Louise Ansell

Exploration 3.
In exploration 3 we had three stimuli, they were; A song by Jonny Cash called
Gods gonna cut you down that was played whilst we were trying to come up
with pieces, Our teacher in role, ordering us to sign a confession, and pages 95-
105 of the play. These stimuli helped us to come up with our piece.

We used on text improvisation in our piece; I feel that this made our piece more
interesting and also helped the audience to understand the time our piece was
set in. We used key lines to express the thoughts of the characters. On text
improvisation is when you create a piece using lines from a script and your own
words.

We used choral speech at the beginning, although we did not all say the same
thing, we were all shouting, by doing this we hoped to create a lively and happy
atmosphere. By shouting over each other we aimed to show the craziness and
ridiculousness of the times in which the witch trials were set. Choral speech is
when everyone speaks in unison.

In our piece we included a flash back; a flash back is jumping back in time to an
event which explains the present. We felt it crucial to include this, as we thought it
would help the audience understand why Abigail and Mary were being accused
of witch craft. The flashback was preformed behind Mary so that the audience
could see what was going on in the present, and what had happened to lead up
to the conviction.

We considered proxemics in our piece. Proxemics is the use of space. We made
sure that in the start of the court scene, the girls accused of witched were close
together, to show that they were united and all equally responsible for the cause
of the witch trials. As well as this, when John Proctor (Sam) came into the court
room, he kept his distance from Abigail (Izzie), we did this to show the audience
that they had a bad relationship, and he couldnt stand to be near her, because of
what she had done.

We used levels in our piece to show the different amounts of power a person
had. I think we used them successfully, and by using them, the audience could
easily tell who had the most control and authority. We made sure that when
Abigail (Izzie) shouted; she had more power than anyone else, as we felt that this
would be how Abigail would have behave in the film.

Throughout our piece we felt it necessary to include gestures to convey to the
audience how each character was feeling. When Mary warren (Me) was huddled
with the rest of the witches I held my hands to my face, this was to show to the
audience that I was terrified and afraid, as well as upset. When in the court
scene, Dan pointed at me, this was to emphasise that it was my fault, and that I
was in the wrong.

In our piece we used voice; at the beginning, we made sure that all our voices
were loud and happy, but as soon as Abigail shouted, we went silent; we did this
to portray the power that Abigail had. Throughout the piece I made sure that I
Louise Ansell
spoke quite quickly, as I thought that this would show that I was nervous and
afraid, I also made my voice quite quiet, to convey to the audience that I was
frightened, and scared to share my points of view.

At the beginning or our piece we paced the speech quite fast; this was to show
the audience the hysteria and insanity of the time. However at the end we made it
slower, we did this, because at the end Mary Warren was convicted, and we felt
that this would be sad, and less hysteric.
Louise Ansell










































Sophie stood up, as she was
the witch doctor. She stood
up to show that she had more
power.
We knelt, to show to the
audience that we had less
power than Sophie.
Izzie played Abigail Williams,
during all the hysteria she sit
with her head down, and does
not say anything. We did this
to show that she did not have
any power at this point.
We all shouted the name of
the person who we loved, in
response to the witch doctors
love chant. We all shouted
over each other to
demonstrate the hysteria and
madness of the time.
Louise Ansell
We knelt further down at this
point; and stared at Izzie we
did this to show to the
audience that we were
frightened. We stared at her,
so that she was centre of
attention.
The power immediately shifted
to Izzie, as soon as she stood
up. As she stood she
screamed; Goody Procter
must die! After this everyone
went silent; we did this to
prove the power that Izzie had
gained.



























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By sitting on the floor, it
immediately shows that we
have less power. We sat at
the back, We did this to prove
to the audience that we were
scared of being asked to tell
the truth by the judge.
I covered my face with my
hands; we used this body
language to suggest that I was
scared. I also shook, to
express even more fear.
Louise Ansell



























I used facial expressions to
communicate to the audience
how I was feeling. I kept a
terrified look on my face, and
breathed quickly, to show how
frightened and nervous I was.
The other members of my group
performed a flashback of the
events that had happened,
behind me.
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Dans gesture of a point,
communicated to the audience
that I was to blame.
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After Dan had shouted, Abigail
(Izzie) fainted; we did this to
show the power that Abigail had,
and the way that she could use it
to her advantage.
Sophie and I both fainted after
Izzie, this was to show, how If
Abigail did something, all the
other girls copied, and this made
her more powerful. We sat, to
show she had more power.
Louise Ansell
Exploration 5

Our stimulus for exploration 5 was a video documentary, about witches in Nigeria.
This video really helped us to understand what happens in Nigeria, and helped us to
come up with an interesting piece.
To begin our piece we started with a still image, a still image is an important moment
frozen in time. We began with a still image, as we thought the beginning was a
crucial part of the piece, and it would help the audience to understand what was
happening. During the still image bryony was underneath the box, we did this to
show that she was trapped, and unable to get to the outside world. Her hand hung
out of the box through a hole, and I held on to this, to show that we were united in
how we felt.
We used levels in our piece, to show the power of the priest throughout the piece. At
the beginning, during the still image, Dan stood on top of the box, and above
everyone else, this was to show that he was in charge and had more power.
During our still image, we used a thought track. A thought track is when characters of
the performance say the thoughts of a specific character to communicate with the
audience. In our thought track everybody explained how they were feeling, we did
this so that the audience could appreciate how the witches must have felt.
We used choral speech during in our piece to emphasise our point. Choral speech is
when two or more characters speak in unison. After we came out of the still image,
we lifted the box off of Bryony, she said What did I do?, and the rest of the group
repeated this. We said this rhetorical question whilst facing the audience, to make
them think about what the witches actually had done. We felt it important to repeat it,
to emphasise our point. We also used choral speech at the end of our piece, Ollie
and Izzie said in unison What would you do?, again we used a rhetorical question,
to give the audience chance to think, what they would do, if they were in the situation
of the witches. During the monologue I used choral speech to join in with some of
the conversations that the family had. I did this to show that, even though the family
had forgotten about the witch and didnt care, Bryony still remembered.
The majority of our piece was a flashback; taken away from their family. A Flashback
is jumping back in time to an event which explains the present. During the flashback
we used audience interaction as well as a monologue. A monologue is when a
character is speaking their thoughts aloud and directly addressing another character,
or speaking to the audience. I told Bryonys story, in the form of a monologue. I sat in
the audience to show that even though Bryony was accused of being a witch, she
was just like everybody else.
Louise Ansell
We used synchronised movement and sound when they leant over and blew down
on to Bryony in unison. We did to show how cold and windy it was. As well as this it
was to show how powerful the wind was, and how everything was blowing against
her. Synchronised movement is when two or more people do the same movement in
unison. We also used synchronised movement when Bryony knocked on the door to
the priest, whilst I was in the audience, I joined in to emphasise the knocking, and
show how this was a crucial part of the girls life, and how it was about to change.