element here allows for us to engage with our TA on the same frontier - we are on the same side and thus will get the important information across much easier as our TA won't be fighting us. On the other hand, this could result in our TA feeling a bit awkward as the scene may not be as funny as we're making it out to be. 

(Panic. The thoughts freeze. Chatting with TA along lines of look how stressed they are you don’t ant to be like that.)

KATHRYN: Hi guys! We’re N2C. We’re here today to help you with your exam so that you don’t end up like our fake students here.

HANNAH1: This is an interactive performance so we want you guys to get involved.

IZZY: So, let’s take you out of the exam hall so we can talk to you about Macbeth properly.

JOEL: I don’t get it. He’s supposed to be the hero but ends up being the bad guy?

H2: Yeah, but he starts as the hero, you remember that?

ALEX: Oh yeah, he was in a war right?

BELLA: He got called ‘Valour’s Minion’ didn’t he?

LAUREN: That’s right. Let’s take a look at Act 1, Scene 2. So, before we start we’ve got translated quotes on the board here. Let’s go

We've fully sorted this small section out - by writing it down and having a concrete way of how lines fall enabled us to get through the scene faster. 

(Battle. Shouting and the like. Translations of the lines – Kathryn, Izzy, and Hannah2. And then - )

JOEL: So the brandished steel that smoked with bloody execution, that’s his sword right?

ALEX: Okay, but I still don’t get how he turns into the villain if he was so good to begin with.

IZZY: Well, he kills Duncan, Banquo – although Fleance escapes.

BELLA: Everybody was killing everybody back then though so why does that make him a villain?

KATHRYN: He kills the king and that’s regicide. Don’t you remember the Divine Right of Kings?

(Non-committal mutterings)

PETER: And he killed children!

BELLA: When?

PETER: After he finds out Macduff is a threat to him, Macbeth kills his family.

JOEL: Oh yeah! And all his chickens!

ALEX: They are the kids you idiot.

We're hoping that the fake students have the same questions our TA have and may be too frightened to ask. Thus by having Joel acting like an utter fool it may make them feel better about themselves. 

(Act 4, Scene 3 – murder of the children and stuff with translations – Bruce and Hannah2)

ALEX: Wow, look at all the chickens.

JOEL: That’s not funny, this is terrible. Macduff thought they were safe when he left them.

BELLA: And they should have been.

JOEL: He must have been devastated.

BRUCE: He was devastated. Let’s take a look at Macduff’s reaction in Act 4, Scene 3. Peter you can be Macduff and I’ll be Malcolm.

(Small scene)

MARLON: So, here we see Macbeth abusing his power as king to assert dominance and engage in the slaughter of innocents thus leading to his downfall.

I like the above line because this is how I would write in an exam. By including this, it allows our TA to see how they should be writing - we may need to make this little aim a bit clearer. But its fine for now if we don't explicitly want to make that point - I just like fancy language! 

JOEL: I don’t get it.

MARLON: This is Macbeth. Macbeth indirectly murders Macduff’s family. Macduff wants revenge so kills Macbeth. Do you get it now?

BELLA: Yeah. Okay so, I get he was a hero that became a villain. Why did he turn evil? I don’t get it. What made him that way?

BRUCE: Shall we look at the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in order to understand how Macbeth became a tragic hero?

ALEX: Why are they standing behind those chairs?

LEAH: This is our Character Mixing Desk! It shows the different emotions that a character may feel throughout a scene which in turn gives different interpretations. On our first slider we have:

H1: Ambition. This is the thirst for power.

LEAH: On our second slider we have –

MARLON: Guilt. The feeling you get after doing something wrong.

LEAH: And our third and final slider –

LAUREN: Morality. The inner feeling of right or wrong.

LEAH: So, let’s set the sliders where we think Macbeth is throughout the scene. Joel, would you like to give it a go?

(Joel sets them wrong because his character is a fool)

LEAH: Joel, have you actually read Macbeth?

JOEL: Yeah. I read the SparkNotes!

LEAH: Right. Let’s see if you think Joel is right by watching Act 1, Scene 7.

