For this Monday we have to prepare two traditional (i.e. “legit”, “golden age”, pre-1960) musical theatre selections. Each selection should be 16 bars or approximately 30 seconds , we cant use backing tracks.
Also we have to prepare a short movement piece, no longer than 1 minute. This piece should be highly influenced by Vaudeville, Mime, Jacques Lecoq, etc. It should embody the world of Mack & Mabel. No vocalizations can be used during this movement piece.
To give us a better understanding of our rationale, we need to provide a short written document describing, explaining, & analysing the suitability of your chosen audition materials (songs & movement pieces.) Also we should to include a short synopsis of your movement piece.
First I will give you short description of Mack and Mabel Musical:
Mack and Mabel is a musical with a book by Michael Stewart and music and lyrics by Jerry Herman The plot involves the tumultuous romantic relationship between Hollywood director Mack Sennett and Mabel Normand(transformed from an artist's model to a waitress from Flatbush , Brooklyn for the musical), who became one of his biggest stars. In a series of flashbacks, Sennett relates the glory days of Keystone Studios from 1911, when he discovered Normand and cast her in dozens of his early "two-reelers", through his creation of Sennett's Bathing Beauties and the Keystone Cops to Mabel's death from tuberculosis in 1930.
The original 1974 Broadway production produced by David Merrick starred Robert Preston and Bernadette Peters. It received eight Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical, but did not win any. There was no nomination for Jerry Herman's score. Although the original production closed after only eight weeks, the songs were praised, and subsequent productions, especially in Britain, have had success.
Synopsis
Act I
Silent movie director Mack Sennett returns to his old film studio in Brooklyn in 1938. Things have changed considerably since he was last there—he sees a group of actors shooting a scene for a talkie. Mack reminisces about "when he ran the show", the glorious era of silent movies, thinking of his Bathing Beauties and Keystone Cops ("Movies Were Movies").
In a flashback, it is 1911. When Mabel, a delicatessen worker, delivers a sandwich to Lottie, the actress that Mack is filming, Lottie is unable to pay, and Mabel reacts violently. Mabel's dramatic behaviour catches Mack's eye, and he thinks she has potential as an actress. He offers her a part in his next film. She initially refuses, but when she looks back on the offer, she is dazzled by the career prospects ("Look What Happened To Mabel").
Mabel is very successful and becomes a major star. Later, along with Mack's two accountants, Kleiman and Fox, who are helping to finance his projects, the film company moves to a new, larger studio, in California. Lottie and the rest of Mack's film crew, who include the comedian Fatty Arbuckle, eagerly fantasize about moving up in the world, ("Big Time"). Meanwhile, Mabel has become attracted to Mack. While she is reciting an improvised poem, Mabel invites him into her train compartment for a meal. Things escalate, and Mabel persuades a very reluctant Mack to take part in a mock wedding ceremony. But Mack has no time for romance ("I Won't Send Roses"). He and Mabel sleep together, but Mack wakes up horrified and leaves in a hurry. Mabel, now in love with Mack, resolves to do things his way ("I Won't Send Roses" (Reprise)).
Eventually, Mabel wants to move on from comedy and star in serious dramas. But Mack is only interested in comedy ("I Wanna Make The World Laugh") and tries to discourage her. Mabel meets another movie director, the smooth-talking William Desmond Taylor , who is instantly attracted to her, and agrees to feature her in serious films - he invites her to dinner to discuss arrangements. Mack tries in vain to discourage her. After an argument, Mabel dresses in her best clothes and puts on make-up, then goes off not only for her appointment with Taylor, but for good, as she never wants to see Mack again ("Wherever He Ain't"). Mack is confident that he can manage without Mabel: he made a star out of one ordinary girl, and he can make a star out of another. With this in mind, he immediately comes up with the concept of the Bathing Beauties ("Hundreds of Girls").
Act II
Mabel eventually returns to Mack of her own accord and is welcomed with open arms by the entire film company ("When Mabel Comes In The Room"). Mack is so glad to have her back that he agrees to film Mabel's new, serious drama, "Molly", at his studio. But he can't help himself - comedy is his nature. He attempts to jazz it up with a new comic creation, The Keystone Cops ("My Heart Leaps Up"), and Mabel returns to Taylor. Later, Mack sees Mabel again as she is preparing to embark on a ship with Taylor. Taylor shows up and Mack leaves. Taylor, sensing that Mabel might still have feelings for Mack, persuades Mabel, who is complaining of tiredness, to take heroin, saying it is a pick-me-up, which works with the magic words, "Bye, Mack!". Mabel is heartbroken by everything Mack has done to her, but is confident that she will eventually forget him ("Time Heals Everything").
