Devising Assignment Half-Term Session Part 2 - The Structure

‘Secret Sessions’/’Ode to Billy Joe’

Performance Structure

ACT ONE:

OCD and Behaviour Issues

Prologue –                 What happens in this scene?  Doctor Joe is walking to work and he encounters some of his patients (the supporting cast).

Staging: Supporting cast to stand in diagonal line across the stage.  Doctor Joe will walk in line with the supporting cast, showing his response to their speeches.  Having the casts movements and speeches in the style of ‘Steven Berkoff’ will symbolise their symptoms and relationship to Doctor Joe. 

     I felt the ‘Berkovian’ style within the prologue would help us strongly to reflect the correct emotions of our characters, and give the audience a decent introduction to what the first act basis will consist of.  While we are not using specific elements, from ‘Berkovian’ performances, I feel that this scene strongly reflects this quote here: “A piece for chorus and actors, using typical Berkoff mime as the devil, Pilate, Mary etc. develop the story.” - http://www.stevenberkoff.com/playsme.html  As I personally see professionals using all elements, like the chorus in a ‘Berkovian’ production, but for us I think it is an opportunity to experiment and construct something similar yet very different visually.  Therefore we devised this scene to express the character’s emotions verbally, but physically structure it to show ‘Doctor Joe’s’ journey.

Lighting: Individual spot-lights on patient characters (supporting cast) + follow spot on Doctor Joe.

Scene One –              What happens in this scene?  Doctor Joe’s opening monologue and Patient’s still images/movements. 

Staging: Supporting cast to move in their still images/movements in the style of ‘Steven Berkoff’, to reflect a clockwork action as time strongly affects Doctor Joe.  Whereas Doctor Joe will be performed in the style of ‘Frantic Assemble’ to give a natural and slow introduction to the character.

     To quote ‘Frantic Assembly’, their goal was “to do something different” – Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett, Frantic Assembly founders and artistic directors.  I feel we can reflect that theme within this scene as we bring a naturalistic flow to our performances to engage the audience a step further and show this is a true and meaningful performance.  Plus by “doing something different” we are giving layers of thoughts which I hope we can project to the audience and wonder how this all links to the stimulus and adds a sense of realism to our entire performance.

Lighting: Surround lighting at a “dim” tone to enhance the atmosphere and create tension.

Scene Two –              What happens in this scene? Doctor Joe has his first appointment/session with patients suffering from OCD and Behaviour Issue. 

Staging: Having the supporting cast in a square formation around Doctor Joe, will symbolise the tension and pressure that they are putting onto him.  Plus having each supporting cast member turn Doctor Joe to face him will symbolise a fast pace to his day, and reflects how little he takes in during these sessions/appointments.  Movement sytles of both Berkoff and Frantic Assembly.

Lighting: Continuing with the “dim” lighting tone.

Scene Three –           What happens in this scene? Doctor Joe leaves the stage, and fellow cast members take to the stage as ‘The Patient’s’ and show their fantasies.  Showing particularly one patients obsession with Doctor Joe himself. 

Staging: Having both cast members staged left and right, to show two different stories, in the style of ‘DV8’ as there is little to no dialogue and more movement.  As one patient leaves the second takes the remaining stage space to show her obsession with Doctor Joe, with usage of the manikin prop to reflect how she see him. 

     By referencing ‘DV8’ in our performance we are also reflecting their own style: “DV8 Physical Theatre's work is about taking risks, aesthetically and physically, about breaking down the barriers between dance and theatre and, above all, communicating ideas and feelings clearly and unpretentiously.” - http://theatreanddance.britishcouncil.org/artists-and-companies/profiles/dv8-physical-theatre/

Lighting: Fading out of the “dim” surrounding lighting.  Follow spot lights on Patient performers and the manikin.

Scene Four –             What happens in this scene? Audience members see Doctor Joe beginning to stress and worry.  The supporting cast join to form a still image representing the theme of “being trapped”. 

Staging: Doctor Joe to use entire stage space, showing emotions and thoughts in more physically than verbally, in the style of ‘DV8’.  Supporting cast to enter from opposite side of the stage to surround Doctor Joe and create this image: 

 

Lighting: To return to a “dim” surrounding effect to return to a tense and dark atmosphere.

ACT TWO:

Relationships

Scene One –              What happens in this scene? Doctor Joe comes to stage to give his second narrative monologue, expressing his thoughts and opinions on the ‘Relationship’ therapy sessions. 

Staging: Doctor Joe to stand centre stage and deliver monologue, using mime movement, in the style of ‘Frantic Assembly’, to give meaning to what he’s saying.

Lighting: Beginning the act with a brighter surrounding light effect, to give visual meaning to the fact that this is another day and he is in a different atmosphere.

