Performance Evaluation - 30.04.15

Multimedia aspect of your blog.

What is multimedia?

noun, ( used with a singular verb)1.the combined use of several media, as sound and full-motion video incomputer application)

In my own words, multimedia is the use of technology such as computers, sound and visual images or video to convey information or entertainment.

What is live feed?

Live feed is when you connect a camera to a screen or projector and convey video to the said screen. Some groups used live feed to portray a Court Room case and it was very effective. 

What is Garage Band and how can it be incorporated?

Garageband is a music software made by Apple. GarageBand is a whole music creation studio  with a complete sound library that includes software instruments, presets for guitar and voice, and virtual session drummers. An intuitive interface makes it easy to learn, play, record, create and share your hits worldwide.

Exploring the Promenade aspect of Antigone.

The site we were allocated was in a corridor at the top of the stairs. This was perfect for the promenade aspect of our piece as we managed to be able to split the audience into two different groups 

We used multimedia to add a certain element of modernisation. Also it can add things to the story that we miss out in the group's scenes. 

Even though our site was very useful, the performance space was much smaller and more limited than other groups so we had to make do with what we had. 

Exploring chorus.

Working as an ensemble to maintain a disciplined chorus proved to be difficult as the problem with working as such a big group, is that if one person was unfocused, the whole thing wouldn't work. During the majority of the rehearsal, most of us were disciplined and focused. We were however very successful in our work and we produced a really good piece for the performance. 

We used a recording of our voices to blast through a window in room 413 where a company of actors were outside in the courtyard and were performing physical theatre to the recorded words. 

•   Learning lines - reflect on challenges and how you will go about learning. The importance of speaking exactly what is written.

Learning lines was both important and unimportant as my group decided on a modern version of our scene so I had to know the whereabouts of what's happening, however I had much more creative roam on what I wanted to say. So for me, speaking exactly what was written was not crucial for me as I only needed to know the framework of the lines.

Evaluation of the performance:

List all of the multimedia used in the performance:

• Live feed
• Pre-recorded video
• Pre-recorded sound
• Music
• Lighting
• Mobile phone torch

Multimedia affected the audience because I think it made the performance look sleek and modern. This also appeals to an audience of 2015 because our society is so encircled by technology so they would find it more comfortable than if we performed the play as it is written. I think the most effective piece of multimedia was the live feed used in the court room scene. This is because I feel like it added a very abstract vibe to the piece.

Scenes from Antigone:	Multimedia used and locations	How did the multimedia in each scene enhance the performance?
1. Creon announces that Eteocles will be honoured and Polynices will be shamed and left un-buried.	Video to be shown on screen in reception.	This helps set the scene of the piece and build up a small background for Creon
2. Antigone goes to Ismene to persuade her to assist the burial of their brother. Ismene refuses.	By the tree - video shown of the thoughts of the characters.	Adds in nice modern twists. A more advanced version of thought tracking out loud. Also sticks to the religious theme.
3. Antigone goes to bury her brother.	Round of wooden stumps.	Sets a formal or kingly feel as the stumps seem to be surrounding something important.
4. Creon looks for the support of the chorus of Theban Elders in his decision to leave Polynices unburied.	Creon announces from fire escape door of 415 - chorus round the tree looking up. Audience looking up also.	Creon being in a high position shows hierarchy and how much power Creon has.
5. A Sentry reports the burial of Polynices. Creon insists that the Sentry finds out who or face death.	Filmed footage of event is shown on screen top of stairs. Sentry talking to Creon.	A looping CCTV film may portray Creon's thoughts going over and over the same thing.
6. Chorus sing about honouring gods.	From the yard up to windows of 413 Recorded chorus played.	The blasting audio makes it out that it is the Gods that is speaking to the people of Thebes.
7. Sentry returns with the Culprit: Antigone. Creon confronts her.	Burst into 413 - audience turn to see. Lighting used.	Lighting adds a certain mood of being sinister and evil.
8. Creon confronts Ismene. Ismene tries to confess but Antigone won't allow it. And in the end, the two sisters are imprisoned.	Still in 413 but Creon live speaks to a projected Ismene. Antigone is walked out the room and joins the real Ismene - escorted off. Lighting used	Live feed is used to portray that maybe even though Ismene is close, she can't quite reach out to Creon.
9. Haemon both pledges allegiance to his father, Creon, and asks that Antigone be spared. After the discussion deteriorate, Haemon storms out vowing never to speak to him again.	Traverse in 413 - iphone lights as the two talk. Throughout confrontation, lights go out, one by one.	The iPhone lights make the scene more ethereal and also make it more dark and sinister, layering on the evil and more grim side of the play.
0. Creon choses to spare Ismene, and to bury Antigone alive. As she is dragged out, the chorus express their Sorrow.	One light left on Creon's face. Sound of s body being dragged...etc.  Projection and video used	Again layering onto the dark side of the play, but keeping the play in context and modern.
11. Tiresias attempts to advise Creon that what he is doing is wrong and that the Gods are angry. The prophecy of a dead son is mentioned.	Tiresias never moves his mouth but what he says coupled with weird underscore is played through speakers of 415. Projected video played	Shows how real prophesies are and what they meant to the greeks. It also makes Creon much more distressed.
12. The chorus, terrified, begs him to take Tiresias' advice. Shaken, Creon agrees to release Antigone and bury Polynices.	As many chorus as possible fill cavities of 415 and urge Creon. Three doors and side grated window thing.	The chorus could be portrayed as if everyone could be different voices going through Creons head, disagreeing with each other which could drive Creon mad.
13. Chorus deliver a choral ode to the god Dionysus.
14. Messenger informs Eurydice of Haemon and Antigone's death.	Filmed footage on repeat of Haemon stabbing himself and Antigone hanging, swinging from a branch.	The looping footage gives a sort of grim and uncomfortable feel to the scene with the constant reminder of death and suicide
15. Carrying the body of his dead son Haemon, Creon is then met by a 2nd messenger informing him of Eurydice's death.	Audience back outside looking at tree. Creon walking through the courtyard, holding Creon, confronted by messenger at the tree. Chorus look down from 415.

