The Pillowman

My First Impression (General-Lights)

Hey sorry I haven't really been able to post anything substantial, I've been moving around a lot this holiday and mostly to places without internet (they actually still exist surprisingly). Here was a video and song I thought of at the read through:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7zyfArxibk&ob=av3e

Black River Killer by Blitzen Trapper

Some of you may be familiar with the song, but if you're not familiar with the video I suggest taking a look. I really love the style of it and the color palet and the tone of the song felt very Pillowman.

Another video that came to mind was this one of Sin City:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWy1JLuP8MY&list=FLobiehunA4NKtH7ET_5cXOA&index=18&feature=plpp_video

The song is Cells by The Servant, but that wasn't what drew my attention. What really drew my attention in this video was the use of lighting. In almost none of the shots are people front lit. They are entirely lit from side angles and back/top light. It creates a really powerful mood that could be effective during some of the more intense scenes.

So brief post, but I'll return with much more later.

Skye's Image Bannk

Colors: dirty, once saturated but faded–blues, greens, shades of gray and white. The stories will have a little more surrealistic vibrance–more like the photos of the willow trees.

Line/Shape: I imagine the interrogation room to consistent of a lot of harsh lines and patterns. I really like the checkered floor in the photo with all of the hospital beds. The story world will have a lot more organic shapes, and it will also be "off-kilter"–like in a Tim Burton movie where all the houses kind of tilt off center. I like the idea of messing with the audience's perception throughout the play, and creating a way for all of the rigid lines of the interrogation room and the "real world" to suddenly seem more "off" as the story world invades.

Texture: I'm interested in smoothness for the interrogation room–everything should be able to be wiped down really easily every time they interrogate someone and get the room all bloody. I'm also interested in padded walls.

Other thoughts: Kathi and I talked a lot about the set before break (and I'm not sure how much she passed on to all of you, so forgive me if I'm being repetitive). Right now it seems like the audience will be orientated in a proscenium style on the short wall to your left (when you go in the main doors to the studio, that wall that's on your left underneath the air vent). I really want to make use of levels, and right now it seems like there will be 2 levels–the interrogation room being on the lower level, and the story world being on an upper level that jutts out from the ledge that's already part of the studio architecture. I want to make the set move-able and alterable– I really like the idea of the actors being able to manipulate it and play with it (like what if there was a wall made out of spandex material that the ensemble could manipulate to make it look like they were melting through the walls?!) In terms of costumes: I'm going to talk with the actors when everyone starts rehearsal in January, but so far I'm thinking suits for Tupolski/Ariel, and I know I want the Pillowman to be dressed in all-white (probably with a long white trenchcoat).

What's He Building In There? Tom Waits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaLjwSpZ6Cs

What's he building in there?

I'll tell you one thing: He's not building a play house for the children.

What's he building in there?

And what's that sound from underneath the door?

He's pounding nails into a hardwood floor.

I swear to God I heard someone moaning, low.

- Tom Waits

Katurian's Photos (Real Life)

CHILDHOOD HOME:

4443 KAMENICE:

PRISON/INTERROGATION BODY POSITIONS AND ARCHITECTURE:

WRITER'S FINGERS:

MY BROTHER, MICHAL: (sorry forrest)

ABATTOIR (work):

The Three Gibbet Crossroads

One of the first stories that Tupolski reads (or paraphrases, really) aloud, and one of the only stories in the play that doesn't directly involve assault on children is the Three Gibbet Crossroads, and I thought I'd illuminate a few things about it for people who can't be buggered to google them. The G in gibbet is pronounced like a J, and gibbets were a device used to warn citizens off committing the same crimes as the incarcerated. They were typically composed of a metal cage hanging from a gallows-like structure, where a convicted criminal of a particularly repugnant crime could be left to rot as an example. Gibbets were often placed at crossroads, in order to be visible to the maximum number of travelers. Most townspeople found them offensive; they were grotesque, and stank awfully. In earlier times, live criminals like the ones in Katurian's story were left to die in their cages, but later convicts were hung first, and then displayed. (More humane, I suppose?) Anyway, ghastly stuff. The public display of dead criminals as a warning goes back into antiquity - a similar technique was used for pirates, and of course crucifixion is a form of this.

More sounds

Also, the guy who is [bitches on my dick] makes more ambient music as geotherm Really liking the white noise + creepy toy piano vibe

Sounds

Thinking mostly white noise + weird percussive sounds + super screwed vocals There's a few songs on this album (pop massacre) that sort of fit the bill Mainly tracks 1 and 6 A little bit tracks 9 and 2 also Also, anything by ▲⃝ ▲⃝ ▲⃝ (A.K.A. Bitches On My Dick) Or just witch-house in general I guess