By Joel setting the sliders wrong it allows our TA to pick up on the mistake and stay engaged within the piece. Moreover, many students may have just 'read the SparkNotes' and thus may be in a similar position to Joel - this will hopefully get our TA on side. 

(1,7 – Bruce acts it guilty and nervously. Pauses at – I dare do all that may become a man, who dares do more is none)

LEAH: Let’s pause it there and take a look at those sliders again. Do you think Joel set them right? No, Joel did it wrong! I’m gonna split you into 3 groups. Alex, Bella, Joel’s team take (slider) and talk to the people around you about how we could change the sliders.

(Interacting with audience for 60 secs. Quotes from the scene are on our powerpoint – reference these in the discussion.)

LEAH: Alright, so that was some great discussion. Shall we set the sliders to where they should be?

(Each section is responsible for each slider – Alex = ambition; Bella = guilt; Joel = morality. We ask our TA for where the sliders should be.)

LEAH: Okay, shall we continue the scene.

(The scene continues, Bruce seems a lil angrier?)

HANNAH2: That was brilliant guys. But, do you think the Macbeth sliders stay the same throughout the scene or do they change? Have a quick chat with the people sitting around you. We’ll be over to help.

(Feedback. Setting the sliders??)

HANNAH2: What was everyone’s opinion? Alex/Bella/Joel input.

The many different parts of discussion engage our TA. The use of facilitation by asking open-ended questions allows our TA to think for themselves and not get bored - they can apply their knowledge to the piece they are seeing and thus can feel like they're getting somewhere. 

BELLA: I get that but I feel like Lady Macbeth drives him to be like this.  

H2: You’re right. And a good scene that shows this is Act 2, Scene 2.

BELLA: Which scene is that?

JOEL: Macbeth just killed Duncan.

LAUREN: What is this dagger which I see before me?

(Proceeds to stab Hannah2. Only the students react – facilitators stay deadpan)

We made another small sequence here where we actually saw Macbeth killed Duncan. We scrapped this for two reasons: 1) Act 2, Scene 2 already shows this with our translation into modern English as described below. 2) We felt like a quick, snappy transition was needed. 

BELLA: Can we do it in English this time?

KATH: Shakespeare is English.

ALEX: Proper modern day English

MARLON: Yeah, that’s a good idea. So for this we’re gonna put you in teams and have you closely look at the scene using the quotes that are on the board behind us.

??: This is Joel’s team.

(Joel’s quote)

??: This is Bella’s team.

(Bella’s quote)

LAUREN: And this is Alex’s team.

(Alex’s quote)

MARLON: So, what we want you to do is find the modern day English version of the Shakespearean quote to win some points for your team. We good? Let’s go!

JOEL: Wait! What’s that quote in red?

KATHRYN: I’m glad you reminded me. That bad boy is your bonus quote. If you find this quote you get some extra points for your team.

JOEL: What do we get if we win?

HANNAH2: A GCSE in English.

Humour allows for engagement. 

(Modern version of 2,2 – Izzy and Peter)

FACILITATION

We haven't scripted the facilitation of this scene yet because Maya wasn't in class and she knows the right lines to say. There may need to be a contingency plan put in place here. 

ALEX: Alright so he’s a decent person who gets pushed by his wife. But he’s a hero so how did he get like this?

LAUREN: That is the influence of the supernatural – the witches.

JOEL: Dem witches be crazy!

BELLA: I get that the witches say that stuff but I’m confused.

LEAH: The prophecy works like this.

MARLON: Macbeth without witches.

PETER: I’m Banquo.

IZZY: I’m Macbeth.

KATHRYN: I’m MacDonald and I’m gonna stab you.

(Stab – kath dies)

H1/LAUREN: Oh no

H2: I am King Duncan. Welcome Macbeth. You can be Thane of Cawdor.

IZZY: Thank you.

LEAH: I’m Lady Macbeth

IZZY: I’m Thane of Cawdor.

LEAH: That makes me hot.

MARLON: And they all lives happily ever after.

BELLA: That’s not very tragic!

MACBETH: Exactly. Macbeth with witches.

PETER: I’m Banquo.

IZZY: I’m Macbeth.

