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Year 12 - Drama - Solos Prescribed Structures 2020

Character

Character: The Drifter

"hatches a plan to outsmart the gang, save the townsfolk and claim the reward."

Above sourced from:  https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/76865/12-great-facts-about-good-bad-and-ugly

Stimulus:  The theme music from the film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, directed by Sergio Leone

Character:  The Drifter

Performance focus:

Create a solo performance based on the character of the Drifter. The mysterious Drifter arrives in a gold-mining town to find the terrified but silent townsfolk under siege from an infamous gang of bandits and the sheriff nowhere to be seen. Using his wits, cunning and masterful skills, the Drifter hatches a plan to outsmart the gang, save the townsfolk and claim the reward. The Drifter does this by:

  • showing how the town came to be under siege by the gang of bandits
  • demonstrating how he has saved other townships
  • highlighting how the American Wild West has been represented through the use of stereotypes and/or clichés.

Performance style:   Eclectic with aspects of a spaghetti western

Eclectic theatre draws on a range of performance styles to devise performances that go beyond the reality of life as it is lived. It juxtaposes a number of performance styles to make dramatic statements and theatre that is innovative, transformational and creative. Eclectic theatre is devised with a specific purpose and intention for the audience. Eclectic theatre draws on drama traditions and practice including:

  • ritual and storytelling
  • contemporary drama practice and performance styles
  • the work of drama practitioners and associated performance styles
  • a combination of any of the above

A spaghetti western is a style of film about the American West, made in Europe typically by Italian filmmakers and most famously by director Sergio Leone. A spaghetti western is exemplified by:

  • use of suspense, tension and long silences
  • morally ambiguous characters
  • economic storytelling, the element of surprise and unexpected comic moments.

Convention & Dramatic Element:  As selected by the student from the list (linked here).  Write your selected convention and dramatic element on your Statement of Intention.

Resources

Mr Boon's Notes