Rehearsal Log - Character Development - 10.4.15

Rehearsal Log

Character Development:

I decided to make my character, the sentry, come across as simple, clueless and jittery. He is afraid of King Creon and is stepping carefully about what he says as Creon is very powerful. The physicality of my character is unconfident and small. I feel that because I am tall I can make myself look awkward by stooping over and keeping a low eye-line.

We are using the TV screen at the top of the stairs where we are performing in the corridor. We are having a video edited and filmed by myself which shows CCTV footage of Polynieces' body being buried.

We are using this multimedia to add to the experience that the audience will have. I think it will also add a modern touch to something so ancient. It will also help convey and explain what is going on in this play.

This will also help as many of our actors are very used to technology so we can effectively use it to a high level. Also, our audience may be adept to technology and this furthermore will impress them. 

This will help tell the story because we can show the parts of the play that we missed out in our scenes, in our portrayals of multimedia.

 

Historical Context - Rehearsal - 16.04.15

In today's lesson, we brought the multimedia aspect into our lesson. We recorded us speaking as a chorus and some choral breathing to be played back during the performance. This also adds to the multimedia aspect of our performance. We will have it blasted through speakers as we perform it on the football courts below the window where the audience will spectating from. We will perform the actions to the words while it plays through the speakers. This gives an effect that the speech is being proclaimed by the people of Thebes as they also act out what is being said.

However, recording the speech also supports the scene technically, because the audience will hear it much clearer if it’s broadcasted into the room. Our words might get lost if we speak live, because of wind and other outside noises, not to mention our distance from the viewers.

After this, we discussed how our scenes are relevant to a modern audience today. My group modernised our scene by incorporating a news report broadcast which isa very modern representation of Antigone. We also used a clip of some "CCTV" footage that I filmed and edited myself of the crime that Atigone committed. We played it on the TV screen at the top of the stairs where we perform. This is relevant to today's audience because the way most people find out information is by the news, therefore, I feel like this is very appropriate for today's audiences. The multimedia is relevant to the scene because a lot of the time, if a news broadcast is reporting a crime or a serious situation, they will sometimes use some footage from the scene.

Our filming was a huge success as we managed to get it done in one take. We did some planning beforehand where we talked about what we would need it to look it for it to be effective. It was also a simple piece of video to film as there was no script  nor was there much to rehearse. 