H1/L/K: We’re the witches

KATH: You’re gonna be thane of Cawdor and king

IZZY: That’s cool

H1/L: Your kids are gonna be king when Macbeth dies.

PETER: Nice.

IZZY: Hey.

LEAH: Hi

IZZY: I’m Thane of Cawdor and I’m gonna be king.

LEAH: That makes me super hot.

H2: I’m Duncan.

IZZY: I quite like him.

LEAH: Do it.

(STAB)

IZZY: what’s the point in being king if my son’s aren’t gonna be king? Assassins!

(Peter dies. Bruce runs away)

IZZY: Everything’s gonna be okay?

K/L/H1: You’ll be okay until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Hill

IZZY: Trees can’t move

K/L/H1: No man of woman born can harm you

IZZY: Everyone’s been born!

KK/L/H1: Be careful of Macduff.

MARLON: I’m Macduff. And my family is over there.

IZZY: Assassins.

(Leah and Bruce die)

MARLON: I’m gonna get revenge. Let’s get camouflaged. Cut down those trees.

IZZY: The trees are moving.

MARLON: I’m Macduff.

IZZY: you can’t kill me because you were born!

MARLON: Fun fact: I was born by c-section.

IZZY: Oh.

MARLON: Stab

(Izzy dies)

BELLA: That was pretty tragic.

The comparison of the play with and without witches is something that my group worked on a couple of months ago in preparation for the piece. It allows our TA to see the major impact the witches have on the piece. 

ALEX: Yeah but Banquo got a prophecy too but he didn’t turn evil.

MARLON: Banquo is a good person. He thought that fate was best left alone. We’ll show you.

LEAH: Example number one: The witches.

MARLON: Macbeth’s view.

IZZY: Wow, witches are telling me I’m gonna be king. That’s awesome.

LEAH: Banquo’s view.

PETER: I don’t care either way – whatever happens will happen.

EVERYONE: Quote to prove it.

LEAH: Example number two: After Duncan’s death.

MARLON: Macbeth’s view.

IZZY: I’m king. Wow.

LEAH: Banquo’s view.

PETER: I’m suspicious. I fear he’s done a terrible thing.

EVERYONE: Quote to prove it.

LEAH: Example number three: Why Macbeth kills Banquo.

IZZY: I’m afraid he might know I killed Duncan. He’s so honest and good.

MARLON: He even sacrfices himself for his son.

PETER: No.

EVERYONE: Quote to prove it.

LEAH: Example number four.

EVERYONE: We don’t have one.

Our client suggested that we include the comparison of Banquo and Macbeth as seen above and below this comment. Our client wanted us to focus on the hamartia (fatal flaw) - this is something I reference in the opening sequence - because this is a key English term that our TA have been encouraged to use in their exam. 

JOEL: So what is it about Macbeth that makes him take this so seriously? What makes him go bad?

H2: Hamartia

JOEL: I don’t really like sushi.

KATH: No, no. Hamartia.

JOEL: A martian. That’s such a good film.

ALEX: It was good wasn’t it.

JOEL: I didn’t think it would maintain my interest.

BRUCE: No, you’re going off topic.

EVERYONE: Hamartia.

JOEL: Hermione. Isn’t she that clever one from Harry Potter. Have you seen her lately, she’s proper fit!

ALEX: She’s like eleven.

JOEL: No, I’ll show you a picture.

ALEX: Oh she is fit isn’t she.

EVERYONE: No! Hamartia.

JOEL: Oh. What’s that mean?

KATH: Hamartia is the fatal flaw. The thing that is broken in Macbeth but could also be a good thing if used correctly.

H2: Do you remember the sliders?

JOEL: I was quite good at those.

H2: Which one of these represents Macbeth’s fatal flaw? Have a quick discussion and we’ll be around to help you.

(Discussion)

H2: This is morality.

LAUREN: I know that I’m doing something wrong. I know I shouldn’t kill the king. It’s bad and a last resort.

H2: Do we really think Macbeth is the fatal flaw? Or is it overshadowed by something else like guilt?

