Firstly, when considering a production like "The Machine Wreckers" a company must adress some problems that they will inevitably run into during the rehearsal and build process. The elephant in the room should be attacked first: The actual steam engine. In 1815, this machine was a monster in size compared to previous industrial inventions, however a director may feel that size is absolutely not enough to materialize the nightmares that these families in Nottingham experience. Many descriptions of the engine in the text include: "gigantic", "all shining, just like gold", "Demon Steam", "...with a sound like a human sigh", "Tyrant Steam", "Enemy of mankind", "Witchcraft and Devilry", "...laughing", "Juggernaut" and "Devil's drudge." The look, shape, size, practicality, and mobility of this man-eating behemoth must be planned out precisely and extensively. Again, this machine actually kills a man and is described as "swallowing him." This begins the talk about safety of the actor (character killed), execution of special technical aspects (i.e. pyrotechnics, moving pieces, fog), and practicality. Another problem posed by this piece is the number of scenery changes that this play has. Twelve scene changes in total, however (depending on the director's vision) if the machine is not to be revealed until the end, the hiding of the machine needs to be adressed in order to give adaquet space for it to exist or move into when the time is ready. Lastly, the killing of Jimmy Corbett at the end of the show, by the out-of-control luddites, should be discussed for reasons of vulgarity, taste, and practicality. Because this killing is brutal and savage (due to the serveness of the group beating) a company should talk about the possibilities for injuries shown and how those injuries will be applied.
Secondly, if this play were to be produced at Sam Houston Sate University, the context of this production would have to be examined. The number of roles and enormity of the town is eminent in discussing the casting. Not only are over 20 named roles, but there extras in several scenes which demonstrate the extreme poverty of Nottingham in the early 19th century. This brings up the issues of double castings, number of costumes needed, and the practicality of quick changes if need be. Many of these roles and characters are children and this too brings many problems and possibilities to the table. Which available students can portray children believably? How many actual children can be cast from huntsville or surrounding areas? Leaving the casting problems, another problem this show poses is the actual content presented in the story. Knowing that Ernst Toller has a biased in telling this story, how will Huntsville receive the themes in this highly propaganda packed story? The play has a very anarchist tone which is mixed with socialist and borderline communist beliefs. Considering when it was written, I don't think anyone would blame Toller for his having issues with the post World War I German government; But some conservative locals and patrons may have a problem with the anti-capitalist ideals.
After reading about many Expressionist productions around the U.S., I have found that many of these shows share common attributes that lend themselves to an expressionist feel. The common goal being the showcase of emotion from the main character or protagonist. These productions emerse the audience into the protagonist's world of emotion, surrounding the character's with elements that focus our perspective. The Goodmen Theatre's production of The Hairy Ape was described as having a "claustrophobic set design" and this would be essential to creating the world that Yank exists and perceives. This tactic is also seen in University of Denver's production of Machinal, as the set designer creating a small enclosed world made of tall boxes stuffed with "random collection of 20th century junk including a bowling trophy, a typewriter, vacuum cleaner hoses, a frying pan, balusters, computer keyboards, etc." This is a prime example of how to show the pyschological distress of the main character battling with the noisey and intruding technological accessories. Isoation is also important to many productions and this is achieved through lighting and staging. Specials and spotlights help seperate the protagonist from the rest in order to draw the focus of the play to the most important character and his or her emotions, rather than the entire story and play.
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/70424-eugene-oneills-the-hairy-ape/
http://www.du.edu/thea/designs/Design-Machinal.html
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Production History (Expressionist Plays)
The Hairy Ape
The Hippocrites
Synapse productions
Director: Ginevra Bull
Brava Theater Center
The Father
Royal Dramatic Theatre
by Eugene O'Neill
The Wooster Group
New York City
16 May 1997
Director: Elizabeth LeCompte
Set Designer: Jim Claburgh
Lighting Design: Jennifer Tipton
Lighting Design: Jennifer Tipton
"The pitch is feverish, suggestive of animals aroused by a desire for speed and lust.
The production is heightened with images of masculinity. Although never referred to in the text, a hard-fought boxing match is pictured upstage on a small black-and-white TV screen almost throughout the show."
The production is heightened with images of masculinity. Although never referred to in the text, a hard-fought boxing match is pictured upstage on a small black-and-white TV screen almost throughout the show."
"The voices (all transmitted via microphones) are treated and vocoded at every opportunity - made to sound distant, echoing or shrill with an attention to detail unheard of this side of a radio play. These tricks serve to separate the voices most absolutely from the sumptuously lit bodies on-stage whilst a parallel series of sound-synch gags..."
