The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui - Warwick University Drama Society

Submission Pack: Term 1, 2010
THERESISTIBLE
THERESISTIBLE RISE OF ARTURO UI
“After all, a man needs his green goods”
- Dogsborough
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CONTENTS
P.3 – The Play
p.4 – Characters
p.5 – The Production Team
p.8 – Directorial Vision
p.9 – Arts Centre Details
p.10 - Acting style/movement
p.12 - Music and Tech design
p.13 - Production Design
p.17 – Publicity and Marketing
p.20 – Production Process
p.23 – Budget
p.24 - Rights
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The Play
The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui was written in Scandinavia while Brecht was in
exile from the NAZIS in 1941. As number 10 on the NAZI most wanted list, Brecht was
forced to abandon his home and briefly resided in Helsinki. The play is a clear parody of
Hitler’s rise to power including terrifying yet clownish caricatures of the dictator’s
closest allies Joseph Goebbels, Herman Goering and Ernst Rohm.
Set amidst the cauliflower racket of Chicago the play follows the desperately
nervous and greedy Cauliflower Trust as they try to secure a loan with the upright
Dogsborough (a parody of German aristocrat Paul Von Hindenburg). The Cauliflower
Trust represents a degenerative, capitalist bourgeoisie determined to secure their own
possessions at any cost while Dogsborough who has ‘made the town what it is’ is lauded
as honourable, just and clean. Despite his reputation a moment of weakness leads
Dogsborough to approve their loan after receiving 51% of the shares in Sheet’s
dockyard, the most lucrative business in the area. Ui, previously bored and apathetic
after a run in with the local police, seizes the opportunity to try and blackmail
Dogsborough into co-operating. Dogsborough refuses and throws him out of the house.
However information about the corrupt loan has already leaked and
Dogsborough is forced to co-operate with the increasingly determined Ui in order to
safeguard his finances. In one of the most terrifying scenes of the play Ui anticipates
power and receives lessons from an actor on how to ‘address the people’ and eventually
delivers a speech from Julius Caesar which is usually directed in the remarkable manner
of Hitler’s aggressive, vehement speeches. Following this Ui responds to Dogsborough’s
allegiance by killing the testifiers in the loan investigation, thereby protecting the
Cauliflower Trust from ‘threats’ and by consequence owning it. To reinforce the need for
protection to a doubting public, Ui orders Giri (Goering) to burn down the nearby
warehouse (a direct parody of the Reichstag fire). In a show trial the unemployed Fish is
found guilty of arson though he is clearly drugged. The fearful vegetable dealers rally
around Ui as a protector of the peace.
With domination of Chicago assured, Ui looks further afield to Cicero (Austria).
However Ignatius Dullfeet, newspaper editor and ruler of the town, refuses his offer. At
this point Roma (Rohm) begins to suggest that Giri and Givola are conspiring with the
Cauliflower Trust to remove Ui. The panicking gangster agrees with Roma that they need
to be removed but at the last minute his opinion is reversed by Giri and Givola. They
argue that it is Roma who is the detriment to Hitler’s public profile and in a sudden
move reminiscent of The Night of the Long Knives, Ui has Roma and his followers
slaughtered.
Arturo now forces an agreement with Dullfeet for the protection of Cicero and
upon a second rejection quickly kills him. The final scene, in which all dissenters are
shot, shows Arturo Ui risen and in total control having capitalised on the greed and
ineptitude of those below him.
The play’s narrative is shocking and pertinent not only because of its historical
parallels but because of its constant, palpable danger. Situations like that of the
Cauliflower Trust occur in countries all over the globe and plays like The Resistible Rise of
Arturo Ui assert the old maxim that ‘Evil prevails when good men do nothing.’
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Characters
Though the list of characters in the play is long, the production itself will use doubled
actors and will cut certain characters that are peripheral and work within the edited
script. Added to which Bowl, Fish and some of the Cauliflower Trust will be played
by women.
Arturo Ui - The lazy yet charismatic gangster of Chicago. Depressed and bored, he is
looking for an opening through which to exert his power and gain protection from the
state police and law courts.
Ernesto Roma - A thug and loyal supporter of Ui, Roma is the bloody hand behind
Ui’s irascible charm. After his thuggery and brutish killings wear thin he is murdered
by Ui in cold blood.
Giuseppe Givola - The sweet talking Givola owns a flower shop and works through
craft and deceit to usurp both Roma and Dullfeet.
Emanuele Giri - Giri is the portly, aristocratic military man who wears the hats of
those he’s ‘rubbed out’. A petty and terrifying threat.
Dogsborough -The upright representative of the aristocracy who is nonetheless
blackmailed into co-operating with Arturo Ui. His minor moment of greed makes him
culpable and the fear of losing his reputation makes him vulnerable to Ui’s coercion.
Cauliflower Trust – Flake, Butcher, Caruther, Mulberry, Clark - Members of the
Cauliflower business in Chicago who are looking out for themselves rather than the
common good. They are desperate to protect their business which they feel is in
decline. This desperation leads them into the hands of the gangsters.
Sheet - Honest owner of the Shipyard who, after realising its fortunes are on the
wane, is seeking to sell it. He does not initially accept working with Ui and is later
killed because of it.
Ted Ragg - Reporter for The Star and habitual drunk, Ragg finds out about the dodgy
practices of Dogsborough in relation to the shipyard and unwittingly lets on to Ui.
Bowl - Sheet’s chief accountant and thus witness to the loan and shipyard deal.
Goodwill and Gaffles - Members of the city council and passionate bureaucrats, they
have an unbreakable faith in Dogsborough and thus order an investigation into the
loan headed by O’ Casey.
