Lesson video

Hello and welcome.

My name is Mrs. Butterworth, and I will be guiding you through your learning today.

Now, this lesson is all about watching "Small Island" Act 1 Scene 3, so you will need to make sure that you have access to the National Theatre production and the recording of that in order to complete this lesson.

This lesson is a little bit special because we will also be hearing from the director, Rufus Norris, and the writer of the adaptation, Helen Edmundson, and they will be talking about this scene, which will give us an extra insight into what this scene is all about.

I can't wait to get started, so let's go.

In this lesson, you will consider how structure, pace, and transitions engage and energize the audience.

So, let's look at those all important keywords before we delve into the lesson.

Now, you may see these in the slides, but also listen out in the videos, because both Edmundson and Norris may also use these words.

The words are protagonist, energize, and pace.

So, protagonist refers to the main character or lead figure in a play, story, or drama.

Energize, so if someone is energizing something, they give it energy or vitality.

So, in theater, so you'll hear Rufus Norris talking about energizing a scene, in theater, this could mean to inject pace, emotion, or intensity into scenes, and it just keeps the audience engaged and the story moving.

So, listen out for Rufus Norris using that word energize.

And then pace kinda links to that word.

Pace is all about the speed at which a story or scene progresses.

So, in theater, pace controls the rhythm of a play, so it balances fast action and slower movements to really maintain interest and emotional impact, because we wouldn't just want a play to be one-dimensional and feel the same the whole way through.

We want that pace to have those different moments throughout.

So, the outline of our lesson looks like this.

We're going to begin by watching some videos and listening to both Rufus Norris and Helen Edmundson on engaging audiences.

And then we're going to move on to watch Act 1 Scene 3, so let's begin.

So, in this first video, we're going to watch Helen Edmundson talk about writing the first three scenes.

Once you have watched the video, you'll be expected to answer this question.

What challenges does Edmundson mention when writing the first three scenes? You'll be given time to complete the question after watching the video, but maybe just have it in the back of your mind as you listen to Helen Edmundson talk.

So, you may also want to use a pen and paper or a laptop to make some notes while you watch this, but most importantly, we'd need to be listening to what Helen Edmundson is talking about.

Okay, so I think we're ready to watch this video, so I'm going to press play now.

<v ->The thing for an audience is that they need</v> to feel that they're in safe hands.

You know, there's amount of challenge or not understanding or not quite sure about where we are in us that an audience can cope with before they start switching off.

And I think if you.

You know, we go straight in with Hortense.

And because she's a sort of quite a charming narrator and an interesting narrator, we go with her story, but then we expect the audience to switch to a completely different world, a different country, a different time.

And I think it's always important that you take the audience with you.

You have to give them some.

Yeah, you have to land them and let them start to breathe into, relax into the story that they're being told.

And when you've got three different protagonists with kind of equal weight, really, I think.

Yes, I mean in in rehearsal room, we sort of used to call it the circle line.

So, we used to sort of say, you know, the character starts out telling their story and then they let the audience know where they are, and they're at a very crucial stopping point in their story when they're on the brink of something, they circle back, fill the audience in, and sort of fill themselves in at the same time with what's happened to them to date to bring them to this moment, this particular station.

And then obviously, the train takes off in a different direction and they go with it, and hopefully the audience go with it as well.

Yeah, you know, the first time, it was really nice to see the way that the audience responded to that, you know.

The first time when we switched to Queenie suddenly, there's a sort of a little bit of unease, and they're sort of thinking, "I don't understand this.

Where are we now? What's going on? Why are we not with Hortense?" You know, it's a big switch.

But then by the time you get to Gilbert, they've got it and they're completely relaxed.

They understand, you know, what the device is.

So, I think it did actually work.

<v Director>(indistinct) You did great.

</v> That was so interesting.

<v ->Okay.

</v> <v ->Okay, thanks.

</v> <v ->Thank you, everyone, for such fantastic listening.

</v> Hopefully, you've got lots of ideas there from listening to Helen Edmundson talk.

I'm now going to give you some time to answer that question, what challenges does Edmundson mention when writing the first three scenes? So, you'll need to pause the video to give yourself time to answer that question.

Pause the video now.

Okay, great! So, let's see one of our Oak pupils and how they answered.

So, we have Sam here, and Sam has said this, "Helen Edmundson says the biggest challenge is making sure the audience feels they are in 'safe hands.