Back at the studio, a happy Mack has realized the potential of sound in his movies, with singing and dancing. Lottie Ames, another actress in Mack's company, has become a star, but Mabel has become a full-time drug addict ("Tap Your Troubles Away"), and her reputation is ruined. To add further to the tragedy, her lover, William Desmond Taylor, is murdered, and she is the prime suspect. By the time Mack is willing to try to patch things up between him and Mabel, it is too late - she has died. But musicals must end happily, so Mack imagines a happier ending to their story ("I Promise You A Happy Ending").
Characters:
Mack Sennett— An obsessively hard-working movie director
Mabel Normand— A deli delivery girl who becomes a movie star. Sennett reluctantly becomes romantically involved with her.
William Desmond Taylor — A "serious" director, and rival for both Normand's acting talents and her affections
Kleiman — An accountant
Fox — Kleiman's partner
Frank Wyman — An actor/writer, and later a director
Lottie Ames — A silent movie star
Subsequent revisions of the show have changed some character names to their real life counterparts from the era.
Frank Wyman - Frank Capra
Fatty - Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle
Kleiman - Adam Kessell
Fox - Charles O. Baumann
*Information took from :www.wikipedia.com
Here I'm giving you my songs proposition which I will sing this week:
1)"I know where I've been"- Hairspray Musical
2)"Big Spender"- Sweet Charity Musical
My comments: I think this musical is quite sad and dramatic but nice at the same time . I like the story even if is embroiled, especially if we talk about Mabel's returns to Mack. But generally I have really good first feelings/impression about this musical.
As I said above this time for audition mock we had to prepare 2 songs and
movement piece. I chose songs from Sweet Charity Musical called "Big
Spender", and Hairspray - "I know where I've been". Those songs
are completely different: in styles, genre, composition and background, that's
why I chose them . In these songs I want to show my vocals in two different
ways and moods. I think these two songs can show all my acting skills, range,
truthfulness, imagination about the song and background. I think those songs
can show my best confidence on stage and how easily I can play around with
them. I think these two songs are appropriate to this musical because they have strong characters with different survival luggage's for the last past tense. Also they show strong and emotional sides of the characters as is e.g. Mabel. She knows what she wants and what is she fight for . I think these two songs reflect very good Mabel character in each of her aspect that's why I think they are appropriate for this particular musical.
For the movement piece I did some research and I decided to
do this in mime style. I read some information on the internet and I watched
some videos on YouTube to get ideas on how to start this project. I knew a
bitabout this style before but not that
much, now I improved my knowledge about this topic which helped me to create my
piece/short performance. I created a piece which is about my mornings and
difficult journey from home to college. I will show my routine which I do when
wake up and before I go out to college. That's one part of my story and another
one is my journey from home to college. I think this piece movement is appropriate for this musical because always movie/musical theatre stars are busy ,especially in the mornings when they have to quickly go to work, be on time everywhere, do they work properly and manage many different/important things around. Also these piece allowed me to see and empathize how is hard to be that kind of super star as Mabel was in this Musical. Also allowed me to "lick" of her world and how she could feel when everything was on her head .So this movement piece is great example of that kind of situation I think, even If I was based on my real life.I really had fun with that whiledoing this at home and I think it was a good
opportunity to try to do something different than previously.
This time our exercise is to create another practise journal. Just to remind you the purpose of this assignment is to instil practical habits including setting targets and reviewing progress; choosing and performing appropriate technical exercises; individual practise and group rehearsals.
Scenario of this assignment is :
The manager of your performing company wants to set a base level for training. He has asked you to keep a journal of your practise routine in order to share your process with the company in the hopes of developing company training procedures.
For the task 1 which is "Practise Schedule" we have to come up with half-termly practise routine schedules with specific targets of improvement listed that we will follow efficiently and with attention to detail. Initial deadlines are as follows:
11Jan 2016 which is today - Term 2:1st Half 22Feb2016 - Term 2:2nd Half 05 Apr2016 - Term 3
Because I didn't put any evidence here(online) that I practised all exercises before (during first term -at home) so I decided to repeat my plan for this term to show my full work and engaging to this assignment which I didn't show last time.
