colder than here Flashcards
non-verbal elements
gesture body language mime facial expressions characterisation movement and speech relationship props space levels and proxemics entrances and exits, style and influence intended impact stillness text as a whole eye contact
costume designer
communicate ideas characterisation colour/cut make-up actor/audience relationship audience embedded examples whole play - seasons fabric/texture period
verbal communication
links to non verbal e.g props and levels proxemics entrances and exits movement direction eye contact pace tone intonation pace and pauses dynamics
lights
colour effects season/passing of time types of light light in relationship to speech light in relationship to movement scene changes intensity special effects e.g fog and projection mood and atmosphere
sound
types of sound effects scene changes mood and atmosphere sound in relationship to movement
scene one
burial ground - no headstones, westmidlands, mid-september
Introduction of each character
scene two
living room, mid-evening, late october
First time all characters are seen
scene three
burial ground near Leamington, level meadow, mid-November, bleak
Introduces the tension between sisters
scene four
living room, sunday afternoon, late November
Alec and Harriet finding ways to cope
scene five
civil cemetery - Coventry - patch of earth, industrial, early December
Alec relationship with Jenna
scene six
living room, friday evening, late January
first signs Myra feeling scared
scene seven
burial ground - Coventry, Wednesday afternoon, mid-March, warm, trees with plaques
sisters swap from scene 3
scene eight
living room, early evening, mid-March
Alec monologue/emotions
scene nine
same burial ground as scene 7, late March
contrasts scene one, myra and jenna swap
context
first performed in 2005, Soho theatre
Myra - 56, advanced secondary bone cancer
Alec - 57 - socially awkward and old fashioned
Harriet - 29, eldest and well behaved daughter
Jenna - 27, young and rebellious daughter
themes
terminal illness/death coping with loss natural burial relationships/sibling rivalry eating disorders black comedy
What the significance of the word beat?
Awkward moments
Change in topic
Heart beat
Pace of play
Give an example of the word ‘beat’
Mums thinks we should spend time together. (beat) I think she switched your phone off deliberately ~ scene 3 ~ Harriet
How is Myra described on scene 1?
She is noticeably thin but surprisingly energetic. She is suffering from advanced secondary bone cancer but today has little pain
How is Jebna described in scene 1?
Aged 27, stands a little way off, a large picnic basket beside her. She wears mostly black with a long stripy scarf
props of scene one
picnic basket
‘Myra opens the basket and pulls out a large blanket’
Cigarettes
‘Jenna fumbles in her bag and takes out her cigarettes. A look. Jenna looks away’
scene one themes
Black comedy ;
‘Can’t say that’s good innings, can you?’
Relationships ;
‘you and daddy don’t have sex’
Eating disorders; ‘
you’re looking for a toilet to go to after you eat that’
Death/Terminal Illness;
‘You have to find things to do. When you’re off work dying’
scene one sound
non-diegetic - birds chirping
scene one lighting
bright
profile spot on each character
dims
scene one special effects
fog machine
scene one characterisation
Jenna - level 4/bound/indirect/defensive
Myra - level 3/bound/direct/trying to engage
Myra early play costumes
Bright flowery dresses well dressed smart shoes natural makeup hair up
Jenna early costumes
Leather jacket tight denim jeans band shirts dark eyes/make-up long hair with fringe
Harriet early costume
Hair up Neat Coloured shirts Tucked in Smart shoes
Alec early costume
Gelled hair Brown, chino trousers smart, dark shirts smart shoes long, tweed trench coat
Alec late costume
Becomes increasingly more tired
scruffy hair
untucked shirts
Jenna late costume
White shirts Grey jeans neat, tied back hair fringe pinned back natural make-up
Harriet late costume
scruffy untucked jumper unstyled hair no make-up
Myra late costume
Wears warm, fluffy dressing gown Large coats scarfs large bags tired
Jenna smoking symbolism
Learnt in a graveyard-cycle of life
In control
How is Myra described in scene 2?
‘She wears warm clothes and has a large glass of wine next to her’
How does Jenna enter in scene 2?
‘a large sports bag slung over her shoulder. She stands just inside the door, hesitant’
Key props in scene 2
Laptop
‘thought i’d give it a go now i’m never going to work again’
Newspaper -
Alec picks up the newspaper and opens it, obscuring his face
Key themes in scene 2
Relationships 'Have you and Mark had an argument?' Dark humour 'A watched pot never boils love' Death/coping with loss 'Get better first, yeah?'
