Marked up tech script

Final Script

Café A La Sal

Lorna Jones, Catherine Hallas & Beth Dickinson

Sally opening monologue

Intro music playing as audience comes in.

Audience is greeted by Sally, as she hands cake that is provided on the tables. We have a few moments to let everyone settle in. Sally notices a table of dirty plates and cups…

Sally: Oh for goodness sake I told her to clear this up about 10 times, I am always busy round here…

Lights down

Sally: People are always coming and going. Me, I am very much a people person. I think that’s why I love my job so much. Don’t get me wrong we star wars and shit like that but all in all we are all pretty great. What I love most is knowing that we all have inner strength, you know what kind of strength that allows a mother to pull a car off of her child. Now that is pretty amazing. Or a man who has walked with a Zimmer frame for years springing out of his chair just to dance one last dance… okay that was pretty morbid, granted…. Oh I know, a man jumping into a river to save a puppy. I mean we all like puppies don’t we? If you don’t you can get out. I mean it leave… I’m joking you can stay, I’ll just hold it against you.

The point is I am a real believe in people and I get some right characters in here…

Lorna and Beth enter carrying costume

Sally: What are you doing? What have you got there?

Lorna: The costume? It’s our turn were on…

Sally: No, Remember like we rehearsed (points to costume rail in the corner- They look at one and other, Beth drops costume and runs off. Lorna picks up costume and bows out)

You can’t work with actors nowadays. The point is that I am a great believe in people and I get some right characters in here. Just the other day I saw the best contrast between couples I had ever seen in my life.

Circus music comes on. Beth and Lorna come running onto the stage as Sally holds up costume for them to put on. They then run to a table and stand behind a chair and look at each other, cue for music to go off. They then sit down in character.

Contrasting Couples

Tony: So are you just going to give me the silent treatment then? That will really sort this out! (Jessica huffs and turns around) Fucks sake.

SWITCH

Circus music plays again until stood behind chair looking at each other, music stops.

Fred: I love your skirt, it really complements your eyes (pulls out chair) Oh I like those earrings.

Barbara: Oh well you should, you bought me them. (laughter)

SWITCH

Circus music plays again until stood behind chair looking at each other, music stops

Tony: Look right, it was a mistake. I was drunk and she means nothing. I’m sorry. (pause) I was only inside her for 5 seconds!

SWITCH

Circus music plays again until stood behind chair looking at each other, music stops

Barbara: I know it’s only been 2 weeks but I feel like we are soul mates.

Fred: All my life I’ve felt like there’s been something missing, but now I’ve found you I feel like everything has fallen into place.

SWITCH

Circus music plays again until stood behind chair looking at each other, music stops

Tony: I’ll do anything, please forgive me, I can’t live without you…

Jessica: Shut up Tony. You’re pathetic. I don’t care what you did because you know what? I fucked your dad.

SWITCH

Circus music plays again until stood behind chair looking at each other, music stops

Barbara: I just always want to look into your eyes so I can see into your beautiful soul.

Fred: Oh Barbara

Barbara: Oh Fred

Both: I love you so much

Link before Mildred and Barry Part 1

Sally: Well I say contrasting, they were both very different yet both disgustingly sickly. Anyway can we please have a massive round of applause for our fabulous actors who did a wonderful job in that’s scene. Don’t take too long getting your breath back we have a long way to go yet…

Lorna and Beth are getting into costume and through the next monologue.

Sally: Another spectacle I saw in here were these two beauties. They are fairly regular in here but this, this was something different. They came in here one Wednesday afternoon effing and jeffing..

Lorna walks in…looking at sally

Lorna : Bloody hell…

Sally: No no… more like bloody hell.. Think toast

Lorna: Bloody hell?

Sally: No, you’re not playing Dracula are you? Maybe more like road.. Barry?

Lorna: Barry? Barry? Bloody hell, come along Barry…

Sally: I thought that something serious had happened in their family, that there might have been a death or something. But no, turns out they were arguing about…    

Mildred: Aunt Aggie!!!

Sally: Thank you Mildred yes, Aun-

Mildred: Don’t you interrupt me.

Sally: Aunt Aggie. The racist, intolerant, bi- (Mildred looks up with fury in her eyes) (b)eautiful woman that she is.

