The meaning of the cliché is to describe a state of being paralysed by fear, shock, or confusion, making someone unable to move or make decisions. It reflects the freeze response that can occur in stressful situations—when a person feels overwhelmed or caught off guard, they may stop all actions or speech abruptly. The phrase often implies a sense of helplessness or vulnerability, highlighting how fear can cause hesitation or immobilisation at critical moments. In everyday language, it is used to explain why someone might be speechless or unable to act when unexpectedly confronted.

Ensemble Task Relevance: Gellar's reaction exemplifies the "freeze" response to an unexpected situation. Her momentary inability to respond highlights how individuals can become immobilised when caught off-guard, aligning with the "freeze" aspect of the "fight, flight, freeze, or face" responses to fear. In the ensemble we could show a celebrity freezing under the limelight or pressure.

Ensemble Task Relevance: Beyoncé's reaction exemplifies the "freeze" response to an unexpected and overwhelming situation. Her momentary immobility upon hearing her name reflects how individuals can become temporarily paralysed when confronted with an unforeseen event. This instance provides a contemporary example of the "deer in the headlights" phenomenon, illustrating how even seasoned performers can experience the freeze response in surprising situations. In our performance we can physically show someone being paralysed with fear, just as Beyoncé, her wide eyes, shocked expression and defensive body language show she was caught off guard.

What am I afraid of? What frightens me most?
Devils? Angel of death? Sharks?
Or natural disasters? Plagues or cancer?
The fear felt in Pompeii before the lava killed everyone,
Ogres, they are fearful,
Nephilims? Men's hearts stop at the sight of them,
Those that cause others to fall down,
Adam and Eve's fear of God after the stupid cow ate the apple,
Man is destined to this primeval instinct, fear,
Irrigating him, following him like a persistent shadow,
Fear of suicide bombers too lazy to fight a real fight,
They just blow themselves up quick and easy!
Fear of bombs, snipers, mines,
Jews in concentration camps were frightened to death,
When learned they couldn’t take a shower with gas in gas chambers!
Palestinian kids saw grenades were not toys to play with,
Flight of fight?
Flight of fight?
Stay or flee?
Phobias are DNAs, our blood and sinews,
Claustrophobia, xenophobia, homophobia, acrophobia, aerophobia,
Yes, phobia, phobia, phobia,
Fear of future, fear of God, fear of hell, burning like a dirty rat out of godly anger,
Or fear of women! Misogyny,
A Medusa, a woman with heart of poison,
Eyes of acid, lips of venom, hair of lies,
A mind made of jealousy and hands of deception,
Or fear of men, misandry,
A man fearful as hell,
His brain made of semen,
His heart a nest of lust, harem for wives,
Incubus, he rolls on women lying on their back or face in a line!
He lies on sleeping women causing wake dreams or sleep paralysis,
His hands tools of rape and violence,
A masculine macho daemon,
Flight of fight?
We are all wandering in a dark forest of fear,
Through the trees and cross the bushes,
Just to go from one point to another, like a drunk bewildered idiot,
Bumping into each other, or act with threat and menace,
Planting trees of fright, reaping fruit of satisfaction!
Some once asked me: would you rather be feared or loved?
I can tell you one thing brother, sister,
Fear could be a warning, a fear of our legacy!
What’s our legacy on this earth? What the hell have we done?
What the dickens have we left for others?
Flight of fight?
Flight of fight?
Flight of fight?
Flight of fight?
Just tell you this:
A woman who has lost her kid fears nothing, nothing,
Nothing worse to happen, yes, friend,
Truthfulness is gold, tell the truth with no fear,
Truth is immune to fear, express it even under swords,
Truth roots out all fear, shout it even if stoned,
Truth smashes all fear, expose it even if electrocuted,
Honesty eradicates fear, stick to it even in dungeons,
Reality shatters fear, be real, genuine, yourself,
Courage crushes fear, courageous people know no danger,
Fear not, bravery is your asset, cowardice is fools’ anthem,
Listen friend,
You can harness fear, render it meek and tame,
You can joyfully ride on fear,
you can firmly float on waves of fear heading for excitement and happiness!
Flight of fight? ......

Ali Rahimi

#MeToo Movement

Origin: Started in 2006 by activist Tarana Burke to support survivors of sexual violence, the #MeToo movement gained global traction in 2017 when actress Alyssa Milano used the hashtag following accusations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

Purpose: Aims to raise awareness about the prevalence of sexual harassment and assault, empower survivors to share their stories, and demand accountability for perpetrators.

Impact: Sparked widespread conversations about consent, workplace safety, and power dynamics. Led to high-profile resignations and policy changes in industries worldwide, as well as increased legislative actions focused on protecting victims of sexual misconduct.

Origin: Initiated by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg in 2018, who began striking from school every Friday to protest inaction on climate change.

Purpose: Focuses on urging governments to take immediate and concrete actions to address climate change based on scientific evidence. Advocates for the reduction of carbon emissions and adherence to the Paris Agreement targets.