Lighting in scene 2
dim, warm orange
dims when Jenna enters
ends with Spotlight on Myra
Special effects in scene 2
powerpoint (projector)
sound in scene 2
incidental - Brahms
Diegetic - powerpoint
Characterisation in scene 2
Alec - anti-social, level 2, indirect
Myra - social, level 3, direct
Jenna - awkward, level 5, quick
Harriet - open, level 2, light
comedy from powerpoint
A clip Art picture has appeared beside the caption
A tree appears with twinkling sounds
Hungarian dances
21 dances two pianists, one piano - intimate changes in tempo, dynamics and melody melancholly sections and upbeat sections Alec portraying emotions without expressing them
Baggins the cat
Symbolic of how Jenna copes with loss
‘fucking cat thief’
How are the girls described at the start of scene 3
‘Harriet and Jenna stand facing each other by a wooden stile’
Props from scene 3
Tupperware box
; ‘Harriet holds her lunch - couscous salad in a Tupperware box’
Jennas phone;
‘Fuck! Always forget to frigging - forget to fucking lock it’
Harriets plastic bag;
‘Harriet spreads out the plastic bag on the upper step of the stile and sits down’
Cigarettes;
‘Jenna takes her cigarettes and lights one’
scene 3 themes
Sibling rivalry;
‘and you’re still fucking about like- Like it’s your disaster’
Relationships;
‘Mum thinks we should talk about sex more’
Black Comedy;
‘postman made some funny about enormous packages’
Coping with loss;
‘like the chord or something being ripped out from’
scene 3 characterisation
Jenna level 4 and indirect/heavy
Harriet level 2 and direct/light
scene 3 lighting
profile spots - separate
empty stage - black
scene 3 special effects
fans blow on audience - wintery
scene 3 sound
non-diegetic; birds chirping
incidental; Brahms before scene
scene 1 Myra quotes
‘That’s lovely, never dies, that’s lovely’
‘That was almost affectionate’
‘We didn’t want to worry you’
‘How’s the sex?’
Scene 1 Jenna quotes
'I don't like sandwiches' 'Won't have a chance soon, will I?' 'Dad doesn't like me' 'You and daddy don't have sex' 'I think we could find somewhere better'
Scene 2 Harriet quotes
‘Social death. Exclusion from the Brahms fan club’
‘Is it me or is it cold in here?’
‘You just don’t think do you?’
Scene 2 Myra quotes
‘Humerus. Great name for a bone’
‘I want it decorated with the sky and the stars’
Scene 2 Alec quotes
‘The cellist was awful’
‘Not cremated?’ ‘It’s in the wills’
‘Oh, this is - No excuse me’
‘We’re not burying you in a cardboard box’
Scene 2 Jenna quotes
‘I um. Thought I might stay for a bit if that’s okay’
‘Hungarian dances - I like that. The one dad likes’
‘Fucking cat thief’
Scene 3 Harriet key quotes
What. She didn’t tell you?’
‘God my boyfriends a good cook’
‘Just start sleeping in it, freak us out properly’
‘Don’t you think maybe they need some time. Just them?’
‘You’re this fragile little spiky tissue paper thing’
‘Maybe i’ scared of burial grounds. Well here I fucking am’
‘I think she switched your phone off deliberately’
‘Like everything’s your tragedy and no-one else’s’
scene 3 Jenna quotes
‘That’s a fat lot of bloody good, isn’t it, we’re not burying you’
‘Do you miss her?’
‘Yes, I’m addicted. That’s what addiction is’
scene 4 Harriet quotes
‘Stealth cleaning’
‘Jenna wouldn’t notice if you lost a limb’
Scene 4 Myra quotes
'It's freezing in there, dad' 'It's not always Jenna' 'There's memories in there' ' ow ow ow' 'Chuck all of them, I'm not doing anymore cooking'
Key descriptions of Alec in scene 4
‘He gently slides it out of its sleeve’
‘Alec turns down the volume, a little self-conscious
‘Alec starts when she comes in and sits up’
How is Myra described as entering in scene 4
‘Myra enters, wearing a dressing gown. She hovers by the door’
scene 4 props
Fan heater - ‘returns, purposefully, a screwdriver in hand’
‘record player’ - ‘sits down in his armchair and closes his eyes
spice cupboard - ‘It’s like an archaeological dig’
Themes scene 4
Terminal illness - ‘You could help me choose a reading for the funeral’
Sibling rivalry - ‘she staying here forever now?’