Barry: See I told you dear, she is going to be difficult.

Mildred: She is your great aunt on your brothers, wives, sisters, half- brothers, fathers side. She is family. You don’t turn your back on family, especially not at the time of our lord.

Barry: Yes dear.

Mildred: And another thing, apart from Aggie. Where are we going to place the children and what on earth are we going to get them? I mean Amy for one is not exactly a little girl anymore, she’d hardly appreciate a Barbie doll. (Sally sneaks away)

Barry: Yes dear.

Mildred: And Ben, when was the last time we saw him? Never mind found out what he likes. He’s 16 now, he will have distinguished tastes/ jenny said he hardly comes out of his room but spends hours chatting with young ladies.

Barry: I don’t know love, a condom?

Mildred: Barry Miles Thornton! We are an aunt and uncle to that boy. We need to encourage abstinence not - heavy petting!

Barry: Sorry dear.

Mildred: Now for Lucy, I would like to get some nice scented candles and for Joseph I would like to provide a brand new cot and pram for his little angel.

Barry: They sound fine love.

Mildred: Are you just saying that or do you mean it?

Barry: I mean it.

Mildred: Good. Now Emily and Jade are quite easy. Emily would like some costume jewellery and Jade would like a – oh what do you call them. Ah yes. My little horsie.

Barry: She would much rather Lego, she likes playing with our Terry. Plus that new film has just came out with the Lego people in it.

Mildred: No Barry, she will receive a my little pony and like it. Whilst were on the subject, little Terry. I think an action man. Yes definitely an action man. It will encourage many traits in him like… doing the dishes. Unlike some other men I could mention.

Barry: I do the dishes!

Mildred: Stacking them on the side is not the same thing as doing them dear!

(Barry starts to protest)

Mildred: I swear this is the same thing you do with the ironing.

Barry: Yes dear.

Mildred: You could just run over your shirts once but do you? No, it’s always down to me. And you never take your medication. You know you’re meant to take it for your joints.

Barry: I do.

Mildred: You don’t! You froze up in bed last week and there was me having to go into the bottom drawer, get me toy out and finish myself…..

Sally: Do you really think that’s necessary? Come on guys!

Mildred: And you never take the bin out. I remind you all week and you never do it. It’s always down to me. It’s difficult for me, I’ve got a bad back. You’d think you’d want to help your wife.

Barry: Does this have anything to do with Christmas love?

Mildred: Of course it does. At Christmas we have double the rubbish therefore double the bin load.

Barry: Yes dear.

Mildred: I’ve had to take double dosage of my medication to deal with the stress of taking the bin out and doctor Nisal is getting worried.

Barry: Sorry dear.

Mildred: Sorry won’t fix my back Barry.

Barry: I’ll go talk to doctor Nisal.

Mildred: It doesn’t work like that dear. There’s such a thing as doctor/patient confidentiality.

Barry: Yes dear.

Mildred: Come along Barry, we’ve lots do.

(They Exit.)

Sally: Those two never change; I can always count on them two to be the same no matter what is going on. It’s a funny thing relationships, the way that people react to one and other, take those two for example I am sure they love each other very much but to an outsider… well. Take my relationship for example ..(Interrupted by ‘Eye of the tiger’ coming in.)

LADS enter to ‘Eye of the tiger’ playing, wearing red and blue shell suits, instigating the setting of a boxing ring.

Sally: In the blue corner, standing at 6 foot 6, and weighing in at 17 stone 4, it’s Nathanial! (Pause for Nathanial to work the room) In the red corner, standing at 5 foot 7, and weighing in at 12 stone, with a hunchback and gammy leg….I’m only kidding, it’s Tyler.

The LADS belly pop, music stops.

Tyler: Fancy a brew mate?

Nathanial: Yeah man

Sally: No trouble today lads.

The LADS watch Sally’s bum as she walks across the room

Nathanial: No worries love

Tyler: Phwoar I would bend her like a pretzel.

Sally: You can have this table over here Lads. What can I get you today?

Nathanial: Just you on my face would be nice hahaha

Sally: None of that today Lads…what do you want?

Nathanial: Coke please precious

Tyler: Ohh I’ll have one of them lattes lovely

Sally walks away and Tyler does grotesque hand gesture behind her back. Nathanial begins to yawn

Tyler: Oi you rude bugger, what you yawning for?