O’ Casey - Investigator into the shipyard loan.
Actor - Tutor for Ui’s speech lessons to make him ‘a man for the people’.
Fish - The drugged and accused scapegoat for the warehouse fire.
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Ignatius Dullfeet - Newspaper editor of Cicero and resistor to Ui’s offers of
protection. He is eventually killed as the tyrant expands his power network.
Betty Dullfeet - Ignatius Dullfeet’s wife and initially a supporter of Ui, Betty goes off
the gangster after her husband’s death. Despite this she is seen beside Ui at the
curtain.
Others - Announcer, Judge, Doctor, Prosecutor, gangsters, reporters, vegetable
dealers.
THE PRODUCTION
THE TEAM
Director – Josh Roche
Josh is a second year English and Creative Writing Student. He has directed both
Artaudian productions (Inferno, SPLAT week 2009, CAPITAL centre), as well as
Stanislavskian realism (Two Fools, New Work Festival, extracts from Closer, Patrick
Marber, Sevenoaks Theatre Company, 2006). He has combined his writing and
directing before in Two Fools, Basement Sketches (WSAF) and Questions of Science
for the Sevenoaks Theatre Company, 2007, which investigated the use of cinematic
ultra-violence in the theatre. He has acted in a variety of productions including:
Antigone, Sevenoaks Theatre Company, (toured to Ibunburen, Germany); the twohander Not About Heroes, Sevenoaks Theatre Company, 2006; Persephone, Fail
Better, CAPITAL centre; ‘The Hamlet Project’, Tom Cornford, CAPITAL centre,
Measure for Measure (WUDS), Two Fools for The New Work Festival, The Lady is Not
for Burning (WUDS). He has also performed in lectures on Pinter and Beckett for
Jonny Heron. He is a member of the Fail Better ensemble, the National Youth
Theatre and has studied Theatre Studies to IB level, writing on Chinese Yuan Drama
as well as Bertholt Brecht, Edward Gordon Craig, Antonin Artaud and Konstantin
Stanislavski in detail. He looks forward to performing with The Fever Chart in the
Edinburgh Fringe this August.
Assistant Director – Tom Allott
Tom is a second year English and Film student. As such he hops between theatre and
film. In sixth form he turned to sound design, and his A-level drama work involved
things like devising sex scenes on space hoppers. After school he worked on the
feature film Knowing, (2009) in Melbourne for three months. He has also worked on
professional music videos in Britain including Mini Viva, Kids in Glass Houses, Zed
Bias and most recently he first assistant directed a music video being shot over two
days in Birmingham with David Sugar. He is currently editing a twenty-minute film
that he wrote, directed and produced himself. With a cast of nine cross-dressing
boys and girls, and shot all outside in the woods, it was his most ambitious project
up to date. Over the past year he has been compiling a photography portfolio
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Producer – Ali Wood
Ali is a first year Law student. This is his first foray into the Warwick drama
community having Theatre Studies to IB level before arriving at the University.
During this he Tech designed a production of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales as well as
performing in a number of productions (Antigone, Questions of Science). He has
worked in student theatre and is keen to gain experience in a professional venue.
Having worked with Josh previously, they have built up a good working relationship.
Consequently they have a good understanding of each other's work patterns inside
the theatre and rehearsal room. This may be Ali's debut but he believes he has the
necessary organisation and drive to produce the show to a high standard.
Stage Manager – Meg Price
Meg Price is a second year English and Theatre studies student. Since being at
Warwick she has stage managed Hal V, Alls Well That Ends Well and Taming of the
Shrew for Shakespeare Society, The Mercy Seat and ‘The Hamlet Project’ and Two
Fools (performed as part of the New Works festival) at the CAPITAL centre and
Pizzazz for Warwick dance societies. She was Stage Manager for Much Ado About
Nothing performed at the Belgrade Theatre, stage managed and assistant produced
Measure for Measure in the Arts Centre Studio, assistant stage managed Tis’ Pity
She’s A Whore in the Arts Centre Studio and was Company Stage Manager and
Assistant Producer for The Threepenny Opera, which was performed in the Warwick
Arts Centre Theatre. She has also stage managed some independent productions
such as Mercury Fur which was performed as an installation piece in a derelict flat as
well as acting as Venue Manager for Snow Base: Le Corps Perdu with Curious
Directive.
Technical Manager/ Sound Designer – Jonathan Moss
Jonathan is a first year engineering student. In the short amount of time he has been
at Warwick he has been involved in many productions. He was sound designer for
the MTW Revue 09 (MTW), Belleville Rendez-Vous (Codpiece), Measure for Measure
(WUDS) and Mercury Fur. He was Sound #1 for Wild Party (MTW), Sound #2 for West
Side Story (MTW) and also operated sound for All’s Well That Ends Well (ShakeSoc).
Jonathan has several years experience in sound production, including working on
large recording, mixing and mastering projects over the last two years. From a total
of 6 years experience in sound, Jonathan has gained an in-depth knowledge in the
use of a wide range of equipment and techniques for sound reinforcement,
manipulation and production. Jonathan’s main focus is on sound design however he
does have experience in special effects, lighting, technical set design and web design
too, giving a good overall knowledge of the tech world.
Lighting Design – Lizzie Drapper
Lizzie is a first year Economics student and a new member of the Tech Crew Exec.
