Abigail Dawson – No Added Sugar

Nine Lucky People

Abigail Dawson / June 1, 2014June 2, 2014 / Love, Reflection, Technical

14315762344_ca48138cec_b — (Taken by Linford Butler: 27/45/14)

Taking our caption ‘Two Lucky People’ from one of our scenes, we found that there were not two, but in fact nine lucky people in our company. Every single member, including myself, could not feel any more fortunate to be able to create and perform Three Words. Throughout our devising process we were never alone; we worked closely as a team and collaborated with our ideas. From a Production Manager’s point of view I certainly could not have technically done this show without my Stage Manager (Shellie Barrowcliffe), she was my rock throughout this production. While regularly meeting up for production meetings, together we created the lighting for Three Words and made sure any technical requirements were secured for rehearsals and finally for our show. I trust that together we made a fantastic team and I hope to work closely with her again at some point in our careers.

For our actual performance day, 27^th May 2014, we arranged for the whole cast and crew to enter the Lincoln Performing Arts Centre theatre at 9am. Normally we would not call the cast till around 12pm, but even though our technical rehearsal went smoothly we realised that figuring out sound levels would take longer than we expected. Therefore we had to make sure all the cast were available from the beginning of our Get In so that our LPAC technician Martin could start checking all of the microphone levels for actors and musicians for every scene in show. The entire cast was very patient throughout our Get In, they listened carefully whether it was to speak into a microphone, stand in a certain light, or set up the stage with props. They were all completely focused and did not wander off, consequently it created a calm atmosphere for us all to work in efficiently. Our cue-to-cue was mainly for my SM and any other technicians operating the show to double check the lighting and sound was prepared for each cue in the prompt book. From this, we went onto our dress rehearsal. We made sure every cast member was aware that it must be as high energy as our final performance that evening, and fortunately they were all incredibly professional and we left our dress fun feeling like we had a show ready, professional standard, to show our audience. It left us all pleased and in high spirits for the final performance.

For our Get Out, my fantastic SM had prepared a detailed schedule for each person to follow, in order for us to clear everything away and leave the premises in good time. Again, each cast and crew member were completely focused in the tasks they had been given and followed them carefully. And considering how many cables we had lying around the stage with all the microphones and lights, we were able to tidy everything away and put them back in their original places if they belonged to the LPAC. Below are links to both the Performance day and Get Out schedules that my SM prepared:

Three Words Performance Day Schedule

Three Words Get Out Plan

My final words for this performance are excitement, hope and potential. I believe No Added Sugar, and Three Words itself has a future. The feedback we have received from this production has been incredible and I could not be prouder to call myself a member of this team. I start to feel emotional at looking through any photos from past rehearsals, or even the ones from the actual performance, I have had the time of my life doing Three Words. I seriously hope this production, and company, live on. The future is bright, and we have potentially already been offered an opportunity to perform Three Words once more. Who knows, you may even find us at Edinbrough Fringe Festival next year. Keep your eyes peeled!

Works Cited

Abigail Dawson (2013) Reflection of our Final Degree Performance [Online Video] Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mint9L2x7M0 [Accessed 1 June 2014]

A Single Spotlight

Abigail Dawson / May 28, 2014June 2, 2014 / Deveopment, Initial Ideas, performance, Technical

Throughout the process of Three Words not only was I the Production Manager, but I also took on the role as Lighting Designer (LD). Unlike a scripted play, our company devised the performance from scratch so I wasn’t able to go through our script from day one and think about ideas for lighting the stage, frankly because we did not have a finished script until a few weeks before the performance. When taking on a devised piece of work, this is something that a LD especially, has to deal with. Instead, I had to write notes down when scenes were first created and developed about the atmosphere and the intentions of the scene, so I could slowly put together a lighting design.

