Download Study Guide: Tear the Curtain!

Study Guide: Tear the Curtain!
BY: Jonathon Young and Kevin Kerr
CREATED WITH AND DIRECTED BY: Kim Collier
October 7 – October 20, 2012
Overview and Classroom Activities
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Study Guide: Tear the Curtain!
A letter to teachers and students:
Education is a vital part of what we do at Canadian Stage. We are committed to sharing material
with our audiences that will challenge, enrich and deepen their perspectives. Art diversifies our
conversations. Tear the Curtain! is a genre-bending theatrical experience and an appropriately
dynamic opening to our 25th anniversary season. Through action that moves from stage to
screen, audiences are catapulted into a psychological thriller that examines art and our human
need to both create and consume it. This piece is intended to provoke conversation and leave
you with unanswered questions to consider.
Canadian Stage is excited to present Electric Company’s West Coast hit which was originally
created in association with Vancouver’s Arts Club Theatre Company. Given few parameters, the
company’s creators including Kim Collier (Canadian Stage Resident Artist and 2010 Siminovitch
Prize for Direction recipient), Jonathon Young and Kevin Kerr found inspiration within the walls
of Vancouver’s Stanley Theatre where the work would premiere. The space had a dual history as
a cinema and vaudeville house. Fittingly, the production became an exploration of the two kinds
of art and how they affect the audience. Tear the Curtain! explores global issues surrounding the
consideration of what we want from art: to be shocked and surprised or for order to be
restored.
The piece follows the experiences of a critic, Alex Braithwaite, in 1930s Vancouver. His journey
to discover his authentic self poses these metaphorical questions. The outcome is a stylized
theatrical experience with ties to myriad curriculums including Film/Media, Drama, History,
Psychology and Philosophy.
A shared theatre experience is a wonderful fit to the beginning of the school year. Tear the
Curtain! is an exceptional opportunity to initiate candid conversations and debate within the
classroom. In addition, there are a number of unique artist-led workshops associated with the
show that will provide points of connection for students including backstage tours, in-school and
in-theatre experiences. I look forward to working with you to create relevant and memorable
education programs for your group.
See you at the theatre!
Cheers,
Erin Schachter, Education & Audience Development Manager, Canadian Stage
416.367.8243 x280
[email protected]
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This study guide is created to be a helpful resource for teachers by providing background and
thematic information about this play as well as practical activities to use in your classroom. You
are encouraged to draw information directly from it as well as to use it as a roadmap for further
exploration. In it you will find:
Synopsis and Character List
Theatrical Context
Historical/Social Context
Study Links;
Critical Exploration;
Pre- and Post-Show Activities
A Student’s Guide to Live Theatre
Here are your responsibilities:
1. Thank you in advance for turning off your cell phone, iPod, iPhone or anything else that
makes noise before entering the theatre. These items distract the actors, your
classmates and you! They can also affect our in-house technical signals and spoil the
show. This is a common courtesy. Vibrate/silent is not the same as off.
2. No texting! Because your phone is off you will need to wait until intermission to update
your Facebook status (and when you login, link to Canadian Stage at
www.facebook.com/cdnstage) or tweet at us (@canadianstage) to tell us your thoughts.
3. No headphones of any sort. Listening to your own media is not only rude, but distracting
to those around you.
4. In order to respect our theatre and you, our patrons, we only allow water in the theatre
and no other food or drinks.
5. Please refrain from talking during the performance - the actors and the audience will
hear you! (Laugh when it’s funny, cry when it’s sad. Otherwise, zip it!)
6. Please sit in the seat assigned to you. If you sit elsewhere the seating for everyone is
disrupted.
7. Represent your school and yourself well with good behavior. Theatre is awesome. You
should be too!
8. Keep an open mind and think critically. Theatre is engaging and challenging. Be
prepared to examine what you see rather than judge it. You’ll be surprised how much
you learn, even about yourself, when you try to see things differently.
9. Enjoy the show and come again soon!
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Tear the Curtain!
Characters
Alex Braithwaite – Vancouver theatre critic
Mavis – Alex’s secretary and main squeeze
Mila Brook – A well known actress with a hidden past
Stanley Lee – Avant-garde artist and director of The Empty Space
Patrick Dugan – Mob boss controlling the live theatres
Max Pamploni – Mob boss controlling the cinemas
Barney, Quince, Clive the Cameraman - Reporters
Sender, Gance, Blin, Kristian, Fish - Members of the Empty Space Society
Various mobsters and heavies
Setting
Tear the Curtain! is set in a fictionalized 1930s Vancouver in the midst of the Great Depression,
when respectable businesses (including cinemas and theatres) are a front for illegal activity. It is
also a time when the popularity of cinema and the advent of the “talkies” are threatening the
existence of live theatre.