Relationships - Out with the boyfriend. Some kind of crisis or another’
Black Comedy - ‘Beautiful. Circle of life’ ‘Cancer. Next question?’
What happens to Myra in scene 4?
Starts to show signs of cancer
Scene 4 lighting
Warm orange wash
End = spotlights on Myra and Alec - narrows stage
scene 4 special effects
Fans - cold
scene 4 sound
diegetic - brahms
non-diegetic - birds
silent pauses
scene 4 characterisation
Alec level 2 with music - becomes level 4 with Harriet
Harriet - level 3 then bound and indirect with Myra
Myra - level 1 - bound and indirect
scene 5 Jenna key quotes
‘God. Sorry. Don’t always here it in there’
‘Can i put your coat on?’
Scene 5 Alec key quotes
'Sorry, I left a message on your mobile phone' 'Went to bed about ten' 'Where's Martin today?' 'Maybe you just... you've just... hmmm' 'D'you want a lift?'
What does scene 5 reveal about Alec?
he’s distant from the family
dislikes talking/being involved
Scene 5 description of Alec
Alec sits on a park bench, the Independent crossword on his lap
scene 5 description of Jenna
Jenna stands facing him, a tissue in her hand
How is Jenna different at the end of the scene?
Jenna feels closer and more comfortable with her dad - watches him and hugs his coat
scene 5 key props
Park bench - ‘Alec is sat while Jenna’s stood
Handbag - Jenna rummages in her handbag
Tissue - Jenna twists the tissue in her hand
Alec’s coat - He folds it and carefully places it - she sits down, her arms hugging the coat around her
Alecs newspaper - Alec goes back to his crossword. Jenna looks around the burial ground’
Fry’s peppermint cream - Alec feels in his pocket and pulls out a Fry’s peppermint Cream chocolate bar
Scene 5 themes
Relationships - Jenna and Alecs grows. Jennas having boyfriend trouble ‘just wants to hang out with his stupid college friends’
Death/coping with loss - ‘I miss her already’
Natural burial - vague gesture to the natural burial movement
scene 5 lighting
Blue gel - cold
profile spots
fresnel on the two
ends with spotlight on Jenna
scene 5 special effects
fog machine - industrial
scene 5 sound
non-diegetic
Birds chirping
Industrial noise
Paper rustling
Characterisation
Alec - tense/bound/alert - level 4. Up to catatonic when Jenna touches him
Jenna - free/level one (Mike drama), rises to level 2 when hugging coat (Comfort)
How are Myra and Jenna described in scene 6?
Jenna and Harriet sit on the sofa, their hands on their laps, silent, preoccupied, their faces disordered
How is Alec described in scene 6?
Alec enters, holding a telephone and a piece of paper. He stops and looks at the coffin
How is Myra described in scene 6?
Myra comes in, rubbing sleep from her eyes, slightly dopey. The others all look at her
Key props for scene 6?
Coffin - She touches the plastic lining of the coffin. It crackles
Phone - ‘Boiler people. Give them a piece of my mind;’
Key themes for scene 6?
Natural burial - Alec tries to stay turned away from the coffin but keeps catching it out of the corner of his eye
Jenna looks at the coffin, biting her thumbnail
Death - ‘I won’t you’re right Alec. I won’t know about it. Still can’t bear it’
Black comedy - ‘sometimes fat people die’
‘feels a bit freezer bag’
‘these clouds look like turds’
Sound in scene 6
non-diegetic
rain/wind
lighting scene 6
warm orange - home/comfort
profile spot on coffin - unavoidable
par can between Myra and family - feels alone
special effects scene 6
wind machine - cold/ill
scene 6 characterisation
Jenna and Harriet level 4 - childlike and free
Alec level 7 then bound/awkward with Myras sadness
Alec constantly shifting his eyes/avoiding coffin
Myra level one - tired/slow
scene 6 Jenna quotes
‘You’re not shit at anything’
‘Place is falling apart’
‘You know. all self-righteous’ (talking about Harriet)
Scene 6 Alec quotes
‘Does a more expensive one look. Look less like a cardboard box?’
