Untitled

[jackmcauliffe666-blog]

Email to Arts Officer at Pomegranate Theatre

Hello, Carole

I am Jack and I am in college studying performing arts and is interested in what jobs go in theatres such as yours  have a few questions about your job and what type of stuff you have to do such as what do you do at your Job on a daily basis? And what kind of experience you need? And how much you get paid hourly and what you salary is like? Also I would like to know what training you need?  And how many hours do you work weekly? I also would like to know what qualifications you will need for the job. Thank you for taking your time to read this, I am intererested in being an Actor and would like to know what qualification you need and what the wage is like and the skills i might need to learn for this job - Jack

[annahill1999-deactivated2017070]

Mine and Jack’s video blogs (actors logs 5)

Mine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK2veC4I6-Y

Jack’s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWFF6RxtJ2I

[jackmcauliffe666-blog]

Alvin Ailey research part 4

1) Give a brief description of both dance pieces such as what they are about and what themes and issues they deal with. Well the theme of ‘Revalations’ is basically about slavery and how everyone should be equal. It also shows the struggle for African Americans  and it features three main parts within the dance.

2) Describe any similarities between the two dances? Are there any key features or movements that are the same? Does Ailey use similar movements?  ‘Masakela language’ is about equality in south Africa about a guy named Hugh Masakela who spoke out about himself, slavery and inequality. Just like in 'Revelations’, it deals with how people were treated and how it all changed. In the second dance ballet is used alot. Both dance pieces are very similar they’re atleast two groups in the second half doing different movements.

3) Find some pictures where the two dances show similarities. This could be similar costumes, movements, spacing, patterns, etc. 

4) Give three things you like about the pieces. Give your reasons why.  in ‘Revelations’ I liked it when the dancers were in the formation because the relationship between the dancers is really good. Then secondly it’ll have to be the costume because it looks poor like a slave would wear. 

[jackmcauliffe666-blog]

Dance Evaluation

1) Discuss your rehearsal process

1a) I attended most rehearsals because i was poorly for quite some time but when i was going through the dance I was focused and listened carefully to my instructions.

2) Provide three strengths you have discovered when performing your ensemble dance.

2a) Movement memory was one of them because i remembered it all after a few rehearsals. Next one is spatial awareness because i was aware of my surroundings. Last one is posture because i listened carefully. 

3) Provide three areas of improvement you have discovered within your ensemble dance.

3a) my balance was an area of improvement when performing the dance. This is because I kept losing my balance during certain points of the dance.

Secondly, I found that strength was an area of improvement when performing the dance. This is because I found it hard to keep a strong posture in my arms when dancing.  

Last one is probably focus because in some rehearsals i didn’t focus to well. 

4) How do you feel your abilities matched the requirements of the style?

4a) I feel that I was able to dance in the contemporary style fairly accurately. I thought that my facial expressions and my timing were similar to the dancers in the video so yeah i think i did pretty good.

5) Looking at the feedback from your audience, what were you told you could work on personally?

5a) From the feedback I got from the audience, I was told to work on my timing because i was off from time to time.

6) Looking at the feedback from your audience, what were you told the group could work on to create a good ensemble piece?

6a) From the feedback I was given by the audience, I was told that the group should be more spatial aware of everyone around them. and give adequate room to those who need it

7) If you were to do this dance piece again, what would you need to improve?

7a) My timing and attendance.

[jackmcauliffe666-blog]

Tec role for the plague in eyam

For the plague in eyam play, the tec role a chose was sound and lighting and I did the pictures for the play in the projection which was in the backround of the stage I used a very moving and creepy type of music and pictures such as a creepy version of ring a roses and I used pictures from eyam itself and other things such as gravestones.

[jackmcauliffe666-blog]

Action plan

To finish Plague in Eyam evaluation which is now finished

[jackmcauliffe666-blog]

Action plan

To finish Plague in Eyam evaluation which is now finished

[jackmcauliffe666-blog]

The Plague of Eyam evaluation

1.      explain your choices for physicality of the character in your performance

 Well I played a sick child named Thomas so he didn’t really do much due to having the plague so he was sloppy and barley walked and there wasn’t much i had to do rather than lie there waiting for my death.

2.      Explain your choices for your vocal performance – did you use any voices/accents or change your voice for the character/s you portrayed and why

 I changed the tone of my voice because I was playing the role of a child so my pitch was higher and soiunded weepy because of me havin the plague.

3.      Explain your role in the whole rehearsal process – what did you do to help create this piece? Eg: writing scripts, being professional – turning up on time, attitude to work. No one wanted to be Thomas so I happily obliged myself to play the role so I had to act like a sick child which was shown well.

 4.      If you took part in this process again what would you do differently? I don’t think there is anything i would change because it went perfectly but if there was anything i would change it would have to be that for me to have more time acting and a bigger role.

