Devising ideas for scene

In this lesson we were given the task of getting into groups and devising a particular scene. My group were given scene 9 or "the birthing scene". This takes place in the woman's place which is supposed to be a hut on the island. As theatre makers this posed a challenge for my group as if we chose to set it purely in a tent it would block the action off and the audience would lose focus. This is what we decided to pitch to the class;

Props needed:

• Bamboo sticks (normal sticks will do) 
• Umbrellas 
• Brooms 
• Mops 
• Curtain rods 
• Tubes 
• Any other long stick-like objects 
• Blanket
• Toy baby 
• Medical book 

We would have strong red lighting to create an atmosphere of tension and suspense. We would then use a complicite (theatre company) exercise to create a transition: You place a bamboo stick/stick-like object between your index finger and your partners finger. You then travel around the space whilst maintaining eye contact finding interesting ways to move, going up and down, faster and slower. This would create a complex and interesting ritual dance if we pair it with some music in the background. As the ensemble travel round the space I would have Daphne lead Cahle to centre stage and as soon as they hit their mark the ensemble create a tipi around them using the sticks and a blanket is thrown over the top to make it into a tent, completely blocking theme from the audience. We've done this purposefully to create comedy, if the audience can just hear Daphne's lines then their minds will do the rest.

After Daphne's mini-monologue she throws the book out of the tent, this would then be the cue for the stick bearers to disperse and move behind the audience where they would lean their sticks over the seats to create the illusion like the audience are now inside the tent. This in turn solves the problem of visibility and will make the audience feel like they are now apart of the action. We also thought that the men should go up to the balcony to show how they cannot enter the women's place but we can still see their reactions to what's going on.

For the naming song section we were hoping we could have a blackout and then project stars onto the ceiling of Stanley Halls and have the entire ensemble singing twinkle twinkle little star in a round whilst moving around the space as Daphne watches in amazement. This could look really effective as in the darkness the voices will really stand out.