Thursday 12th February 2014- Blocking lift, guard and oath taker scenes

Today in class we blocked three scenes, the lift, guard and oath taker scenes.

Three things that have changed in my opinion due to today’s work and blocking arrangements;

1)   How to Oath taker is represented to the audience. I know now she is quite self-centred and comical to an extent, especially on the delivery of the line ‘Now, I’m off for a shit.’ The Oath taker says this with such normality and ease; almost as if this is something everyone would happily openly say in public.

2)   The lift scene contains more comedy when being acted than it does on paper. I found that this scene is an opportunity for some fantastically comical moments. The passengers made the scene complete by bobbing their heads in time with one another. Henry/Luke, who is playing one of the passengers, also delivers one of his line with such volume and emphasis that the taboo topic they are speaking about almost becomes laughable.

3)   The way Lisa reacts to her first minutes in Dissocia, confused and slightly offended by one or two of the comments and looks the passengers make towards her.

Blocking the lift scene

For this, we have decided to use a small square of straw coloured lightening in centred stage to create the illusion of a synthetic lift space.

For this scene we have decided we have decided that the passengers are going to single out Lisa in the lift as if she is the odd one and everything they’re doing is totally normally however, their movements and suggested morals are totally absurd and out of the ordinary. This represents the fact that her thoughts and mind processes are exactly this, pushing the audience in to questioning Lisa’s mental health from an early stage.

Blocking the guard scene

This scene holds the audiences first proper insight in to the world of Dissocia/Lisa’s mind therefore has to live up the randomness and absurdity that occurs I the lift scene which gives the audience their first real taste of out of the ordinary behaviour.

The movements from the guards in this scene is in some parts very uniform and non-naturalistic whereas parts such as their fight scene is realistic and links to the fact there is suggested violence in Lisa’s life.

We decided that Lisa would be at first cautious towards the guards then later develops a brief understanding of their personalities and purpose in Dissocia therefore abides to their rules and wishes by answer their queries with a serious manor.

Blocking the Oath taker scene

This scene is the most abstract scene yet of the play. We have decided to go full our non-naturalistic with this scene as that is the only we can do it justice. The movements of the guards and Oath takers are very uniform and they are certain of their movements. We have staged this one to emphasis their knowledge of Dissocia and the world’s traditions and in contrast, this emphasises Lisa’s lack of know about and awareness of the world she is entering.

The way the Oath takers are staged at the beginning of the scene shows their importance and order and shows the guards and Lisa’s vulnerability towards their power. Sudden movements and changes in their positioning such as lunges forward and steps to the side show their importance and put emphasis on the changes Lisa is being affected by in her real life.

Overall, this lesson has helped me understand the reasoning and intension of the passengers, guards and Oath taker. I know now why they are such prominent characters and how they link to act two and Lisa’s real life situation.