Unit 8 - Performance Project

Unit 8 - Project (Ubu Roi: Level 2 Performing Arts Performance)

UAL Diploma in Production Arts


Context - Proposal

Candidate Name	Ludinizia Cravid
Candidate Number
Pathway	Level 3 Production Arts
Project Title	Final Major Project - Year 1
Section 1: Review (Approx 100 words)	Throughout my time on this course and the previously studying Level 2 Performing Arts. I will gather all of my skills together to create my final project and being able to managing the show on my own and I have very good interest into comedy performances which will bring out my skills out more as I have great humor and this will give me ability to show the vision I have for the show. I will mainly be focusing on the lighting because I want to avoid last minute technical elements but also, I have huge interest as a lighting technician because the lighting brings the affect and tension towards the show and create atmosphere towards the audience which proves to me that I have done a great job. In the future, I would like to learn more works around as a lighting technician to create wonderful shows because this will give me a chance to work with great theatre companies and concerts to show my impress skills.
Section 2: Project Concept (Approx 200 words)	My vision for my final major project Ubu Roi is to create a visual theme mixed with Shakespearean and Modern for the play. For my Unit 8 I want to my skills as a lighting technician as well as my research around the play and create the play into my visual theme. Also, I will also be exploring around the set design for the play that I would create a dynamic to show levels, for example creating a stage for the characters the King and Queen to represent the empowerment over others. On the other hand, this will be my first time being a role of stage manager and with observation I have done in previous plays that my colleagues have been chosen as stage manager and take these skills from them and revive into my skills and I will arranging production meetings with the director to discuss and gather information about the play, and asking for a script for notes alongside the director's vision for the play. Afterwards, as soon as the production meetings have been held, I will then be attending the rehearsals to observe the actors within how they interpret the play from the script and discuss ideas and their visions from them. Then, another production meeting will be held again because of the ideas that I will have gathered together and then discuss these ideas with the director so we can compare and find a possible way to join these ideas into one. Therefore, I will be attending the rehearsals and taking notes onto my script as observing and taking ideas during the rehearsals then show, discuss my visual theme and share information about the sound, costumes, lighting and set. Directly, as the costume is organised and the set is finalized I would like the actors to rehearse around the set to avoid last minute re-blocking the set also I will like the actors to give their opinion to the costumes because I want the costumes to link to the play as my visual theme for the play is mixed with Shakespearean and Modern day version. Throughout, the whole process I will be in the gallery most of the time because I would like the actors to rehearse alongside with all the technical work to avoid any last-minute difficulties and the actors will know their cues as I will be ordering and calling the cues for the show. And my final major project is for me to finally show my skills and techniques I have learnt throughout the year and being able to use these skills onto the show together to prove to everyone what I have learned and greats works I have done by myself. For my research, I will be researching resources, watching videos on Ubu Roi and relating the theme to other plays to gather my ideas and share my ideas to the director and actors to then merge our ideas together to find a way to create these ideas into. I will be watching videos on YouTube on different time period that Ubu Roi was performed and take notes so I will not forget and try to relate to the these performances onto my process as I go along and  reading resources on Ubu Roi so I can understand the concept of the show and being able to create the Ubu Roi onto my visual theme and making sure my visual theme will go to plan but there are also the director and actor's vision's that I will consider. I will also be helped by Nin as he has many years of experience working for show as a lighting and sound technicians and he will help me create my vision for the shows also helping me with technical difficulties which will be good as judgement or guidance to be able to correct myself.
Section 3: Evaluation (Approx 50 words)	I will review my work by watching the final performance and the film to compare the differences of Ubu Roi. And I will be helped  by Nin with the lighting and sound desk as a guidance beside me, this should be an experience working under a few days prior before the show and this can add pressure and it's important to have your technical elements under control due to last minute priors. I will also keep track of notes for my process throughout the year and this is able to improve my skill and techniques as a whole.
Proposed Research Sources and Bibliography   (Harvard Format	The research I will be going to do are on reviews mostly about Ubu Roi to get a final idea towards my project. I will also be searching for videos or performances based on Ubu Roi. Article Title: Chronological Bibliography: Alfred Jarry Website Title: Isfdb.org // URL: https://www.Isfdb.org/cgi-bin/chi.cgi?7185 Author: Dan Piepenbring Article Title: An Inglorious Slop-pail of a Play Website Title: The Paris Review URL: https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2015/09/08/an-inglorious-slop-pail-of-a-play/ Author: Dominic Cavendish Article Title: Ubu Roi: an unforgiving satire on manners old and modern Website Title: Telegraph.co.uk URL: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/11743712/Ubu-Roi-an-unforgiving-satire-on-manners-old-and-modern.html

