The Witches Tasks

Task One: Warm-ups and activities-

warm-up one: Guess the program-  In this game we get given a number, when your number gets called out you have to think of a program then act it out without saying what it is. When your program has been guessed another number will be called out and they will have to act out their own program. The purpose of the this game is to get us thinking an help to improve our improvisation skills. 

Warm-up two: improvisation position game-  This is where there has to be one person standing, the other sitting on a chair and the last sitting down on the floor. Whoever was in the middle would have to change with each other. For example the person who is standing would need to make up a situation/ story to sit on the chair/ floor. The game would end when everyone has gone in the middle. The purpose of this game is to get us thinking on the spot whilst also responding to others in a certain situation.

My own warm up: The accent game- This game is where each person gets a paper with an accent on it. Going around the circle the person has to talk in the accent they got given, and when its been guessed the next person goes. The purpose of this game is to allow people to improve their accent but also allow the people guessing the accent to improve their ability of identifying accents. 

Task Three: Character study- part A

Extra/Background witch- Her name is Elizabeth and she's known the Grand high witch since high school, so she knows what she is like and how she became who she is now. Although she know what horrible things she has done. She still worships her as she still hates children and wants to completely get rid of them. When I'm playing the character I will ensure to make her look scared, worried but also excited and happy because they really love the thought of getting rid of every child. I want the audience to to be afraid of her. I will do this by making her very crazy and using a lot of face movements. 

The tree house witch- Her name is Laura and she is very devoted to the grand high witch. She loves the sound of getting rid of every child. She is always on a search of a child to kill. She's very persuasive by using a calming and drawing tone. She's very violent but hides it until she needs to use it. I want he audience to feel very tense when she comes on stage. I will do this by acting very slow and making sure that very word I say has a sinister tone to it.

The second chef-  Her name is Cleo and she's an aspiring Chef. She wants to become a very well know chef that will work on a cruise. But at the moment shes working with one of her best friends so she finds it hard to concentrate. She is terrified of Germs (so she hates the mice that goes down her pants). She's a very friendly and talkative person. I want the audience to laugh when she goes on stage. I will do this by making sure that I use a sarcastic tone and that I ensure to act very panicked when the mouse goes down her pants.

Task Four- The story of 'The witches'-

A) Roald Dahl's background- Roald Dhahl was a British novelist, short story writer, poet, screenwriter, and wartime fighter pilot. His books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide. Mr Dahl was born in Wales to affluent immigrant parents, and spent most of his life in England. He was born on the 13th of December in the year 1916. He passed away on the 23rd of November in the year 1990. Roald Dhal established himself as a children's writer in the year 1961, when he published the book 'James and the Giant Peach', which is a book about a lonely little boy living with his two mean aunts. He then meets the Old Green Grasshopper and his insect friends on a giant, magical peach. Roald Dhal's first book was called the Gremlins. He was 27 years old when he had written it. Before writing books Roald Dhal began writing short stories. This lead him to meeting an author called C.S. Forrester, who then encouraged him to start writing books. His children also influenced him to start writing as he liked to read them bed time stories. His favourite book that he had written was 'The BFG'. His most well selling book is Charlie and the chocolate factory. Most of the books he had written were inspired by the people and things around him. He invented over 500 words an character names. 

B) The Witches started off with being a book written by Roald Dhal in the year 1983. During that time an author called David Wood adapted the real story into a script. It was then realised into a film in 1990, which was directed by Nicolas Roeg and produced by Jim Henson. Another film came out on the 16th of April, 2021, which was directed by Robert Zemeckis. When the book was realised it had won 3 awards: The New York times outstanding book award, the federation of children's books group award and the Whitbread award. When the 1990 film was realised it had developed a cult following over the years. Roald Dhal actually hated the 1990 movie as it had a changed ending but he said that he loved Anjelica Hustons performance (actress for the grand high witch). Anjelica Huston's makeup took over 7 hours to apply and 5 hours to take off. 

