1st May

Today we spent some of the lesson creating objects from the story of Goldilocks. So we tried to make the three different sized chairs and beds and then the house. They didn't look as good as they could as been so we need to keep working on making them look different in size and look fully look like the object they're supposed to be.
We then started to create a story about a relationship between two people that starts off as friendship and then later in if they re-develop it at a chance meeting, but it leads to the death of one of them because of the circumstances of the other person. By doing this and actually trying to create a piece we realised that sillouhette can be really effective when trying to tell a story. It also gave us chance to try out some transitions to get in and out of formations which is important otherwise it will not look proffessional. We need to keep working on making new shapes so we have more that we can use for Goldilocks.

21st April

Today we spent some time going over the song we had done the previous week. We then add movement to it so we were not just standing and singing, and so everyone could be involved. The dance is suitable for the piece because it is cheesy and fun and helps to tell the story as well as giving the children something entertaining to watch and something different to keep their attention.

We have also added a song to introduce the wolf, which is a song from the grinch which we have changed the words to, to make it relevant to the story. Having this song to help introduce the wolf will help the children to get into it and get excited about seeing the wolf. As well as keeping them entertained, because it is a funny childish song, it is also appropriate for their age as it is from a children's film, The Grinch.

27th April

Today we ran from the by top of our piece to the end as we finished it last lesson. I think it went well and does not need a lot of rehearsal as we have already spent quite a lot of time on it. We then started brainstorming ideas for Goldilocks and trying to think of different ways to do it. We have chosen to use silhouette as it is very different to the other style we are using at the minute and so will help to keep the children entertained and interested as the stories progress.

As most of us have not done silhouette before we started by workshopping silhouette so we could get used to what it's like and figure out how to create different shapes. It also gave us a chance to experiment making bigger structures together, woring as a group.

24th April

This lesson we ran through the whole story from the beginning including the opening. I thing it is really coming together and we know the first bit pretty well but I don't think it will be as good as it can be until we actually have children to talk and interact with. We then added on to the story starting with little red skipping through the trees but becoming lost. We then created a bit that depends highly on audience participation where little red asks what way she should go because she has become lost in the woods. The wolf is hiding behind the trees and the point is the children tell her to go away from the wold but he keeps moving so it goes backwards and forwards, a bit like a pantomime. The wolf eventually sends little red the wrong way to her grandmas house so he can get there first and then he hides her grandmother under the bed. Then little red enters and does the traditional dialogue of, "grandma how big your ears are!", and so on until he steals her cookies. The scene inside the cottage then freezes and the narrator becomes the woodsman and goes to help little red. We chose to make the ending happy without anyone being eating so it would not upset any of the children, so the wolf only stole the cookies because he was hungry and the grandma was safe, just hidden under the bed.

I think this ending is more age appropraite for our audience than the original ending where the wolf eats the grandmother and red and is then cut open by the woodsman, therefore making it entertaining and suitable for our audience. 

31st March

Today Dan was going over his narration while we were working on creating a forest for little red to travel through. Our idea was to have the trees made out of people, two with one on the back of the other to add height to the trees. To make it really easy for the children to tell that the wolf is not a good character I had the idea that the trees could change when he goes through them and become scary and unhappy trees. Part of my inspiration for this is from the film Snow White. As she travels further into the woods the trees become stiffer and have more jagged movements unlike the pretty nice trees at the start of the film. So when little red is skipping through the forest the trees are smiling and swaying along to the happy magical music that is playing in the background, but when the wolf enters and passes the trees they turn sad and scared and their arm (branches) become harsh and stiff. 

I think having the trees actually there as a visual is good because it will give the children something to look and help their imaginations when the characters are in the forest. It also means that the trees can interact with the audience because they are people and not just set, adding to the entertainment of the piece and helping them to keep interest. 

27th March

Today I wrote out the script for start of Little Red when I am interacting with the children.

Beginning - go round to each creature, talking and hugging them while the narrator describes the scene and introduces Little Red Riding Hood. Next we create a freeze frame that portrays the emotion of love and shows that the creatures adore him. Then I come out of the picture, climbing over Dom and Freya  and introduce myself to the children. 

Me: "Hello boys and girls, my name is Red"

Everyone else: "no it's little Red!" 

Me: "oh sorry, I'm little red. Today I am going to visit my grandma, she's not very well you see, so I am going to take her some treats to make her feel better. But I will need some help boys and girls. Will you help me... (Interacting with children). Now I'm sure there's something I'm forgetting, do you know boys and girls?... (Find basket). Now I'm ready to go! 

All sing song - 

We're off to see my Grandma, my Grandma who lives in the woods. 

I hear she's sick and feels a bit ick, oh what am I going to do?

I'll take her some treats right into the woods and make her feel better just like I should, because because because because because

My name is little red riding hood.

We ran through it and worked on the interaction with the children so it fits the purpose of the piece which is to entertain the children who are young, in primary school. Also the song helps to keep the children entertained and interested in the piece. I feel like little red riding hood is really coming together and I can see what things the children will enjoy.