The Tin Drum - Scene 2 Flashcards
Give a detailed description of the Polski post office scene.
Jan and Oskar are at the post office.
War is starting to climax - The Order are following requests from the Black Witch.
Prejudice is showing against the Polski’s - destruction of the post office by throwing papers up into the air which resembles mess of the pre - show.
Grandmother arrived and provides guns from under her skirt “it is all or nothing” and once she gave the gun she says “good luck pacifists, point and shoot” - forced to behave against our will? Time for morals in war?
One of the workers is hit and hung by braces from the stairs (humorous character) sings about bleeding and dying.
Jan gets the cards out and starts to play, Agnes sings from (upper stage left) the balcony as if looking down on them - I am your only Queen of Hearts. Jan gets the queen of hearts in his hand and says that he “got her in the end” - premonition of death coming maybe being with her in death? Order breaks through barricade and sets guns onto Jan.
Semiotics of cards; house of cards, queen of hearts, fate, playing the card you are dealt.
Describe the lighting.
Flashing of the lights to mark the hitting of the bombs and the disorder caused by this, correlates with the letters being thrown in the air to show impact.
Changes to a pink dream - like lighting and twinkling synth sound to mark the arrival of the grandmother which breaks the reality - gives guns from under her skirt.
Agnes picked up by a follow spot on the USL side of the balcony. Looking from heaven / down on them / death.
Describe the costume.
One of the workers is hit then hangs by braces from the stairs (so that body can go limp and sway). Humour - singing about bleeding and dying.
Humour - another worker looking for glasses so they can see what’s going on.
Discuss the set/props.
Jan gets out the cards and then plays Scat.
Jan gets the Queen of Hearts in his hand and says “got her in the end” - premonition of death coming maybe and being with her in death? Order breaks through the barricade and set guns onto Jan.
Semiotics of cards - house of cards, queen of hearts, fate, playing the hand your dealt.
Hessian bags over the heads of the pacifists -firing squad and line. Repeated over and over with sfx.
Explain the sound.
SFX distant bombing, crescendos with added synth sounds and drums.
Humorous singing about dying.
Discuss the acting.
Arrival of the grandmother with guns under her skirt. Provider. Humour, repeated motif.
Comment made that there is no middle - it is all or nothing.
Grandmother once given the guns says “good luck pacifists, point and shoot” - no time for morals in war? Forced to behave against our will in war? Jan remains upbeat despite the inevitable ending for him.
Explain the directing (proxemics, use of stage, techniques).
Humour in the face of death.
Agnes sings from USL balcony as if looking from above - “I am your only queen of hearts”. Looking down over.
Jan - shot then raised up by Agnes - together in death, they ascend the stairs symbolic of death.
Explain the impact of this scene.
Loves a bullet.
This scene acts as a crescendo to the war. Very prejudice of Polski’s and shows the determination of distraction of what we should focus on. Playing the cards your dealt, fate and how things are so fragile in the world. Despite what is going on outside the office, they are happy to play their cards, this shows that you make the best of every situation you are in. These are Oskar’s last moments wish his key father figure that he adores. He calls him “father” as he exits.