She has operated on By the Bog of Cats (WUDS) in the Studio Theatre, and shadowed
Elliot Griggs for Pictures of John Gray (Codpiece/Freshblood) during the lighting
design process before operating all the shows. Lizzie also worked with other
members of Tech Crew to put on MTW Revue (MTW) in The Copper Rooms and
Cardboard Metropolis (Freshblood) in the Science Concourse. She has also operated
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lighting in the Arts Centre Theatre for The Threepenny Opera (MTW) and was a
follow-spot operator for West Side Story (MTW). Other shows which she has been
crew for include Belleville Rendezvous and Measure for Measure (WUDS). Lizzie had
her first Lighting Designer role for Daisy Cutter in the Studio and is very excited to be
a member of the team onto the team for The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui.
Production Designer - Rosie Bristow
Rosie is a second year English and Theatre Studies student. She has a wide range of
experience and training in theatre design. Whilst at Warwick she has fulfilled the
roles of assistant design for Dido and Aeneas (Opera Warwick), head of set and
costume design for Translations (OWW), as well as Co - costume design for West
Side Story (MTW), co-set design for Measure for Measure (WUDS) co producer/head
of wardrobe for Much Ado About Nothing (WUDS), and most recently Costume
design for The Wild Party (MTW). She therefore has a good knowledge of where to
locally source props, costume materials and set elements and knows the studio
space well. Outside of Warwick she has completed A-level theatre studies
(specialising in design) as well as two RADA summer courses (in scenic art, and
theatre design) which have provided Rosie with a detailed understanding of set and
costume throughout history as well as practical experience building and decorating
stage sets.
Assistant Costume Designer - Ashleigh Brown
Ashleigh Brown has been designing and creating clothes since the age of thirteen. A
combined thirst for textiles and the theatre made the process of costume making
seem natural to Ashleigh. For her GCSE’s she combined her assessed work in textiles
with the play she was currently directing. Ashleigh made costume for Wonderland
(Codpiece) in 2008. Since then she has continued to help out with costume for
several other productions, including One World Week’s F*** The Fairy Tale. She is
very excited to make costume with pieces of vegetable and food packaging, and has
lots of ideas to add.
Marketing and Publicity - Dani Mansfield
Dani Mansfield is a second year English Literature student. Since coming to Warwick
she has worked as part of the PR team for One World Week and is a newly appointed
exec member of Warwick TV, holding the positions of Output Manager and Head of
Arts and Culture. Her role as part of the OWW PR team involved event management
through the organisation and hosting of the event’s formal Launch Party. As Output
Manager of WTV she works to produce and publicize shows and the society. As Head
of Arts and Culture she is in the process of establishing contacts within the University
as well as the Arts Centre in order to create a show that will promote and capture
Arts events on and around campus. She is also currently part of the WSAF 2010
team, with the role of Deputy Head of Marketing. While she has never done publicity
for a specific play, she is looking forward to the creative, vegetable-packed challenge
of Arturo Ui.
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Musical Director - Matthew Wells
Matt is a second year Philosophy and Literature student. He plays the piano and the
guitar to performing standard, has taught guitar and received Grade 8 for the
saxophone in 2007. He is actively involved in independent and collaborative creative
reinterpretation of songs, composition and arrangement. He works primarily with
folk, blues, popular song and jazz. He performs his work regularly at open mike
nights and small concerts, both solo and ensemble. He has played in bands of various
sizes, styles and degrees of formality. Among others, he toured in Italy and Iceland
with the Hampshire Youth Jazz Orchestra, played in a working jazz quintet for two
years, is regularly involved in impromptu jams and has recently started arranging and
playing with a covers band.
Directorial Vision
The aim of our production is to recreate the play’s political message in a
surreal, grotesque environment that contains fleeting parallels with
contemporary life. We’re juxtaposing the weird and decaying with what is real
and terrifying. We intend to leave a lasting impression of the abrupt cruelty of Ui
by blending it with the uncanny and bizarre nature of the theatrical space.
Arturo Ui is a play that has previously been super-imposed quite predictably
onto figures such as George Bush or Robert Mugabe. This will not be the trend of our
production, nor will we be following a Godfather-gangster or noir aesthetic. Instead
our production will bring out a bizarre, unpredictable theatre space with the
underlying comment being one of vigilance against violence in times of economic
depression. In dramatic terms the aesthetic of the production is similar to the total
theatre of Artaud, Berkoff and Peter Brook; the stage will be a myriad of strange and
uncanny ‘theatre beasts’ moving in affected, primitive ways, such as the Cauliflower
Trust (whose skin sprouts cauliflower), a demonic three headed Arturo Ui and the
vagrant Harmonica player Iggy Dullfeet. Unpredictable lighting and a blues music
score will help to supplement this atmosphere of altered reality wherein the central
message is played out in a consciously staged yet entirely committed world. Yet the
show will also be planted firmly in the present day, set in Greenwich next to the Cutty
Sark and the proud British docks. At the culmination of the final crescendoing speech
a large Union Jack obscured by a cauliflower will drop from the first balcony floor,
just before the lights go out in a finale of terrifying rhetoric.
Essential to an understanding of the production’s dynamic is the Cauliflower
Trust. These will be half-human, half-cauliflower hybrids whose vegetable of trade is
sprouting from their ears and skin. Like all the characters they will be filthy and
decaying. Their movement will be in concordance with their odd appearance, a
distorted, monstrous style that is at moments collective and at others individual.
The concept for the character of Arturo Ui is also unusual. Based on the three
headed Cerberus and the two faced deception of dictatorships, the gangster will be
made of three people handcuffed together at the wrists (photos included later in the
pack). Movement within this constraint will necessarily be partly choreographed and
will also mean that Ui is a relatively still stage presence in comparison to the quicker,
more fleeting characters such as Ted Ragg or Givola. We feel this will reflect some of
the lazy, static energy of Ui’s dangerous character.
