Letter 1 from Kinsey (Robert Thompson)

Dear Mum


I really can't wait to get out of here and see you and dad again? When are you coming to visit me? I don't really like being in here with Jon, it's all his fault we are in here and I have to spend nearly every day with him. I hate him, he got me in here. I don't really think I belong in here. Some people in here aren't really that nice to me. There is this boy Milo who is always really angry at everyone and he tries to threaten me. There is a girl called rose who is a bot of a psycho and she keeps acting like a child and she is always talking about being a baby sitter and it's really bloody annoying. And then of cause there is George who I hate because he got me in here and he is still being rather mean to me and thinks that soon enough his parents will come and get him. Oh yeah and then there is this other weird boy who is very strange, he is always sitting away from everyone and he is really quiet and he stutters a lot but when he's reading he talks fine and it's really weird. I miss you and dad. I want to come home and tell you how sorry I am. When do you think you guys will come and collect me? I want to come home. I wish I had never done what I had done. Anyway I have to go now, I have to go to a lesson.


Love you,


Robert


xxx

Proxemics in a Handbag - Kinsey

Today our group had a desicion based on what we think about the proxemics in the play. We had a fairly easy task of setting the proxemics for Kinsey and George (Me and Kai). As there is a past histpory between the two of them and which leads to how they got there, they both blame each other and clearly they probably wouldn't want to be anywhere near each other. The Proxemics between Kinsey and the other characters is rather straight forward from my view. I don't think that Kinsey would want to distance himself from anyone that much. Kinsey maybe want to distance himself from Milo a bit as he's been with him behind stage and heard him complaining and getting angry for a hour or two but other than Milo and George, I think that Kinsey likes to remain mutral with everyone and doesn't want to be involved with any arguements or confrontation - yet he wants to talk to George about being mates again.

Allan's monologue

In this lesson, we had decided to show the other group a small part of our play. We had decided that we would perform this part as it had most of us in it and also they hadn't seen it before. When looking at my character in this, I feel as if he is maybe too quiet at some points and comes across a bit camp when saying "By and Irishman". So a way that I can try to improve this is by maybe projecting a bit louder and also maybe making sure that everything I do has a purpose to it to make sure I don't then end up walking around a lot or just sitting in my chair for ages listening to the conversations that occur in the scene.

Handbag Subtext Exercise

In this lesson, we focused on some subtext and the thoughts and feelings the characters would be going through in this small snippet. My character (Kinsey) would be rather annoyed as he's had to be waiting with Milo for a few hours whilst they rehearse the play and his wining has probably got to much and as an outcome, Kinsey then decided to be rather sarcastic and show a sign of immaturity towards George.

A handbag subtext lesson

In today's lesson we had a task of trying to have a thought process of our characters whilst performing/ rehearsing our piece. I thought that the exercise was rather useful as we got to have an insight into what our characters think of each others at the moment of time. We started to discuss our ideas and what we thought of the characters and gave our opinions on other peoples interpretations. This was so that we can say things that someone might not have thought of or taken into consideration. When discussing it we stopped at Milo. We stopped at him because he says "what was it the newspapers called the two of you". And it made us bring up the question of 'Does Milo know George and Kinsey's real identity?'

Greek Theatre

Venues

Most of If not all cities had a Theatre (Amphitheatre). They were built on Hill sides in the open and could hold up to 18,000 spectators. The Venues would be built in a semi-circular shape – The seating around it was made of stone. The fact that it was built on a hill side meant that spectators had a good view and it meant that they could hear the actors rather well due to projection. The centre of the theatre was a circular dance floor. Altar for sacrifices dedicated to Dionysus. The Stage was a raised area within the circle.

Scenery

In Greek theatre, there were several scenic elements. Some of the common ones were:

·         A crane

·         Wheeled platforms

·         Pictures

·         Plastic props

Actors

In Greek times, the actors would be men and women could only be involved if they were in the chorus (the chorus would involve 12 – 15 people). The actors would often wear very large and wacky masks. Very often the plays would be based around comedies and tragedies and would include a lot of singing and dancing. Tragedies also would be known for the costume because when there was a tragedies, the costumes would be darker and comedies would involve lighter clothing.

Costumes

·         Chiton (Robe)

·         Chlaina / himation (over garment)

·         Chamys (short cloak)

·         Cothurnus (short lace up)

·         Peplos (cloak)

39 Steps Summery

"
The novel is set during May and June 1914; war was evident in Europe, Richard Hannay the protagonist and narrator, an expatriate Scot, returns to his new home, a flat in London, after a long stay in Rhodesia, in order to begin a new life. One night he is buttonholed by a stranger, a well-travelled American, who claims to be in fear for his life. The man appears to know of an anarchist plot to destabilise Europe, beginning with a plan to assassinate the Greek Premier, Constantine Karolides, during his forthcoming visit to London. The man reveals his name to be Franklin P. Scudder, a freelance spy, and remarks that he is dead, which holds Hannay's attention. Scudder explains that he has faked his own death in order to avert suspicion. Scudder claims to be following a ring of German spies called the Black Stone who are trying to steal British plans for the outbreak of war. Hannay lets Scudder hide in his flat, and sure enough the next day another man is discovered having apparently committed suicide in the same building. Four days later Hannay returns home to find Scudder dead with a knife through his heart.
Hannay fears that the murderers will come for him next, but cannot ask the police for help because he is the most likely suspect for the murders because he lived in the same building. Not only does he want to avoid imprisonment, but he also feels a duty to take up Scudder's cause and save Karolides from the assassination, planned in three weeks' time. He decides to go into hiding in Scotland and then to contact the authorities at the last minute. In order to escape from his flat unseen, he bribes the milkman into lending him his uniform and exits wearing it, escaping from the German spies watching the house. Carrying Scudder's pocket-book, he catches an express train leaving from London St. Pancras station. Hannay fixes upon Galloway, in south-west Scotland, as a suitably remote place in which to make his escape and remembers somehow the town of Newton-Stewart, which he names as his destination when he buys his ticket from the guard."