(All the photos contain the important parts of the Choreographers Script)
The opening:
The opening was something which we did first of all, and this was the part that was inspired by our own stories/letters. The movement in this section was a collaborative piece, and everyone has the opportunity to make acount of 8 and this was the beginning of the piece. We wanted to build up the movement within the piece gradually and the beginning was a slow and repetitive movement based piece that set up the next pieces really well because there is such a massive contrast. Use of the whole stage was particularly important for the opening as it allows the audiences to have several places to look and then with the individual movement it shows different stories every time they look at someone new.
Time Lapse:
Time lapse is something that really stands out in the whole performance because it is so different to everything else. It has a fast pace, and there are lifts and dynamic movements that just make it a completely different section to all the rest. Again it covers the whole of the stage which gives it more impact, especially for the running part, with the music and lights and especially the projection this scene stood out for me for all the right reasons. Choreography wise it was nice to sections of different groups together at different points. Why we chose to put it there was because of the beginning of the ‘Mans’ ideas of being lost and confused and we wanted to represent how he could feel on a day to day basis.
Science and Music scene:
Inspired by frantic assembly within this scene was the chair duets which again completely contrasted to what we had just scene and we really pull it back and it almost becomes still. With the chair duets we wanted to represent a waiting room and we had three sets of couples all of which represented different stories all waiting to hear different sets of news. The chair duets represented that within the movements, but the movements didn’t show that it was a certain couple it could have been any two people with a strong relationship. During this scene is the first time we see the ‘Man’ exposed on his own. The choreography for that particular scene was his conflicts between trying to listen to his diagnoses while trying to remember music, and how much his life revolved around it before his illness.
Props:
This scene would be the first one where the props we used are properly introduced, and used. This scene also gave a bit of light relief to the whole performance as it is very intense. With help from a Beatles song this becomes a scene about the day in the life of the couple. Again it can be classed as more of a fast paced scene but nothing like Time Lapse was.
Ribbons:
Ribbons is one of the Scenes within the performance that makes it more memorable, the choreography in the scene it technically minimal but it was effective. Essentially we are walking/running with the ribbons and once we get to the place we wanted we stop and extended and make the most of the stillness by striking a strong pose and making sure the ribbon is pulled tight. With the minimal but effectiveness of the piece is gives it a new dynamic.
Happy Memories #2:
The happy memories scene again changes the feel of the play again to a part happy, part sad feeling as she is remembering these lovely memories they share and but sad because she can remember it and he cannot. This scene felt like it had to have a simplistic vibe to it so it didn’t detract from what was being said but just to reinforce it. Using one prop at a time and the movement again being very minimal but it made the prop stand out and married both prop and speech well.
Solo/Ensemble Dance:
This again had to give yet another different feeling, at this point we wanted to show that the woman couldn’t take it anymore, she was angry and she needed to go, The suggestion to her version of ‘deleting’ her memories. After the speech from Hannah it lead into the solo I performed myself, it had to show the torment of her leaving even though she loved him, she has struggled for too long as the previous scene nicely set it up for. The solo turns into an ensemble piece that shows that all of the past ‘Wives’ all got the feeling and have an understanding for the current ‘Wife’.
Ending:
For the ending we wanted to show that the wife couldn’t live without him and that she needed him as much as he really needed her. Bringing in the use of the props we wanted the ending to provide a feeling of the love they had before he became ill. He then relives the Props memories with different uses of the props but still the same stories. Then ending leaves it on a nice note.
Overall we hoped that the scenes reflect on what we can show as a day in the life of some things these people have to go through.
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