MARLON: At the beginning I felt terrible about killing Duncan, I couldn’t even look at his body but slowly I felt that things became less bad.

H2: So, maybe not guilt then. Something must be overpowering that. Ambition?

H1: I started when the witches told me I wasn’t going to be king and when I wasn’t made Prince of Cumberland as that was the only legal way I could be king. It spiralled from there.

H2: And that’s why we think Ambition is Macbeth’s fatal flaw. So, we’re going to show a physical representation of a key quote that we think shows this? You ready?

MARLON: On your marks, get set, go!

H2: I need to go faster, so I’m using the spurs on my horse! Oh a jump, we need to go faster! Ohhhhhhhhh Noooooooooooooo.

EVERYONE: Do you get it etc.

EVERYONE: Quote to prove it.

JOEL: Okay, so what would be a good quote to show Macbeth’s change?

(Argument!)

BRUCE: I’ve got one:  I have supp’d full with horrors, direness familiar to my slaughterous thoughts cannot start me.

EVERYONE: That’s pretty good! What does it mean?

BRUCE: It’s like he’s so full of the evil things that he’s done that he can’t stop thinking about them and everything bad that happens is not as bad as the things going on in his head.

(Image)

H1: Are you ready to retake the exam?

The use of quotes throughout allows our TA to take these quotes and use them in the exam if they feel like they haven't done much revision. 

The performance dates that we have been given are Thursday 2nd and 9th of May. We still have quite a bit to do in order to reach the time set and to make the piece very slick. It may be worth checking our original client notes to see what else we could do. 

TIE - Part 14

In order for us to remember what we have done, I wrote a play script which has most if not all the lines said by various people. These are subject to change as will be seen later in the blog, however, as people keep changing what they say each time they say it, there was confusion as to who says what as will be shown by the script:

(General welcomings in. Everything hopefully settles down and then – our fake students enter. They sit down at their exam chairs – and desks? The thoughts pop up from behind them and begin massaging shoulders, calming them down etc.)

BRUCE: You have 2 hours in which to complete the extracts in front of you. Your time begins now!

MARLON: Okay okay etc

PETER: Breathe in. And out. Okay.

HANNAH2: Okay, okay. That’s a really good letter A and its sunny outside. Ohmygod. Nope! We 

need to focus on Macbeth.

MARLON: Right. Okay. There’s nothing. Let’s just have a look round – ohmygod she’s wrote loads!

PETER: Blah blah blah waffle waffle waffle. Lady Macbeth and power. Done. What does that even mean?!

HANNAH2: Art thou a man? Nope, cross it out.

PETER: Oh god the examiners here, don’t look, okay we’re looking.

(Fart joke)

BRUCE: You have five minutes remaining.

(Various states of panic. And then. Calm)

PETER: There’s a question two!

(Panic. The thoughts freeze. Chatting with TA along lines of look how stressed they are you don’t ant to be like that.)

KATHRYN: Hi guys! We’re N2C and we’re here today to help you in your exams in July so hopefully you don’t end up like our fake students here.

(Does someone else say something here? Maya?)

HANNAH1: This is an interactive performance so we want you guys to get involved.

IZZY: So, let’s take you out of the exam hall so we can talk to you about Macbeth properly.

(We do as is said)

HANNAH2: What can you remember about the play? Remember, Macbeth starts off as the hero?

JOEL: Yeah he does but he’s not even in the beginning, I don’t get it.

HANNAH2: Right that’s because he’s described as the hero by the Captain in Act 1, Scene 2.

BELLA: Oh yeah. He got called “Valour’s minion” didn’t he?

LAUREN: That’s right. So, shall we take a look at that scene? The battle?

(Battle. Shouting and the like. Translations of the lines – Kathryn, Izzy, and Hannah2. And then - )

JOEL: So the brandished steel that smoked with bloody execution, that’s his sword right?

(Is there something here?)

ALEX: Okay, but I still don’t get how he turns into the villain if he was so good to begin with.

IZZY: Well, he kills Duncan, Banquo – although Fleance escapes – and Macduff’s entire family.

BELLA: Everybody was killing everybody back then though so why does that make him a villain?

