Description:
This week we have been continuing in defining completely our concept in order to access to our vision. By having the theatre in context part in the drafted version, I decided to continue developing my first impressions including finding connections with live theatre experiences that I could apply as a director in the staging of my two moments. Now, I have my concept cristal clear, it is "Lying leads to self destruction" while my vision of my two moments will be divided in Blanche's perspective, Lying to others and to herself.
Analysis:
In terms of the artistic decisions of the play, I have learned as a theatre maker that although my imagination can fly, my artistic visions must follow my stimulus and concept as well as respecting the playwrights ideas and themes, finally with the purpose of creating a coherent and unique vision. In an artistic decision for my vision, I believe that all my design elements must follow my concept "lying leads to self-destruction". Therefore, all the design elements I will use such as the lighting, props, scenery, costumes and more, must follow a color palette that will reinforce my concept. For instance, as a director I intent to use two type of colour palettes, containing cold and warm temperatured colours for the two different moments. In my first moment, when Stanley exposes to Stella all the lies of sister Blanche while bathing I want to give this idea that Blanche is lying to others since she still can differentiate between what is real and illusion. Thus deciding to use cold temperatured colors (blue, green, light blue, grey, purple,etc.) because the bomb of lies hasn't exploded yet, the lies aren't obvious and the truth is in disguise. Whilst, being far away from the warmth of the bomb. By Blanche overhearing the conversation between Stanley and Stella, I want her to feel this security and faith in her illusional world where the lies are her strong building blocks when she hears that her little sister Stella is not believing any of Stanley's arguments illustrating Blanche as a complete farce (which she actually is).
On the other hand, for the other moment of the play, when Stanley exposes the complete picture of Blanche, before raping her I would like the colour palette to be the opposite, I would like my design elements to have predominant warm color trends to connote the idea that Blanche by lying inclusive to herself, has lost track of reality and is tangled in her own world of lies. Furthermore, I want to use warm colors because it approximates extremely to my concept, Blanche is in the moment she reaches her maximum level of insanity and auto-destructs herself by becoming a pathological liar and leading herself to her ultimate expulsion of society by being taken away to a medical institution.All her lies she believed were her allies, resulting being the contributors to her destruction. Moreover, the warm color choice gives this idea of Blanche being consumed by all these lies she attempted to place as her authentic reality to society's eyes, explaining my connections of warmth with fire, the usual outcome of a bomb that destroys everything in its paths and inclusive, its self.
Finally, my target audience are teenagers and above, people who have had previous experience in lying. Throughtout the staging of my two moments, i want to prove to the audience through Blanche's perspective that eventhough you believe lying is the best alternative for escaping from reality, it the opposite. Instead, you are building a spiderweb of lies you will find yourself tangled in, with no possible way out. This is because, as having been a liar myself, I have felt to a certain extent connected with Blanche (not to that extreme) but where i believed lies were my allies, however, they turned out becoming my worst enemies, exposing myself completely and ending completely vulnerable and destroyed. It is true, sometimes lies pass unnoticed, but when you get used to them people will notice instantly that your life is an entire lie, and whether than feeling secure of yourself you'll be in constant awareness of your appearances like Blanche in "Streetcar". I want the audience to feel THAT insecurity, making them reflect about their past lying experiences and the consequences they have faced as an outcome. Finally, reaching my concept once again that lies lead to self destruction.
Reflection:
I know that i am getting extremely excited with this project, being able to fly with my imagination with a stimulus created by myself as a starting point for structuring the concept, and with the concept cristal clear I am able to move on with my vision. However, I am scared that i am unbalancing the central concept of the vision, reflecting my stimulus and concept but at the same time respecting the playwrights themes and ideas. I know that Tenesse Williams ideas wasn't that lying leads to self destruction but i can still explore it through its contrast between the reality and fantasy world created by Blanche mind such as the bathtub action, the positions of characters or the lightining that will be explained in depth in my DN. But, what if i am passing that invisible line, I am paying attention more to my concept whether than the playwrights' ideas? how could i notice where that line stops if the directors' notebook main purpose fo students is to let their imagination fly?
As long as you don't go against what the playwright has said Giselle, you can emphasize and explore whatever theme of idea he has presented in his play... don't worry about this, you have to take his story as an excuse to talk about what you want to say... obviously without saying the exact opposite of what he meant... and you are not, so don't worry!
ResponderEliminarGood advaces with concept and intended effects, it's very clear what you want you audience to stay with and reflect after the play.
I'm eager to start reading your actual ideas and vision for each of your staged moments!