Nathanial: I was up all night shagging that bird off Tinder

Tyler: What bird?

Nathanial: Your Nana

Tyler: Fuck off talking about me Nana like that, you scruff

Sally: You two are disgusting

The LADS high five and go into Rap, rap music starts playing.

Nathanial: I need pussy, pussy in my friend, If I don’t have pussy my life will end.

Tyler: My friend needs a hole cos he’s hard as a rock, so open up your tunnel and bounce on me cock

Nathanial: Let me hear you moan while I pant and groan then I’ll buy you a maccies with my benefits loan

Tyler: I’ll be a gentle man cos I always pull out, I’ve got no STDs so you can put it in your mouth

Nathanial: Let me bend you over so I can smash you from behind, I’ll film it on my phone and put it on my rewind. Stop the music a second! (Rap music paused and sound of a woman moaning is played, then rap music begins to play again) When you’re not here I’ll watch it with my mates you’ll have to be careful they might ask your rates

Tyler: I wanna lick your fanny, I hope you’re not a tranny that would be bad cos I think you’re proper canny

Fist pump, and try to fist pump Sally but she rejects.

Lads: And we are out.

Puppet scene.

Sally: (Looks at watch) Come a long you two we haven’t got all day… (looks around the curtain) WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING? Where the bloody hell did you get that bottle of wine from? Now is not the time for a break?!? Go on with you, get out there… I am not impressed 

(Lorna and Beth appear from the curtain)

Sally: (Handing puppet heads to Beth and Lorna) Old…

Lorna: Old?

Beth: Old? (Cue music Close to you – The Carpenters.)

Begin puppet movement.

Sally: How heart-warming it is to see them the same time, same day, same table every week. They rarely say anything, maybe that is because over the years they have said all that is needed to be said, or maybe they just enjoy being in each other’s company. Either way I find them the most fascinating to watch and learn from. Totally in sync, knowing the others wants and needs by a look. Passing the sugar with just a smile. Their hands touching and having that sense of comfort that they get from being close to one another. It’s the most amazing moment watching him watch her and knowing that he would do anything to make her happy.

Place puppets back on seat, Beth sits down at the table.

Beth: It doesn’t just happen to women, it happens to men too, whether your partner is male or female.

Cat places mask on Lorna’s face CUE MUSIC Fire and Rain – Birdy

Begin movement

Sally: They joy that a child can bring to an already loving dynamic is wonderful…Get out, get out of my face…..(Cue music to go off), Is everybody alright? Would you like another cake?

Cue new track to introduce the work colleagues

WORK COLLEAGUES

Work colleagues enter the café,

Lorna: (Cue for Music to go off) It is going to be a hard case because he is wanting be plead not guilty when it’s obvious that he is guilty…

Beth: yeah…

Awkward silence

Lorna: So … what do you fancy for your lunch then? Ooo spotted dick… I had to get some cream for that once ha…

Or how about an egg butty…

Oh how about a muffin, I certainly like your muffins…(Grabs breast/bottom)

Lighting change – Spotlight on Richard as Sally circles him

Sally: This is Richard, also known around the office as dick. He likes to think of himself as top dog, a player, a big fish in a small pond. He really isn’t …

Lights up

Lorna: You are looking well you know Andy…

Lighting change – Spotlight on Andy as Sally circles her.

Sally: And here we have Andy, formally known as Andrea. Her and Dick used to be in a relationship until a certain someone decided to sleep with the office bike Sarah…

Lights up

Lorna: So you been going to the gym, working out? I go like 4 times a week (flex muscles ) can you tell?

Beth: No (rolls eyes)

Lorna: Look we had some good times didn’t we, especially in the disabled toilets at work?

Pause…Sally mopping around at this point

Lorna: Come on Andy you know we were good together. I’m great at sex, your… good at sex. So what about it then? For old times’ sake?

Beth: Richard, you’re a dick. You think with your dick, you can’t keep your dick in your pants, you act like a dick, you speak like a dick, you look like a dick, you are just a fucking dick…

Lorna: That was a bit uncalled for don’t you think love?!  Do you know what I was very generous when I said you were good at sex… it was like having sex with a mop. Damp and ridged …

Beth: Prick (Knees in genitals)

Richard makes a big song and dance out of the pain he is in and slowly leaves the stage.