'" So I like how Sam has quoted the Helen Edmundson video there.

"She explains that if a play is too challenging or confusing early on, people can quickly lose interest and switch off.

So, it's important to balance introducing the story while keeping the audience comfortable and engaged." And that's a really great answer from Sam.

But maybe you've thought about some different things, in which case, I would like you to take this opportunity to discuss.

Can you add anything to Sam's response? So, look back at your own answers, think about your own thoughts, and think about how you can add something to Sam's response.

Pause the video to complete that discussion task now.

Okay, so question time.

So, the question is, according to Helen Edmundson, what helps the audience stay engaged in the first three scenes? Say the question again.

So, according to Helen Edmundson, what helps the audience stay engaged in the first three scenes? Now you need to pick a, b, c, or d as your answer, and you'll need to pause the video to give yourself time to do that now.

Has everybody got an answer? Okay, let's see what you remember.

Well done to everyone that said c, she says what helps the audience stay engaged in the first three scenes is helping the audience to feel in safe hands.

Okay, so that you need to be able to trust what's going on.

So, in this next video, we are going to watch the director, Rufus Norris, introduce Act 1 Scene 3.

When you have finished watching this, you will answer the following question, what three things does Rufus Norris say help keep the audience engaged in Scene 3? Okay, so I will give you time to complete that question after watching the video, but just keep that in the back of your mind as you watch.

Okay, so, I think we're ready to go, so I'm going to press play on the video now.

<v ->Scene 3 is Gilbert's story, and it starts in the cinema.

</v> And again, the use of video is, we're given permission theatrically partly because of that cinema scene, and it's great, you know.

A good fight is really good fun.

Gilbert is a gorgeous character.

Andrea would would admit freely that Gilbert was the character of the ones that she'd created that she loved the most, and she would also admit, partly because it's based on her father who himself did travel on the Windrush.

And so.

Yeah, so, we meet Gilbert and then we're taken back through his story.

One thing that's really important is that there's something about telling a big story on stage where you have to be aware of where the audience's patience begins to run out.

And usually, you might spend half an hour setting up a story and then you start paying off and giving audience story beats.

In "Small Island," you know, we've got the setup with Hortense and then forget all about that, we're gonna go somewhere else.

We're going to Queenie, and then we tell her story.

And that's fine and that's lovely.

And in the end, you do it again, and you can see the audience, you know, going, "Really, when are you gonna start bringing these stories together? You know, we do have to start again." So, it was very important with Scene 3 that we got on with it.

And so, the transitions in Scene 3 going from one thing to another, it's really key that we really, really moved quickly through them.

So, not only is it great that we've got a charming protagonist there in Gilbert and there's a lot of action, a lot of humor in it, but it's also really important that we keep the story moving.

So, on a very, very pragmatic level, it's just worth looking at the transitions from one scene to another in Scene 3 and how tight they are.

They'll be sat at the bench and he'll go, dun, dun, dun.

Bang.

And we're into it there and we're going out of it there, and, you know, just moving through.

There should be no such thing as a scene change in modern theater, I don't think.

Scene changes or movements from one scene to another are only an opportunity to energize the next scene.

If you stop, some stage managers come on, move things around, you're back in again, you've lost the audience.

And particularly with the quality of television and film that we see now and the fact that many people, and you'll all know about this are watching TikTok or something, you know, come on, more information, more information.

You know, your Instagram, there's stuff coming at you all the time.

To ask somebody to sit down for three hours and stay with it means you've gotta be cracking on with it.

<v ->Thank you so much for listening to that.

</v> It's great, isn't it, hearing from the director himself, and I really find his insights really interesting to watch the play.

So, you start to really notice those theatrical decisions, which I think is great.

So, it's over to you now to complete the question, what three things does Rufus Norris say help keep the audience engaged in Scene 3? So, pause the video to give yourself time to complete that question.

Off you go! Okay, so we have three Oak pupils here.

We have Lucas, Izzy, and Laura, so let's see how they answered that question.

Lucas picked out that the fast transitions between scenes keep the audience engaged and it helps the story to keep flowing without pauses, 'cause that could lose the audience's attention.

Izzy has said that, "The scene includes humor and action, which make it enjoyable and lively to watch." And Rufus Norris talks a lot about the humor used throughout "Small Island" and the effect of this.

And Laura says that, "Gilbert is charming and likable.

So, according to Norris, he's an engaging protagonist." And yeah, I think Gilbert is really engaging for the audience.

