Restes: Shipwrecked! On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never

Transcription

Restes: Shipwrecked! On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
GREAT CANADIAN THEATRE COMPANY
A Study Guide
WRITTEN BY
DIRECTED BY
A Company of Fools
Al Connors
Ottawa’s A Company of Fools are back! In their latest comic
escapade, the clowns, Pomme and ‘Restes are working on a cruise
ship that runs aground on a desert island. The ship’s magician, along
with an assortment of other hilarious misfits, discover that the
island is home to literary island figures from Anne of Green Gables
to Captain Hook ...a recipe for a romping good time. This is raucous
holiday fun for everyone!
Welcome to the Great Canadian
Theatre Company!
Special thank you to
GCTC’s Student Matinée
Partner
THE CRABTREE FOUNDATION
GCTC’s Education Program
Student Matineés
Dec. 2 4, 9 and 11
12:00pm Noon
Study Guide
researched and written
by Jim McNabb
THE PLAY
GCTC STUDY GUIDE
Page 1
AMELIA: THE GIRL WHO WANTS TO FLY
STUDY GUIDE Contents
The Play …………………………1, 2
Designs ……………………….. 3, 4
Excerpt from the Script
………………………………. 5 - 7
Production ………………….. 8-10
The Cast……………………….. 8
The Company of Fools.. 9
Rehearsal …………………… 10
Background ………………. 11-19
GCTC STUDY GUIDE
The Tempest ……………… 11
Peter Pan ……………… 12, 13
Anne of Green
Gables ………… 14-15
History of Clowning … 16
Kinds of Clowns……. 17-18
Devised Theatre ………. 19
Additional Resources …. 20
Activities ………………… 21, 22
What’s On in the Lorraine
Fritzi Yale Gallery …. 23
Theatre Etiquette ………. 24
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
Upcoming Plays

Jan. 20 – Feb. 8, 2015
Moss Park

Mar. 10 to 29, 2015

June 2 to 21, 2015
The Best Brothers
The Public Servant
Characters:
Pomme Frites – a bossy clown
who considers himself elite.
‘Restes – a clown who is a bit
dumb (maybe a lot).
Freddie – the entertainment
director on the cruise ship
Celebration.
Prospero – the magician on
the ship.
Miranda – Prospero’s
daughter and assistant.
Anne – the orphan of the
classic novel (who looks a
lot like Miranda).
Captain Hook – the villain
from the classic Peter Pan
novel (who looks a lot like
Freddie).
Ariel – a sprite (who looks a
lot like the invisible Tinker
Bell) that has been trapped
on the island and freed by
Prospero.
The Creative Team
Director: AL Connors
Set Designer: John Doucet
Lighting Designer:
Darryl Bennett
Sound Designer: AL Connors
Costume Designer:
Vanessa Imeson
Stage Manager: Erin Finn
Assistant Sound Designer:
Lewis Caunter
Video Content:
Andrew Alexander
Apprentice Stage Manager:
Jacki Brabazon
The Performers
Scott Florence: Pomme Frites
Margo MacDonald: ‘Restes
Pierre Brault: Prospero
Katie Ryerson: Miranda/Anne
Jesse Buck: Freddie/Hook
Margo MacDonald: Ariel
Page 2
THE PLAY
Structure:
As the title Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked! On the Tempestuous Lost Island of
Never suggests, the play is an amalgamation of several stories – Shakespeare’s
The Tempest, and the tales of the island orphan, Anne of Green Gables, and
Peter Pan who lived on the island called Nevernever Land. (See the section on
Devised Theatre) Don’t expect dialogue or even recognizable events from any of
these sources – although, Prospero does speak in iambic pentameter – because in
the clown world of Pomme Frites and his pal ‘Restes, nothing is as you’d expect.
We travel from the cruise ship where Pomme and ‘Restes work to the desert
island where they, and Pomme’s favourite books, are marooned.
GCTC STUDY GUIDE
Plot:
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
The play opens backstage on the cruise ship Celebration as the cabaret show
finishes and Freddie, the entertainment director, fires the incompetent and
unfunny clown duo, Pomme Frites and ‘Restes from the act. Despite the
pleading of Miranda, the assistant to magician Prospero, Freddie is firm in
getting the clowns off his ship ASAP. As Pomme is preparing to leave with his
favourite books, Anne of Green Gables and Peter Pan, ‘Restes and Miranda are
playing with the magician’s magic box and Miranda is accidentally
‘disappeared’. At that moment, the ship hits a mysterious tropical iceberg
(don’t ask) and sinks. The clowns are washed up on a deserted desert island all
alone, they think. However, the magic box has washed up too, as well as
Prospero on a different part of the island. Prospero discovers a sprite called
Ariel (who behaves a lot like Tinker Bell from the book Peter Pan) trapped in a
palm tree. He frees Ariel with the command that the sprite do his bidding.
When the clowns start playing with the magic box, who should appear but the
evil Captain Hook of Peter Pan fame. Soon, the famous red-headed PEI orphan,
Anne Shirley – of Green Gables fame – appears from the box, also. When she
and Hook meet, he tries to woo her, but, with her vivid imagination, she
transforms herself into a mighty Amazon Queen. That’s when things really get
crazy, and …
Themes:
Who needs themes in a clown show?
Maybe it’s “Life is weird and then it gets crazy.”
Page 3
DESIGNS
Set Design
by
John Doucet
GCTC STUDY GUIDE
The
The
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
Claudia
The first scene of the play takes place ‘backstage’ in the cabaret
venue of the cruise ship Celebration. We will see the shiny show
curtain of the stage as well as the magic box used by magician
Prospero and his daughter/assistant Miranda. When the ship hits a
tropical iceberg and starts to sink watch for the waves extending
from the wings. The style of the set on the desert island for the
rest of the play uses a ‘storybook’ appearance. The painted
backdrop and wings depict wind and waves and the twodimensional palm trees complete the book illustration concept.
Rock formations and swirling sand and shoreline provide the acting
areas. Watch for the rock that turns into a cooking pot.
John Doucet
Set Designer
Page 4
DESIGNS
GCTC
Costume Designs
by
Vanessa Imeson
GCTC STUDY GUIDE
Pomme
‘Restes
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
Prospero
Miranda/Anne
Freddie/ Captain Hook
Page 5
SCRIPT EXCERPT
Page 1 of 3
Clowns marooned on a desert island, re-enter.
GCTC STUDY GUIDE
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
‘RESTES:
Okay, there’s a volcano and a smoke monster and banana trees are really
dangerous because they are filled with banana peels. We just got to get
off this island before we end up dead.
POMME:
long time.
I think we need to accept the fact that you and I are trapped here for a
‘RESTES:
Acceptance? That’s stage 5! I’ve got four other stages of grief to go
through before I get there!