Impact: Mobilised millions of young people globally through climate strikes and protests. Played a significant role in shifting public discourse and pushing for climate policies and commitments from governments and corporations.

Origin:

Started in 2016, the Pussyhat Project was created by Krista Suh and Jayna Zweiman, two women in Los Angeles.

It began as a response to Donald Trump's election and his infamous comments about grabbing women “by the pussy.”

The idea was for people (especially women) to knit and wear pink cat-eared hats to the Women’s March on Washington on January 21, 2017, the day after Trump’s inauguration.

Purpose:

To create a bold visual statement of solidarity and protest against sexism, misogyny, and the erosion of women’s rights.

The pink colour and cat ears reappropriated Trump’s derogatory comment, turning it into a symbol of resistance and empowerment.

It gave people a visible identity at marches and protests, making them impossible to ignore.

It was also about craftivism: using traditionally feminine crafts (like knitting) in a powerful political way.

Impact:

Over 1 million hats were reportedly made and worn at marches across the U.S. and internationally.

The hat became an iconic symbol of the 2017 Women’s March, one of the largest protests in U.S. history.

• Sparked nationwide and global conversations about:

  • Sexual harassment and assault

  • Gender inequality

  • Bodily autonomy and reproductive rights.

  • Helped unite diverse activist causes under a shared visual identity.

  It was also critiqued for not always being inclusive (e.g., pink not representing all genders or races equally), leading to deeper intersectional awareness in feminist activism.

Components of the Project:

• Illustrated Book: The project began with an illustrated picture book that presents profound themes in an accessible format, prompting readers to reflect on their fears and the transient nature of life.

• Short Film: Complementing the book, a short film was produced to visually explore themes of fear and death, further engaging audiences through cinematic storytelling.

  
  

Immersive Arts Festival: The project expanded into an immersive arts festival, premiering in Sydney and subsequently touring cities like Melbourne and Byron Bay, selling out in all three locations. The festival featured interactive experiences, films, talks, and performances, all designed to encourage attendees to confront their fears and embrace life more fully.

Global Reach: Beyond Australia, "We're All Going To Die" has produced art installations and events in international locations, including Auckland, Los Angeles, and Texas. These events have maintained the project's core message, adapting to diverse cultural contexts while consistently encouraging participants to reflect on their fears and mortality.

Philosophy and Impact: At its core, the project seeks to reframe the conversation around death and fear, transforming these often-avoided topics into opportunities for personal growth and community connection. By engaging with these themes through various artistic mediums, "We're All Going To Die" inspires individuals to live more authentically and courageously.

Origin: Founded in 2013 by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi following the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting of Trayvon Martin. Gained massive momentum in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd.

Purpose: Aims to combat systemic racism, police brutality, and racial injustice, advocating for reforms in policing and criminal justice systems. Focuses on empowering Black communities and addressing inequalities in education, housing, and healthcare.

Impact: Led to global protests, policy proposals like defunding the police, and increased scrutiny of racial disparities. Prompted corporations, sports leagues, and political leaders to acknowledge and address issues of systemic racism

This is a mid-tempo pop ballad in which Billie Eilish urges listeners to overcome their fears and embrace their talents. The lyrics encourage someone to break out of their comfort zone and share their gifts with the world.

Good Lyrics: "You don't have to keep it quiet
And I know it makes you nervous
But I promise you, it's worth it
To show 'em everything you kept inside"

This R&B pop song by Destiny's Child is a classic anthem of resilience and pursuing goals even in the face of adversity. The song is powerful and upbeat with a strong and clear message on facing your fears and not giving up,

Good Lyrics: “I'm a survivor, I'm not gon' give up, I'm not gon' stop, I'm gon' work harder”

The song by The Weekend explores the fears of living, and the futility of life. It shows why it is important to confront fears and live freely.

Good Lyrics: “So don't be scared to live again 

Be scared to live again 

No, don't be scared to live again 

Be scared to live again”

• Ash – ambitious

• Jamie – reluctant

• Riley – silly fears

The three stand in a triangle. To create tension, we use heavy breaths. Drumbeat sound (made vocally or through stomps)

ASH (excitedly draws a huge imaginary list in the air, slams it on the ground.)

ASH (wordlessly gestures: "Let’s GO!", beckoning motion)

JAMIE (shakes head, arms crossed, slowly sinking to the floor)

RILEY (Mimes the motion of circling a day on a calendar, before crossing it out.)

ASH (grabs JAMIE’s hand, pulls them upright. Drags RILEY forward. Marching in place, trying to encourage the other to do the same)

ASH (points to RILEY, your turn.)

RILEY (terrified expression whilst miming the actions of climbing a rock wall, lots of deep breaths and hesitation, through regardless of the fear of heights, once at the top they breath a sigh of relief)

ASH (claps. Points to JAMIE.)

JAMIE (deep breath. Mimes a microphone. Says one line:)
“Hi. I hate this.”
Freezes. Then dramatically bows. The others cheer.

