Another task we were set in order to make us explore the play from different aspects was to create a scene where a person was under pressure. I think Mrs Bruton set us this task so we could explore for ourselves situations where pressure is applied e.g. peer pressure, family pressures. It allowed us to create the problem, and then involve others from the whole group in assessing the scene(s) and share their ideas on how the problem could be solved. We used the strategy role-play and decided to create an abortion scene. After some discussion we decided that it was too typical so we decided to do a scene where someone came out to their parents that they were gay. I worked with Natalie, Dennae, Hannah and Brendan. I was mum, Hannah was dad, Brendan was the son, Natalie was the girlfriend and Dennae was the typical annoying sister. The scene starts when Brendan tells his girlfriend that he can’t be with her anymore. We only hear his girlfriend’s reaction, and then his parents call him and ask him what all the fuss is about. He tells them that he is gay. His parents react hysterically and tell him to move out. The play so far, was very comical and it attracted the audience. Mrs Bruton then told us to create an aftermath scene. But it had to be surreal. After some thinking we decided to have Brendan sleeping in the middle of all his family walking around him disgusted singing ‘Brendan’s a gay lord, kum by yah’ His family circled him chanting lines of their disgust in him. It was very surreal in the fact that it looked like it was a dream Brendan was having, but then we turned the tables and Brendan woke up and said ‘go back to bed!’ which showed the audience it wasn’t a dream. Again this scene was comical.
Then, the last task set was to create a scene in the past or present. We decided to do a photo album and point out particular pictures that we didn’t notice before about Brendan’s sexuality. First, we saw a picture of Brendan taking his sister’s Barbie, next Brendan trying on his mother’s knickers and then Brendan watching ballet. We then had the task to cross cut them and change the order. We decided to do the aftermath, the pressure and then the flashback scene. We did it in this order as the aftermath provided the audience with an insight to what the play was about. It also provided an introduction to Brendan’s plea. We then decided to do the pressure scene, which enabled the audience to actually watch the problem and see what the basis of the role-play was about. Then we did the flashback/surreal scene, which fitted in perfect as it shows Brendan’s reaction and the family’s views in an effective and upfront way.
I don’t think that we fulfilled the task, because of the situation that we chose. Choosing the subject of ‘coming out gay’ proved to be the wrong situation as it resulted in a comical play all the way through. I would have preferred it if there was an element of seriousness to it as it is an important issue that needs to be addressed. I believe that we would have done justice if we took that issue and showed real feelings and dilemmas that the person actually had to go through. I think that it was difficult for Brendan to grasp that character.
Development
We were able to develop our work with use of the drama medium. We used gesture, body language, levels, voice, volume, pace, expression and props at times to help get across status emotions, feelings, situations, significant moments etc
I am now going to take the scene where Judy and Jo enter the wine bar and meet the two guys called Bob and Nob and include my ideas on how to stage the scene.
SECTION 1
(Backs are facing the audience, hands by side, legs apart, Bob and Nob standing next to each other)
(Set in Bob’s bedroom both getting ready)
BOB – (Bob spins around with hands on hips) Bob…
(Spotlight on him as he mimes cackling)
NOB (Nob jumps around with his hands pointing like a gun)
And Nob!! (Spotlight on him and blows top of his “gun”)
BOB - Looking good with slicked back hair.
(Runs left hand through his hand, right hand punches in the air)
NOB - feeling “cool”… (Pulls trousers at the crotch) no underwear!
BOB – With throbbing - can’t get enough of it – body tone.
(Both Bob and Nob fall to the floor)
(Bob clasps his hands and thumps his heart while Nob mimes laughing)
NOB – (Lifts his shirt up to show flabby belly) That’s why they call us…
BOB&NOB - (Pause) (look at each other and shake hands) “TESTOSTERONE” (Both Bob and Nob get up and mime feeling their muscles)
BOB - We are on the lookout!
(Walks over to the audience pretending to look through binoculars)
NOB – Fishing line and hook out!
(Opens mouth like fish and runs around stage with left fingers holding nose and right fingers moving up and down in a wave action persistently)
BOB&NOB - Sample Bob and Nob’s favourite chat up lines….
(Link arms and smiles at the audience.