Francis Reid states that “the lighting designer is not some rather grand person who appears towards the end of the rehearsals and implies: ‘Right! You, Director, have done your production bit and you, Designer, have done your scenic bit. Stand aside and I will light the result of your (pathetic) efforts!” (2001, p. 90). The LD is in fact a part of the production team and communicates with the Director. Ultimately, the LD gives the director what he wants. All the way through the process I arranged meetings with Tom (Director) and Shellie (Stage Manager) to discuss ideas of what his initial vision of his production was. He opted for a production that was exciting, fun and visually stimulating. The first idea that sprang to my mind was adding lots of colour. The most important thing to remember when adding colour to lights is to “determine what role colour will play in the production style” (Reid 2001, p. 77). We need to think, ‘what do these colours represent?’ and ‘will a certain colour portray a certain emotion?’ For Three Words, I suggested a colour scheme of blue, purple, pink, green and orange, instead of always utilising straightforward white lights. These colours do not each represent an emotion necessarily; in fact they were not even used to create a tense or happy atmosphere. When blended together, these colours formed a visual picture that was vibrant and hopefully intriguing for the eye of the audience. When discussing colours with the Director, we agreed that having such a range of colours also essentially portrayed the range of stories and situations we put into our production. I even managed to take our company colours pink and green (from our programmes and posters) and light our pre-set with them. Below are some photos taken during our technical rehearsal in the Lincoln Performing Arts Centre auditorium & attached are my Magic and Focus sheet:

NO ADDED SUGAR FOCUS CHART

NO ADDED SUGAR MAGIC SHEET

Like Brecht, we utilised some of the methods which he created for Epic Theatre. Such as our flipchart with three words that described each scene, this resembles Brecht’s use of placards which also explained each new scene. He basked in the fact that the audience were aware they were watching actors performing a play, set changes would be in full view. I was also influenced by how he employed his lighting on stage. Many of his lights were visible to the audience, much like ours, and even our operator was on stage with us which eliminated any impression of a naturalistic feel. His use of lighting would indicate a passing of time or a chance in scenes, which is exactly what I aimed to use ours for. We did not necessarily require the lights to create a mood or atmosphere, if colour was added during a scene it would be to suggest a change in tone or pace of the dialogue, not a change in the actor’s emotions. Fundamentally, “Brecht wanted above all a space to tell his story in” (Leach 2004, p. 123) which I believe I also created with my lighting design plans.

Another influence I encountered during our process was Headlong Theatre Company. I believe their lighting design, fantastically created by Malcolm Rippeth in many of their productions, transports their audience into a scene. They use colour, generally subtle, but which enhances the mood and atmosphere of a production. Below are photographs from their current production of Spring Awakening (2014) and past production of Chimerica (2013):

springawakening — (Taken from https://headlong.co.uk)

CHIMERICA-WEB-15 — (Taken from https://headlong.co.uk)

I sought to take an essence of Headlong’s lighting and create our own style. Something that was bright and colourful, something that the audience would visually enjoy. I have thoroughly enjoyed my role of Production Manager, however my passion lies in designing lights. I can only hope this showed through our production of Three Words. If I have any three words to say its: Watch this space. Below are some photos taken from our dress rehearsal which show some of my colourful lighting design in action on the stage:

14129840867_11967495a5_b — (Taken by Linford Butler: 27/5/14)

14316389635_82134916bd_b — (Taken by Linford Butler: 27/5/14)

Works Cited
Reid, F. (2001) The Stage Lighting Handbook, New York: Routledge.
Leach, R. (2004) The Makers of Modern Theatre: An Introduction, London: Routledge.