The lighting of the play will quickly transform the space, changing between
deeply coloured states in a single scene. For example when the Cauliflower Trust
bargain with Dogsborough we plan to change the colour of the wash from blue to red,
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to green. These changes will be used to quickly transform the impression of the scene
and instantly perplex the audience, as well as to enhance the very theatrical reality of
the space.
American blues music will be the style of Dominic Muldowney’s reinterpreted
score. The music will be performed by a live band that will base their reinterpretation
on artists such as John Lee Hooker, Tom Waits, Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters.
This is primarily to emphasize the importance of the economic depression that
induces Ui’s rise. It will also be supplemented by Iggy Dullfeet’s harmonica. Dullfeet
will be seen wandering between scene changes along the balcony or even between
moments of action, his presence only later explained when he arrives from
neighbouring Deptford.
We could try to explain a hundred other moments we have planned, however
the most effective and simple way of describing the production is to say we hope to
haunt the audience. The playful, bizarre nature of the Cauliflower Trust will be
juxtaposed with the brutal violence of Ui. Within this aesthetic and as the script will
show you, there will be moments of tickling humour, intense fear and deep tragedy,
that and lots of cauliflower.
Arts Centre Blurb
Recession has come home in leafy Greenwich. The half-human halfcauliflower grocers are growing greedy and plead with the trusting Dogsborough for a
bail out. Meanwhile in the shadows lounges the lazy Arturo Ui, grumpy and
disconsolate with his lack of influence. In the hearts of the devious grocers he spies a
chance for power. Abetted by the brutish Roma and the seedy Givola, Ui begins his
bloody and resistible rise.
Brecht’s parody of Hitler’s rise, originally set in the cauliflower racket of
Chicago, is brought up to date and into Greenwich. After all, a man needs his green
goods - Dogsborough
Why this play?
The constant relevance of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui is the play’s central
and enduring attribute. It is a message of constant vigilance and therefore should
always be performed somewhere. The reason we have chosen to do it here and now is
that with a plummeting economic recession, a huge deficit and a rise in nationalist
politics the play seems to assert itself as a warning against desperation.
We do not pretend to be reaching out to Britain as a whole of course, however
the nature of organised crime in the country has risen, anti-social behaviour causes
huge rifts in society and it would be a surprise if these factors did not worsen during
the recession. Ui is a play that offers wisdom from history, it is one of the most
famous and paradoxically underperformed plays by Brecht and we feel that as such it
is ripe for performance.
Why the Arts centre?
The wide scope of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui is one of its most
distinctive characteristics. It is a modern day satirical epic; its cast size alone
necessitates a large stage space and the odd, ensemble-style movement which we
want to incorporate makes this need even greater. Our production’s use of the balcony
areas is extensive, allowing us to drop banners without interfering with or slowing
down the action, and giving a crucial aesthetic to the show, i.e. that of gradually
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increasing nationalist propaganda. Added to which the wide mounds of cauliflower
boxes would be impossible on any other campus stage.
As a director I have worked in the CAPITAL centre and in WSAF and put
together small, detailed pieces of performance however this particular show would be
impossible to stage in either of those venues. The production is ambitious but
achievable and requires a large stage with capable lighting and backstage areas in
order to be performed.
Why Week 8?
Unfortunately it is impossible to apply for both weeks 4 and 8. First and
foremost our team is comprised largely of second years with late exams and auditions
for week 4 performances would overlap considerably. (Most of these second years
have a healthy interest in drama and therefore may have to ‘catch up’ a little on their
degrees). Secondly, given that many people do not audition in term 3 due to exams
and our cast is not only large but has a high number of male actors, we think it would
be much better equipped with the influx of freshers looking to get involved in
September. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, our rehearsal process as regards
movement would be much easier in one long stint rather than two divided ones.
Working out successful movement within our concept will be achievable but difficult
and continued focus is an irreplaceable asset.
Acting Style and Movement
The style of performance that we are aiming for in Ui is largely inspired by
Steven Berkoff and the French Total Theatre that came before him. The influence of
the latter will come mainly through Artaud and Barrault, each of whom influenced
Berkoff heavily and therefore compliment the overall aesthetic of the show. We were
drawn towards this style due to Berkoff’s theories on the divided self (already having
conceived of Ui as three headed to
represent the multifaceted nature of
dictatorships). An added bonus is that
it will allow us to experiment with
Brechtian gestus (a theory Berkoff
mentions often in his interviews). For
example the division of lines and
actions between the three heads of
Arturo will be according to the mantra
‘Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no
evil’ so that each of these gestures
begins to represent a part of Ui as a
whole, paradoxically creating a very evil
character entire.
Brecht’s play is entertaining as
well as poignant and Berkoff’s style has
a great capacity for both laughter and
disquiet which we think will fit the
nature of the production perfectly. It’s
also important to note that these ideas
will not just be limited to the ‘weird’
characters. We will be looking to
exaggerate and stretch the boundaries of
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the more common characters like Dullfeet and Bowl by rooting rehearsals in physical
experimentation derived from the script.
The rehearsal process itself will not be based on steadily working through the
text chronologically. We will dive straight into script work from the off, yet with the
focus on scenes that capture the stylized, crisp movement we want to use. The first
few weeks will also work to break down people’s inhibitions and change their
expectations of what the show will look like. After this we will begin to look at the
trajectories of the scenes within the play and gradually fit a physical representation
onto these. We will also work fastidiously with voice before testing the play out in its
full length. Texts and films that will be influencing the production and be shared with
the cast include Peter Brook’s Marat/Sade (1965), Antonin Artaud’s The Theatre and
its Double, Steven Berkoff’s The Trial (1971) Decadence (1981) West (1983).