BOB – (loud wolf whistle played from speakers) like you dress darling’…
(Looks Nob up and down, while licking lips)
BOB&NOB - …it’d look better on my bedroom floor!
(Falls to the floor howling)
BOB – (suddenly all serious, stands up) What’s that…. a ladder in your tights? (Tries hard not to laugh)
BOB&NOB- (Bob joins Nob on the floor who is crying with laughter) or a stairway
to heaven! Grab your coat love…you’ve pulled!
NOB – Where’s the aftershave Bob? Get your best. If we’re going tonight
we’re dressed to impress!
(Lights black out)
(Music suddenly blasts out and disco lights come on)
(Bob and Nob appear, walking into the pub)
(As Nob speaks, the music fades down into the background)
NOB – Not much talent tonight Bob. (Constantly looking around him)
BOB –(Pats Nob on the back) Patience little Nob.
NOB –(Scene freezes, Nob turns to speak to the audience)
Bob and Nob… wait … patiently…
BOB&NOB –(Bob joins him facing the audience) … very patiently…
BOB – when suddenly…
(“Hallelujah” hymn comes on and spotlight on two girls Jo and Judy
walking in, then they freeze at the bar)
(Bob and Nob turn their head) Whoo!!…Tasty! …
NOB – Eyes are popping out of our sockets … (rubs eyes)
BOB – Nob’s playing “billiards” … in his pockets.
BOB&NOB –(Look at each other and smile, then look at the audience)
Essex girls!
NOB – (mimes drinking a pint) Get em’ drinking
BOB – (Puts both hands on head and rolls his eyes) Stop em’ thinking
NOB - Give it some rabbit (Hops around to and fro on each foot)
BOB&NOB –In for the kill and grabbit! (Nob pinches Bob’s buttocks)
(Bob turns around, puts his fist up to Nob, Nob bows his head)
(Bob and Nob freeze, looking at Judy and Jo who unfreeze)
JUDY&JO – Like two warriors they approach us …
(Stand tall and rigid, then look at each other and giggle.)
JO – that ones mine! (Points to Bob)
JUDY –“Good Luck to you”, I reply, as I hear… (Shake hands with Jo)
JUDY&JO -…. Their crappy chat up line.
(Howl with laughter)
(Whole scene unfreezes)
(Walk over to the bar where Jo and Judy are standing brushing down their jackets and trousers adopting cliché poses)
BOB&NOB –Hello gorgeous … and what’s a nice girl like
doing in a place like this?
JUDY&JO – (Walk over to some seats in a corner) Avoiding plonkers like you!
NOB- (Look at each other in disbelief) How can they resist us?
BOB – With this piece de resistance…
BOB&NOB – (walk over to where Judy and Jo are sitting) Hey … look at you two
with your curves … and us … with no brakes.
JUDY&JO – (Both shake head) Flattery’ll get you everywhere.
NOB – Just what we hoped (Thumbs up to Bob)
BOB&NOB – (Bob sits in the chair next to Jo and Nob next to Judy) Darlin’ d’ya
Wanna drink?
(Bob and Nob put their arms around Jo and Judy’s shoulder)
JO – Judy. What do you think? (Looks at arm around shoulder)
JUDY – I think their plonkers
(They laugh hysterically and get up to the bar again)
JUDY&JO – (Call Bob and Nob over, suddenly dead serious) But mines a white
wine …
JUDY – A bottle of white wine! (Points to the wine behind the bar)
JO – EACH! (Links with Judy.)
JUDY – No strings attached. (Shakes head)
ALL – Drink! (Lifts glass up all together)
BOB – Drink! (Necks down drink and coughs)
(Everyone looks at him)
JUDY – Drink! (Necks down drink)
NOB – Drink! (Necks down drink, then shakes head)
JO – Drink! (Sips drink)
This play is very exaggerated (especially this scene) in terms of acting. I decided to focus on the way the acting and expressions should be performed. I would like to see this dramatised in the way I have wrote it. There wouldn’t be major costume; just typical clothing that would be worn when going out on the town. For instance, Judy and Jo would wear black high boots, or black high heels. They’d wear a mini skirt with a nice top. Then they’d probably have a leather jacket over the top. Here are pictures of typical 80’s fashion for male and female, which is the decade in which the play was set.