KATHRYN: He kills the king and that’s regicide. Don’t you remember the Divine Right of Kings?

(Non-committal mutterings)

PETER: And he killed children!

BELLA: When?

PETER: After he finds out Macduff is a threat to him, Macbeth kills his family.

JOEL: Oh yeah! And all his chickens!

ALEX: They are the kids you idiot.

(PETER: Shall we have a look at how villainous Macbeth is portrayed? - ??)

(Act 4, Scene 3 – murder of the children and stuff with translations – Bruce and Hannah2)

ALEX: Wow, look at all the chickens.

JOEL: That’s not funny, this is terrible. Macduff thought they were safe when he left them.

BELLA: And they should have been.

JOEL: He must have been devastated.

BRUCE: He was devastated. Let’s take a look at Macduff’s reaction in Act 4, Scene 3. Peter you can be Macduff and I’ll be Malcolm.

(Small scene)

MARLON: Macbeth did this to show his ultimate power over Macduff but in doing so set himself up for tragedy as Macduff would only want revenge.

JOEL: I don’t get it.

MARLON: This is Macbeth. Macbeth indirectly murders Macduff’s family. Macduff wants revenge so kills Macbeth. Do you get it now?

BELLA: Yeah. Okay so, I get he was a hero that became a villain. Why did he turn evil? I don’t get it. What made him that way?

MARLON: There are lots of different ideas about why Macbeth turned evil. Let’s have a look at the Lady Macbeth interpretation in Act 1, Scene 7.

ALEX: Why are they standing behind those chairs?

LEAH: This is our Character Mixing Desk! It shows the different emotions that a character may feel throughout a scene which in turn gives different interpretations. On our first slider we have:

PETER: Ambition.

LEAH: On our second slider we have –

MARLON: Guilt.

LEAH: And our third and final slider –

LAUREN: Morality.

LEAH: So, let’s set the sliders where we think Macbeth is throughout the scene. Joel, would you like to give it a go?

(Joel sets them wrong because his character is a fool)

LEAH: Shall we have a look at Act 1, Scene 7 and see if you all agree with where Joel has put the sliders?

(1,7 – Bruce acts it guilty and nervously. Pauses at – I dare do all that may become a man, who dares do more is none)

LEAH: Let’s pause it there and take a look at those sliders again. So Joel was saying that Macbeth has high ambition, no guilt, and questionable morals. Does that seem right from watching the scene? With the people sat around you have a quick discussion about where you think the sliders should be. We’ll come around to help you.

(Interacting with audience for 60 secs. Quotes from the scene are on our powerpoint – reference these in the discussion.)

LEAH: Alright, so that was some great discussion. Shall we set the sliders to where they should be?

(Each section is responsible for each slider – Alex = ambition; Bella = guilt; Joel = morality. We ask our TA for where the sliders should be.)

LEAH: Okay, shall we continue the scene?

(The scene continues, Bruce seems a lil angrier?)

HANNAH2: That was brilliant guys. But, do you think the Macbeth sliders stay the same throughout the scene or do they change? Have a quick chat with the people sitting around you. We’ll be over to help.

(Feedback. Setting the sliders??)

HANNAH2: So, we’ve seen Macbeth’s character development throughout the scene, what about Lady Macbeth? It’s clear that from Macbeth’s changes that Lady Macbeth has a clear impact but her character on the sliders could be perceived as – having extremely high ambition, having really low 

guilt and morality.

MAYA: But, does this change in Act 2, Scene 2. Let’s have a look at that scene.

BELLA: Which scene is that?

JOEL: Macbeth just killed Duncan.

LAUREN: What is this dagger which I see before me?

(Proceeds to stab Hannah2. Only the students react – facilitators stay deadpan)

ALEX: Can we do it in English this time?

??: Shakespeare is English.

BELLA: Proper modern day English

MARLON: Yeah, that’s a good idea. So for this we’re gonna put you in teams and have you closely look at the scene using the quotes that are on the board behind us.

??: This is Joel’s team.

(Joel’s quote)

??: This is Bella’s team.

(Bella’s quote)

LAUREN: And this is Alex’s team.