So, I want you to think now about your own answers and what you got from the video, and I'd like you to discuss, please, can you add anything to Lucas, Izzy, or Laura's answers? Pause the video to give yourself time to do that.

Off you go! Okay, so true or false time, so I'm going to give you a statement and you need to decide whether it's true or false.

So, you'll need to think back to Rufus Norris's video and some of the things he said.

So, the statement is, "According to Norris, Andrea Levy found Gilbert was a difficult character to write.

She described him as unlikeable." Let's just say that statement again.

"According to Norris, Andrea Levy found Gilbert was a difficult character to write.

She described him as unlikable." Is that true or false? Come up with your answer now, please.

Okay, so hopefully, we've all got the answer false.

As if Gilbert could ever be unlikable.

(laughs) Well, it's great if you've got false, but you need to explain why that statement is false, so pause the video to come up with your answer now.

Okay, so I'm going to share the example answer, hopefully you have something similar or maybe you've thought about something different.

But according to Norris, Andrea Levy freely admitted that Gilbert was the character she loved the most, partly because he was based on her own father who also traveled at the time of Windrush.

And this is something that I didn't know about until I watched this video, so it's really interesting to hear how Andrea Levy had based this character on her own father.

So, now we're going to look at Task A.

So, in the video, Rufus Norris said, "There should be no such thing as a scene change in modern theater." And what I would like you to do is I would like you to discuss this statement using the questions below.

If you are working on your own, you may wish to jot down some ideas or think quietly to yourself, but we're going to discuss that statement, "There should be no such thing as a scene change in modern theater." So, think about these questions.

Why might modern audiences need plays to move quickly? Think about things like TikTok, Instagram, fast TV, and film.

And try and think back to what Rufus Norris said about those.

How does this idea link to Edmundson's idea of making sure the audience doesn't switch off? Okay, think about the challenge of keeping an audience engaged.

So, why is it beneficial not to have scene changes and to have those smooth transitions instead? And do you agree with Rufus Norris? Why or why not? Can you think of a play or film that kept your attention, or lost it? Okay, so lots to think about there, so you will need to pause the video to give you yourself time to complete this.

You know what to do.

Pause the video now.

Wow, some really excellent discussions there, so thank you so much for thinking about this and giving it so much thought.

Well done.

So, let's see Jacob's answer.

So, part Jacob's answer was this, his discussion, "Rufus Norris believes scene changes shouldn't interrupt the flow of a play.

Slow transitions risk losing the audience's attention.

Today's viewers are used to quick, dynamic content.

This connects to Edmundson's idea that the audience needs to feel comfortable and interested from the start.

Fast pacing helps prevent boredom and keeps people involved.

I agree because when things move smoothly, it's easier to stay focused.

Sometimes, slow or clunky changes have made me lose interest in a play or film." So, now, we've looked at Jacob's answer.

I'd like you to think about your own answers and your own ideas, and can you add anything to Jacob's answer? So, pause the video to give yourself time to discuss that question.

Off you go.

Okay, thank you so much and well done for your hard work so far.

We are now moving on to watch Act 1 Scene 3, so do make sure that you have access to the recording of the production.

So, you will now watch Act 1 Scene 3, and Act 1 Scene 3 begins with those Pathe images and Gilbert fighting, so it's a very dramatic start to the scene, and it ends with the chorus entering and singing.

And as you watch, I want you to really think about the specific things that Rufus Norris asks you to look out for.

So, look at those fast, smooth transitions between scenes.

You may already have noticed these when you watched Scene 1 and Scene 2, so really notice and see those fast, smooth transitions between scenes.

The use of humor and action.

And finally, the scene changes that keep the energy going without slowing down or pausing the action.

Okay, so really keep an eye out for those three things when you are watching the production.

So, in a moment, you'll need to pause this video and go over to your recording of the production and watch that, and we'll come back to here in a moment.

So, pause the video and get watching.

Wow, that is such a dramatic and tense scene.

I mean, it really is full of lots of different emotions, isn't it? So, what I would like you to think about just off the back of watching that scene, I want you to discuss, was there a moment that shocked, moved or stayed with you, and what made it powerful? And why do you think Gilbert uses humor even when things are hard for him? So, I would like you to spend a few moments discussing those questions and your initial responses to that scene.

Pause the video, and off you go.

Great, thank you for being so thoughtful and insightful in your answers.