I have decided not to take on a movement director for the production because
we feel that, though our aim is a physical theatre aesthetic, what we’re looking for is
still a long way from heavily choreographed, dance-like movement. We’re aiming for
an altered reality, not a sequence of moves.
Assistant Director
We have included the role of Assistant Director for a number of reasons.
Firstly he will be assisting in the aesthetic of the show, as particularly in its
representation within our publicity campaign. He will also help us cope with the size
of the cast and the length of the play. Tom’s experience in film as well as his
enthusiasm for the stage allows the directorial team to keep an eye on the broader
aspects of the play (i.e. the combination of set and costume along with acting style
and blocking) while the Director may be focused on the nitty gritty of particular
scenes. As we’ll explain later in the pack we’ve decided to combine Publicity and
Marketing in order to make the ticket drive a little more cohesive. Tom’s help with
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publicity images will mean that the marketing strategy is based on the production as it
is rehearsed, making sure that the publicity is effective at every stage of the
production process. Added to which the Director and Assistant Director have worked
on many creative projects together before, both in film and theatre. Consequently they
have a very good understanding of each other’s slightly addled brains.
Music
The score for the production will be based around the core of early twentieth century
blues music. Artists such as John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters and Howling Wolf will
provide inspiration for a low-key, laid back sound. Ui’s (and Hitler’s) rise relies on
greed in the face of poverty during economic collapse, and as blues is the music with
the strongest perceived links with recession, a blues-based sound will provide the
perfect backdrop to recession-afflicted Greenwich and will supplement the play’s
themes of economic desperation.
In line with the rights we will be working with Brecht’s songs. Rather than being a
drawback, it has forced us to reconsider the function of music in the play. We will
reinterpret Dominic Muldowney’s original score in a new style; a further challenge
but a goal worth achieving for two reasons: firstly the score will fit the play as an
original adaptation; second, the Muldowney/Brecht music, once reinterpreted, will be
a unique blend of Brechtian song and blues, the result will be perfect for the play’s
thematic blending of Chicago, Germany and London – it is a contemporary blend of
two musical traditions.
Our approach to the score will draw heavily on Tom Waits’ work for theatre. He
combines European song traditions (often using Brecht songs) with his own musical
voice as an extension of the American traditions of Blues, Folk and Jazz. The result is
essentially modern music that is explicitly reminiscent of both the American and the
European traditions. This is what we want to achieve with our music – something not
out of place in present-day London but still able to recall the European relevance of
the play and all the connotations of American recession music.
Hoon Young Kim (guitar, harmonica)
Matthew Wells (guitar, keyboard, saxophone)
Ashley Etchells-Butler (drums)
Conrad Bird (bass)
Sound Design
A live band will be used at the ground level, this will comprise of two acoustic
guitars, an acoustic drum kit and a vocalist. These will be placed upstage left. The
guitars, if electro acoustic, will be direct injected if the pickups are suitable, if they are
acoustic or have unsuitable pickups, they will be close miked as the band will not be
moving. As the rest of the band is acoustic, the drum kit will not be miked at all. The
vocalist will be miked with a wired SM58. All microphones and cables will be
borrowed from the Arts Centre if they are available, otherwise tech crew equipment
will be used. Due to the simplicity of the band sound will be operated from the control
room.
The standard studio speaker set up will be used, along with the studio’s Yamaha
01V96. Due to the positioning of the band, feedback shouldn’t be too much of an
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issue with the speakers in their standard position. A minimal number of sound effects
will be required; these will be sourced from the tech crew sound effects library, or
from known online sources.
Lighting Design
The lighting for this show will be important in creating the scene and mood by using a
variety of lighting techniques. Both warm and cold washes along with facelight will
be used for certain scenes, but others will require particular coloured washes, e.g. red,
blue or green. Gels will be budgeted for and some breakup may be used, but these will
come from Tech Crew stock. Booms on the ground and lanterns hung from the
balcony will allow the stage to be tightly lit. One scene requires a follow spot, and all
other lights will come from the studio standard stock.
Design
Set amidst the decaying financial crisis of the present yet heavily influenced by the
political turmoil of 1940’s Germany, and with quick paced action that jumps around
many locations in and about the homes and workplaces of the characters, Arturo Ui is
a show that demands a strong unifying aesthetic which can draw the full force from
Brecht’s vibrant and grotesque satire.
Cauliflowers
The Cauliflower Trust’s piles of festering , unsold stock provides a constant reminder
of the cause for the Cauliflower Trust’s dissent into crime and submission to gangster
rule. The two large mounds give different levels
for Arturo Ui to give his speeches from, and also
contain simple props that indicate scene changes,
e.g. bunches of flowers for the scene in Givola’s
shop. The rotting heart of the piece is often alluded
to in the text, as not only the cauliflowers but the
characters themselves are described as ‘rotten’.
The cauliflowers therefore will have an
overwhelming presence on stage, actually
becoming part of The Cauliflower Trust who have
dark yellow and green skin and cauliflower growing from their skin.
The Team
We (Rosie & Ashleigh) will be overseeing the design and creation of both set and
costume, as opposed to splitting the roles up, as this is vital to creating harmony
throughout all visual aspects of the show. The official launch of SAW (Stage Arts
Warwick) at the start of term 1 will be the perfect opportunity to assemble an eager
team to help with sign design, face painting and cauliflower modelling (amongst other
things!).