(Alex’s quote)

MAYA: So, what we want you to do is find the modern day English version of the Shakespearean quote to win some points for your team. We good? Let’s go!

JOEL: Wait! What’s that quote in red?

MAYA: I’m glad you reminded me. That bad boy is your bonus quote.

KATHRYN: (whatever the line is)

MAYA: If you find this quote you get some extra points for your team.

JOEL: What do we get if we win?

HANNAH2: A GCSE in English.

MAYA: Alright guys let’s go. 

(Modern version of 2,2 – Izzy and Peter)

The major thing that has been changed since writing this script is the way that we have facilitated 1,7 and 2,2 as per our discussion concerning 2,2 as talked about in my previous TIE blog. The issue that I had was the way in which we introduced 1,7 - instead of saying how Lady Macbeth influences Macbeth before 1,7, Marlon simply introduces the sceen so we can see how Macbeth starts off in his character development. Leah, as the main facilitator in 1,7 has the sliders to introduce themselves and what they mean so that our TA can better understand where we are coming from. When I enter as the facilitator at the end of 1,7 I mention the quotes on the board from the beginning, middle and end of the scene and ask our TA how they think Macbeth's character has changed overall. It's after I've receieved feedback concerning this, that I talk about Lady Macbeth and then how she involved herself in Macbeth's character development which leads onto 2,2. This is a much better way of introducing our ideas in my opinion and this was the major change during the last few weeks. 

TIE - Part 13

For the past couple of weeks, we've looked at Act 2, Scene 2 of Macbeth and how we can facilitate it. The overall consensus was that we use a modern day English version of the scene and translate said scene ourselves so that we have a better understanding of the scene ourselves in order to talk to our TA audience about it.

The modern-day English version runs thus:

LM: The wine that we have drunk has made them weak but me brave, I can do this, I'm ready. Nothing can stop me. (Gasp). Okay, it was just an owl. Macbeth is doing it, everything is ready. The doors are open. I've drugged them, they have no idea what's going on.

M: Who's there? Tell me!

LM: Oh my god, are they awake? If we get through this, if nobody sees him going in or out, we'll be okay. (Listening). I've put everything our there's no way he could have missed the daggers. I would've killed Duncan myself if he didn't look like my dad whilst sleeping.

(Enter M).

LM: Macbeth.

M: I've done it, didn't you hear?

LM: I heard an owl, nothing unusual. Didn't you just call out?

M: When?

LM: Just now.

M: Yes, when I came back.

LM: Yeah.

M: Shh. Who's sleeping next door to Duncan?

LM: Donalbain.

M: This is a sorry sight.

LM: Don't talk like that.

M: One laughed and one shouted murder. I heard them wake each other up but they said their prayers and then went back to sleep.

LM: There's two in the same room.

M: They shouted 'God bless' and 'Amen'. It was like they had seen the blood on my hands so I could not say Amen back.

LM: Stop overthinking.

M: Why couldn't I say amen? I needed to say it for God's forgiveness but I couldn't.

LM: We shouldn't think about it. It'll make us crazy.

M: I thought I heard someone say Macbeth murders sleep. Sleep that is healing and pure and soothing and necessary for life.

LM: What do you mean?

M: The voice shouted throughout the house, sleep no more. Thane of Glamis has murdered sleep, therefore, Cawdor cannot sleep. Macbeth cannot sleep.

LM: Who said that? Why are you thinking about it so much? Go and get some water and wash the blood from your hands. Why did you bring the dagger back? They must stay there. Go and take them back and cover the guards with his blood.

M: I'm not going back, I'm afraid of what I have done, I don't want to see his dead body again.

LM: You coward! Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead look the same but only children fear the dead. If he bleeds I'll smear the blood on the guards because they need to look like the murderers.

(LM exits). 

M: Wait, can you hear knocking? Why does every noise scare me? I don't even recognise myself. Even holy water couldn't clean my hands, I'd just turn it red.

(Enter LM).

LM: My hands now have blood on them - stop being so pathetic. I can hear knocking at the south door. Let's go to bed and wash our hands. It's easy. You've lost your mind, stop daydreaming. Listen. More knocking. Put on your nightgown, let's act like it didn't happen in case someone comes to get us it looks like we've been asleep. Snap out of it.