So my plan for this term is to work on :
1)High and low pitch (from 1th to 6th March )- that's the time where I'm going to work on this skills. 2)Diction(from 7th to 13th March ))- that's the time where I'm going to work on this skills. 3)Vibrations of my voice when I get stressed.(from 14th to 20th March)- that's the time where I'm going to work on this skills. 4) Breathing(from 21th to 27th March)- that's the time where I'm going to work on this skills. 5)Toning(from28th to 31thMarch + some extra time to 5th April)- that's the time where I'm going to work on this skills.
In this week I'm going to choice exercises which hopefully will help me to improve these goals. All this exercises I will mention and explain in firsts videos which I will try to do this week.
In task 1 we had to research the range of job roles available I the performing arts sector. We had to investigate a job role other than a performer tat interest us and search for job opportunities in this role. Also we had to prepare 5 minutes presentation which we had to:
1) Fully explain the job role, what is required for the post, the expected salary and how it relates to other aspects of the arts sector.
2) Write a job description for the role which:
a) Identifies the education and training, skills, qualities and experience required for the job.
b)The duties and responsibilities of the post.
Deadline for Task1 is : 19th January 2016
In task 2 we had to produced a detailed information pamphlet or an intranet based resources guide for a national arts organisation or venue of the job roles and opportunities available within their organisation and how they relate.
Deadline for Task 2 is : February 10th 2016
Here is full job description of Music Manger:
Music Manager
Music Manager- a person whose primary task is the implementation of the management
process - planning and decision
making, organising, leadership -
motivating and controlling.
The word "manager" can
determine any person who makes
decisions, but most often used
to describe a person who is employed in different company or organisation, and performs or participates in the management process.
Managers as representatives of management are characterised by a sense of responsibility, strategic thinking
and foresight.
Duties of a Manager:
Role interpersonal:
Representative- A representative of the company, representing it externally Leader - the leader sets objectives Connector- the person responsible for contacts with the internal
and external environment of the company.
Role information:
Monitor - obtaining and
analysing data, observation of
the environment Partition of information – breaking down information
to others, and parts of the organisation, Spokesman- the transfer of official information inside and outside of the organisation.
Roles decision: Entrepreneur - initiating, changes and risk taking Control disorders - reducing conflict,
problem solving Diverting resources - distribution of
resources within the organisation Negotiator - reconciling interests, finding a compromise.
A manager needs to:
Set the work schedule (time organisation, keep
an eye on the calendar)
Keep an eye on the finance
Promotion
of the star
Be
on the phone 24/7
Do
press releases about new projects
Contract
agreements with productions, sponsors etc.
Education:
School - several
universities and colleges have music business management programs that may be
of interest to those that have the money, time and geographical access. Search
online for information on which institutions offer music business management
programs or courses you can take either on campus or via online learning.
•
Books / Self-study–
if you don’t have the access to funding for college or university, another
option is to purchase some of the various books available on the topic of how
to become a music manager and/or studying much of the material available online
in the form of blogs, articles, forum postings, newsletters, etc. You can also
attend music business conferences and/or seminars in order to get valuable
information from the various panelists and establish connections with attendees
and sponsors.
•
Apprentice / Intern – another
way to get a music manager job is to spend time interning at a management
company. Jobs in music management are difficult to get without a track record,
so working behind-the-scenes inside a company allows you to gain experience on
the job (which could lead to a job at that company or provide you the
experience to start your own company) as well as enable you to develop
contacts within the company itself and also with people who the company does
business with.
Median Salary:
£44.380
Some of the information are based on
from these sources:
www.study.com
www.musiceducationmadness.com
Polish Wikipedia
My comments:
I think this assignment was very helpful. In my opinion this
assignment helped us to find different job roles in the same area where
still we would like to work if we don't get a job which we would like to do in
the future. Also helped us to know where and how we can find these all
information and how to use them.
I'm sorry but unfortunately I cant paste my presentation and pamphlet here..I have some problems with blog..:(
Last week before half-term we were still practised Breakdance and Capoeira.
That time we also improved our pieces and we did pair observation just to make
sure is it everything alright and what we have to still improve on. My pair
observation was Cagla and Isabel. Here I will type all their comments about my
dance. Also I wanted to put some videos from this lessons but unfortunately my
phone is broken and I lost my all documents from phone...sorry...
