An auditorium & an exhibition gallery

An Auditorium

Adam learns that he has been part of Evelyn's art project for her thesis. She had been instructed by her Art professor to change the world and has decided to change 'someone's world'. Through the play Adam wanted to, or agreed to, see himself differently and to act this out essentially through Evelyn's suggestions. Adam is now publicly humiliated.

This scene has a complete change of dramatic structure as ti is mainly presented in monologue form. This means that the dialogue and physical rhythms of the monologue are used as part of the denouement. This scene can make the audience feel uncomfortable as some may laugh and some may cringe at the events.

Activity

Using a small segment of this scene, deconstruct it and:

  • create a super objective for their part of the monologue
  • create moment by moment objectives
  • create tactics
  • write out what obstacles there are for Evelyn
  • experiment with their vocal work so that the monologue can drop in intensity and build in intensity
  • experiment with the physicality of the character
  • decide where Adam, Phillip and Jenny are placed in the auditorium and how this might affect the dramatic action.

An Exhibition Gallery

Adam confronts Evelyn demanding an explanation, but he is not given one he wants to hear. He is alone surrounded by the remnants of his life before Evelyn.

Activity

Break into groups of four and discuss the questions below.

  1. What is the blackest and most comic part of this scene, i.e. where is the climax?
  2. What they think the whisper was about (pages 137/138) and how will the audience understand its significance?
  3. How the place of objects and props on the set affects the final dramatic outcome.
  4. How the whole scene should be directed. Should the audience feel uncomfortable and/or awkward? Should they have some empathy for Adam or even for Evelyn?
  5. Why, in some professional performances of the play, the cast did not take a bow and how would this affect an audience?

Rehearse and perform some of these segments for your class.