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1. INTRODUCTION TO TEACHERS  

Rehearsal  Photography  –  original  2011  production  (by  Catherine  Ashmore)    This   second  education  pack,  which  accompanies   the   stage  production  of  Goodnight  Mister  Tom,   is  for  teachers  who  want  to  explore  particular  aspects  of  the  play  in  more  depth  in  the  classroom.    These  exercises  and  information  sheets  are  designed  to  demonstrate  the  different  aspects  of  putting  on  a  professional  play.  We  hope  that  the  information  contained  in  this  pack  will  enhance  your  class’s  enjoyment  and  understanding  of  the  play  as  well  as  offer  both  teachers  and  pupils  an  insightful  and  fascinating  glimpse  into  how  Goodnight  Mister  Tom  was  produced.    

This  section  is  split  up  into  the  following  sections:    

WHO’S  WHO?                     PAGE  |3  ADAPTING  GOODNIGHT  MISTER  TOM               PAGE  |5  DESIGNING  GOODNIGHT  MISTER  TOM               PAGE  |  8  CLASSROOM  TASK:  DESIGN                 PAGE  |  14  PUPPETRY                     PAGE  |  16  CLASSROOM  TASK  :  PUPPETRY                 PAGE  |  24  REHEARSAL  DIARY  (ORIGINAL  PRODUCTION)             PAGE  |  28  

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2. WHO’S WHO?  

EXERCISE  Before  looking  at  this  in  class  –  off  the  top  of  your  heads  try  and  think  of  as  many  people  that  might  be  involved  in  making  a  play  as  possible.  Then  have  a  look  at  this  and  see  who  you’ve  left  out!      

Here   is   a   list   of   everyone   involved   behind   the   scenes   in  making  Goodnight  Mister  Tom,  and  what  they  do!  Which  job  suits  you  the  best?    

Director  –  The  director  is  the  person  in  charge  of  the  creative  aspects  of  a  play.    He  has  to  come  up  with  ideas  on  how  he  wants  each  scene  and  moment  to   look,  and  then  directs  the  actors  during  rehearsals  on  how  to  do  this  best.  

 

Designer  –  The  role  of  the  designer  is  to  design  and  come  up  with  ideas  for  the  set,  costume  and  props,  and  then  create  them.    He  does   this   to  make   the  performance  more  realistic  and  enjoyable  for  the  audience.    He  collaborates  with  the  director  a  lot  to  decide  how  it  will  all  look.    

 

Producer  –  The  producers  are   the  people   that  are   in  charge  of   the  whole  project.  They  choose  and  hire  all  the  team,  set  the  budget,  and  are  the  organisational  force  behind  the  show.    

 

Lighting  Designer  –  This  person  is  in  charge  of  arranging  and  designing  the  lighting.    They  decide  on   the   lighting   cues,   and   what   effects   they   wish   to   have   in   each   scene,   and   then   compiling   the  wanted  effects  in  the  right  order  and  place.  

 

Composer  –  The  composer   is  directly   in  charge  of  creating  the  score  and  music  for  the  play.    He  may  use  individual  instruments,  or  combinations  of  instruments,  or  an  entire  orchestra  to  make  the  show  sounds  brilliant.  

 

Sound  Designer  –  Similarly  to  the  lighting  designer,  the  sound  designer  must  decide  what  sound  effects   they  want   to   have   during   the  play,   and  when.     Both   of   these  designers   need   to   take   into  account  the  mood  of  the  scene  or  moment  when  deciding.  

 

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Puppet  Director  and  Designer    –  The  puppet  director  designed  all  the  puppets  for  the  play,  and   then   made   them.   He   also   directed   the   puppeteers.   (There   is   more   detail   about   this   in   the  puppetry  section.)    

 

Casting  Director   –   The   casting   director   is   in   charge   of   making   sure   that   the   right   people   are  picked  for  the  roles.    They  would  hold  auditions  or  contact  individuals  directly  to  make  sure  they  get  the  best  actor  for  the  part.    They  are  mainly  involved  at  the  beginning  of  the  process.  

