Performance Workshop Lesson 4- Protest

Evaluation for the Protest

Today was the political protest performance. Before we started we had to make last minute changes due to some technical problems with the physical theatre and the knowledge of the general piece. We first needed to find a speaker that could play the national anthem loud enough so people around us could hear it and know how it all relates to the UK. Also, we needed to hear it so we could all be in time when doing the physical theatre with the paint.

We came to the conclusion to use my wireless speaker even though we could hear that it was a little broken but it still worked perfectly and it was loud enough for everyone to hear when we were outside.

We had to think carefully about what we do for the main piece for example the physical theatre and what we would wear if the paint doesn’t show up on the black jump suits and what  we could have on the washing line to represent chemical warfare. We decided to wear white shirts to wipe the red paint all over so it would show. We thought it would be effective if we put bloody strips of the sheets on the washing line to represent all the people who have died. We additionally had information sheets and letters that spelled out chemical warfare so people would know what our piece was about. Unfortunately, this all didn’t go to well because before we started the protest we were setting up outside and it was extremely windy, so nothing could stay on the washing line except the blood stripts. Also the letters ended up flying away. So five minutes before we started we decided to do the physical theatre with the jumpsuits on because the paint did show up, and we decided to give to the people masks and gloves and tell them about chemical warfare so the can know the effects.

Strengths:

• Handing out gloves and masks for people to remember and be aware of chemical warfare. This was extremely effective because people stayed around to receive one and to hear why they must protect themselves.
• Using the paint as blood and wiping it on our jumpsuits. This was a strong element as it showed the chemicals spreading across the body and killing us and people stopped to see what we were doing.
• Ripping the sheet up to create multiple memories of the people who died. This was good as it took up a lot of time and it showed the increase of people that get affected.

Weaknesses:

• Using the letters to show what it was about. It wouldn’t of been as effective as it was saying it to the audience. If it was able to stay on the washing line it wouldn’t of called out to the audience and we wouldn’t of thought of the interaction idea to take place instead.
• Getting a better speaker to have a much more clearer track to show it’s something to do with war. We had to rely on our own vocals, which was difficult due to the fact I was ill and I had a sore throat.
• One big issue that really messed up the protest was that we originally planned everything for 6 people to do, however, only 4 people showed up on the day so we had to work things out quickly that would help suit 4 people instead. And originally, one of the people who were not in knew the information about chemical warfare by memory and was the most educated.  And the other had items to be hung on the washing line.