Exam Section A

2 rehearsal techniques

- Hot seating
- roll on the wall

How does hot seating help an actor?

Hot seating would help an actor to identify with the characters feelings of *insert what they are feeling in the scene

How does role on the wall help an actor?

Role on the wall would encourage an actor to explore why the character acts a certain way/hides or boasts they're feelings around others (anything to do with interaction with other characters)

2 scenes in DNA which would be good End on

• Phil and Leah scene (so everyone can see Phil's reaction, in the round, thrust etc. the audience wouldn't be able to see his reaction)

2 scenes in DNA which would be good in Black Box

• Adams return (it's a tense moment for the audience, Black box will help it)
• when mark and Jan talk about Adams death (it's a tense moment for the audience, Black box will help it)

2 scenes in DNA which would be good in the round

• When mark and Jan talk about Adams death (it's a tense moment for the audience, the round will make it more confrontational and tense)
• when Adam returns (it's a confrontational scene with them all staring at Adam, the round will help this)

2 scenes in DNA which would be good in traverse

• Mark and Jan street scene (traverse is like a road)

 2 scenes in DNA which would be good in thrust

• when mark and Jan talk about Adams death (the thing Marc directed in class, Adam would walk across the edge of the thrust stage with the rest of the gang throwing rocks at the back)
• street scenes (they would walk up and down the bit poking out of a thrust stage)

2 scenes in DNA which would be good in promenade

• Mark and Jan talking about Adams death (they would be walking around and the audience would follow, very confrontational scene)
• Adams return (promenade allows people to get very close up so it's very confrontational, like the scene is in general)

• set in the street

  • The screen goes black because the scenes on the street are full of suspense so there’s only one spotlight on john and mark talking. This makes the audience scared which reflects the emotions of the characters at these points in the play.

  • The bench is the only thing on set this makes it clear to the audience that this is the street so they now when a new plot twist is coming which creates suspense.

• lighting in the street

  • One spotlight that can be seen as a street light on the street this creates suspense and makes the audience scared which reflects the emotions of the characters in the pay.

• sound in the street

  • The sounds of vehicles moving placing the speakers behind the audience and using those speakers for the vehicles can make the audience think there is something behind them. This can contribute massively to the atmosphere of the piece.

• Set in the field

  • The back drop of the field is loads of fields going on forever and never ending, this represents Leah’s mind and how it’s never ending train of thought.

  • A picnic blanket to show the audience that this is the field. It’s checked black and white to show Leah and Phil are complete opposites but they still go together and they still need each other.

• Light in the field

  • There is light everywhere to show the vast open space of the field this also shows Leah's mind set. It also shows she wants Phil to like her because she could go in all the space but she stays there with Phil.

• Sound in the field

  • a bird song emphasising their freedom in this place
     
    

• Set in the woods

  • screen of a lot of trees in the forest, this is so its secret as the most horrifying scenes happen in the forest when the "gang" is all together, so if anyone ever heard them they would be in trouble, so they have to so it in a private place.

  • Logs where the gang sit, so the audience know this is the wood. We know that in the wood the problems get resolved but not in a good way. Phil would stand in the middle as he’s the leader of the group.

• Lighting in the woods

  • It would use gobos which are small discs that are placed in front of the light. Patterns and shapes cut into the disc are protected onto the stage in the form of shadows. To look like the light is going through the trees.

• Sound in the wood

  • Silence to show nobody’s about making an eerie atmosphere.

What genre is DNA?

• Tragicomedy

When DNA was originally performed?

• 2008 (by the national)

Where DNA was originally performed?

• The Cottesloe Theatre at the National Theatre

What was the original staging of DNA?

• End on

How did they set the scene in the original production of DNA?

• Relied heavily on atmospheric lighting and projections to set the scene, rather than having large items of set

Jan

Mark

Leah

Phil

John Tate

Cathy

Brian

Lou

Danny

Adam

Richard

-Has monologues and we are presented with a one-sided relationship between her and Phil
(As he does not respond)
- Overly concerned about their relationships and his opinions
("You need me as much as....Shows her insecurity & desire for a response from Phil)
- Constantly striving for Phil's attention and uses many techniques to do so.
(puts herself down, showing her insecurities, talking about insecurities (Bonobos, science, nature) and repeating his name)
- a moral character, tries to reason with the others
- She is sensible, able to think for herself and speak her mind
BUT falls under leadership of Phil (as she is not strong enough to alter the opinions & actions of people in the group)
- No background info but she reveals that her and Phil have known Adam a long time, pleading to help him.

* All in uniform
- Would be slightly scruffy (to fit in)
- Wearing a skirt, rolled up to get Phil's attention
- undone tie
- tucked shirt
- Black shoes
- wears a sweater
- wear headband
* quite undone and scruffy to fit in with the group.