 5.      How did you interact with your audience?

 By looking at them basically and using projection so they could hear me clearly. And using a timid voice to make it more moving.

6.      What did you want your audience to feel/react like in your performance? I showed alot of emotion by crying and making it sound like i was dying and the audience got the message . Yes it worked as the feedback says “Very moving I enjoyed the timid voice and felt he was in tune with his character”.

7.      How did you show your focus and concentration on stage? Do you think you focused well? Yes, I know that i was focused and concentrated very hard and no mistakes happened because of it.

8.      What did the audience think about your own performance?

 They seemed to have enjoyed it here’s a few responses and comments i had: ‘Good but not much time on stage’, Nicely portrayed his character’ ‘Showed emotional to exceptional standard’ 

 9.      What did the audience think about the whole performance? Eg the plot/technical elements, script etc? They seemed to have enjoyed it because the theme fit well with the play and sound and lighting.

 10.  What elements in the  performance worked well? Why?

The morbid and death element worked effectively because the play was very moving and emotional and the lighting and music fit in perfectly  

11.  What could you improve on?  There are a few I could improve on such as putting more music into it and maybe the set as we didn’t have much to go on.

[jackmcauliffe666-blog]

Alvin Ailey research part 3

1) Discuss the costume used within the video of the professional dancers performing ‘Revelations’  The dancers In the first bit wear costumes that have a dark brown tone and poor clothes. this is to show that they were slaves. In the next part of the dance, the dancers come on in white costumes. As this part is about baptism, to represent purity and freedom. The last half they’re three more men came on with black trousers and no shirt.

2) What do they wear? Does it resemble anything?Is there a purpose behind the costume? I discussed in question 1 the reason about it is to show they’re slaves but then the ones in white are free and pure from religion.

3) Research into the costume you would choose for this dance by looking for pictures for both male and female costumes 

4) Discuss why you have chosen these costume items. I’d choose something like this because on how a slave would look like with the costume shown above. and it reflects and symbolizes them as being slaves.

5) What will you be able to do in the future with contemporary dance now that you have learnt the style? Consider the types of auditions you will have, and what types of shows/music videos etc require contemporary dance.  

6) What would you do differently to make your group dance more effective and true to the story?   In my Point of view maybe show alot more emotion such as facial expressions.

7) Find three venues (such as a theater or arena) that you could perform this dance piece. Try to consider what sort of atmosphere you would want to create. I have chosen the Pomegranate theatre in chesterfield, Tricycle theatre in Kilbun in London and the Royal exchange theatre in Manchester.

Q8) Include Pictures of each venue

Pomegranate theatre:

Tricycle Theatre: 

Royal Exchange theatre Manchester: 

9) Choose your  most suitable venue and explain why you have chosen this one. Find out what the venue has (such as lighting equipment, number of seats for audience etc). In my opinion i think the pomegranate theatre would be most suitable as the mood and lighting seems more dimmer and eairee in a way which would suit the dance.

[jackmcauliffe666-blog]

Melodrama playwright comparison

Douglas Jerrold: Douglas Jerrold was a leading playwright of the melodrama era and is also a journalist and he was born on 3rd January 1803 in Greek street Soho, and died  Monday 15th June, 1857 at the age of 54. As a child Douglas appeared in his fathers theater several times and most notably in the arms of Edmund Keane. At the age of 10 Douglas went to sea on the 22nd of December 1813 joining the guardship as a volunteer of the first class and had been a patron of Samual’s Southend theatre.   On 10th November 1831 Douglas became a Freemason and was initiated into the Bank of England Lodge.  Two of his most memorable plays were ‘Black-eyed Susan’ and ‘Rent Day’.  In 1832 Jerrold was the editor for a magazine called ‘punch’. In 1836 Jerrold became the manager of the strand theatre. during the aftermath of the Napoleon wars the play black eyed Susan was produced and showed various stereotypes such as how good and evil is represented and also the innocent and the corrupt, the rich and the poor. 

August Von Kotzbue: August von Kotzbue was born 3rd may 1761 in Weimar Germany and died 23rd of March 1819 Mannheim Germany. He influenced in popularizing poetic drama and bought in Melodramatic performances. August wrote around 200 plays in his time.  Kotzebue became secretary to the Governor General of Saint Petersburg. In 1783 he was appointed assessor to the high court of appeals in Reval, where he married the daughter of a Russian lieutenant general. He was ennobled in 1785 and became president of the Magistrate of Estonia a province of the Russian Empire. Kotzebue wrote his first successful play, The Stranger, between October and November of 1788, while he was very ill. By 1860, it had been translated eighty times. After it was given in London for the first time on March 24, 1798, it was staged more frequently than were the plays of William Shakespeare at the time. After this play Kotzebue became very popular vastly to England audiences. When Kotzebue moved to France many of his characters and situations in his plays were in pre-revolutionary french plays in general.

