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What is Eight about?
Eight is a series of eight monologues with tragic and comical insight into prostitution, suicide, adultery, necrophilia, addiction, poverty, lust, and youth. Each character from different walks of life explains how their own story encounters the pervasive apathy of modernity.
The play interprets the present generation; living in a consumerist world of plenty and a shared loss of enthusiasm and belief. Debuting in Edinburgh in 2008 amidst the financial crash, the loss of identity remains a powerful message for today as we remain in crisis. The bleakness of 'Eight' illuminates that the current cycle we are in is comparable to the "lost generation" of 1920's. They experienced disillusionment after the war and, after the pandemic and ongoing wars, we too share an uncertainty about the future.

Why was it created?
Eight is the first play written by Ella Hickson ready to air at Edinburghs Fringe Festival in August 2008. Hickson created eight monologues, these monologues (15 minutes each) offer a state-of-the-nation group portrait. The official website for the performance describes it as "looking at what has happened to a generation that have grown up in a world where everything has become acceptable."
Eight was formed around the results of a survey that asked twenty-somethings what defined their generation, Hickson tried to answer their almost unanimous response of 'apathy' with a show that works to find the glimmers of faith amidst wholesale cynicism. Eight looks at the singular, personal effect of an otherwise social phenomenon.

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http://originalworksonline.com/ Synopsis states “EIGHT swept the board at the biggest arts festival in the world, the Edinburgh Festival, in 2008. An underground hit propagated by sensational word-of-mouth, it went on to win a coveted Scotsman Fringe First Award, the NSDF Emerging Artists Award and the Carol Tambor 'Best of Edinburgh' Award, awarded to only one show across the thousands of productions at the festival. Introducing eight beguiling oddballs, struggling to define what it is to be normal amidst the dissolution of social, moral, sexual and cultural boundaries in The Naughties. From high-class hookers to those who make friends in morgues, to single mothers and bereaved gallery owners, Eight gives all of these otherwise neglected characters center-stage, including the moving, politically punchy portrait of a man who has lost everything except his memories of the 7/7 London bomb-ings.”

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The opening monologue is vaguely promising. Andre, a gay art gallery owner who discovers the body of his lover after suicide, has a story that looks like it could develop into interesting social comment; but it ends up repetitive and loses its impact.

Next, Jude- a seventeen year old who goes to a language school in France and ends up obsessed with, and finally bedding, his ageing landlady: this is more sensitively written, but still ends up feeling rather flat.

Third comes Mona, a pregnant teenager who tells the story of running away from her bohemian mother, to find what she believes to be love and faith in a dark stranger, who then leaves her expecting her baby. Despite all this we fail to feel any sympathy for her character.

The fourth monologue is Miles, a man fortunate enough to escape the 7/7 bombs in London but who uses it as an excuse for two years of debauched living. Yet again, a character which could be likeable, is so shallow as to seem unworthy of any emotion from the audience.

Of the next three scenes – Astrid, a woman coming back to the home she shares with her partner after spending the night with her lover; Danny, an ex-soldier suffering from post traumatic stress; and Millie, an ageing prostitute obsessed with keeping her gentlemen friends protected in their worlds – none really stand up to more than a cursory examination of their motives.

The final monologue; Bobby, finally shows some optimism, with a young single mother determining to make Christmas special for her children. This did at least mean that the evening ended with a positive feel after all the negative emotions earlier.

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What monologue are you doing?

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Mona is a small dark haired girl in her late teens (18) who has a mild pregnancy bump that is not seen immediately. Her hair is loose around her face; she holds the innocence of youth and yet acts with disquieting intensity.
The stage is set with a central block and one chair placed at its side. She stands, hums quietly a child's nursery rhyme and climbs into the centre of the central box.

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Born in 1985, Ella Hickson is a British playwright and theatrical director, living in London. She was brought up in Guildford in Surrey and educated at Guildford High school from 1996 to 2003.

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Referencing https://www.macdowell.org/artists/ella-hickson “Ella Hickson is an award-winning writer whose work has been performed throughout the UK and abroad. Her play Anna opened at The Royal National Theatre in Spring 2019. Oil opened at The Almeida Theatre in October 2017 and her The Writer opened there in Spring 2018. She is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. She is working on a film for BBC Films. While at MacDowell, she worked on a play called Swive, which opened at Shakespeare's Globe in the winter of 2019-2020. She completed a first draft in the three weeks she was in residence and says she could not have done it in any other environment.”

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Ella Hickson is an award-winning writer whose work has been performed throughout the UK and abroad.

Her work includes: Swive [Elizabeth] (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare's Globe, 2019); ANNA (National Theatre, 2019); The Writer (Almeida Theatre, 2018); Oil (Almeida Theatre, London, 2016); Wendy & Peter Pan (Royal Shakespeare Company, 2013 and 2015; Tokyo, 2021); Riot Girls (Radio 4); Boys (Nuffield Theatre, Southampton / Headlong Theatre / HighTide Festival Theatre, 2012); The Authorised Kate Bane (Grid Iron/Traverse Theatre, 2012);

Rightfully Mine (Radio 4); Precious Little Talent (Trafalgar Studios/Tantrums Productions, 2011), Hot Mess (Arcola Tent/ Tantrums Productions, 2010) and Eight (Trafalgar Studios/Bedlam Theatre, Edinburgh, 2008/9).

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Boys:
Four boys face the tricky transition to adulthood in Ella Hickson's riot of a play.

Eight:
Eight compelling monologues offering a state-of-the-nation group portrait for the stage.

The Authorised Kate Bane:
A painfully comic excavation of a family history asks if there is an authorised version of the past - or just the one we can live with.

Wendy & Peter Pan:
A refreshingly modern version of J.M. Barrie's much-loved story that puts the character of Wendy firmly centre stage, in an adaptation that is refreshingly modern but never loses the charm of the original.

Oil:
An explosive play that drills deep into the world's relationship with this finite resource.

The Writer:
A young writer challenges the status quo but discovers that creative gain comes at a personal cost.

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PMQ:
In a Westminster dressing room, Prime Minister Dave prepares for his first ever bout of Prime Minister's Questions.

ANNA:
A radical play set in East Berlin in 1968, unfolding with all the tension of a spy thriller and the inexorable revelations of an Ibsen play.

Swive [Elizabeth]:
Sex is power in the reign of Elizabeth I. Ella Hickson's play explores the ways and means by which women in power negotiate patriarchal pressure in order to get their way.

Decade:
Ten years after 9/11, twenty international writers respond to the defining event of our times.

Precious Little Talent:
A touching and funny play about 20-somethings graduating into a world that's sold them down the river.

Hot Mess:
A dark and lyrical tale about friendship, loss and loneliness.

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Personally I think Eight by Ella Hickson is perceived to be a script with 8 emotional, chaotic, heart wrenching monologues portraying differences within social, cultural and moral boundaries. My opinion on Eight is that it can be seen as motivational and inspirational because of Ella proudly voicing society issues through compelling, sad and emotive dialogue. It’s also a strong piece of writing highlighting the differences between peoples demons and the importance of understanding someone on a deeper level. They are all extremely powerful, moving pieces of writing with slight backstory, to allow actors performing the script to use the backstory as a stimulus and starting point of the performance. From there; the actors, own ideas and abilities can be used to create a substantial piece of their own with equal amounts of impact and imagination. I feel that the monologues from Eight can be portrayed in many different forms. For example, one person may read the script and immediately get ideas to use sadness and PTSD as a main feeling/ issue, whereas someone else’s main focus could be to use anger and depression instead.
Another example would be using different practitioners as inspiration, by using their methods to creat the same effect. One may think a more natural application is appropriate therefore idolises Stanislavski’s approach and uses that but someone else may differ and go for an extreme abstract piece using Antonin Artaud and Theatre of Cruelty as a stimulus.

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My opinion on Mona’s monologue from Eight

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My opinion on Mona’s monologue from Eight

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Personally I think the Mona monologue from Eight is very chaotic in a sense, she used juxtaposition with the contrast of how she initially speaks about her mother to the end where her view has completely shifted. She metaphorically speaks about the house she grew up in “The house became a big, toothless mouth, with gaping gaps where all the doors has been”. This could reflect on how she’s feeling at the moment, where some parts of her are missing. I also think that Mona’s monologue can be portrayed in a psychotic crazy way with developments of slight insanity. It could also be portrayed in many ways but I first interpreted the monologue as a cold hearts and broken young girl who wanted to feel properly loved. At the start she was reminiscing about the house her mother build and she grew up in, then starts to feel numb and painless. Personally, I also think in the end she feels regret and intense sadness for trusting her loves ones due to being backstabbed and betrayed. This is because the monologue ends with “and that I was very silly for having secrets” implying that her mother and her mothers friends though she was stupid for having secrets that she doesn’t want to share.
The way the monologue is worded and written, enables the reader to make their own interpretations and observations of it. This creates questions and ideas to find out and put to use, which helps the performer to form and use their own ideas and concepts.

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My opinion on the character Mona from Eight

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My opinion on the character Mona from Eight

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My opinion on the character Mona from Eight is that she’s very informal with the way she speaks and she expressed herself in a way of needing and yearning to be loved, as well as yearning for sympathy; yet doesn’t get either. She seems very unfulfilled and comes across as cold and emotionless, it’s like she feels a hole of emptiness within her body. There isn’t much detail of her backstory within the piece which leaves the  imagination to the performer. This can be seen as both a positive and a negative because it leaves a whole lot of room for the actor to create an authentic piece using the script. However, it can also cause a restriction of ideas due to not knowing a lot about the character. Personally, I also think she feels a rollercoaster of emotions from regret and anger to deprivation and sadness as well as, a desire to be understood. She is also pregnant aswell which means her hormones will be all over the place so she will be very sensitive to extreme emotions of irritation and affliction. The script also implies a sense of resentment and passive aggressiveness by the way she talks about her mother. For example; to back this statement up she says “she is the spoilt kind, the hair, the nail, the men, she takes what she wants.” Subtly applying aggression to the statement she speaks about her mother in feelings of resentment.

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Fully annotated script

From what I’ve read, I have made a brief conclusion on the script annotation. Straight away, metaphorically speaking. She’s reminiscing about her past in the family home, that her mother built. Mona seems slightly illiterate with the way she speaking, the reason for this being contrasting affects of the juxtaposition in the first section of writing; “ the house became a big toothless mouse with gaping apps, where all the doors had been.” continuing on from this. She seems very disconnected from the world and she talks in a manic disarranged way which links to her vulnerable emotions.

There is a lot of contrast within the script alongside many, opposite thoughts and feelings. For example; the difference between “mother” and “mummy” implies, contrast of Mona’s emotions. As well as this, there are many metaphors and statements of personification. This means:
As a performer reading the script there is a fairly equal pace, rhythm and tone meaning there is no drastic vocal changes, which is meant to be considered whilst devising a performance. There is use of onomatopoeia, for example “slap” and “blow”- this is the naming of a thing or action, by a vocal or physical imitation of the sound associated with it.
Overall, this is a well thought out and well written monologue, portraying, social, emotional and physical issues in the 2000’s. Personally, I also think this monologue is very erratic and irrational, which as an actor can be portrayed in many different ways.

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Strengths:
- ability to choreograph a movement piece within a short timeline to music without words
- creativity and imagination to create a unique solid performance
- able to understand emotions and characteristics appropriate for the performance
- original ideas to have a sense of authenticity
- resilient when having a timeline to complete things
- always dedicated to finish something at an appropriate speed

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Weaknesses:
- time management and staying on schedule is poor
- a certain amount of knowledge about Eight
- not a lot of rehearsal space and time
- budget for the performance so you can’t go full out due to having to consider so many production aspects such as props, costumes, setting etc.
- only have basic editing skills and equipment whereas having advanced skills and more equipment and experience would help massively

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How has research helped your performance?

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How has research helped your performance?

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Research has helped my performance because it’s allowed me to gain knowledge that I didn’t know before. For example, from researching Eight I found out what it is about as well as, who wrote it and anything correlated to what she wrote. Another way research has benefited my performance is because now I feel I understand the character Mona on a deeper level, I’ve don’t this to understand who I’m trying to portray in my performance. Personally, I find that research and asking questions is valuable to create a good performance; this is because questioning something is the key way to find a definitive answer. For example, someone could be questioning which practitioners approach would make more sense and buy researching online -using viable sources- they can find out the answers to the questions and queries. Another way research has helped my performance is; it’s has given me inspiration for my piece. For example, research in verbatim and physical theatre immediately gave me multiple ideas for what to do and how to present the piece in a fitting format. Previously, I also research choreographic devices which meant I could apply certain ones to the dance/movement piece.

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How did you implement your research into your work? 

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How did you implement your research into your work? 

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I implemented my research into my work by incorporating knowledge of theatre styles such as: Verbatim, physical theatre and naturalism. I also implemented research into my work by using various techniques and choreographic devices within the performance.
For the monologue. I used the research of Mona’s character into the piece to create acceptable and accurate feelings and emotions she portrays.
As well as this, I used the research of Eight to create the movement piece and to tell the story of Mona through a contemporary/ lyrical piece which also links back to choreographic devices and feelings. By using the prop of Mona’s box, I implemented research into my work as I had found this out online through looking at the monologues online. The prop is considered to be very significant within the monologue which is why I chose to keep it in the piece.

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Evaluation:
This process has been chaotic and extremely creative but challenging, I have enjoyed learning and performing Mona’s monologue from Eight; As well as, enjoyed choreographing and performing the physical theatre dance piece. There are things that have been rewarding for example, seeing the end product of the piece. Alongside, getting to create my own performances from original ideas.
There have also been things that could be improved next time like, time management and stocking to deadlines. On the other hand though, I have gained a lot more knowledge, skills, experience and self confidence from this. Overall, I am very happy with how this process has been and I will reflect upon and improve the things I need to. I am also grateful to be able to create my own piece and perform them to an audience!

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Reflecting on the process I feel that I have created a valuable, emotional empowering performance including both movement and acting from just a simple piece of writing. Throughout the process, I have researched important information and topics as well as, creating ideas for the piece. Using research has positively impacted the devising process, alongside allowing me to gain the knowledge I require to understand the script.
I feel that the majority of the process has gone fairly smoothly however there was certain complications that were solved and most importantly can be improved next time.
From reflecting on the process I am self aware that my time managed could be better, so to improvise future performance I will stick to the schedule I would’ve created to ensure my time management is up to standard. Next time, I will also make sure I have access to rehearsal space beforehand, this way I am guaranteed important rehearsal time. Another thing that can be improved next time is; finding alternative resources to use instead of repeating resources I have used before.

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Choreographic devices used for dance piece and why?:
Contrast- This is the speed or size opposing to eachother in the piece. For example; fast vs slow movements, big vs small movements and dark vs light moments. This is to create the effect of differences between how movements can be portrayed as well as, to create a diverse combination of movements.
Repetition- Repetition is the repeated movement, the effect is for visual perception and also helps tie pieces of the performance together.
Retrograde- This is performing movements backwards by reversing actions of a sequence. This adds direction and diversity to the performance due to the retrograde of movements.
Stillness- Stillness is the stillness of the performer at certain points of the piece. For example; one can juxtapose the performance with stillness when something dramatic is going on or when the music speeds up.

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Brief synopsis in my own words:
Eight is a script that has eight intense, powerful monologues, all are different characters with different stories and problems. I feel it was written to highlight the impact of social, moral, political, religious and economic issues within the world. By using 8 different stories it creates a harder impact on the reader, listener or viewer. Each character has a different perspective of their lives and they experience several aspects of pain which is then projected onto what they’re saying. Personally I feel the contrast of each character is so different but also not at the same time. They all have their uniqueness and ways of expressing themselves but they are all very similar by experiencing social issues that can be extremely relatable throughout the audience; breaking the fourth at the same time. The piece can be perceived as educational but also interpreted in a more extreme way, which allows viewers to connect to the piece with their vulnerabilities.

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- change
- guilt
- regret
- decision making
- dilemmas
- consequences
- family
- grief
- expectation
- reflection
- humanity
- reality
- reminiscing
- trauma
- failure
- self development
- self destruction
- invasion of privacy
- social issues

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What problems have you encountered?
A parameter I have encountered is management of time, this is because a month, in effect isn’t a lot of time and three days a week isn’t a lot of rehearsal time. Another reason is because of prioritising other things so the delay on rehearsal time happens.
Another problem I have encountered is the lack of rehearsal space for the dance piece. This is due to unavailability with studios so I’ve only been able to mark it in a small space so far.
Lack of knowledge about Eight was a problem I initially encountered. This was simple and easy to sort out though therefore, it wasn’t a huge problem in the end.

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How have you overcame these?
I have overcame these problems by either finding an alternative way to do things or finding a solution to suit everyone’s needs. To solve the time management issue I have set a rota on what to do and when to do them as well as, prioritising the performance to get it finished. Then to sort out the lack of rehearsal space, I have started using grass outside. Since the weather is getting warmer again I no longer have the dilemma of “what if it’s too cold or raining heavily?” To overcame the knowledge issue I researched Eight. What it was about and who wrote it; researching this helped me massively to understand further.

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Familiarising yourself with the the script

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Familiarising yourself with the the script

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To familiarise myself with my script I have researched what Eight is about, who it’s written by and who the writer is. This helps get an idea as to what it’s about by using different viable sources of the internet. However, to get a deep understanding of the script I chose to delve deep into it and read the whole script, this helps me get an inside out understanding. Looking at different reviews gives me an insight as to what the public think of Eight by Ella Hickson and the variety of responses are all different, everyone has various different opinions and perspectives about the script.

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I have also searched for videos on YouTube of monologues to see how people interpret the scripts in their own ways. It’s helpful to see a variation of ways of how to play the character and gives me me inspiration on how to do certain bits of the script.

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You can find Eight by Ella Hickson available in digital kindle edition and paperback book options on https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eight-Ella-Hickson-ebook/dp/B009YLLX4S.
Amazon summarises the script/book as: Eight compelling monologues offering a state-of-the-nation group portrait for the stage. First seen on the Edinburgh Fringe, the play was produced in the West End in 2012.

From Millie, the jolly-hockey-sticks prostitute who mourns the loss of the good old British class system, to Miles, a 7/7 survivor, and Danny, an ex-squaddie who makes friends in morgues, Eight looks at what has happened to a generation that has grown up in a world where everything has become acceptable.

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In its original performances, each audience voted for four of the eight monologues that they wished to see, resulting in a different line-up at every performance. A ninth unperformed monologue is included in this edition. The monologues are ideal for performance by student and amateur groups; any number and any combination can be performed. They also provide excellent opportunities for actors looking for audition material.
Reviews:
'Hickson's writing remains astonishing, with a huge, angry energy and poetry' The Scotsman

'Ella Hickson has already found her voice and it's a powerful one - a potent show indeed' New York Times

'One of the most self-assured, startlingly well-written and moving pieces of theatre around' Herald

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Reviews on Eight:
Ann Ferguson says “I read this collection of Monologues in the hope of finding something suitable for members of a rather eclectic AS level class to perform. It was shocking and enthralling... The darker sides of the human psyche exposed for a waiting audience. I really want to see each of them performed.” Giving Eight a 4/5 star review!
Also giving it a 4/5 star review, Ophelia Vert states “A stunning collection of raw and interesting characters. After more than one monologue, I was sobbing, and I was almost always thinking about the character's story the following day. It definitely is written to be performed.”

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On Amazon Penny Meakins gives Eight a 5/5 star review writing “Wonderful set of monologues for either audition pieces or as a performance. Gritty and true to life, a good read even if no performance take place.”
These all imply that the readers enjoyed the script and the writing was very relatable, there are however some people who didn’t enjoy it as much. One person gave it a 2/5 star review and wrote underneath “One or two good monologues, but mostly badly written with a deliberate 'shock value' that seems immature.”

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Goodreads states “From high-class hookers to those who make friends in morgues, to single mothers and bereaved gallery owners, Eight gives all of these otherwise neglected characters center-stage, including the moving, politically punchy portrait of a man who has lost everything except his memories of the 7/7 London bombings.”

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These are different interpretations of Eight by Ella Hickson I have found online:
https://youtu.be/AzidD3dKAas
https://youtu.be/HqCwcTK6xTI
https://youtu.be/h2SZNUptAWQ

It’s ideal to see different interpretations of Mona’s monologue from Eight, For example:  the different ways people can play with characteristics and emotions to tell the story alongside the approaches they can use.

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I also found different interpretations that are getting shown to an audience in theatres or have previously been shown in theatre!
https://www.brightonfringe.org/events/eight/
https://bedlamtheatre.co.uk/shows/eight
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/newhaven/meeching-hall/eight-by-ella-hickson/e-kebaqx

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Week 1, 17-21 April: Researching Eight and Ella Hickson was positive this week because I knew what information I wanted to look for. I also managed to read the Mona monologue but unfortunately didn’t get enough times throughout the week to read through the entire script. I think this week was a decent introduction to 8 however, next time I will make sure I get time to read the full script to ensure I know what it is about.

Week 2, 24-28 April: Continuing to familiarise myself with the script this week by exploring different characteristics and emotions to portray was what went very well this week. It helped me to understand what expressions, body language, tone and characteristics I could use for my final performance. What could have been better this week was my focus, as this really effected how productive I was being.

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Week 3, 1-5 May:
Starting to compose a structure, I started creating my Final Major Project performance.
What went well was, starting to efficiently decide and develop a performance alongside, creating and using my interesting and imaginative ideas. What also went well was planning a structured timetable to follow to keep up with my time management.
I could have improved, my productivity this week however it wasn’t a major problem due to it being the week we start to create these pieces.

Week 4, 8-12 May:
What I could’ve done better was, exploring various different ideas straight away so I can start devising the performance instantly. I also think I could have improved, my decision making this week due to being slightly indecisive and questioning my own choices.
What went well was continuing to persevere towards the deciding process and create a valuable and worthy performance. Another thing that went well was, considering other ideas for my performance- it’s crucial to have backup ideas to use just in case something goes wrong or alternatively, if you decided to change or add ideas.

Week 5, 15-19 May:
What went well was, researching Eight and Ella Hickson, as well as, different interpretations of the script; this was to get more inspiration of the ways I can portray the monologue. What I also think went well was, adding onto aspects of my performance by playing with a variety of ways to play Mona’s character. I’ve changed and adapted parts to create more intensity to it which meant solving debates and questions.
What could’ve been better was, focusing on the movement piece, as well as the monologue, as I have been slightly delayed in starting to create the dance.

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Week 6, 22-26 May:
I could’ve improved the access to rehearsal space, as unfortunately I didn’t book out of rehearsal space which meant I couldn’t start the movement piece. This was the fault of my own actions and next time I know to prepare beforehand.
What went well was, my motivation to carry on forming this piece, I was interested to see where I could take the script and how I could develop the monologue. Another thing that went well, was starting to choreograph the movement piece, using a notepad and pen, by writing down my ideas. This help me to start devising dance performance without a rehearsal space.