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Propaganda
The use of propaganda style posters
posters will be evident throughout the show. Four rolled
up posters will unfurl like banners from the side balconies
at specific points during the show. These will be
propaganda posters,, dimly recognisable as NAZI
propaganda, though with large obscuring cauliflowers.
These posters will culminate in the last moment...
A large flag will be dropped from the floor of the
first balcony to the floor of the studio.. At the centre of this
patriotic image will be one very large cauliflower. The
moment will come at the end of a crescendoing
speech and a flash of light, the flag dropping in
one action just before the black out at the end
of the play.
Replacing the key subject of the posters with cauliflowers ridicules the
corrupt politics
ics behind the original posters in the same way that Brecht
simultaneously ridicules and also warns against the dangers of Arturo Ui’s
‘persuasive’ political tactics.
tactics
Face Paint & Hats
he bold patterns and colours in the posters will also be used in the
The
costumes and makeup of the actors, whose grotesque caricatures will be
exaggerated by their appearance. The real life villains whom many of the
characters are based on (pictured below) lend themselves wonderfully to
exaggerated political cartoons and will influence both the makeup and the
posters. Giri has the especially unpleasant habit of wearing the hats of men
he’s just killed, and many of the characters will be sporting
sporting unusual headwear in order
to exaggerate this and make it very clear to the audience.
14
Ground Plan
Despite being an ambitious and extravagant design we hope to be able to keep the
costs as low as possible. The basic costumes should be very easy to get hold of for
free as it is modern dress, and so a combination of things from the DC cupboard and
donations from the cast and designer’s own wardrobes will be able to supply most of
the clothes. The face paint and bits of cauliflower used to decorate the actors will
have a huge visual impact for a very low cost. A contingency for buying some more
specific items (such as flowers for Givola’s button hole, a stethoscope for the doctor
etc) has been included as well.
Props needed
Cauliflowers - 40
Guns (5)and Ammunition
15 shots
Shares Bond
Flowers
White Coat
Stethoscope
Jerry Can (2)
Camera
Handcuffs (2)
Microphone
Newspapers (3)
Standing Mirror
Small Book
Bible
Bandages (2)
Will and Confession
Source
Tesco
Arts Centre
Cost
£0.67 each
£0.06/ £0.30
Sourced by Meg - Made
Tesco
Sourced by Meg
Sourced by Meg
Sourced by Josh and
Tom
Sourced by Tom
Sourced by Meg
Tech Crew
Sourced by Meg
Sourced by Meg
Sourced by Meg
Sourced by Meg
Superdrug
Sourced by Meg - Made
£0
£5
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0
£1
£0
15
Influences & ideas
16
Smoking
There will be characters smoking on stage in the production. It is essential to
root certain personalities such as Giri, Ui and O’Casey within the right habitual
mannerisms. Smoking is one of these. We want to avoid having a sterile theatrical
space where no elements of the real world exist. That said it will not be used
gratuitously. Instead it will be incorporated into the character from an early stage and
be part of the actor’s performance. Should any actor not want to, or feel
uncomfortable with smoking we’ll of course willingly accommodate this. We will
apply for a smoking license should we be successful in our submission.
Publicity/Marketing Strategy
Publicity and Marketing is one of the most important parts of the production
process. Due to the size of the show it is essential that we get a good number of
people into the studio come week 8. To tackle this we’ve merged the two usually
separate roles of Publicity and Marketing in order to give a more cohesive ticket
drive. It will mean that all posters, events, articles etc. will feel a lot more like
publicity for a certain event, rather than sporadic advertising here and there.
Also, as mentioned before, the assistant director will be working with Dani on
the images and designs used for posters and flyers as well as picking up the slack
wherever is necessary. With the performance in week 8, we intend to have a steady
increase in presence and advertising on campus from the start of term with particular
emphasis on weeks 5-7.
Week 1 - We will raise awareness of the auditions set
to be held at the end of week 1 and beginning of week
2. We’ll be distributing audition posters and targeting
the new influx of first years with information via shout
outs in English Lit. lectures and the like while people
remain keen and attendance is high, emphasising the
need for male actors. We will also of course make use
of Facebook and other social networking sites to
spread the word.
Week 2 - Business card designs based on characters
such as Ui and Dogsborough will be finalised and sent
to the printers at the very beginning of the week as will
colour poster and flyer designs. The posters will be
designed to emphasise the surreal and violent nature of
the production, as well as the British relocation. They
will display blood-splattered cauliflowers, guns, eerie cauliflower monsters and a
three-armed Ui in a Hamlet inspired position, holding a cauliflower instead of a skull,
subtly recalling the scene in which Ui is instructed by an actor, as well as hinting
towards the relocation/British nationalism. The business cards will display the name
and a quote of a certain character and a cauliflower market logo with a cauliflower
and a gun. Social networking services will be employed to start raising awareness.
17
Week 3 / 4 - Trilbies (or alternative
amusing hat) with a specific Ui
design will be finalised and ordered
for the team (as opposed to the
traditional hoody or T-shirt, cost
permitting) during week 3. We will
organise a small street team and
begin the distribution of posters
around campus, in restricted quantity.
We will also, permission granted, be
leaving cauliflowers splattered in
fake blood with ‘UI’ or propaganda
slogans written on them around campus in busy areas such as outside the library and
SU. This will be an obscure means of advertisement in tune with the odd nature of the
play and will grab people’s attention to make them start asking questions without
giving too much away.