Project Action Plan and Timetable

Week	Date Week Beginning	Activity/ What you are intending to do - including independent	Resources/ What you will need to do it - including access to the workshops
	21.05.2019	I researched the play Ubu Roi to understand what the play is about and to expect for the students or teacher wants.	Briefly, I watched the performances of Ubu Roi that was recommended for me: https://youtu.be/-akzBQz6Cxk https://youtu.be/LVOIBmOnc-g https://youtu.be/fQCzNAXcn4c
2.	02.06.2019	I had a meeting arranged with the drama teacher to scheme through anything that would be wanted or needed for the show.	However, I should have been at rehearsals to get an idea of what the students and the teacher wanted the production to be a good performance and what reflects to represent the show through lighting, costumes, sound, hair and make-up and props.
3.	06.06.2019	I had a meeting the Level 2 Performing arts students. Together we went through what would be needed for the performance, I was given a list for props and costumes, sound also hair and make-up. Afterwards, I went to the gallery and downloaded the sound that the students wanted.	However, there wasn’t an idea what they wanted for the lighting area but the theme was peaky blinders and Victorian era so I had an idea what I was working with.
4.	17.06.2019	I worked in the theatre alongside with Nin. He was helping me in the gallery as he has 30 years of experience. Therefore, together we were putting the sound and music together for the performances also I learnt another way to work with Gio Console Programme.
5.	18.06.2019	The day of the performance.

Planning: 

My plan for my final major project is to work with the Level 2 Performing Arts and bring their performance to come life. Before, meeting with the Level 2 Performing, I did some research on Ubu Roi so I could briefly understand what the play is about. However, I watched some Ubu Roi performances and compared all three performances then decided get ideas for the Level 2 Performing Arts show and I also read some information about Ubu Roi therefore I found some interesting research as I didn't know that play is based on a parody of one of Shakespeare's play such as 'Macbeth, Hamlet and King Lear'. Which, gave ideas for the lighting installation and the costumes. I also wanted to meet the Level 2 Performing Arts ideas and expectations because I wanted their show to come life. Moreover, as I knew some of the students outside the classroom, they came to me for a personal discussion for the production also advice from me for their play to go well, for example the short period of time they had access in the theatre because they haven't rehearsed in the theatre yet because they wanted to practise in the space of the theatre also run through the tech as well to get an idea for the lighting. because I have experience with drama and studied Level 2 Performing Arts in the previous year. Furthermore, I wanted to start create the lighting installation straight away and work with sound but the drama teacher for the Level 2 Performance kept on delaying and did not tell me the Level 2 Performing Arts schedule so as a team me and the drama students could start planning for the show weeks away, this became jeopardy in a short period of time, whereas I knew the play but I did not know wherever the drama students wanted yet. The visual theme that they wanted was Peaky Blinders i.e a mixture of Victorian period time and I watched the show of Peaky Blinders and started to write down some notes to get an idea for the production as a whole also the Victorian theme I had experience because in my previous work for the Christmas Carol project, afterwards I went searching through the costume department and select costumes for the theme of the production a I saw varieties of Peaky Blinders and Victorian themed clothing which was very beneficial for me and I didn't have to order anymore costumes also I had to create the fake cigarette and other props that the Level 2 Performing Arts gave me a list. In addition, I also had idea for the lighting installation but I didn't get to present this towards the Level 2 Performing Arts students because me and the drama teacher didn't have much communication, also I didn't have script so I didn't have much to do as part of the production team, there wasn't much provided for to work in the tech in the gallery but other than that I had the costumes and props organised together which was very beneficial for myself and the Level 2 Performing Arts so the production will not end up in jeopardy, then I organised the costumes into separate male and females dressing room into coat hangers so that this would be prepared for them as for their show and the props labelled in a box and visual open so the box would not get lost. Previously, as I was discussing about my lighting installation I had ideas from the other Ubu Roi productions and if there communication this would be very helpful for me and the drama teacher so we could discuss this together so the play would be stressful towards a short period of time. However, the drama teacher did give me a sheet to fill as there was a tech rehearsal with Level 2 Performing Arts, to write down my production notes and props, I was grateful because I could show the drama teacher my ideas and she would take these ideas into consideration most importantly as I have experience.