In comparison Douglas Jerrold and August von Kotzebue are very different from one another such as Douglas is from London and Kotzebue is from Germany and Douglas was a journalist in a magazine and August was a politician as well as them both being playwrighters and Kotzebue was poetic and showed alot of romance within his plays whilst Jerrold showed stereotypes and the good and the bad.Also Jerrold was only known for two of his plays whilst Kotzebue was known for doing over 200 plays. Douglas Jerrold’s father worked in theatre which influenced him to get into theater work whilst August got into theatre work himself. August’s plays were more over dramatic and over the top with effects whilst douglas plays were more straight forward and shows clearly the good and the bad. 

[jackmcauliffe666-blog]

Devising theater Genre research: Melodrama

Melodrama was first originated in France in late 18th century and early 19th century as part of the romantic literary period.  The romantics did this to show their emotions through art and imagination. This new dramatic form triggered emotions through the use of spoken lines with alternating music to show a battle of good and evil, full of over the top special effects and dialogue.

When melodrama came to theater’s alot of historical content happened that era such as: 

1781  During the American Revolutionary War, a French fleet drives a British naval force from Chesapeake Bay. The British general, Lord Cornwallis, is surrounded on land and sea by Americans and French and surrenders at Yorktown, Virginia.

1796  The war between France and other European powers continues. In Italy with his French army, Napoleon occupies Venice. City-states are no longer world powers. Some Europeans have been expecting liberation by the French, but Napoleon has been turning conquests into empire.  

1801  Britain makes Ireland part of a single British kingdom.

1802 The British signed a treaty ending their war against France

1803  The treaty between Britain and France has broken down. Again they go to war against each other.

1805  Napoleon defeats combined Austrian-Russian army at Austerlitz, Napoleon crowned as King of Italy in Milan, Treaty of Pressburg sees Austria and France end conflict, Mehemet Ali becomes Pasha of Eqypt 

1820 George IV becoms king.

1823 Anti slavery society formed.

The characteristics of melodrama mainly focuses on are;

 The hero who is full of morals,  usually handsome and manly and reacts on his instinct,  he also believes in justice, but doesn’t follow any minor rules. For example one of plays snow white the hero prince charming is the hero and ssaves snow white who plays the heroin and saves her from the wicked witch (villain) 

 A villain who is always evil in some kind such as being dishonest, corrupt, vengeful or greedy. such 

  A heroine is who is full of morals just like the hero but is innocent and is somehow in trouble, the heroine appearance is usually beautiful and courageous.

A villains accomplice is usually a fool and comically idiotic.

 A faithful servant usually tries to help the hero on his task but serves as comic relief but isn’t shown as an idiot.

The most known plays from the melodrama genre are known in pantomimes and the popular list of pantos are; Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Snow white and the seven dwarfs, Jack and the beanstalk, Shrek, Dick Whittington, Cinderella and various other pantos. 

The playwrights and practitioners in melodrama are:

Douglas Jerrold 

August Von Kotzebue

Rene Charles 

Douglas Jerrold was a leading playwright and actor of his day. He was born on January 3rd 1803. His father was a theater manager and Douglas appeared on his fathers stage several times as a child.  At the age of ten he joined the navy but he was deeply upset by the way the officers treated the men on board ship. After a couple of years in the navy Douglas Jerrold left to became a printer’s apprentice. After completing his training Jerrold became a compositor on the Sunday Monitor but he eventually rose to become the newspaper’s drama critic. Jerrold developed a strong interest in the theatre and began writing plays. After the success of Paul Pry in 1827, Jerrold became the resident playwright at the Coburg Theatre. Successful plays that he wrote during this period included Fifteen Years of a Drunkard’s Life (1828), Black-Eyed Susan (1829), The Mutiny of the Nore (1830) and the Prisoner of Ludgate (1831). In his later life, he then died in 1857.

bibliography:

http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/spd130et/melodrama.htm

http://study.com/academy/lesson/elements-of-melodrama-from-early-theater-to-the-modern-soap-opera.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/theatre/2005/10/panto_list2005.shtml

http://www.yvonnejerrold.com/FamilyTree/L-DouglasWilliamJerrold-biog.html

[performingtom-blog]

Plague in Eyam - Scene 4

Written by me and Victoria in a collaboration.

———– Characters (In order of appearance) Mrs Thorpe, mother and wife of the Thorpe family Thomas Thorpe, son of Mrs Thorpe Mort, the travelling merchant John Hancock, husband and father in the Hancock family Alice Hancock, daughter of John Hancock and Mrs Hancock Gareth, a kind old man from Eyam ———–

A few days later. Thomas has turned worse and is lying in his bed. Mrs Thorpe knows that he isn’t going to survive and that he could die any minute. Mrs Thorpe is at his bed side. Mrs Thorpe is also showing signs of the plague. It isn’t quite as developed as Thomas’ condition. She is showing some signs of weakness and has a fever.