The Hairy Ape
by Eugene O'Neill
The HippocritesGoodman Theatre (Chicago)
February 2009
Director: Sean Graney
Set Designer: Tom Burch
Costume Designer: Alison Siple
Lighting Designer: Jared Moore
Sound Designer: Miles Polaski
Composer: Kevin O'Donnell
"Yet in this pairing of O’Neill’s best expressionist play and Chicago’s best young expressionist director, it’s unfortunate that the latter didn’t use the lessons he’s learned in smaller spaces when staging the former in the three-story expanse of the Goodman’s Owen Theatre."
"But the melodramatic, bloody climax imposed by director Sean Graney is far less powerful than O'Neill's original ending."
The Adding Machine
by Elmer Rice
A La Jolla Playhouse
Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theater
Sept.-Oct. 2007
Director: Daniel Aukin.
Set Design: Andrew Lieberman
Costumes: Maiko Matsushima
Lighting: Japhy Weideman
Sound Design: Colbert S Davis
"It's also ironic that so much technology -- lights, hydraulics, complex sound effects -- should be applied to an indictment of technology's malignity, though to Aukin's credit, the machine-age satire, which we've seen again and again since "A nous la liberte" and "Modern Times," isn't overdone. Helmer is wise to skew play to a broader portrait of alienated modern man."
"Aukin coaxes over-enunciated and often cartoonish performances out of his actors, and the results are mixed."
MACHINAL
by Sophie Treadwell
Synapse productions Ohio Theatre
2001
Director: Ginevra Bull
Set and Lighting Design: Adrian Jones
Costume Design: Miguel Angel Huidor
Sound Design: Jane Shaw
"...the current revival is not just a fascinating theatrical artifact pulled out of the cobwebby attic of neglected plays. It remains a gripping experience that evokes strong feelings even in our vastly changed society."
"adding machines and ringing telephones may have been muted in Ginevra Bull's staging, ''Machinal'' retains a timeless fascination."
Machinal
by Sophie Treadwell
Brava Theater CenterSan Francisco
2009
Director: Evren Odcikin
"Staged in the round, with seven actors playing all the roles - sometimes from the aisles or front-row seats - it puts Treadwell's characters, staccato dialogue and episodic structure under a microscope."
The Father
By August Strindberg
Royal Dramatic Theatre Stockholm
November 1997
Director: Staffan Valdemar Holm
"To enhance the feel of a female-dominated space, Holm added a spiritualist seance at the beginning of act 2. The room, inhabited exclusively by the women characters, is now bathed in red light, and the trophies are conspicuously absent from the rear wall."
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/theatre_journal/v050/50.2pr_strindberg.html
Statement: "The World of The Play"
In the early 19th century, the world was changing faster than the people could keep up. Colonization had stretched the British Empire to its limits and frustration was building over new advancements in technology. A move from an agrarian society to an industrial one was taxing on towns. The shifts in life were sometimes hard to adjust.
The United States had broken away from British rule 25 years earlier and wars between the two nations were occurring. It was apparent that the United States had set a standard and trend for other colonies to follow suit. Freedom became the most important attainable right as we can see from the independence of Latin countries from European rule. This independence was not only felt by far away nations, but also people locally. Capitalism amidst the industrial revolution had separated the rich from the poor even further than ever before. As tensions were building, passion began to spurt. Passion for people’s freedom and fair treatment. Passion for the right to exist and work while making enough to support a family. Out of this passion, different philosophies emerged in the form of Marxism, Socialism and Communism. The notion that everyone should be working to better themselves as well as the country grew strong in towns like Nottingham and all over the world. It was apparent that the current systems of economy were not pleasing the people who fight for their country and spill blood for the Empire.
Not only were cities dependant on the factory jobs that the rich provided, but they were now dependant on the rich to take care of them and house them. The few were responsible for the greater many and this produced problems when neglect came about. Working and living conditions were the worst as of yet and death rates climbed in areas of extreme poverty. Technology could not help these people, for the new advancements (which were created to help) were far too expensive for the poor to afford. While factory owners made more money, the poor faced health problems brought about by working in the factories which were smoky, dirty, and other unimaginable horrors. Mistreatment in nearly all of the factories around the world were felt by the women and children forced to work. Again, the common felt hopeless when picking up the paper, only to find that their politicians in London which represented them were being assassinated. Hopelessness was flourishing as times were changing.
Not all was bad, as treaties were being signed in Russia and accords being agreed to by warring nations. There was hope for some in the business of reform and revolution. Light was shed upon some truth whenever people could sit and debate their grievances, coming to an agreement and putting an end to suffering. Although there were breakthroughs, many still suffered. Talk could be cheap when action seemed necessary; the Peterloo Massacre being a prime example.
