The majority of our script was written by our Director Dwain Brown, however I was given the task of helping to write the war scene for Jo’s delusion. The scene needed to show Jo as a strong leader in opposition to Beth whom she saw as an evil dictator figure. We needed to emphasise the importance of the upcoming promotion and how close the two of them where in sales; the delusion needed clearly depict that this was what Jo was fighting for. Therefore I made sure to continually relate back to her soldiers being coded as units, as well as having the enemy, allies’ ratio similar to that of their sales from the last quarter.

The military jargon used was inspired from various places including war films such as Saving Private Ryan and Lone Survivor. As well as some unconventional stimulus including Call of Duty video games and comedic sketches from the likes of Monty Python and Armstrong and Miller. This was to keep it relatively accurate to a military strategist and maintain a fast pace of how Jo handled each scenario that came at her. I felt this was necessary in the pace and impulsiveness of Jo’s character as immediately after this we see she has to leave work to look after her ill Father and is struggling to keep a balance of work and family problems.

The interruptions voiced by Beth in German radio transmissions continually worked to remind the audience and Jo of the rivalry between the two of them, each becoming more frustrating than the last. The final transmission we decided to cut and replace with an explosion, it being the final blow of Jo being removed from the top of the ladder of success, being replaced by Beth, as well as a foreshadowing element for the next scene in which Jo has to leave the office.

I feel this delusion fit the character of Jo really well in her fiery nature and emphasis on hers and Beth’s rivalry for the promotion. The placing of the scene was a strong choice in being the second delusion shown and also gave a strong build to the emotional phone call that came immediately after this scene.

Throughout this module we as an ensemble have had the opportunity to see some fantastic theatre companies come to the LPAC, and found this a really strong tool when it came to deciding what kind of show we wanted to debut as a company. Particular performances that really stood out for me personally where Focus Group, 1972: The Future of Sex and Wail. Being the set designer for the company I loved the simplicity and minimalism Toot used with the singular table used in Focus Group; with a filing cabinet set up downstage right of it. This simplicity made transition changes crisp and fluid by the effective readjusting of the table, from being stood at a 180 degree angle to a 45 degree. I was drawn to this set design in it being so straightforward, heightened by these changes being used by the actors, visual to the audience, watching the performance in a traverse staging.

This simplicity is also true of the Wardrobe Ensemble’s performance of 1972: The Future of Sex, the use of just a few chairs and a table where enough, when re-positioned to create a new environment. A personal favourite of mine in this performance was the bedroom and hallway of the character Anthony. The stage completely bare and the actor taking a few steps forward or back to create the illusion of speaking from behind the bedroom door as Anthony’s father; and then switching back into the bedroom to play Anthony’s reactions.