Rationale
I chose this piece because last year a different monologue was performed by a year 12 by the same playwright; David Bulmer. I loved the comic yet serious writing style he adopted as i searched through his written monologues. My piece plays on realism with absurdist inflections throughout the piece as my character explores a darker range of humor, touching on necrophilia.
Ken (my character) is a man who has suffered an intense grief as his newlywed dies in a plane crash on the way to his honeymoon. He is traumatised and slightly mad. The piece is fast paced with many comic one liners as i have adapted some of the script to suit the audience, for more culturally appropriate references like using McDonalds instead of Hungry Jacks.
The piece had a different scripted ending which I have adapted and changed to give a much stronger emotional journey for the character as Ken, throughout the piece, manipulates a doll representing his wife’s body. The doll was an old school prop which I spent three weeks cutting stuffing with pillow stuffing and sewing to make grace (my wife) look more realistic.
The black boxes allow me to transform the space from beachfront to mountains and caves with strong levels. The piece, with my interpretation, is supposed to take the audience on an emotional journey as they see my psychotic nature as I refutes the information that my wife has passed. I am delusional and play both sides (myself and grace) as i try to make her come alive. it isn't till the final moments where i realise that she has passed.
After I performed the piece for an audience for trials, i had great responses to the comic moments but got lots of feedback about needing physicalise more with the doll throughout the piece which i have worked since then. I was also told that i was playing for laughs to much which i have also worked on to make the piece more realistic.
Ken (my character) is a man who has suffered an intense grief as his newlywed dies in a plane crash on the way to his honeymoon. He is traumatised and slightly mad. The piece is fast paced with many comic one liners as i have adapted some of the script to suit the audience, for more culturally appropriate references like using McDonalds instead of Hungry Jacks.
The piece had a different scripted ending which I have adapted and changed to give a much stronger emotional journey for the character as Ken, throughout the piece, manipulates a doll representing his wife’s body. The doll was an old school prop which I spent three weeks cutting stuffing with pillow stuffing and sewing to make grace (my wife) look more realistic.
The black boxes allow me to transform the space from beachfront to mountains and caves with strong levels. The piece, with my interpretation, is supposed to take the audience on an emotional journey as they see my psychotic nature as I refutes the information that my wife has passed. I am delusional and play both sides (myself and grace) as i try to make her come alive. it isn't till the final moments where i realise that she has passed.
After I performed the piece for an audience for trials, i had great responses to the comic moments but got lots of feedback about needing physicalise more with the doll throughout the piece which i have worked since then. I was also told that i was playing for laughs to much which i have also worked on to make the piece more realistic.