This is the CCTV footage I created: 

We then shared the what progress we have made in our individual groups, these are some notes I made on each group: 

Antonia's group:

• Great comedic timing, Antonia and Tim are working well together, although they seem like they are trying TOO hard to be funny.
• Breaking the 4th wall to address the audience makes the audience more comfortable 
• Using mobile phones to make the fact that it is set in the modern day obvious

Logan's group:

• Nice choral movement 
• Movement links into the script and spoken words

Nancy's group:

Eric's characterisation and his use of pause and body language made a convincing portrayal of a leader.

I liked the inflection used by Sherene. It was strong which made me feel as though she was trying to convince herself that she had done no wrong

The modernization of language made Creon more casual. Almost like a prime minister so that's how this relates to a modern day audience.

Rory’s Group:

• Phone torches make Tara and Pheobe look more like mythical beings, like magic  spectating

• Rory was very convincing as his role of Haemon. He showed a sort of desperate love for Antigone. 

Harmony’s Group:

• Jake's characterisation was very convincing – he used voice and physicality to take a physical representation of a frail old man.

• Natasha and Harmony used the space well and kept the running theme of them being ethereal beings

What meets need to be developed and why? 

We are still in the process of developing our scenes so there is still a lot to do. For my own scene I need to make sure I'm off script as soon as possible. For the other groups, every scene jus needs to be cleaned up a little bit. 

How did the pieces become relevant for a contemporary audience? 

They became relevant when the different kinds of multimedia were incorporated. Some groups also managed to modernise their scene in terms of topic and textually. By this I mean some scenes were physically modernised by body language and movement whereas others were adapted verbally.

Exploring The Text

Antigone and Ismene 

• What did we focus on when exploring this scene?

While exploring this scene we looked at how Antigone both had reacted to the news sent by King Creon and how they would act towards that news.                                                                                                        

• How did you explore the characters practically?
   We looked at part of the script where Antigone shares with Ismene that she is going to bury Polyneices against the lore of Creon. Therefore we decided to think about how Ismene, who would not go against the King's word, would react and put that into a character's physicality and facial expression. On the other hand, Antigone is much more of the rebellious type, therefore I think she would have a stronger body stance and a more intense facial expression.
• What did you discover about the relationship between the sisters?
  I discovered that even though the two sisters have a lot of love for each other, they are two very different people. Also, even though they both believe in the same things, Antigone is much more willing to act towards her beliefs than Ismene as Ismene will abide to the rules like any other citizen of Thebes.
• How did this scene link to some of the information you discovered in the session about the historical context?

Antigone and Creon

• What did we focus on when exploring this scene?

We focused on how Creon and Antigone interacted, taking into consideration factors such as: hierarchy, sexism and the expected values of the time. The main focus was status however, and how to put status into our physicality and tone of voice.

• How did you explore the characters practically? 

Alex and I were partners for this exercise and I played Creon and she played Antigone. To me, the most powerful line of the scene was when Creon says "No woman will tell me what to do." I decided to put a sort of emphasis on the word "woman" as if I had a bad taste in my mouth. I think this really helps portray the patriarchal hierarchy of the time

• What did you discover about the relationship between the characters? 

I discovered that Creon and Antigone's relationship (even though they are family to each other) is very dependent on hierarchy and Creon depends on his power over women to win the ongoing argument between him and his niece. 

• How did this scene link to some of the information you discovered in the session about the historical context?

This scene links with historical context because during this time period, women were scene as inferior beings and were restricted on what they could and could not do. Women were especially oppressed in the theatre world as most of the time, women were not allowed to watch the theatre let alone take part in the plays put on.

Current Events

Q. What was happening when Antigone was created? 

Philosophy was quickly expanding and soon became much more popular at this time. The new ideologies and views clashed with religious beliefs (these can all be found in the play). Antigone's beliefs lead her to consequently disobey the Kings laws. Antigone plays the part of the traditional values of compassion and devotion.


Q. Was its creation influenced by any specific historical events? 

Antigone was written around 440 BC, and after, Sophocles was told to lead a military attack on Samos, who had been revolting against Athens for about a year. The cities and the allies of the opponents collided and a feud was born that led to the Peloponnesian War, which may have been the war that Sophocles writes about in Thebes, which is responsible for the death of Antigone's brothers. 

Context Homework - 26.3.15

Context Homework - 26.3.15


Today we explored two versions of the scene between Antigone and Creon. 

Which scene did you work on?

