SADIE O'NEILL PORTFOLIO
The Cycle
The devised drama piece, inspired by the song "Nothing Ever Happens" by Del Amitri and influenced by Bertolt Brecht's theatrical style, explores the theme of monotony and inaction in various aspects of life. The play unfolds through a series of scenes, each addressing different facets of society, including politics, social media, cults, and environmental issues. The central message is that despite the apparent challenges and crises, there is a recurring theme of nothing changing, a cycle of stagnation and complacency.
In the political scene, an interview with a politician reveals the lack of genuine change and accountability in the political system. The movement scene highlights the monotony of everyday life in the digital age, where individuals are absorbed in social media, unaware of their surroundings, and missing the richness of their experiences.
The cult scene satirises the notion of doomsday cults, emphasising the scepticism surrounding predictions of significant events and the tendency for nothing to happen. This scene explores how individuals may seek alternative narratives or communities in the face of perceived inaction in the broader society.
The David Attenborough section uses Brechtian elements to distance the audience and prompt critical reflection on human behaviours. Sir David Attenborough's commentary underscores the self-destructive nature of humanity and its failure to address environmental issues.
The final scene features political figures boasting about achievements, but their speeches are revealed as empty rhetoric, mirroring the sentiment of "nothing ever happens" from the stimulus. Placards displaying tweets and verbatim quotes serve as a Brechtian device to disrupt the narrative flow and prompt critical engagement.
The play links to the stimulus by capturing the essence of the song's lyrics, which portray a world marked by routine and a lack of significant change. Brechtian elements, such as breaking the fourth wall, placards, and a detached narrator, align with Brecht's epic theatre style, emphasising the objective depiction of social issues and encouraging the audience to question the existing conditions.
Drawing
In the initial stages of my set design process, I researched different new room layouts to gain insights into the variety of designs and why the choices were affective. I drew up some quick simple sketches to see how i wanted to go about using the space.
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Model
Having narrowed down my preferred design concepts, I develop my 1:25 scale model, showing a preview of the final design choice. This model was initially made for a news room but was able to cater for the changes in setting during the different scenes. It changed slightly from the drawing as new ideas were formed each rehearsal.
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Final Set
The final set design I settled captured a news room which showed status and the connection with the title "The Cycle". The stage featured elevated platforms with taped flooring covering the space, providing a visually appealing set for the audience. To emphasise the connection of the tape to the piece I had the colours match the actors clothing.
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The Development
In our devised piece titled "The Cycle," our exploration delved into the pervasive theme of monotony and inaction across various aspects of life.
For the set design aspect of the performance, I began with the concept of a newsroom as a starting point. My focus was on the desks, contemplating their appearance and movement depending on the scenes they would be used in. In the early stages, I considered creating flat, double-sided desks, with one side featuring a painted car—a symbol explored during the development of the street protest scene.
To facilitate movement and transformations, I explored the use of hinges on the desks, allowing them to be flipped and opened up to reveal the car. Additionally, I wanted to emphasise the status of Patrick’s character by positioning him higher than the others. However, practical challenges emerged during the initial design phase, as the stacked decks caused Patrick to almost reach the ceiling. A modification was necessary, involving the lowering of the decks, which still achieved the desired effect.
During the development process, another group's experimentation with tape on the floor caught our attention. As the actors practiced in the rehearsal room, they found themselves drawn to the design, ultimately incorporating it into our own performance without initially realising its impact. Inspired by the train lines projected on the floor in "A Curious Incident of a Dog in the Night-Time," I decided to create my own lines.
The colours yellow and white, commonly used in road markings, were initially considered for the lines. However, a significant breakthrough occurred when I examined the costumes. Realising that I could match the colour of the lines to the costumes, I conveyed the idea that the characters were stuck in a routine, unable to change or deviate from their predetermined paths.
The utilisation of black tape squares allowed me to map out each actor's path during the movement scenes, creating a visually striking representation of their adherence to a fixed course. This design choice complemented the central theme of the performance, reinforcing the idea of being trapped in a cycle.
My set design aligns with Brecht's ideas, particularly in its ability to distance the audience and prompt critical reflection. The use of placards displaying tweets and verbatim quotes disrupts the narrative flow, employing Brechtian alienation techniques. The overall design, with its adaptability and practical adjustments, aligns with Brecht's epic theatre style, facilitating an objective depiction of social issues and encouraging the audience to question the existing conditions.