Thomas: (shaking) Mummy, I’m scared.

Mrs Thorpe: It’s okay, Thomas. You just need some rest. Soon you will be able to play out in the mud with your other friends.

She realises that he probably won’t be alive tomorrow. He is growing continuously worse.

Thomas: (shivering) Mummy, I feel cold.

Mrs Thorpe: (lying and hiding her worry) Thomas, don’t worry, you’ll be fine.

Thomas: What’s happening to me?

Mrs Thorpe starts to swell up with tears. She is trying to hold it back.

Mrs Thorpe: (avoiding the question) Sleep now, Thomas. Get some rest. I’ll see you in the morning.

Thomas: (very scared and sad, grabbing her hand) Don’t go, mummy. Please!

Mrs Thorpe: (emotional) Of course. (grabbing his hand back and coming closer) I’ll stay here right here with you. I’m not going to leave your side.

Thomas: Thank you, mummy. (pause) You’re the best mum ever.

This strikes a chord with Mrs Thorpe. She nearly completely loses it and nearly starts crying. She takes a moment.

Mrs Thorpe: (incredibly sad) I love you, Thomas.

Thomas: Can you take care of my special blanket for me?

He shows it to her. Mrs Thorpe takes the blanket.

Mrs Thorpe: I’ll look after it for you, Thomas. Get some rest now. I’m going to be right here.

Thomas: Thank you. Goodnight, mummy.

Mrs Thorpe: Goodnight, my angel. I love you.

Thomas slowly closes his eyes and goes to sleep. Mrs Thorpe is gripping his hand watching him go to sleep. She is still very sad and emotional. She holds the cloth close to her heart. Blackout.

********

John and his daughter Alice are walking with Mort. They are having a conversation about the tragic circumstances of the village.

Mort: I can’t believe that Eyam has been struck by such a horrible disease. It’s so tragic how many people are losing their lives so quickly.

John: It’s so sad. I’m happy that none of my family have been affected but I feel sympathy for those who have.

Alice: I wish there was something we could do for them. There must be some kind of cure.

Mort: Unfortunately, one hasn’t been found.

John: None of our doctor’s in Eyam know what is causing this disease nor how to even cure it.

Mort: They say that it could be spreading through the air. They say that the strong smell of flowers and herbs battles the disease and protects you from getting it.

Alice: It’s definitely worth a try. Things couldn’t get much worse.

John: I really hope the disease dies off and nobody else has to suffer from it.

Mort: It has been a few months now and it’s nearly winter. It is showing some signs of stopping, thankfully.

John: Yes. Not many of us have died compared to October.

Alice: It seems to be dying off.

Mort: I hope you’re right.

John: Mort, can I ask you a question?

Mort: Of course.

John: When you first came here, you mentioned that London had been struck by a disease.

Mort: I did, yes.

John: Is there any relation between the disease in London and the one we have here in Eyam?

Mort: (dodging the question slightly) I think there may be, yes.

Alice: I knew it.

John: What kind of link? Is it a similar disease?

Mort: (hesitating) Yes. I believe them to be the same disease.

John: It must have travelled from London.

Alice: If it travelled all the way to Eyam then it must have spread to other villages and cities too.

John: What have we done to deserve this? I’ve always lived without sin. Most of us have too. Why are we being punished for the sins of others?

Alice: All we can do is to trust in the Lord and not lose hope.

Mort: If this is what the Lord has decided for us then we must trust in his judgement.

Gareth walks in. He is looking sad.

John: What’s wrong, Gareth?

Gareth: I have bad news.

Alice: Oh, no. Is everything all right?

Gareth: No. Sadly, Mrs Thorpe and her son, Thomas, have both passed away from the disease. Thomas died first, then a few days later Mrs Thorpe suffered the same fate. May God rest their souls.

********

Thomas and Mrs Thorpe are now both dead. They are in limbo. Thomas is wandering around the stage looking sad and confused. He sits down on the floor. He looks at an apple and tries to pick it up. He fails to even move it. The apple is from the real world. He can’t move it. He is like a ghost and can’t influence the real world. He puts his head in his lap and starts crying.

Thomas: (to himself) I can’t pick up the apple! Why can’t I pick up the apple?

Mrs Thorpe walks on stage. She stands there looking at Thomas. She looks so happy and so relieved, yet so sad at the same time.

Mrs Thorpe: Thomas! It’s you! I can’t believe it’s you!

Thomas: (quickly turning his head) Mummy! I missed you!

They are both very emotional and they are so happy to see each other. Thomas stands up and they both run towards each other and hug.