Synopsis
In a fictionalized 1930s Vancouver, Alex Braithwaite, a troubled but passionate theatre critic,
believes he has found the legendary Stanley Lee, director of the infamous avant-garde theatre
“The Empty Space”. Alex becomes convinced that this man’s radically subversive ideas are what
the artistic community of the city needs to shatter audience complacency. In his pursuit of the
truth behind Stanley Lee’s mysterious disappearance and his artistic ideas, Alex becomes caught
between the warring factions of two prominent mob families and ensnared by the Empty Space
Society. Can Alex find the truth in time to save the city’s artistic community from ripping itself
apart?
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Theatrical Context
About Electric Company
Electric Company Theatre was founded in the mid-nineties at the forefront of a wave of new
independent theatre companies that emerged throughout Vancouver. There are many unique
elements to their work, including the combination of physical theatre and text, as well as a
visual style that incorporates new advancements in multimedia technology. They operate on a
collaborative company model, where the artists and the artistic elements are all equally
weighted in the creation process. This is unlike the more typical theatrical hierarchy of text at
the top, followed by directorial vision, design and finally performance. Through this blurring of
job descriptions, the artists are able to converse fluidly about the piece as a whole, facilitating
an organic creation process.
Electric Company often creates site-specific work, where the space informs the story being told.
This was the case in the original mounting of Tear the Curtain! at the Stanley Theatre. The piece
that resulted however, posed questions that are valuable beyond that site.
About the Creation
Tear The Curtain! was originally commissioned by the Arts Club Theatre Company . This meant
that Electric Company was free to create on any topic that interested them. The company chose
to create a piece inspired by the Stanley Theatre, one of two venues owned by The Arts Club. As
with many of their works, Electric Company began their creation process by exploring the space
and the history of its duel identity as movie theatre and live theatre. These conversations
sparked an interest in the artists to create a hybrid work of theatre and film that would inhabit
the space in both its historical roles.
The Stanley Theatre was built in 1930 and its historical setting led the company to imagine a film
noir-style piece. Film noir is a style of film that became popular a bit later (1940), but the tone of
that style - one of cynicism and disillusionment - seemed to suit the space and the story they
wanted to tell. The choice of style influenced the plot structure; the cynical protagonist trying to
unravel a mystery, seduced by a femme fatal and caught up in events way beyond himself, are
all elements typical of film noir.
But what was the mystery he was to unravel? To figure out this detail Electric Company returned
to the historical period, in particular what was happening in the arts at the time. In addition to
the emergence of movies with sound (called talkies), there was the emergence of avant-garde
theatre and surrealist film. Theatre practitioners such as Antonin Artaud felt that audiences had
become too complacent and the barrier between the performer and the audience needed to be
shattered in order to reconnect with the audience and engage them on a primal emotional level.
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Surrealist film makers also sought to reach audiences at this primal emotional level by
presenting images with little for the audience to hold on to in the way of narrative or structural
form. These two elements combined in the play to form the Empty Space Society, a group
reminiscent of Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty and the character of Stanley Lee modeled on Artaud
himself. In Tear the Curtain!, the Empty Space Society (named after a book by Atonin Artaud’s
follower Peter Brooks) becomes the revolutionary group fighting for a more authentic art form
than the mainstream of theatre and film, and they find it in the most radical invention of all:
television. To a modern audience there is nothing more mainstream than tv, but to someone
living in the 1930s this new medium presented the ultimate freedom by putting the power of
entertainment in the hands of the audience who could control what they would view.
Study Links
Curriculum connection points and sample discussion questions
Film/Media:
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe dark, suspenseful mysteries or crime
dramas from the early 1940s to the late 1950s, but the stylistic elements have proved so
popular that directors are still using them today. What are some modern film noir style films
that you may have seen? Why do you think the genre is still popular with today’s audience?
What cultural need did it fill historically and is this need still present in today’s audience?
Drama
The most unique thing about this production is that it is a hybrid between film and theatre. Did
you find the film enhanced the theatrical experience or detracted from it? What are some other
ways multimedia has been used to enhance live performance? Is this the next evolution of
theatre or will theatre one day give way to film and television entirely?
English
In his work Notes on Film Noir (1972), Paul Schrader states that “a complex chronological order
is frequently used to reinforce the feeling of hopelessness and lost time.” Given this
characteristic of the genre, how does the metafictional structure of Tear The Curtain! help or
hinder its development as a film noir? What are other metafictional works you can think of?
Why was this structure used in those instances and is that use different from the way it is used
in Tear the Curtain!?
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Visual Art:
André Breton, author of the original Surrealist Manifesto, describes surrealism as a means of
reuniting conscious and unconscious realms of experience so completely that the world of
dream and fantasy is joined to the everyday rational world in "an absolute reality, a surreality."
Visual artists such as Salvador Dali, Max Ernst, and Yves Tanguay, are considered surrealists.
What approaches and techniques did they use in their works to achieve this concept of
“absolute reality”?