In conclusion, while some were granted freedom (such as slaves) others who were seemingly free were unable to prosper and live even mildly comfortable. The Industrial Revolution in the early 19th century took the world by storm and affected the lives of many in different areas. Some of these effects were overlooked and completely unfathomable to us in this day.
The United States had broken away from British rule 25 years earlier and wars between the two nations were occurring. It was apparent that the United States had set a standard and trend for other colonies to follow suit. Freedom became the most important attainable right as we can see from the independence of Latin countries from European rule. This independence was not only felt by far away nations, but also people locally. Capitalism amidst the industrial revolution had separated the rich from the poor even further than ever before. As tensions were building, passion began to spurt. Passion for people’s freedom and fair treatment. Passion for the right to exist and work while making enough to support a family. Out of this passion, different philosophies emerged in the form of Marxism, Socialism and Communism. The notion that everyone should be working to better themselves as well as the country grew strong in towns like Nottingham and all over the world. It was apparent that the current systems of economy were not pleasing the people who fight for their country and spill blood for the Empire.
Not only were cities dependant on the factory jobs that the rich provided, but they were now dependant on the rich to take care of them and house them. The few were responsible for the greater many and this produced problems when neglect came about. Working and living conditions were the worst as of yet and death rates climbed in areas of extreme poverty. Technology could not help these people, for the new advancements (which were created to help) were far too expensive for the poor to afford. While factory owners made more money, the poor faced health problems brought about by working in the factories which were smoky, dirty, and other unimaginable horrors. Mistreatment in nearly all of the factories around the world were felt by the women and children forced to work. Again, the common felt hopeless when picking up the paper, only to find that their politicians in London which represented them were being assassinated. Hopelessness was flourishing as times were changing.
Not all was bad, as treaties were being signed in Russia and accords being agreed to by warring nations. There was hope for some in the business of reform and revolution. Light was shed upon some truth whenever people could sit and debate their grievances, coming to an agreement and putting an end to suffering. Although there were breakthroughs, many still suffered. Talk could be cheap when action seemed necessary; the Peterloo Massacre being a prime example.
In conclusion, while some were granted freedom (such as slaves) others who were seemingly free were unable to prosper and live even mildly comfortable. The Industrial Revolution in the early 19th century took the world by storm and affected the lives of many in different areas. Some of these effects were overlooked and completely unfathomable to us in this day.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Micro View
1. Lord Byron, speech in the House of Lords (27th February, 1812):
"During the short time I recently passed in Nottingham, not twelve hours elapsed without some fresh act of violence; and on that day I left the the county I was informed that forty Frames had been broken the preceding evening, as usual, without resistance and without detection. Such was the state of that county, and such I have reason to believe it to be at this moment. But whilst these outrages must be admitted to exist to an alarming extent, it cannot be denied that they have arisen from circumstances of the most unparalleled distress: the perseverance of these miserable men in their proceedings, tends to prove that nothing but absolute want could have driven a large, and once honest and industrious, body of the people, into the commission of excesses so hazardous to themselves, their families, and the community. They were not ashamed to beg, but there was none to relieve them: their own means of subsistence were cut off, all other employment preoccupied; and their excesses, however to be deplored and condemned, can hardly be subject to surprise. As the sword is the worst argument than can be used, so should it be the last. In this instance it has been the first; but providentially as yet only in the scabbard. The present measure will, indeed, pluck it from the sheath; yet had proper meetings been held in the earlier stages of these riots, had the grievances of these men and their masters (for they also had their grievances) been fairly weighed and justly examined, I do think that means might have been devised to restore these workmen to their avocations, and tranquillity to the country."
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PRbyron.htm
This speech was the inspiration for the opening scene in the Prologue of The Machine Wreckers by Ernst Toller. Lord Byron was a frontline debator on the subject of Industrialism and the issue of dealing with luddites. He witnessed extreme poverty amongst the people of Nottingham and could attest to their struggles and needs. His purpose in this speech was to persuade politicians from applying the death penalty to luddites (those who brought violent attacks against machines in factories that had taken their jobs). Lord Byron was a man of the people as well as a poet and song writer of the time.