Week 5 - The team will start wearing their trilbies on occasion. We will contact
internal media societies such as WTV, RAW and the Boar to schedule promotional
opportunities such as interviews, ads, shout outs and “behind-the-scenes” footage of
rehearsals and interviews with director and cast in association with WTV to be
distributed on social networking services and the general web as a great means of
giving people a taste of what the play holds in store for them. A press release will be
drawn up for external marketing and sent to local newspapers and radio stations.
Permission granted, posters will be hung up and flyers distributed in places around
Leamington Spa and Coventry. We will continue with the random appearance of
cauliflowers around campus into this week. The number of posters around campus
will increase. A venue will be booked for the upcoming fundraiser. The team will
contribute to marketing through social network services, altering profile pictures to
poster designs.
18
Week 6 - Alongside marketing for departments more naturally interested in theatre
and the arts we will start targeting groups on campus who wouldn’t normally be as
aware of theatre productions on campus such as the engineering and maths
departments, by handing out business cards and flyers after lectures etc and hanging
up posters in buildings. Closer to the time we would also ask their departments as well
as those in humanities to send out emails to students advertising the play (week 7).
Stalls will be set up throughout the week selling (at a bargain price) cauliflower cake
and/or soup. Iggy Dullfeet – in character – will be playing the harmonica by the stall
with the Production band to attract attention, and emphasise the use of blues music in
the production. Towards the end of the week posters will be out in full, typically in
places where they can’t be missed (...loo cubicles). Advertising through social
networks will increase, highlighting the fundraiser in week 7.
Week 7 – Fundraiser - We will host a fundraising blues night at a “bluesy” venue
in Leamington in which members of the team and the Production band will
perform. There will potentially be a screening of a relevant film if the venue
allows it. The PA system can be borrowed for free from Band Soc with whom
our musical director has good contacts.* With the permission of tutors the cast will
give shout outs in lectures. Department emails will be sent out, hats will be worn as
much as possible and social network statuses of cast and team members will start
being directed towards the play. We’ll ask RAW for shout-outs throughout the day,
which will hopefully reach people in the SU, where RAW is broadcasted from 11-3.
This will be kept up until the performance, week 8.
*The fundraiser will charge £1 entry and the money raised will be used to
supplement contingency costs for Production Design.
19
PRODUCTION PROCESS
Casting
There are a hefty number of roles in the play and we are aware that our cast
will be larger than the usual studio show and that part of this is down to our choice of
production style. However many performers will double up one or more characters
and therefore keep the overall cast size down to 20. This is the lowest we can make it
within the idea that we want to work with. The division of the roles is as follows. We
have not included the sex of the Cauliflower Trust parts as they will be decided on
ability regardless of gender.
Announcer/Defence Cnsl/Ted Ragg
(m)
Sheet/Bodyguard (m)
Cauliflower Trust –
Flake /Judge
Butcher /Doctor
Caruthers/ Prosecutor
Mulberry
Clark
Dogsborough (m)
Ui 1 (m)
Ui 2 (m)
Ui 3 (m)
Roma (m)
Giri (m)
Givola (m)
Dockdaisy/Mrs Dullfeet (f)
Fish/Goodwill (f)
Bowl/Gaffles (f)
O’Casey/Actor (m)
Hook/Bodyguard (m)
Iggy Dullfeet (m)
Edited Script
The Script for the show will be heavily cut down from its full length. Many
characters are axed in this as well. We have kept what we need for the telling of the
story. On a cut script we expect the run time to be approximately 2 hours.
Rehearsals
Week 1 - Auditions
Week 2 – Weird
Greenwich
Auditions – Two sessions
of 2 hour workshop
rehearsals. Text work and
movement
Auditions/Introductory
Rehearsals
Recall Audition,
Workshop, 2 hours.
Introductory Rehearsal, 2
hours
The Auditions will be
testing out physical ability
ensemble, voice projection
and most importantly a
willingness to attempt
whatever is asked.
Recall Auditions will be
looking for combinations
of people that work well
together and ability with
script and improvisation.
The Introductory
Rehearsal will begin with
a broad discussion of the
play’s themes and the
production’s aesthetic. It
will also introduce the cast
to each other and the
principles of movement
20
Week 3 – Attitudes and
Metaphysics
Three 3 hour rehearsals
Week 4 – Mapping
Four 3 hour rehearsals
Week 5 – Uncanny
Delivery/ Consolidation
4/5 three hour rehearsals
Week 6 – Big Picture
Six 2/3hour rehearsals
Week 7 – Last Chance
RUNS – Three or four in
the week depending on
progress, Sunday rest day.
Week 8 – Production
Week
Get in Monday,
Tech/Dress Rehearsal
Tuesday,
4 evening performances
Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday, Saturday.
we’ll be working with.
Further discussions about
Artaud, Berkoff and the
production. Experimenting
with movement, growing
used to stylized
performance. Limited
character work - research
into the English Defence
League, The British
National Party and The
British National Socialist
Movement.
Creating trajectories for
certain scenes and then
work-shopping a physical
representation of those
trajectories within the
stylized nature of the play.
Introducing text and early
voice work in order to
compliment the physicality
of the production
Off book rehearsals
working on voice in
compliment with
movement. Looking at the
detail of the smaller, less
ensemble scenes and
consolidating character
changes.
First full length runs of the
show. Ironing out last
minute problems, gaining
an idea of the production
as a complete impression.
Working with live band in
the rehearsal room.
Introducing props,
consolidating movement,
difficult scenes and
working with the band.
Extensive work with the
moments of Technical
apparatus and rehearsals
with the band.
21
Production Notes
The audition rooms will be booked ahead of Term time.
Regular production team meetings will be conducted throughout the rehearsal process
to check on the progress of each area.