I worked on Version 2 of Antigone which was different to the normal Antigone because it wasn't punctuated and the lines were changed so that they were more modern, however, the formality of the lines did not differ to the original version. I feel like the writer did this to keep the actors who were performing as these characters free to do what they want with the roles.

What did you think of the style of the writing? 

I really enjoyed this style of writing as you could be much more free with the roles you play, especially with a character like Antigone as she can be interpreted in many different ways.

How was this scene different to the other script used in the lesson?
 

This scene was different to the other script used because Version 1 was stripped of its formal language and was completely turned on its head and modernised. All the original grittiness was taken from the language and it was all fairly basic. I preferred Version 2 because it was much more intense and it stuck to the formality of a Greek Tragedy.

Did the lauguage make the characters change?

In Version 1, the language did in turn make the characters change to go from some very sophisticated to slightly common which, in my opinion, wasn't a positive change. In Version 2,  I feel like because it kept the originality and grittiness of the original Antigone, the characters didn't change too much, even though it does give you much more creative reign.

In groups you then created a version of Antigone focusing on setting it in a specific context. By doing this you had to focus on the use of the language in the piece. 

What did your group create? 

Our group created a scene where we used our phones as an element of multimedia to in turn create a real life group chat/chat room sort of setting. We transformed something that is virtual into something physical. We used the idea that in our context, the death of Polynieces would be equivalent to Polynieces being "deleted from the group chat". I played the part of Creon in our scene and I depicted him as being like a controlling leader of a friendship group. Polynieces was depicted by Rory and he decided Polynieces would not to be involved in the group chat and kept hypothetically "leaving" the chat. Antigone was played by Nina who decided that Antigone would have been bullied by all the other characters.

We decided to go off script and we devised our lines to be more modern and informal. Much like Version 1 of the other 2 scripts we studied.

Type up the notes that you made on the other groups.

Oriana's group:

• School setting
• Nice use of a "chorus" by using gossiping girls
• Creon as a headmaster. This worked because headteachers in schools can be as brutal (to a smaller scale) as someone like Creon.

Matteo's Group:

• Set in a Gang environment
• Authority was shown and was very clear to understand who played who and who had the power and who didn't

Alex's Group

• Used The Big Brother house as theme and setting
• Was realistic as all the 'housemates' were arguing just like in the actual show
• Big Brother was the character of Creon and all the housemates seemed to complain and distribute their thoughts to him.

Thiago's Group

• Really nicely set in 1930s gangster type of theme
• Lloyd had a good use of humour and worked well with other characters to create a kind of 'chorus'.

Set Design Task...

You need to design a set for your own version of Antigone. You need to imagine that you'd have as much money to create this, therefore you have no limits on your ideas.

 

Multimedia Lesson - 30.3.15

Multimedia - 30.3.15

Choices we made for my group's scene:

My group (Jake, Robyn, Roseby and I) were set pages 11-14 which entails a messenger coming to King Creon and telling him that Antigone has been buried. We sat and thought about different ideas and in the end we came to the idea of doing most of the scene as written, but instead of the sentry saying one of his really long lines, have it rewritten and reported by two news reporters instead. For the multimedia aspect of this scene we have decided to film some CCTV footage of Antigone burying her brother. I filmed and edited this myself which can be found here:
Antigone - CCTV Footage

Adding in the two News Reporters will help show the audience that the news of the burial has spread fairly fast and this will then result in Creon getting angrier and knowing that he would have to stick to his word, will end up having to kill his own niece.

The props we decided on are:

• TV Screen
• 2 chairs
• Table
• Camera

The characters we decided on are:

• Jake : King Creon
• Benji : Sentry Guard
• Roseby : Newsreader and Antigone
• Robyn : Newsreader and Polynieces

Staging

The are we have been given to perform in is a long corridor in the Theatre block near some stairs. We have split the audience so they area in two groups facing the performance space diagonally on each side. We have used a filing cabinet for the Newsreaders to sit on and a desk and chair for King Creon to sit at.  

Women In Greek Theatre

Q - How were woman viewed in Greek Theatre? Why?

The roles of women in Greek drama are all roles conceived by men, because all the ancient Greek playwrights were men. And the actors were usually men, too. They turned to the women in their lives as models, because the women in the plays were frequent and important. But it seems likely that women attended the theatre but maybe only the courtesans. Women participated heavily in religion so it is possible they participated fully in the theatre, but they were excluded from the festival where the dramas that have come down to us were performed. 