It's really great to have those personal responses to the theater production.

We now have a question and you will need to answer a, b, c, or d.

And the question is, how does Gilbert's experience in the RAF differ from his expectations? Okay, how does Gilbert's experience in the RAF differ from his expectations? So, you'll need to pick answer a, b, c, or d, and I'm gonna ask you to pause the video to give yourself time to do that.

Off you go.

Okay, so the answer is, are we ready? b, he is given a less prestigious job and faces discrimination.

Okay, another question for you, so which answer best explains the significance of the racial segregation Gilbert faces in the cinema? So, you'll need to pick a, b, or c, and you'll need to pause the video to give yourself time to do that.

Off you go.

Okay, well done to everyone that answered a, it shows that the war did not change deep social inequalities and racism.

And I think that why that cinema scene is just so shocking.

It isn't necessarily just the violence, it's also that really overt racism and inequality, which really hits home for both the characters on the stage and the audience.

So, for Task B, I would like you to answer the following questions.

Which moment in the scene helped you understand Gilbert's story better, and why? How did seeing this scene performed change your response to the story or character? And Rufus Norris said Scene 3 is all about quick transitions to energize the production.

Where did you notice this in the scene and how did it affect your experience as an audience member? Okay, so lots to think about there and lots to answer.

So, you know what I'm gonna ask you to do, make sure you've got everything you need to complete this task.

And when you are ready, pause the video and get going.

Okay, great.

Let's share some answers so we can spend a bit of time reflecting on our own.

So, for question one, we have Sophia, so which moment in the scene helped you understand Gilbert's story better, and why? So, Sophia says, "When Gilbert says it feels good to fight and then flashes back to signing up in Jamaica, I understand how disappointed he was." That's a great answer from Sophia 'cause that's really powerful, that moment.

"He had big dreams but ended up doing hard labor and facing racism.

I found this scene really emotional and it made me connect even more with Gilbert." That's a really personal and honest response from Sophia, which I'm really grateful for, so thank you.

And I'd now like you just to spend a few moments thinking about Sophia's answer and discussing to what extent do you agree with her, and why? Pause the video, and off you go.

Okay, so for the next question, we have Jun's answer.

So, how did seeing this scene performed change your response to the story or character? And Jun has said that, "Seeing Gilbert on stage made his emotions clearer.

He was funny and confident with Queenie, but also brave when he stood his ground in the cinema.

The performance helped me see how much he covers his pain with humor and how proud he is, even in difficult moments.

It was a powerful, but difficult scene to watch." I really like how Jun there has talked about how Gilbert uses humor because I think when you see this performed on stage, you can really see how Gilbert uses the humor to cover his pain perhaps.

So, I now want you to think about your own personal response and think about Jun's, and discuss to what extent do you agree with him, and why.

Pause the video to do that now.

Okay, and for that final question, Rufus Norris said Scene 3 is all about quick transitions to energize the production.

Where did you notice in the scene, and how did it affect your experience as an audience member? Now, let's see how Alex answered.

So, Alex has said that, "The scene moved quickly from the fight, to the memory in Jamaica, to Queenie's house, and then the cinema." It is very quick, isn't it? "The fast pace kept the tension building without any long pauses.

This constant energy made the racism Gilbert faced feel even more intense and urgent.

The scene was intense but also difficult to watch, and it made me feel deeply upset for Gilbert and those around him." I really like what Alex has said there about how the constant energy and pacing, you know, really intensified that racism that Gilbert felt and that urgency, and I think that's a really great point from Alex there.

But now, I would like you to decide to what extent do you agree with Alex, and why? So, pause the video to give yourself time to do that.

Off you go.

Thank you for your hard work in today's lesson, and I really hope you enjoyed Act 1 Scene 3.

It can be a very difficult scene to watch, but I think seeing the recorded version and the production really brings it to life and really helps you engage with those emotions.

Let's just have a run through through some key points.

We know that Edmundson says a key challenge in writing is making the audience feel secure and engaged.

Both Edmundson and Norris address how to overcome these challenges in keeping the audience engaged and talked about clarity and pace.

Norris says that the first scenes focus on individual stories, which could slow the plot and ask more from the audience.

Rufus Norris beliefs seamless scene changes energize the play.

And Norris highlights the action in humor in Gilbert's story also help keep the audience engaged.

Thank you again for joining me for today's lesson, and I really, really hope to see you all again soon.

So, until then, bye-bye!.