Drumroll, lights go down, Sally puts on a sparkly game show jacket…Cue Price is right game show music.

Sally: Hello and welcome back to Café a La Sal! I am of course your host Sally!!! Now can we please give a warm welcome back to everyone’s favourites, the bicker, they squabble and yet still so loveable … it’s Mildred and Barry!!! 

Mildred and Barry enter.

Music off when Mildred and Barry are sat down.

Mildred: Come along Barry. Hiya Susan Love.

Sally: It’s Sally

Mildred: Right, can we have a milky tea with 2 sugars and…(Barry tries desperately to order a drink he wants) No Barry, I need you alert, you’ll have a black coffee.

Mildred: Anyway, take a note. This is who we need to send a Christmas card to.(Sally brings over drinks) Thanks love, don’t you be eyeing up that milk and sugar Barry, you’re on a diet. Sally love, can I have a muffin please? Right so we need to send a Christmas card to, the nun on the bus who blessed Lucy as a baby, she’s always ever so nice. And the babysitter who had Joseph for a week, she helped us so much with him. Judith, obviously – she sent us that god awful Christmas pudding card last year (Barry looks shocked) Yes love, I know she’s your ex, we’ll send her that Rudolph card with the fluffy nose. (Barry shakes his head) Oh dear, she has a reindeer phobia doesn’t she? Oh well. Oh and we must send one to that waitress Sandra (Sally shouts correcting her). Oh and Jim and Felicity from Elm drive, their cookies are a Christmas delight! Oh and Greg (Barry looks quizzed) The bin man, Barry! And John the postie and oh I mustn’t forget Dr Nisal… that should do it. (Looks around and Barry has eaten her muffin) BARRY! Where the bloody hell has my muffin gone? Have you eaten it! Oh what a bloody liberty, I can’t have anything nice can I? You are supposed to be on a bloody diet.

Barry: Sorry dear.

Mildred: For goodness sake. Right for the others, I think we should get vouchers. That should be easy. Book tokens are always a hit. And our Christmas letter this year should obviously include the arrival of Joseph’s little angel, though I don’t think we should include your faux pas at the Henderson’s house warming.

Barry: Ok love.

Mildred: It was embarrassing and I’ve kept quiet about it!

(Barry rolls his eyes)

Mildred: Don’t you roll your eyes at me.

Barry: Sorry dear.

Mildred: But we must skate over it. Our letter must be glittering, we must be an example to the family.

Barry: Yes dear.

Mildred: And you need to hire a Santa suit. It’ll be nice for the kids to see the good St. Nicholas up close. Plus we can make you a grotto out of tinsel and coloured fairy lights.

Barry: White.

Mildred: What?

Barry: White fairy lights look classier and if we get twinkly ones, it’ll add a touch of magic.

Mildred: Barry, that was so poetic., I’ll get them out the loft shall I?!

Barry: Thank you, but Mildred, stay out of the loft.

Mildred: But what if I need to put things away?

Barry: The loft is my space.

Mildred: But what if you’re away?

Barry: Leave it in the hall then.

Mildred: But what if –

Barry: Mildred. The loft is my domain. No girls allowed, ok?

Mildred: Ok.

Barry: Good.

Mildred: Barry - I do still need your help though. Myself, Gladys, Phyllis, Margaret and Elizabeth are doing a secret Santa and I thought maybe an egg peeler or fancy washing up gloves. What do you think?

Barry: Sounds fine.

Mildred: Right let’s go Barry we’ve lots to do!

Barry: Mildred! I’ve had enough, I give up! I’m 54 years of age, it’s july. Why are we sorting out Christmas in July? All I want to do is sit here in peace and quiet and chill the fuck out. And if I want a muffin I’ll bloody well have one.

Mildred: (She stands looking very angry) Barry, in all my life I have never ever been so…Attracted to you right now. Take me to the bedroom Barry, make love to me.

They exit

Lorna runs onstage cue the music Outkast – Roses

Sally: I don’t want you I want her! Tell her to bring that coat.

Lorna rebels and sits on the floor.

Sally: If you are going to be a child about it I definitely don’t want you. Now go and get her!

