My Concept Flashcards
Theme exploration
The main theme in my piece is madness, encorporating other themes such as violence and the human condition
Where will it be performed
It will be performed in the Oliver Theatre at the National Theatre with the revolve
Where is it set
Set post WWII in a German provincial town to emphasise themes of madness- around the 1960’s this was when PTSD was more prevalent among WWII veterans even though PTSD was not a condition until the 1980’s
My intention
My intention is for the audience to recognise how my piece applies to the modern day through its societal oppression supposedly driving people to madness
Extra theme (1): the human condition
Woyzeck is at the bottom of the pile in terms of status and wealth. He has to suffer whatever is dealt out to him and he is isolated in a state of induced madness.
Whereas characters, such as the Drum Major, the Doctor and the Captain are egotistical, brutal caricatures of the evils of society, with no care for anyone but themselves- attributes to his madness
Main theme: madness
Woyzeck’s madness is attributed to the scientific movement sweeping Europe at the time, exploring aspects of the human body. He is paid to live on peas only, so that the doctor can share the conclusions with his students, not worrying about the consequences on Woyzeck. The result was a chemically-induced schizophrenia, presented to us at the beginning of the play in Woyzeck’s hallucinations and visions.
Extra theme (2): violence
Violence filters through the play on all levels. All Woyzeck’s hallucinations are connected with violence and worldwide destruction.
Most characters are guilty of violence, like the Captain and the Drum Major. The violence/madness in Woyzeck’s mind increases to the point where he is forced to act.
Onstage set
There will be spaces allocated for different set eg. Maries bedroom downstage left.
However the bigger scenes with the ensemble actors (tavern) will make use of the revolve to envelop the chaos
Pundrunk connection
I will be able to connect to Punchrunk, in the Oliver Theatre, extensively through the use of technology provided to create an enveloping sense within the audience
Design elements connection to Punchdrunk
Lighting- Punchdrunks’ shows rely on darkness to create a sense of discovery and suspense- i would use this for most scenes except the tavern scenes and doctor scenes
Sound- using punchdrunk, i intend to make sound cinematic created by a fusion of abstract sounds to help create a feeling of expressionists’ dream-like state
Costume and props connected to Punchdrunk
For Punchdrunk, costume is seen as firmly embedded with the intricate aesthetic of the immersive world