 

Children’s  Casting  Director  –  The  children’s  casting  director   is   responsible   for   choosing   the  six  boys  who  alternate  in  the  roles  of  William  and  Zach.  They  also  organize  chaperones  and  tutoring  for  the  boys  whilst  they  are  on  tour.  

 

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Staff  Director  –  As  the  director  has  a   lot  to  do,  he  needs  an  assistant  director,  or  staff  director.    Their   job   is   to   assist   the  director  with  whatever   jobs   he  needs   doing,   and   taking   rehearsals   if   the  director   is   ill.   In   Goodnight   Mister   Tom,   Sophie   will   be   travelling   round   the   country   with   the  production  and  putting  it  into  each  new  venue.    

 

Production  Manager  –  The  production  manager  has  a  huge  job.    They  are  responsible  for  all  of  the   logistics   of   a   tour,   such   as   transport   and   accommodation,   as   well   as   arranging   bookings,  payment,  rehearsal  schedules  and  creation  of  the  set  and  props.  

 

Stage  Management  –  The  stage  managing   team  is  responsible  for  the  show  when   it’s  up  and  running,  making  sure  it  runs  smoothly  without  problems.    The  Company  Stage  Manager  is  in  control  of  the  company  and  pastoral  care,  the  Deputy  Stage  Manager  is  in  control  of  the  prompts  and  cues  for  actors,  including  lighting  and  sound,  and  the  Assistant  Stage  Managers  are  in  charge  of  backstage  during  a  performance,  for  example  making  sure  all  the  props  and  set  are  in  the  right  place.      

 

Costume  Supervisor  –  The  role  of  the  costume  supervisor  is  to  measure  all  the  cast  and  then,  after  talking  to  the  designer,  source  the  costume,  and  then  alter  them  if  necessary.    

 

Props   Supervisor   –   Many   plays   require   lots   of   props,   and   these   need   to   be   bought   and  supervised.    The  props  supervisor  first  must  buy,  hire  or  create  the  props,  and  then  make  sure  they  are  looked  after  and  not  lost,  as  this  could  affect  the  show.  

 

Wardrobe  Mistress    –  This  supervisor  is  in  charge  of  looking  after  and  sorting  the  costumes  and  wigs  on  the  tour,  keeping  them  safe  and  cleaning  them,  making  sure  they  are  all  transported  safely  and  always  available  when  needed,  and  finally  may  help  to  dress  and  prepare  the  actors  before  the  performance.  

 

Fight  Director    –  The  fight  director  is  responsible  for  choreographing  the  fight  scenes.  This  means  any  scene  where  there  is  a  slap,  punch,  someone  being  pushed  over  or  a  swordfight.  Their  job  is  to  make  it  look  totally  realistic  without  anyone  getting  hurt;  they  use  a  lot  of  clever  tricks  to  make  you  think  someone  really  is  being  slapped!    

 

Vocal  Coach    –  The  vocal  coach  is  responsible  for  making  sure  that  the  cast’s  accents  are  right  as  the  play   is   set   in  Dorset  and  Deptford   (London).   Accents  are  different  depending  on  where   in   the  

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country  you  are,  but  also  depending  on  what  time  period  the  play   is  set   in.  London  in  2012   is  very  different  from  London  in  1939!    

 

 

 EXERCISE  –  Things  to  think  about:    

Who  do  you  think  is  in  rehearsals  every  day?  

Who  do  you  think  travels  round  the  country  with  the  show?  

And  who  do  you  think  doesn’t  need  to?    

Which  groups  of  people  within  this  big  list  work  together  the  most?    E.g.  composer,  sound  designer,  prop  supervisor  and  designer…    

