Open Collections

"Elasticity and Image" : directing George Bernard Shaw's Arms and the Man

University of British Columbia

“Elasticity and Image”: Directing George Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man examines the research, preparation, and rehearsal process behind Arms and the Man, staged at the University of British Columbia’s Frederic Wood Theatre from March 18-27, 2010. My objective was to discover how to create a production that stayed true to the text, while appealing to a more contemporary audience. The ideas of elasticity and image were cornerstones in the development and rehearsal process. I was interested to see in which ways I could stretch the world of the play while maintaining its authenticity. During rehearsal, I wanted to create an environment of exploration and support the actors in staying connected to the text. Chapter 1 identifies key areas of research on George Bernard Shaw’s life leading up to and directly following 1894, when he wrote Arms and the Man. It includes bibliographical information. Chapter 2 is a detailed directorial analysis. Chapter 3 is a journal that follows my process from early design meetings, through development and research, rehearsal and the complete run of the production. Chapter 4 is a reflection, focusing on two elements of the process, using the theme of elasticity as the foundation for creation and the transition from the rehearsal hall into the theatre.

Text

2011-04-12

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/33566

Theatre

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/