1. DOG EARED REAPER
Thanks for this, Si.
Viv, your performance of this poem just gets better and better!
I've passed the audio to Nick to see what he'll come up with. He's given me a few rough sketches, which I'll post in a minute. We asked Nick to look at this before we developed Viv into the fortune teller character, so I'm not too sure how (if at all) these two bits could fit together.
My first thought would be that Viv would put the candle on the lectern, then pull out some paper and begin drawing at the lectern. Then we see the pictures emerge above her. Then, when she 'accidentally' draws Death, it is like seeing Death in tea-leaves. She is as shocked as we are. Cue the final..."He...is...ddog...eared...death!" bit.
What do you think?
Let me know here on the blog and then I can feedback to Nick. If we decide not to use visuals at all, its best to inform Nick now. The guy is working ostensibly for free until we make that decision.
2. DEATH NEVER STOPS
a) latin lectern: yes! yes! thats a great subtle ref. I love it.
b) cutting a verse. less sure about this. it does feel long when we roll around to the third verse, but I thought that was the funny bit- the idea that the song 'never fucking stops'. I've been deliberately hamming that boredom up, so maybe its my fault!
I'd like to hear everyone else's opinion on this. I was surprised that our audience members picked up on this. I would also suggest that the song was one of the least rehearsed items, and didn't have the proper backing track, which would have reduced our confidence a bit.
Two verses feels a little too short for me...but I think a straight vote is the fairest way. Guys?
3. CATHY / DARTH VADER
Both were picked up by our audience as perhaps being out of place. I think that this was more a question of them being new and still being learnt. I would like to keep them in and see how they look come our next rehearsal. I'm sure that they'll be awesome.
4. GHOST TOWN
One other things I'd like to suggest before I email you all your scripts- moving Ghost Town to the very very top of the show.
Assume that it takes 10 minutes between opening doors to curtain up. I say we start with the EVP video, then roll straight into Ghost Town, so people are coming in, sitting down, getting adjusted, during that film.
> Then it finishes, going straight into Fisherman's News Bulletin.
> When the lights dip for the anthem, I replace James.
> National anthem cuts out, and before the lights go up, we have the opening 4 bars of Ghost Town again, along with the TDTNL title slide.
> Music stops, lights up and I go straight into the sermon.
This stops the drag time of Ghost Town. Also the EVP stuff is very chilling walk-in music, but it isn't getting the crowd excited. Ghost Town is more fun (but in its current place, people wont talk over it because the show has already begun)
5. SCROOGE
I'm cool for Mike's bit to be done just audio, like a documentary. I think thats a good idea.
6. USHERS
I am SO UP for greeting audience on their way in. "I'm sorry for your loss", etc. I think that's really funny. Maybe all of us should be congregated in the lobby in little groups, with two in the doorway shaking hands with big watery eyes. Dram of whisky/apple juice. A few hankies get whipped out. Once we hear Ghost Town start, we head in and slowly take our seats on the stage (maybe leave the 2 on the door right till the show starts)
7. ???
Have I missed anything else? How about we say that we close the phone-lines on Saturday. At that point, I'll email the final scripts over.
Looking forward to my funeral
Disjecta Membra,
Rx
3 comments:
Hi Ross,
Attempting to comment on all the points below but may have to break it up a bit..Thanks for your feedback on the audio too, it's good to know I'm getting on the right track with this piece!
1) DED - psychic drawing. I love it! It gives me some actions to do at the lecturn and ties in nicely with the idea of going rigid when she predicts and fears the presence of DED at the end. I also love the multi-media activity of the pictures seemingly appearing live before the audience as it is not something we have not incorporated yet and adds another dimension.
2a - will get the latin either stencilled on to the lectern once it is constructed, or have it printed on a piece of acetate to secure to the front of the lecturn and then it not permanent. I envisaged that the Latin script would be quite fancy/gothic and state 'Nex Nunquam Subsisto', and then someone will have scrawled 'Fucking' over the top as an grafitto insert. Let me know what you think?
2b - Cutting a hymn verse. I would prefer not to. Ideally we will have a lot more fun with it, enhance it with music and possible even added 'congregation pre recorded on audio as Simon suggested last week, and make it look like we are enjoying it more. It usually follows that then the audience will. I know that with me in a church it takes a couple of verses to get used to the blinkin' tune, and we want the audience to join in so we have to give then a chance. Bear in mind Annabel and Christine did not have the hymn lyrics on the programme as the audience will have. I concur that it'll possibly also seem that this hymn nevers f'Ing stops.
If we do cut one verse then I vote middle one. But I'd rather not.
3) Cathy Piece - Suggestions have been made so far as to keep it more or less the same but make it more obvious that it is Heathcliff reliving this love affair night after night. Robbie can still come in applauding and ad libbing, as it looks like he was commenting on Lon Chaney piece too. I agree that once honed and rehearsed this'll be really strong. Go Robster!
Vader - Keep it in, as it is a good point of recognition for the audience who technically may not be aware of the other more literary characters thus far ( I did not know Andy Lippincot before this show)...and I still love the killer last line, 'Fucked he is, truly and well'...worth it just to hear that!
4 - Ghost Town montage. I am really happy for it to be moved to the top of the show. We could even replay it at the end as audience leaves? Like at the cinema those who care to hang around can if they missed it the first time, or they think they are missing something extra. It also means we are not 'just sitting waiting' on stage and coming in from welcoming people while the music is laying is a lot more dynamic. It may even encourage the audience to follow suit.
Scrooge - Mike's audio. Definitely love this idea (partly as it was mine!) but it also strengthens the impact of the cameo later and also the contrast between the seriousness of the documentary audio and Robbie's delivery of Tim's work.
Meet and Greet - I'm good to go, and all for a lot of setting the scene/method acting to get into the mood. It also is such a contrast to the humour that creeps in and crescendos later on.
Looking forward to seing you out in style Ross!
Vivxx
Hi all
This is probably too late (haven't had internet access until today) but all sounds good to me. Like the idea of Viv creating the images etc. On the Death Never Fucking Stops verses, initially i thought cut since Annabel and Christine had both picked up on it but , as Viv said, they didn't have the funeral 'programme' as the audience would have so maybe we do go with it. And like Ross said, maybe recording three and then having that option. Like Viv though if one were to go i'd say the middle one as well.
See you all soon!
Mike
Post a Comment