Act 1

Pa Ubu and Ma Ubu	Spiral Backdrop alongside with a disco ball spinning. General wash, and comedic props to represent the comedy of the production
Dogpile with others - Banquet	In Pa Ubu and Ma Ubu’s house. ^^^^^^
Pa Ubu tells Dogpile of the plan of the king Wenceslas	Sinister music and dimmed lights to show the suspense of Pa Ubu’s plan
Messenger summons Pa Ubu to meet the king	Royal music and paper invitation for the Messenger to read to seem realistic as the royal messenger
Pa Ubu meets the King and gives him a Kazoo	Feast Table, fake wine and fake food. Dimmed red light.
The plan to kill the King hatched	Paper plan, red dimmed light to create suspense

Act 2

The King tells Billikins off for being rude to Ubu they (Ma Ubu & Billikins) try and warn him of Ubu	General wash
Pa Ubu attacks and kills the king	Red wash, suspense sfx and fake blood
Queen and Billikins Opray. Pa Ubu and men burst in	Red wash again to create suspense
Fighting continues	Battle sfx, red wash again to create suspense once again
Billikins and Queen in the mountains	Battle sfx, blue and green wash representing the outside
The Royal Palace with Pa Ubu, Ma Ubu and Dogpile discussion of collecting taxes	Castle backdrop, general wash and props such as a table and chairs
Race for treasures	Yellow was, suspense sfx, heart break sfx and a treasure prop

Act 3

Pa Ubu and Ma Ubu talking about tax collection	General wash, castle backdrop, Ubu music
Pa Ubu gets rid of Bankers, Clerks etc	General wash, cane, judge wig
Pa Ubu tries to kill Dogpile	Spotlight to highlight the atmosphere or red wash also a heart break sfx
Dogpile escaped and meets Psar Alexis to join Russkies	Escape sound sfx and a green wash to show he made it out
Ma Ubu talks to the audience	Spotlight

Act 4

Ma Ubu looks for Pa Ubu’s money	Suspense sfx and dimmed lights as she looking for Pa Ubu’s music
Billikins and Guards	Windows smashed sfx
Pa Ubu gets army together	General wash, soldiers backdrop, triumphant music, swords etc
Pa Ubu battles with the Russkies - Dogpile shoots Pa Ubu	Red wash, battle sfx and shield
Pa Ubu out in the hills with Wallop and McClub	Sneaking sfx and general wash or green wash
Bear enters	Green wash to represent the forest, bear costume, bear sfx
Pa Ubu’s Monologue	Spotlight to add tension to his monologue

Act 5

Ma Ubu enters wakes Pa Ubu up	General wash, bed sheets, pillows
Billikins enters with an army. Battles with Ubu	Red wash again to show battle and battle sfx
Pa Ubu and Ma Ubu ran away from the battle	Sneaking and tense sfx and yellow and green wash
Ship	Green wash to show victory

The End

Research:

Ubu Roi 

Ubu Roi is a parody of Shakespeare's s play such as Macbeth, Hamlet and King Lear. And Ubu Roi is the first premiered show on 10th December 1896 in Paris at Théâtre de l'Œuvre , also the translation of Ubu Roi means 'Ubu, The King'. This play was written by Alfred Jarry. However the play is considered as a wild and comic play. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-akzBQz6Cxk&feature=youtu.be - This performance is from 1965, which I found very interesting and different because of the black and white version, so there was much with colour as coloured cameras and TV wasn't involved much but the performance was very hilarious and creative as liked the set of the performance e.g. the sizes shown levels on the performance and I also liked the costume which was really good and creative and it seemed very effective. 

