How do Leigh Buchannan, Josh McIntosh, Jason Glenright and Guy Webster create a gripping thriller for the entertainment of modern audiences?
“Established in 2006, shake & stir is one of Australia’s leading contemporary theatre companies specialising in the creation of new work” (Shake&Stir.com, 2015). New works, such as a modified performance of Dracula are easily created due to a talented cast and crew. Leigh Buchannan, Josh McIntosh, Jason Glenright and Guy Webster, along with the cast, using both realism and magic realism to create a gripping stage thriller for the entertainment of modern audiences.
Taking advantage of talented actors, whilst manipulating the elements of drama (tension, mood, symbol, and movement) along with various …show more content…
To help introduce the main plot line of the thriller, the stage is covered in a thick blanket of smoke to conceal the set, whilst the audience is in complete darkness; helping to illustrate how this play affects us. There is limited lighting cast immediately onto the stage; a single blue backlight that shines through the rotating stage as Jonathan Harker moves throughout it creating harsh shadows and silhouettes whilst he journeys on a coach indicated by the sound effects. Following this, immediately after Harker reaches the centre of the stage a thin white light is used to reveal Count Dracula on a raised platform. This helps create the impression that Dracula is stronger and more intimidating than Mr Harker. As the scene progresses, the stage rotates; simultaneous with the decent of Dracula down the staircase creates the impression that he is floating, eerie sounds are played throughout the scene to help enhance the overall mood of the scene. Our initial impression of Dracula – costume, makeup, gestures – is he set up as evil and a daunting figure compared to the innocent victim - John - as the audience already know the tale.
Shake&stir’s Dracula (a dramatic performance), through the use of realism and magic realism, the elements of drama (tension, mood, symbol and movement) and production design elements (lighting, sound and set), effectively creates a gripping thriller. It reaches into the darkest recesses of our imagination using ultra-theatricality, seduction, blood, dark melodramatic atmosphere and hypnotising set design to create a head-twisting thriller. Seeing audience members squirm in fear and uncertainty, Bram Stoker would be turning in his grave with pure
“Established in 2006, shake & stir is one of Australia’s leading contemporary theatre companies specialising in the creation of new work” (Shake&Stir.com, 2015). New works, such as a modified performance of Dracula are easily created due to a talented cast and crew. Leigh Buchannan, Josh McIntosh, Jason Glenright and Guy Webster, along with the cast, using both realism and magic realism to create a gripping stage thriller for the entertainment of modern audiences.
Taking advantage of talented actors, whilst manipulating the elements of drama (tension, mood, symbol, and movement) along with various …show more content…
To help introduce the main plot line of the thriller, the stage is covered in a thick blanket of smoke to conceal the set, whilst the audience is in complete darkness; helping to illustrate how this play affects us. There is limited lighting cast immediately onto the stage; a single blue backlight that shines through the rotating stage as Jonathan Harker moves throughout it creating harsh shadows and silhouettes whilst he journeys on a coach indicated by the sound effects. Following this, immediately after Harker reaches the centre of the stage a thin white light is used to reveal Count Dracula on a raised platform. This helps create the impression that Dracula is stronger and more intimidating than Mr Harker. As the scene progresses, the stage rotates; simultaneous with the decent of Dracula down the staircase creates the impression that he is floating, eerie sounds are played throughout the scene to help enhance the overall mood of the scene. Our initial impression of Dracula – costume, makeup, gestures – is he set up as evil and a daunting figure compared to the innocent victim - John - as the audience already know the tale.
Shake&stir’s Dracula (a dramatic performance), through the use of realism and magic realism, the elements of drama (tension, mood, symbol and movement) and production design elements (lighting, sound and set), effectively creates a gripping thriller. It reaches into the darkest recesses of our imagination using ultra-theatricality, seduction, blood, dark melodramatic atmosphere and hypnotising set design to create a head-twisting thriller. Seeing audience members squirm in fear and uncertainty, Bram Stoker would be turning in his grave with pure