Production Pitches

Directors – Joel, Reca

-       Don’t have to keep every single element of Brecht

-       Obsessed with idea of what goodness was

-       Powerful, relevant, moral questions to current society

-       Beautiful set and costume possibilities

-       Perfect cast size

-       Adapted to modern times

-       Is there a solution to this play?

-       Help us understand Brecht better

-       Aim to make people think

-       Ethical sacrifices we make to survive

-       What is goodness and how is it measured?

-       What does morality look like in the real world?

-       Themes: - Plight of morality, naivete, innocence, facades, true love, goodness, self interest, role of women, theoretical morals, idealism vs practicality/reality, man’s inherent isolation, social Darwinism

-       Image concepts – Dark play, shente is the light, rugged china, grungy, willow tree (hanging branches)

-       Street feeling (long extending corridor)

-       Burning of cigars to reveal dirty, nasty inside

-       Target audience: High school students, faculty,

Sound

-       Natural

-       Traditional

-       “Forest road”

-       Chinese bamboo forest

-       Music – unrecognizable,

-       Dark ominous but still with some positive mood and hope

-       Music used to interrupt but also immerse the audience into the play

-       Interlude music (Wang’s interlude)

-       Smooth transitions in music

-       Sound effects – makes it build up (so rain inside and outside)

-       Distancing through sound effects (not making it too realistic)

-        

Set

-       Simple, compelling

-       Caring vs apathy

-       Loss of innocence

-       Conforming to society

-       Lighting from windows

-       Shen te’s shop in the middle of the street

-       Brechtian influence – detailed tobacco shop

-       Cheap, almost gaudy atmosphere

-       Modern, urban feel

-       Falling apart

-       Evening time

-       Not very safe

-       Gaudy but faded colours

-       Grimy

-       Shady, dark feeling

-       Yellow glow

-       Chinese pollution look

-       Dirty windows, dusty set pieces

-       Elevated audience

-       “window” cardboard cutouts

-       Sheets for shen te’s first house

-       Tobacco sign

-       Wedding – Blackout with benches, Shen te and yang sun in the centre

Lighting

-       Minimalistic yet effective at the same time

-       Brechtian style but not FULL Brechtian

-       Yellow glow of pollution

-       Highlighting certain aspects of the actor

-       Light comes from the town and not naturally

-       Town is still gritty but there is hope because the Gods are here

-       When there is hope is will become lighter

-       Shen te’s – shadowy feel because she’s taking matter into her own hands

-       Courtroom- brightest of all

-       Strong shadows – Corruption, uncertainty that comes with poverty

-       Feelings

-       The closer you get to the light the bigger your shadow becomes