SS - Ordering the Scenes

Today we planed our performance, we put everything we have created in the order that we want to show them in, we also planned a rout to take our audience through.

SS - Seven Devils Update

Today we decided to put in the Seven Devils piece that the other group created before we decided what we were doing. We put everyone in it and added to it for it to go better with our performance. We plan on ending our performance with this as it has all of us in it and I think it will be a good big finish to end on.

SS - Kyle's Scene

We wanted a scene where we are using Electroconvulsive Therapy on someone as we felt this is an interesting style of therapy that would look good in a scene and freak out the audience.

Here is some research into Electroconvulsive Therapy:

ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy) is a treatment that involves sending an electric current through the brain to trigger an epileptic seizure to relieve the symptoms of some mental health problem.

ECT is mainly used if you:

• have severe, life-threatening depression
• have not responded to medication or talking treatments
• have found it helpful in the past and have asked to receive it again
• have severe postnatal depression

It may sometime be used if you:

• are experiencing a manic or psychotic episode which is severe or is lasting a long time
• are catatonic (staying frozen in one position for a long time; or repeating the same movement for no obvious reason; or being extremely restless, unrelated to medication)

It may also be used when it is important to have an immediate effect; for example, because you are so depressed that you are unable to eat or drink, and are in danger of kidney failure.

No-one is sure how ECT works, but it is known to change patterns of blood flow in the brain, and also change the way energy is used in parts of the brain that are thought to be involved in depression. It may cause changes in brain chemistry, although how these are related to symptoms is not understood.

The ECT Accreditation Service (run by the Royal College of Psychiatrists) reported on a survey of 78 ECT clinics in England and Wales in 2012-2013. This reported the results of 1895 courses of treatment in 1789 people:

• improved (‘minimally’, ‘much’ or ‘very much’): 1712
• no change: 113
• worse: 28

We wanted to have Kyle go through ECT due to the fact that his character refuses to speak and so we created a scene where we shock him but it doesn't help the situation. We felt that the scene alone was kinda lacking in effect so we created a movement piece to show his struggle and the painful ECT.

SS - Tom's Jesus Scene

There is a part of the tunnels that look like steps leading to church doors and as we decided that Toms issue is that he believes he is Jesus, we felt that if he had a scene it would work well here. We also wanted to slip in a little hint that the doctors aren't really doctors in this scene as well so when Tom is reading scripture he is reading a passage about deceit and lies.

Here is the script we wrote for the scene:

SS - Risk Assessment

Hazard	Involved	Likelihood	Severity	Control Measure
Fire	Cast (12) and audience (approximately 15)	Unlikely	Severe	No naked flames
Trips/ Falls in the tunnels	Cast (12) and Audience (approximately 15)	Even	Mild	Cast well-rehearsed in the tunnels Path clear and well lit Hazards clearly marked
Items falling from height	Cast (12) and Audience (approximately 15)	Possible	Medium	No item left/used at height
Getting lost	Cast (12) and Audience (approximately 15)	Possible	Mild	Cast members are to be familiar with the tunnels Audience will not be left alone throughout performance
Broken Equipment	Cast (12)	Possible	Mild-Medium	All equipment and props will be checked for damage/faults before the performance
Gate Jamming	Cast (4) and Audience (approximately 15)	Unlikely	Mild	Gate will be well checked and rehearsed with

SS - Ashley's scene

We wanted a scene for Ashley as his character doesn't have a major moment in our performance yet. We had the idea of leaving little hints that the doctors aren't really doctor throughout the performance and we want Kyle to be a part of this scene, writing down that they aren't real but Ashley (being slow) cant read it. We also put Toby in this scene to give Ashley someone normal to talk to.

Here is the scene we came up with:

Doctor: This is Edward, you will have to speak extremely slowly to him otherwise he won’t be able to understand anything you say.

Dom:     Oh, I didn’t read anything about hearing difficulties in his files. What precisely is wrong with him?

Nurse:  It’s not really anything to do with hearing, it’s just that he’s just a bit slow to get things really.

Dom:     Well research has shown that speaking to some patients like this can be very patronising and can actually make the patients more agitated than what they were when they enter the facility and…

Doctor: Are you trying to tell us how to do our jobs? Do you have a qualification yet? No so be quiet and listen.

Dom:     Does he not do anything here, in this room to stimulate his brain activity to help him get better

Nurse: Oh no, Edward doesn’t do anything unless you instruct him. He lacks… oh, what’s it called…

Doctor: initiative

Nurse:  That’s right, yes, Edward only does what he is told to do by clear instructions and he doesn’t speak unless spoken too.

(A scream is heard from further down the tunnel)

Doctor: Oh it seems one of our patients is in distress, we must go attend to them right away, oh perhaps you should join us.

Dom:     We shouldn’t really leave the patient alone in the open like this…

Nurse: It will be fine, Kenith and Dr Howard are here

(Doctor, Nurse and Dom leave)

(Kyle is writing something but Ashley cant read it so Kyle stomps of frustrated)

Toby:     He doesn’t speak much you know?