Mrs Thorpe: (bitter-sweet) I missed you too!

Thomas: Mummy, where are we? Why can’t I pick up the apple?

Mrs Thorpe: You became ill, Thomas. We both did. We’ve moved on. We are now at peace.

Thomas: Moved on? Moved on where?

Mrs Thorpe: This is the next step. This is what Father William has been talking about every Sunday.

Thomas: You mean, Heaven?

Mrs Thorpe: Yes, Thomas. Maybe it is. That’s what William says is on the other side. But I guess we’ll have to find out, won’t we?

The door opens (at the top of the stairs on the stage). The light gets brighter. They both look at the door.

Thomas: (scared and worried) I’m scared, mummy. What’s going to happen now?

Mrs Thorpe: It’s going to be alright, Thomas. We’ll do it together.

Mrs Thorpe grabs Thomas’ hand. You can hear William’s voice. He is reading a funeral speech. They are both about to be buried in the real world. After a few moments they both look at each other.

It’s time to go.

Mrs Thorpe and Thomas slowly walk up the stairs through the doors. Leaving limbo and going through the “Gates of Heaven”.

[performingtom-blog]

Plague in Eyam - Idea for End of Scene 4

Written by me and Victoria in a collaboration. 

———– Characters (In order of appearance) Mrs Thorpe, mother and wife of the Thorpe family Thomas Thorpe, son of Mrs Thorpe William Mompesson, Eyam’s town rector and priest ———–

Thomas and Mrs Thorpe are now both dead. They are in limbo. Thomas is wandering around the stage looking sad and confused. He sits down on the floor. He looks at an apple and tries to pick it up. He fails to even move it. The apple is from the real world. He can’t move it. He is like a ghost and can’t influence the real world. He puts his head in his lap and starts crying.

Thomas: (to himself) I can’t pick up the apple! Why can’t I pick up the apple?

Mrs Thorpe walks on stage. She stands there looking at Thomas. She looks so happy and so relieved, yet so sad at the same time.

Mrs Thorpe: Thomas! It’s you! I can’t believe it’s you!

Thomas: (quickly turning his head) Mummy! I missed you!

They are both very emotional and they are so happy to see each other. Thomas stands up and they both run towards each other and hug.

Mrs Thorpe: (bitter-sweet) I missed you too!

Thomas: Mummy, where are we? Why can’t I pick up the apple?

Mrs Thorpe: You became ill, Thomas. We both did. We’ve moved on. We are now at peace.

Thomas: Moved on? Moved on where?

Mrs Thorpe: This is the next step. This is what Father William has been talking about every Sunday.

Thomas: You mean, Heaven?

Mrs Thorpe: Yes, Thomas. Maybe it is. That’s what William says is on the other side. But I guess we’ll have to find out, won’t we?

The door opens (at the top of the stairs on the stage). The light gets brighter. They both look at the door.

Thomas: (scared and worried) I’m scared, mummy. What’s going to happen now?

Mrs Thorpe: It’s going to be all right, Thomas. We’ll do it together.

Mrs Thorpe grabs Thomas’ hand. You can hear William’s voice. He is reading a funeral speech. They are both about to be buried in the real world. After a few moments they both look at each other.

It’s time to go.

Mrs Thorpe and Thomas slowly walk up the stairs through the doors. Leaving limbo and going through the “Gates of Heaven”.

[performingtom-blog]

Plague in Eyam - Third Scene

Written by me and Victoria in a collaboration. 

———– Characters (In order of appearance) Dorothy, Carol and Susie’s grandmother and the storyteller Susie, a student researching the plague Carol, a student who is the sister of Susie Mrs Hancock, wife of John and linked to the Grandma (Dorothy) Mrs Thorpe, mother and wife of the Thorpe family Thomas Thorpe, son of Mrs Thorpe William Mompesson, Eyam’s town rector and priest Catherine Mompesson, wife of William Mompesson ———–

It is the present day where Dorothy is telling the story. They are all still drinking their tea, intently listening to the story.

Dorothy: Mort was very grateful for Gareth’s kindness. He took Gareth up on the offer and stayed in the guest house for a few days. Anyway, the cloth that Gareth had delivered for Mort to the tailor turned out to be infected with the bubonic plague. The cloth was damp and it was infested with fleas from the black rat. When they sucked your blood they would pass the bubonic plague onto you.

Susie: So the rats had fleas that caused the plague then?

Dorothy: That’s correct.

Carol: The rats liked to travel and they would pass the fleas onto things like cloth. The cloth would be used to make clothing or it would have been sent to other parts of the country for trade. That’s how it spread.

Dorothy: Exactly. That’s exactly how the plague reached Eyam all the way from London. The fleas from the damp cloth that the tailor had come in contact with caused him and his assistant to die of the plague shortly after.