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3. ADAPTING “GOODNIGHT MISTER TOM” FOR THE STAGE  Goodnight  Mister  Tom  the  novel  was  written  in  1981  by  Michelle  Magorian.  It  has  been  made  into  a  film  and  a  musical  –  and  for  the  first  time  it  is  now  a  play.      The  adaptation  has  been  written  by  David  Wood  who  is  a  renowned  children’s  playwright.  The  first  draft   was   submitted   in   November   2009   and   it   has   evolved   with   input   from   Angus   Jackson,   the  Director,  and  the  producers  over  the  last  few  years  to  become  what  you  see  on  stage.   It  continued  to  change  all  the  way  during  rehearsals  and  is  now  a  finished  piece!      The  main  challenge  with  adapting  a  novel   into  a  stage  play   is  predominantly  structural.  The  beauty  of   the  novel   is   that   the  author  can   take  as   long  as   they   like  describing  something  and  move   to  as  many   locations   as   they  want;   the   job  of   the  playwright  will   then  be   to   ensure   that   this   turns   into  something  constantly  captivating  that  will  entertain  and  engage  the  audience  every  step  of  the  way.  They  also  have  to  take  into  account  the  limitations  of  the  stage  and  what  is  practically  possible.        

EXERCISE  –  Classroom  Discussion  Consider  the  following  discussion  points  for  adaptation.    

 What  are  the...  

      Challenges         Processes  (The  script  gets  altered  during  the  rehearsal  process)       Famous  books  that  have  become  plays  –  For  Example:  War  Horse  or  Matilda,  His  Dark    

Materials     Differences  between  books  and  plays           Differences  between  dialogue  and  stage  directions    

 EXAMPLE  –  THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  PLAY  

 

 The  opening  of  the  book:  

“Come on on’ repeated Tom harshly. I ‘ent got all day...”  

This  has  been  adapted  to:  

TOM: “You’d best come in...”      

   Discussion  Points    What  is  in  this  extract  from  the  book  that  isn’t  in  the  script  and  vice  versa?    How  is  the  narration  turned  into  stage  directions?  Find  an  example  of  this.    Are  there  any  stage  directions  that  you  would  add  in  to  make  it  easier  to  stage?  

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Extract  One                                                                        

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Extract  taken  from  Goodnight  Mister  Tom  by  Michelle  Magorian,  published  by  Puffin  Books.  

Extract  Two    

     

Extract  taken  from  Goodnight  Mister  Tom  by  Michelle  Magorian,  published  by  Puffin  Books.  

   

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4. DESIGNING GOODNIGHT MISTER TOM  As  we  have  seen  from  the  list  of   important  people  in  Who’s  Who,  a  designer  is  responsible  for  the  way   everything   looks.   They   must   design   a   set   and   costumes   that   helps   to   tell   the   story   to   the  audience.        

STAGE 1 – COMING UP WITH THE IDEA  Rob  (the  Designer)  and  Angus  (the  Director)  have  to  read  the  script  so  that  they  know  exactly  how  many  locations  they  need  to  have,  how  quickly  the  action  moves  between  each  location,  what  year  the  play   is  set   in,  and  how  many  characters  there  are  in  order   to  get  an  idea  of  what  they  have   to  achieve  on  stage.      

EXERCISE  –  How  many  locations  can  you  think  of?    

For  Example:    

The  village  streets    Mr  Tom’s  house  The  Library    The  Post  Office    The  local  shop    A  street  in  London    The  Air  Raid  Shelter    Willies  house  in  London  The  Hospital    The  Church  Hall  

     Rob  then  needs   to  know  the  shapes  of  all  the  stages   the  set  will  have  to  fit  on  (at  all  the  theatres  we’ll  visit),  as  well  as  how  much  money  there  is  available  to  spend  on  building  it.      When  he  knows  all  that  -­‐  he  can  come  up  with  an  idea  that  will  be  possible,  set  the  scene,  and  make  the   play   more   believable.   It’s   all   about   telling   the   story   and   even   the   set   must   tell   us   something  about  what’s  going  on  (for  example:  Where  we  are  and  when  we  are.)    The  set  is  the  most  important  thing  that  you  will  look  at  when  you  go  to  the  theatre,  so  it  has  to  be  right.   Imagine  going  to  the  theatre  with  a  plain  black  stage  –  it  would  make  it  very  hard  to  imagine  you  were  really  there  in  Second  World  War  England,  wouldn’t  it?!      