Scene 6 Harriet quotes
‘Show her later. Once we’ve done some drawing’
‘Never seen a dead body’
Scene 6 Myra quote
‘Will one of you please for a bloody change know what to do’
Scene 7 Jenna quotes
'’my phone’s been on all morning, cause i checked it before you start’
‘I moved out of mum’s yesterday’
‘should carry tic-tacs. Or gum. Minty stuff’s good, it makes you concentrate’
‘I finished with Mark’
Scene 7 Harriet quotes
‘say’s she doesn’t need to see them if they’re all not going to be right’
‘Summer you’re supposed to be happy, aren’t you?’
‘It hurts behind my eyes. Got this stupid eczema. My mouth keeps tasting of blood’
‘I can’t - can’t stop feeling’
‘What the fuck are you there for then?’
How is Jenna described in scene 7?
Jenna sits down under a tree, looking around her, smoking
How is Harriet described in scene 7?
Harriet enters, a little dishevelled
Scene 7 key props
Jennas handbag items e.g tic-tacs - help Harriet
Plastic bag - ‘Jenna stands up for the first time, revealing the plastic bag she’s been sitting on’ - sisters swapped
Key themes in scene 7
Black comedy - ‘She’s watching have i got news for you’ ‘sitting in it, laughing’
Relationships - ‘Josh thinks i need to ‘go and talk to someone’’
Loss - ‘No. No, I’m losing it. Quite successfully’
Acting in scene 7
Jenna - free and open, level 2
Harriet - bound and indirect - level 3
sound in scene 7
non-diegetic
birds chirping
wind noise
Lighting in scene 7
bright - march
spotlight - girls united
Harriet enters profile spot - isolated
Blue off stage floor lights - shadows on Harriet
Special effects scene 7
cold breeze
Scene 8 Alec quotes
‘So you can imagine how this is making me weary. I am spending precious hours of her dwindling life, talking to you. She want’s to stay at home’
‘DID YOU NOT HEAR A WORD I SAID?’
Scene 8 Myra quotes
‘I don’t want you to feel you can’t - can’t say hello’
‘Look after the girls, won’t you?’
‘But then i haven’t sat on your bed for years,so.’
‘Maybe tonight?’
How is Alec described entering in scene 8?
Alec has the phone in his hand and is pacing up and down. He holds a letter, which he refers to occasionally’
How is Myra described entering in scene 8?
Myra enters carrying a small pot of silver paint, which she stirs with a small paintbrush. She is wearing her dressing gown.
Coffin stage directions
Alec paces around the coffin, looking at it
Alec stands in the coffin
Alec steps out of the coffin and moves away
Scene 8 themes
Terminal illness - Myra eases herself down by the coffin. Alec watches the pain in her movements
Loss - ‘Tell you something else - my wife is dying… NO, no, it’s not your fault…cancer. Bone cancer. No, she’s going to die’
Relationships - [Alec] is about to sit down. Then changes his mind and goes to sit down on one end of the sofa, closer to where Myra is
Scene 8 lighting
warm orange
spotlight on the two to close
scene 8 special effects
none
all attention on their relationship
scene 8 sound
silence - intimate
scene 8 acting
Alec level 7 (anger over boiler) to level 1 - exhausted to level 2 with Myra
Myra level 3 - comfortable and accepted her fate
Scene 9 key Myra quotes
‘I’m not getting better’
‘I should have died last thursday’
‘I’ve been getting headaches’
‘you left him all by yourself and you survived it’
‘you’re smiling all over the place’
‘He wouldn’t listen to music if there was anyone else there’
‘You;re all going to be fine, it’s exciting’
Scene 9 Jenna quotes
‘I should have brought some sandwiches’
‘Ginger at the tip and white at the bottom. Definitely him’
‘Stay there. Try not to die’
‘I tried leaving all the doors open, see if it’d help’
How are the characters described at the start of scene 9?
‘Myra and Jenna stand surveying the site. Myra is wearing a coat, Jenna isn’t. Jenna comes in carrying a blanket under her arm’
How does scene 9 show Jenna can now cope with loss?
Calm about seeing Baggins hair
Scene 9 themes
Terminall illness_ ‘Full to my earlobes with painkillers love’
Black comedy - ‘Bit busy that day. Postponed it’
‘I’ll get you a big nightie. M&S’
Where is Harriet in scene 9 and why is it significant?
In the car - ‘said she wanted to stay in the car’ - M
She’s not coping with loss
Scene 9 example that Jennas changed
‘Jenna helps Myra to sit down’
sound scene 9
non-diegetic
Birds chirping/crickets
Lighting scene 9
warm, bright orange
General wash - no divisions
Characterisation scene 9
Jenna open and warm - level 2
Myra exhausted - level 1