2. War of 1812
Britain fought a war with the United States (1812-1815); causes included British blockading of American ships. The U.S. army burned Toronto in 1812, and in retaliation, British troops burned Washington DC in 1814. Many historic sayings and songs emerged from this war: Frances Scott Key wrote the poem that was to become The Star Spangled Banner while watching the battle of Fort McHenry (1814) from a British vessel. The USS Constitution proved itself in battle and was nicknamed Old Ironsides. "Don't give up the ship," became a battle cry. In the 1814 Battle of New Orleans, actually fought after the war's end (word had not yet reached either army of the truce), Americans under Andrew Jackson caused heavy losses for the British army, including many veterans of the Peninsular War (1808-1814). The Duke of Wellington felt those losses as he gathered troops for the battle of Waterloo in June, 1815.
This war is especially important during this era because it is one fought between the current and future super powers of the world. The War of 1812 clearly showed a shift in power and put the U.S. on the world stage. At a time when Britain had its hand in most parts of the world, the U.S. was able to stop England from intruding. These are the losses felt by the people.
3. Assasinations
Prime Minister Spencer Perceval
On 11 May 1812, while on his way to take part in a debate on the Orders in Council passed by Portland's ministry, Perceval was shot in the lobby of the House of Commons by John Bellingham. Bellingham, who had been trying unsuccessfully to obtain government compensation for debts incurred while he was in Russia, gave himself up immediately. He was tried at the Old Bailey and condemned to death: he was executed on 18 May 1812. Perceval was buried in the family vault in St. Luke's, Charlton, on 16 May 1812.
http://www.historyhome.co.uk/pms/spencer.htm
Like the assassinations of JFK and Abraham Lincoln, public figures who are killed remove some hope within the population. Perhaps someone is killed who is on the front lines of your cause, this can be a set back in your cause. These killings cheat the people from having another supporting voice in the political relm.
4. Inventions
A "pusher" machine patented by Nottingham inventors S. Clark and J. Mart will be modified in 1825 to produce a twisted patterned lace that can be produced far more cheaply than handmade lace.
http://www.answers.com/topic/1812
A metal can (or canister) for preserving food was invented in 1810 by a Peter Durand, of London, England. Metal cans (also called tins) could preserve food for a long period of time. To open a can, a person had to use a hammer and chisel; the can opener wasn't invented for another 50 years.http://www.enchantedlearning.com/inventors/1800a.shtml
Inventions in the local area are achievements to reveared, however many can lead to the elimination of jobs in towns. The fight between technology and hand working is a major theme in this play and these inventions should be recognized in the process.
5. Child Labour
Many parents were unwilling to allow their children to work in [the] new textile factories. To overcome this labour shortage factory owners had to find other ways of obtaining workers. One solution to the problem was to buy children from orphanages and workhouses. The children became known as pauper apprentices. This involved the children signing contracts that virtually made them the property of the factory owner.
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/IRworkhouse.children.htm
Reports were written detailing some of the abuses, particularly in the coal mines and textile factories and these helped to popularise the children's plight. The public outcry, especially among the upper and middle classes, helped stir change in the young workers' welfare.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Revolution#Factories_and_urbanisation
Child labor is a reoccuring issue in the play. I though it necessary to delve into the world of child labor in order to understand the pain it brought. Over worked children in crumby, dirty jobs sky-rocket the death rate of children. These are the attrocities seen and felt by the people of England.
6. Urban Life
Perterloo Massacre
On August 16th [1819] a mass meeting was arranged by the Manchester radicals to hear Henry Hunt, a speaker who advocated annual parliaments, universal suffrage, and the ballot. A crowd gathered in St. Peter's Fields, and trouble arose between it and the Lancashire militia who were present on the plea of preserving order. The troops charged and killed several persons, to the intense indignation of radical sympathizers in every part of the island.
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1819peterloo.html
With the adoption of the factory system, we find a shift in population. Settlements grew around the factories. In some cases, housing was provided to workers by their employers, thus giving the factory owners greater control over the lives of his workers. In some cases factories started in existing towns, which was desirable because a labor pool was readily available. The prime consideration for locating a factory was the availability of power...The towns that grew in the North were crowded, dirty and unregulated.
http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1981/2/81.02.06.x.html
7. Art and Literature
"The novel was possibly the most popular genre of the 19th century. Early 19th-century novels include those of English writer Jane Austen (including Sense and Sensibility, 1811 and Pride and Prejudice, 1813)."
http://encyclopedia.farlex.com/19th-century+English+literature
"[William] Blake is frequently referred to as a mystic, but this is not really accurate. He deliberately wrote in the style of the Hebrew prophets and apocalyptic writers. He envisioned his works as expressions of prophecy, following in the footsteps (or, more precisely strapping on the sandals) of Elijah and Milton. In fact, he clearly believed himself to be the living embodiment of the spirit of Milton."
http://www.gailgastfield.com/Blake.html
Knowing where the population grabbed inspiration from is very essential to the lives and lively-hood of the peoples in England. These are the some of the writings and paintings or images that added (in any small or great way) to the minds of revolution or lack thereof. William Blake saw himself as a prophet of sorts and this, in a way, parrallels the character of the prophetic Old Reaper who has a some-what apocolypitic view just like Blake.