History:
In the United States the Prohibition era gave rise to major organized crime syndicates such as
those run by Al Capone and Bugs Moran in Chicago. Canada also had its share of bootlegging
kings such as Rocco Perri (of Hamilton) and Harry C Hatch (of Prince Edward County). Why are
the American mob bosses so frequently depicted in fiction, while their Canadian counterparts
are largely unknown? Is it because there was more violence between gangs in the States? Or is
Canada trying to protect its image as quiet, polite, law-abiding citizens? If so, what other events
or people are we hiding to maintain this image?
Urban Studies:
This piece was created for the Stanley Theatre, drawing much of its plot from the site’s history.
What stories do our buildings tell? Not only our public buildings, but our homes as well have had
previous tenants, who brought their own lives and memories to the space. What is left of those
previous lives and how has the history of the space influenced its current use? Consider the
criteria for Toronto’s own Heritage Sites.
Psychology:
Stanley Lee is just one example of an artist so consumed by his creativity that he descends into
madness and ruin. What other artists are you aware of that have suffered a similar fate? Is it the
creative mind or the lifestyle of the artist that leads talented artists to self-destruction?
Much of the artistic theory in the show is inspired by the psychoanalytic theory of Sigmund
Freud, who believed that unconscious needs and desires influence conscious actions and
decisions. Given that the scientific validity of Freud’s work has been called into question by
modern psychologists, is there still value in some of these ideas? How do these theories still
influence modern psychological thinking?
Philosophy
What is aesthetic distance? How does it define how we interact with art and the world around
us? Antonin Artaud believed that to truly engage the audience in artistic work we need to break
the aesthetic distance, jarring them out of their complacency. Do you agree or disagree?
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Historical/Social Context
The roaring 20s, the mob and prohibition
After World War I, the Western countries experienced a time of great economic prosperity. Jazz
music flourished as everyone danced the Charleston and Lindy Hop and the Art Deco movement
took off. The whole of the Western world seemed to be celebrating the return to normalcy after
the war. It is ironic, or possibly timely, that at this moment of great celebration the American
government chose to ban the import, export, manufacturing and sale of alcohol. This ban was
commonly known as Prohibition.
Prohibition became a huge source of revenue for organized crime syndicates in the form of
bootlegging (the illegal act of importing and selling alcohol) transforming cities into battle
grounds for rival gangs. This underground crime led to the use of legitimate business, such as
theatres, cinemas, and restaurants, as covers for illegal alcohol operations.
Vancouver History – What Really Happened in 1930?
From The History of Metropolitan Vancouver by Chuck Davis (2009)
January 27
April 4
A Vancouver demonstration by the Communist Party
Regarding the Stanley Theatre, the Vancouver Sun reports that “no time is
to be lost on the construction of the new $225,000 theatre...”
May 3
A letter appeared in the Daily Province suggesting that bells be put on
automobiles as a safety feature, to sound continuously when the vehicle is
going downhill
August 21
Newspaper reports said the annual per capita income for BC residents was
$4,339
October 12
The Marine Building, an art deco masterpiece, opened
December 15
The Stanley opened with a screening of Lillian Gish’s first talkie, One
Romantic Night. Original admission prices ranged from 10 to 40 cents, and
included the feature, a comedy, a newsreel, and a scenic.
Also in 1930
• Construction began in Richmond on what is today Vancouver International Airport
• The new Ford automobiles were on display at the Hotel Vancouver. They sold for $540
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Antonin Artaud and the Theatre of Cruelty
During the initial research phase of Tear The Curtain!, Jonathon Young rediscovered a copy of
Peter Brook’s The Empty Space. While at first it seemed inconsequential, Electric Company
eventually realised this book and the avant-garde theatre it represented was the missing piece
of the puzzle. They had already chosen to set up the tensions between theatre and film as a
battle between rival gangs but, as practioners of both mediums, they were hesitant to present a
story in which one form won out over the other. The fact that the avant-garde theatre scene
(associated with Antonin Artuad) and the surrealist film movement (led by Andre Breton)
emerged at the same time provided the inspiration to shift the tension from theatre vs. film, to
mainstream art vs. the avant-garde. Further, Antonin Artaud became the basis for the enigmatic
Stanley Lee, and Artaud’s group, The Theatre of Cruelty, inspired The Empty Space Society. This
group fight valiently for an authentic artistic medium in the piece.
Artaud wrote The Manifestos of the Theatre of Cruelty, in which he details his definition of the
purpose of theatre. Artaud clarifies that by “cruelty” he does not mean violence or physical pain,
but the intent to shatter audience complacency through a breach of aesthetic distance. For
example, he experimented with breaking the fourth wall and talking directly to the audience.
Similarly, disconnected random bits of text as well as cacophonous use of sounds (both human
and instrumental) were designed to provoke emotional response rather than create a
discernible narrative. Finally, gesture and stylized physicality were used to provoke emotional
rather than intellectual response.