First I will describe comments from Cagla about Breakdance:
(1=very good 5= needs to improve)
Key features:
Floor leg extensions: 2
Elbow stand: 2
back bend to the floor: 2
Floor leg sequence: 2
Lunge stand: 2
Lunge ending: 3
Physical and interpretive skills:
Balance: 2
Extension of arms and legs: 2
Accuracy of movement: 2
Coordination: 3
Posture: 2
Timing: 2
Strength: 3
Use of dynamics: 3
Musicality: 2
1)What are your pee's strengths?
"Your strength is your accuracy of the timing"
2)What are your pee's weaknesses?
"Sometimes unaware of what
are you doing, such as the movement"
3)What could you focus on?/Peers own comments
"You focus on other dance people than on audience"
"Try to look at the audience instead and keep your focus up. Go over
the movements to understand it better"
And here I'm writing Isabel comments about my Capoeira dance:
Key features:
Jinga: 2
Duck: 2
Crescent/outward kick: 2
1/2 cartwheel turn: 1
Inward kick/turn: 2
Side kick: 2
Back kick: 2 Front kick: 2
Physical and interpretive skills:
Balance: 3
Extension of arms and legs: 2
Accuracy of movement: 2
Coordination: 3
Posture: 2
Timing: 2
Strength: 2
Use of dynamics: 2
Musicality: 3 1)What are your peer's strengths?
"She has strong facial expression" "Good posture" "Very confident when she does cartwheels" "I like the way she used different levels"
2)What are your peer's weaknesses?
"Sometimes she struggled with keeping balance in cartwheel"
3)What could you focus on ? Peers own comments
"Balance" "Musicality" My comments:
I definitely agree to those comments and I will try to correct all my weaknesses to change them for my another strengths'. I think this lesson was very useful and now I know exactly what I have to improve and work on for the next lessons.So I have to find time at home to start to practise them.
Purpose of the assignment is to teach practical researching , writing , proofreading , ending , work shopping, performing, vocalizations, and storytelling techniques. This is the second half of a pair of assignments that will fulfil, in, in full, the grading criteria set forth above.
Deadline for this assignment is 11 Feb 2016.
Scenario of this assignment:
David Cameron , the prime minister of Britain, has acknowledged the need to support those individuals displaced by the war in Syria. He has committed to the intake of 10,000 refugees and has set up camps in several boroughs including Waltham Forest. To pacify , initiate, and inform the masses, Mr Cameron has asked for local area Sixth Forms to create performance pieces that emphasize British Values and the British way of life using the unique experiences of the refugees as a way to convey them. Leyton Sixth Form is on exception, and have been asked to put together five 10 min entertaining stories that initiate the refugees of British life; inform them of our customs; and exemplify all those values we hold near and dear whilst relating to the refuges unique experiences. The refugees will be of varying ages and English will not be their first language.
Task 1a: Group research:
In task 1 we have to in groups conduct comprehensive research into the source material used for a story. Include any and all research in our digital scrapbook.
First research I did about British Values:
British
values British values-Through their provision of
Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural learning (SMSC) all independent and
state-maintained schools have a duty to 'actively promote' the fundamental
British Values of:
- Democracy
- The rule of law
- Individual liberty
- Mutual respect and tolerance of those with different
faiths and beliefs
Go-Givers is based on the premise that children deserve
space within the safe environment of the classroom, to explore ideas, develop a
sense of identity and form opinions.
We provide children with opportunities to gain an
understanding of the values we share, and start equipping them with the
knowledge and skills to think for themselves, to challenge and debate.
I took this
information from: www.gogivers.org
Schools must promote
British values, says UK Government
As of November 2014, schools must now promote British
values.
Advice from the DfE is to do so through SMSC, though Ofsted
will assess it through the curriculum too.
In its press release on 27 November 2014, the Department for
Education told all schools to promote 'British values' and produced advice for
doing so through SMSC.
Ofsted wants to see a school ethos and climate that promotes
'British values' at every level. Inspectors will assess 'British values'
through SMSC, the curriculum and school leadership.
And Ofsted now pays a lot of attention to SMSC when deciding
whether your school is 'outstanding', 'inadequate' or somewhere in between.
(Although this website is concerned mainly with primary and
secondary education, the British values and Prevent agendas affect early year’s
provision too. This page on childcare.co.uk explains how British values and
Prevent requirements affect child-minders and early year’s providers.)
How must we teach it?
Advice from the Department for Education is that British
values should be promoted through SMSC.