POMME:
Here we go. I believe the first is: denial.
RESTES:
No it’s not! That’s not true! It was bad enough when I found out I was
alone on this island--
POMME:
Except for me.
RESTES:
Except for you, but now you’re making me feel twice as alone as I would
feel if I was by myself!
POMME:
So you are saying you’d feel twice as good if there was half the amount of
people on this island.
‘RESTES:
No I wouldn’t. Don’t try to make me feel better with math. Statistically
speaking, when has math ever helped anyone?
POMME:
There is zero chance you will ever understand that you make 100 percent
of no sense.
‘RESTES:
That’s not true. Pomme, that’s it! I’ve had it with this stupid island. I’m
going to burn it down!
POMME:
I see we are now at ‘anger’. Three to go.
‘RESTES:
I’m going to use this glass to burn down the island.
POMME:
Good luck with that, ‘Restes. I’m sure you will find great success burning
down something surrounded entirely by water.
‘RESTES:
That’s it, I’m burning you up first!
GCTC
Page 6
SCRIPT EXCERPT
Page 2 of 3
POMME:
I have better odds of melting you with my white hot glaring eyes.
‘RESTES:
Well we’ll just see about that.
Pomme stares intensely at ‘Restes while ‘Restes tries to reflect light at Pomme’s face
disrupting his staring. The two begin to grunt and groan in discomfort as the staring
make ‘Restes uncomfortable and the little sunbeam keeps hurting Pomme’s eyes. The two
eventually relent at the same time.
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
GCTC STUDY GUIDE On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
‘RESTES:
Pomme, I’ll stop burning down the island in exchange for free passage
back to the mainland.
POMME:
Stage 3 - bargaining.
‘RESTES:
It doesn’t have to be a bargain. It can cost me. A lot. I just don’t want to
be trapped on this island.
POMME:
Alright ‘Restes, I will help you. Close your eyes.
‘RESTES:
Okay.
POMME:
Now, imagine you’re back at home in your cozy bed with the little ducky
sheets and your teddy bears.
‘RESTES:
And the nightlight?
POMME:
Yes, the lovely little mermaid nightlight…
‘RESTES:
Sigh. I love my nightlight. Pomme, Pomme, you did it! It’s magic! I’m back
in my cozy bed. I’m in our lovely little house. I’m safe and warm and dry –
and not on a stupid scary island! Thanks Pomme, I love you! You did it! And
I’ll be good forever from now on, and I —
(opens eyes. Looks around. Cries. Plops down onto the sand. Cries.)
POMME:
(to audience) Stage four: depression. Perfect. One more to go. Let’s hope
this goes quickly. The only thing worse than listening to ‘Restes talk, is
listening to ‘Restes cry. (pause as ‘Restes continues to cry.) Okay ‘Restes,
time to move on to acceptance.
RESTES:
I (sniff) can’t, (sniff) Pomme. I (sniff) don’t (sniff) want (sniff) to be
(sniff) on an is(sniff)land! Waaahhhh!
POMME:
Why don’t I read you a story to make you feel better, ‘Restes.
Page 7
SCRIPT EXCERPT
Page 3 of 3
RESTES:
You (sniff) can (sniff) try.
POMME:
I am going to read Anne of Green Gables.
‘RESTES:
You all ready read that one to me.
POMME:
Yes, but I need to read it again to discover the secret to her success. I
need to understand why people like her and her love of tragedy, and why
they don’t like me. In all ways we are exactly the same.
‘RESTES:
That’s not true. She’s nice and you’re you.
GCTC STUDY GUIDE
POMME:
She has an explosive temper – I have an explosive temper.
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
!
‘RESTES:
True.
POMME:
She speaks her mind, I speak my mind.
‘RESTES:
Do you ever.
POMME:
She has red hair, I have red hair. (pause, look at audience) don’t make me
prove it. She’s plagued by an annoying know-it-all, --
‘RESTES:
And you are an annoying know it all. Don’t hit me.
POMME:
I’m going to do worse than hit you, ‘Restes. I’m going to read Peter Pan to
you!
‘RESTES:
I love Peter Pan!
POMME:
But I’m only going to read the parts with Wendy in it.
‘RESTES:
No! Wendy darling is the worst ever! Everyone’s having fun and she
comes along and makes everyone wash their hands and use cutlery and
manners. She’s the worst.
POMME:
books.
I suggest then that you go and play with the coconuts while I read my
‘RESTES:
Alright, Pomme.
(‘Restes wanders off into the jungle. Pomme settles back to reading.)
-----------------
PRODUCTION
Page 8
THE DIRECTOR AND ACTORS
Margo MacDonald
(co-founder of Company of Fools in 1990)
plays ‘Restes
Scott Florence (The Big Fool)
(Artistic Director of Company of Fools)
plays Pomme Frites
GCTC STUDY GUIDE
Katie Ryerson
plays Miranda and Anne
of Green Gables
The Director
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Island of Never
Jesse Buck
plays Freddie and Captain Hook
Pierre Brault
plays Prospero
Page 9
PRODUCTION
A Company of Fools
A Company of Fools has been delighting audiences all across Canada since 1990 when
Margo MacDonald and Heather Jopling, two University of Ottawa theatre graduates,
founded this alternative Shakespeare troupe. Scott Florence, the current artistic director,
joined in 1991 after graduation from the dell’Arte School of Physical Theatre in California.
Inspired by the rogue Elizabethan players that once entertained audiences outdoors and at
the Globe theatre, they have built a reputation as a highly physical troupe doing interactive
shows indoors and out. With all company members having a strong background in
improvisation, it quickly became an obvious choice to take a broader approach to acting in
the streets and deconstruct the Shakespeare text.
GCTC STUDY GUIDE
Their plays typically include elements of bouffon, commedia dell’arte, improvisation,
slapstick, mask and puppetry. The Fools mount two shows a year, one of which tours in
Ottawa parks during the summer. They also perform at festivals, in schools, and at
corporate events. Their award winning shows have toured all across Canada, from Halifax to
Vancouver to Yellowknife.
Being Fools, they combine their style of physical theatre with the classical text. This
unusual mix has earned them critical acclaim. Although known for their performances, the
Fools are active in the field of education. They provide workshops and performances for
elementary and high school students. They also program professional development
workshops for emerging and established artists in the region.
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
Some of the Fools’ shows are adaptations in that they still follow the original Shakespeare
play’s structure and plotline. A case in point would be Much Ado About Nothing which is
abbreviated and altered to allow it to be performed by three actors and several puppets.
