1 Conflict/Anger
Action
4 performers are wrapped in their own elastic on their poles.
2 Romeo’s together, 2 Juliet’s together – partnered.
Slow unravel to meet partner in the centre of their poles.
Begin to Pretzel very slowly with the inside arms.
Neutral mask. Outside arms reach back to their ‘houses’.
Slow walk, while Pretzeling to meet in the centre.
Walk 1 – normal centered walk with breath
Walk 2 – “up, down, slide” stomp with vocal terrain/vocal flocking
Walk 3 – Extended walk focused forwards with full text
Neutral mask slowly transforms into mask of anger.
Anger mask grows to extreme in the centre.
Romeo’s and Juliet’s hold each other’s arms.
Anger towards their own houses.
Yearning towards each other – drop mask of anger
The energy of their houses slowly draws them back to their poles.
Using same walk as used to reach centre
Silence.
Mask of anger transforms to neutral.
Wind themselves and elastic together.
Reach back to houses
Stillness.
Voice
Vocal flocking: the physical movements determine quality of the sound. Vocal dynamics, energies and actions are also determined by the physicality. Sound is vital, not the textual meaning.
Romeo: More light and light it grows, more dark and dark our woes!
Juliet: What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
2 Unity/Love
Both sets of R&J's, in a frozen state expressing their internal image, are facing each other in the centre.
They are connected to their houses and to their opposites by their wrists with red elastic.
One pair of R&J's move apart - J is the kite and R responds physically and vocally, using text (go through text twice). They walk back to the centre.
The other pair repeat the process, but R is the kite and J (use text once) responds. They walk back to the centre.
All walk out, diagonal R&J's act as kites.
What results is:
A tangled wed of movements that the center of the space controls:
Carefully controlled slow movements, which are balanced out with opposing tensions;
Patterns are made with the elastic:
This scene pre-empts the tragedy that is to unfold.
All walk back to the centre.
Repeat the process but with other pair as kites.
The dominating image is light, and every manifestation of it, especially when referencing love and unity.
The centre ‘conducts’ R&J (Invisible String).
The vocals are affected by the movements/gestures of spaces in between the performers.
A performance of physical and vocal flocking occurs – north, east, southwest will be explored.
Voice
During the flocking, these texts will be spoken. Breath, gasps, creaks and aspirate sounds.
Juliet: Take [Romeo] and cut him out into little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night
And pay no worship to the garrish sun.
Romeo: I must be gone and live, or stay and die (x2)
3 Betrayal/Jealousy
Action
One pair of R&J’s (diagonal) move to the centre.
They move around each other twice to create a loop with the elastic.
They meet their ‘other half’.
The other pair repeat the action.
What occurs are a few moments of ‘Swipe’ with ‘Elastic’.
They are being pulled and pushed by their energies.
Not making any eye contact – a feeling of contempt.
An emotional line from 0% – 100% expressing the emotion of jealousy.
Voice
Texts during the Swipe, together in unison:
Romeo and Juliet: Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou her maid art far more fair than she.
Be not her maid, since she is envious.
4 Death/Sadness
Action
R&J move to the centre, they are being pulled to the centre by an unseen force.
They face away from the centre, towards their own houses
In the centre: Gargoyles with emotions of sadness and death.
Heads down: each speak a word of text 1
Heads up: silence with mask of sadness
Heads down: each speak a word of text 2. Both J “Montague” Both R “Capulet”
Heads up: silence with mask of death
Repeat until line is complete. Each time getting faster and more frantic
Juliette’s move back towards their house and die a slow death as they attempt to reach their home. Pretzeling
Romeo’s reach to their Juliette’s and slowly fall to the ground.
Voice
All speak the following texts. Each person expresses one aspect of the text:
- Breath
-Vowels
- Consonants
-Physical expression of the images the text possesses
Text 1: Greif that foils the anger.
Text 2: Where be these enemies? Capulet! Montague!