Ed:          Why?

Toby:     I don’t really know…… come to think of it, I don’t think anyone does.

Ed:          Who is he?

Toby:     Kenneth, Not really sure if it’s his real name but it’s what the doctors call him.

Ed:          The doctors call me Edward, what do they call you?

Toby:     The doctors call me Howard, but for the moment you can call me Doctor Howard.

Ed:          Doctor Howard, why are you here?

Toby:     Well I have worked here for around 5 years. I’ve been a part of many experiments and I study the minds of some of our patients and see if there are any developments and improvements in the brain.

Ed:          What?

Toby:     I’m a doctor. I work here. That is what I am doing here. To help people like you get better.

Ed:          Am I Ill then

Toby:     Not ill no, but I am worried about you Ed.

Ed:          Why are you worried?

Toby:     I’m worried because sometimes I feel as if other patients are going to hurt you.

Ed:          Why would they hurt me?

Toby:     I’m afraid I can’t tell you Ed.

Ed:          is it a secret?

Toby:     It is I’m afraid and I’m not allowed to tell you about it. How are you feeling today?

Ed:          I’m feeling good, who was the man, is he playing the game as well?

Toby:     Oh, I’m not sure, here come with me – I need to show you something.

Ed:          Okay. 

SS - Dans' Script Developed

Seeing Dan and Dom perform the scene they wrote I felt the scene was really weak and could be a lot better if we develop the script more. So I took the script and re-wrote it with some improvements.

Script:

Dom:     So, I’ve read your file and it states that you are here on the grounds of your criminal activity.

Dan:       (stares blankly at Dom)

Dom:     Mr Ellington? (Pause) Mich-

Dan:       Don’t!

(Dan gets visibly agitated during this speech)

Dom:     (Pause) Mr Ellington, on record you were found guilty of murder, after five people were found dead with multiple stab wounds to the stomach and heavy lacerations down their backs. After a month long trial, in which your sentence was looking to be as long as 25 years, you suddenly decided to plead guilty on the account of insanity. This lead to a month of examinations to prove your unstable mental state. The five doctor who examined you, all reported your insanity and you were sent here to be treated. However, after a year of being here, all the doctors who examined you have later confessed to giving a false report due to an overwhelming sense that their lives would be threatened if they found you sane-

Dan:       (yelling) Stop!

Dom:     Are you saying you didn’t threaten your doctors?

Dan:       I don’t need to threaten anybody, I pleaded guilty of insanity because I am. I’m crazy … unstable … needed to be locked away safely in this place!

Dom:     This place isn’t some safe haven for criminals. It’s an institution to help people with serious problems …….. No you “need” to be here because it’s better than the other option. Better than a cold, bitter jail cell with a very friendly cellmate named Tyrone.

Dan:       I’m not stable. I need to be here! (Smiling) With the meds.

Dom:     Ahh yes, your medication (Pause to check files) A simple blend of alprazolam and diazepam. Do you know what they are (Pause-No response from Dan) Tranquiliser, basically the only reason why your neurotics are slightly disturbed right now. You don’t belong here; you’re lied to get here, taking the easy way out.

Dan:       You don’t know a thing about me, who I am, where I’ve been.-

Dom:     Your name is Michael Ellington, you are 27; you grew up in London where your parents were stabbed to death, murdered before your eyes when you were 12. You were taken out of London and brought here, Medway, where you were put in the foster system but no family would take you due to you suffering from PTS. It seems I know quite a lot of things about you, Michael.

(Dan looks dumbfounded)

Dan:       Ok. You’re right. (Smile) You singlehandedly worked out my scheme. (Threateningly) But you’re not going to tell anyone … Are you?

Dom:     You can’t expect me to keep quiet about this. When I leave this place, I’m heading straight to the police to file a report on you explaining the situation and then you will be taken from here and sent straight to jail.

Dan:       That is assuming the other crazies let you go. Actually … scratch that… let me try again. That is assuming I let you go

(Dan lunges at Dom but the Doctor intercepts and restrains him)

Doctor: Sorry about that. (To Freya) I think we need to up his meds.

Nurse:  Sure, I’ll stay here and calm him down, you take Dom to see Meg, she needs you.

Doctor: Ok. (To Dom) This way please.

SS - Dan fight scene scripted

Today we created a scene for Dan's character of criminally insane. We wanted a bit of stage combat between Dan's character and the psychiatrist. We wanted Dan to lash out at him and attempt to kill him but we want to have a scene prior to it, to build tension and atmosphere.

Here is the first attempt at a script prior to the fight.

SS - Ellie Scene

Today we scripted a scene for Ellie's character. We wanted this scene to really show the extent of how badly the doctors mistreat us. We want the audience to lose trust in the doctors and feel on edge about who they are following around this asylum.

SS - Gate Scene

After visiting the Fort we want to do a scene by the gate and have a moment where we lock the audience in for a bit. We liked the idea that Meg, playing a child, needs to be locked away in a caged room. We felt the setting would juxtapose the character and therefor put the audience on edge. We planed dialogue for this scene.