Film Noir
Film noir was a term coined by a French film critic to describe a style of movie that appeared in
the 1940s. The films had created a consistent mood and utilized a unique visual style: the mood
was one of cynicism, pessimism and darkness (Schrader, 1972), and the intentional use of
shadows was clearly influenced by German expressionism (for more on this please see the
“Creating the Iconic Film Noir Image” section of this document). Characters were tortured and
introspective. Furthermore, “a complex chronological order [was] frequently used to reinforce
the feelings of hopelessness and lost time” such as the use of flashbacks and flashforwards. All
of these elements contributed to the psychological tension of the characters involved in highly
dramatic scenarios.
Film noir is a style that can be applied to any genre of movie. It is defined not by conventions of
plot or setting, “but rather by the more subtle qualities of tone and mood” (Schrader, 1972). The
protagonists of the film noir style were heavily influenced by the popular “hard-boiled” crime
novels by authors such as Raymond Chandler and John O’Hara which created the “tough,” a
tragic romantic character with a cynical protective shell. This lead character led to the most
common film noir narrative: the prohibition gangster film, often including the miscarriage of
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justice and the corruption of the state and its officials. Another common storyline is that of the
innocent man caught in circumstances beyond his control, often (but not always) leading to a
psychological break and uncharacteristic actions. Tear the Curtain! is based on the latter model.
Critical Exploration
1. What history makes of us
Was Antonin Artaud a genius or has the myth surrounding him made him appear that way?
Some scholars claim that Antonin Artaud was “a metaphysical revolutionary that rebel[led]
against the limitations placed upon him by the very nature of human existence” (Greene 1967).
In his manifesto he talks about “magic theatre” and “sacred theatre.” These do not look so much
at the individual characters of a play, but more to the relationship of human beings to the
natural world. The lucidity and transcendence of his ideas resulted from the combined effect of
his diagnosed Schizophrenia and his experiences using opium, to which he was addicted.
Artaud’s continual struggle to repair his fractured identity likely led to his fascination with the
representation of truth and imagination.
Antonin Artaud’s most famous work, Manifestos on the Theatre of Cruelty, was written more
like poetry than prose and gave the vague impression of the possibilities of theatre, with little in
the way of specific direction. The concepts outlined in his work were criticized for being less
applicable to theatre creation than those conceived by his contemporaries. To this point, the
only production by Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty, Les Cenci, was a flop. There were also few artists
of his time period that would claim Artaud as an influence: Samuel Beckett and Eugene Ionesco
go so far as to deny “being familiar with Artaud’s ideas; the latter claiming not only to have felt
no influence of Artaud’s concepts but even declared the little technical advice Artaud gives as
unsuitable”(Sellin, 1971) .
It wasn’t until the cultural shift of the 1960s when Artaud’s ideas, together with those of Bertolt
Brecht, began to evidently influence the practice of theatre. The perpetuation of Artaud’s ideas
towards creating a theatrical language that transcended spoken word were largely a result of
the anarchic and physically daring work of a renowned experimental American theatre group
called The Living Theatre. This practice continued through experimentation by theatre directors
such as Jerzy Grotowski, Peter Brook and Richard Schechner. It is, however, the works of these
more successful artists that we remember, so where does Artuad’s genius lie? Is it in the
originator of the ideas, or in those that have successfully translated it into practice? Is Antonin
Artaud only famous because acclaimed artists were inspired by his writings? Is it fair to compare
his one failed attempt at a piece of theatre to the body of work created by artists like Brecht or
Brook, whose influence on the theatrical landscape was arguably more long-lasting and deeper
felt?
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Similar to the passing down of myths through oral storytelling traditions, there is the tendency
to adapt, expand, and alter the telling of a person’s history. In this way a person’s
accomplishments can acquire epic proportions given enough time and enough believers. That is
where the power of the myth lies: in the believers. In Tear the Curtain! Alex Braithwaite and the
Empty Space Society believe so strongly in the genius of Stanley Lee that they bring him back
from the dead through the perpetuation of his ides, and so we do with many artists whose work
is interpreted and reinterpreted across generations. Ultimately, the ideas themselves develop
their own mythology of greatness. The question remains: is this ripple effect of greatness, or
genius-in-retrospect, more important than the original accomplishments of the man in
question?
Genius or not, Artaud did affect change in the theatre community, if only through the work of
future artists who mined his writing for inspiration.
2. Metafiction and the concept of truth
According to literary critic Patricia Waugh, metafiction is fictional writing that self-consciously
and systematically draws attention to its status as an artifact in order to pose questions about
the relationship between fiction and reality while simultaneously exposing the truth of the
narrative.