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STAGE 2 – WHITE CARD MODEL BOX (OCTOBER 2010)  After  Rob  (Designer)  and  Angus  (Director)  have  spent  time  discussing  what  they  want  it  to  look  like,  Rob  makes  a  WHITE  CARD  MODEL  BOX.  This   is  a  mini   scale  version  of   the  set  made  out  of  white  card.  There  are  also  tiny  card  models  of  the  characters  to  give  us  an  idea  of  the  size  of  the  set  and  also  where  certain  characters  might   stand.   Its  purpose   is   to   show  us   the   initial   concept   to  see   if   it  looks  good  and  check  that  it  works,  so  that  any  changes  and  other  ideas  can  be  discussed  and  added.    

The  White  Card  Model  Box  

   

 EXERCISE  –  Discussion  Point    All  the  team  get  together  to  have  a  look  at  this  set  model.  What  do  you  think  they  talk  about?  

         

 

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Angus  (the  Director)  and  the  White  Card  Model    

 

EXERCISE  –  Imagine  you’re  the  Director  Here  you  can  see  Angus  (the  Director)  looking  at  the  white  card  model.      How  expensive  will  the  set  be  to  build?    How  long  will  it  take  to  build?    As  we  are  going  to  14  different  theatres,  will  it  be  easy  to  put  together  and  take  apart?    Is  it  safe?    Does  it  look  right?    Is  it  going  to  help  us  tell  the  story?    What  else  do  you  think  he’s  thinking  about?  

       

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STAGE 3 – COMPLETE MODEL BOX (NOVEMBER 2010)  Now  that  Rob  has  been  given  the  all  clear  from  the  rest  of  the  team,  he  makes  a  new  model  box  that  is  more  detailed,  with  costume  designs,  and  in  the  colour  he  wants  the  set  to  be.  

The  Final  Model  Box    The   WHOLE   team   meet   to   have   a   look   at   this;   the   lighting   designer,   sound   designer,   costume  supervisor  and  all  of  the  producers.      The  most  important  thing  about  our  set  is  the  central  platform  that  lifts  up  to  reveal  William’s  house  in  London.  Take  a  look  at  the  picture  above  to  see  the  house  section.                              

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STAGE 4 – THE REHEARSAL ROOM  

Day  1  of  Rehearsals    On  the  first  day  of  rehearsals,  Rob  brings   in  the  model  box  and  shows  it  to  the  cast  –  so  that  while  they  are  rehearsing  in  the  rehearsal  room  they  have  an  idea  of  what  they  will  be  acting  on.  They  can  ask  him  questions,  and  he  will  also  tell  them  what  they  will  be  wearing.  On  the  first  day  the  Stage  Managers  also  do  what  we  call  a  MARK  UP.  This  means   that   they  mark  up   the  exact   shape  of   the  stage  with  thick  black  tape  on  the  floor  –  so  everyone  knows  exactly  how  much  space  they  will  have.        

  EXERCISE  –  Quick  Question  The  “MARK  UP”:  What  other  reasons  can  you  think  of  for  why  we  do  this?    

   During  the  month  of  rehearsals  the  set  gets  built  at  a  big  set  building  warehouse.  It  gets  built  in  lots  of  small  bits  –  so  that  it  can  easily  be  put  together,  and  then  easily  taken  apart  and  packed  up  in  the  truck  to  go  to  the  next  theatre.      Bits  of  the  set  like  door  frames  are  made  earlier  so  that  they  can  be  used  in  the  rehearsal  room  from  the  beginning.  This  is  so  the  actors  don’t  arrive  in  the  real  theatre  and  have  too  many  new  things  to  cope  with!  They  need  to  get  used  to  using  the  major  props  and  bits  of  set  early  on.  During  the  last  week  of  rehearsals  a  very  basic  set   is   installed  in  the   rehearsal  room.  The  cast  need  to  get  used   to  where   things   will   be   so   they   know   how   to   move   around   the   stage,   and   exactly   the   position   of  anything  they  might  be  using  like  a  chair,  table,  bed  or  door.    