Cultural Context

CULTURAL CONTEXT 

• What were the performance conventions in Sophocles’ time? 

All the actors were men or boys. Dancers and singers, called the chorus, performed on a flat area called the orchestra. Over time, solo actors also took part, and a raised stage became part of the theatre. The actors changed costumes in a hut called the "skene". Painting the walls of the hut made the first scenery.

The plays were comedies (funny, often poking fun at rulers) or tragedies (sad and serious, with a lesson about right and wrong).

• What were the trends or fashions within the performing arts?

During the Greek plays, the most honourable of the audience sat at the front of the theatre and the rest of the general public sat behind. These honourable audience members ranged from High Priests to Politicians. 
For an example, Sophocles' Oedipus trilogy (all three plays) would have been performed within 8 hours in one day. It was like a theatre marathon and was taken very seriously by many Greeks

Social Context Of Antigone

• What do we mean by the social context?

Social context means how does this play come into context with how Greeks were socially back when this play was written.

• How did people live at the time Antigone was created?

The important events that happen around the 440s BC were:

The Greek city-states make peace with the Persian Empire through the Peace of Callias, named after the chief Greek ambassador to the Persian Court, an Athenian who is a brother-in-law of Cimon. 

Athens agrees to end its support for the Egyptians rebels still holding out in parts of the Nile Delta, while the Persians agree not to send ships of war into the Aegean Sea. 

Athens now effectively controls all the Greek city states in Ionia.

Pericles begins a great building plan including the re-fortification of Piraeus and its long walls extending to Athens.

Pericles proposes a "Congress Decree" allowing the use of 9,000 talents to finance the massive rebuilding program of Athenian temples. This leads to a meeting ("Congress") of all Greek states in order to consider the question of rebuilding the temples destroyed by the Persians. The Congress fails because of Sparta's opposition.

Pericles places the Athenian sculptor Phidias in charge of all the artistic aspects of his reconstruction program. Construction begins on the Temple of Hephaestus in Athens, while the Athenian Senate commissions Callicrates to construct a temple to Athena Nike on the Acropolis.

The Second Sacred War erupts between Athens and Sparta, when Sparta forcefully detaches Delphi from Phocis and renders it independent.

• Who was the target audience for the piece?

The general Greek public in 5th century BC in Athens.  More specifically, the intended audience was people who already knew the oedipus story, and who would experience the effects of 'dramatic irony' as they watched in eager anticipation for the unfortunate events to unfold. Most people who watched the plays, already knew the plot, and experienced a kind of catharsis.

• What were the needs, values and beliefs of the target audience?

The Athenian elite lived modestly and without great luxuries, compared to the elites of other ancient states. There were very few great fortunes and land ownership was not concentrated: 71-73% of the population owned 60-65% of the land. This was also a period of Athenian political hegemony, economic growth and cultural flourishing formerly known as the Golden Age of Athens with the later part The Age of Pericles. 

• How did this influence the themes and characters of Antigone?

The themes and characters of Antigone were very heavily based on the problems in real life Athens therefore these values were reflected in Antigone

• What have you found out about the social context of Antigone? Think about what was going on at the time that Sophocles wrote the play. 

The theatre reached its greatest height in the 5th century BCE. Pericles promoted and favored the theatre with a series of practical and economic measures.

Athens became the great city of greek theatre. Theatrical performances lasted eight consecutive hours and were performed as part of a competition in which a jury proclaimed a winner. While the decor of the provisional theatres was very simple, the permanent theatrical venues of ancient Athens eventually became more sumptuous and elaborate. No matter the performance venue, plays were performed by, at most, three actors, who wore masks to identify them with the characters they portrayed; they were accompanied by a chorus who sang and danced.

• Who went to the theatre?

 Plays were made by men and usually for men, and this platform was often used to reinforce the patriarchy.

• What was the relationship between theatre, politics and religion? 

Many ancient Greek plays had characters that were or represented Gods, therefore, religion was definitely intertwined with the plays and it was also quite a sensitive subject because the Gods were worshipped so highly.  Politics was also involved in theatre as Kings and democracy and authority always always played a massive part in greek theatre as the people of Athens lived in a very democratic society.