Production Team will meet in Week 4 to check on the progress of set and costume and
discuss the reaction to our initial marketing strategy to decide if any changes are
required.
Week 6 - Brief meeting to check on progress. Set finalised.
Week 7 - Ensure dress rehearsals prepared for. Tech Manager to attend a full run
rehearsal.
Risk Assessment
•
•
•
•
•
•
Cigarettes will be used in this production and so we will obtain a Smoking
Licence. We will ensure that any flammable materials have been fire-proofed
and that there will be a fire bucket accessible in order to ensure the cigarette
is safely extinguished.
All trailing wires will be safely taped down and obstructions onstage will be
identified, for instance the projector, which will be hidden from an audience
view will be pointed out to the actors to ensure their safety.
The staircases will be stable and secure to make sure that the actors are safe
at all times.
Any large pieces of set will be secured and weighted down with stage weights
to ensure total stability.
Any members of the team who are required to lift heavy objects will be
instructed on the most efficient and safe way to do so to prevent injury.
Each person on cast and crew will be a member of and covered by either
WUDS or Tech Crew insurance.
22
The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui Budget
Ticket Prices
Seat Type 1 (e.g. seats)
Seat Type 2 (e.g. benches)
Seat Type 3 (e.g. floor)
Seat Type 4 (e.g. restricted view)
Number
130
0
0
0
Normal Price
£7.50
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
Conc. Price
£7.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
Weighted Average Ticket Price
130
£7.50
£7.00
Number of performances
Total number of tickets
4
520
Box Office Rate
10%
Incoming
Sponsorship
100% ticket sales @ conc. price
Total Potential Incoming
Amount
£0.00
£3,276.00
Notes
£3,276.00
Outgoing
Amount
General
Arts Centre Studio Hire
Production Rights
Music Rights, Sheet Music Hire
Total General Costs
Set
White Tablecloths - backdrop
Cauliflowers
Cauliflower Boxes
Staircases - two sets
Paint
Fireproofing
Side Balcony Posters
Miscellaneous
Total Set Cost
£900.00
£300.00
£140.00
£1,340.00
£16.00
£26.10
£0.00
£150.00
£18.44
£20.00
£0.00
£30.00
£260.54
Technical
Gels
Sound Effects
Miscellaneous
Total Technical Cost
£50.00
£10.00
£15.00
£75.00
Props
As itemised in pack
Miscellaneous
Total Props Cost
£62.51
£15.00
£77.51
Notes
See attached Proof of Rights
See attached Proof of Rights
ASDA
Tesco
Local Greengrocer
Arts Centre
Homebase
Tech Crew
Sourced by Josh
Contingency
Any extra props needed
23
Costume
Basic Costume
10 Cauliflowers
Facepaint
Glue
Miscellaneous
Total Costume Cost
Marketing
50 x B/W Audition Posters
25 x A4 Colour Posters
250 B/W Posters
250 B/W Programmes
250 Business Cards
Soup stall
Miscellaneous
Total Costume Cost
Total Outgoing
£70.00
£6.70
£12.95
£6.20
£15.00
£110.85
£3.00
£11.75
£15.00
£15.00
£3.62
£15.00
£10.10
£73.47
Contingency as most will be from
cast and charity shops
Tesco
Snazaroo
Snazaroo
In consideration of cast size
Photocopy
Print Five
Photocopy
Photocopy
Vista Print - free except p&p
For ingredients
Cauliflowers and fake blood
£1,937.37
Break Even Point
Income per Average Ticket
Number of Tickets to Break Even
Number of Tickets per Night
Break Even Point
Normal
Rate
£6.75
288
72
Conc. Rate
55.4%
£6.30
308
77
59.2%
Additional Notes
Set and Construction – All costs for set have been quoted from Luke.
We haven’t included the cost of the script into our budget as we feel this is a text
that many people may have or is otherwise easily obtainable. Should this not be
the case we have enough room in our budget for £40 to print/photocopy scripts
for the cast. (Many characters will not need every page of the script).
Proof of Rights
Music and Script Rights
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Brecht / Bolt; Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
Date: Mon, 10 May 2010 14:21:05 +0100
Dear Alistair,
Many thanks for your enquiry into the rights of this play, the rights are
currently available for performances in Warwickshire. Let me know whether
you are looking to use the score devised by Dominic Muldowney or whether
you are wishing to perform the play without any instrumentation. There
24
is a performing fee of £75 per performance and a Musicians fee of £30 per
performance. Let me know when you are also to looking to perform the play.
Yours sincerely
Terry McCormack
Amateur Rights Dept.
Samuel French Ltd.
London
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Brecht - The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
Date: Wed, 19 May 2010 11:07:11 +0000
Dear Ali
Terry has passed me your correspondence regarding the above play by Brecht
since I would hire out the musical score.
I have a score by Hosalla for hire. If you would like to hire this score
please send me a cheque for £50.00, which is a deposit fee which will be
returned to you on receipt of the return of the score. You may keep this
score for two weeks. Should you decide to use this music we would require
an additional cheque of £20.00, which is the hire fee and enables you to
retain the score until the end of your performance. There is in addition
a music royalty fee of £30.00 per performance which Terry will arrange for
you when you have decided on which music you intend to use.
I think you are aware that there is also a score by Muldowney which is
available for purchase from Faber, though here again we would be
responsible for the collection of the music royalty should you decide to
go ahead with this score.
Please do get in touch if you require any further information. My direct
line is 0207 255 4307. I am in the office from Wednesday to Friday.
Best wishes,
Stephanie Pacellini
Samuel French Ltd
25