M: I can't believe what I've done. I wish that knocking would wake Duncan, I would wake him if I could.

There was much discussion about how to facilitate the scene and it took on the form of a debate about how similar Act 1, Scene 7 and Act 2, Scene 2 were in terms of character development. The image below shows our different ideas about how we could facilitate this scene and indeed future scenes in the piece:

I led the debate on the similarities between 1,7 and 2,2. I suggested that maybe we shouldn't focus on these scenes because of the lack of character development which is what we were trying to achieve with the piece and how different elements caused Macbeth to turn from hero to villain. The lack of change was disturbing. The argument that Peter put forward was that this scene was to show the impact that Lady Macbeth had on Macbeth. I countered this by suggesting that this was precisely what we were doing in 1,7 so didn't see why there was a need to repeat the exercise in a new way. To be honest, I'm still quite confused. Nevertheless, it was decided that we would facilitate 1,7 to show Macbeth's character and 2,2 to show the impact Lady Macbeth would have on Macbeth.

The video below shows the facilitation that I took part in:

The main idea that we were trying to get across was the use of Shakespearean quotes and what they mean in modern-day English. This would enable our TA to better understand the quotes we have chosen - the ones from the video are vital quotes from Act 2, Scene 2 which could be used in an essay on this subject - and will aid them in their exams. The idea of splitting our TA into teams allows for better cooperation and for them to stay involved in the piece rather than drift off elsewhere. The interactiveness and humour imbued into the scene means that our TA will want to stay involved and makes our job as facilitators much easier than before. 

Mr Jones, an English teacher and thus part of our client base, joined us in the latter part of the lesson and watched the two facilitations on offer. The video below shows the discussion that we had with him. It confirmed that what we were doing was what our client would want from the piece:

Director's Challenge - Part 29 - Final Performance

On Monday and Tuesday after school, as specified in my previous blog, we did multiple line runs which enhanced the performance.

On Tuesday afternoon, the DNA directors prepped the set as seen in the image below:

The changes that we made from the original set design include:

• the removal of trees from around the risers, replacing them with twigs and leaves on the ground
• the removal of a campfire and log which would have just clogged the space up
• the swapping of crates for white blocks - the crates were dangerous to use; the blocks were created for another director's play and we thought they could be useful 

In a professional performance, I would have wanted a tree or two for characters to climb or indeed a place high above the others for Leah and Phil to sit in a field. 

The final costume can be seen below. Each of the cast members took into consideration the costume specified by us in messages sent as can be seen in previous blogs.

Cast from left to right - Back row: Evie (Leah), Grace (Rachel), Kate (Phil), Ollie (Mark), Tom (John-Tate); Front row: Megan (Jan), Hannah (Cathy/Director), Imogen (Director). 

The video below shows the final performance on Tuesday 26th March 2019:

The following bullet points is the analysis of the above video in order of the performance, split into relevant scenes: 

Scene 1

• Having Leah and Phil on from the beginning was potentially a mistake - especially at the blackout. Instead, we should have had Jan and Mark walk offstage and have a snappy split-stage which I think is what we wanted from the beginning. 

Scene 2

• The tub of ice cream was for a more pragmatic reason. Instead of having a cone, the tub provided an easy way to put it back in the bag after the scene had ended. 
• Evie stays at the front of the stage for too long at the "Like I talk too much" section - there is a distinct lack of movement here. Perhaps this was due to nerves. Whilst looking back on the video, it may have made sense to use the white block on stage left. 
• There was an issue with the lighting desk throughout this scene, hence the flickering lights which we didn't want in this scene. 
• Evie had a great change in tone at the  "You're not scared" section although there could have been better clarity in her sentences i.e. where one ended and the other began - this was a constant theme with Leah's monologues I found. 
• As I've said previously to Evie the "I'm not ashamed!"  line needed to be much stronger and more self-assured than what was being portrayed. 
• Evie needed to wait for a little before saying "Oh shit" in order for it to seem more naturalistic. This was probably because we didn't practise this part as much as we did the other parts. 
• The slow packing away of food done by Kate at the end of the scene was done for humorous effect - I stole this idea from Hannah Lovell from last year's Director's Challenge. 
• The lighting desk light shouldn't have been turned off until the end of the scene. 