Others are new plays such as The Danish Play. As Florence describes it: “It's the story of six
clowns that try to tell the story [of Hamlet] that is cursed and haunted by a ghost, and
subsequently what happens when they do. They call up the ghost and it scares them and it
throws the play off. Yes, they keep trying to come back and incorporating some of the
scenes from Hamlet into it. And you can look at it in terms of how some of the themes
reverberate in both plays, but I wouldn't consider it an adapted Hamlet. I consider it a new
story.” This is also the case with Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked! which draws some
incidents and characters from Shakespeare’s The Tempest but incorporates characters from
other works involving survivors on an island.
The mandate of the Fools is to produce innovative, entertaining and accessible shows
based on the works of William Shakespeare. They produce original works inspired by
Shakespeare as well as performing his plays. They are a not-for-profit incorporation and a
registered charity.
“God bless A Company of Fools. Where would original theatre in Ottawa – that is to say
original theatre that is wild, witty, clever, goofy, sometimes dumb and slightly mad – be
without them? … outrageous puns, imaginative adaptations… and the most glorious physical
comedy this side of Clown School… a comic presence that is nothing short of brilliant…
irreverent, entertaining and, most of all, fun.”
~The Ottawa Citizen
Henry V – summer of 1012
A Midwinter’s Dream Tale – GCTC, 2009
PRODUCTION
What the show looked like in rehearsal
GCTC
Page 10
GCTC STUDY GUIDE
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
BACKGROUND
The Tempest
Page 11
The Tempest is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1610–11, and
GCTC STUDY GUIDE
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
thought by many critics to be the last play that Shakespeare wrote alone. It is set on a remote
island, where Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, plots to restore his daughter Miranda to her
rightful place using illusion and skilful manipulation. Early critics saw Prospero as a representation
of Shakespeare, and his renunciation of magic as signaling Shakespeare's farewell to the stage.
The Tempest did not attract much attention before the closing of the theatres in 1642, and only
became popular after the Restoration, and then only in adapted versions. By the 20th century,
critics and scholars re-appraised the play's value, to the extent that it is now considered to be
one of Shakespeare's greatest works.
Plot Outline:
Magician Prospero, rightful Duke of Milan, and his daughter, Miranda, have been
stranded for twelve years on an island after Prospero's jealous brother Antonio (aided by Alonzo,
the King of Naples) deposed him and set him adrift with the then-3-year-old Miranda. Gonzalo,
the King's counsellor, had secretly supplied their boat with plenty of food, water, clothes and the
most-prized books from Prospero's library. Possessing magic powers due to his great learning,
Prospero is reluctantly served by a spirit, Ariel, whom Prospero had rescued from a tree in which
he had been trapped by the cruel witch, Sycorax, after he had refused to obey her. Prospero
maintains Ariel's loyalty by repeatedly promising to release the "airy spirit" from servitude.
Caliban, a deformed monster and the only non-spiritual inhabitant before the arrival of Prospero,
was initially adopted and raised by him. He taught Prospero how to survive on the island, while
Prospero and Miranda taught Caliban religion and their own language. Following Caliban's
attempted rape of Miranda, he had been compelled by Prospero to serve as the magician's slave.
In slavery, Caliban has come to view Prospero as a usurper and has grown to resent him and his
daughter. Prospero and Miranda in turn view Caliban with contempt and disgust.
The play opens as Prospero, having divined that his brother, Antonio, is on a ship passing close by
the island, has raised a tempest which causes the ship to run aground. Also on the ship are
Antonio's friend and fellow conspirator, King Alonso of Naples, Alonso's brother and son
(Sebastian and Ferdinand), and Alonso's advisor, Gonzalo. Prospero contrives to separate the
shipwreck survivors into several groups by his spells, and so Alonso and Ferdinand are separated,
each believing the other to be dead.
Three plots then alternate through the play. In one, Caliban falls in with Stephano and Trinculo,
two drunkards, who he believes have come from the moon. They attempt to raise a rebellion
against Prospero, which ultimately fails. In another, Prospero works to establish a romantic
relationship between Ferdinand and Miranda; the two fall immediately in love, but Prospero
worries that "too light winning [may] make the prize light," and compels Ferdinand to become his
servant, pretending that he regards him as a spy. In the third subplot, Antonio and Sebastian
conspire to kill Alonso and Gonzalo so that Sebastian can become King. Ariel thwarts them, at
Prospero's command. Ariel appears to the "three men of sin" (Alonso, Antonio and Sebastian),
reprimanding them for their betrayal of Prospero. Prospero manipulates the course of his
enemies' path through the island, drawing them closer and closer to him.
In the conclusion, all the main characters are brought together before Prospero, who forgives
Alonso. He also forgives Antonio and Sebastian, but warns them against further betrayal. Ariel is
charged to prepare the proper sailing weather to guide Alonso and his entourage (including
Prospero and Miranda) back to the Royal fleet and then to Naples, where Ferdinand and Miranda
will be married. After discharging this task, Ariel will finally be free. Prospero pardons Caliban,
who is sent to prepare Prospero's cell, to which Alonso and his party are invited for a final night
before their departure. Prospero indicates that he intends to entertain them with the story of
his life on the island. Prospero has resolved to break and bury his magic staff, and "drown" his
book of magic, and in his epilogue, shorn of his magic powers, he invites the audience to set him
free from the island with their applause.
Page 12
BACKGROUND
GCTC
Peter Pan
I, CLAUDIA
Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up or Peter and Wendy is J.M. Barrie’s most
GCTC STUDY GUIDE
famous work, in the form of a 1904 play and a 1911 novel. Both versions tell the story of Peter
Pan, a mischievous little boy who can fly, and his adventures on the island of Neverland with
Wendy Darling and her brothers, the fairy Tinker Bell, the Lost Boys, the Indian princess Tiger
Lily, and the pirate Captain Hook. Barrie continued to revise the play for years after its debut;
the novel reflects one version of the story.
The play debuted in London on 27 December 1904 and a Broadway production was mounted in
1905. The play has since seen adaptation as a pantomime, stage musical, a television special, and
several films, including a 1924 silent film, a 1953 animated Disney full-length feature, and a
2003 live action production. In 1929, Barrie gave the copyright of the Peter Pan works to Great
Ormond Street Hospital, a children's hospital in London.
The play's subtitle "The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up" underscores the primary theme: the
conflict between the innocence of childhood and the responsibility of adulthood. Peter has
literally chosen not to make the transition from one to the other, and encourages the other
children to do the same. However, the opening line of the novel, "All children, except one, grow
up", and the conclusion of the story indicates that this wish is unrealistic, and there is an
element of tragedy in the alternative.
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
Plot Outline:
In the nursery of the Darling home, a dog is the nurse, or nanny. Perhaps that is one reason
there is so much joy there. Nurse Nana bathes the three children and gives them their suppers
and in all ways watches over them. One night, Mrs. Darling, on Nana’s night off, sits with the
children as they sleep. Drowsing, she is awakened by a slight draft from the window, and, looking
around, she sees a strange boy in the room. She screams, and Nana, who has just returned
home, lunges for the intruder, but the boy leaps out the window, leaving only his shadow behind.