For maintained schools, this is set out in Promoting
fundamental British values as part of SMSC.
For independent schools, free schools and academies, it is
set out in improving the SMSC development of pupils in independent schools.
(Oddly, the DfE makes no mention of the statutory
citizenship curriculum; it's as though ministers have completely forgotten they
have a subject purpose-built for making sense of such things already.)
What must be taught?
The advice here is basically the same for maintained schools
('state' schools) and independent schools (private schools, academies and free
schools):
•Enable students to develop their self-knowledge,
self-esteem and self-confidence
•enable students to distinguish right from wrong and to
respect the civil and criminal law of England
•encourage students to accept responsibility for their
behaviour, show initiative, and to understand how they can contribute
positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality of the
school and to society more widely
•enable students to acquire a broad general knowledge of and
respect for public institutions and services in England
•further tolerance and harmony between different cultural
traditions by enabling students to acquire an appreciation for and respect for
their own and other cultures
•encourage respect for other people, and
•encourage respect for democracy and support for
participation in the democratic processes, including respect for the basis on
which the law is made and applied in England.
The only difference for independent schools is in the
penultimate paragraph, which now includes them in requirements regarding the
Equality Act's protected characteristics:
•encourage respect for other people, paying particular
regard to the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010.
How will it be assessed?
In its revised Framework for school inspection, Ofsted is
clear that schools will struggle to get a decent rating if they fail to deliver
good SMSC, which now includes 'British values'.
Ofsted added 'British values' explicitly to the Social
strand of SMSC in its School inspection handbook 2014:
'The social development of pupils is shown by their:
•acceptance and engagement with the fundamental British values of democracy,
the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those
with different faiths and beliefs; the pupils develop and demonstrate skills
and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute
positively to life in modern Britain.'
In that incarnation, the Schools Inspection Handbook stated
explicitly that school leaders must also demonstrate that they were addressing
British values through the curriculum. However, this has changed in the School
Inspection Handbook from September 2015:
'Inspectors will consider:
'Inspectors should consider how well leadership and
management ensure that the curriculum: •how the school prepares pupils
positively for life in modern Britain and promotes the fundamental British
values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect for
and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs and for those without
faith.'
•actively promotes the fundamental British values of
democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance
of those with different faiths and beliefs.'
School Inspection
Handbook for September 2015, paragraph 138 School Inspection Handbook 2014,
paragraph 152
Confusingly, there is a slightly different definition of the
last point elsewhere in the current document (at paragraph 135): 'mutual
respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs,' which omits
'those without faith'.
Citizenship has it covered
While teaching 'British values' may seem a tall order, never
fear: schools have the tools to cover much of it already.
School leaders often overlook the citizenship curriculum,
but it's still there for schools (there's even a GCSE and A level in it) and it
was purpose-built for exactly this sort of exploration and learning.
Citizenship education underpins much of SMSC. For example,
exploring human rights and our political and legal systems through the taught
citizenship curriculum goes a long way to learning 'the difference between
right and wrong' and 'the consequences of behaviour'.
Resources for discussing
values in the classroom
Many teachers are unsure how to approach values teaching.
And many worry about discussing the controversial issues that may arise when
exploring values. This is understandable, particularly now the Government's
Prevent agenda has put a duty on schools to monitor and report on potential
extremism (in force from 1 July 2015).
We have a few resources to help teachers explore values
appropriately and fairly, and to develop strategies for responding to controversial
events.
Here I'm posting one example which we thought that we are going to you for our performance:
For most Syrians escape from the country against the atrocities
of the civil war does not mean the end of their struggle for survival. Some
countries still face a dramatic situation, especially with winter. It is not
surprising: in the Lebanon resident of more than one million.
Today, the problem of lack of food, clothing, hygiene products,
in view of the coming winter - the lack of stoves, blankets and shelter,
affects 3.2 million Syrians who have had to flee the country in search of a
safer place. In Syria, they had houses, cars, ran their own businesses. Today,
although the dream of returning to the country is not possible because of the
situation in it.