Transition 

• There was a great tunnel of light for Tom to walk down which accentuated the transition a lot more. 
• Personally, I don't think the blue light (16 from the lighting desk) was needed; had to compromise with Imogen on this one.
• The transition was supposed to represent the changing power dynamics. 
• It could have done with some form of noise as I've suggested in previous blogs. 

Scene 3, Part 1

• Tom needed to be a lot more stressed and anxious - this needed to play into his vocal tone a lot more than he had been doing. 
• Ollie had a great tone of voice from the start however, I felt this wasn't matched by his facial expressions or by his movement/gestures. 
• Although the anxiousness from Megan was amazing to see, it didn't really match her overall characterisation. In some ways, it felt like she had two different characters and this was something I feel we could have worked on much more than we did. 
• The awkward lighting of Tom and Ollie was negative; the use of the side light on stage right should have been utilised. 
• Tom's variation in his tone at the "You can walk down any corridor in this school - Rachel, you're scared of are you?" section was amazing; considering the work I put into this section, I'm glad that it happened somewhat the way I wanted it to. 
• Ollie forgot the line "He's dead John. He's dead, dead is what he is so we have to use that word in order to-"; this is noticeable as it meant that we missed a vital part of the scene where John-Tate bans the word dead which leads onto the fight with Rachel a couple of lines later. This meant that the scene for a moment was awkward and was only just saved by Grace. 

Scene 3, Part 2

• I missed the line "Better than ordinary life" because Grace got there first; this led to her awkwardly looking around at me but this quickly passed. 
• Tom had good gestures in this section; this was something I had worked on with him during rehearsals so I'm glad to see that this worked out in the final performance. 
• Grace needed to wait a little longer before saying the line "You shouldn't threaten me John" in order to build tension. 
• There were great interruptions between myself, Megan, and Tom which helped in the overall confusion of the scene, however, I do think there could have been a little more movement at some points, especially by Tom. 
• Tom needed to slow down in certain parts as it meant that he lost his threatening character. 
• Grace was clearly expecting to be shoved away by Tom - there needed to be more surprise here to make it seem spontaneous. 

Scene 3, Part 3

• The stare off between Kate and Tom needed to be much longer - this was something I'd tried to get them to understand in rehearsals but every time they made the stare off really short. Perhaps to make it more punctuated Kate should have walked onto the top riser during the silence to show the assertation of Phil as leader - this would show status in a much more focused way. 
• Tom had a great condescending tone - something which we had worked on in rehearsal. 
• The use of the camp chair as a symbol of power worked quite well. 
• The interaction of yeah's and stuff like that by myself and Grace could have done with a little more work - perhaps with a couple more rehearsal, it would have been okay. 
• Ollie's change of tone when he starts his monologue is far too quickly as is his words - Ollie didn't appear to go on a journey rather it seemed he was merely saying his lines; he needed to slow down. 
• I think it was a mistake for Grace to sit down on the camp chair if we're using it as a symbol of power - Tom should have stayed sat in it or come more into the middle which I wanted to happen but Tom didn't do even though I'd directed him thus. 

Scene 3, Part 4

• The prolonged opening of the coke can added to the tension of the scene. 
• Everyone needed to react a lot more to what Kate was saying. 
• I think it was a mistake for Kate to speak to Evie - Phil should have instead used other character's names as points of reference for later in the play or to use Rachel again. 
• Kate's tone of voice didn't match what I thought Phil should sound like making the character feel unfulfilled from my point of view. 
• The lack of blackout took away from the scene - instead we could have used another transition which would have been better than a mere blackout. 

Scene 4

• Evie needed to slow down - lost the clarity of her sentences. 
• Issue with turning and looking completely at Phil - loss of facial expressions. 
• Massive improvement in the choking part - much funnier than Leah actually 'choking' herself. 
• The crisp movement got laughs - immensely proud of that bit of my direction.