Cruel Garden (1977) By Chesworth, Bruce And Kemp Flashcards
What year was Cruel Garden first performed?
1977
What is the subject matter of the work?
Explores the different aspects of Spanish Playwright Lorca’s life, and how his poetry and plays expressed his thoughts about fascism and the oppression of minority groups. This is represented through a bullfighter, who stands up against the crowd, just as Lorca did in his life
What is the significance of the title Cruel Garden?
It is a reference to the painting, designed by Jean Cocteau, which depicts a bull impaled by banderillas decorated in flowers, goring a matador. This painting is a double image of death, exploring the pain and suffering yet beauty of death, represented by the flowers. Cruel Garden therefore suggests that in order for something to flourish and become better, there must be some degree of suffering, so that you can change. This is exactly what Lorca did in his life, through his murder and sufferings, there is an increased awareness of the oppression of minority groups and his poetry made a difference to society.
What was the aural setting?
- composer was Carlos Miranda
- a variety of music was used including: poetry of Lorca (La Luna Asoma), spoken text in Spanish, Spanish themes including flamenco and catholic religious music, percussion is a feature of score
- use of sound effects such as birdsong and a machine gun
Who designed the set and who designed the costumes?
Set=Ralph Koltai
Costume= Lindsay Kemp
Describe the physical setting
-largely made of blood splattered wood set in a bullring
-performed in the Roundhouse as symbolises an enclosed space with trapped figures
sides are rounded to create claustrophobic feeling and more like a real bullring
-use of different levels in set design
-set is meant to be symbolic of Lorca’s fighting for what he believed in
-use of painted backdrops
-tasseled lanterns
-smoke machine
-flickering strobe lighting
-dappled lighting for garden
-face masks used like in the Italian commedia de’larte
What is the structure of the work? Describe the 4 key sections
Episodic= is not a biography of Lorca’s life
- opening: moon’s solo set in Spain
- entrance of matador, set in Spain: flamenco and pas de double
- first bull fight, set in Spain: bulls are muscle behind fascist idea
- final bull fight: the climax, where Lorca dies
What characters did Chesworth and Bruce play themselves?
Chesworth = the lizard Bruce = the poet
What socio political themes are explored?
- oppression of minority groups
- Spanish civil war
- bull fighting
What impact did this work have on the companies development?
- Demonstrated their ability to create dramatic works which explored socio-political themes,
- forfilled Marie Rambert’s aim of collaborative approach
- under Chesworth’s Artistic directorship, forfilling his aim of different designers and performers working with the dancers
- what is a movement example from this work
Include the interpretation and how this shows the choreographers style
Movement: The moon’s face appears over the back of the bullring upstage centre. He very slowly climbs over the walland descends lowering feet first, whilst the spotlight grows in size. He descends onto the floor through his knees, hanging backwards. He then pencil rolls downstage, and in a prone position pressed up on his hands, crawls himself to the front of the stage.
Interpretation: trying to be an innocent, child like moon figure carefully creeping into the ring. Hes shows to be a suspicious character, lurking in the dark like a spy
Choreographers style: Bruce’s characterisation through the movement
- what is a movement example from this work
Include the interpretation and how this shows the choreographers style
Movement: kneeling DSC he opens his arms into an upwards curve and his chest is raised, and his head is back in a high release. He rocks from side to side then brings his hands in towards his mouth like hes giggling. He lies in a supine position, and kicks flexed legs then returns to high release position.
Interpretation: The upwards curve resembles the crescent moon shape, showing the moons character. Along with other constituent features shows the sinister mood of the moon
Choreographers style: Kemp’s mime work
- what is a movement example from this work
Include the interpretation and how this shows the choreographers style
Movement: Bull is upstage centre in a crouch position, with one arm forwards and one arm backwards, fixated on Bruce the matador. He makes a darting floor pathway towards stage right. He charges towards Bruce and performs an explosive leap with bent legs and hands in fists above his head.
Interpretation: Bull represents the thug working on behalf of Spanish fascists. Lorca is standing up against fascists as strong bull is charging towards him
Choreographer’s style: Bruce’s characteristaion and contemporary movement
- what is a movement example from this work
Include the interpretation and how this shows the choreographers style
Movement: Bull brings his hands above his head to make horns, then performs contractions to bring torso down in stages whilst bending his legs. He then runs towards USL and does a leap, jumping over his leg and lands on the floor. He then springs up into a high level lunge bringing his arms into fifth above the head.
Interpretation: He is building himself up to perform an explosive jump again, then tries to show his dominance and size
Choreographer’s style: Graham’s style through contractions and movement of torso, characterisation through gestures
- what is a movement example from this work
Include the interpretation and how this shows the choreographers style
Movement: Bruce, holding the banderillos runs in a sweeping circle then impales them into the shoulders of the bull. The bull thrashes in agony, contracting his abdominals, before removing them from his own shoulders, travelling to DSR.
Interpretation: This movement is a direct reference to the cocteauis painting of a bull being stabbed with the banderillos, showing the important message of from pain and suffering comes beauty, as Lorca stood up for what he believed in, which resulted in change.
Choreographer’s style: Characterisation and Graham’s contraction.
- what is a movement example from this work
Include the interpretation and how this shows the choreographers style
Movement: Lorca is dragged to upstage centre by one of the bulls and then is lifted to a high level above one of bull’s heads. He is suspended here and his arms and legs dangle and he rolls his head back and forth in a confused matter. At the same time, the remaining 6 bulls form a circle with Lorca at the back, and they throw their arms towards Lorca in a slicing action then pulling them back in whilst dropping their heads.
Interpretation: Lorca has lost all control and the bulls representing the pain and suffering, have now taken over and are killing Lorca. The bulls crowd around him, exerting their dominance and power.
Choreographer’s style: Charcterisation of bulls.
- what is a movement example from this work
Include the interpretation and how this shows the choreographers style
Movement: Lorca is lowered down from above the bull, and his head is drooped to one side. The bull’s head appears from behind Lorca, and he tosses him hardly from side to side, 4 times, with Lorca having lost all use of his limbs himself. The bull is smiling and appears proud as to what hes achieved
Interpretation: The bulls have used their strength to kill Lorca, and they appear proud of their achievement. They have actually been manipulated of their strength and they represent the thugs working on behalf of spanish fascists.
Choreographer’s style: Chacterisation
- what is a movement example from this work
Include the interpretation and how this shows the choreographers style
Movement: Lorca attempts to walk towards downstage but collapses as he does so, and he dies a long painful death, collapsed in a heap downstage centre, and the work ends. There is no lighting on stage, visually showing the fight is over, and Lorca has died.
Interpretation: Not only has Lorca’s right of being able to stand up for what he believes in been taken away, but he physically can no longer stand and dies a slow painful death, in the hope his voice and impact had made a change to many lives
Choreographer’s style: Characterisation, as he limps and collapses out of pain