The most common example of metafiction is the play-within-a-play sequence, such as the one
found in Shakepeare’s Hamlet. In this example, Hamlet uses the players to reveal the truth of
who killed his father. This technique of self awareness is also used in many films (The Usual
Suspects, Inception, The Princess Bride) and novels (Secret Garden, Neverending Story, The
Historian). Tear the Curtain! utilizes metafiction when Alex Bratihwaite takes the stage as
himself, on a set that is representative of his bedroom. He repeats dialogue from a script held in
his hands containing the dialogue he is speaking at that very moment. At this point the audience
is forced to ask: what is the play and what is “the truth”, or reality, of the story we are
witnessing?
It is through such techniques that Tear The Curtain! develops suspense and psychological
tension: Alex asks the same questions about truth and reality as the audience does, and the
audience is able to journey comfortably with him through his confusion (because, after all, we
know we’re safely watching a play, right?). This confusion is only heightened by the continual
movement between the mediums of film and theatre, adding layer upon layer of image and
illusion. At each turn we wonder if now we have, as an audience, “torn the curtain” and seen
past the veil of illusions to the truth of the story. By the end of the play we are left to make our
own decisions.
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3. The Need for Aesthetic Distance
In his book Psychical Distance: Psychical Distance as a Factor in Art and as an Aesthetic Principle,
Edward Bullough presents a theory on aesthetics based on distance. He believed that a certain
amount of space, or distance, needs to exist between a work of art and its viewer in order for it
to be impactful. Too much space and the spectator would not relate; too little space and the
observer would become consumed in personal issues.
From The Proper Aesthetic Response to Art: Bullough, Dickie, Bell, Hume, and Kant
(http://voices.yahoo.com/the-proper-aesthetic-response-art-bullough-dickie7540174.html?cat=37)
Bullough was not suggesting that a viewer or an artist should become "impersonal" in regards
to an artwork, but rather that he or she should distance him or herself physically and
emotionally enough, in order to have a true aesthetic response to something. Bullough stated
that if the audience did not successfully distance themselves correctly, then they became
overly wrapped up in their own lives, as he demonstrated in his example of the Othello play.
The jealous husband watching the play could not appreciate it, as he was so wrapped up in
how the play affected him personally. Bullough further believed that when the audience
distanced themselves too far, they became critics, and that was when censorship occurred.
On the other hand, Bullough stated that a person should not distance him or herself too
much; otherwise there would be no interest in how the work of art affected the person. He
believed that the audience had to be somewhat affected in order for them to have any sort of
reaction. Bullough stated that the problem with distance was knowing the exact amount of
distance to keep, in order to have an aesthetic response, when viewing a work of art. He fully
realized that this was a very difficult and confusing task to master, as the amount of distance
required varied from person to person. Bullough further theorized that if a viewer became
"conscious of the struggle" of maintaining the right amount of distance, then that in itself
would steer the person away from having a true aesthetic response.
Bullough believed that the artist faced the same problem with distance. He theorized that if
the artist got too involved with his or her feelings expressed in the artwork, then the meaning
could become "unintelligible" for viewers, and the aesthetic response would not be the same
as what the artist had intended for the audience. On the other hand, Bullough stated that the
artist could not become too distant or detached from the artwork, because then the piece
would lose its value and genuineness.
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Do we, therefore, need aesthetic distance to protect ourselves from desensitization and loss of
empathy? Is it up to us to preserve ourselves through our choices in entertainment, or is it up to
the artists to decide the appropriateness of a creation’s content for their audiences? Would this
selection lead to censorship and a reduction of creativity? As Alex faces all of these questions in
the show, we are forced to reflect on our own choices as audience members. Though initially
Alex strives for the original and the visceral, at the end it proves too much for him to bear and
he settles on the “Hollywood” ending. Would you make the same choice to avoid discord and
confusion? Artists continue to play with aesthetic distance, but should an audience member be
accountable for maintaining this distance? Who is responsible for a spectator’s reflection
following their engagement with an artistic work?
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Pre-Show Activities
1. Breaking the fourth wall (Drama)
Electric Company plays with the concept of the fourth wall, the invisible wall through which the
audience observes the action of the play on stage. Countless other theatre artists have used the
technique for different purposes.
1. In groups, have students select one of the following theatre artists: Bertolt Brecht, Peter
Brook, Augusto Boal, The Living Theatre, Tony Kushner, Caryl Churchill
2. Have students research how and why their selected artist chose to break the fourth wall
in their presentational style
3. Have students prepare a scene selected from a work by the artist, in which the fourth
wall is broken.
4. As a class, compare and contrast the varying goals of these artists/scenes and how
effective the artists were in achieving their original goal
2. The Artist’s Manifesto (English/Drama)
Antonin Artaud was dissatisfied with the level of audience engagement in both theatre and film,
and consequently developed the manifesto Theatre of Cruelty detailing what he thought theatre
should be like. Our hero, Alex Braithwaite, faces a similar dissatisfaction with the current state
of artistic engagement and creates the Tear The Curtain! manifesto.
