How would you stage the opening of the play and what would be your intended effect for an audience.

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Luke Armitage 12SJW                Centre No: 37121

                Candidate No: 9160

How would you stage the opening of the play and what would be your intended effect for an audience.

On stage to start off with I would have two big palace doors up stage, and that would be it. This tells the audience the location of this particular scene, and also tells the audience information about the characters, such as their background and that they come from a rich family and a posh family.  It could also tell the audience that they are a royal family as they live in a palace.  The set is basic but still communicates a range of ideas to the audience.  The stage setting shows location of the two sisters and what kind of life they live.  Having two palace doors behind them shows that they aren’t poor or normal working class citizens but they are rich and a royal family.

Working as a director I would have Antigone upstage right and Ismene up stage left, this shows to the audience straight away the relationship between these two characters, as Antigone is stage right and Ismene is stage left this shows disagreement and maybe a little bit of a conflict as they are not standing together showing friendship, but showing distance in their relationship.

Before any lines are said Antigone would walk down stage at the same time as Ismene but faster and more in charge of what she is doing, whilst Ismene would walk down a lot slower and more insecure of what she is doing.  Antigone would be in charge and knowing what she is doing is right to her, where as Ismene would walk down looking behind her at the castle doors showing the audience she isn’t sure what she is doing is right or wrong.  This should show the audience the difference between the characters as the difference in speed; posture and gesture are completely different.

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When the two actors get down stage Antigone would stay stage right and Ismene would walk more into stage left again showing a difference in opinion and relationship.  Antigone would stand with her weight on her back leg with her arms crossed and her focus straight forward on the audience, whilst Ismene would have her front leg bent with her back leg turned to the left as well and she would be looking to the ground and have her shoulders turned away from Antigone as well showing disagreement.  To the audience this should communicate that Antigone has the stronger status ...

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