Monday 27th Jan - Workshop 5 - Stimulus Workshop

Monday 27th Jan - Workshop 5

‘Stimulus Workshop’

Notes on Workshop:

• Received 4 stimulus’ 
• Got into pairs (with Lola)
• For each stimulus we had to brainstorm the emotions, atmosphere and what we think the stimulus is trying to convey and key words to do with the stimulus

Stimulus Brainstorm: 

Stimulus 1 - Army

Stimulus 2 - Spider’s Web

Stimulus 3 - Girl with Balloons

Stimulus 4 - Woman on Bench

• After the brainstorm of the stimulus’, we then picked a Stimulus to turn into different short scenes

Stimulus 1 - Army

PHYSICAL THEATRE

• For our physical theatre short scene, we selected Stimulus 1. 

Techniques: Practitioners

• Abstract - Brecht approach 
• Overlapping dialogue
• Words - used the voice
• Unison in speech and movement
• Idea of non-contact and contact movements 

Inspiration: Explain Stimulus

We interpreted the stimulus as if an army solider had just completed a battle of some kind and he is now grieving it. He’s sat with his head in his hands showing an emotion of feeling broken and defeated. We’ve gone with idea of 2 friends in the army. Friend 1 (me) starts off excited to join the army, Friend 2 (Lola) is not. We start in the pose that the Stimulus portrayed. We then transition into army training shown by our unison of “Yes, Sir!”. The deep breath we take together signifies us going into war and the walk around is showing us at the scene. I shout “No!”and protect Lola then we re-position into our starting pose. This is meant to suggest that me, Friend 1, has died at war protecting Friend 2. 

Throughout we repeat the phrase, “How could this happen?”. Friend 1 says it with excitement to join the army, the other does not. It’s used again when we circle round each other. The question is now being said in a more sad tone as if they are questioning why this is happening to them and how did they get to this point. It is then finally said by just Friend 2, Lola, symbolising Friend 1 being dead. It’s now said in the context of “How could this happen to my friend?”. 

Keywords: How/Why did you use them?

• Closed-off
• Broken
• Shell-Shock
• Defeated

Key word ‘closed-off’ was done through are movements being non-contact as if we were ‘closed-off’ from one another and the audience. Our proxemics on stage created distance. ‘Broken’ is shown through Friend 2’s starting position and ending position as her head is in her hands. ‘Shell-Shock’ was the overall tone we wanted to create. ‘Defeated’ again is shown in the final pose Friend 2 has. 

Skills: Performance Skills

• Gesture
• Levels 
• Body Language 

Stimulus 2 - Spider’s Web

DUOLOGUE 

• For our Duologue short scene, we selected Stimulus 2.

Techniques: Practitioners

• Naturalistic - Stanislavski approach 
• Speech = Anadiplosis (closest technique / share similarities)

Anadiplosis = the repetition of the last word of a proceeding clause. The word is used at the end of a sentence and then used again at the beginning of the next sentence, often to create climax.

We finished our sentences with the next person cutting the first off with a word that still makes sense in context. In theory, you could read the whole thing and the sentences would finish properly but the context would change.

Duologue Script:

L: I hate…

K: …Spiders are literally the coolest thing ever, like look at how many legs they…

L: …Got to be kidding me! They’re the most disgusting…

K: …Ly beautiful creature to ever roam the Earth!

BOTH: Miss!

K: I have a…

L: …Question! Why do we have to be here it’s completely FU-…

K:…Funny to know there’s over…

L:…500 reasons for me not to be here right…

K:…Now I’ve brought my tarantula

BOTH: AHHHHH! / Awwwww! 

L: Then I turned around and saw it and it was all dark and furry and…

K:…it has spiky legs!

Inspiration: Explain Stimulus

Our previous short scene had a depressing tone to it so we wanted to mix it up. We used the stimulus as inspiration surrounding the theme of spiders. We wanted to create a slightly more upbeat, comical duologue. We decided to create a duologue where Person 1 is terrified of spiders and Person 2 absolutely loves them. We decided that the two are on a school trip at a zoo and they are now at the creepy crawly section. We are both facing the audience so it’s as if our duologue is 2 internal monologues and we can’t see each other next to one another. 

Keywords: How/Why did you use them?

• Arachnophobia 
• Disgustingly beautiful 

The keyword, ‘Arachnophobia’ was the basis for our whole duologue as Person 1 is scared of spiders. We brainstormed the oxymoron, ‘Disgustingly beautiful’ and decided this would be perfect to use as part of our duologue as the first word represents Person 1’s opinion on spiders and the second word represents Person 2’s opinion on spiders. Person 1 says ‘disgusting’ and Person 2 cuts Person 1 off and finishes the sentence saying ‘Ly beautiful’. 

Skills: Performance Skills

• Mime
• Anadiplosis - Technique
• Facial Expressions

Stimulus 4 - Woman on Bench

SOUNDSCAPES

• For our Soundscapes short scene, we selected Stimulus 4. Meaning we haven’t used Stimulus 3.

Techniques: Practitioners

• Physical Theatre - No speech
• Clapping rhythms 
• Canon - with the clapping rhythms 
• Layered stomps

Inspiration: Explain Stimulus

We found this stimulus tricky but based on our brainstorm, we come to the conclusion that the woman appeared to look sad and as if she was waiting for something. We came to the conclusion that maybe the lady is alone and potentially widowed or a partner leaving.

To portray that, we started with slow beats from Lola and fast from me. We get closer together so that the volume is even. Our clapping sequence starts with me and Lola delays it to symbolise her partner beginning to leave. Towards the end, we created distance with the repeating stomps having Lola stomp away from the audience, symbolising the partner leaving. The final clap done by Lola in the distance symbolises that they are now gone. 

Keywords: How/Why did you use them?

• Depressed
• Alone
• Waiting

We used these keywords to build the foundation of the overall vibe of our soundscapes. Isolated sounds linking with ‘alone’ as we do different things that overlap. The ‘alone’ clap at the end also linking with ‘alone’. ‘Waiting’ is linked to the slight pauses between sequences/sounds.

Skills: Performance Skills

• Range of sounds: clap, stomps
• Different directions 
• Canon

Video Compilation of Short Scenes: