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Online picture of a wooden Door (Fourchalk, 2018)

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Online picture of a door (Jensen, n.d.)

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Emmy’s possible outfit (Owame, 2018)

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Anne-Marie’s possible dress (Sheen, n.d.)

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Inspiration for Torvald’s possible costume (Roco, 2018)

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Nora’s possible outfit  (Weir, n.d.)

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Screenshot from the production of Things I Know To Be True (Digitaltheatreplus, 2017)

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Screenshot from the production of Things I Know To Be True (Digitaltheatreplus, 2017)

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Criterion A: The Play Text, its contexts and the ideas presented in the play

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Criterion A: The Play Text, its contexts and the ideas presented in the play

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Picture of script section (Hnath, 2017)

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This is the continuation from the previous picture. Picture of script section (Hnath, 2017)

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Picture of script section (Hnath, 2017)

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(Author's own)

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(Author's own)

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This moment happens just before the last scene of the play. It is when Torvald and Anne Marie enter and disrupts the conversation between Nora and Emmy. Torvald is hurt, Anne Marie and Emmy rush to help him.

For this moment I have decided to stay within the naturalistic qualities of the play therefore be minimal with extravagances. The aim for me is for the audience to regain sympathy for Nora. I want them to empathise with her at this moment and for them to be able to feel her bittersweet attitude towards the rest of the family members. Thus depicting her feeling of regret for leaving this picture 15 years ago. This moment brings a peculiar meaning to the entire play as it is the first time that all the characters are seen together on stage. It gives the impression of an overall family picture. For this moment I want to focus of this scene is to display the physical estrangement of Nora by her own family. She has been replaced and that life went on without positive change she hoped for.

Regarding Nora’s light I wanted to have a colder light but one which could be misleading to a certain extent. While some could have chosen a neutral white light which could work as well, I decided to use the shade of lavender. Lavender is a color which still remains to look relatively neutral on stage as it adapts to the mood set on stage. As it is quite adaptable to the situation this helps to consolidate the portrayal of Nora’s obvious conflicting state caused by rapid emotion changes throughout. It brings depth and mystery as to what she could be thinking and this corresponds to the chosen shade for her light as the color purple is known to connote mystery and anger at times. Moreover the angle of the light is crucial for this moment. I could have decided to work with a flood from the front of the stage as it would have directly put emphasis on her state in a more literal manner. However I decided to make sure her shadow can be seen by the audience. This shadow would be the symbol of her being neglected at this moment of the play which would add more dramatic tension at this peculiar point. Furthermore the fact that the lighting is not white would add subtlety as I still want the focus to remain on Anne Marie, Emmy and Torvald.

Furthermore just like in the previous moment there is a direct warm light on the door. The purpose of having this light would emphasise on the theory that Nora could always leave again at this very moment just like she did before. It would symbolise Nora having difficulties facing the reality of the situation and wanting to leave it all behind by going through these doors. Hence the light shining on it would give this an enchanted element and its warmth would connote happiness and joy which would clash with Nora’s current emotions on stage.

When looking at the blocking I wanted for the audience to be able to empathise with Nora by seeing the situation from a similar angle to her. The literal approach of this idea which would have been to Nora sitting in the centre front stage with her back facing the audience. I on the other hand have decided to have her at an extreme corner on Stage Left to still have the wanted effect of gaining the audience’s sympathy and physically showing Nora’s exclusion. This would also create a sharper angle between the two parties which would be more effective and would give more opportunity for the audience to see Nora’s reaction to the situation and the different gestures or facial expressions she would have.

The body language of the Torvald, Emmy and Anne Marie would reflect a family image. Having Anne Marie being Torvald whom is seated and taken care of highlights standards of the patriarchal society of the time and displays the woman, most of the time a wife figure as the one taking care of the sicker husband. This is recreated with Anne Marie which adds a layer of meaning to the situation. Anne Marie would be frantic as she opens the door with Torvald physically holding onto her for support. She would need to look obviously worried and shocked with raised eyebrows and a loud projection in her voice to attract attention for help. All of this would help in recreating a mother figure to a family which Nora left.

For this moment although it is short I want to shed light onto its significance for Nora.  At this moment there is the clear close bond held within the members of the family which therefore brings me to the following stream of emotions and how they will be seen on stage. This is seen in the flowchart below(refer to 4.1). I think that nostalgia should be sensed from Nora due to Emmy’s attitude towards Torvald. This moment portrays Emmy is seen to be on Torvald’s side both literally and metaphorically as she is the one to leave to take care of his physical health. This was part of what Nora did before, take care of her husband as seen in “A Doll’s House”. A softer look on Nora’s face would hint this nostalgia which she could feel. The subtle light on her would give a calmer side to Nora and would be most effective to show hints of nostalgia.

The use of the above performance and production elements are in phase with my impact on my audience for the following reasons. Firstly the set of this scene clearly demonstrates a demarcation with the family and Nora. I think that with the use of facial expressions on Nora's face this would immediately make the audience understand where her sense of regret would come through. It would create a moment of nostalgia and make the audience question at the same time as Nora that if her choice was the best one. With a clear sense of closeness from Emmy, Anne Marie and Torvald through their body language Nora's emotions come through due to the contrast in lighting colour used on both sides of the stage. Hence emphasising her exclusion and making the audience sympathise with her.

Figure 4.1 Author's own

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For this chosen moment I wanted to display Torvald’s outburst and to shed light onto his version of the story during the 15 years that Nora and him were apart. I want the audience to gain more sympathy towards Torvald at this specific moment of the play which is why it is crucial for him to appear convincing and to depict Nora as having less confidence in herself than before. Hence the regret from Torvald and the start of Nora’s regrets would appear in this moment. This aligns with my intended impact on the audience as the conflict of whether Nora’s actions were justified to have caused Torvald’s outburst at this moment.
The following shows in which way I will achieve this effect:

1. The positioning of the chairs are very important for this moment. The purpose of having them far apart is to display the apparent tension between the two and to hint a potential conflict occurring. Where many would have chosen to place the chairs equally opposite and perpendicular to the audience I chose to place them at an angle. I want Torvald’s chair to be slightly more front stage than Nora. It would give a subtle angle to the set. This has for purpose to give the impression that Nora is restrained between the window and himself. Hence further tension is created in this moment and this would be an effective display of how Nora could have had regrets from her past actions. Regarding the audience, the created tension would push them to chose a side either the one being vulnerable being Nora or Torvald who seems to have valid points.

2. To add onto that tension I would make use of facial expressions and gesture to display Nora slowly losing confidence in herself during that moment. Her body would first be inclined to the front when speaking about her life without Torvald, it would reflect her bolder character. There would then be the gradual degradation of this persona of her as every set Torvald would make to her she would be sitting backwards almost in an intimidated way. While some would have made this intimidation more subtle through a change in tone of voice or other means I decided to work with body to display this reversal of fortune. I think it this almost childish situation would amplify Torvald’s credibility in the eyes of the audience and make it easier for them to side with him than Nora. To support this idea of conflict I would want her to have a slightly surprised expression as she would have not expected such fast reversal of fortune for her. Nora would slightly shake her head to the sides and have an incredulous stare towards Torvald. This would be a replacement for her having no comeback at this moment and thus silently admitting defeat at this point. Towards the audience it would make them want to lean more towards Torvald as Nora's strong façade is slowly breaking away as Torvald gains confidence in his attitude.

3.This proxemics is changed when Torvald decides to stand up during the silence between the two. As he moves closer to Nora and her not being able to move anymore this makes reference to a situation between a predator and a prey. For this particular moment I want his body to become straighter and more assured as he walks up to Nora as he says his last lines. His steps would not need to be very wide but rather sharp and confident. As he moves closer to Nora there is no change in projection in his voice but as he would be closer she would hear it louder making the situation more intimidating for her. The overall effect of Torvald coming closer to her would increase the tension in this moment because it would change from the beginning of the moment where the situation appeals equal to Torvald gaining the audience’s sympathy in spite of Nora’s.

4. For this moment of the play I wanted to carry forward from the previous exploration of a spookier and haunting home to create a tense and colder atmosphere. This would align with the creation of tension and would suit the negative emotions from the two characters on stage. To do so efficiently I would make use of color in this lighting design. I have chosen two similar pastel and colder colours to give more harmony in the atmosphere of the stage. Where others would have perhaps had more intense colours for the emotions to be more obvious, I did not want to have major clashing colours as the tension and conflict is mostly emphasised with the acting skills and blocking of this moment. I wanted to work on the subtlety of the different colours. For Torvald I chose green with a slightly grey tone to it. I think this color reflects his state at this moment as it shows disgust and perhaps envy to a certain extent. This is because he would be aware of Nora enjoying her life as an unmarried woman which seems to suit her more while he on the other hand did not evolve positively from her departure. For Nora I chose to use a light blue color to make reference to the colder version of Torvald she now has in front of her. I did not want a striking obvious blue as it would be too much of a literal approach to sadness which is not as evident yet in this moment of the play. I think that this would make the audience realise the difference in emotion from the characters perspective in a more literal manner. With the creation of tension from Torvald's outburst the audience would have less of a tendency to feel sad and side towards green which signifies a sense of disgust towards Nora. All in all this scene is a key turning point for the audience to starting feeling sympathy towards Torvald which may change later on in the play.

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1. Explain how to imaginatively stage two moments of the play -
2. use production AND performance elements to create TEAM for the intended audience

Can make screenshots of script of moment with annotations. Don't forget to explain the annotations otherwise it is considered as listing.

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To what extent  does the student explain  how they would imaginatively stage two specific moment  of the play ensuring  the play  text  is not edited, cut or altered?

To what extent does  the  student  explain how they would use their performance and production (scenic  and  technical) elements in the  two  specific moments of the play to effectively create  tension, emotion, atmosphere  and/or  meaning or an audience

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Criterion D How I would stage two moments of the play

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Criterion D How I would stage two moments of the play

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The idea of haunting can be compared to ghosts taunting people. An image which I would associate would be one of a cemetery as it is a place where many bury their feelings through the physical loss of someone. In comparison, regrets and past events, which were supposed to be dead are now reviving and exposed. This could be interesting to have as background for a window, giving hints to the audience of the solemn situation. This image would be fitting as the leaves are almost covering the entire workpiece which again shows persistency after passing of time. As performance element I think it would be interesting to have gesture with this particular production element idea. I think that each time characters walk close to or in front of the window covered in vines they should turn their head slowly towards it to look at it briefly and resume to the scene. It would happen as characters enter or exit the stage. This would be interpreted as a people recalling the dead which in this case should be the past. However the fact that the characters would pay attention to this detail can connote the feeling of regret as they are reminded of their physicalised past with this idea. Hence the two would work together in emphasising my intention.
A picture of a cementary (Calderon, n,d)

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Another interpretation of my intention is the element of exposure whether we want it or not. I imagined that there would be a lack of privacy as nothing can stay hidden anymore. To portray this in a set I thought of making the use of see through material such as plastic or glass to build the house in which all the events unravel. A literal glass house with the door as only frame on the walls could be an idea to explore to enhance the exposure of emotions from the characters. The use of lighting would be interesting to explore with this idea. following the idea of exposure then lighting should be bold and intensified with symbolised colours to depict regret on stage. To me there should be a wash of blue when Nora is being pushed to regret her decision. By lighting up the entire stage it would show the amount of regret she is feeling which does beyond the capacity of her sole body.

Another performance element which would be interesting to use in this case is hand gesture. I think that by having glass walls Nora can make use of her hands to outline the walls in a similar way to miming. This would then be interesting to redefine the set space from the glass walls as it would make the audience understand about Nora feeling trapped before. Hence her motives for leaving.

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As the play happens within the span of the day and no change of location, the elements of the set remain the same throughout. There are no set changes expect for a few are minor changes occurring resulting from blocking and actors using elements of the set such as the position of the chairs as Nora moves them. When exploring my artistic intention I have decided to use the literal meaning of it as well as its connotations associated to it. This allows me to explore a range of ideas as followed.

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One of the ways I would physicalise regret into something tangible is through metal. Metal by touch, naturally emits coolness which gives shivers and this is less appreciated that warm touches by people. I was thinking of how to possibly show regrets taunting people and one of the ways of doing so is being over people. This is why I sketched a structure similar to a cage. As per the performing space this would push the actors to move round and round. This could give the impression that the characters are indeed being haunted by what is around them, the regrets. 'In terms of the performers' voice they would have to project voice beyond the set. Having this contrast of distance between the loud actors voice but restricted performing area would be similar to prisoners in their cells. This therefore depicts being trapped by their own.
(authors own, 2018)

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The term haunting is an element to which my intention can be supported through the set. The fact that the house has been deprived of its soul by Nora leaving before can be translated by a lack of brightness. This is because from knowledge of the previous play, Nora was the one who brought life to the house and taking care if it. Therefore without her being there for so long the house shows signs of abandon. This could be explored through the color scheme of the set. Dull, fading and washed out colours could display the passing of the 15 years as well as the lack of  care. Additionally adding texture such as spider webs on the edges of the walls and apparent dust as the light passes through the window could contribute to create the effect of an abandoned house. Although it has been used after Nora leaving this exaggeration would be effective in portraying that those regrets remain within the context of the house. They have never really left and it shall haunt them, the house being the first affected unless resolved. To add onto that idea the use of a creaking sound as the characters pass through the door could be a way to initiate a chilling feeling of the eerie house. Due to the sound this would cause the characters to have very careful steps when walking around the room. This could affect their body mould in portraying self consciousness and perhaps dread to a certain extent. The following image is closest to the one I have in mind wit wood as principle material to create the sound. Washed away colours are the most prominent thus setting the mood on the stage once looked upon.

One performance element which could be interesting to explore is the idea of gestures. People have a certain way with dealing with certain emotions such as stress, anger, annoyance and many more. I think that having distinct gestures at certain points of the play would be interesting to explore. I think one which would be suitable for Emmy would be crossing her arms. It would bring out a feeling of intimidation from her during her confrontation with Nora. If at this moment Nora is slowly walking backwards in an almost scared manner this gives the impression that Emmy has overpowered Nora and is not the anchor of the house she once was in. Hence bringing out the element of time passing from this particular idea. Overall this idea would work together with this particular set as it would give the instant impression that Nora would be regretful coming back and being almost chased out of her own house from Emmy’s power over her own.

A picture of a haunted house (Hamilton, 2013)

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One of the ways to approach the debate on whether the regrets were worth it is through costumes as costumes reflect status. If Nora from her first appearance reflects a powerful and well off woman it would give the impression to the audience, especially to those who know 'A Doll's House' that she became successful therefore justifying herself. However this would be interesting as events unfold in her disfavour as her strong image would contrast with her helpless state. This would make the audience question her priorities and pay more focus on what she would be regretting. To create that image of her I think that gold is a color which should be persistant on her. On her jewellery and her shoes would be an almost ironic message to the other characters showing her success even if they did not believe in her.

One of the most important scenes I want my audience to remember is the confrontation between Emmy and Nora. I think it is one of the key scenes which grasps the audience as Nora is finally seen in complete distress and unable to defend herself properly. This causes the audience to change side and to sympathise with Torvald instead of Nora. It particularly hits the audience which knows the previous play as there they know Torvald in a more negative light than the pity created by Emmy. I want them to remember the quick reversal of fortune in Emmy's favour and Nora's face of realisation and regret as she realises that nothing ever changed and that her daughter might be making the same mistakes she did. The sound effect of shattering glass as Emmy points out that she is not like Nora would surprise the audience but externalise Nora's emotions look at this very moment. The shattering glass would be final element which truly breakes Nora. Through her voice the audience should be feeling her despair from a higher pitched tone and the change from defensive to defeated.

Regarding the use of the performance space I think that the movement of the characters should depend on the degree of regret they are being troubled with at different points of the play. For example in the opening scene Nora and Anne Marie should be very close to each other taking advantage of their reunion. This would be different when the two confront each other as the tension amongst the two and defensive stand would be portrayed through the space between them. It is also the regret they have which pushes them to isolation.

Towards the final scene which is the resolution with Nora and Torvald I would make the use of warmer lights with less vibrant colours. This would support the idea that what she did was valid to a certain extent and it would dissiper her aparent regrets which are the most obvious before when the lighting creates a cold mood on stage.

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Imaginative production and performance ideas

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Imaginative production and performance ideas

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These are the brainstorming of the ways in which my intention can be used when staging the play. This includes elements of the set, performance space, lights, and performer's use of voice body and gesture

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For my chosen play, my intended audience consists of family members' with age ranging from the teenage years to seniors. The  purpose of such a large age frame is because I want the audience to be able to witness perspectives which they can relate to. I think this audience corresponds to the play as is about a family which has been split and composed of people who have grown apart with their individual resentments and regrets. Throughout the play there is the want to resolve them or simply express them to the rest of the characters on stage which is a common situation amongst people as the truth is finally exposed. The overall impact I want to have is for the audience to sympathise and empathise on whether the character's actions and debate whether they are justified and worth it despite their regrets catching up onto them.

The audience will consist of people who do and do not know the play 'A Doll's House' by Ibsen. This is because I feel that people who know the play would be intrigued and search for answers as to what happened all these years to the characters. However the play is able to sustain on its own without knowledge of Ibsen's play as enough information about the past is revealed through characters especially Emmy which makes it possible for all to follow and enjoy the play.

At the beginning of the play I want my audience to be clueless about the sense of regret as Anne Marie opens the door. I want them to feel the weight carried by each character as their regrets unfold one after the other. Eventually the tension would pile up and capture the audience's empathy towards the characters. This contrast between the opening scene and next scenes has to be over the top to be able to surprise the audience and bring them along with the emotional journey that Nora goes through. During the course of the play I want my entire audience to feel conflicted as the play advances on who is the one who is to bear more regret of their past actions. I want to them to have an internal debate and reconsider what is the most important motivations for their actions as people. However at the end of the play I want them to reflect upon the importance of listening to different perspectives as resolution can only come from there. It is only one everything has been exposed that relief is seen. For the audience which knows Ibsen's 'A Doll's House' I want them to feel a real satisfaction as to the ending of the play as they are able to regain the love for Nora which they had from the first play. This is because as Nora's reasons has been exposed so brutally this has made the audience sympathise with the other characters.

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1. Artistic intention
2. Imaginative production and performance elements for the staging for entire play
3. Who is the intended audience?
4. How will production and performance elements create that impact

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My main artistic intention for this play revolves around the following: The view of living regrets is what scars and haunts the most whether we want it or not.  It is about how past can be dug up and the ability to reflect upon actions to eventually conclude with regret to a certain degree. For me I think it that the sense of regret is evident in all characters for various reasons and I want to be able show it in my approach of this play.

Where is the evidence of regret in the play?
On Nora's side even if she affirms that she does not have regrets to Torvald I think that she clearly does. Her main source of regret is realising that although she was working towards the emancipation of woman, this has not progressed as much as she hoped. This can especially be seen through her confrontation with Emmy as she sees Emmy as the splitting image of her before marriage. There, she realises that mentalities do not change which brings her to the feeling of regret. Furthermore I think that Nora somewhat feels the sense of loneliness as she has lost contact with her family over the years and seeing how she has been practically replaced by Anne-Marie for what was her role at home could arise regret within her.
Regarding Torvald it is the fact that he was not able to understand Nora and solve the conflict before she left which is what he regrets the most. Another one which is pointed out more explicitly throughout the play is the deterioration of his image in the eyes of the people as he was pitied on by everyone surrounding him.
For Emmy I believe her sense of regret is more implicit than the other characters. One of which is not being able to remember her mother during the few years which they were together. Another is being unable to feel even if she was witness of her father and brothers' clear suffering.
Anne-Marie is able to convey the feeling of regret as Nora mentions herself leaving her child to raise Nora herself. Although by necessity Anne-Marie clearly shows that the loss has affected her as a person and tries to make Nora feel the same guilt as she understands it herself.

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Criterion C: My directorial intentions for the entire play and the intended impact on the audience

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Criterion C: My directorial intentions for the entire play and the intended impact on the audience

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Nora
I want Nora to portray confidence and success at first look. Purple would suit her best as it would bring out the mystery in what happened through all the years. Furthermore a sophisticated material would be the kind of textile she would want to be seen in to prove her success. Something smooth like silk would be an option but due to the Norwegian context something warmer like velvet would reflect more reality. Refer to figure 3.1

Anne Marie
As Anne Marie as a person is trustworthy and reliable she should be in brown. I think as a person she reflects more of an easy going personality than Emmy who is very stubborn. As she follows the situations she is in, Anne Marie makes me think of an airier material for her costume. Refer to figure 3.2

Emmy
When I think of Emmy the color green is what I associate her to. Green makes allusion to youth just like e new leaf. I think it would be appropriate to think of Emmy this way as she physically is a younger version of Nora. In terms of texture Emmy would be a thicker material which falls exactly where it is planned to. this rigidness would correspond to the colder and sharper character I want her to have. This would contrast completely with her exterior appearance which would be a lot sweeter than who she really is. The closest image which I could find corresponding to this image is figure 3.3 as there is the combination of green and a very put together persona which fits this costume idea.

Torvald
For Torvald's character it is imperative to keep the higher status as it one of the sole things he still has to sustain. I think it would be interesting to make him match slightly with Anne-Marie to hint the image of the two being close to each other. It would make create a greater moment of tension as Nora realises the possibility that Anne Marie took her place within what used to be her family. Refer to figure 3.4

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On the 25th of May 2018 I went was able to watch a live performance of Chat et Souris which was performed in Mauritius. About the play itself it is a comedy revolving around two teenagers meeting through social media but unaware to the two, they have the same father. The approach taken was to have a performance whereby not all actions are seen on stage but are heard. Furthermore the performance looks at the element of similarities and clearly distinct differences as seen by the set and characters which both mirror and oppose each other. Overall it is a light-hearted performance which brings out the irony and consequences of white lies.

The idea of family is presented through the piece with delimitation of levels in the set. We can see that during the course of the play, the uncle is living in the middle of a family and is clearly unwanted by the mother and almost excluded. This creates both comedy from the situation as well as pity towards the uncle. To do so effectively the living space of the uncle is unseen to the audience and positioned upstairs from the living room which is the common acting area. This brings meaning as it portrays the physical alienation of the uncle and also contributes into creating an awkward atmosphere for the rest of the family on stage . The use of space could be an option to explore for "A Doll's House, Part 2" to portray the difference in closeness within family. This could be applied when Torvald, Emmy and Anne-Marie gather together to tend to Torvalds's wounds as Nora is observing the scene, unable to decide whether to act or not. I think that having Nora at a higher level than the rest of the family would create that estrangement which sparks sadness and regret on Nora's face. Similar to Chat et Souris there would be a sense of awkwardness and intrusion on stage given by Nora for this particular scene.

An interesting element of the production of 'Chat et souris' is its set. One of the elements of the set is a large transparent frame just next to the door of the house situation upstage. This allows for the audience to see entrances and exits from and to the house. It has for effect to create anticipation for the audience before the characters are even aware of the people entering and exiting the house. This rise of anticipation brings tension to the scene. Moreover, It brings comedy even as the director makes sure that entrances succeed one another for all different characters on stage. This element of the set would be interesting to explore in my play as firstly it would give hint to a more authentic setting of the play. Furthermore it would allow the audience to have this rise in anticipation which would not be achieved if the door was completely opaque or deprived of an opening to see. If there was no opening there would just be an element of surprise which would not be as impactful in my opinion. There are two possible images that I have in mind for how this idea could ressemble. Refer to figure 2.1 - The first option I thought of was a wooden door as it would look very typical. The shaped glass as per the picture would give a distorted image of the character which would just hint as to who is at the door. This could add further intrigue. Furthermore it could portray an image of a fancier looking house than it actually is inside thus creating that contrast showing the passing of time. The door on figure 2.2 could be another option to explore. Unlike the previous door this one has a cleaner look with defined squares lines onto the class windows. However it seems that the glass are translucent therefore color passes but shape may be distorted again.

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Things I Know to Be True  by Andrew Bovell 

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Things I Know to Be True  by Andrew Bovell 

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The production of “Things I know to be true” performed by Frantic Assembly in 2017 (Digitaltheatreplus, 2017) revolves around the lives of a family. The audience gets to know each of their side stories along with the other characters on stage. Its main idea which channels through the performance is that truth is very subjective as it is not always known. Nevertheless there is always the support and love from the family to pick themselves up when down. Frantic assembly is known for its physicality in performance (Sierz, 2019) and once again used this approach in an innovative manner. There is an overall involvement of the actors on stage in creating their world along with storytelling their lives which brings the play alive.

Refer to figure 1.1
This point of the production performance of lighting design portrays the way in which body is given meaning. The use of sharp front lighting are used to bring depth to the flat stage. In the performance, it is the movement of characters which determine what parts of Rosie's body can be seen as the rest of the characters are lifting her body towards the light on stage. This allows for focus to be on specific body parts of the character and in this case it is Rosie's face. This brings out the feeling of dejection she got from her heartache and physically seeing less and less of her as she is moved lower adds the literally meaning of her downfall. The association of both the performance and production elements effectively creates a moment of tension as Rosie's cry for help is very impactful towards the audience. In the context of "A Doll's House, Part 2" it could be interesting to explore how does a frame created through production element such as set and lighting design bring out the performance elements especially facial the association of light and movement to create meaning.

Refer to figure 1.2
This chosen scene of the production highlights how the production element of lighting design affects the portrayal of emotions through the performance element of the face and expressions. The unexpected use of coloured lighting highlights a moment of emotion for the character of Pipe. Throughout the performance lighting is mostly used on large surface areas and most of the time, warm. At this point in the performance, there is a light cyan parled directly shining on Pipe as she reads the letter she sent her mother. Along with a solemn facial expression and composed body mould holding because of the chair, the single light directed towards her highlights these features. The colour, a light cyan creates a cold atmosphere which makes me think of a haunting ghost. This effectively carries the audience on an emotional journey which Pipe and her mother goes through. In the context of A Doll's house part 2, the unexpected change in lighting style would be interesting to use to create the tension in the reversal of fortune for Nora's situation. This would be most effective when Emmy convinces Nora and the audience that Nora was indeed at fault and does not have the upper hand on the situation. Similarly to in "Things I know to be true" this would create an immediate contrast allowing for more impactful emotions to be portrayed on stage with colour as main possibility to indicate emotion.

Another interesting element of this production was the progressive creation of the set. This has been done in such a way that each time its the actors which bring the elements of the set on stage and it is most of the time left to be used in a new location. In the end this creates physical links amongst the different scenes which patches up the performance as a whole making it more harmonious,

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Look only at 2 live experiences (one on digital plus and one live) of theatre to create team

dont describe how its been performed but how performance and production elements is used to create team. gives the reasons and say how effective they were

conclusion of the analysis if why you want to explore this further in your play

why was this moment impactful in this performance.

e.g. the director achieves this in through these performance and production elements. this might be interesting to explore at this moment of the play.

love song by frantic assembly

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As I first read through the play I have had a few general responses which could be interesting to follow up with:

1. The concept of mirroring could be interesting to look at. It could have different levels of meaning as it would englobe the mirroring of past and present events, as well as characters (e.g Nora/Anne Marie, Nora/Emmy) and even regarding the set

As Anne Marie opens the door she appears to be older and more sullen version of Nora. There could be similarities within their hairstyles. Both supporting their hair up but Anne Marie would have whitening ones sticking out and some onto her face. This would create this slight similarity and would make reference to Anne Marie as a mother figure for Nora. This could be further enhanced through gestures made by Anne Marie to Nora which would ressemble one of a mother.

During Emmy and Nora's scene I think that their gestures could copy each other. E.g Once Nora crosses her leg, Emmy does the same. This use of mirroring body would fool the audience and Nora herself into thinking that Emmy indeed is just like Nora. This red herring would then prepare for a moment of tension as the mirroring shatters and Emmy shows her true self which is the complete opposite of Nora. It would also add a deeper meaning to the scene and define the characters.

2. Another idea i which i could bring out is whether people and their relationships change or not with time. I think it could be interesting to explore it as there are long lasting relationships which have been built before which the audience could be expecting to reappear in this play.

In terms of blocking it would be interesting that when Anne Marie and Nora move together in the house, Anne Marie would always on Nora’s right side. This could bring another layer of meaning which is that there is a lot of closeness within the two through the years.

Torvald's way of walking could be almost one which he is dependent on a cane to support him. However if there was no physical cane this brings out some ridicule within him. This would have for effect to bring comedy to the situation which is very serious from Nora's perspective. The contrast between the two would highlight their differences and create a cat and mouse dynamic.

3. The idea of childishness could be another aspect of the pay which I picked up on while reading the play. It is an aspect of the first play which  was also present but not as straightforward which would be challenging but innovative to try.

Torvald is regressing towards a more childlike version of himself as he meets Nora again after all these years. In his movements i think he could always be facing the back of Nora as she speaks to him. A very immature approach to being back to reality from the flashback given by Nora's entrance. The two chairs could be physically in front of each other but angled for Torvald not to see Nora anymore. This would give the opportunity for Nora to find a way to get Torvald's focus to her by raising her voice or making gestures to portray impatience. Overall this would bring comedy to the serious situation giving more rhythm to the play.

The last burst of anger between Nora and Torvald should be one with underlying meaning from start to end. This last moment is one where they release the resentment and anger over the other from all the years. Their gestures should be over the top almost caricatural to reinforce the stupidity of the situation. It ressembles a children's quarrel in adult bodies which display the real and unfazed emotions both are dealing with at this moment of the play.

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Criterion B: My artistic responses, creative ideas and explorations for the entire play prior to the forming of directorial intentions. My own experiences of live theatre as a spectator and  how directors use performance and production elements

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Criterion B: My artistic responses, creative ideas and explorations for the entire play prior to the forming of directorial intentions. My own experiences of live theatre as a spectator and  how directors use performance and production elements

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Anne Marie - Hannah
Nora - Lordana
Torvald - Zoubeir
Emmy - Hillary

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Example 1

Identify its strengths and why

The use of tables to represent information clearly

Testing sketches in context to see if multiple ideas fit (e.g costume in specific set)

A lot of annotations about the context of the scene

Rendering, clearer idea and makes the drawings stand out from the writing

Sections in boxes. One box per idea

Identify and explain its limitations

Although there is an exploration with different sketching ideas there is not a lot of evidence of the process of which these final sketches were obtained. Furthermore there is no direct evidence of their line of interpretation and overall effect wanting to achieve. It’s divided amongst sections of the play and their characters.

Example 2

Identify its strengths and why

Easy to follow manner as intentions are clearly explained beforehand and points where this is to be seen by writing and annotations on the script itself.

Emotions to be portrayed by characters which aligns with the intention is explained just after.

Technical drawings which are clear and easy to follow by a scenographer as well.

Colour coding

Identify and explain its limitations

There are more technical drawings than sketches of ideas. Most of the annotations could have been held during rehearsal about blocking. Intentions are only explained for a section of the play therefore it is not as clear as to what overall effect she is aiming and the significance of the scene.

List other approaches that could be used by YOU

Mind maps of initial ideas a page for each idea and the written exploration, possible reference pictures which matches with the idea given in mind. Writing of the effect and links with other productions.

Identification of the character, possible versions of them

By theme. From what themes are presented by the storyteller and the production and performance elements which could be used.

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The Syuzhet is the order at which actions were revealed in the play. Unlike the fabula events are not always revealed in chronological order nor on stage itself. Below is the list of events revealed to the audience through dialogue and not action in both  A Doll's House and A Doll's House, Part 2.

1.       Anne Marie leaves her child to go and take care of Nora like a mother when she is a child

2.       Mrs.Lindt and Nora were friends.

3.       Torvald is sick, Nora borrows money from Krogstad to save him. She fakes her father’s signature

4.       Torvald and Nora never had a real conversation in 8 years of marriage

5.       Torvald is now promoted to head of bank

6.       Nora was a manipulative wife

7.       Torvald and Nora confront each other. Nora did not try to solve the problem of their marriage

8.       Torvald did not file the divorce

9.       Nora was sewing to get money

10.   Torvald, Bob and Iver saddened by Nora leaving. Anne Marie stayed, taking care of the children

11.   People assumed that Nora was dead and pitied the Helmer’s

12.   Emmy does not remember her mother

13.   Nora became a successful feminist novelist. She has had lovers and acts as an unmarried woman.

14.   Torvald never remarried

15.   The judge finds Nora’s real identity under her pseudonym and threatens to reveal her

16.   Emmy is an adult, she is persuasive and wise with words.

17.   Nora sent a letter to Anne Marie saying she will be back in town

Overall, Hnath allow ideas to unfold in a calculated manner to shape the character's personalities and bring out the themes in his play. These are examples of how he does it.

One interesting connection Hnath makes throughout of the play is with the presentation of inequality between men and women. He plays on this with the syuzhet as there is a constant reminder of the patriarchal society set in the context of the play. This occurs as characters recall events before this play which are unknown to the audience through dialogue as well as extracts from Nora’s book which Torvald reads. One moment where this is shown is during the first interaction between Nora and Torvald as Nora justifies her old attitude saying that if she did not act a certain way, Torvald would not pay attention to her (Hnath, 2017). To the audience this forms part of Nora’s old life which they do not witness in this play. I think it is to enhance how deep rooted image of the typical woman society expected and that although time has passed through the fabula, the syuzhet displays that there has not been much progress done yet.

Another connection is whereby Hnath used the syuzhet and Emmy to give the audience an insight on what happened in between the two plays. Hnath strategically lets Emmy explain those events to Nora and the way Torvald dealt with her departure. She goes in a logical how she grew up and some bits of her childhood. He then juxtaposes Emmy’s current situation of getting married soon within the syuzhet. This clash allows for the theme of identity to be introduced as Nora is able to see herself in Emmy through this detail. However it is the past events between those years which shaped Emmy to who she is now. This shapes Emmy’s character of being stubborn and independent.

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The text is set 15 years post the first “A Doll’s House” which therefore counts as the late 1800’s in Norway (Mohanty, 2016). For Hnath to set a cultural context for his play he drew major influences to the cultural context of Ibsen’s play. This is to keep the authenticity of the storyline as well as the ability to apply themes and social issues first addressed in “A Doll’s House” again in its part 2.

Socially, Norway of the late 1800's was set on a the basis of patriarcal society as indicated in "A Doll's House" (Mohanty, 2016). This is seen through the character of Torvald, his role in a family and his power over Nora. Nevertheless it can be argued to a certain extent that this play was what sparked the awareness that there needs to be a change in society in the treatment of woman. Which is why a few years later that woman were allowed suffrage.

Parallelly,  Hnath is able to make reference to this process in his own play. Through Nora we know that although her book was controversial (just like "A Doll's House" was once it was performed) it was able to spark change as in the play a lot of unhappy married woman left their husbands.

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When talking about what the play is about, Hnath states in a video that the play is about "breakup, divorce, marriage and why we still get married along with how far we have come and how far we have not" (Maguiresteele, 2017). The themes enumerated are the most evident throughout the play. Although the search for a divorce concerns Nora and Torvald directly, all characters induce their thoughts and opinions on the matter. Anne Marie attempts to lead Nora and Torvald to a path of reconciliation and also contradicts Nora’s opinion of marriage. Emmy on the other hand adds with her take on marriage which is something she strives to achieve as a young woman. Torvald makes the audience realise the purpose of a marriage, which is to “tough it out together” (Hnath, 2017). Thus by having this theme fuelling the plot and allowing for shaping the characters, Hnath brilliantly makes the use of the theme also brought up by Ibsen in ‘A Doll’s House’.

Other prominent themes in the play include:

Feminism: The role of women in society is addressed by all the female characters. Hnath continues on Ibsen’s take who uses Nora to display the inequality in society between genders. This mainly concerns the way law gives advantage to men when divorcing. This is again is the reason why Nora decides to come back and obtain her divorce. Furthermore Anne Marie mentions the necessity for children to grow with a mother figure which to her is more important than a father figure. Having Nora as a character countering this idea therefore displays female empowerment against society’s traditions.

Identity. The theme of identity unravels through Nora and Emmy’s confrontation scene. Nora is seeing the image of her younger self in Emmy which strongly denies it. To an extent I think this play shows how society at that time defines the way people are to be. Emmy’s actions are driven by the fact that if things do not turn out the way she desires them she will not be able to get married.

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A Doll's House, Part 2 first premiered in April 2017 (Gans, 2016). The exact date of when it was written is unclear as the text was modified throughout the process of preparing its production (Brunner, 2017).  There are certain social and political factors which Hnath has been exposed during the writing of the play which should be addressed as it forms part of his cultural context.

Current political and social movements are sources of inspiration which influences Hnath for his work, especially in America itself where he grew up (Sanford, n.d.). A direct evidence of this is for his play "Hillary and Clinton". He took references from the 2008 elections (Reid, 2018) along with real life figures to create the plot of the play and what if's which dont always occur in reality. This demonstrates his awareness of politics within his country. This example therefore allows me to make assumptions as to other events which Hnath could have used to draw inspiration from when writing ‘A Doll’s House, Part 2’ as he has not clearly addressed this matter yet.

Regarding ‘A Doll’s House, Part 2’s prominent themes I was able to identify a link with a few of them and social/political movements in the USA of 2016-2017.

One of the current world issues which could have influenced Hnath when writing his play is the division of society and expectations of social classes. There has been in the US an increase in disparity amongst social classes (DePillis, 2017) which has caused for many services to become unaffordable. Due to this people have turned towards longer working hours or jobs which have poorer working conditions to be able to sustain and which are in increase (Maestas et al., 2017). This is reflected through Anne Marie as her backstory was created by the Hnath in his play. The audiences comes to know that Anne Marie left her child to take care of Nora. However this was against Anne-Marie’s will as she did not have another choice. She would have fell into intense working hours and conditions or into prostitution to be able to sustain on her own (Hnath, 2017).

There has also been a rise in feminism in the USA which is the 2016 elections for presidential as one of its causes. This is due to Hilary Clinton competing and who if she won would be the first woman to do so. Nevertheless it was Donald Trump who won and his sexist remarkes has sparked women to speak about the topic (Ghitis, 2016).  Relating it to Hnath’s play I think this might have contributed in re introducing such themes through Ibsen’s play with his own take on the manner. Unlike Ibsen we were able to know the impact to feminism on society in ‘A Doll’s House, Part 2’ as Nora mentions the consequences of her book to the public along with its controversies. This mirrors the initial reactions to Ibsen’s play in the real world and also shows that after all these years the problem of gender equality remains on society. In parallel to the real life however it is not only the people but from the law itself making Hnath’s stand more powerful. Additionally, when looking from the courses in his studies such as Psychology of Marriage classes and Gender and Literature classes (Sanford, n.d.) he has the awareness regarding Gender inequality. This is in line with Ibsen's original play and the theme of feminism (Mohanty, 2016) and shows how his education also contributed to his inspiration.

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Due to the fact that he is a new and rising playwright, Hnath is still opened to new genres and styles which could be further explored in works at a later stage. Nevertheless in A Doll's House, part 2 there are two distinguishable theatre theories which are applied in its making which are post-naturalism and classical theatre. Nevertheless as Ibsen's "A Doll's House" was written following Naturalism this directly impacts Hnath's "A Doll's House, Part 2"

Classical theatre

"Classical Greek theatre began in the 6th century BCE in Athens with the performance of tragedy plays at religious festivals" (Cartwright, 2018). The leading figure of this movement is Aristotle through his work 'Poetics' (Zarrilli et al., 2010). In his work Aristotle puts emphasis on the importance of the '3 Unities' (Best, 2005). These unities are applicable in Hnath's play, "A Doll's House, Part 2"

The unity of time
The concept is time is that the plot in performance should not last more than a day (Zarrilli et al., 2010). In my chosen play this is seen as within the time frame of less than 24 hours Nora enters and leaves the Tovald's house. There is no indication in the plot or stage direction of a change in time of the day as all scenes seems to succeed one after the other. Furthermore it happens during the day as Torvald is supposed to be at work as Nora and Anne Marie meet.

The unity of place
This unity states that the play should occur in a single setting (Zarrilli et al., 2010). Although there are actions which occur during the play which are out of the house (such as Torvald coming back from work or buying Nora's book), these are not seen by the audience and only highlighted through dialogue. At all time the characters are present in Torvald's house which is where all the action occurs to the audience, there is no change of setting.

The unity of action
The unity of action is revolved around the idea that "no action or scene in the play was to be a digression; all were to contribute directly in some way to the plot" (Best, 2015). For example in "A Doll's House, part 2" the main action revolves around Nora being back 15 years later for Torvald to file the divorce between the two. Actions such as meeting Emmy, talking to Anne Marie and confronting Torvald are all related to the divorce.

There are a few reasons as to why Hnath could have turned to the classical model when writing his play. I think one of these would be that by having the play occur within one day would allow for characters to portray a stronger emotional journey. This is because by having so much happening in a short time frame would allow for a series of emotions to succeed one another and contrast within. Thus making it more impactful towards the audience as they follow. Another reason could be I think that by respect to Ibsen’s work having a longer time frame in the play would have extended a series of events 15 years later which will defeat the purpose of A Doll’s House, Part 2 in my opinion which is to finally close most of the unanswered questions from Ibsen’s play.

The take on Ibsen's Naturalism

The conventions of Naturalism is that they are to reflect the small details of society at a specific time period  (Cash, 2018) Ibsen in his work fully portrays this as seen through the detailed stage directions and set. Furthermore common personality traits are associated to characters with a certain status which is to reflect society. For example the contrast of Nora being an upper class woman has a nurse whereby Mrs.Lindt is a widow has to work.

