Melodrama

A style of drama that we can utilised in the performing of TRIH is melodrama.

Melodrama style of Acting

Watch this video of the play A 10 Minute Melodrama and describe what the characteristics of this style of acting are. How do the characters speak and move?

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

Basic melodrama stage conventions

http://thecrushedtragedian.blogspot.sg/2007/07/basic-melodramatic-stage-conventions.html

Melodrama Types and Acting Conventions (video inclusive)

http://wanderingash5.blogspot.sg/2011/03/melodrama-types-and-acting-conventions.html

Webpage from Kaiapoy High School with a whole unit on Melodrama!

http://www.kaiapoi.school.nz/WebSpace/784/

Notes about the genre of Melodrama

19^th Century Melodrama

http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/spd130et/melodrama.htm

Wikipedia’s entry on Melodrama

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melodrama

Agatha's Christie's The Mousetrap

Girls, please watch a these video clips of The Mousetrap so that you understand the kind of style that you parodying in TRIH. What are the characteristics of the style of acting?
What else do you notice about the two plays? Similarities? Differences?

Mousetrap Act 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js6pqzRxUBI&feature=related
The Mousetrap Clip 1---Intro & Meet the Ralstons.wmv
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_cBfBrZ3js&feature=related
The Mousetrap Clip 2---Irritated Husbands,Terrible Females, and The Arrival of the Unexpected Guest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frme10_gnZw&feature=relmfu

The Mousetrap Clip 3---Well-Disguised Cornbeef---Mrs. Boyle and Major Metcalf get acquainted

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhFwlDrLU0U&feature=relmfu

What is success?

Success to me is when I have accomplished a goal that I have set for myself. Success often comes with lots of obstacles in between. It’s like having a road block, blocking you from your goal. Success varies among people as many people have different definitions of success. Some may say success comes about with money, some say it comes with happiness and some, love. For me, as long as I am happy with what I have achieved I could say that I feel success.

What is the metaphor of a maze?

A maze is like having your path blocked so many times that you get annoyed or frustrated. Only certain routes lead to the finish. But imagine defying the laws of the maze (going through a blocked path which you never thought was possible), you could still reach the finish. The metaphor of a maze is the path to success. Taking any path you want. There is no right or wrong. All that matters is you get to the finish, which is what you desire.

What does a maze look like?

Lines. Lot and lots of lines. It looks rather messy but in a way there’s a certain pattern to it. Every maze is unique with a single winning path.

What’s in a maze?

Everything and nothing, and well, me. It depends on what the person thinks that is a maze to them. They’re own problems and path they have to dig out for themselves. Everyone has their own maze. So just imagine in your head and you’ll see what’s in a maze.

Mazes

Hampton Court Maze

Barcelona Maze

Nicole Cheah

Success At Last! (Melissa Mae)

1. What is success?

To me, success is the feeling when you know you have achieved your desired goal after overcoming many, many obstacles along the way. The feeling of success is great. It is when you truly know that all of your hard work and determination -that has been put into a certain goal- has paid of, that you know you're finally successful. 


In this particular story that we're doing (The Maze), success is not achieved only by getting out of the maze, but the journey you had. If you got out of the maze without overcoming any obstacles, it wouldn't even be considered as success after all. The journey you had while trying to get out of the maze is the thing that determines the level of success you have achieved. If you managed to overcome all obstacles in the maze, your level of success would be great. 


"Obstacles are necessary for success because in selling, as in all careers of importance, victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats." - Og Mandino


2. What is the metaphor of the maze?
[Message and Intention]


- Why did you go into the maze?

I went into the maze to save the lives of my parents. They were on one end of the maze, and I was on the other. I was given a time limit to save them and if I didn't, they would get killed by an UNSUB. Along the way to the other end, I would encounter many obstacles involving dangerous animals and people. After beating each enemy, I would be given a clue that would tell me which route to take next, and eventually lead me to my parent's whereabouts. I wanted to put a little twist of Criminal Minds and Harry Potter in my story.

- What did the maze look like?

Some mazes...

The maze looks complicated, on both the outside and inside. It is as large or larger than a football field, and is made out of leaves and vines. The maze is very tall and long. This is so that it has an eerie feel to it. When you're in the maze, you'll get confused and feel trapped for a while before you decide where you're headed to next. The maze will be easy to complete if you follow all the steps to get to the other side, however if you don't, getting out of the maze would be a torturous experience for you.