He had been accompanied also by a ball of light, but it too has escaped. Mrs. Darling rolls up the
boy’s shadow and puts it in a drawer, thinking that the boy will come back for it sometime soon
and thus may be caught.
When Mr. Darling is told of the incident he considers it a little silly; at present he is more
concerned with finding a different nurse for the children. Believing that the dog, Nana, is
getting too much authority in the household, Mr. Darling drags her out of the house and locks
her up.
Mr. and Mrs. Darling go out the following night, leaving only a maid to look in on the children
occasionally. After the lights are out and the children are asleep, the intruder returns. The boy,
whose name is Peter Pan, is accompanied by Tinker Bell, a fairy who appears as a ball of light.
Peter finds his shadow after searching in all the drawers in the nursery, but in his excitement
he shuts Tinker Bell in one of the drawers.
As Peter tries to get his shadow to stick to him again, he makes enough noise to awaken
Wendy, the daughter of the household. Peter tells Wendy that he ran away the day he was born
because he heard his parents talking about all the things he would do when he was a man; he
went to live with the fairies so that he would never have to grow up. Suddenly he remembers
Tinker Bell, and he looks for her until he finds her in one of the nursery dressers. Tinker Bell, a
ball of light no bigger than a fist, is so small that Wendy can hardly see her. She is not a very
polite fairy—she calls Wendy horrible names.
Page 13
BACKGROUND
Peter Pan – page 2
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Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
Peter tells Wendy, the only girl of the three Darling children and instantly his favorite, that he
and Tinker Bell live in Neverland with the lost boys, boys who had fallen out of their baby
carriages and were never found again. He had come to Wendy’s house to listen to her mother tell
stories to the others. Peter, begging Wendy and her brothers to go back to Neverland with him,
promises to teach them to fly. The idea is too much for the children to resist. After a little
practice they all fly out the window, barely escaping their parents and Nana, who has broken her
chain to warn Mr. and Mrs. Darling of the danger to the children.
In Neverland, the Indians, with their chief and their princess, help to protect the lost boys
against a group of mean pirates led by Captain Hook, who has a hook where one of his hands used
to be. It is Hook’s greatest desire to capture Peter Pan, for Peter is the one who tore off Hook’s
arm and fed it to a crocodile. The crocodile so liked the taste of the arm that he now follows
Hook everywhere, waiting for a chance to eat the rest of him. The crocodile has, unhappily, also
swallowed a clock, and its ticking warns Hook whenever the crocodile approaches.
To this strange land Wendy and her brothers fly with Peter Pan. The
lost boys, seeing Wendy first in the sky when they arrive, think that
she is a giant bird, and one of them shoots her with a bow and arrow.
The jealous Tinker Bell had suggested this. Peter arrives and, after
finding that Wendy is only stunned, banishes Tinker Bell for a week to
punish her for provoking the attack. He then tells the others that he
has brought Wendy to them. They promptly build her a house and ask
her to be their mother. Wendy thinks that taking care of so many
children is a great responsibility, but she quickly assumes her duties by
telling them stories and putting them to bed.
Jealous, the pirates plan to steal Wendy and make her their mother; they intend to force the
other children to walk the plank. Peter overhears them plotting, however, and he saves the
children and Wendy. He himself escapes by sailing out to sea in a bird’s nest.
Wendy and her brothers begin to worry about their parents, and they decide that they should
return home. The lost boys, delighted at the thought of having a real grown-up mother, eagerly
accept Wendy’s invitation to come live with her and her brothers and parents. Peter refuses to
go, because he wants always to be a little boy and have fun. He lets the others go, however, and
asks Tinker Bell to show them the way.
The pirates have learned of the children’s journey, and as Tinker Bell and the children begin to
fly from Neverland, Hook and his men seize them. When Peter finds out that Hook has captured
all his friends, he vows to get revenge on the pirate once and for all.
On the pirate ship, the children are being prepared to walk the plank. They are all paraded
before Wendy, who is tied to the mast. Unknown to the pirates, however, Peter is also on board,
and by using tricks and false voices he leads first one pirate and then another to his death. These
strange happenings are too much for Hook. When he knocks the seat out from under Peter and
the boy remains in place, calmly sitting on air, the pirate throws himself overboard, into the
waiting jaws of the patient crocodile.
Meanwhile, at the Darling home, Mrs. Darling and Nana wait, with little hope, for the children to
return. They have left the nursery window open constantly, so that their loved ones might enter
easily should they ever come home. Wendy and her brothers fly in and slip into their beds, and
Mrs. Darling and Nana are overcome with joy when they find the children safe again.
Page 14
BACKGROUND
Peter Pan – page 3
The Darlings adopt the lost boys, who have great fun romping with Mr. Darling. Peter returns
and tries to get Wendy to fly away with him, but she refuses to leave her parents again. She
does go once each year to clean his house for him, but each time they meet she sees him a little
less clearly. Once or twice she tries to get him to see her as something more than a mother, but
Peter does not know what she means. Then comes the day when Wendy can no longer fly without
a broomstick to help her. Peter, watching her, sadly wishes he could understand all that she
says.
GCTC STUDY GUIDE
Anne of Green Gables
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
Anne of Green Gables is a bestselling 1908 novel by Canadian author Lucy Maud
Montgomery. Written as fiction for readers of all ages, the literary classic has been
considered a children's novel since the mid-twentieth century. It recounts the adventures of
Anne Shirley, a young orphan girl, age 11, who is mistakenly sent to Matthew and Marilla
Cuthbert, a middle-aged brother and sister who had intended to adopt a boy to help them on
their farm on Prince Edward Island. The novel recounts how Anne makes her way with the
Cuthberts, in school and within the town.
Since publication, Anne of Green Gables has sold more than 50 million copies and has been
translated into 20 languages. Numerous sequels were written by Montgomery, and since her
death another sequel has been published, as well as an authorized prequel. The original book is
taught to students around the world.
It has been adapted as films, made-for-television movies, and
animated and live-action television series. Anne Shirley was
played by Megan Follows in the 1985 Canadian produced movie.
Plays and musicals have also been created, with productions
annually in Canada since 1964 of the first musical production,
which has toured in Canada, the United States, Europe and
Japan and plays annually at the Charlottetown Festival. Others
have been produced in Canada and the United States.