Susie: How long does it take to die of the plague?

Carol: Up to about 10 days. Not very long.

Susie: That’s scary how quick it can kill someone.

Dorothy: Only the tailor and his assistant had died at first. It took about a week or two for the plague to spread further. Then the plague accelerated and went through the whole village. Anyway, my story continues a few weeks after the tailor and his assistant died…

********

The Hancock family and the wife of the Hancock family and the Thorpe family are meeting up for a chat.

Mrs Hancock: Morning, Mrs Thorpe.

Mrs Thorpe: Morning, Mrs Hancock.

They both sit down at the table with their drinks.

Mrs Hancock: I still can’t believe that the tailor and his assistant have died!

Mrs Thorpe: I know, it’s pretty scary. They had the same horrible disease, the same symptoms and everything.

Mrs Hancock: It really makes you think, doesn’t it? That any of us could have died from it as well.

Mrs Thorpe: Where do you think it came from?

Mrs Hancock: I’m not sure. (accusingly) I wonder if it has anything to do with that disease from London. What do you think?

Mrs Thorpe: I don’t believe it is. I did hear that they ordered a piece of cloth from that merchant’s cart though before they died.

Mrs Hancock: See! It must be from London! That merchant… (thinking) What’s his name…?

Mrs Thorpe: Mort.

Mrs Hancock: (passionately) I’m pretty certain that he’s brought this disease with him when he came from London! My husband bought me a brooch from his cart.

Mrs Thorpe: (calmly) But like William said, if he had carried the disease on his goods or himself then he wouldn’t have come all this way.

Mrs Hancock: He must have brought it here without knowing he was carrying it with him!

Mrs Thorpe: (brushing it off) I think you’re just finding excuses because you don’t like him.

Mrs Hancock: It’s the only explanation.

Mrs Thorpe: Well I’m just glad nobody else has gotten the disease. I heard the first signs are these rings of red spots.

Mrs Hancock: Yes. Then they swell up and filled with pus. I hear they were very painful.

Mrs Thorpe: The tailor and his assistant were vomiting a lot and had many fevers too.

Mrs Hancock: It sounds absolutely awful! I hope this is the end of this disease. I couldn’t bare to see the people I love suffer through the same thing.

Mrs Thorpe: I agree. I am worried just as much as you, I want my children safe. (pause) Hmmm… The air smells sweet.

Mrs Hancock: Really? I don’t smell anything.

William is walking Mrs Thorpe’s son, Thomas, home for rest when William notices Mrs Thorpe and Mrs Hancock. They both notice that William and Thomas are walking toward them.

Mrs Thorpe: That’s my son Thomas over there with William. I wonder what they’re doing.

Mrs Hancock: It looks like Thomas is a little ill to me.

William and Thomas walk up to them. William is comforting Thomas.

William: (to Mrs Thorpe) Mrs Thorpe, your son Thomas has been throwing up a lot lately. I noticed him throwing up when I was on my walk. I thought it would be best if I brought him back home.

Mrs Thorpe: (to William) Thank you, Father. I’ll get him home right away. (to Mrs Hancock) I’ll see you later.

Mrs Thorpe and Thomas leave. William and Mrs Hancock are left.

Mrs Hancock: (to William) Father, mind if I ask you a question?

William: Of course, go ahead.

Mrs Hancock: I’m just a bit worried about the disease that the tailor and his assistant died of. I was just wondering if you thought there was any link to how Thomas was feeling.

William: I can understand your worry, Mrs Hancock. But I’m sure there is nothing to worry about. I’m sure Thomas is fine. It’s probably just a bad day for him today, he was playing out in dirty fields a lot today, after all.

Mrs Hancock: (unsatisfied) Thank you, Father.

William: I feel that you’re not entirely satisfied by my answer.

Mrs Hancock: I’m just really concerned that the disease could have spread from the tailor’s house.

William: The disease that the tailor and his assistant unfortunately died of is gone now. Don’t worry about it, Mrs Hancock. Thomas will be fine.

Mrs Hancock is still looking a bit worried and doesn’t believe William’s explanation. William’s wife, Catherine, enters.

Catherine: (walking up to William) William, it’s time for our walk. Are you coming?

Mrs Hancock: I must be going now anyway. Have a nice walk with your wife, Father.

Mrs Hancock leaves. William is left deep in thought.

Catherine: William? Are you all right?

William: (deep in thought) I’m fine. It’s just…

Catherine: What? What’s wrong?

William: I’ve just been thinking about what Mrs Hancock said – about how the tailor and his assistant died.

Catherine: But hasn’t that passed now? That disease is gone now, isn’t it?

William: I’m not sure any more. I thought it had. But what Mrs Hancock said made me think about how Thomas felt earlier.

Catherine: Mrs Thorpe’s son?