Ubu Roi, 1965

https://youtu.be/LVOIBmOnc-g - This performance was very colourful and such comic play. The exaggeration with the characters and also the costume too was well perfected too which matched the criteria. Also I loved how the production used the toys as props as well to portray the characters which makes the play more effective and hilarious. 

BBC TV Open University, 1976.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQCzNAXcn4c&feature=youtu.be - Personally, I thought the performance was very dull in my opinion besides Pa Ubu's costume was over the top and stood out which I want also portray as well. The makeup also played a big part in the production and portrayed the characters in details. However, there was cons such as the other characters costumes as they were labelled that was  terrible in my point of view also I believe that the production could have used more their ideas and invest on costume.
The Gungahlin College production of Alfred Jarry's 'Ubu Roi'. September 14, 2017

Problem Solving 

Briefly, I recently had a meeting with the Level  2 Performing Arts and together we were discussing ideas and essentials for hair and make-up, also costumes, lighting installation and sound plus prop. However, as we discussed they gave a list for props and ideas for me to create their show come to life and I wanted that to happen in a short period of time. Whereas, together myself and the Level 2 Performing Arts should have been in the theatre weeks ago to be prepared for the show weeks away but instead it lead to last minute and everyone was under stress and pressure. Alongside with Nin, the tech work went well as during the short period time we had, it was challenging for me because it was my first time dealing with the lighting installation last minute, furthermore Nin taught me in other ways to record and use the lighting installation on Gio Console in a different way rather than using the buttons because normally I would use the buttons to change cues. During the rehearsals in the theatre I took some notes down as I didn't have the script until last minute and it wasn't much of a problem but I would have preferred to use the script as it's very beneficial for doing tech work. In future, I would ask for script as it would be much helpful for myself as a production student.




In addition, Nin taught me an easy way to use the Gio Console and this is called '10 definable motorized playback fader' and this was such a beneficial to use as controlling the lights during a performance. And I also learnt how to use the 'ML control' to change the intensity of the colour within the theatre lights on the Gio console and by learning this I had to use a colour which was red and changed the intensity into a darker shade of red instead of a bright red wash by using the palette select button and these display the number or label. Then opening the gel picker to create the intensity of the colour and recording the colour onto the cue for the production.

These images below show the notes I took during the tech rehearsal as I didn't have the script and the Level 2 Performing Arts notes I also took down for their costumes, props, hair and makeup etc.

 

This image shows the start of the tech rehearsals, as this was the day before the performance even though I was under pressure I wanted to make the performance perfect but these notes helped me a lot even though I didn't have no script.

This image shows the costumes and prop items that were need for the production and I made sure that I provided these items so the production will run smoothly but there was also back up costumes and prop items as discussed with the Level 2 Performing Arts

This image shows the sound that the Level 2 Performing Arts wanted for their production and I provided this by going to the gallery and downloading these audio's for the production.

This image also shows apart of the costumes and prop item department.

These notes show the cues for each scene for the show.

Cue Notes 

Cue Notes 

Cue Notes 

Cue Notes 

This is also another essential that I provided for the production so they could bring their character come to life

This image shows me; working in the gallery for my final major project. And I was working on the Gio Console while changing the cues as Nin taught as this way was helpful for me and I would use this technique in the future possibly.

This is image shows me focusing on the script and the performance, making the show goes very smoothly.

Team Work:

This image shows Adam alongside with our teacher Anna helping measuring the length that he need to create the car that he needs for his final major project and his final major project is 'Little Shop of Horrors'. However, gladly helped along by taking down notes needed such as measurements needed for Adam for him to create his car as prop.

Our teacher Anna is helping Adam to demolish this piece of bed and  getting rid of the unwanted materials on the bed. As a team work, we used a hammer to break the wooden parts attached on the bed also nails that are on the bed, we also used a cutter to remove the sheets off the bed and as in the photo Adam wanted to keep the remaining on the bed.

