early development: videos and images from the director (September 2016 workshop)

".... It was a great creative session, I think that combining this with Matt's work will leave us ready to go into production."

These are files on the creative work emerging from our recent workshop. We're excited by the work and think it'll provide a great physical lens for the text work.

Please note that we didn't stick to actors playing exact roles, so we may switch to different characters in the videos. It is also out of chronological sequence. Much of the material covers the opening sequence, so allow me to lay out what happens:

- Herman and Herman in the reflection image (as per the photo below)

- they write in chalk (Old Herman) and erase in water (Young Herman) trying to reconstruct what happened to Leo. Old Herman is trying to piece together the order (which was first) while Young Herman is trying to obscure. Three terms come out: 'the blast', 'the rope', 'Leo'. When Old Herman comes to 'the rope' it appears

- the rapel: Young Herman rapelling on the rope (the first in the order) down the pit. He is caught by Leo (the second).

- the crawl: they are crawling the tunnel. The rope over them is a kind of nerve which cannot be touched. Leo disappears offstage and lights appear where he has left

- the rope cut: Herman crawls away along the rope. He panics and cuts the cord

Also, we've decided that the opening/opening of the second act should both be scenes where Herman is confronting Herman. The second is an escalation that leads to different places, but both is the Old Herman trying to make sense of what happened while the Young is trying to obscure.

Here are notes on the files as you watch them:

Crawling Arches/With Rope: for the opening when Leo and Young Herman are in the underground tunnel. Having the rope as a kind of nerve - where touching it is dangerous - also leads to...

Cut Thread: immediately following, when Herman cuts the rope and leaves Leo to die

Cochlea/Day Ritual: A proposal for the day ritual. I imagine this being done while we here Old Herman describing their days.

Double Perspective walking: Also a day ritual proposal

Gas mask photos: Not sure where this would go if anywhere. Opening of the second act when the two Hermans fight? Nightmares maybe. In the second one, we like the idea of a prop which is the violin on one side and the shovel one the other/when flipped.

Herman Reflection: the very first image for the show. From here, the Herman switch planes back and forth as they debate the initial question: 'what happened to Leo'?

Nightmare sequences: for the two nightmares. Glove travelling would be followed by boot - more on this later. In the second, his attempt to free Leo of entanglement causes him to be entangled

Openings: retreat rope/crawl clasp. Variations on the rope cut/tunnel crawl.

Opening: H v H - general idea for the first bit following the reflection shot (we came up with that later, but the sense of the scene is here)

Opening rapel crawl: seen from the overhead. When the rope drops, we shift perspectives. Note that in final lighting you wouldn't see Leo until Herman hits him.

Power rope: don't know what it would be for - when a character is expressing power or something

Rope march sound: for the sound of the tramping of the Saunterers, made with rope

Show perspective: just giving you a sense of the audience's view to the stage

Trail H v H rope conflict: for the final argument when Old Herman learns that Young Herman lied. When they 'bounce' off eachother should be a pivotal moment in text (when he learns of the lie?)

Walking Rope sounds: sounds of wind as he travels

Walking: rope waves: another day ritual possiblilty. Or maybe when he runs away from the bench meeting with Leo.

Watching myself Walking: this is a meditation on meditating. May be useful.

Cheers.

       

Trevor Copp