1. As a class, discuss the current state of popular art. Think of theatre, film, TV, etc. Are
you satisfied with it? Do these forms of entertainment still engage and move you on
some level?
2. In small groups, brainstorm what you like about current entertainment and what you
would like to see change. Highlight 2 or 3 elements from the list that all group members
can agree on.
3. Have each group present their short list. As a class, come to a consensus on which
elements you will keep. Create this manifesto and post it somewhere in the class. Have
all members of the class sign it.
4. Create a performance or artistic work that embodies these ideals. See where the ideals
become challenging and impractical. Should those things that can’t be practically
applied be left in the manifesto or taken out? Does the performance truly represent the
intention of the artists who wrote the manifesto, or has there been some level of
interpretation? What does that mean for the purity of the ideals?
Extension: If we were to create a theatre company based on these principles what kind of
theatre would we produce? What subject matter would we handle? How would we engage the
audience?
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3. Writing a Film Noir (English/Drama)
Tear The Curtian! uses the standard film noir plot of warring gangsters to bring attention to the
cultural conflict that arose during the transition from theatre to film as the most popular form of
entertainment. The film noir style has also been used to draw attention to other issues such as
greed, corruption and gang violence.
1. After teaching the character and plot elements of the film noir style, divide your
students into small groups. Each group will decide on a current issue that they feel
could be illustrated or heightened through the use of the stylistic elements of film
noir. Note: Some issues, like gang violence, have a more direct correlation to film
noir than others, such as the transition between theatre in film, in which the rival
gangs are used more as a metaphor for social opposition. Both of these possibilities
can be encouraged in your students, depending on their level of critical thinking. Be
prepared to hold individual conferences with each group to help them through this
phase of conceptualization, if necessary.
2. Have each group write a simple story skeleton based on their issue with a strong
beginning, middle and ending. Careful attention should be paid to how the issue or
theme is being supported by the film noir framework.
3. Once the synopsis of the story is complete have each student in the group write one
key scene of the film.
4. Have students present their scenes to the class. Each group will lead a discussion
after their presentation about the issue they chose to highlight.
Extension (Visual Art): Have students create a story board for their scene. This can be
incorporated with the post show activity “Creating Iconic Film Noir Images”. They can draw
inspiration from stills from movies, or from neo-noir graphic novels such as Sin City or Road to
Perdition (though these should be reviewed ahead of time for adult content, depending on the
age of your students)
4. Designing a Period Piece (History/Visual Art/Drama)
When staging a show that is set in another time period, such as Tear the Curtain!, a great deal of
thought goes into designing costumes,sets, and props that are historically accurate. Having
students experience the design process may help them gain a deeper understanding of the
historic and visual art aspects of theatre.
1. As a class, select a script that is set in a historic time period. Read and discuss the
script together to ensure all students have a full understanding of the story and
historic context.
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2. Have students follow the attached five-step design process to create their own
designs for the show. Students may choose to focus on a set model, or 3 separate
costume sketches (for the same or separate characters depending on the needs of
the show) Note: Students will need several classes to complete this portion.
3. Have students present their final designs to the class or a small group. Encourage
questions and discussion that will reveal the stylistic and historic information the
students used to inform their design choices.
Extension: Have students design a combination of set and costume designs for the show.
Emphasize the importance of a cohesive design that includes similar or complimentary color
palettes and/or motifs.
The Set and Costume Design Process
Step 1: Analyze the script.
Collect as much information as possible from the text. Create detailed profiles for:
Each character: How old are they? What do they do for a living? Where do they live? Who do they
live with? What are key words you would use to describe their personality? What actions or
circumstances in the play would influence the types of clothing they wear? etc.
The setting: When and where is it set? Think broadly (country, era, year) and specifically (private
home or public place? Which room? What time of year? Time of day?)
Also analyze your script for technical needs. Ex, do you need working doors or windows? How much
offstage time will a character have to change costumes, if necessary?
Step 2: Research! Research! Research!
Collect as much information as possible about the styles of the time. What were the popular fashions
and architectural styles? How did class and income affect what people’s homes looked like, what
they wore, what furniture and household items they possessed? What were the most popular
materials being used? How did societal and historical events shape the realities of art, architecture
and fashion?
Step 3: Create an inspiration board or collage.
Find pictures, colour swatches, textures and patterns that remind you of the period. Physically
organize your inspiration for the show. This is where you start to have some artistic license. How do
you want the show to look? What thematic elements can be represented visually? Include these
visual themes along with your period research to create a few strong visual through lines for your
design.
Step 4: Sketch it out.