Anis (less than 30) and his
24-year-old wife Sabbah
travelled from Syria to Lebanon three weeks ago. A young couple waiting a child
lives in a garage with roughly adapted to the apartment. Cool, moist, without
heating, with a makeshift bathroom, wall-mounted faucet and a suspended sink,
performing the role of the kitchen. It's the only place where you can quickly
find shelter. They only had what they were able to take in the suitcase when
leaving their hometown subsequently destroyed by the rebels, ISIS fighters and
the government army. They entered Lebanon legally, but only because they took
pity on them, due to illness of employees in international organisations, it
helped Sabbah to cross the border,
which is before the borders from Syrian government closed a few weeks ago.Shelter for refugees is
the first need in a new place far from home. Then only the refugees are
concerned about the food, and further health or medication. They are seeking
help from international organisations, but also local communities. Today,
Lebanon has almost 1.2 million refugees at 4 million citizens of this country.
In many places, especially at the border, the number of refugees exceeds the
number of inhabitants. Despite the difficult situation for all, the Lebanese
first reached out to Syria's neighbors, the war drove them from their homeland.
Although they are poor, people feed, borrow money or allow borrowing in stores.
But not everyone is so lucky. To get the money to pay
debts and rent, Mariah and Abdallah along with their four children were forced
to sell part of the food company they got in the framework of humanitarian aid,
at prices much lower than its value. Yes, Mariah devoted a cash to pay the
rent, buying school supplies and clothing for children. A modest amount is not
enough to satisfy even the most modest needs. Abdallah cannot work, because
Mariah was forced to sell his shoes and jacket.
In this task we have to record ours individual reactions to the research and describe, explain , and analyse each piece of research's suitability.
Task2: Creations: In task 2 we have to create a story in our groups, based on ours sources material, showing complete control over style and structure with flair and imagination and showing complete awareness of the needs of the target audience. Documental evidence should be also saved in our digital scrapbook.
Here I'm posting our choice which we will be performing this Thursday:
Gay Syrian refugee couple build a new
future in UK
Gay men are never out of the closet in Syria’ ’17 years old beaten up by
his friends for being gay’ ‘Gay couple killed for being gay’ -wrote Jamal and
Said once in their magazine. ‘It is also common there for families to try to
“fix” their gay children through “therapy” and torture.’ After the article was
out they were both fired from the magazine job. ‘Do you think that everyone
should be tolerated for who they are? – This question was heard by loads of
Syrian residents and was asked by Jamal and Said local journalists from Syria.
Most of the people said yes straight away but when the other question was asked
it turned out that all of the Syrian people actually should say no. ‘So it is
okay to be gay and live in Syria then?’ ‘That’s disgusting! How could you even
ask that? That’s against our religion.’ ‘Not at all! Are you gay? If so, you
should be killed!’ ‘You must be kidding me.’ ‘Well I am gay and I will stand
for my rights to live normally!’ SIRENS it wasn’t long till police came to
arrest Jamal and Said. But what did they do to get arrested? ‘- get off me!
Leave me alone!’ ‘- what did I do be arrested?’ They were beaten up by police
men so badly that they couldn’t stand up without help. After they got beaten up
they closed them in prison cell. ‘I don’t know why we even bothered to try to
convince these people to change their opinions about us’ – said Jamal ‘What are
you even saying? We can’t give up like this. We have the right to live.’ –
answered Said. Two weeks passed by Jamal and Said had their case considered in
court of justice. ‘I swear that evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the
whole truth and nothing but the truth.’ 3 YEARS IN PRISON FOR BEING GAY the
judge decided that they should stay in prison for trying to make people
tolerate being gay.
‘I
can’t believe this, we have to do something…’ – said Said ‘What do you want to
do huh? It was your idea to start all of it! ‘’Let’s stop hiding, we can’t live
like this blah, blah’’ now look at us!’ – screamed Jamal ‘So you say we should
have kept hiding and stay quiet? And this is not only my fault! You agreed to
do this. And you know what? I don’t regret it. Someone had to speak for gay
people in Syria!” ‘Yeah? And why us?’ ‘Because we are journalists!’ – He
suddenly vomits and has a high fever ‘Oh my god Said. What happened to you –
puts his hand on his forehead – you are burning! Help! – Jamal screams for help
Ambulance takes them to the hospital. Said has his blood tasted. He has the
results in his hand. He opens them. HIV POSITIVE the hospital refused to give
him the treatment as it was very expensive. They both remained silent as police
men took them back to prison. ‘Said it’s going to be okay…’ He doesn’t answer.