Lorna reluctantly gets up and pushes Beth on stage, Sally tells Beth to go and sit down cue for music to go off.

Shrek Monologue

Billy: People laugh and take the piss everyday but I just ignore it. I’ve got my friends so don’t care what anyone else thinks. I’ve had jobs I just don’t last very long in them. That’s probably because I’m fat and always break the chairs in the office. I get in trouble for eating all the biscuits on my coffee break. Also, the others are always asking to be moved desks or offices because they’ve had enough and you know what? I don’t blame them. When I go shopping, I look for deodorant and aftershave that I like the smell of but I always end up leaving the shop because people are so rude. “You’re foul”, “you shouldn’t bother coming out of the house”. The one I hate the most is when people shout “get back in your swamp”. I’m not a bad person. I’m friendly, intelligent and caring. I’ve got so much love to give I just need to find someone to love me back. A bottle of lynx just doesn’t cut it anymore. At this rate I’ll be living on my own with 10 cats by the time I’m 60 and the cats will probably fuck off by then anyway. I guess I just have to deal with the fact that I fucking stink and not even just a bit of sweat because I’m fat, it’s a horrendous, rancid stench, I’m just to fucking lazy to go and do something about it.

Sally – Ex Scene

Sally pottering when David (Ex) enters. Dark Lighting

David stops at the door, intense moment Sally staring at the back of his head, him looking towards the ground, then slowly turns round.

David: Hi

Sally: I haven’t seen you in 6 years and all you have to say to me is hi..?

David: What do you want me to say? There’s nothing I can say to make up for what I said.

(Silence)

David: how are you…? Erm, you looks good…. Are you going well for yourself ??

Sally: Small talk .. really?

 David: This place in amazing

Sally: I know, well what did you expect me to sit around for 6 years waiting on you to come back to me ?

David: no, of course I didn’t, I am so..

Sally: Enough! I don’t want to hear I am sorry.

(pause)

David: How is…

Sally: Amelia is fine, thanks for asking

David: Amelia, yeah well I should have known you always loved that name.

Sally: Don’t you dare just smile and think everything is going to be ok, because you remembered that I liked the name.

David: Look we can’t talk here, meet me tomorrow at 11 at the kings, you know near the church?

Sally: I’ll see you tomorrow then

David: (Slowly walking out) It was really nice seeing you Sally.

He exits.

 (long pause)

Sally: (half to the audience and half reflective)  i… I don’t really know what just happened… I have played that moment over and over in my head for 6 years and never once did I imagine it going like that. I would scream at time, hit him throw him out and feel amazing for it. But it never what like that, what was I thinking?(Cue music)  I got caught up… and now I am going to meet him tomorrow! Well I will have to be on top form, lay it all out on the line. Tell him exactly what he did to me, how he fucked me and Amelia over and left me on my arse. Yeah I am going to do it …

 Sally gets up and walks to the costume rail and puts on a new jumper, and walks out and back into the studio, almost as if she is entering a restaurant where she is greeted by a waitress. Mime restaurant, David never shows. Beth and Lorna pick Sally up out of chair and bow, then seats her back down again to show how she is waiting. Lorna and Beth open studio door and let Audience out, whilst Sally is still sat waiting.

The END

Week 11 - Sneak peak of the set!

 As you can our see set is quite abstract and quirky in the way that it looks, we have random props and cups and saucers to dress the tables and bar to give off this feel of a quirky cafe. The fabulous menu we had made will be hung over the bar for us, which will really bring the cafe to life. 

 As you can see it is all very mismatching and and random, which is exactly the look we were going for. We wanted it to look like this to reflect the nature of the play, to highlight that we are reflecting on relationships and couples that are quite contrasting and different, just like the set and props. Also I think have so much going on in the set, makes it look quirky, unique and maybe even a little confusing, which I think also successfully explains our nature of our piece.

The chairs and tables with their back to the curtain, will be the ones in which the audience will sit at. As you can see from the picture the audience have mismatching chairs and tables also, highlighting that are involved in the piece, their reaction is important to this piece. Additionally them having mismatching furniture highlights that they are also in the cafe, as well as making them feel as part of the piece. 

Week 11 - Week commencing 1st December - PERFORMANCE WEEK!!!!