You are finally ready to create your designs. Costume designs are typically sketched out as full-figure
character drawings while set designs are usually a combination of sketches and a 3-D model. Start
with preliminary, rough sketches to get your ideas out on paper. Revisit your design goals to ensure
you have achieved technical requirements, historical accuracy, and are happy with the artistic
choices you have made. Revise your rough work as necessary.
Step 5: Finalize your designs.
Once you are satisfied, you can create polished final sketches or models. Remember that your
sketches/models should be both aesthetically pleasing and informational. Your drawings don’t need
to be masterpieces, but it is important that they include details that help the viewer fully visualize
what the design would look like in real life.
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Post-Show Activities
1. Site-Specific Creation (Drama)
Tear The Curtain! was created for the Stanley Theatre as a site-specific work. Site-specific art is
art that is inspired by, and created specifically for, the space in which it will be shown. Electric
Company was inspired by the history of the Stanley Theatre as well as the book The Empty Space
by Peter Brook, as outlined in earlier sections of this document.
Discuss with your class the nature of site-specific theatre, and the specific details of how the
play Tear the Curtain! was influenced by the space, its history and the overall ambience and
architecture of the building.
1. Have the class do some initial research on the school building and its history.
2. Take your class to a preselected space in the school building or on the school grounds.
Ask them to point out features of the space they find particularly interesting. What kind
of scenes would these elements lend themselves to? Eg. If a space has a number of full
size picture windows, an obvious choice would be to have the audience on one side and
the actors on the other. This could be an opportunity for voyeurism or possibly the
revelation of some secret activity being performed by the characters, which the
audience can see but not hear. If the students wish to draw on the history of the school
for ideas they can, but it is not necessary. It is more important that the inspiration come
from the space. Should the students find an object in the space they find inspiring (such
as the book by Peter Brooks at the Stanley) then they may pursue that line of inquiry.
3. When you have generated enough scene ideas, break the class into small groups (3 or 4)
and assign each one of them a scene. As a group they can decide if they want to create
their scene through improvisation or through group writing. Allow a short period in
which to create the piece (10 to 15 minutes). While a short time allotment will be
stressful for some, it forces students to jump in and create work right away, bypassing
the natural impulse to censor themselves.
4. Present the individual scenes to the class. As a group, decide how the individual scenes
will fit together to create a narrative. If there are pieces of the narrative still missing,
have a second round of scene creation to fill in the gaps.
5. Rehearse the scenes together as a piece, adding and cutting as necessary. Present
informally to another class, or to the entire school if desired.
Extension: Have the students take a walk around the school in groups of 4 or 5 to find an
inspiring space. When they find a space that inspires them, have them repeat the process of
brainstorming, scene creation, narrative creation and polishing, that they have experienced as a
class. Plays can then be presented as an evening of theatre, with the audience travelling around
the school building to view the work in the space it was designed for.
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2. Creating the Iconic Film Noir Image (Visual Art/Media/Photography)
Directors use a number of stylistic considerations to create the iconic film noir look,
including:
- High contrast lighting resulting in stark bright whites, dark blacks, and interesting
shadows
- Majority of scenes are lit for night, and daytime scenes are indoors and darkly lit
with the blinds drawn
- Oblique and vertical lines are preferred to horizontal ones, making the screen
restless and unstable
- The actors and setting are often given equal lighting emphasis
- Compositional tension is preferred to physical action
1. Look at a number of still images drawn from some of the iconic film noir films of the
1940s and 50s (see list below)
2. Analyze for the above elements.
3. In small groups, have students create their own film noir style images using black and
white film, controlled lighting, and costumes and props from the drama department as
available. If resources are limited, create tableaux utilizing as many elements as
available.
Technical Tips for Recreating the Film Noir Look (It’s All About the Lighting!)
- Use hard, restricted light (single source lighting works best) to create high contrast and
sharp shadow lines
- Create suspense and dimension by lighting subjects from the side.
- Choose your background carefully to maximize control over your lighting
- Use gobos to gain control over shadow play. Don’t have the gobos you need? Make
them by cutting silhouettes out of cardboard and placing them between the light source
and the framed image.
Extension: Using the film noir style, create a series of 5-6 images or tableaux that follow a logical
sequence to tell a story.
3. Importance of Music in Storytelling
Music has its own narrative. Composers use a number of elements to create emotional effects:
sudden changes in key signature and chord progression to create dramatic tension. Filmmakers
use music to heighten and intensify the dramatic moments of a narrative.
1. Listen to a piece of music from a popular movie or TV show, or perhaps consider a film
noir film. Analyze the overall tone and effect of the piece, and what the composer has
done to create it.
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2. Watch the scene with the volume muted. Watch the scene again, this time with the
music. Discuss how the music supports the storytelling.
3. Can you change the scene simply by changing the music? In small groups have students
create new scores for the same scene, while trying to completely change the tone or
intent. You may assign a different genre to each group such as horror, comedy or
romance.
4. Watch the scenes with the new scores. Discuss the difference in effect from the first
viewing.
