I have just finished reading my thesis script, Dark of the Moon by Howard Richardson & William Berney again. It seems like every time I read it there is something new that comes out of it - a change that needs to happen, a realization about one or more of the characters, a new image that speaks to me about the show. There are some basic changes that I think need to happen in my original set design to help facilitate the story. 1. There really needs to be a large log that sits next to the house for the wood chopping scene. It really should live about center stage and run diagonally UL to DR. 2. The Rock where the Conjur Man & Conjur Woman live needs to be revamped. It needs clearer platform-like levels (I am thinking circular) that need to step up to the main platform with the cave. This will facilitate the look that I think is necessary for the end scene with Barbara laying on the rock, dead, at the end of the show.
There are some basic things that I know, however, that I do NOT want to change:
1. I want the show to be seen through the eyes of John. His world needs to be the one that is "normal" for us, the audience. It is his choices and his changes that drive our feelings for the rest of the town and the other characters (specifically Barbra) in the show. John and the witches need to be in their own little world that is normal for them - flying on eagles and playing in the fog, the magic, etc. all need to feel like that is what SHOULD be happening; however, the town needs to feel very foreign to John. The things that they do, the way they treat each other and outsiders, etc. needs to feel like it is very out of place in John's life.
2. The Conjur Man & Woman are the only ones that should seem like they are a part of both worlds. They need to seem like they could live in both worlds simultaneously, but if they were to live in just one world they would be out of place.
3. There has to be something that draws John to Barbra Allen and visa versa. I, at this point, am not sure what that something is, but it needs to be there.
4. EVERYONE in the show messes up at some point during the story. There is a point for those characters that are a part of John's personal life that feel remorse, regret, pain, suffering, or sorrow. It is what those characters do at that critical time of change that defines for us (the audience) who they are and how we should feel about them. The only characters that do not really feel that sorrow or regret are the townspeople. Their bigoted fanaticism, coupled with their closed-minded stubbornness make them impervious to the effects of such REAL emotion which, in turn, makes us unable to empathize with them at all during the course of the play.
5. I am toying around with the idea of leaving Barbara dead at the end of the show. She would effectively stay in the dead position on stage throughout the curtain call (she would not get one). I like the idea that the consequences of people's actions are going to affect those around them. This is no different. Dead is dead. She is not going to come back to life and I do not want the audience to have that option be available to them as they leave - if Barbara STAYS dead when they leave then she will STAY dead for them later.
No comments:
Post a Comment