Plot Outline:
Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert are unmarried siblings who live on their ancestral farm, Green
Gables, in the quiet town of Avonlea in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Matthew is sixty, and and
since he is getting too old to handle the farm work on his own, the Cuthberts decide to adopt
an orphan boy to help him. Matthew, who is terrified of women, arrives at the train station and
finds a girl orphan instead of a boy; the orphanage sent the eleven-year-old Anne Shirley by
mistake. Anne’s talkativeness and spirit charm Matthew, who shyly tells Marilla that he wants
to keep her. Marilla hesitates at first, but after a trial period, she agrees to let Anne stay on.
Anne is an imaginative and happy girl despite living an impoverished life as an orphan. Though
she lacks social graces and education, she has a rich and sophisticated fantasy life and an
optimistic and generous spirit. Because Anne acts according to her instincts and not according
to a code of manners, she unintentionally defies expectations of proper ladylike behavior
Page 15
BACKGROUND
Anne of Green Gables – page 2
GCTC STUDY GUIDE
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
!
verbally attacking, for example, anyone who makes fun of her red hair. Anne tries hard to
oblige Marilla and follow her rules of social conduct, but she makes many mistakes, using
liniment instead of vanilla in a cake, letting a mouse drown in the plum-pudding sauce, and
delivering a heartfelt but ridiculous prayer on her first attempt to pray before bed.
Anne never had real friends before living at Green Gables, so
she was forced to invent imaginary playmates. In Avonlea, she
meets Diana Barry, a neighbor who quickly becomes her bosom
friend. One afternoon Anne invites Diana to tea and accidentally
gives her red currant wine instead of nonalcoholic raspberry
cordial. Diana returns home drunk, and Diana’s mother, thinking
Anne has intoxicated Diana on purpose, forbids the girls to
speak. The agonizing period of estrangement lasts until Anne
saves Diana’s sister, who is sick with the croup, which causes
Megan Follows as Anne
Mrs. Barry to forgive her.
At school, Anne feuds with a handsome, smart boy named Gilbert Blythe. When they first
meet, Gilbert taunts Anne by calling her Carrots and pulling her red braid. Anne is extremely
sensitive about her red hair, and Gilbert’s teasing infuriates her. She screams at him and
smashes a slate over his head. This incident marks the beginning of a rivalry between Anne
and Gilbert, the two smartest pupils, which lasts until the end of the novel.
As Anne grows up, she loses some of her childish flare for the melodramatic and romantic,
and turns her spirited attentions to academics. A beloved teacher, Miss Stacy, recognizes
Anne’s intelligence and encourages her to join a special group of students preparing for the
entrance exam to Queen’s Academy. Her long-standing competition with Gilbert Blythe
changes to an affectionate and familiar rivalry when, after four years of mutual silence, they
both go to Queen’s Academy. Striving to make Matthew and Marilla proud, Anne devotes
herself to her studies wholeheartedly and earns the prestigious Avery Scholarship, which
grants her enough money to attend a four-year college the following fall.
Thrilled by her future prospects, Anne goes home to Green Gables. Matthew, who has been
having heart trouble, dies of a heart attack. When Anne learns that Marilla is likely to go
blind, she decides to stay at Green Gables and teach nearby so that she can care for Marilla,
giving up her aspirations for a four-year degree. Gilbert hears of her decision and gives up his
post as the teacher at Avonlea school so that Anne can teach there and be closer to Marilla.
After five years of rivalry, Gilbert and Anne forge a close friendship. Though her future path
has narrowed considerably, Anne remains eternally optimistic and thinks cheerfully about her
future.
Page 16
BACKGROUND
History of Clowning
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The art of clowning has a tradition going back thousands of years.
A pygmy clown jester entertained a pharaoh in approximately 2500 BCE as shown in a tomb
painting.
th
Dorian mimes were comic clowns in ancient Greece in the 7 century BCE. “Mime” referred
to their ability to mimic others rather than silent acting.
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In medieval Europe an annual comic event was the Feast of Fools held around January 1 ,
during which people did everything backwards and mocked themselves and others.
Some medieval Mystery plays depicting scenes from the Bible used clown characters, the
best known being “The Second Shepherd’s Play”.
Jesters in the court of medieval kings who entertained with dances and jokes often had great
freedom of speech and could frequently influence policy.
When Cortez conquered the Aztec nation in 1520 CE, he brought back to Spain, in addition
to golden treasures, dwarf clowns and hunchback buffoons. Most native American nations
had some type of clown character which played an important role in the social and religious
life of the tribe.
th
The Commedia del’Arte beginning in 16 century Italy was a highly improvised theatre based
on comic stock characters. Many of our present day clowns trace their evolution to those
characters. Characters such as Arlechino, Pantalone and Smeraldina formed the basis of
some of Shakespeare’s comic characters.
Two of the actor clowns in Shakespeare’s company were William Kemp who specialized in
country bumpkin characters and Robert Armin who played court jester roles. Many of the
fools’ scenes were probably improvised and written down later.
Phillip Astley created the first circus in Britain in 1768 which featured among other things his
clown act about trying ineptly to ride a horse. This same act is often still seen in modern
circuses.
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English Pantomimes developed as popular entertainments starting in the 18 century and
often used classical Commedia del’Arte characters, one of whom was Harlequin. Pierrot and
Whiteface clowns became secondary characters. Christmas Pantomimes continue to be a
very popular annual event.
Joseph Grimaldi (1778-1837) is considered the father of modern clowning by elevating the
Whiteface clown to a prominent place. His routines, involving trick special effects, resembled
a live action Roadrunner cartoon with chase scenes and comic violence.
George Footit (1864 – 1921) created the first Whiteface-Auguste clown duo with his assistant
“Chocolat”, Footit playing a haughty, demanding character to Chocolat’s naïve, compliant
scapegoat.
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In the late 19 century, James MacIntyre and Tom Heath created the first tramp clowns
based on blackface minstrel show clowns with a wide white mouth. Their shuffling dance
later evolved into tap dancing. The use of white makeup around the eyes in both tramp and
Auguste clowns helped to focus attention on this very expressive part of the face.
th
Vaudeville shows of the early 20 century followed by silent films employed early clowns and
allowed the development of new talents such as W.C. Fields, Charlie Chaplin, Mae West,
Abbott and Costello, Marie Dressler, and Bob Hope.
The tradition continued into television and movies with Lucille Ball, Gracie Allen, Red
Skelton, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Jim Carrey, Rowan Atkinson and Krusty the Clown.
