Three+and+a+Half+Women

__**Nicole, Bec, Sophie and Jamie**__ __**Epic Theatre study**__ __**Question 3.**__ Three typical conventions of a Brechtian play are The plot and story of an epic was presented in a way that made the audience aware that they are watching a play. The plot doesn’t necessarily follow a typical structure and the scenes stand on their own. The epic play is essentially more free than traditional storytelling. Brecht really wanted to make the audience think rather than letting the audience to have an emotional reaction to the play. __**Question 5**__
 * 1. Bertolt brecht's epic theatre originated in germany and started in 1918 in germany just after the end of the great war. the country struggled economically from then on as the great depression struck, leaving germany in political, social and economic ruins and didnt recover until the 1930's when adolf hitler came to power and brought in Nazi idealism which from then on brecht fled the country as it was in chaos. Brecht wanted the audience to be very aware that they were watching a play and reflect on themeselves about the play and that it was different from normal theatre, he also used the technique- 'breaking the forth wall' and comedy. Another technique used was**
 * 'fixing the Not / But element'. this is when the performance or scene is seemingly not predictable by having lines such as "i could have stayed in bed but i decided to walk my dog".other theatre practitioners around this time were-**
 * Augusto Boal
 * Howard Brenton
 * Caryl Churchill
 * David Edgar
 * Joan Littlewood
 * Vladimir Mayakovsky
 * Scenes are episodic. The scenes do not need to rely on each other for the play to make sense. Scenes are each for themselves.
 * The plays don’t necessarily follow a typical linear development, as the order of the story can be jumbled. There isn’t a clear progression of events that lead to a climax like most other plays.
 * Narration would be used as a way to comment on what is happening in the play. Techniques such as breaking the fourth wall and breaking character are used in epic theatre to enforce the idea that the audience is watching a play.

 Brecht was influenced by asian theatre as he believed that actors used the alienation effect well. From what he witnessed he believed that the actors used a lot of symbols, never acted as if there was a fourth wall in the performance space, were always aware of being watched, did not have any problems dropping out off or back into ‘character' and performed as if they were telling somebody else's story. He was also influenced by the use of chorus in Greek theatre. The chorus would comment on what was happening in the play and the society’s views which is shown in epic theatre with the use of narration and song.
 * 1) **ACTING:** Brecht believed that an actor should play their character believably but not convince themselves or the audience that they are the characters. This technique ensured that the audience was aware that they were watching a play. This also prevented the audience from developing an emotional connection with the audience as if they did then that would prevent them from being able to question and think about what was happening on stage.
 * 2) **GESTUS:** Is a theatrical technique that helps to define the emotion within a character and the context they are in. It is an action, stance or vocal display that combines a gesture and a social meaning. An example of gestus is in Brecht’s play Mother Courage and Her Children. Mother Courage looks at the audience and delivers a silent scream. That action alone isn’t a gestus but Mother Courage has just lost a son but if she makes any sound of recognition towards him then her life and her daughter’s life will be in danger. Therefore that silent scream becaomes a gestus as the silent scream is an action but it has social meaning as she represents any person who has had to keep quiet in order to save somebody else.
 * 3) **DIDACTISISM:** Is the instruction of teaching a moral lesson. Epic theatre is didactic as they serve to teach the audience or send a message about certain aspects of society, politics or economy. Epic plays seek to teach an audience and make them think about and question what is happening in the play and how that reflects their life so didactism is an important aspect of an epic play.
 * 4) **BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL**: The fourth wall is an imaginary wall that separates the audoence from the stage. In realistis productions the performers do not interact with the audience or acknowledge that they are being watched which implies that the play is real. Epic theatre wants the audience to be awrae that they are watching a play and that what is happening on stage isn’t real. A way to enforce that idea is to break the fourth wall by making characters directly address the audience or acknowledging them. The actors may break character to address the audience or perform with an awarness that they are being watched.
 * 5) **NARRATION AND SONG:** The purpose of song in epic plays is not to heighten the emotion of the scenes but to commentate or narrate what is going on. It can also be used to alienate the audience for example in Mother Courage and Her Children, the song’s content may be serious and forewarning of hardships, while the music is happy and light. The conflicting aspects of serious lyrics and happy music can alienate the audience and make them question the social realities that are being presented.

// Good research guys - presented in a way that you can all refer back to during your planning process. Try to find some images that will help show what any of these conventions would look like in performance. - Mandy //

__**Ensemble Plan**__ We are going use the Greek myth of Narcissus and take the idea of obsession and how that translates to our society today. We are looking at making our play quite episodic by making a scene representing a different obsession. Some possible obsession could be weight(anorexia, bulimia etc), cosmetic surgery, make-up, hair dying, tanning, steroids. Looking at when does beauty become an obsession. Make-up commercial looking at chemicals. You can never see true beauty with a mirror. Beauty doesn't always come in size zero I'm not beautiful like you.....I'm beautiful like me. Beauty is not in the face beauty is a light in the heart.
 * __Quotes:__**


 * First scene:** Narcissus myth, narcissus looking into pond and person looking into mirror and dictionary deffinition.
 * Jamie:** Narcissus
 * Rebecca:** looking into mirror
 * Nicole & Sophie:** chorus

-weight -cosmetic sergery -tanning -makeup (chemical advertisment) -hair
 * second scene: sections-**
 * third scene:** end scene chorus act.