Before going to sleep he Said washes his teeth, Jamal is already asleep. Said
looks into the mirror breaks it and quickly cuts his veins and falls to the
floor. Jamal wakes immediately and screams for help. ‘Said wake up’ – Jamal
cries – ‘you can’t do that to me’ ‘Heeelp!’ SIRENS they took him back to the
hospital. But they didn’t let Jamal come with them. He stayed in prison not
knowing whether he will see his lover again.
We have decided to move to London, UK.
Jamal was worried about the anti-retroviral medication, he promised to himself
that he must stay healthy. After the help from the doctor, he could focus more
on other things like learning the language (English). Said was a little bit
jealous about his partner because he was learning the language faster than he
was. In order for us to get a job we had to attend English classes 5 times a
week and only after finishing the course we would have a chance of getting a
job in this country. Our additional work was writing articles online- so far
unpaid.
Jamal said: ‘Our personal life has changed,
we met new people that we became friends with, although it was difficult to
build trust these people accepted us very quickly and allowed us to not feel
left out.’
They both love berlin for being welcoming
and an easy place to be openly gay ‘it is so different to Lebanon and Syria’
said Jamal. ‘In Lebanon there are two gay clubs, but it “being gay” is illegal’
Right now they are focusing abut building
their future as well as finish their studies at the university in England. ‘I
am also interested in becoming involved with one of the political parties here’
says Said. ‘We were activists in Syria and we were involved in the protests in
early 2011, around the time when the conflict broke out’.
‘I want to work with other refugees who
come to Berlin’ says Jamal. ‘I am a refugee so I know what they need. It would
be great to be able to help others in the way that I have been helped.’
'Most Syrians who arrive here have psychological
problems because of what happened to them’ adds Said. ‘They feel that they’ve
lost everything: friends, family, jobs- their life.’
Jamal says some refugees hide their sexual
orientation or HIV status because they are afraid. ‘And if they hide, they
don’t get help. We could help translate for people dealing with sensitive
issues. Imagine if I wasn’t open about my health issues- it would be a
disaster.’
Overall, being resettled has given them the
chance to start rebuilding the life they were forced to live behind in Syria.
‘We want to start working, be independent, and have good jobs and a salary’
Jamal and Said said. ‘That’s what we’re used to.’
Gay Syrian refugee couple build a new
future in UK
Marta:
Marta is typing text on typewriter)
Gay men are never out of the closet in Syria.
Daria:
(I’m
also typing text on typewriter)
‘17 years old beaten up by his friends for
being gay’
Mata:
(The
same thing)
‘Gay couple killed for being gay’ -wrote
Jamal and Said once in their magazine.
Daria:
(Still
the same thing)
‘It is also common there for families to
try to “fix” their gay children
through “therapy” and torture.’
(Marta
is still typing, I just talk)
After the article was out they were both
fired from the magazine job.
Marta/Daria
(We
both stand up-scene with journalist)
Marta:
‘Do you think that everyone should be tolerated
for who they are? – This question was heard by loads of Syrian residents and
was asked by Jamal and Said local journalists from Syria.
Daria:
Most of the people said yes straight away
but when the other question was asked it turned out that all of the Syrian
people actually should say no.
Marta:
‘So it is okay to be gay and live in Syria
then?’
Dara:
‘That’s disgusting! How could you even ask
that? That’s against our religion.’
Marta:
‘Not at all! Are you gay? If so, you should
be killed!’
Daria:
‘You
must be kidding me.’
Marta/Daria:
(We
talk together)
‘Well I am gay and I will stand for my rights
to live normally!’
(We
do together sound of sirens)
(SIRENS)
Marta:
It wasn’t long till police came to arrest.
But what did they do to get arrested?
‘-
Get off me!
Daria:
Leave me alone!’
Marta:
‘- What did I do be arrested?’
Daria:
(I
stand up from the floor and I talk to audience)
They
were beaten up by police men so badly that they couldn’t stand up without help.
Marta:
(Marta
stand up and talk to audience as well)
After they got beaten up they closed them in
prison cell.
(We
go to prison)
‘I
don’t know why we even bothered to try to convince these people to change their
opinions about us’.
Daria:
(Scene
in prison)
‘What are you even saying? We can’t give up
like this. We have the right to live.’
Marta:
(Scene
in court of justice)
Two weeks passed by Jamal and Said had
their case considered in court of justice.
(Clap
with the hands)
Marta/Daria:
(We
talk together)
‘I swear that evidence I shall give shall
be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.’ 3 YEARS IN PRISON FOR
BEING GAY?!