Initial Technical Preparation

Abigail Dawson / May 21, 2014 / Development, Technical

During the process of ‘Three Words’ I have found myself undertaking a more challenging role that I have been accustomed to. The usual position I adopt for a production for the past couple of years has been the Stage Manager, a demanding job of its own accord, however by taking on the role of Production Manager has been a brand new challenge which I have gladly accepted. I have gained new responsibilities, such a creating the risk assessment and providing a technical rider to any theatres we may tour to. Throughout this process I keep reminding myself that I am “the person responsible for everything on stage that is not an actor” (Dean 2007, p. 6), especially during the technical rehearsals, I must make sure everything technical and on stage is running smoothly and safely. Peter Maccoy clarifies in Essentials of Stage Management that the HCE (Health Care Equipment) “defines a risk assessment as nothing more than a careful examination of what, in your work, could cause harm to people, so that you can weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions or should do more to prevent harm. The aim is to make sure that no one gets hurt or becomes ill” (2004, p. 217)

With this in mind, risk assessments are not designed to identify every possible hazard that could occur during the production; instead they are made to reduce risks to acceptable levels. These evaluations open up the cast and crew’s eyes to potential dangers and enable the company to plan how to prevent such incidents from occurring and making sure their risk is reduced if they do. It is essential that either the PM or SM, PM in my case, completes this form so that the “risks can be can be identified and the necessary precautions taken to ensure a safe environment” (Pallin 2012, p. 109), generally they are straight forward to fill in.

Risk assessments should at least include these following questions:
1. What are the possible hazards?
2. Who is at risk?
3. What controls are needed?
4. How are they going to be implemented?

With controls put into action, such as making sure all wires and cables are kept tidy on and around the stage, taped down and covered appropriately, the production can safely carry on.

NO ADDED SUGAR RISK ASSESSMENT

Above is the risk assessment I have designed for ‘Three Words’, and with our stage and set being fairly minimal, thankfully, it was not a lengthy process. As I am also an actor in this production, I was able to imagine any possible dangers that may occur on stage to myself or any other members of the cast. The biggest dangers appear to be our four microphones which need to be able to be easily moved around the stage, baring this in mind, it means that the cables are not able to be completely taped down across the stage. In reducing this risk, actors will need to be completely aware of them on the stage and where they are going to be moved to.

My role as Production Manager also includes co-ordinating and communicating. Not only is it important to complete this form, it is also vital to prepare a technical rider which can be forwarded to each theatre the company may be travelling to. During this process I am responsible for being “realistic about what can be achieved with the resources available” (Dean 2007, p. 70), so throughout the development of the process I have being documenting the essential bits and pieces that our performance demands. It is imperative that the technical rider includes the technical information of what your company will be travelling with and what they may require at the venue. This is in order for the venue to contact the company at the earliest possible date if they are any issues, such as not being able to provide them with the required equipment necessary for the performance.

NO ADDED SUGAR TECHNICAL RIDER

Above is ‘Three Words’ technical rider. As we employ both video and live mixed sound, it was imperative we included everything that is essential, such as the exact number and type of microphones that we require, also the number of projectors used and where exactly they would need to be placed for the performance. By including as many fragments of technical information on this document enables the theatre company to tour from venue-to-venue as smoothly as possible. By sending this document out the company is able to liaise with venues long before they arrive. The requirements set should be made clear so the company’s ‘get in’ can run efficiently with as little issues as possible.

Works Cited
Dean, P. (2007) Production Management: Making Shows Happen -A Practical Guide, Wiltshire: The Crowood Press Ltd.
Pallin, G. (2012) Stage Management: The Essential Handbook, London: Nick Hern Books.

Love comes in many forms

Abigail Dawson / February 26, 2014May 4, 2014 / Development, Love

When creating a piece of devised theatre it is important to discuss and experiment with the style and structure that our performance will undertake for the final show. As a group, and me personally, decided that a fragmented and post dramatic structure would be the perfect fit for our style of theatre which we wanted to create. Our piece as a whole aims to be about love, what different kinds of love people have experienced, how love has affected people, and generally how people feel about the four letter word. Love itself is not a simple and smooth experience; there are many ups and downs throughout. Considering this, we want to apply this manner of jitteriness to our performance so the audience feel like we have taken them through the journey of love; unpredictable, erratic and also spontaneous. A fragmented style appears to be a perfect fit. Love connotates so many different things to individual people, therefore there is not one simple fluid means of exposing love.