William: Yes. I saw him playing in the fields today. I saw him throwing up so I went over to help him and bring him home.

Catherine: He was just throwing up though. It could have just been because he was playing in the mud all day. Just a bad day for him.

William: That’s what I thought. But what if the disease actually did spread rather than only killing the tailor and the assistant?

Catherine: I certainly hope it didn’t spread. If it spread then that would mean dire consequences for the village.

William: I’m not sure if there is much we can do about this disease. None of our doctors know how to cure it or what it even is.

Catherine: Do you think the disease could have spread to Eyam when Mort arrived with his cart? He did mention that London was hit by an outbreak of disease when he got here. Could he have brought it with him without realising it?

William: Maybe. I certainly hope not…

[performingtom-blog]

Plague in Eyam - Third Scene

Written by me and Victoria in a collaboration. 

———– Characters (In order of appearance) Dorothy, Carol and Susie’s grandmother and the storyteller Susie, a student researching the plague Carol, a student who is the sister of Susie Mrs Hancock, wife of John and linked to the Grandma (Dorothy) Mrs Thorpe, mother and wife of the Thorpe family William Mompesson, Eyam’s town rector and priest Catherine Mompesson, wife of William Mompesson ———–

It is the present day where Dorothy is telling the story. They are all still drinking their tea, intently listening to the story.

Dorothy: Mort was very grateful for Gareth’s kindness. He took Gareth up on the offer and stayed in the guest house for a few days. Anyway, the cloth that Gareth had delivered for Mort to the tailor turned out to be infected with the bubonic plague. The cloth was damp and it was infested with fleas from the black rat. When they sucked your blood they would pass the bubonic plague onto you.

Susie: So the rats had fleas that caused the plague then?

Dorothy: That’s correct.

Carol: The rats liked to travel and they would pass the fleas onto things like cloth. The cloth would be used to make clothing or it would have been sent to other parts of the country for trade. That’s how it spread.

Dorothy: Exactly. That’s exactly how the plague reached Eyam all the way from London. The fleas from the damp cloth that the tailor had come in contact with caused him and his assistant to die of the plague shortly after.

Susie: How long does it take to die of the plague?

Carol: Up to about 10 days. Not very long.

Susie: That’s scary how quick it can kill someone.

Dorothy: Only the tailor and his assistant had died at first. It took about a week or two for the plague to spread further. Then the plague accelerated and went through the whole village. Anyway, my story continues a few weeks after the tailor and his assistant died…

********

The Hancock family and the wife of the Hancock family and the Thorpe family are meeting up for a chat.

Mrs Hancock: Morning, Mrs Thorpe.

Mrs Thorpe: Morning, Mrs Hancock.

They both sit down at the table with their drinks.

Mrs Hancock: I still can’t believe that the tailor and his assistant have died!

Mrs Thorpe: I know, it’s pretty scary. They had the same horrible disease, the same symptoms and everything.

Mrs Hancock: It really makes you think, doesn’t it? That any of us could have died from it as well.

Mrs Thorpe: Where do you think it came from?

Mrs Hancock: I’m not sure. (accusingly) I wonder if it has anything to do with that disease from London. What do you think?

Mrs Thorpe: I don’t believe it is. I did hear that they ordered a piece of cloth from that merchant’s cart though before they died.

Mrs Hancock: See! It must be from London! That merchant… (thinking) What’s his name…?

Mrs Thorpe: Mort.

Mrs Hancock: (passionately) I’m pretty certain that he’s brought this disease with him when he came from London! My husband bought me a brooch from his cart.

Mrs Thorpe: (calmly) But like William said, if he had carried the disease on his goods or himself then he wouldn’t have come all this way.

Mrs Hancock: He must have brought it here without knowing he was carrying it with him!

Mrs Thorpe: (brushing it off) I think you’re just finding excuses because you don’t like him.

Mrs Hancock: It’s the only explanation.

Mrs Thorpe: Well I’m just glad nobody else has gotten the disease. I heard the first signs are these rings of red spots.

Mrs Hancock: Yes. Then they swell up and filled with pus. I hear they were very painful.

Mrs Thorpe: The tailor and his assistant were vomiting a lot and had many fevers too.

Mrs Hancock: It sounds absolutely awful! I hope this is the end of this disease. I couldn’t bare to see the people I love suffer through the same thing.

Mrs Thorpe: I agree. I am worried just as much as you, I want my children safe. (pause) Hmmm… The air smells sweet.

Mrs Hancock: Really? I don’t smell anything.

William is walking Mrs Thorpe’s son, Thomas, home for rest when William notices Mrs Thorpe and Mrs Hancock. They both notice that William and Thomas are walking toward them.

Mrs Thorpe: That’s my son Thomas over there with William. I wonder what they’re doing.