BACKGROUND
Page 17
All Sorts of Clowns
GCTC STUDY GUIDE
A court jester, fool or buffoon was a person employed to tell jokes and
provide general entertainment, typically for a British or European monarch
or nobleman. Jesters are often depicted wearing brightly colored motley
clothes and a three pointed hat, each corner of which had a jingle bell at
the end. In some cases the jester was deformed or a midget. Their
entertainment was often caustic comments, social mockery, songs or
rhymes, acrobatics or contortions. Shakespeare often included a “fool”
character in many of his plays, usually delivering very wise, but comic,
comments. In plays before Shakespeare’s time, the fool was simply a
laugh-getter relying on physical humour rather than being an integral part
of the plot. Shakespeare’s fools used wit and took on important roles,
such as the Fool in King Lear, Feste in Twelfth Night or Touchstone in As
You Like It. The fool might only make a brief appearance, however, like
the Gravedigger in Hamlet or the Gatekeeper in Macbeth. A modern
counterpart of the court jester would be a stand-up comic.
14th century
court jester
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
of Never
Commedia dell'arte is a form of theatre characterized by masked "types" which began in Italy in
the 16th century. The characters of the commedia usually represent stock characters, such as
foolish old men, devious servants, or military officers full of false bravado. Commedia
dell'arte has three main stock roles: servant, master, and
innamorati (lovers). The servants or the clowns are referred to as
the Zanni and include characters such as Arlecchino, Brighella
and Colombina. The masters were Pantalone, Il Dottore and Il
Capitano, and the Innamorati came with a variety of names. Other
than the Innamorati, the characters wore distinctive masks and
costumes and always had identifiable characteristics. In the 17th
century as commedia became popular in France, the characters
of Pierrot, Columbine and Harlequin were refined and became
essentially Parisian. Pierrot who appeared without a mask but
with white makeup was a sad clown in love with Columbine. The
defining characteristic of Pierrot is his naïveté: he is seen as a
“Pierrot and Harlequin”
fool, always the butt of pranks, yet nonetheless trusting.
By Paul Cézanne
Characters in modern comedies often reflect commedia
characters: the dirty old man, the pompous windbag, the braggard lady’s man.
The Bouffon, closely related to the jester, is a clown with a long
history. In modern day he has been perfected by Jacques Lecoq
and his disciple, Phillipe Gaulier, who runs a clown school near
Paris, France. The main purpose of the Bouffon is to mock all
vulnerable aspects of society. This “anti-clown” strikes a balance
between grotesqueness and charm and his attacks can at times be
quite vicious. The comic characters of Sasha Baron Cohen (Borat,
Bruno, Ali G.) could perhaps be considered types of bouffons.
Red Bastard
The Whiteface clown, as his/her name suggests, has a face
completely covered with white makeup and with fine details (eyebrows, eyes, moustache, etc) neatly drawn in black or red. The nose
and ears may be red, or he may wear a rubber clown nose. He has
good manners, fancies himself rather artistic and aristocratic and
seems on the surface to be intelligent and in command of any other
clowns.
Francesco Caroli, famous European Whiteface clown
BACKGROUND
Page 18
All Sorts of Clowns – page 2
GCTC STUDY GUIDE
The Auguste clown is the most comedic and often stupidest and clumsiest of all clowns with
zanier and broader actions than others. The Auguste is often the butt of jokes or the underling
of a whiteface clown. His/her makeup uses less white and the features are usually
drawn more broadly, with a large mouth or eyes. A
Whiteface and an Auguste are often teamed up as a duo with
the Whiteface creating mayhem for the Auguste. In a
routine, the Whiteface is the ‘straight man’ to the Auguste’s
goofy character. When the clowns are taken out of the circus
and put into Vaudeville, movies or TV they lose their clown
makeup but the status and characteristics remain the same.
Many famous comic duos were created using this format,
such as Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and Costello, Groucho and
Harpo Marx, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, George Burns and
Lou Jacobs, famous
Gracie Allen, Wayne and Shuster and, of course, Pomme
Auguste circus clown
Frites and ‘Restes.
Abbott and Costello
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz
Canadian comedy team
Wayne and Shuster
Pomme Frites and ‘Restes
Page 19
BACKGROUND
Devised Theatre
GCTC STUDY
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
Devised Theatre (also called collaborative creation or collective theatre), is a form of
theatre where the script originates not from one or more writers, but from collaborative work
of a group of people (usually, but not necessarily, the performers). In this way it is somewhat
similar to commedia dell’arte and some street theatre. The term is also applied to a
production of an existing script which is reinterpreted or deconstructed and then expressed in
a new way, such as this production of Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked! On the Tempestuous
Lost Island of Never inspired by one of Shakespeare’s plays, The Tempest and two novels for
children, Peter Pan and Anne of Green Gables. By deconstructing these works into plot
incidents, themes and characters, mixing them up thoroughly, drawing inspiration from the
long tradition of clowning and then devising through improvisation a new script, A Company of
Fools has created an entirely new theatre piece that exists independently from its sources.
Devised theatre is not always distinguishable from improvisational theatre but by the time
a devised piece is presented to the public, it usually has a fixed form: the improvisation is
confined to the creation process, and either a writer, a director, or the performers
themselves, will have decided exactly what is to be included and the running sequence.
Introduced by Edward Gordon Craig in the early 20th century in his book The Art of the
Theatre, the concept is that the stage director is not just an interpreter of a literary piece but
also, along with the actors, a creator. Craig argues that this is the way theatre used to be
created. “The dramatist made his first piece by using action, words, line, colour, and rhythm,
and making his appeal to our eyes and ears by a dexterous use of these five factors”. He states
that these five essential tools are the basis of true theatrical creation. The original dramatist
took inspiration from the world around him before theatrically and visually expanding that
impulse for the stage.
In his book The Empty Space, Peter Brook divides the theatrical landscape into four
different types: the Deadly Theater (the conventional theater, formulaic and unsatisfying), the
Holy Theater (which seeks to rediscover ritual and drama's spiritual dimension, best expressed
by the work of writer Antonin Artaud and director Jerzy Grotowski), the Rough Theater (a
theater of the people, against pretension and full of noise and action, best typified by the
Elizabethan theater), and the Immediate Theater, with which Brook identifies his own career,
an attempt to discover a fluid and ever-changing style that emphasizes the joy of the
theatrical experience. It is to this “Immediate Theatre” that devised theatre fits in.
Some Devising Methods:
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Focus on the form initially and then extract the thematic ideas
Games, including improvisation, are often used as a starting point for devising
Build characters and then develop narrative strands out of character-based improvs
Contact improvisation, a form of improvised dance based on exploring physical contact
Inspiration from news articles, poems, photographs, architecture, paintings
Research, “automatic writing”, journal recording of dreams
Resource Material on Devising Theatre:
http://www.slideshare.net/guest4eb6f0/edward-gordon-craig-presentation - a presentation
on E.G.Craig’s thoughts on theatre.
http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/backstage/devising- three examples of devised theatre
from The National Theatre, England
http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/articles/230504.htm - a short article defending the
technique of the devising process.
Brook, Peter. The Empty Space. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1968.