Done by: Melissa Mae :)

Success at Last. (food for thought) (Dawn)

What success at last means to me is; taking a very long procedure and numerous times of failures to get to what you are trying to accomplish. To me the ahievement/accomplishment that you have achieved is does not really define the success but it is more of the lessons;(values, wisdoms)  that you have learnt or even gained from, because maybe the particular achievement may last only for a while whereas the things gained may last you your whole life.



           The Maize.
                                   
                                          okay... nvm. 

                                                    The Mazes

                                          Reignac-sur-Indre Maze (France)

                                          The Mind Maze          

                 This is like not a real maze this is like a "pshycology Maze".

                                        It is sort of like the you are trying to figure out what who you are               and that you are also trying to walk out of this maze
(your mental thoughts) that is messing with your mind

What is the metaphor of the maze? Why enter the maze?
For the both of the mazes it like a "trial and error" type of thing . Because for someone to get out of a complicated maze, she must have tried the maze many times to actually do it. Hence every route that you pick to (try) and get out is like taking a chance to do something, and the many routes which leads you not to the exit is like setbacks. And these motivation to redo and gaining the knowledge that these routes are wrong are like things that the person gains. 


Dawn.

Stimuli(NicR)

What is success?

To me, success is when you feel that you have accomplished something and have met your own standards. It’s when you feel pleased with yourself and your work. I guess it’s also the sense that your esteem is given a boost because of your accomplishment.

Success could be defined as anything to different people but the basis of what makes up ‘success’ to me is usually that feeling of happiness after completing the task.

What is the metaphor of the maze?

A certain stage of one’s life when one has to make many choices and are faced with many setbacks, having to try and try again when we don’t get it right. For example, right now in our teenage years we make a lot of mistakes but no matter how many times we come to a dead end, we get back up and try another way to get out of the maze. Since the maze in this case represents our teenage years, the way out could be a metaphor for when we finally learn what it means to become adults, to learn to make the right choices and going on a journey to develop yourself on the way to get out of that maze.  

What does the maze look like?

It looks intimidating. Something daunting and something that you wouldn’t to go into; but at the same time, when you finally go in you learn how to adapt to the changes and start to try and make your way out. I guess its kind of like a bouncy castle. It looks large and scary, and at first it feels a bit unnerving to have the ground underneath you bounce and feel unsteady, but eventually you get used to it and even start to have fun as you make your way through the castle and eventually exit the castle altogether.

Labyrinth:

1.                              A complicated irregular network of passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one's way; a maze. An intricate and confusing arrangement.

Maze:

A network of paths and hedges designed as a puzzle through which one has to find a way. A few of the mazes/labyrinths:

 this maze shows how when we eventually get to the end, there will be something waiting there for us whether it be good or bad, and it also brings about the feeling of success at having completed the maze.

Stimuli (Gillian's PoV)

Suggestions:

1. What is success? Success is attaining my goal after going through all the hard work, effort and obstacles to get there. Success is about the goal and the journey. Success is knowing that i have the capability to do what I had set my mind to.

-Is it getting out of the maze?

No, it is getting to the core of the maze. To gain control.

2. What is the metaphor of the maze?

-Forced or choose to go into it? (Message/intention) Forced to go into it. It is something you cannot avoid. You can run away from it, but it will always find a way to catch up with you and then you will have to face it.

-what do I do in the maze? Wander around it, looking for a certain point but not exactly sure what it would be like.

-How is it related to real life? We know what our goals are but we never really know what will happen once we get there.

3. What does the maze look like?

-eg Singapore

-Why? An hourglass – To signify that time is running out.

4. Research Famous mazes/ labyrinth – literature, real life (below)

5. What’s in the maze? Ultimately, it is ‘me’ that the person is looking for. We always think we are looking for something, but little do we know it, we are searching for ourselves and who we are. In the maze, there are random things that cause me to trip or slow down.

 

Definition of labyrinth - (noun) a confusing set of connecting passages or paths in which it is easy to get lost.

Definition of maze – (noun) ¹a complicated system of paths or passages which people try to find their way through for amusement ²an area in which you can get easily lost because there are so many similar streets or passages  

http://www.lessons4living.com/labyrinth.htm

"Your life is a sacred journey. And it is about change, growth, discovery, movement, transformation, continuously expanding your vision of what is possible, stretching your soul, learning to see clearly and deeply, listening to your intuition, taking courageous challenges at every step along the way. You are on the path... exactly where you are meant to be right now... And from here, you can only go forward, shaping your life story into a magnificent tale of triumph, of healing of courage, of beauty, of wisdom, of power, of dignity, and of love." 
Caroline Adams

We are all on the path... exactly where we need to be. The labyrinth is a model of that path.