50 Film Noir Movie Favourites
imdb.com
Sunset Blvd. (1950)
M (1931)
Double Indemnity (1944)
The Third Man (1949)
Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
Touch of Evil (1958)
Strangers on a Train (1951)
Ace in the Hole (1951)
Rififi (1955)
Notorious (1946)
The Big Sleep (1946)
The Night of the Hunter (1955)
White Heat (1949)
The Killing (1956)
Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
Laura (1944)
Out of the Past (1947)
Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
Night and the City (1950)
In a Lonely Place (1950)
The Big Heat (1953)
Key Largo (1948)
Mildred Pierce (1945)
The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)
Fury (1936)
The Killers (1946)
Scarface (1932)
Pickup on South Street (1953)
Scarlet Street (1945)
The Set-Up (1949)
Stray Dog (1949)
Body and Soul (1947)
Thieves' Highway (1949)
Gaslight (1944)
Gun Crazy (1950)
Odd Man Out (1947)
Nightmare Alley (1947)
The Woman in the Window (1944)
The Narrow Margin (1952)
Gilda (1946)
The Lady from Shanghai (1947)
The Naked City (1948)
Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
The Letter (1940)
Brute Force (1947)
Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950)
The Big Clock (1948)
Spellbound (1945)
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Glossary
Avant-Garde is anything ahead of its time, often used to refer to art artists who use unorthodox
or experimental methods in their work.
Aesthetic Distance: A term developed by theoretician Edward Bullough to describe the
emotional engagement of a person with a work of art. Also referred to as “psychical distance”.
Bootlegging: the creation and distribution of illegal products such as alcohol during Prohibition
or illegally ripped DVDs.
Chiaroscuro “is an Italian term which literally means 'light-dark'. In paintings the description
refers to clear tonal contrasts which are often used to suggest the volume and modelling of the
subjects depicted.” (From The National Gallery, London glossary). In theatre and film, similar
effects are accomplished using specific lighting techniques.
Collaborative Creation is a creation model that breaks down the more traditional roles of
playwright, director, and performers. In this model, artists collaborate in creating the whole
theatrical experience and are free to contribute ideas to any aspect of the piece.
Expressionism: An artistic movement in Europe prior to WWI that focused on representing
meaning and emotion, rather than any reflection of reality.
Film noir: A style of film characterised by high contrast lighting, dark and often cynical mood or
tone, with expressions of despair and disillusionment.
Gobos: A template or cut-out that goes in front of a light to create a pattern, silhouette, or
shape.
Metafiction: When a work of fiction draws attention to itself in order to expose the “truth” of
the story.
Prohibition: The banning of the sale, production and consumption of alcohol, by a government
in order to enforce abstinence in its population.
Site Specific is when a piece of art is inspired by and/or created to be viewed in a specific space.
How the audience views the piece becomes integral to the interaction between artist and
artwork.
Speakeasy: A restaurant or bar that sold alcohol illegally during prohibition.
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Additional Resources
Tear The Curtain! Media Kit created by the Arts Club Theatre, 2010:
http://www.artsclub.com/youth/pdfs/1011guides/tear-the-curtain-guide.pdf
About Film Noir
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_noir
On Antonin Artaud
http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/Images/antonin_artaud_tcm4-123683.pdf
Works Cited
Schrader, Paul (1972) Notes on Film Noir.
http://michelebeverly.com/Documents/Notes%20of%20Film%20Noir.pdf
Sellin, Eric and Sanche de Gramont (1971) Review: Antonin Artaud, Man of Vision by Bettina
Knapp; Antonin Artaud, Poet without Words by Naomi Greene
http://www.jstor.org.proxy.queensu.ca/stable/10.2307/465078?origin=api&
Greene, Naomi (1967) Antonin Artaud, Poet without Words
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This Study Guide was created and compiled by:
Erin Schachter, Education & Audience Development Manager
Gillian Street, Electric Company Education Intern
Educator Outreach Program Sponsor:
Canadian Stage Educator Advisory Committee, 2012.2013
Please feel free to contact me or an Advisor from your own board to discuss productions
and further education opportunities at Canadian Stage.
Erin Schachter
[email protected]
Anne-Louise
Marshall McLuhan, TCDSB
[email protected]
Bannon
Brendon Allen
The Bishop Strachan School, CIS [email protected]
Christine Jackson
TDSB
Janet O’Neill
TDSB
Jennifer Burak
Victoria Park CI, TDSB
[email protected]
Julian Richings
Arts Education Consultant
Kristen Beach
York Humber, TDSB
[email protected]
Laurence Siegel
Arts Education Consultant
[email protected]
Melissa Farmer
Branksome Hall, CIS
[email protected]
Michael Limerick
Monarch Park, TDSB
[email protected]
Sally Spofforth
Marc Garneau, TDSB
[email protected]
STUDY GUIDE:
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