We sought to conduct and collect information from interviews with friends, family and even venture out in to the public and talk to the local community. Asking them questions such as “Do you have any rules within relationships?”, “When do you think it is okay to say I love you?” and “Do you have any past or present experiences you would like to share about finding or losing love?”. These questions will hopefully open doors to aid in writing text for our performance, sharing peoples ‘real’ thoughts about the subject matter. We also hope to possibly turn these interviews into verbatim sections of our piece. Our aim is to expose ‘real’ experiences and thoughts about love, something for the audience to emphasise and relate to – it may be their own words they hear recited, or it could be something they have experienced or believe to be true.

Not only do we wish to reveal to the audience what is ‘real’, we also aim to juxtapose and mock the ‘real’ against what we watch in films. Love portrayed in films is generally false; it is over exaggerated and embellished to an extent where in reality it just would not happen. For example , in the film ‘ 10 Things I Hate About You’ when Heath Ledger sings ‘Can’t Take my Eyes Off You’ to his love interest on the school’s football field bleachers, and he arranges the school band to join in to make a romantic gesture. This simply would not happen in reality. Another example is in ‘Friends with Benefits’ where Justin Timberlake arranges a flash mob for his love interest to show her that he is in fact interest in her after all – below is a video of the romantic gesture.

Again, it simply does not happen in reality, and if it does it would probably be a very rare occasion. Either that or I walk through various flash mobs every day where a man is declaring his love to a woman through song and dance. By contrasting the ‘real’ and the fake we can truly see the reality of love, and that it is not all flowers and kisses and flash mobs, instead we get an inside look of the stories of realistic relationships. However it must be noted that we do not wish to portray how bad love can be, we do not want the reality of it to come across as negative. We aim to show the good and happy moments of relationships too, but we are able to ‘real’ thoughts and feelings from the public and how they go so much deeper than what we see in films. Contemporary and also classic romantic films will be our key sources when attempting to mock love. We shall develop this idea throughout the devising process and continue to discuss how to insert it in to our performance.

Rules of Relationships

Abigail Dawson / February 7, 2014 / Initial Ideas, Love

Using suggestions from the internet, books, friends and of course from ourselves, we have compiled a list of rules that should/could be followed during a relationship. There were however, far too many so we have chosen the select few that we believed were the most important.

Rule number 1: Be honest.

Rule number 4: Actually make an effort.

Rule number 6: You will not find true love when you are both drunk.

Rule number 7: Wait one month before you should say I love you.

Rule number 8: No heavy petting in public.

Rule number 9: Do not share excessive details about your past.

Rule number 10: If you are not getting something you need, simply ask for it.

Rule number 17: Bro’s before Hoe’s.

Rule number 19: Be the shoulder to lean on, no matter what.

Rule number 20: Do not cheat.

Rule number 23: Never go to the back of a cinema on a first date.

Rule number 24: Do not be a slut on the first date.

Rule number 26: Compromise is crucial.

Rule number 27: Do not let yourself go.

Rule number 28: Do not be afraid to have tough conversations.

Rule number 29: Learn to forgive without holding grudges.

Rule number 37: There are only two people in your life you should lie to… the police and your girlfriend.

Rule number 38: Be spontaneous with your affections.

Rule number 39: Remember to have fun.

Rule number 44: Do not put more than two kisses on the end of a text.

Rule number 45: Do not place your partner on a pedestal.

These rules are not rules that everyone will follow, some people may not agree with any of them. Some are serious, and some are comical. What we wanted to do was create a sense of what we believe should and should not happen within a relationship. These are our initial ideas. Perhaps there is a story behind each of these rules, this is something we aim to develop throughout our devising process.