The measurements shown on this image are the length of car and the width of car too. These measurements are important to take this into accountable and use these also Anna told me and Sephora to search the measurements of the car in an accurate size in real life 

This is image also shows another measurement written down for the whole car in order to create the car as prop. Afterwards, me and Sephora helped taking out the stapled areas on the bed with a screwdriver Flathead. Then Adam and Anna went ahead and started to create the car with wooden materials in order to create the car that Adam wants for his final major project.

Evaluation

I believe that my final major project was a great experience for myself but also have improved in certain areas. Such as myself and the director could have communicated much more and started working in the theatre many weeks before the show rather than short period of time which was a bit stressful but I managed because I knew what I had to do as a production student. On the other hand, the communication with myself and the Level 2 Performing Arts student was a success alongside with our meetings as discussed about the production also asking me for advice for the production, as I was a Level 2 Performing Arts student in the previous year and I had experience in order to deal and work with the Level 2 students, besides that we discussed mostly about the lighting, sound, costumes, hair and makeup etc. They felt comfortable around me and came forward to me as I could relate to them most of the time and I wanted their production to be a success and making their show come life with their ideas together which is what I wanted to do. In order, that myself and director to have better communication; there could have been a meeting as soon as the Level 2 students were assigned to their final project and being in the rehearsals more too, also running through the scripts together for tech work as well and in the future I shall prevent from having poor communication and I shall use these great communication skills I mentioned in the future because the production would run much better for myself as a production arts student and the director. However, during the production of the final show the director kept demanding me what to do even though that was pressuring, my mindset was opposite as I knew what I was doing and the reason this happened because due the poor communication between me and the director and the director herself was stressed about the production too, as she wanted the show to go well but besides that I have experience with the Gio console and sound since I have been in the gallery multiple times and this is apart of my course too so of course I’ll have experience and adapted my skills throughout the course. Therefore, I believe the director definitely underestimated my skills as I am a student but this was my area of work so I hundred percent know what I am doing and the director has every right to discuss about the lights, sound etc for ideas and run through these together but apart from telling me what to do. On the other hand, Nin played a big part in the gallery since he has 30 and more years of experience and definitely showed me an easier to use the Gio console to control the lights, and this is called ’10 definable motorized playback faders’ which I haven’t used this before but I knew about this technique but he showed me how to use this technique and record this onto the cue for the show during the rehearsals and I normally use the ‘fader wing’ most of the time as I was shown to use the ‘fader wing’ which is an easier way too but in my opinion both techniques are easy and beneficial but optional and I shall use the ’10 definable motorized playback faders’ because I believe it’s very useful for myself rather than using ‘fader wing’. In addition, there were ideas I had that would have portrayed the production much better, for example setting a stage for the royal characters to portray as they are higher and overpowering everyone which is true or used a red for the murder of the king to represent death also blood alongside with fake blood if needed also a green or blue wash showing that the battle is based outside rather than using a general wash which doesn’t make sense at all.  Throughout my final project I learnt some new skills in the workshop because of Adam’s final project for ‘Little shop of horrors’ and I helped him create his prop as he was creating a car for his production and I was shown how to demolish an old prop and create into another prop also using other props to create this into one big prop which was interesting. Overall, my final project there was pros and cons but I could have improved such as increase my confidence towards the director because this could have prevented many things and putting myself out there as in rather than waiting for my teacher and director to make plans, I shall do these myself and input my ideas much more as in speaking out but next year this shall not happen again and I shall improve and this advice to myself into accountable. Furthermore, in the future I would like to work with the Level 3 Performing Arts or Dance Musical Theatre because both have much enthusiasm. And the reason I would like to work with the Level 3 Performing Arts because I have worked with them before but as soon as it comes to rehearsal and working with the production team there is just great professionalism which gets the tech work sorted and also behind the stage well e.g. costumes, hair and makeup will be sorted in time. Another reason why I would work with the Dance Musical Theatre because the interest that I have in dance and musical theatre is so highly because I am a dancer also during my spare time I tend to watch musical theatre, therefore would be relate to them and have great ideas for their performance become a dream or magical. Finally, for UAL Production Arts Level 3 Extended Diploma I shall bring all the skills and experiences I have experience onto Year 2 and hoping to learn more skills for the further future.