8. Cooking and Food
"In 19th century American and British cookbooks, the names toffee and taffy appear to be used interchangeably to denote similar recipes. This confection also sometimes masked as "molasses candy" or "pulled molasses candy."
http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodcandy.html#cornsyrup
"A revolution in stoves, cookware and kitchen gadgets, combined with the discovery of canning and food sterilization techniques, open up endless possibilities for the motivated domestic servant who held the position of cook."
http://ezinearticles.com/?19th-Century-Food-And-Drink&id=793289
When dealing with poverty and hunger of the poor, one should be aware of the food innovations and cooking customs of the period. Candy became much more popular among the middle, working class as it was probably made in mass in shops or factories by the middle of the 19th century. More accessible was new foods, however the common home in smaller towns would not have the means to appreciate the advancements in cooking in their households.
Macro View
1. Treaties
The Treaty of Bucharest
Signed May 28 [the treaty] ends a 6-year war between Russia and the Ottoman Turks, who cede Bessarabia to Russia. Russian forces have occupied Moldavia and Wallachia, and Russia now annexes the most fertile part of Moldavia—a territory between the Prut and Dneister rivers whose population is 90 percent Romanian. The Prut becomes the new Russian-Turkish border, and Russia receives guarantees that her ships can use the Danube for trading purposes.
http://www.answers.com/topic/1812
Before the facts of War, I would like to offer the attempts at peace during this time. When treaties are signed, the world can let out a sigh of relief. Attempts to make peace give people a reminder that sometimes humanity is capable of improving itself. This is what Jimmy Corbett tries to do in the play. He attempts to make a treaty between Ure and the luddites.
2. Wars
One of the most decisive battles of the Napoleonic Wars, Waterloo was fought in a small area (some 10km by 4km) on the main road leading south from Brussels.
It was the first clash of the Titans - Napoleon Bonaparte versus the Duke of Wellington - and it was a win all/lose all scenario.
http://www.napoleonguide.com/battle_waterloo.htm
The War of 1812 was fought between the United States and Great Britain from June 1812 to the spring of 1815, although the peace treaty ending the war was signed in Europe in December 1814. The main land fighting of the war occurred along the Canadian border, in the Chesapeake Bay region, and along the Gulf of Mexico; extensive action also took place at sea.
http://www.gatewayno.com/history/War1812.html
The Battle of New Orleans
The battle was joined during the early-morning hours of January 8, 1815. Poor leadership, confusion on the battlefield, the swampy terrain and American tenacity combined to create a debacle for the British Army. Within an hour after it started, the fight was ended with the surrender of the British on the battlefield. The British suffered an estimated 300 killed and 1,200 wounded while the Americans counted 13 killed and 52 wounded or missing.
In an ironic twist of history, peace between America and Britain had been achieved two weeks earlier with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent. However, news of the event had not reached the shores of America. Despite its lack of impact on the outcome of the war, the battle was an important milestone in America's development. The victory gave the American people pride in their new nation and confidence in its future.
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/battleofneworleans.htm
3. World Health
great strides in modern transportation accelerated the spread of cholera from India in 1816 to the ports of the Philippines, China, Japan, Persian Gulf then north toward the Ottoman and Russian empires killing thousands by 1826.
http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/projects/bluetelephone/html/health.html
R. T. H. Laennec invents the stethoscope in France 1816. This new technology would help in the fight against the single worst disease of the urban landscape, tuberculosis.
http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/projects/bluetelephone/html/health.html
Never before or since has so much of Earth been discovered in such a brief period of its history. In all, man's compulsion to discover, describe, and catalog his world—as well as conquer it—resulted in a flood of exploration in the 1800s.
http://www.bookrags.com/research/overview-exploration-and-discovery--scit-051/
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-slavetradeabolitionof.html
Following this theme of liberation, who other than slaves are more fitted to understand what it feels like to be held down and forced to suffer? Africans in Latin, American, and British countries share a big hand in bringing the issues of unfair treatment of man to the powers that be.
