Brechtian Devised Piece - Refugees (5) (Child soldiers // Closing scene // Performance)

28/09/15

In this lesson, Rhiannon was absent so we didn't run any of her scene, nor could we polish any lifts. Instead, we fully developed mine and Robert's child soldier scene. We kept the beginning part of our scene similar, but we then added dialogue from the squadron leaders (Oliver and Lewis). When they entered, they shouted commands which Robert and I had to respond to instantly. The only difference we made to the beginning of this scene was that Robert and I gradually made our childish movements more mature and more like actual soldiers. Also in this lesson we developed Charlie's confession scene. He performed his monologue to the rest of our group and took part in Forum Theatre. We gave him improvements (mainly add extra pauses and try different emotions during the monologue).


02/10/15

In today's lesson, we ran our piece from start to finish in C5, where we shall be performing next lesson. Our main aim was to work out our transitions from scene to scene, as to make our piece seamless. Everything else was pretty much sorted, we just polished our lifts and any ensemble movement. Moreover, we altered and added to our final scenes. After Charlie does his monologue and gets shot, he lays down centre stage, with the rest of us sitting in our positions from our "actual introduction scene". James thanks the audience for watching the show and describes how "we'll be here next week" and the week after that and the week after that and so on. Between each "next week" he says, we each say a fact about human trafficking. James ends the piece by saying that this is "the show that never ends".


05/10/15

This was our final lesson on our Refugee devised piece. We performed it this lesson to the Year 13 students and two drama teachers, and we filmed it too. Our performance was on the whole quite successful. One moment which could have been improved was the beginning of Rhiannon's scene. Whilst Rhiannon performs her monologue, the rest of us are supposed to used Frantic Assembly techniques to create a busy London atmosphere around her. However, this was delayed as we didn't begin at the same time. As no one started the movement, we all lost a bit of confidence and were unsure when to start it (also, this scene was one of the least rehearsed and there were debates earlier in the devising process whether to include it or not, thus confusing some of us). However, our lifts were very tidy and we received very positive feedback for them. Also, we were complemented on our use of facts at the end. To improve next time, we need to work on transitions sooner in the devising process, rather than leaving them to the last minute.

Brechtian Devised Piece - Refugees (4) (Research)

In this lesson, we ran everything we already had. We then added Robert into our existing scenes properly; this meant that we had to alter each scene. Moreover, we developed the circus-themed opening scene to make it more like an actual circus performance. "The Three Amigos" (Oliver, Lewis and James) were a slapstick trio in the opening, but are actually traffickers in the rest of the piece. Mine and Robert's entrance was like a comical Mission Impossible scene, whilst Rhiannon's entrance involved a 'magic trick' of her 'disappearing'. The rest of the lesson was discussion based, developing a final outline to work out what we still had left to do. We couldn't develop mine and Robert's or Charlie's scene until we had all done research on the topics as to ensure our piece was accurate.

Child Soldiers Research 

• (Independent website - http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/ten-facts-about-child-soldiers-that-everyone-should-know-8427617.html)
  
  • Approximately 300'000 child soldiers are fighting in at least 20 different countries
  • About 40% of child soldiers are girls. They're often used as sex slaves too.
  • Child soldiers are sued as they don't eat as much food, don't get paid and don't have a highly developed sense of danger.
  • Most of the groups who use child soldiers are anti-government rebels who are difficult to negotiate with.

• (Do Something website - https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-child-soldiers)
  
  • Some children are under the age of 10 when they are forced to serve.
  • Children who are poor, uneducated or live in combat zones are more likely to be forcibly recruited.

• (The Borgen Project - http://borgenproject.org/10-facts-child-soldiers/)
  
  • Some are forced to act violently towards their families and communities to ensure they don't return home
  • Since 2001 child soldiers have been recruited in 21 armed conflicts around the world.

• (The UN - https://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/effects-of-conflict/six-grave-violations/child-soldiers/)
  
  • Many children are abducted and beaten into submission.
  • One of the common tasks assigned to children is to serve as porters, often carrying heavy loads, including ammunition or injured soldiers. Some children act as lookouts or messengers. They are also often used as suicide bombers.
  • They are commonly subject to abuse and most of them witness death, killing, and sexual violence.

• (War Child - https://www.warchild.org.uk/issues/child-soldiers)
  
  • A village may be forced to provide a certain number of children as soldiers in exchange for staying safe from attack.
    Some children are volunteered by their parents due to extreme poverty and hunger at home.

• (Unicef - http://www.unicef.org/graca/kidsoldi.htm)
  
  • Children are often deliberately brutalized in order to harden them into more ruthless soldiers.
  • Before battle young soldiers have been given amphetamines, tranquillizers and other drugs to "increase their courage" and to dull their sensitivity to pain.