Daria:
The judge decided that they should stay in
prison for trying to make people tolerate being gay.
Daria:
(Scene
in prison)
‘I can’t believe this, we have to do
something’.
Marta:
‘What do you want to do huh? It was your idea
to start all of it! ‘’Let’s stop hiding, we can’t live like this blah, blah’’
now look at us!’ (– screamed Jamal)
Daria:
‘So you say we should have kept hiding and
stay quiet? And this is not only my fault! You agreed to do this. And you know
what? I don’t regret it. Someone had to speak for gay people in Syria!”
Marta:
‘Yeah? And why us?’
Daria:
‘Because we are journalists!’
Marta:
‘He suddenly vomits and has a high fever ‘Oh
my god Said. What happened to you – puts his hand on his forehead – you are
burning! Help! – Jamal screams for help Ambulance takes them to the hospital.
(Marta
is carry me on the chairs- hospital scene)
Said has his blood tasted. He has the
results in his hand. He opens them.
Marta/Daria:
(We
talk together)
‘HIV POSITIVE’
The hospital refused to give him the
treatment as it was very expensive.
Daria:
They both remained silent as police men
took them back to prison.
Marta:
(Prison
scene)
‘Said it’s going to be okay…’ He doesn’t
answer.
Daria:
Before going to sleep he Said washes his
teeth, Jamal is already asleep. Said looks into the mirror breaks it and
quickly cuts his veins and falls to the floor.
Marta:
Jamal wakes immediately and screams for help.
‘Said wake up’ – (Jamal cries) – ‘you can’t do that to me’ ‘Heeelp!’
Marta/Daria
(We
do together sirens sound)
‘SIRENS’
They took him back to the hospital. But
they didn’t let Jamal come with them. He stayed in prison not knowing whether
he will see his lover again.
…New life, new beginning…
Daria:
We have decided to move to London, Great
Britain. Jamal was worried about the anti-retroviral medication, he promised to
himself that Said must stay healthy.
Marta:
After the help from the doctor, Jamal could
focus more on other things like learning the language (English). Said was a
little bit jealous about his partner because he was learning the language
faster than he was.
Daria:
In order for us to get a job we had to
attend English classes 5 times a week and only after finishing the course we
would have a chance of getting a job in this country. Our additional work was
writing articles online- so far unpaid.
Marta:
Jamal said: ‘Our personal life has changed,
we met new people that we became friends with, although it was difficult to
build trust these people accepted us very quickly and allowed us to not feel
left out.’
Daria:
They both love London for being welcoming
and an easy place to be openly gay.
Marta:
‘It is so different to Lebanon and Syria’
said Jamal. ‘In Lebanon there are two gay clubs, but it “being gay” is
illegal’.
Right now they are focusing abut building
their future as well as finish their studies at the university in UK.
Daria:
‘I am also interested in becoming involved
with one of the political parties here’(says Said). ‘We were activists
in Syria and we were involved in the protests in early 2011, around the time
when the conflict broke out’.
Marta:
‘I want to work with other refugees who
come to Berlin’ (says Jamal).
‘I am a refugee so I know what they need. It would be great to be able to help
others in the way that I have been helped.’
Daria:
‘Most Syrians who arrive here have
psychological problems because of what happened to them’ adds Said. ‘They feel
that they’ve lost everything: friends, family, jobs- their life.’
Marta:
Jamal says some refugees hide their sexual
orientation or HIV status because they are afraid. ‘And if they hide, they
don’t get help. We could help translate for people dealing with sensitive
issues. Imagine if my partner wasn’t open about his health issues- it would be
a disaster.’
Daria:
Overall, being resettled has given them the
chance to start rebuilding the life they were forced to live behind in Syria.
Marta/Daria:
(We
talk this together)
‘We want to start working, be independent,
and have good jobs and a salary’ (Jamal
and Said said). ‘That’s what we’re used to.’
*Here also I'm pasting some information from UT about Syria refugees:
Task3: Performance:
In task 3 ,in ours performances we have to demonstrate: full control over storytelling techniques, with complete consistency and confidence; communicates the story showing complete awareness of how the style is suited to the target audience. Also we have to demonstrate a comprehensive and fully appropriate application of vocal technique in performance, with confidence, ease and fluency. This all should be saved on digital scrapbook.
General comments:
I think that will be another great performance, I cant wait to perform this. More information about my thoughts on this subject you will find on video which I will applaud this week.