A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness. It combines the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path. The Labyrinth represents a journey to our own center and back again out into the world. Labyrinths have long been used as meditation and prayer tools.

A labyrinth is an archetype with which we can have a direct experience. We can walk it. It is a metaphor for life's journey. It is a symbol that creates a sacred space and place and takes us out of our ego to "That Which Is Within."

Labyrinths and mazes have often been confused. When most people hear of a labyrinth they think of a maze. A labyrinth is not a maze. A maze is like a puzzle to be solved. It has twists, turns, and blind alleys. It is a left brain task that requires logical, sequential, analytical activity to find the correct path into the maze and out.

A labyrinth has only one path. It is unicursal. The way in is the way out. There are no blind alleys. The path leads you on a circuitous path to the center and out again.

A labyrinth is a right brain task. It involves intuition, creativity, and imagery. With a maze many choices must be made and an active mind is needed to solve the problem of finding the center. With a labyrinth there is only one choice to be made. The choice is to enter or not. A more passive, receptive mindset is needed. The choice is whether or not to walk a spiritual path.

At its most basic level the labyrinth is a metaphor for the journey to the center of your deepest self and back out into the world with a broadened understanding of who you are.

 
 
 
 
           

Aashnaaaaa~

SUCCESS AT LAST!

What is success? 

- Success to me, means achieving something after trying to get it for very long or achieving something after you have given all your best. Getting out of the maze is a success because a person takes very long to get out of a maze as it is a long process. 

FAMOUS MAZES

Richardson Castle

The Richardson Farm has a number of large corn mazes, but the fairy tale castle is perhaps the most…enchanting. The mazes change annually, and this castle is now closed, but it’s thrilling to view regardless.

Victoria Park Water Maze

This water maze is beautiful when filled with rainwater. It is distinctive because it is a Chartres Maze. This special type of maze is based upon Christian mythology, and it features a clear cross-like symbology (at right, below) which the believer is meant to walk in a particular pattern (as shown at left below).

What is the metaphor of the maze? Why enter the maze?

-at the end of the maze there is a huge treasure that is worth million of dollars $$$$$$$ and we need to get out of the maze and finish tasks in the maze if we want that treasure. (something like a treasure hunt)

AASHNA 

Lauren (:

What is Success?

- accomplishing something

- a sense of achievement

- finally reaching the end of a difficult task.

These are some of the things that come to my mind when i see the word success. Getting out of a maze is an accomplishment as after a long walk inside the maze, you're finally out free...a maze is like real life. There are many obstacles and whatnot blocking our way each day, at every corner there could be a wall or dead end stopping us from moving forward. This is like how we face setbacks in our own lives. Dead ends or obstacles are sometimes very upsetting and they can make you feel like giving up is the easiest option but that depends on how you want to see it. It could also be motivation to do better and to try harder. The message of the maze could be that sometimes its good to take small and slow steps and think carefully about where you are going. If there's a fork in your path, make a wise decision or take a chance. You never know what could be waiting for you at the end of that path. 

The maze could be a very challenging one with many obstacles and forks. This could be to show how much people go through in life and what type of difficulties they face. There should be dead ends at some points but always will there be a way out because in life, no one really meets a complete daed end.

One maze that i found was quite interesting was the Snakes ‘n Ladders one. It looks like this... 

I think this maze is really cool cause its an abstract way of playing snakes 'n' Ladders 

Another maze i thought was quite interesting was the Hampton Maze. This maze is so simple, yet very challenging. 

There is a bunch of Labyrinths in Sedona, Arizona which i think are super cool because they aren't like normal mazes and stuff which are made out of Hedges and all. They are put together by rocks and sand! 

Stimuli

1. Endangered Species
When I think of endangered species, I think of the apocalypse. If an apocalypse happens, the whole human race might be wiped out or the human population will decrease, causing humans to be an endangered species

2. Circles and squares 
For circles and squares, I think of wormholes in space. Mainly because the structure of a wormhole has both circles and squares in it.


3. Success at last!
For success at last, I think of an individual overcoming whatever fear or obstacles that he/she has within her/him-self, such as phobias.