Bird song Flashcards
Where did we see birdsong
The everyman theatre, cheltenham on 19th february 2018
Brief over view of act 1 scene `1
Opens with rumblings of thunder, the sound of heavy rain music.
Shaw, Evans and Turner appear, laughing, smoking, chatting, Jack emerges from tunnel- exhausted.
One of the sappers begins to play a jig
In act 1 scene 1 what song does jack sing
Joins his friends and sings a traditional song; folk tunes and instruments (violin) are used throughout play to create atmosphere and communicate that soliders were missing home. Scene 1 ends with shell landing nearby sound effect- communicates to audience how close to death and danger the characters are.
Overview of act 1 scene 2 - jack sat down- paper
Jack- exhausted, sits and takes out paper and pencil- speaks aloud, the letter that he is writing to his wife at home =audience brought into a personal experience.
When are we first introduced to character of Stephen
Act 1 scene 2 as he comes across jack who has fallen asleep whilst on watch
What type of set is used in act 1 scene 2
Composite set- there are no major set changes. The main set remains exactly the same, with only the use of clever lighting and small pieces of set/props to change location. Lighting is also used to guide audience focus to particular areas of stage.
Giver overview of act 1 scene 3- tunnel first introduced
Tunnel created through lighting and use of actors movement. Jack, tipper, turner, shaw, stephen and evans crawl along holding lanterns to indicate tunnel as rest of stage is plunged into darkness. The stage directions then indicate ‘they come to the listening post where there is more room. stand and brush themselves down’
In act 1 scene 3 how is the tunnel indicated
a wooden frame
use of lighting and positioning of actors one behind other in a line which gives impression of characters making their way through narrow dark tunnel. A ‘special’ lantern in the wings is used to indicate light from german tunnel
How else is lighting used in act 1 scene 3
the cyclorama forms the back of the set and is lit with strong colours throughout production, to communicate time of day mood and atmosphere.
How does the character of Tipper act in act 1 scene 3
Afraid and claustrophobic in the tunnel, knowing that the germans are near by. In act 1 scene 3 his fears come true, just as the character of stephen is holding a gun to tippers head to try and stop him form crying. The stage directions state ‘an explosion. the men are thrown to the ground’
How does act 1 scene 3 end dramatically
Tipper takes out grenade. Germans appear. A german fires his fun, evans is hit. Stephan takes out one german and as he fire is hit. Tipper fumbles with grenade. Throws the grenade and germans fall to ground. Jack crawls in quickly Jack- ‘are there any more?’, Tipper- ‘I dont know. I dont know! I killed them. I killed them! Jack- “All right. calm down son. ere take this” Jack gives tipper a german pistol.
At the end of scene 3, stephen is unconscious and is taken to a ‘clearing station’ where the dead and wounded are dealt with.
Overview of act 1 scene 4 and 5 - starts with Clearing station
Set- clearing station ( thought to be dead after explosion, he moves and jack gets help)
W move from present to Stephen remembering back when he was with Isabelle.
Silence, sound of nightingale singing. Stephen allows himself to remember. Scene 5, begins immediately with a lighting change and is set in the past when stephen first meets Isabelle.
How are scene changes done throughout play
Only done through the change of lighting and minor props on and off, such as boxes, tables and chairs
give brief overview of set in act 1 scene 5
A warm summer’s evening, Amiens, 1910. The azaires garden. Wicker chairs, roses
Why in act 1 scene 5 does the time and location change multiple times
Stephen drifts between past and present. Jack enters to ask about leave so he can see sick son and captain grey enters to try and persuade stephen to return to england to recover…. Stephen wants to return to amiens to find Isabelle. Throughout act 1 scene 5 we go from present to past and sound is used to communicate Stephen and Isabelle falling in love.