I think that if music was played in the background then it would be effective as it creates a mood and atmosphere, adds to the tension and in a sense controls and directs to an extent the audiences feelings and emotions. For example, if a song like ‘Aerosmith – Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing’ were playing (while a woman was waving bye to her love who was going into the army), it would create a solemn, sad emotional atmosphere, as it is a sad love song and its slow tempo. However, if a song like ‘Robbie Williams – Let Me Entertain You’ was playing (while a young boy scored the crucial goal in the school football team), it would create a hectic, action packed, rushed, chaotic atmosphere as it is a piece of rock music and up tempo.
Just a little after the start of section 1, we see that Bob and Nob talk to the audience about themselves. They both speak together at times, and this is when they try to emphasise a particular word or phrase. I think that it would be a good idea that just before they speak together there is a lead up or a climax built using drum rolls and then when they actually say it or after they say it, symbols are hit. I think that this would add to the exaggerated style of performance. Also it would show the audience just how silly Bob and Nob actually are. When Judy and Jo enter, I think that it would be good to play ‘Kiss’ by Tom Jones, however, just that word from the song ‘KISS’. It symbolises how Bob and Nob feel towards Judy and Jo. At that point I think that red spotlights should appear on Judy and Jo. This is because red symbolises the ‘colour’ of lips and lipstick colour worn, desire, passion, fire, and perhaps danger which could appeal to Judy and Jo.
Here is a diagram of how the set will be: -
Evaluation
I think that it is great that ‘Too Much Punch for Judy’ is available to study in school drama lessons. It presents young people with a true story, a true situation with a real ending. It makes you aware of the consequences of drink driving. Drama lessons give us a chance to study it in such depth; we were able to use various explorative strategies to help us. We were able to create scenes and put ourselves in main characters situations in the play. The moral of the story gets across to the audience –‘You shouldn’t drink drive, as it is dangerous and could result in serious injury or even death, when it could be actively prevented.’
I particularly like the task when we had to re-act the play, but we could take parts of the play to develop and focus on. I remember watching Hannah, Amber and Lucy’s piece. It was the hospital scene. Hannah played Judy, Amber played the nurse and PC, and Lucy played the mum. Hannah doesn’t know what she is doing in hospital and wants to know where her sister Jo is. The nurse avoids the question consistently. Amber (previously the nurse) turns into a PC and knocks Judy mother’s door. Mum acts normal and then she is told the bad news, she reacts hysterically. The policeman urges her to go and see her daughter Judy. Judy and her mother argue. Judy denies taking drugs. I like this play as there were many effects used to grab my attention. There was a contrast of the policeman and the mother’s expressions when she opened the door to the PC. The policeman looked solemn, as he already knew of the terrible tragedy. The mother looked completely oblivious to what had happened, as she didn’t know. This made me feel very sad for the mum. Also, there was a sense of dramatic irony because previously in the scene mum had said “I’m gonna kill Jo, she’s left her room in a state again”, she actually is dead. This makes the audience feel superior and in control. At the end of the scene mum comforted Judy. It was strange to see this happen as I saw it as she was comforting the murderer of her child.
Another scene that was eye catching, were Jessica, David and Brendan’s. Jessica was the mother, Brendan was the first son and David was the PC and second son. Brendan and his brother David were in a car crash resulting in David dying. Brendan had been drinking& driving. Then mum lets her son Brendan know that she doesn’t blame him for what has happened. Then suddenly there is a flashback into the car. ‘Liberty X’ is playing on the car radio, which modernises it and makes it more relevant to a contemporary audience. The son echoes the significant line ‘its just an accident’. It could either have been used as thought tracking or mark the moment. I decided that it looked more effective as mark the moment. This is because the line signified a lot of important things. I believe that it wasn’t an accident, as it could have been helped. It wasn’t as if Judy didn’t know it was wrong and still is wrong to drink and drive. The line also represents Judy’s mother’s feelings. Obviously she’s hurt by the tragedy, but Judy is also her daughter and she probably acknowledges Judy’s guilt and doesn’t want to make her feel any worse. It also shows Brendan’s feelings towards the event, he still feels haunted by the crash. Jessica’s use of hands worked well as they told us a lot. They gave us an insight to how she felt although her words spoke somewhat the opposite. She stroked her hands, and rubbed her forehead. This shows that she is comforting her self and feels pain and hurt caused by the murderer of her son. However, she tells her son Brendan that she doesn’t blame him for what happened covering up her true feelings.