Trivia of the 1990 film: In the UK, two scenes were edited out so the film could get the PG rating. THe scenes were, the beginning of the shot of the skin of the grand high witches face getting removed and the last shot of Bruno transforming into a mouse. In the book, grandma falls ill from pneumonia, whereas in the movie, its a mild case of diabetes. In the book, the Grad High Witch is described as petite and standing no more than approximately four and a half feet tall. In contrast, Anjelica Huston is nearly six feet tall. Shes also described as looking about 25 when wearing her beautiful and real-looking human mask. Anjelica Huston was 39.

Trivia of the 2021 film: The hotel room number of the Grand High Witch is different in each version. In the 1983 book/ play it is room 454, in the 1990 film it is 208, and in the 2021 version it is 666. Boy's and grandam's stays as 766. The ending of this film stayed the same as the book's, this was because Roald Dhal was mad that they changed it in the 1990 film. Footage of the sniffing scenes from various Looney Tunes shorts were references for the animation of the Grand High Witch smelling out the main character as he hides from her.

small facts David Wood: 

-He began writing when he was a student at oxford universities in the sixties

-He wrote his first play in 1967 and has written over sixty since then

-In 2017 he received the JM Barrie award 

-For BBC radio 4 he adapted Arthur Ransome's Swallows and amazons

2021 film interview- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKveotu1_ao

Comparison of the 1990 film to the 2021 film- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHaiGRqa2Do

Task Five: Evaluation of performance-

Both show days were amazing! the whole group worked well together and we ensured that we had everything sorted out before both shows. The Film & TV course, Make-up and art & design course all helped out, and without them our show would be half as good!  They really helped bring our show to life. During the production we had to co-ordinate where the props are going and when they are going to be put on and off, of the stage. It all worked out thanks to the whole group working together and understanding each other.

Show day number one: This show was for cast one. Today I had two roles. The Tree house witch and the extra Witch. We went through a whole makeup session which I really enjoyed. I rehearsed for both characters before the show. During rehearsals for some reason I was really nervous to preform the tree house witch when I don't usually as i'm pretty confident with her. I think that I was nervous because I know that its show night. Whilst rehearsing the film and TV crew recorded it. After that It was soon show time! so we got everything ready until it was time to preform. My tree house witch scene is near the beginning of the show and there is only me and Boy on the stage so i was REALLY nervous as I know that all the attention will be on only us. I felt like I was going to throw up or pass out. Eventually it got to my scene so I got up and went. When I had preformed my scene I felt soooooo happy and realised that its really fun to be up there. Whilst walking on the stage I had a part where I intensely stare at the audience, and it was a full house! I personally think that It was my best performance.  I didn't have anyone come to watch me but a friend said that I had given him goose bumps by the way I had done my accent and my little chuckle at the end whilst walking of the stage. After, I had to preform as the extra witch in the ballroom and restaurant scene. I wasn't nervous for this character mostly because I have my friends right next to me, but I definitely had an Adrenalin running through me though. When the show was over we all did our bows and it was so amazing because I could just see everyone clapping and cheering. Everyone did so amazing and i'm so proud of everyone!

Show day number two: This show is for cast two. We had went through a similar process as the day before. We made sure that everything was prepared and in the right place. The makeup process was a lot shorter, as it was a lot lighter and I didn't need to look drastically different, and all they did for the hair was a slick back low ponytail. After everyone had their makeup done, we rehearsed through the ballroom and restaurant  scene. I was nervous to do my chef scene but not as nervous as usual as I know that I have nothing to worry about, after yesterdays performance. After Me and Morgan (Head chef) did our scene we were so happy because it was the best we had done it. This made us a little less nervous for when we have to do it in front of everyone. When the show began everyone was nervous but excited. I wasn't on the stage until the restaurant scene so I was just bringing some of the props on and off, of the stage and encouraging people from behind the curtains. When it was the restaurant scene I could feel my heart begin to race as I knew that I had to go up soon. When I went up I preformed my scene as usual and tried my best. When we got off I was really happy with how it went. When the show was over me and my friends where kind of sad as It was our last time to ever preform the witches. But we were overall really happy as it went well! I'm really great full towards the makeup/film & TV and art and design students for helping us bring the show to life!

Goal for next show: For the next show i want to audition for a bigger role. I held back for this show as it was my first and i wasn't sure if i would like it, but now that i know what its like i will definitely try harder.