ITI Week 13 (Aunt Shelia's character)

First to read

Everyone wants to slap A. Shelia.
"Shit-assed Rude"
"Annoying"

Why was A. Shelia still in the shop at the end? What is her purpose there? (Busybody)
- A. Shelia can be the driver factor for people to intervene. (IS THAT GOOD OR BAD?)
- People want to help not because Pearlyn is oppressed but because a. Shelia is being a BITCH!

Everyone is curious about the ending. Did Pearlyn steal or not?

Someone understood why she was behaving as such even though she was an annoying character.
The piece about --> She from a home stereotype
Oppression is clear --> what she cannot change (coming from a girls home). It's not like you can casually dismiss it (stop thinking this way about them).

Social context was well presented. They got the idea.

Things to work on
- Exaggerated to the point of there is nothing to do but just want to get rid of her. (NO BALANCE) Over the tolerable point. (EXTREME?)
- Tone EVELYN DOWN
- A. Shelia doesn't seem she wants to accept Pearlyn from the start (One track mind - mindset) It seems like it's impossible to change. (JUSTIFY WITH WANTS)
- Start draggy --> change to prove to her parents that she can do something as part of the strategy rather than going on and on about what she wants to do. (Eg. getting a job on her own)
>> She haven't come out so she cannot do much
>> Came out then the strategy would be to work hard to achieve her dreams.


Stakes of having an O levels (not strong?)
- The whole problem can be avoided if she doesn't listen to her parents.
- Why is everyone so against her taking o levels?
- How old is Pearlyn? Can't tell
- extra sum of money some more private. Too against to the point you don't understand why they are against it. (NEED A REASON!) The issue will then shift to the parents, which is not the point that we are going for.
Don't bother finding alternatives.
- Pearl has strong reasons (when talking to grandma) that why they don't understand why her parent is so against it.
- It seems like mother doesn't want her any more.
You want earn money, you earn. You want to work, you work. IDK. Study go study lah.
- Mum: She is useless ( X doesn't care?) cause it will affect the money allocated to Pat (I THINK)
Waste time and money to throw her face again. (Link to social stigma) How the neighbours will react esp A. Shelia.
- Having 3 people react the same way, only Pat is on the fence whether she is pearls ally or not.

Logistics
Practical consideration
--> Mum a. Shelia (double up)
--> Pat Linda
Enough time to change character?
- How to give yourself 30 secs change scene and character (TRY out rehearsal)
- The character change must be distinct. Don't want audience to mistake a. Shelia as mum

Structural
How many staff do you have? How do you envision the scene to be played.
- Why not just Pearlyn?
- If there aren't coming on, why need to create other imaginary character?
- Why do you need to create the impression that there are other people?
>> Lack of manpower

In Shop scene there is no potential ally
- X ally. Write Grandma in
comes to see how Pearl is doing and then go home together.
- Unrealistic line (Linda) "You were send to a home for a similar case before". Linda doesn't know that. Shelia only said she was caught for stealing but did not indicate that she worked and stole before.  (Phrasing, choice of words, detail)
Rephrase the way linda questions pearl. "You were not very honest before right?
- It seems like the play has not ended. Write grandma in to end the scene
- Is she suppose to be innocent?
They are challenging the audience's perception of the girls.

Script
Concern about O levels thing... make it clearer why the family doesn't want to endorse her o levels?
(It could be a case of)
- Pat over-achiever. All distinctions
- Pearl suggest to redo o levels, (TO HELP PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE WHY THE MUM SO UNSUPPORTIVE AND GRANDMA NOT SURE IF SHE SHOULD DO IT OR NOT)...
Tell audience that she is not the study type then list examples. If in her whole life she has never done well in school, what is the point of doing o levels again? You are not the studying kind what.  (Not academically incline. I'm the only one working in the family you know, still have to give pocket money and study for you to fail o levels again)
>> show the stakes
TOO DRASTIC so we won't list the examples.
- Doesn't understand why Pearlyn wants to do o levels.




*** (CLEARER) Mother's shop contrast between pearlyn and Pat.
Pat "I have been preparing this, I think I can... "
-PAT A BOOK WORM?

Purpose of convo between case worker and pearlyn
- Need to have the QNS that Ms Karen asked.
-Eg. "What do you wanna do when you're out of the home?"
- "I want to do... And this last half a year I've spent thinking...  So now I know what I want to do with my life, I want to change... "

Grandma
- Educated?
- What is she doing now?
- Age?
- Physically able?
- How did grandma have access to home to request home leave? (X)
Change!!! Pearlyn was allowed home leave!

-Mother "How come you at home?"
- Grandma "I told you what! That day the caseworker called already say she got home leave! You mean you don't remember is it"?
- Mother "I DK, I don't remember.