Oddey, Alison. Devising Theatre: A Practical and Theoretical Handbook. New York: Routledge,
1994. This book can be found in its entirety on line.
Page 20
RESOURCES
Movies and DVDs:
The Tempest –DVD- 2014; William Shakespeare; director Jeremy Herrin;
starring Roger Allen (Prospero), Colin Morgan (Ariel), Jessie Buckley
(Miranda). Filmed as a live performance at the Globe Theatre, London.
The Tempest – DVD – 2010; William Shakespeare; director Juilie Taymore;
starring Helen Mirren. Shakespeare's epic play with the gender of the main
character, Prospero, changed from male to female.
Anne of Green Gables – TV series on DVD – 1985; Starring Megan Follows, Colleen Dewhurst,
Richard Farnsworth.
GCTC STUDY GUIDE
Peter Pan – DVD – 2003; director P.J. Hogan, starring Jason Isaacs (Father/Captain Hook),
Jeremy Sumpter (Peter Pan).
Websites: http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/640914.html
An excerpt from Beatrice Otto’s book Fools Are Everywhere: The Court
Jester Around the World which examines the job of the entertainers of
kings and sultans.
http://www.canadianshakespeares.ca/i_sflorence.cfm An interview with Scott Florence about
the Company of Fools approach to Shakespeare.
http://www.canadianshakespeares.ca/anthology/MacHomerScriptMarch232001.pdf Complete
script of MacHomer, an adaptation of Macbeth with The Simpsons characters written by Rick
Miller. This is a great example of a clowning version of a Shakespeare play.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sShMA85pv8M Classic Abbott and Costello routine “Who’s on
First?”
http://www.nosetonose.info/articles/jbarticle.htm A useful article on clowning techniques.
!
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
http://www.allaboutclowns.com/circus.html Extensive material on getting started as a clown.
Books:
PommeTreasure
and ‘Restes:
Shipwrecked
! classic story of an
Island by Robert
Lewis Stevenson. The
innkeeper’s son who finds a map that leads to pirate treasure and
On the Tempestuous
Lost Island of Never
adventure.
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. The lone survivor of a shipwreck is stranded on a isolated
island for almost 30 years and overcomes many obstacles to survive and thrive
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Mongomery. Marilla Cuthbert and her brother Matthew
plan to adopt a boy who can help them run the farm, but they are surprised by imaginative Anne
Shirley instead.
Not Quite the Classics by Colin Mochrie. Colin Mochrie retells the classics with the help of a
well-known improv game. He takes the first and last lines of classic stories and makes up
everything in the middle.
Clowning Around. 1992. An excellent book for both beginner and advanced clowns. This book is
aimed at clowns and would-be clowns who want to improve their skills. Included are comedy
routines as well as instructions on riding a unicycle, juggling, stilt-walking, applying makeup,
mime, puppetry, and magic. OPL
Fools Are Everywhere: The Court Jester Around the World. Beatrice K. Otto; 2001. Available
at OPL. With a wealth of anecdotes, jokes, quotations, epigraphs, and illustrations (including flip
art), Otto brings to light little-known jesters, highlighting their humanizing influence on people
with power. OPL
Page 21
ACTIVITIES
Activities Before and After Seeing the Play
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Before Seeing the Play
GCTC STUDY GUIDE
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
1. Activity involving the Script Excerpt:
(Study Guide pp.4 – 6)
In teams of 3 with one person designated as
the director, have the students read, block out
and rehearse the scene involving Pomme
Frites and ‘Restes in the forest. Decide what
motivates each of the characters and the
methods they use to achieve their goals.
What do you think each one wants? Try to
bring to life these two clowns who are each
searching for dignity and status and have
strong needs. Remember that clowns live in
the moment and are spontaneous. Be aware
of the changes that occur in each character as
the scene progresses. Following the
suggestions of the director, try staging the
short scene for the class.
2. Designing and discussion activity:
Examine the image of the set model for this
play created by Ottawa designer John
Doucet. What is the effect of having the
painting of the set like finger painting? What
themes or motifs (i.e. basic shapes or lines)
can you identify in the design? Where will
be the places for entrances and exits? Where
do you think most of the action will take
place? Are there hiding places? What do
you think the large box-like structure up
centre will be used for? Do you think the set
will allow the director to suggest different
locations?
3. Improvisation Activities:
a) Create a clown turn: with the actor’s face
hidden by a simple mask, have him/her
interact silently with an object as if he/she
has never seen this object before. (Is it
dangerous, tasty, weird?) Have him/ her
share all feelings silently with an audience.
b) Repeat the scene above but this time with
a second invisible character altering the
object or switching it with a new object when
the first clown is not looking.
c) Repeat the scene but this time have a
bossy clown enter the action and interact
with both the first clown and the object.
Restrict the dialogue to gibberish.
4. Familiarization with People and Events
in the play: To appreciate the cleverness of
the script of this play, students should understand where the elements come from. Read
the plot summaries of the Shakespeare
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source play and the two children’s novels on
pages 11 to 15. Read the comments on clowns on
pages 16 to 18 in order to appreciate how clowns
function.
5. Writing project : Choose a Shakespeare play
that the class is familiar with. In teams, have the
students list ten characters from the play and give
each character 3 or 4 personality descriptive
words. Have them then list ten incidents that
happen in the play making no mention of which
character(s) experience the incident. Each
incident should be described in one short
sentence. Devise what would happen if the
characters and incidents were matched up
differently.
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6. Viewing a film clip: It might be useful for
students to have some familiarity with The
Tempest, Peter Pan and Anne of Green Gables.
Copies of the movies listed on page 20 are easily
obtained.
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8. Behaviour at a Play: Distribute copies of the
page on Theatre Etiquette found on page 21 of
this Study Guide. Remind students that polite
and respectful behaviour is expected for all to
enjoy the play. Remind them that anyone who
disrupts the performance by inappropriate
behaviour may be asked to wait in the lobby
along with his/her teacher.
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Page 22
ACTIVITIES
Activities Before and After Seeing the Play
U
Activities After Seeing the Play
GCTC STUDY GUIDE
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
10. Analytical Activities. After seeing the
play the teacher could conduct a class
discussion on any of the following topics:
- Style of writing; effectiveness of the
language to suggest characters. Was the
colloquial and Shakespearean language
well integrated?
- Style of acting chosen for this show; the
arc or changes that occur in each
character as the play progresses; the use
of movement and physical mannerisms;
the believability of each of the actors in
his or her role.
- Themes explored in the play – what was
the play about? What do we learn from
it? What is controversial about the topics
covered? Is the play appropriate for all
audiences during this season?
- Structure of the script – The story is
basically involves characters from three
sources intertwined – three characters
from The Tempest, and one each from
Anne of Green Gables and Peter Pan, all
of whom interact with the two clowns.