10. Factories
"Between 1820 and 1850, the non-mechanized factories supplanted the traditional artisan shops as the predominant form of manufacturing institution. Even though the theory on why and how the non-mechanized factories gradually replaced the small artisan shops is still ambiguous, what is apparent is that the larger-scale factories enjoyed technological gains and advance in efficiency over the small artisan shops."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factory#History_of_the_factory
It is important to understand what factories added and took away from communties in order to fathom the drastic changes happening in this era. Where people earned a living and the conditions under which they did is essential for the audience and anyone participating in the production of this play.
The Treaty of Bucharest
Signed May 28 [the treaty] ends a 6-year war between Russia and the Ottoman Turks, who cede Bessarabia to Russia. Russian forces have occupied Moldavia and Wallachia, and Russia now annexes the most fertile part of Moldavia—a territory between the Prut and Dneister rivers whose population is 90 percent Romanian. The Prut becomes the new Russian-Turkish border, and Russia receives guarantees that her ships can use the Danube for trading purposes.
http://www.answers.com/topic/1812
Before the facts of War, I would like to offer the attempts at peace during this time. When treaties are signed, the world can let out a sigh of relief. Attempts to make peace give people a reminder that sometimes humanity is capable of improving itself. This is what Jimmy Corbett tries to do in the play. He attempts to make a treaty between Ure and the luddites.
2. Wars
One of the most decisive battles of the Napoleonic Wars, Waterloo was fought in a small area (some 10km by 4km) on the main road leading south from Brussels.
It was the first clash of the Titans - Napoleon Bonaparte versus the Duke of Wellington - and it was a win all/lose all scenario.
http://www.napoleonguide.com/battle_waterloo.htm
The War of 1812 was fought between the United States and Great Britain from June 1812 to the spring of 1815, although the peace treaty ending the war was signed in Europe in December 1814. The main land fighting of the war occurred along the Canadian border, in the Chesapeake Bay region, and along the Gulf of Mexico; extensive action also took place at sea.
http://www.gatewayno.com/history/War1812.html
The Battle of New Orleans
The battle was joined during the early-morning hours of January 8, 1815. Poor leadership, confusion on the battlefield, the swampy terrain and American tenacity combined to create a debacle for the British Army. Within an hour after it started, the fight was ended with the surrender of the British on the battlefield. The British suffered an estimated 300 killed and 1,200 wounded while the Americans counted 13 killed and 52 wounded or missing.
In an ironic twist of history, peace between America and Britain had been achieved two weeks earlier with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent. However, news of the event had not reached the shores of America. Despite its lack of impact on the outcome of the war, the battle was an important milestone in America's development. The victory gave the American people pride in their new nation and confidence in its future.
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/battleofneworleans.htm
Wars shape the lives of people in more ways than one. The loss of lives, land, and freedom can be felt during wars. This allows us to know who was afraid of who at this time. More than fear; who should 'you' look out for? Wars can sometimes unite or break a people under its government.
3. World Health
great strides in modern transportation accelerated the spread of cholera from India in 1816 to the ports of the Philippines, China, Japan, Persian Gulf then north toward the Ottoman and Russian empires killing thousands by 1826.
http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/projects/bluetelephone/html/health.html
R. T. H. Laennec invents the stethoscope in France 1816. This new technology would help in the fight against the single worst disease of the urban landscape, tuberculosis.
http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/projects/bluetelephone/html/health.html
Since a big concern in the play is children's health and whether they can survive, it would be necessary to find out what was plaguing the world at the time, as well as advancements to battle sickness. This information lends itself to practical use by actors. What to be afraid of, what to check for, what to succumb to.
4. Exploration/ Colonization
Never before or since has so much of Earth been discovered in such a brief period of its history. In all, man's compulsion to discover, describe, and catalog his world—as well as conquer it—resulted in a flood of exploration in the 1800s.
http://www.bookrags.com/research/overview-exploration-and-discovery--scit-051/
During the 19th century a succession of Governors General continued the British conquests in India. Some Indian kingdoms were forcibly taken with military might and ruled directly as part of the Indian government. Others were coerced into paying what was in effect "protection" money to be left alone as "independent princely states". http://www.gpmsdbaweb.com/memoir2/Colonialism/Colonialism2.htm
The play takes place during the beginning of ambitious European colonization around the world. To ignore Britain's presence in 3/4 of the known world is to forget how concerned England was with issues not of the mainland. Perhaps money spent on colonization could have been put forth to factory towns and much pain would have been avoided. It is important to know where England's energy and money went.
5. Technology
The United States made some contributions to the early revolution, notably the cotton gin (1793) of Eli Whitney.
Many technologicl advances around the world helped shape this era and drove prosperity. It is important to know which major inventions were developed and how they either made more profit businesses or denied more profit from the worker.
