Epsom Downs Context Research
Epsom Downs is a play set in 1977 England. It takes place in a racecourse situated in within the chalky rolling hills of Epsom. It insights the different classes of beings that attended the races during 1977, showing how the oxymoronic existences of each attendee at the races can vary from the farfetched absurdity of the wealthy to the incomprehensible unpretentiousness of the poor and how these human beings, no matter how different one is from the next, share the same interests in good old fashioned horse racing. The playwright plays each class, having them communicate and interact with each other and also simultaneously carry out similar tasks in completely different ways. It's basically a play about the psychology behind sociology and the playwright has found allowing for the script to have large amounts of naturally aspired comedy, drama and character.
http://www.city.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/sociology-with-psychology - Link to City University of London's sociology and psychology degree where some of my information is derived
The Queen's Silver Jubilee http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/7/newsid_2562000/2562633.stm - Link to information
The play is set on the day of the Queen's silver jubilee. The Queen is being driven through the Epsom derby crowd whilst the whole cast; the whole country for that matter, watches. It is a massively important event that happened during 1977 in which millions show their patriotic support for their Queen and come together to remember, respect and appreciate their country and all that they have accomplished. It's a moral boosting, exciting rare occurrence that everybody celebrates by closing off roads and throwing parties in the streets, coming together as a nation. It is also a time for the Queen to show her respect for her country and people which I believe humanises her which only increases the trust and respect citizens dignify her with.
This event is shown to be included in the play here;
'...as the Queens car approaches down the course'
I think that the playwright has written this event into their play because they wanted to show the audience how each of the characters in the scene react to the same situation in different ways, establishing the sociology of how everyone is different.
'the figures in the tableau raising their arms and opening their mouths...'
Here we have the part of the stage direction the playwright has left for the director and actors to follow. It is obviously important to the playwrights image of the what the play must mean to the audience for them to have made it a stage direction and not just let the director figure that out for themselves. Even then, the creative freedom of this scene is not impaired. The playwright has lead the director and actors in the right direction by telling us that they want each of the people in the scene to react to the Queen passing by. With this direction, they allow us to find and add our own meaning behind the reaction. Each character will react differently to the Queen passing by in the car as each character would have been personally effected by the Queen in some form of either positive or negative way and they will have their own blames, faults and criticisms, praise, cheer and delight to emit when the Queen comes by. What I think this all means is, as the actors, we are given the direction to react, but have been left to experiment during rehearsals, as to why our characters are reacting, asking ourselves the vital questions and then answering them in order to find truths and reasons in every action we take during this scene making it as truthful as possible. This all then portrays to the audience the humour and drama that each person being different makes to the way they react to the same situation. This is why I think the playwright has included the Queen's Silver Jubilee.
Aga Kahn
The Aga Kahn is one of the biggest racehorse owners and breeders in the world. He has generated; mainly through horseracing, a large income estimated around £800,000,000. On top of horse racing, this French gentleman is a royal. Yet unlike most royals, he does not rule over any geometric land. instead he uses his power and responsibility to lead the world to equality and rid the world of poverty. Something like that any way.
I think the playwright has used his character in the play because he is upper class, has tons of money, is a massive investor and influence in horses and racing them and is absolutely contrasting to other characters like Margaret and Sandy who are lower class and rather poor and are quoted to be amateur gamblers where as Kahn is on the other end of the spectrum as a professional.
'the Aga Kahn and his detective walk away...'
Evidence is shown here how the Aga Kahn is no ordinary being. He has his own detective for security which shows he is a powerful, wealthy man that is important enough to become a target.
With this knowledge of Kahn and his contrasts with the other characters, this tells me the playwright has included his character to create comedy from each character reacting to one another in the scene. More evidence for this is below;
Blue: 'C'est pour la gloire de la Patrie, votre excellence'
'Blue, pleased with that.'
Blue is the chief of police who doesn't really speak French that well and has to try really hard in order to come off as intelligent and to impress Kahn. The stage direction states tat he is pleased with himself showing that he is a chuffed little man. Any way the point is, by the playwright introducing this real world influence into the play has created funny little reactions by characters of different classes; some that are trying to impress and some that are completely ignorant, which really increases the effect of humour of each character. I believe that the comedy is increased even more as the Aga Kahn is a real person in reality and for anyone to have met or have been influenced by him, may find the version of him in the play to have heightened idiosyncrasies making him a clowned up version of the real Kahn.