Key words - Leah

1. Loud
2. Caring
3. Tricky
4. Impatient
5. Considerate
6. Assistant
7. Talkative

- Always in scenes, rarely talks but usually eating
- Only actually directly responds to Leah when she leaves him (p.g61)
- Sometimes uses facial expressions & body language e.g shrugging
- Although quiet for a long time, Phil clearly considers everyone's words and actions before he speaks
- He gives calm & considered instructions to each members in the group as he assigns roles and tasks for them to complete
- Callous & nihilistic
- Controlling/ reassuring body language - esp when addressing Lou

* All wearing uniform
- Wearing beanie
- not wering blazer
- untucked shirt
- Loose tie

Key words - Phil:

1. Assuring
2. Controlling
3. Leader

- Are "chorus" / "narrators"
- Throw audience directly into the action (fill in the blanks at the beginning)
- both try to justify their actions saying "we were having a laugh, weren't we"
- Mark & Jan always together

- Lead Adam to fall into grille
- younger member of the group
- responsible for the events
- Bullied Adam
- Doesn't really care about what people think of her (Rude & disrespectful)
- is stupid and laughs in peoples face

- side pony
- Non-school regulated coat
- knot at front of shirt
- Undone tie
- black sneakers rather than black school shoes
- skirt rolled up

- Also, lead Adam to fall into the grille
- bullied Adam
- shoplifter at the end
- smokes
- rude

- Undone shirt
- popped collar
- shagged pants
- also non-regulated shoes

- Leads through using fear to control others
- but is visibly falling apart
- Act 1 scene 3 he panics and is unable to control those around him & the situation (tries to ban the word "dead")
- His leadership is challenged by Richard - causes him further insecurity ( he then threatens Lou, Danny and Richard)

* all wearing uniform
- rolled up sleeves
- done up tie
- tied up shoes
(Slightly tidier because he is sort of the "Leader")

Keywords for John Tate

- Mean
- Controlling
- Patronising
- insecure
- stressed

- shown to have no remorse about the groups actions
- Find the situation "exciting" and "better than ordinary life"
- Shows no concern for Adam and why the cameras are at the TV station
- Focuses on her own gain

*all wearing uniform
- wears a grey cardigan
- hair down
- high knee socks
- shiny shoes
- preppy
- doesnt really care about what people say to her

Keywords for Cathy

- has a callous side
- social climber

- first appears to be a strong character
 A potential leader of the group
- Lou is scared of him
-he presents a challenge to John Tate
- he tries to stand up to John Tate but is put into place when JT turns the entire groups against Richard.
- In need of guidance from a leader
- Becomes sarcastic and put others down
-can be negative

*All wearing uniform
- Untucked shirt
- Clean shoes
- loose tie
- rolled up sleeves

Keywords for Richard

- sarcastic
- negative
- social climber

- the weakest link
- chosen as the "fake man" shows his "willy" to
- is bullied
- Richard hates him and protests when told by phil he should look after him
- cannot deal with guilt
- cathy slaps him
- Phil threatens him with the same fate as Adam

*All wearing uniform
- Tidy and presentable ("good boy")
- Blazer would be black and dirt free
- buttons all done up with his blue tie done up
- shoes usually polished & wear glasses
(to show the stereotype of a mommy's boy)
- around his group he would look more scruffy by undoing his tie or popping his collar
- to fit in his group

Brian's Keywords

- seen as weak and vunerable
- victim
-childlike state

- Sensible character (opposite to the rest)
- wants to become a dentist
- plotted his course through education to achieve this, nothing can interfere with this plan ... until Adam dies
-His only concern is to whether he will get into dental college or not
- shocked by Phil's suggestion

*all wearing uniform
- looks sort of rich
- Smart leather polished shoes
- Own khaki coat
- Done up shirt, tie and tucked in shirt
- hood up

Keywords for Danny

- Focused

- a follower of whoever the leader is
- a "yes" woman and will do anything
- controlled by fear
- afraid of John Tate & Richard
- no complicated speeches, speaks with simple & short sentences
- "we're screwed" - makes her appear younger / not assertive
- relies on being given instructions
- best friends with Cathy

*All wearing uniform
- rolled up sleeves
- tied tie
- untucked shirt
- rolled up skirt
- Puffer jacket

Keywords for Lou

- naive
- not assertive
- self confident
- perceptive

- The victim
- Falls into the grille
- younger than the rest of the group
- wants to be apart of the group , Mark & Jan take advantage
-suffers a head injury
- affected his memory

In hedge:
- Was previously wearing his uniform
- Torn shirt
- dried blood on his arms and shirt
- Slashed trousers with leaves in it
- Missing shoe

Keywords for Adam

-shy
-not too smart
-quiet
-unhappy