Each story needs the involvement of the
characters in the other story in order to
be successfully completed. Discuss
whether this interaction of Shakespeare’s
world with that of contemporary clowns
is effective. What character ties them
together best? How is that character
suited for this job? How well does the
fusion of the Shakespeare source play
with the more modern novels work?
(Read the plot summaries on pp. 11 15.) Why use three sources rather than
one? For Shakespeare aficionados, what
effect does the scrambling of elements
have on the theme?
- Production aspects:
Costumes – Describe the effect of the
costumes chosen for the production. Did
each costume help to define the
individual character in any way?
Set – What did the set suggest before the
play started? Did it provide the
necessary acting areas for the different
scenes? What mood did the shape and
colour of the set pieces convey; what
effect does its fantasy style have on the
viewer’s understanding of the story?
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Production aspects: (continued)
Props – Were the various props chosen
wisely to advance the narration?
Special Effects – Were the transformations, magic box, etc. effective?
Lighting – Did the lighting effects
designed by Darryl Bennett help to
define the location? What moods or
atmospheres were evoked?
Music – did the use of songs and
background music designed by AL
Connors help set the mood,
complement the themes and advance
the narrative of the play?
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11. Discussion or writing topic. Read page
19 on Devised Theatre. Break the class into
teams of 4 or 5. Using two of Shakespeare’s
plays or two novel that the students have
already studied, ask them to deconstruct the
plays or novels into component characters
and incidents. Mixing the components up
have the teams create short scenes in
contemporary language. For example, if the
plays are Twelfth Night and Merchant of
Venice, write a scene involving Sir Toby
Belch who is being sued for non-payment of
a loan from Sir Andrew Aguecheek and is
represented in court by Shylock.
12. Writing Project . After seeing the play,
and while it is still fresh in their minds, give
students the assignment of writing a review
of the production of Pomme and ‘Restes:
Shipwrecked!. Have them read reviews of
other plays in The Ottawa Citizen, Ottawa
Sun or other online source to give them an
idea of the standard approach to theatrical
criticism. Another excellent guide to writing
a review can be found on the Theatre Ontario
website:
http://theatreontario.org/resources/school-toolsU
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for-high-school-/play-reviews.aspx .
Students should refer to the program
distributed at the matinée, or may refer to
page 1 of this Study Guide for the names of
the various artists who put the production
together to write their reviews. The areas the
review should cover are, in general - and
more specifically when merited - all design
elements (lighting, sound, set and costumes),
the actors’ performances, the direction, the
basic narrative, the dialogue, and the central
theme(s) of the script.
Page 23
GALLERY
What’s On in the Lorraine Fritzi Yale Gallery
Each month a different local artist is featured in the Gallery in the upper
lobby of the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre. Artists are chosen by Fritzi
Gallery’s curator-in-residence Malika Welsh who is mentored by Cube
Gallery’s Don Monet. The featured artists during the run of Pomme and
‘Restes: Shipwrecked! On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never, are local
artists Maya Hum and Clare Brebner.
GCTC STUDY GUIDE
An illustration is a visualization or a depiction made by an artist, such as a drawing,
sketch, painting, photograph, or other kind of image of things seen, remembered or
imagined, using a graphical representation.
The word comes from the Latin word “illu’stro”, meaning to enlighten.
Artists Maya Hum and Clare Brebner use illustration in many different ways
to evoke various meanings and recall certain moments, memories and experiences.
Their styles are creative and whimsical, with an eye for detail. Their illustrations
integrate ink, watercolor, acrylic paint, printmaking and photographic methods. There
are many ways to illustrate a story. The works in this exhibition depict a search for a
balance between reality and imagination.
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
!
MAYA HUM, PUPPET NO LONGER
MIXED-MEDIA ON PAPER,17 ½ X 19 ¾” FRAMED, 2013
CLARE BREBNER, HOW TO MAKE A
BEATING HEART II
SILKSCREEN PRINT, 9X12, 2012
ETIQUETTE
Page 24
Please take a moment to prepare the students for their visit
to the Great Canadian Theatre Company by explaining good
Theatre Etiquette which will enhance the enjoyment of the
play by all audience members:
GCTC STUDY GUIDE
!
Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked !
On the Tempestuous Lost Island of Never
1. Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked! On the Tempestuous
Lost Island of Never will be performed in the Theatre of the
new Irving Greenberg Centre.
 It is important for everyone to be quiet (no talking or
rustling of materials) during the performance so others do
not lose their immersion in the “world of the play”.
Unlike movies, the actors in live theatre can hear
disturbances in the audience and will give their best
performances when they feel the positive involvement of
the audience members. The appropriate way of showing
approval for the actors’ performances in this play is
through laughter and applause. It is not appropriate to
whistle or cheer during the performance or during scene
changes but this may be used during the curtain call at
the end of the show for particularly good performances.
For the enjoyment of all, people who disturb others
during the play may be asked to leave the Theatre.
 Please remove your hat while in the Theatre and keep
your feet off the seats.
 It is also important to remember that no food or drink is
allowed in the Theatre. Remember to deposit all garbage
and recyclables in the containers in the Upper and Lower
Lobbys before entering the theatre.
 Remember to recycle the House Program if you do not
take it home with you.
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Great Canadian
Theatre Company:
The Irving Greenberg
Theatre Centre
Ottawa, corner of
Holland and Wellington
www.gctc.ca
Admin. Office:
(613) 236-5192
Box Office:
(613) 236-5196
Fax:
(613) 232-2075
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Box Office E-mail:
[email protected]
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Andrew Soobrian
Education Coordinator
(613)236-5192 x226
[email protected]
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Get involved
with your local
Theatre. GCTC Your City, Your
Theatre
 Student Matinees
 Rush tickets $13. With
valid student ID
(availability limited).
 Student
Apprenticeships and
Internships
 Volunteering
To volunteer call 613236-5196 or email
[email protected]
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2. It is important that there be no electronic devices used in the
Theatre so that the atmosphere of the play is not interrupted
and others are not disturbed. Cell phones, pagers and anything
that beeps or glows must be turned off and put away.
Cameras and all other recording devices are not permitted in the
Theatre.
3. If you plan to make notes on the play for the purposes of
writing a review, please do not try to write them during the
play. This can be distracting for the actors as well as those
around you. Wait until intermission or after the performance is
finished to write your reflections.
4. Pomme and ‘Restes: Shipwrecked! will have a running time
of approximately 2 hours including a 15 min intermission . It’s
always a good idea to use the washroom before the play starts.
Anyone leaving the theatre during the play may not be
readmitted.
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This Study Guide was written and researched by Jim McNabb for the Great
Canadian Theatre Company in November 2014. It may be used solely for
educational purposes. Any feedback on the Study Guide would be much
appreciated. Contact the writer at [email protected]
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