STAGE 5 – THE “GET IN”

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What  is  a  “Get  In”?  The  weekend  before  the  cast  arrive  at  the  theatre  we  have  the  GET  IN.  This   is  when  the  whole  set  arrives  in  a  big  truck  and  is  put  together  on  the  stage.  This  is  the  order  in  which  it  all  happens:    

-­‐ The   whole   set   arrives   together,   in   pieces,   in   the   truck   and   is   taken   out   and   put   into   the  SCENE  DOCK,  which  is  a  big  area  behind  the  stage  for  holding  sets  before  they’re  assembled.  

-­‐ The   CREW   begin   to   piece   it   together   on   the   stage.   They   have   very   detailed   drawings   of  where  each  exact  piece  goes  and  how  it  joins  up,  like  a  giant  jigsaw.  

-­‐ They  have  to  check  that  the  set  is  safe  before  the  cast  can  rehearse  on  it.    -­‐ The  GET  IN  also  involves  putting  the  right  lights   in  the  LIGHTING  RIG  (which  is  in  the  ceiling  

of   the   theatre   –   look   up   next   time   you’re   there   to   see   all   the   lights).   This   is   followed   by  focusing  the  lights  and  placing  them  in  the  right  position  so  they  can  light  the  characters   in  the  show  correctly.  

-­‐ The  speakers  then  have  to  be  put   in   the  right  place  so  that  the  SOUND  DESIGNER’S  sound  effects  have  the  right  impact  on  the  audience.  For  example  if  there  was  to  be  a  ‘plane  flying  overhead’  effect  they  would  have  to  be  positioned  all  across  the  ceiling.    

-­‐ Then  we   are   ready   for   the   team   to   start   TECHNICAL  REHEARSALS   (rehearsals   with   all   the  sound  and  light  effects).  Take  a  look  at  the  rehearsal  diary!  

     

  EXERCISE  –  Quick  Question  Which  member  of  the  Goodnight  Mister  Tom  team  do  you  think  supervises  the  GET  IN?  And  who  else  do  you  think  is  involved  with  it  and  who  is  not?    

 

STAGE 6 – THE “GET OUT”  What  is  a  “Get  Out”?  This  is  when  the  set  gets  dismantled  and  put  back  in  the  truck  ready  to  go  to  the  next  theatre.  It  happens  straight  after  the  last  show  at  the  theatre.  

- The  crew  come  back  and  take  every  piece  of  set  down  and  put  it  all  back  in  the  SCENE  DOCK.    - They  then  load  it  very  carefully  into  the  truck.  - The   lights   and   speakers   stay   in   the   theatre   because   each   theatre   has   their   own   and   are  

repositioned  for  the  next  play  to  arrive.  - When  the   team  get   to   the  next  one   they  will   focus  and  position   the  ones   that  are  already  

there.  (They  have  special  diagrams  for  all  of  this!)      

STAGE 7 – THE NEXT THEATRE  Throughout  the   tour,  Goodnight  Mister  Tom  will  go  to  various  theatres  across   the  UK.  The  process  described  above  in  the  Get-­‐In  and  Get-­‐Out  are  repeated  every  time.  The  Get-­‐In  will  happen  at  8am  before  the  first  performance  and  the  Get-­‐Out  will  start  as  soon  as  the  final  performance  finishes.  

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*  CLASSROOM  TASK:    DESIGNING  *    

1. DESIGN  YOUR  OWN  COSTUMES!      In  order  to  design  a  costume,  you  need  to  know  what  sort  of  person  the  character  is.  Are  they  old/  young?  Prim  and  proper?  Funny?  Where  do  they  spend  their  time?      

-­‐ What  other  pieces  of  information  might  you  need  to  know  before  you  designed  a  costume?  -­‐ Look   at   the  person  next   to   you   and  write   down   everything   about   them   except  what   they  

look  like  –  for  example;  clever,  funny,  sporty,  very  loud,  likes  the  outdoors.  This  will  help  you  get  an  idea  of  the  kind  of  information  you  as  a  designer  might  need!    

 

Here  is  an  example:      Character  Name:  Tom  Oakley  (Mister  Tom)  Occupation:  Retired  and  looking  after  William  Description:   ‘Gruff,   in  his  60s,  a  healthy,  robust  stockily  built  man  with  a  head  of  thick  white  hair’    Anything   else  we   know:  He   has   a   dog,   he   spends   time  outside,  he  is  not  particularly  rich.                                