ASH (nods solemnly. Slowly mimes opening a jar of spiders and letting them crawl across their face and body, remaining calm even through the terrifying scenario)

Finaly, all three link arms. Together, mime pulling fears out of their chests and throwing them to the sky—a big, slow, stylised breath out.

-How actors use the stage and space through movement, useful for theatre in the round if we cover lots of space

-Actors move around at different speeds, and these speeds convey different meanings

-At times, rushed and frantic, colliding into one another with close proximity and loud footsteps

-Contrasted with stillness, slowness, circles

-Creating shapes like a circle where you all follow each other, spinning, levels bobbing up and down, walking backwards, clockwise v anti-clockwise

-Coughing as a diegetic sound,

-Touching each other while coughing, the contact shows spread

-Hugging, embracing, holding,

-Joint laughter, turned to crying, turned to anguished screaming.

-Loud to silent

-Moving all together as one whilst swaying slowly becoming violent and more energetic

-collapsing into the ground, fallinng moving slowly

-Strong emphasis on synchronised movement.

-lifts/acrobatics

-direct dialogue

-movements that are reliant on each other

-dialogue continued throughout the

-movements fluid

ROUND-BY-THROUGHS:

-Round-by-throughs use proximity and closeness

-considered the “building blocks” you can work with weight, tension, struggle, closeness, proximity, contact,

-The focus is on presenting opportunities for communication

-Tense, tight, close movements vs light, flowing, freely passing.

-Finding opportunities for lifts, shifts and moves

-lifts happen to push forward the narrative. Follow this simple principle on choreography: "There are always three universes: there’s the moment before the touch, the moment of the touch, and the moment after the touch, all should be different!"

-EYE CONTACT, making intentional decisions

HYMN HANDS:

-Hymn hands involve placing hands on the trunk of the other person's body

-you can move the other person's hands or arms

-eye contact is essential, you can watch each other's movement or look away, they convey different messages.

-speed, rushed vs slow,

-the idea of “being in a relationship” tells a a story through physicality

-slow tension through watching the hand placement vs watching eye contact through intimacy

-black consumes so you can see physical movement better

-synchronised movement

-breath, speed, frantic,

-shared viewpoint

-minimal dialogue

-Slow motion for impact and tension

-Non-diegetic soundtrack as an aid,

-Diegetic sound used to make a soundscape

-singing and song

-heart racing, heavy beats, very helpful for dot point 1, recreating the body's response to fear.

-taunting isolation

-synchronised heart beats, lifting of the chest in unison

-chair as a prop

-direct dialogue

-constant movement throughout dialogue, even just through one part of the body (eg legs)

-staggered entry and synchronisation

-stylised movement and individual characterisation

-Tempo increases with movement and dialogue

-soundtrack used

-A lot of physical comedy, being thrown around, manhandled

-Repeated fails, stupidity and foolishness as a humour

-Elements of slapstick

-The physicality of rearing up for battle, the comedic stance

-Synchronised movement

-Extremely overdramatised actions

-somewhere between fighting and comically embracing

-Excessive repetitive violence

-Use of physical movement and physical comedy

-comedy

-over-exaggerated characters

-out-there humour 

-repetitive jokes that get taken to increasing extremes

-gets more and more unrealistic and absurd

-comedy

-singing as if to an audience or another person

-acting as if on a stage to an audience instead of one other person

-"If you're in a burning building with smoke everywhere, keep calm, take a deep breath, and stay right there." Ironic. 

-Comedy through over exaggeration and silliness, clearly all the examples would cause more harm then good if tried.

-promoting increasingly dangerous activity 

-begins naturalistic and devolves from there 

-conveys the message through examples that get less and less realistic

-lighting 

-use of prop 

-use of levels 

-synchronisation 

-Movements whilst singing for comedy 

-Directs movement outwards like she's performing to a crowd

-Repeated on beat snipping motion with sound effects  

-Tension builds to sounds climax as it gets more and more absurd and the examples get crazier.

-I did lie down

-emphasis on trusting your intuition

-You are in control of this meditation whilst still being dictated by the meditation

-connection between you and the universe, not just you and yourself

-Connection expressed through light

-letting go of what has been, embracing the present

-being present and in the moment, centred

-synchronisation

-sound-scape using layered noises made by different actors

-repeated dialogue

-cohesive costume through colours

-slow, tense movements

-spotlight

-Transformation of prop into boundary

-extreme characterisations

-Morph, used to transform between characters

-humans as anonymous objects

-depicting conflict or battle in creative ways, not just through fighting, e.g. finger puppetry

-showing a scenario through multiple angles

-minimal space used, forced proximity

-a technique called under over, where you begin by weaving and using each other's bodies to go both under and over,

-following the pattern of one person going over, and the other goes over, then one person going under, and the other going under

-Then introduce dynamics and flow by eliminating the structure of a start and end and making elements more circular

-Utilise speed to convey a message

-Eye contact conveys meaning

-movement script+verbal text

-Sometimes you move together, sometimes you speak together, and sometimes you move and speak together

-limited space used

-comedy

-finger puppetry is used

-fast-moving plot

-dialogue said in unison

-diegetic sound to create a soundscape