6. Philosophy
Marx's ideas about the making of capitalist society had their origins in his observation of British industrialization, particularly in Manchester during the 1830s. Marxists went on to argue that the triumph of capitalist organization of production and trade was exemplified most completely in the history of Britain between the accession of George III and the accession of William IV. This process was accomplished by the emergence of the middle class and the creation of an industrial working class from the landless labourers and smaller peasant farmers.
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-industrialrevolution.html
The French philosopher Auguste Comte (1798-1857) developed a secular religion known as positivism, which emphasized reason and logic. He later systematized it as the Religion of Humanity, complete with priests and a calendar of saints.
http://www.victorianweb.org/philosophy/comte.html
It is important to understand the ways in which people were thinking at this time. What philosophy was popular, and how the people thought new ways of thinking could save them. Marxism clearly came out of a need for solution to a failing economy and the emergence of a new class. This directly affects the people in the play, for the luddites would prefer a marxist type of system.
7. Capitalism (and effects of)
"for the socialists of the 19th century, capitalism was seen as the source of exploitation and economic insecurity for "the working class," who were dependent for their livelihood upon the apparent whims of the "capitalist class."
http://www.fff.org/freedom/0193b.asp
Being that our hero figure and his followers are clashing with the capitalist economy in England, one must look into the good and bad effects of this type of economy in order to agree or disagree with the views of luddites. While all would seem when explaining the freedom of a capitalist economy, there are many variables and effects which all lie in the hands of those who own a business and stand to make a profit off of others.
8. Declarations of Independence
Argentina
"San MartÃn marches west into Chile in January 1817, a few month's after the formal declaration of full Argentinian independence...The ambitions of many in Buenos Aires are that their city should remain the capital of the entire viceroyalty. But in 1817 this already looks a forlorn hope. Paraguay has resolutely gone its own way in 1811 and by 1814 is a region almost impenetrable to outsiders. Uruguay becomes a battle ground between Argentina and Brazil, until in 1828 both accept it as an independent buffer state between them."
http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ac09
"The population of Colombia was estimated at aproximately 800,000 in 1770. It is believed to have crossed the 1-million mark early in the nineteenth century.
In 1811 the populationin parts of Colombia rose up against Spanish colonial rule. A period of armed struggle followed. "Greater Colombia" whose independence was declared in 1819, extended over the former Viceroyalty."
http://www.ddg.com/LIS/aurelia/colhis.htm
This play (story) is about liberation and the freedom of man to work without feeling held down by those at the top. Clearly, at this time in history, many lands around the world were following suit in their own ways and uprising against oppressing powers. Independence seems to be a reocurring theme in the early 19th century and clearly the essence of it is felt across the world, or atleast across the Atlantic.
9. Abolition of Slavery
"The American Colonization Society, founded in 1816, led antislavery protests during the early 1800's. It tried to send freed slaves to Liberia in Africa. The abolitionist Elihu Embree published the first periodicals devoted wholly to the abolition of slavery. He established a weekly newspaper in Jonesborough, Tenn., in 1819 and a monthly publication, The Emancipator, which appeared in 1820."
http://www.worldbook.com/wb/Students?content_spotlight/aajourney/slavery
"In Britain a group of humanitarian Christians, including Thomas Clarkson and William Wilberforce (members of the so-called Clapham Sect), argued that if the Atlantic slave-trade were abolished, with its appalling cruelties, plantation owners would treat their slaves more humanely, as being more valuable. They succeeded in getting Parliament to pass a Bill abolishing the British trade in 1807 and at the Treaties of Ghent (1814) and Vienna (1815) Britain agreed to use the Royal Navy to try to suppress the trade, most European countries now supporting the abolition of slavery."http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-slavetradeabolitionof.html
Following this theme of liberation, who other than slaves are more fitted to understand what it feels like to be held down and forced to suffer? Africans in Latin, American, and British countries share a big hand in bringing the issues of unfair treatment of man to the powers that be.
10. Factories
"Between 1820 and 1850, the non-mechanized factories supplanted the traditional artisan shops as the predominant form of manufacturing institution. Even though the theory on why and how the non-mechanized factories gradually replaced the small artisan shops is still ambiguous, what is apparent is that the larger-scale factories enjoyed technological gains and advance in efficiency over the small artisan shops."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factory#History_of_the_factory
It is important to understand what factories added and took away from communties in order to fathom the drastic changes happening in this era. Where people earned a living and the conditions under which they did is essential for the audience and anyone participating in the production of this play.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Statement: "Characters and Casting"
When a production company is looking into the casting of Ernst Toller's The Machine Wreckers, I feel that there will be few obstacles that will produce problems. Considering the play is an expressionist piece, there is no need to feel obligated to stick to strict traditional casting methods. Race, ethnicity, physical capability, and in some cases gender can be interchanged for this piece is centered on emotional expression and not concrete historical accuracy.