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT IS FINALLY HERE! So it's performance week, the stress levels are high throughout the group, but we are all INCREDIBLY excited to perform to an audience at the end of the week. Personally I am crazily nervous, because I am perfectionist so I want everything to go as planned. 

This week has been a case rehearsing non stop. We were able to go to the props department and finally rehearse with the props what we wish to use, such as cups, mugs saucers and plates etc. 

We had a strong focus on rectifying transitions, as some of the transitions we have are a cue for music so it was important for us to make sure they were strong. 

• Mildred and Barry into Chavvy lads - We are going to have that after Mildred and Barry Sally has a moment to reflect, and she starts to openly reveal something of her own experience with relationships, but eye of the tiger interrupts and the chavs burst onstage. I think this will catch the audience off guard, also they will be pondering as to what Sally was going to reveal to them, but then they given this distraction of that thought with the chavvy lads. 
• Puppets - At the beginning of the puppets we want Sally to have this struggle to find myself and Beth, and when she does find us backstage we are messing around backstage. I think this is good to include to highlight the control Sally has over us as actors. Then to go into the puppets scene, Sally will drag us onstage, and pass us both a puppets head saying "Old", provoking us to repeat the word "old", until we understand what she wants us to do. 

Over the weekend we had a short rehearsal in the Adelphi Studio theatre, which i thought was very much needed. Every single week we have asked to rehearse in the studio but it has not been available as other groups have been given first priority due to them performing sooner than us. This rehearsal was good for us to be in the space, and see the way in which we would perform to the audience and to be able to see how we need to project our voices. Additionally we made the decision to have the costume rail in the gap in the curtain on on the right hand side rather than on the back wall next to the bar, it just looks that bit better and means that we are closer to the audience. 

I am a little worried about Beth and her dedication to this project, she has revealed to us that she is planning on going out and partying on Thursday, which is the night before we perform, which is not very professional. If she comes in on Friday for our tech and is hungover I will very upset. 

Track list for entire piece

1. Hozier - Take me to Church
2. Arctic Monkeys - Mad Sounds
3. Jakubi - Coach potato 
4. Ben Howard - Small things   - All songs 1 - 4 are tracks to be played whilst the audience come into the theatre. 
5. Circus Music - Contrasting Couples scene, in between each couple whilst we change costume and character.
6. Survivor - Eye of the tiger - Chavvy lads boxing match intro
7. Rap music - Backing track for the chavvy lads to rap to.
8. Orgasm sound effect - A pause in the lads rap, insinuating that one of them is playing a video of a amateur pornographic video.
9. The Carpenters - Close to you - Old couple puppets scene
10. Birdy - Fire & Rain - Young couple domestic violence scene
11. Alt J - Left hand free - Intro to the Work colleagues scene
12. Price is right theme song - Intro for Mildred and Barry part 2
13. Outkast - Roses - Intro for Smelly man monologue 
14. Jessie Ware - Say you love me - Sally's ex scene, comes in at the end as Sally is stood up by David. 

I have downloaded and edited all of the tracks myself, but I had a few technical issues in terms of burning the tracks to a CD as my laptop was playing up, so I sent all of the tracks to Cat and she kindly burned them onto a CD. 

Week 10 - Research in to Domestic violence

 These four images are so strong in there message, I feel as though they highlight that a lot of abuse is invisible, in that it may be unsuspecting in that perhaps there is this need for people to hide behind a facade, similarly to how the couple in our piece are. Furthermore these images are disturbing in the fact that they are men. There is this awful perception that when it comes to domestic violence it is only women that suffer at the hands of their partners or spouses. 

"Domestic Violence Against Men" is a project of public campaign showing the problem of domestic violence, specifically violence against men. Photos on the move so far absent in the media, even taboo. It is also embarrassing for men, which met this evil, and for those who are aware of this problem. 1

On the popular Northern soap, Coronation Street, character Tyrone was at the receiving end of domestic violence from his partner Kirsty. I think that the fact that this storyline has made an appearance in popular culture on a soap that a lot of people watch highlights that domestic violence against men is strongly becoming an issue, just as much a domestic violence against woman. 