A Doll's House, Part 2 continues on the same principles which is not to denature the setting of the play from its context. Nevertheless it is not truly naturalistic either. It is seen that Hnath's context of now has greatly contributed in the creation of this play which is set in Norway of the 1800's. It is noted through a more familiar vocabulary used nowadays which does not correspond exactly to what Ibsen used. Nevertheless there are recurring in themes in both of the playwright's contexts. forms part of as per the jargon used which is more modern and familiar. Hence why Hnath's play forms part of a post-naturalisic era.

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The artist first makes use of brainstorming of who the character is and their main personality traits. From then there are a few sketches of the same idea which shows the different creative ideas. Additionally some of these ideas are listed but not further explored visually but nevertheless are elaborated in writing.

The way of writing can be made in different ways. There are sections divided in boxes or elaborated in paragraphs with subheadings. In order cases the information is solely presented visually with sketches.

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How does a theatre artist document their creative process and present it in a format which uses text and visuals?

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Sketchbook: Theatre Notes and Stage Designs, The Barn Theatre, Spring Season 1944, Sime Road Prison Camp, Singapore

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image: Thirty-three pages of notes, sketches, poster designs, set designs and costume designs for the Barn TheatreCompany, Sime Road Prison, Hut 16, Singapore.

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Lucas Hnath is a newly rising American Playwright. He has produced some notable works such as "Hillary and Clinton", "Red Speedo", "The Christians" (NYU Tisch, 2018). Some of his notable awards include a "2017 Tony nomination for Best Play, a Whiting Award, the Kesselring Prize and many more" (NYU Tisch, 2018).

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Variation of emotional intensity - Is able to build up a climax within the performance.

Variation of emotion - is able to portray regret as well as other emotions such as bitterness, pride, sadness and rejoice

Voice - Has a clear and strong voice. Easy to understand and articulates consistently.

Face - Has a very expressive face ranging from subtle inner thoughts to drastic and distinct emotions.

Ability to take directions - Follows my guidelines and trusts me in the given instructions

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All of the characters in the play have very complex personalities with solid backstories and perspectives as to who they are and what they think is right. This allows the audience sympathise with them at specific moments throughout the play. They are listed below in order of appearance:
Anne Marie - The nurse
Nora - The protagonist
Torvald - Nora's husband
Emmy - Nora and Torvald's daughter

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Dear Mr. Hnath,

My name is Alice Pringault and I am a student in Mauritius in my first year of the IBDP studying theatre as one of my higher level subjects. One of our components for this course is the submission of the ‘Directors Notebook’ which is about our take on as director of a play of our choice. For this task I have decided to take ‘A Doll’s House Part 2’ as I thoroughly enjoyed the text and was greatly inspired by the creative ideas gathered by reading it.

Nevertheless, as this text is relatively recent and complex in contexts I was wondering if you would agree to answer some of my questions in a written interview. The interview would be solely for academic use. This would be of great aid for me to understand the relationship between your cultural and theoretical context as well as being able to identify the elements taken from Ibsen’s contexts together as a bigger picture of ‘A Doll’s House Part 2’.

Please let me know if you would be willing to answer my questions. If so I shall email them to you soon. Thank you very much for your time.

Sincerely,
Alice Pringault

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1. Naturalism
2. Post Naturalism
3.Ibsen's cultural Context
4.Hnath's Cultural Context
5. Identification of characters and themes how they are portrayed by Hnath
6. Is there a difference in the way Hnath and Ibsen present their ideas and how is it done

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1. Jibran
2. Hilary
3. Hannah
4. Angelie
5. Najma
6. Lordana
7. Zoubeir
8. Jessica (3)
9. Hayyan (3)
10. Amy (1)
11. Sarah (1)

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By appearance a typical young woman about to know what life is all about. Nevertheless she is a know-it-all with a sharp tongue. She is full of assurance and knows exactly how to achieve what she wants, she has a talent with words and this has been acknowledge by many despite her young age.

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An aged man waiting for death to walk by his door. He is hard headed and fails to realise even 15 years how his attitude caused Nora to leave. He is stubborn and full of pride but still resentful of the hurt he felt and is trying to somewhat makeup for the wrongs done in the past.

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A trustworthy nurse who spent her life taking care of Nora and her family. Has been the mother figure of Emmy and her brothers as Nora left. She is impulsive and intuitive. She has nothing to lose and knows it.

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A successful feminist novelist who comes back home after 15 years without giving any sign of life. She comes ready to take on the people in her way but gradually realises what she left behind and realises nothing never really changed. She is manipulative but has good will at heart and is determined to make things right.

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Find and bring evidence of a creative process document by a theatre artist (director, actor, scenographer)

1. find possible directors
2. how do they record their process
3. do they share it online. Email the person.

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Criterion A
1. The play text, its context and the ideas presented in the entire play
Criterion B
2. My artistic responses, creative ideas and explorations for the
entire play prior to the forming of directorial intentions
3. My own experiences of live theatre as a spectator and  how directors use performance and production elements
Criterion C
4. My directorial intentions for the entire play and the intended impact on an audience
Criterion D
5. How I would stage two moments of the play

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11/09 - Context of play text
18/09 - Ideas presented in the play by the playwright
19/09 -  polishing stage.
Submission of Criterion A by end of the day.
21/09 - artistic responses and creative ideas
25/09 - explorations prior to forming intention
27/09 - live theatre experiences and uses through TEAM
02/10 - polishing stage.
Submission of Criterion B by end of the day.
03/10 - directorial intentions and its implications (imagination and performance ideas)
05/10 - impact on audience and how to achieve it
09/10 - Polishing stage.
Submission of Criterion C by the end of the day.
11/10 - Identification of the two moments as per requirements
18/10 - TEAM moment 1
19/10 - TEAM moment 2
21/10 - Adding visuals to the previous ideas
25/10 - Polishing stage
Submission of Criterion D by the end of the day.

Extra classes in case of lateness on schedule:
27/10
30/10

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1. Is it time which changes people or do people change on their own?
2. Present mirrors past
3. Chase your true self, it always comes back
4. Ones regrets eat them up until the end
5. Should I stay or leave?

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The view of living regrets is what scars and haunts us the most whether we want it or not