Scene Two –              What happens in this scene? The first patient’s enters and tells their story, of their love triangle. 

Staging: Beginning with both Doctor Joe and the patient sat back centre stage, the scene extends into a movement piece, in the style of ‘Frantic Assembly’ where the patient mimes out their thoughts, feelings and emotions.

Lighting: Continue with the brightened surround lighting.

Scene Three –           What happens in this scene? As the first patient leaves, the second enters and tells their side of the story, from the same love triangle. 

Staging: Similar to the previous scene, in having both Doctor Joe and the patient sat back centre stage, the movement montage will come to show how the male patient has fallen in love with a man, hence turning his current relationship into a love triangle.  All performed in the style of ‘Frantic Assembly’.

Lighting: Continue with the brightened surround lighting.

Scene Four –             What happens in this scene? As the love triangle patients leave Doctor Joe finds himself with another patient, who was in the first act (and had the serious obsession with Doctor Joe) and we discover that the pair of them are in an affair relationship. 

Staging: In the style of ‘Frantic Assembly’ the scenes staging depicts more of the patients obsession with Doctor Joe.  Plus we would also show how Doctor Joe has too much to worry about currently.

Lighting: Continue with the brightened surround lighting.

Scene Five –              What happens in this scene? Having Doctor Joe alone again, we see more of him beginning to break down and become depressed.  The supporting cast will join on stage again, to form the second still image, representing the theme of “too much pressure”. 

Staging: Having Doctor Joe use the entirety of the stage space, performing in the style of ‘DV8’ to show his emotions, thoughts and feelings, of slowly becoming depressed.  As supporting cast join, entering from opposite sides of the stage, together, with Doctor Joe, they’ll create this still image:

 

 

Lighting: For this scene we would return to the “dim” lighting effect, to visually embrace the darker tone that comes with this scene and future scenes.

ACT THREE:

Secrets

Scene One –              What happens in this scene? Doctor Joe’s returns to stage and give his final narrative monologue.  This will express his anger and hatred for secret therapy session, plus reflecting his early stages of depression. 

Staging: Doctor Joe to be alone on stage, speaking the monologue and the movement will be in the style of ‘Frantic Assembly’, miming and keeping informative speech work.

Lighting: To resume to the “dim” surround lighting tone, to visually embrace the dark conclusion to the performance.

Scene Two –              What happens in this scene? The first patient arrives and tells their problems/secrets to Doctor Joe.

Staging: Patient will perform in the style of ‘Frantic Assembly’ to mime out their secrets and be informative for the audience.  Yet Doctor Joe to be near neutral on stage, giving slow movements to send the message that he is “bored to death”.

Lighting: “Dim” surround lighting to remain for this scene, reflecting the dark, tense and spooky atmosphere.  Engaging the audience to know what will happen next.

Scene Three –           What happens in this scene? The second patient arrives and begins to do the same and tells their stories/secrets to Doctor Joe.

                                    Staging: Keeping a similar stage and performance formation to the previous scene, this scene will do the same purpose in telling another secret filled story and show Doctor Joe’s descending to depression/boredom.

                                    Lighting: “Dim” surround lighting to remain for this scene, reflecting the dark, tense and spooky atmosphere.

Scene Four –             What happens in this scene? Doctor Joe is alone to begin with, them his adulterer relationship partner returns, and Doctor Joe snaps with anger and wants to break up with her.

                                    Staging: In the style of ‘Frantic Assembly’ the scene starts out like an amateur dramatic production, with little to no physicality in performances.  But as the scene develops the movement montage shows the love these characters once had, and moving from one side of the stage to the other it gives a physical metaphor of their journey to now and how Doctor Joe wants their relationship to end.

                                    Lighting: “Dim” surround lighting to remain for this scene, reflecting the dark, tense and spooky atmosphere.  

Epilogue –                  What happens in this scene? The climax and conclusion to the performance, this scene opens with the final still image showing the theme of “wanting to break free”.  Then ultimately ends with Doctor Joe’s death/suicide.

                                    Staging: Beginning with the still image showing Doctor Joe’s desperate desire to “break free”.  Beginning alone on stage, Doctor Joe is then followed by the rest of the supporting cast to create this still image:



 

 

                                 But as the scene draws to an end, with the performance, we see physically Doctor Joe breaking down.  As he comes centre stage he stands of the bridge, and in the style of ‘Frantic Assembly’ he jumps.  Supported by the rest of the cast, they’ll catch him and bring him to group to show his death.

Lighting: “Dim” surround lighting for the entirety of the scene, with a follow-spotlight on Doctor Joe for his suicide.  As the supporting cast gaze down at Doctor Joe’s dead body, lights slowly fade out to conclude the performance.