Mrs Hancock: It looks like Thomas is a little ill to me.

William and Thomas walk up to them. William is comforting Thomas.

William: (to Mrs Thorpe) Mrs Thorpe, you son Thomas has been throwing up a lot lately. I noticed him throwing up when I was on my walk. I thought it would be best if I brought him back home.

Mrs Thorpe: (to William) Thank you, Father. I’ll get him home right away. (to Mrs Hancock) I’ll see you later.

Mrs Thorpe and Thomas leave. William and Mrs Hancock are left.

Mrs Hancock: (to William) Father, mind if I ask you a question?

William: Of course, go ahead.

Mrs Hancock: I’m just a bit worried about the disease that the tailor and his assistant died of. I was just wondering if you thought there was any link to how Thomas was feeling.

William: I can understand your worry, Mrs Hancock. But I’m sure there is nothing to worry about. I’m sure Thomas is fine. It’s probably just a bad day for him today, he was playing out in dirty fields a lot today, after all.

Mrs Hancock: (unsatisfied) Thank you, Father.

William: I feel that you’re not entirely satisfied by my answer.

Mrs Hancock: I’m just really concerned that the disease could have spread from the tailor’s house.

William: The disease that the tailor and his assistant unfortunately died of is gone now. Don’t worry about it, Mrs Hancock. Thomas will be fine.

Mrs Hancock is still looking a bit worried and doesn’t believe William’s explanation. William’s wife, Catherine, enters.

Catherine: (walking up to William) William, it’s time for our walk. Are you coming?

Mrs Hancock: I must be going now anyway. Have a nice walk with your wife, Father.

Mrs Hancock leaves. William is left deep in thought.

Catherine: William? Are you all right?

William: (deep in thought) I’m fine. It’s just…

Catherine: What? What’s wrong?

William: I’ve just been thinking about what Mrs Hancock said – about how the tailor and his assistant died.

Catherine: But hasn’t that passed now? That disease is gone now, isn’t it?

William: I’m not sure any more. I thought it had. But what Mrs Hancock said made me think about how Thomas felt earlier.

Catherine: Mrs Thorpe’s son?

William: Yes. I saw him playing in the fields today. I saw him throwing up so I went over to help him and bring him home.

Catherine: He was just throwing up though. It could have just been because he was playing in the mud all day. Just a bad day for him.

William: That’s what I thought. But what if the disease actually did spread rather than only killing the tailor and the assistant?

Catherine: I certainly hope it didn’t spread. If it spread then that would mean dire consequences for the village.

William: I’m not sure if there is much we can do about this disease. None of our doctors know how to cure it or what it even is.

Catherine: Do you think the disease could have spread to Eyam when Mort arrived with his cart? He did mention that London was hit by an outbreak of disease when he got here. Could he have brought it with him without realising it?

William: Maybe. I certainly hope not…

[victoriapritchett-blog]

the monster that ate level 2

[roxannemay65-blog]

this helped with my character of going to a new place italy and how much i love cheese from italy and how im obsessed with it, and how i am intrigued with the culture

[jackmcauliffe666-blog]

Alvin Ailey research part 3

1) Discuss the costume used within the video of the professional dancers performing ‘Revelations’  The dancers In the first bit wear costumes that have a dark brown tone and poor clothes. this is to show that they were slaves. In the next part of the dance, the dancers come on in white costumes. As this part is about baptism, to represent purity and freedom. The last half they’re three more men came on with black trousers and no shirt.

2) What do they wear? Does it resemble anything?Is there a purpose behind the costume? I discussed in question 1 the reason about it is to show they’re slaves but then the ones in white are free and pure from religion.

3) Research into the costume you would choose for this dance by looking for pictures for both male and female costumes 

4) Discuss why you have chosen these costume items. I’d choose something like this because on how a slave would look like with the costume shown above. and it reflects and symbolizes them as being slaves.

5) What will you be able to do in the future with contemporary dance now that you have learnt the style? Consider the types of auditions you will have, and what types of shows/music videos etc require contemporary dance.  

6) What would you do differently to make your group dance more effective and true to the story?   In my Point of view maybe show alot more emotion such as facial expressions.

7) Find three venues (such as a theater or arena) that you could perform this dance piece. Try to consider what sort of atmosphere you would want to create. I have chosen the Pomegranate theatre in chesterfield, Tricycle theatre in Kilbun in London and the Royal exchange theatre in Manchester.

Q8) Include Pictures of each venue

Pomegranate theatre:

Tricycle Theatre: 

Royal Exchange theatre Manchester: 

9) Choose your  most suitable venue and explain why you have chosen this one. Find out what the venue has (such as lighting equipment, number of seats for audience etc). In my opinion i think the pomegranate theatre would be most suitable as the mood and lighting seems more dimmer and eairee in a way which would suit the dance.