Charities posters

 Mike's Story 

"When my father rang me just before dinner one night my wife burst in to the room and threw a plate at me. She claimed that I was ignoring her. My father politely ignored the torrent of abuse in the background, and accepted my explanation that she’d dropped some crockery and I’d better hang up. More lies.

One day she hit me so hard on the shin with a solid object (I’m not even sure what it was) that I could see the bone through the wound. For a while I suspected that it was broken, but this was not the case. It certainly hurt enough though. I limped for a while, and told more lies about how it had happened."2

I found this account on the ManKind, a national charity, whose initiative is to help men who suffer from domestic abuse. When I read this real life account from a gentleman named Mike, I could not help but feel the up most sympathy for the abuse in which he went through. His story was over 10 pages long and went into great detail about the abuse in which he endured from his wife. This has really opened up my eyes to this issue which is clearly an problem in society that people are not aware of as much as they should be. I feel as though from reading about domestic violence against men, as a race we need to consider that we need to strive for equality. There is this stigma that domestic violence only happens to women, when statistics show that 40% of domestic violence happens to men.3 It is horrendous that men do not receive as much help as women. I feel as though after doing this research, it will help me delve into my character for the young couple domestic violence scene, as I feel as though my character feels as though he can make her stop being violent towards him, and that she does love him. Additionally I think he will believe that it is just a phase perhaps, and he has to keep up the facade for the sake of his family and his child. 

References

1. Domestic Violence Against Man - Photography by Konrad Sieroń. [ONLINE] Available at: http://inspirationhut.net/inspiration/photography/domestic-violence-against-man-photography-by-konrad-sieron/. [Accessed 08 January 2015].
2.  2015. . [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.mankind.org.uk/pdfs/Mike's%20story.pdf. [Accessed 08 January 2015].
3. More than 40% of domestic violence victims are male, report reveals | Society | The Observer . 2015. More than 40% of domestic violence victims are male, report reveals | Society | The Observer . [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.theguardian.com/society/2010/sep/05/men-victims-domestic-violence. [Accessed 08 January 2015].

Week 10 & 11 - week commencing 24th November - Run through with Jo

The end is drawing near, we are performing at the end of next week! Which is crazy, it is very scary, and have a great deal of work to get done before then! This week there has been a big focus on tweaking and defining the entire piece. We performed a full through for Jo and she gave us some great feedback, which we will work on continuously until the performance. 

We collected all of our costume, from the costume department this week so we could work on transitions and changes into character on stage and off. We mainly wanted to rehearse the contrasting couple scene the most with costume, as this scene is very fast paced, and requires us to change very quickly in the view of the audience. Additionally we wanted to see whether we would need to alter any transitions because of the time it may take to change, which became very apparent in the transition from the work colleagues to Mildred and Barry part 2, as in the work colleagues scene, myself and Beth are wearing suits for this scene, so it will take a little longer to get out of these into Mildred and Barry's costumes so we are going to have Sally make a big deal out of introducing Mildred and Barry for a second time, with the use of the price is right theme tune and Sally introducing Mildred and Barry as if they have there own TV show. We made the decision not to have Mildred and Barry getting changed into character onstage, as it would take away from the introduction that Sally gives. 

Young couple domestic violence 

Additionally we worked on the young couple domestic violence scene, as it seems to be one seems that is not quite at that level yet. Cat has choreographed movement for this scene, that shows myself (Male) trying desperately to reach out to Cat (Female), but her movements respond quite abruptly pushing me away, until eventually she freaks out and pushes me completely away from her to the floor, then screaming and shouting for me to get out of her sight. I think this scene, will definitely provoke shock from the audience, as the scene before (the old couple puppets) is very endearing and uplifting, so to follow with this contrasting scene will make the audience feel on edge. Also we have decided we are going to wear black half face masks, to conceal any sort of reaction that may be displayed on our faces, I think this will make the scene that little bit more eerie and sinister, possibly making the audience feel confused. It took us a while to decide what track to use for this scene, as in some ways we wanted it to be quite silent in regards to us as actors, and the movements speaking for themselves. We decided upon Birdy - Fire and Rain, because we felt like it complimented the movements in which we display. 

This song reflects on relationships, that have their turbulent times, but through the struggle they always return to each others arms. Additionally this song delves into personal struggles in which individuals go through, in terms of depression and anxiety. 

