PDF Rapture, Blister, Burn - QUT

(1)

Rapture, Blister, Burn

Lighting Script Analysis v1

Key to Names: Catherine = C | Don = D | Gwen = G | Alice = Ali | Avery = Ave

Scene

No. Time &

Place Action in scene Themes

in scene Dialogue –

location enviro. Physical Needs Overall Feeling Act 1,

Scene 1 Outside.

D & G’s backyard Night Summer (June) First scene.

D, G, & C are catching up for the first time in 13yrs. G is over-

compensating. Might have a hidden

agenda?

D & C are cautiously flirtatious. History there.

Ave enters – 21yo babysitter,

provocative.

Backstory. Feeling of arriving late to the party. Hints to the history are dropped throughout scene.

Scene shows that D & C are more well-matched than D & G.

undercurrent discussion on women and wanted /unwanted messages sent about women. C is D’s fantasy – what he thinks he wants. Allows him to escape from

‘real’ life with G

Both G & D are keen to reconnect with C & both find ways to do so by pushing the other out of favour (G: D is lazy & slow, D siding with C RE Devon)

p.9 D: “then we can’t go to dinner” = night time

Citronella candles (mentioned in text)

Patio lights?

Intimate vs expansive? – intimate. Feels like an intimate conversation between characters.

Less intimate with Ave. Casual rather than formal. Scene flows well.

Exit/entrance of characters stops scene from becoming stagnant.

Touches on enough history and new info/ideas to keep audience interested.

I don’t like G. I like other characters, though I suspect D will be a bad influence.

Warm or cold? Summer = warm but slight awkwardness of scene might cool that?

Act 1,

Scene 1 Notes and general thoughts:

- 9 beats to this scene – broken up by different character groups à G, C, D – D & C – G, C, D – G & C – G, C, D – C & D – D, Ave, C – Ave & C – D & C

- Last we see of Gwen is her stand-off with Don RE Devon. Gwen chooses to leave Don with Catherine.

- Maybe a slightly different state for D&C? Increase brightness on D&C when G leaves first time, then slowly fade out her light when she leaves second time? (Dependent on blocking & Ave)

(2)

Rapture, Blister, Burn

Lighting Script Analysis v1

Scene

No. Time &

Scene 2 Inside.

Alice’s living room.

(Living room?

Dining room?) Two weeks after first scene.

Afternoon – around 4pm

Alice introduced.

C’s class in Ali’s home.

G & Ave revealed to be the two students.

C, Ave, G, Ali discuss gender roles &

relationships as part of C’s class.

Heated debate.

The characters really open up and aren’t afraid to say what they think.

G tries to wrestle power from C at times.

C tries to maintain control over ‘class room’ but eventually gives up

Women & Men. What makes relationships work.

Sacrifice.

Female empowerment Scrutiny.

Shining a light on issues.

The women use the theories of others to push their own agendas

Inside lighting.

Afternoon light from a window maybe?

Cards on the table.

Bonding & opposition.

Dissatisfaction.

Intimate. Girls Club. (They even have martinis!)

Casual.

Almost feels cold? There’s almost the illusion of bonding.

Act 1

- Alice & C top and tail the scene. They tell us what to think in a way.

- SCENE CHANGE

(3)

Rapture, Blister, Burn

Lighting Script Analysis v1

Scene

No. Time &

location enviro. Physical Needs Overall Feeling Act 1

Scene 3 Outside Alice’s backyard Same day as Scene 2

Night?

D & C chat in privacy at Alice’s. D offers a defence against what G was saying about him in class. The pair’s dynamism and sexual tension is palpable. They even reference it and discuss each other’s sexuality.

Scene ends with the beginnings of an affair between them, which C semi-tries to prevent. D makes promises he won’t keep.

Sexuality. Repression. What ifs.

The life not lived. Stage direction

– lawn chairs. Backyard lights?

Street lights? Sparks. Electricity. Anything could happen. Subtlety.

This is a game between D & C.

one they haven’t played in years, but one they know very well.

They’re comfortable with each other. They trust each other. Ex- lovers.

Intimate.

Casual.

Warm.

Act 1

- Soft lighting.

- More attractive in the dark.

- Darkness to hide their dark desires - SCENE CHANGE - INTERVAL

Scene

No. Time &

location enviro. Physical Needs Overall Feeling

Act 2, Inside C, Ave, G attempt to The class topics parallel the Inside lighting. Hostile. G knows about D & C but

(4)

Rapture, Blister, Burn

Lighting Script Analysis v1

Alice’s

living room The following week Class 2

there is obvious subtext RE C & D that G insists on bringing up.

Ave shows real compassion for C and definitely sides with her in the ensuing confrontation b/n C

& G

scene is a bit of a metaphor for

that situation. Scene 2, but

slightly different around it and subverts C’s power in the classroom.