We have assigned research: Sophie- make-up, hair dying, tanning. Bec- weight related obsessions. Nicole: Narcissus myth.

Anorexia scene: **1**:Mum prepares breakfast for daughters. The anorexic girl doesn't eat anything so sister eats it. **2:** She is at school and two friends invite her to go to the canteen with them but she doesn't go. Other friends ask if she is having anything for lunch but she says that she has had a big breakfast. **3:** At dinner she again rejects the food while sister takes it. **4:** She goes to room and looks into mirror. Will be the projection screen with an image of Bec that has been edited to make her look fatter.
 * 7/09/2011**
 * First Scene:** On one side of stage there is Narcissus looking into pond and on the other there is a girl looking into a mirror. Lighting slowly illuminates Narcissus and girl. Narrator walks forward and stands in the middle while talking about what happens to Narcissus and as that is happening it is acted out. Then the narrator talks about the girl looking into the mirror. Both Narcissus and the girl die and this is done by using black material. The narrator is talking how the Narcissus myth relates to our society and obssession which is the theme of our piece. As the narrator steps back, a dictionary definiotion of obsession appears on the projection screen.
 * Episode on weight:** There are three sections: anorexia steroids and bulimia.
 * Steroids: 1:** He wakes up and exercises and takes steroids. **2:** He is at school comparing himself to a guy who has bigger muscles than him. Group of girls see him as a joke compared to the other guy. **3:** His mother gives him dinner but he gets angry at her because there isn't enough carb.
 * Bulimia: 1:** She is at breakfast with father and sister. The sister says that she has bad breath. She then goes to throw up and mother talks to her but believes that her daughter is just sick. **2:** She is with her boyfriend and he goes to talk to her family because he is concerned about her but the family just say that she is unwell and she would tell them anyway is something was wrong. She then fights with her boyfriend and goes to throw up.

Chemicals
 * Phthatale family or di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) and di(2-ehtylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)**


 * Can result in: endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCS) and carcinogen linked to birth defects; premature breast developments; lowered sperm counts; testicular injury; damage to reproductive organs; lung, liver and kidney cancer
 * Why used: makes plastic soft and malleable.
 * Found in: nail polish, hair-straighteners and sprays, body lotions, and deodorants.
 * Banned in: Europe
 * Paraben preservatives or alkyl-p-hydroxybenzoates (methyl, propyl, butyl, and ethyl)**
 * Can result in: hormone disrupter, estrogenic (mimics natural estrogens that leads to cancer); linked to breast cancer; skin rashes.
 * Why used: germicide and preservative.
 * Found in: conditioners, hair styling gels, nail creams, foundations, concealers, mascara, facial masks, skin creams, and deodorants, sunscreen, hair-colouring.
 * Banned in: Japan and Sweden. Under review in the UK.
 * Formaldehyde family or Diazolidinyl urea, 3-diol Imidazolidinyl urea, DMDM Hydantoin, Quaternium-15, Nitropropane-1, Formalin , Methanal , Methyl aldehyde, Methylene oxide, Morbicid acid, Oxymethylene**
 * Can result in: carcinogen, causes allergic reactions and contact dermatitis; headaches; irritates mucous membranes; damaging to eyes; linked to joint and chest pain; depression; headaches; fatigue; dizziness and immune dysfunction.
 * Why used: disinfectant, germicide, fungicide, defoamer and preservative, cheap and mixes easily with water.
 * Found in: shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, liquid antiseptic hand wash, skin lotions, bubble bath, hair care products, antiperspirants, nail polishes, talcs; mascara, mouthwash, make-up remover.
 * Banned in: Europe
 * Amine family Diethanolamine (DEA), triethanolamine (TEA), amonoethanolamine (MEA)**
 * Can result in: hormone disrupter; carcinogen linked to liver and kidney cancer; irritant to hair and skin; corrosive to eyes; causes contact dermatitis; react with other chemicals to form carcinogenic nitrosamines.
 * Why used: emulsifier, pH adjuster, and preservative, foaming agent added to coconut oils.
 * Found in: shampoos, soaps, hairsprays, sunscreens, foundations, concealers, eyeliner, talc, face powders, shaving creams, hair colouring products (women and men), hair sprays.
 * Banned in: Currently under review in the USA, UK and Europe
 * Propylene / Butylene Glycol (PG)**
 * Side Effect: linked to possible brain, liver, and kidney abnormalities respiratory and throat irritation, central nervous system depression, pulmonary oedema, brain damage, hypoglycaemia, skin rashes and dermatitis, neuro-toxin that weakens protein and cellular structure.
 * Why: cheap substitute for glycerine, Humectant (retains moisture).
 * Found in: deodorants, body lotions, body washes, hair conditioner, hair gel, creams, hand-wipes, lipsticks.
 * Banned in: Europe[[image:bec_thin.jpg width="165" height="384" caption="this is a sample of the before pic"]][[image:bec_pudgy.jpg width="162" height="378" caption="this is what we project to portray a mirrior"]]