Jo's Feedback 

• Do not rush the opening - There can be this element of the audience being sat down for a minute or 2 while Sally is wandering around the space doing her duties such as clearing up a messy table or handing out cake to the audience. Additionally it will work well if she really takes her time with her opening monologue to show how she is exploring what she is reflecting on (people). I almost see this monologue as a stream of consciousness in which the audience are lucky enough to be involved in, almost as if the audience have stepped into Sally's conscience. 
• There needs to be more clarity in the contrasting couples, as in when we move to the next couple, there needs to be this moment where Beth and I stop and address the each other as actors, perhaps just an acknowledging look before we sit down, so that the audience know this is us becoming a character after that point. 
• Staging - We still need to thinking about where we are performing at the moment, as Jo highlighted that in Mildred and Barry we are performing quite closed in, and just to each other, so it is a case of us literally facing out more which will draw the audience in more, and hopefully mean that all can see what is going on. Also we have made the decision that we will no longer have the audience on the stage, we want to have them pushed back, almost in the round but with no seats beyond where the bar is, as the audience will not be able to see anything. We think this will work better, as it will just open the space out more and it still means we still have this intimate feel, and the closeness to interact with the audience. 
  

As you can see we still a good amount of tables for the audience to sit at. We have chosen not to have the tables we are using to perform with on plinths, as it is unnecessary now, the audience will be able to see fully what is going on. 

• Puppets -  Jo highlighted that myself and Beth need to be more intimate with our puppets, and take more care with. In that at the end of the scene, we did not place them down with any care, and it lost the human feel to them by us doing this. So I think it will work better, if myself and Beth place them down very slowly and then by kissing them on their foreheads, to show the care we have for them. Additionally, Jo highlighted that we need to be looking at the puppets face as they moves things across the table to each other. 
• Shrek smelly man monologue - We had borrowed a fat suit from the costume department and we showed this to Jo, and she did not think that it worked as it came across to literal. She highlighted that it would be more ironic that Beth just stays as she is without the fat suit, because she is very slim. Less is more, Beth can make her seem fat with her physicality. Additionally Jo noted that us having myself and Sally chasing Beth around the stage with smelly objects to make her smell, does not need to be included, it just needs to be a case of Sally whispering into Beth's ear what she needs to reflect in this scene. I think this will make the audience wonder who Beth is playing and as she starts her monologue start to feel sorry for. Additionally I think revealing less works better, as then the audience can make their own assumptions. 
• Work colleagues - Richard's characterisation needs to be improved as it is not quite there yet. So this means I need to work on Richard's vocals, and the way in which he moves. I think most importantly I need to think about what Richard's intentions and attitudes towards Andy are. 
• Ex scene - This scene is an improvised scene between Sally and her Ex David, which involves David (Myself) making a shock reappearance in Sally's cafe after having left her pregnant 6 years ago. When he enters, Sally is very angry that he is there, they argue for a little while, but eventually decide upon the next day to reconcile properly, but when the next day arrives, David does not show. We have decided to end with this scene, as we start the piece with a very personal outlook from Sally, then throughout the play we explore other relationships, so we then end with Sally's own relationship. I think that highlights that the piece has come full circle ending this way. Additionally I think that the audience will feel a closeness to Sally in that she has revealed something so personal about her life. Jo highlighted that when I enter as David I need to make it clear whether I have entered the Cafe on purpose to see Sally or by accident. Obviously he has entered on purpose, so there needs to be this element of David's entrance that is strong, but with a slight nervousness at seeing Sally again. 
• Chavvy lads - We need to make them bigger,, we need to exaggerate our movements when we are introduced in the boxing match setting, as well as when we are rapping. Also we need to say our words bigger, as we say some really lewd and disgusting things, so if we speak them loud and in an exaggerated manner it will highlight that our characters have any trouble in saying these words, also it will highlight how they are attention seekers and like to cause trouble. 

The rest of the week will be a case of looking at this feedback in which Jo has given us, and working on it as much as possible. Additionally we need to run the piece as much as we can so that we know it inside out, and so that there are no issues with lines. 

Room bookings for next week

I bumped into Mark in the corridor so I booked rooms face to face rather than over email.

AC221 Monday 10_1 
Acg07 Tuesday 12-5
Wednesday AC207 12-5