Sally, Hayley and Amanda’s group made me shiver. Hayley and Sally are sisters. Sally, after whinging and moaning finally persuades Hayley her older sister to take her out. Sally uses many elements and mediums of drama to get her plea across. She shouts and stomps her feet loudly and uses exaggerated body gesture and movement to perhaps mark the moment of finally persuading her sister to take her out. It is a wrong decision. Their mother, played by Amanda warns Hayley to look after her little sister Sally. While they are out, Hayley accidentally gives Sally an ecstasy pill. Hayley doesn’t know that this has happened, and her mother knows before her. Sally is taken into hospital and her mother and a policeman tend to her. When Hayley is given the news, she thinks that her mother is playing a joke. Due to the drugs, she believes that she is in a zoo and can see penguins. This effect on Hayley may well be due to the drugs. However, it could be because of the shock of hearing the news she denies has happened.
Similar to Sally, Hayley and Amanda’s piece was Natalie, Kirsty and Nikki’s piece. However, there are many contrasts between the pieces. Natalie plays older sister, Kirsty plays the mother and Nikki played the younger sister. Again, Nikki persuades Natalie to take her out. Kirsty the mother tells Natalie to look after her little sister. They go to a nightclub where Nikki dies after her drink is spiked. Natalie feels that she is the one to blame as she took her out. This is a contrast to the previous piece, as Natalie is aware and admits that she killed her sister. However, the even bigger contrast is that Natalie doesn’t take drugs and Hayley does. I think it shows that it doesn’t matter who you are in the end, if you take drugs or you don’t … its just the environment your in. Kirsty who plays mum reacts completely different to the mum in the previous piece. In this piece, Kirsty goes to hit Natalie and you can tell that she is very angry as she makes rushed and drastic gestures. This maybe could show that she is trying her best to hold her anger in, but she can’t resulting in quick movements. Natalie is filled with even more guilt. I think that the audience may even feel sorry for Natalie. This is a complete contrast to the previous piece as I think the audience would feel angry with Hayley even though her mother tries to comfort her. At the end, Natalie ends the scene by saying “Its all my fault”. This has a crucial impact on the audience. This is because it makes the audience realise her truthful remorse to her sister’s death. It also makes them realise the reality of the consequences the characters will have to suffer for the “accident” caused.
Too Much Punch for Judy is still relevant today although it was set in the 1980’s. The play is set in a wine bar; there are still many wine bars present day. However, to make it even more relevant to today I would set it in a pub. This is because pubs are more in the media nowadays. For instance in Eastenders the pub ‘The Queen Vic” is very popular to young people. I cannot think of any wine bars off the top of my head in the limelight present day. The play would be easy to modify to a contemporary audience; this is because only some elements of the play would need to be changed. This includes music, which would obviously be of some 80’s/pre 80’s. I’d change it to something like “S Club 7 – Alive”. It also includes a change of surrounding; for instance more relevant today places like nightclubs. Examples of these are “The Sky dome”, “Jumpkin Jaks” (which are Coventry Nightclubs).
As the play is a true story the play will have more of an effect on a young audience. This is because they will feel like the play is more directed at them. It would also prove effective as they are more prone to trying new things and teenagers are increasingly beginning to drink alcohol. As it is a true story a younger audience gets a chance to see the consequences. This may scare them, and make them more aware. Therefore it would be more effective on a younger audience.
The use of slides of photographs showing the accident would seem to have a bigger effect on audiences of that era as we have see this effect in theatre many times before and it was something new to them. There are many strategies that would be very useful in exploring the way the play could modernise. Crosscutting could be used to change the play’s order, juggling the scene about. This may lead into the use of flashbacks and thought tracking more regularly. Forum theatre would also be worthwhile looking into as we could change the ending to many decisions and choices made by the characters. Maybe this would have an effect on the way the play ended and the consequences faced. Would it be a bad or good ending? I think if maybe a twist were incorporated into the play, it would prove to be successful. For instance everyone thought that Jo was dead, but actually it was Judy. Maybe their face was too damaged to identify them due to the horrific injuries caused by the crash.