Week 7, 30-1 June (Half term):
During the half term I only rehearsed the pieces a few times due to lack of time and having other priorities.
What went well was; managing to remember the monologue and choreography during the half term. Another thing that was good was; when rehearsing, I was feeling confident about the performance. Feeling confide made me feel and think more positively about the piece, which instantly lifted my mood. What I could improve is the projection and tone of my voice to ensure I’m loud and clear enough. As well as, using the space more by moving about around the stage. This is so that I’m not just boringly standing still as moving around it more visually effective and appealing to the audiences eyes.

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Week 8, 6-8 June:
What could have been better this week was: my time management for completing the performance. I also feel I could have rehearsed my performance abit more- to make sure I don’t mess anything up I’m the final performance- rather than just rereading the script.
What I feel went well this week was, the extra research I did about Eight to help the outcome of the performance. Another thing that was good was starting to prepare for the final performance next week. Even though I was supposed to do it this week, I extended the timeline by a week and was determined to stick by that.

Week 9, 13-15 June:
What went well was; finally finishing the Final Major Project Performance! I am relieved to have finished the piece however, it has been a good growth journey. Another thing that I think went well was, my confidence whilst doing the final performance. On the other hand, it can still be improved but I think it helped lift my performance.
What could be improved next time is, my time management, ensuring I prioritise rehearsal time and creating a realistic deadline to get it completed by. I feel the process next time could go a lot smoother and now I’ve learnt what I need to change or do differently, I am ready to improve it for the next performance I do. I also feel I need to continue to be confident in my ideas and choices because it’ll help my final performances massively in the future.

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Introducing myself to the monologue and reading it for the first time (having to cut the videos due to the limit on Padlet)

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Trying the monologue with a different tone of voice to establish what characteristics I could use and what emotions I can portray

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Playing around with different ways to play the character Mona 

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Originally, I was going for an exaggerated Theatre of Cruelty approach to act out Mona’s monologue from Eight, then I decided to do the complete opposite and use naturalism- natural forms of speech and physical expression; plays that reflect real life. After this I then decided to add physical theatre as a component, this is because personally I felt the performance was missing something. I’m hoping it’ll have a good effect on the audience because physical theatre has inter- disciplinary origins which crosses between dance, visual arts, music and theatre. The aim is to then break the fourth wall between the actor and audience as well as, combing the imagination of both the audience and the performer.
From here ideas were running though my mind, so take it one step further I came up with the concept of using components of Verbatim. For example, my vision for the piece is to create and choreograph a contemporary/ lyrical dance piece to slow, angelic piano music. Adding the concept of a recorded voice over of the monologue, seeks to achieve giving meaning to challenging situations. My intentions are also to highlight the social issues going on through a verbatim, naturalistic physical theatre piece. I hope the audience will manage to understand the meaning of it and I hope they perceive it in the emotional context I want them too.

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I have decided to do a chunk of Mona’s monologue and do a movement/ dance piece and then I got an idea to make a video where I’m doing the movement piece with the monologue in the background also fused some soft, piano music. I thought this effect would be really interesting and cool and it then adds movement to an acting piece. I decided against using any music with lyrics because I don’t want to drown out the sounds of the monologue with music that has words so I decided to stick with piano music. I found a piece on YouTube and screen recorded a snippet of it and have linked it below so you know what source the music is from.
https://youtu.be/xS8MVFxcqZg

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1: Rationale-
Review of the students progress and achievements to date
Talk about successes, failures, improvements and how it’s helped you to become a better performer within the industry.

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2: Project concept-
Idea of the project and how I hope it’ll be perceived.
Perform Mona’s monologue from Eight, Find a piece of slow piano music, Create a movement/ dance piece then combine them altogether. Involves movement and acting in one piece.

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3: Evaluation-
How the project will be evaluated and reviewed
Explain how I’ll evaluate the performance.

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1/2 Eight monologue Final performance.mp4