The script: We cut out from "I dont believe it" to "every street in the village" as we were not going to take the intertextual link any further from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (another Roald Dahl book, interestingly Charlie was published in 1965, four years after James. I checked in the original book and this link is made there too, so obviously Dahl had already begun planning Charlie whilst he was writing James) as this might confuse our audience.
Dividing up the narration into three peoples lines was decided by our director. However, we did swap around occasionally if it worked beter for some reason (such as it would make a better entrance line, or it didnt make sense with our physical actions).
The stage: Early on we were told we would be acting with a beach ball or exercise ball representing the peach.
We had giant books with:
- Telegraph pole
- Two parked cars
- Cows and sheep in a field
- Village
Children would be brought up by Ryan K and positioned in above order from down stage left to right.
Jack stands downstage right, Ryan K downstage center and I stand down stage left. The children are in front of us.
After the children have their books shut we came up with the idea of having the children roll the ball upwards over their heads towards the exit and us pointing to it and following it with our gestures to represent bobbing around on the sea.
Movement and speech: Chris Davey was out specialist ''Movement director'' and helped us loads with this scene. When we first started blocking it, it was very static and we simply held the peach until we passed it, but Chris showed us how to roll with the peach and the insects and James followed our movements behind us.
We debated bumping (gently) the kids on the head as they were meant to close the book, but decided against it as the kids might'nt like it. Instead we decided on gently touching the book and guiding the kids to close it.
Evaluation: Overall I think this was the best scene for the narrators. I struggled with one line (so annoying!) of "The cows and sheep and horses stampeding in all directions". For some reason I just could not remember it! To overcome this I repeatedly read over my lines, and the couple of times I did forget I just made something up along the same lines, I hope no one noticed!
Notes: A couple of times Ryan K forgot to mention that the kids should put their hands up for the peach, and I had to improvise it on the spot as I was holding the peach last. I just continued my wibbly-wobbly movements which Chris D showed me for the previous part of the scene and carried the peach off at the end.
Ongoing Targets!
Jack stands downstage right, Ryan K downstage center and I stand down stage left. The children are in front of us.
After the children have their books shut we came up with the idea of having the children roll the ball upwards over their heads towards the exit and us pointing to it and following it with our gestures to represent bobbing around on the sea.
Movement and speech: Chris Davey was out specialist ''Movement director'' and helped us loads with this scene. When we first started blocking it, it was very static and we simply held the peach until we passed it, but Chris showed us how to roll with the peach and the insects and James followed our movements behind us.
We debated bumping (gently) the kids on the head as they were meant to close the book, but decided against it as the kids might'nt like it. Instead we decided on gently touching the book and guiding the kids to close it.
Evaluation: Overall I think this was the best scene for the narrators. I struggled with one line (so annoying!) of "The cows and sheep and horses stampeding in all directions". For some reason I just could not remember it! To overcome this I repeatedly read over my lines, and the couple of times I did forget I just made something up along the same lines, I hope no one noticed!
Notes: A couple of times Ryan K forgot to mention that the kids should put their hands up for the peach, and I had to improvise it on the spot as I was holding the peach last. I just continued my wibbly-wobbly movements which Chris D showed me for the previous part of the scene and carried the peach off at the end.
Ongoing Targets!
- To remember my lines!!!!!
- To wobble the fence when Jack P begins to shake it
- To look at the peach/fence not at the Aunts or the audience as this is distracting and seem un-professional
- To help the children open their books and be in the correct position
- To improvise when necessary! (In one show Ryan K had to stay with one of the particularly young child volunteers and I had to take his movements on the spot! It worked out fine!)
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