Overall, the playwright has included an important historical event; the Queen's silver jubilee, to show the audience how different classes and people react to the same situation but using a heightened sense of expression creating humour and drama within the scenes. They have also turned a real life public figure/royal into a character in the play; the Aga Kahn, keeping him pretty much the same but just heightening his idiosyncrasies and personality to make it comedic for the audience members that are familiar with him and also to create humorous reactions between characters in his scene.
This event is shown to be included in the play here;
'...as the Queens car approaches down the course'
I think that the playwright has written this event into their play because they wanted to show the audience how each of the characters in the scene react to the same situation in different ways, establishing the sociology of how everyone is different.
'the figures in the tableau raising their arms and opening their mouths...'
Here we have the part of the stage direction the playwright has left for the director and actors to follow. It is obviously important to the playwrights image of the what the play must mean to the audience for them to have made it a stage direction and not just let the director figure that out for themselves. Even then, the creative freedom of this scene is not impaired. The playwright has lead the director and actors in the right direction by telling us that they want each of the people in the scene to react to the Queen passing by. With this direction, they allow us to find and add our own meaning behind the reaction. Each character will react differently to the Queen passing by in the car as each character would have been personally effected by the Queen in some form of either positive or negative way and they will have their own blames, faults and criticisms, praise, cheer and delight to emit when the Queen comes by. What I think this all means is, as the actors, we are given the direction to react, but have been left to experiment during rehearsals, as to why our characters are reacting, asking ourselves the vital questions and then answering them in order to find truths and reasons in every action we take during this scene making it as truthful as possible. This all then portrays to the audience the humour and drama that each person being different makes to the way they react to the same situation. This is why I think the playwright has included the Queen's Silver Jubilee.
Aga Kahn
The Aga Kahn is one of the biggest racehorse owners and breeders in the world. He has generated; mainly through horseracing, a large income estimated around £800,000,000. On top of horse racing, this French gentleman is a royal. Yet unlike most royals, he does not rule over any geometric land. instead he uses his power and responsibility to lead the world to equality and rid the world of poverty. Something like that any way.
I think the playwright has used his character in the play because he is upper class, has tons of money, is a massive investor and influence in horses and racing them and is absolutely contrasting to other characters like Margaret and Sandy who are lower class and rather poor and are quoted to be amateur gamblers where as Kahn is on the other end of the spectrum as a professional.
'the Aga Kahn and his detective walk away...'
Evidence is shown here how the Aga Kahn is no ordinary being. He has his own detective for security which shows he is a powerful, wealthy man that is important enough to become a target.
With this knowledge of Kahn and his contrasts with the other characters, this tells me the playwright has included his character to create comedy from each character reacting to one another in the scene. More evidence for this is below;
Blue: 'C'est pour la gloire de la Patrie, votre excellence'
'Blue, pleased with that.'
Blue is the chief of police who doesn't really speak French that well and has to try really hard in order to come off as intelligent and to impress Kahn. The stage direction states tat he is pleased with himself showing that he is a chuffed little man. Any way the point is, by the playwright introducing this real world influence into the play has created funny little reactions by characters of different classes; some that are trying to impress and some that are completely ignorant, which really increases the effect of humour of each character. I believe that the comedy is increased even more as the Aga Kahn is a real person in reality and for anyone to have met or have been influenced by him, may find the version of him in the play to have heightened idiosyncrasies making him a clowned up version of the real Kahn.
Overall, the playwright has included an important historical event; the Queen's silver jubilee, to show the audience how different classes and people react to the same situation but using a heightened sense of expression creating humour and drama within the scenes. They have also turned a real life public figure/royal into a character in the play; the Aga Kahn, keeping him pretty much the same but just heightening his idiosyncrasies and personality to make it comedic for the audience members that are familiar with him and also to create humorous reactions between characters in his scene.
No comments:
Post a Comment