To begin with, directors and/or casting directors have a lot of room to work with in terms of race or ethnicity when casting a production of this show. This play, in plain terms, is a clear cut story about the Haves vs. the Have-Not’s. This universal notion, seen across the world in many countries and cultures does not require delving into racial issues. Nothing in the script leads a reader to deal with issues of race or ethnicity in any way. However, if someone were to make a directorial choice to examine the relationship between privileged and oppressed races, he or she could cast a production of this play with that in mind and explore the message it sends. For instance, an all minority casting of luddites and all majority casting of upper class characters could lend some different view to the story. This would not be completely outrageous since the character of Jimmy Corbett attempts to bring a treaty between the Haves and Have-Not’s, sending a positive message about tensions between races and ethnicities. Traditional or non-traditional, either way is completely acceptable as well as a happy medium between the two.
When talking about age constrictions in casting, the problem shifts a bit because there is a brutal historical reality being shown in this play. Child labor and its barbaric practices in the early 19th century is an important aspect of the story. We, the audience, are suppose to think it an atrocity that children are being overworked and mistreated and it would be contradictory to cast grown mean and women to play roles titled "boy" and "girl." Unless the company is able to find very youthful looking adults to play these roles, I do not feel that the audience will build a sympathy for their struggles and more importantly, separate them from the struggles of the adults in the play to provide for them. These young characters are hungry, helpless, and unable to work the hours that adults are capable of working. If the physical presence of the children does not convey the playwright's disgust for child labor, then the message is lost and the audience will have an inconsistent image of who is who and what is at stake. Lines given to child roles are simple, playful lines and lead me to believe that it was written that way for a practical reason in casting.
Lastly, I would like to address the casting of those who have physical disabilities. I feel that this show brings a lot of opportunity to those who are blind, deaf or bound to wheel chairs because many of the textile workers on strike may have dealt with these exact obstacles. Poverty in any area of the world inherently contains lower health care than those who are able to pay for proper medical attention. The script, in fact, calls for a blind man and deaf man to appear in the first act. The image of these two walking in the street, depending on each other's reliable senses, is a frightening truth of extreme poverty in Nottingham, England.
To begin with, directors and/or casting directors have a lot of room to work with in terms of race or ethnicity when casting a production of this show. This play, in plain terms, is a clear cut story about the Haves vs. the Have-Not’s. This universal notion, seen across the world in many countries and cultures does not require delving into racial issues. Nothing in the script leads a reader to deal with issues of race or ethnicity in any way. However, if someone were to make a directorial choice to examine the relationship between privileged and oppressed races, he or she could cast a production of this play with that in mind and explore the message it sends. For instance, an all minority casting of luddites and all majority casting of upper class characters could lend some different view to the story. This would not be completely outrageous since the character of Jimmy Corbett attempts to bring a treaty between the Haves and Have-Not’s, sending a positive message about tensions between races and ethnicities. Traditional or non-traditional, either way is completely acceptable as well as a happy medium between the two.
When talking about age constrictions in casting, the problem shifts a bit because there is a brutal historical reality being shown in this play. Child labor and its barbaric practices in the early 19th century is an important aspect of the story. We, the audience, are suppose to think it an atrocity that children are being overworked and mistreated and it would be contradictory to cast grown mean and women to play roles titled "boy" and "girl." Unless the company is able to find very youthful looking adults to play these roles, I do not feel that the audience will build a sympathy for their struggles and more importantly, separate them from the struggles of the adults in the play to provide for them. These young characters are hungry, helpless, and unable to work the hours that adults are capable of working. If the physical presence of the children does not convey the playwright's disgust for child labor, then the message is lost and the audience will have an inconsistent image of who is who and what is at stake. Lines given to child roles are simple, playful lines and lead me to believe that it was written that way for a practical reason in casting.
Lastly, I would like to address the casting of those who have physical disabilities. I feel that this show brings a lot of opportunity to those who are blind, deaf or bound to wheel chairs because many of the textile workers on strike may have dealt with these exact obstacles. Poverty in any area of the world inherently contains lower health care than those who are able to pay for proper medical attention. The script, in fact, calls for a blind man and deaf man to appear in the first act. The image of these two walking in the street, depending on each other's reliable senses, is a frightening truth of extreme poverty in Nottingham, England.
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