Cold.

Awkward.

Lots of subtext.

Slower paced.

Act 2,

- Same lighting as A1S2 but colder? Slightly more harsh? Under more scrutiny?

- Ave comforts C at end in Alice’s place Scene

No. Time &

Scene 2 Inside Alice’s living room Later that day Night

C, D, G discuss their situation. C & G both agree they should apologise & return to

‘normal’. D wants to make the split permanent. G brings up the ‘switching’

conversation. The truth of C’s phone call is revealed.

Invitations and fulfilling

expectations and changing minds.

D’s metaphor of being G’s old shoes.

A child who stops playing with a toy, but when another child starts playing with the toy, they decide that they want it after all

Inside. Same as before, but now dark, more shadows?

As G says, feels ‘unrealistic’. But its interesting as hell.

Tantrums.

Fast paced.

Intimate.

More dominated by side-lighting?

Unrealistic, harsh, exposing truths

Act 2,

-

(5)

Rapture, Blister, Burn

Lighting Script Analysis v1

Scene

No. Time &

Scene 3 Inside Alice’s living room One week later Class 3 (4pm) Second week in July

C joins Ave for class – Ave can tell C has just had sex. D appears.

D is moving in – Ave tries to convince C not to let him.

C & Ave discuss men – sex v. porn & giving sex too easily

The Leaf – half green, half brown

= half alive, half dead.

D – “Summer’s half over”

Bigger metaphor for the

characters who have been living as if half alive, half dead?

Lazy summer day – light through a window low, warm,

Hot. Warm. Pleasant. Time moving slowly. Lazy.

Body heat, bodies close.

Bit revelatory again

Act 2,

- Warm tonality for this one? Orange toning (back/high side lighting)

- Introduce side light that’s a little harsher for C & Ave’s discussion (after Ali’s entrance)

- TRANSITION to Scene 4 à map the passing of time with the sun’s light? Dim overall and have light fade and blue light (night) come in, then the beginnings of dawn and all assoc. colours…

Ø play suggests D & C strip to underwear in this transition & slowly mess up the space while lazy/sexy groovy music plays Scene

No. Time &

Scene 4 Inside D & C have stayed up all night watching movies, drinking,

Schlafly

D doesn’t know what he wants.

C: “Watching the sun come up”

Lazy & loved up fantasy to start, but reality comes crashing through.

(6)

Rapture, Blister, Burn

Lighting Script Analysis v1

Alice’s

living room Sunrise One month later – mid- August

the civilising influence.

D & C have a sort of argument.

D leaves with son Devin.

Ave enters and gives C advice inspired by Schlafly – swoon &

shame, be the civil one etc

fantasy becomes reality, you lose

your fantasy. C: (RE pizza)

“It’s out there.

It’s cold.”

à have edges of blue to indicate the night is not far behind? Light the ‘outside’

space slightly with blue?

Sunrise colours to start, slowly fade to brighter, less coloured light?

Lack of colour, just grey dawn light?

Act 2,

- Scene

No. Time &

Scene 5 Outside D & G’s backyard One week later

D & G talk at Devon’s birthday party (is the party cancelled?) D & G reconcile and admit they both want their messed- up lives back D & G kiss and Ave sees, calls D out on it

The too-big cake that they forgot to cancel.

No other decorations?

Kid’s party as the scene for D &

G’s reconciliation

Scene dir. “D &

G’s backyard as in the first scene”

à same lighting?

Outside = sun &

direction of light Much more realistic. Settling.

D&G settling for each other &

their old lives.

Kids’ parties are usually hyper and happy, this is quiet and adult and subtle.

Act 2,

-

(7)

Rapture, Blister, Burn

Lighting Script Analysis v1

Scene

No. Time &

Scene 6 Outside D & G’s backyard Later that same day (late afternoon or early evening?)

D breaks it off with C C is devastated, tries to understand

Summer is over. Play-time is over.

Time to get serious, return to reality.

Outside – late day, maybe early evening

Perhaps dusk.

Not full night, but the promise of dark

People don’t say what they want or mean what they say. C was giving D exactly what he wanted but not what he needed.

Epic sadness. C is now lost and losing all her anchors

Act 2,

- Scene

No. Time &

Scene 7 Inside Alice’s living room

C, Alice, Avery talk and plan – what to do next?

Different kinds of love (explored in earlier scenes as well) love from husband/child is different to love from mother

Stage dir. “lights low”

à like they’ve been talking for hours, talking through the night

Hurricane lamp

faked? Sad. Determined. Terrified.

Empowered.

C & Ave are leaving the safety of the nest and going out into the world without their men (to protect them) & they don’t need them

Act 2,

-