 EXERCISE  –  Imagine  you’re  a  Costume  Designer...  Now  try  and  design  one  yourself!    Character  Name  –  Mr  Miller    Occupation  –  Runs  the  village  Post  Office    Description  –  ‘a  short,  stocky  man  with  thinning  mouse  coloured  hair’    Anything  else  we  know  –  he  is  married  to  Mrs  Miller      Also  remember:  It  is  Wartime  In  the  Countryside  RATIONING  was  in  effect.  

 

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...EXERCISE    (continued)  Once  you  have  drawn  a  picture  of  what  Mr  Miller  might  look  like…  

 Think  about…  

 What  his  clothes  would  be  made  out  of?    Would  he  have  a  different  outfit  for  Church  or  when  he  goes  to  London  or  when  he’s    gardening?    What  shoes  would  he  wear?  Would  he  wear  a  hat?  Is  there  anything  else  you  would  need  to  make  him  believable  or  show  the  audience  who  the    character  is?  

 Write  all  this  down  next  to  your  sketch.    

   

2. DESIGNING  PART  OF  A  SET      As  you  know  Goodnight  Mister  Tom’s  is  set  in  lots  of  different  locations  and  it  is  the  designer’s  job  to  recreate  as  many  of  these  different  locations  on  the  theatrical  set,  and  work  out  how  to  do  that!    Sometimes   they  use  a  REVOLVE,  where   the  stage  spins   round   to   reveal  different  parts   of   the  set.  Other  times  they  use  different  levels  with  actors  using  stairs  or  hidden  ladders  to  get  to  the  different  areas.  But  in  Goodnight  Mister  Tom,  we  use  a  HATCH.  This  means  part  of  the  set  opens  up  to  reveal  another  room.      

 EXERCISE  –  Imagine  you’re  a  Set  Designer  Your  task  is  to  design  Tom’s  Kitchen!  

 Think  about  what  sort  of  man  Tom  is,  that  will  help  you  work  out  what  his  kitchen  might  be    like.  Draw  a  rough  sketch  so  you  can  work  out  where  everything  will  go.  Work  out  what  materials  things  will  be  made  from?  How  big  will  everything  be?  What  will  the  picture  on  the  wall  be  of?  What  else  will  you  add  in  that’s  not  in  the  description  below?  Also  consider  that  Goodnight  Mister  Tom  is  a  touring  show  so  the  set  and  props  have  to  be  simple  enough  to  pack  up  but  also  be  believable.    

 The  script  says:  

“THE COMFORTABLE SMALL ROOM IS LIT BY A CEILING GAS LAMP AND AN OIL LAMP ON THE TABLE. A LARGE BLACK COOKING RANGE IS IN AN ALCOVE, FIRE BURNING. A TABLE, TWO CHAIRS, SOME BOOKS ON SHELVES. A PICTURE ON THE WALL”

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Now  you  have  designed  your  own  costume  and  bit  of  set!    

5. PUPPETRY  

WHY USE A PUPPET?  In  Goodnight  Mister  Tom,  one  of  the  main  characters  is  Sammy,  the  dog.    It  is  always  a  challenge  to  convert  a  book  to  a  play  that  has  animals   in  it;  sometimes  real  animals  are  used  on  stage  –  like  in  Legally  Blonde  –  The  Musical,  Oliver!,  and  The  Wizard  of  Oz.      There  are  lots  of  difficulties  with  using  a  real  dog;  they  won’t  always  do  what  you  want,  they  might  bark  or  wee  when  they’re  not  supposed  to,  and  training  a  dog  to  do  all  the  things  that  Sammy  has  to  do  would  be  very  difficult.    In  this  play,  the  director,  designer  and  writer  decided  to  use  a  puppet.  There  are   lots  of  plays  that  use  and  rely  on  puppets  for  their  main  parts  –  for  example  War  Horse  and  The  Lion  King.          

The  playwright  David  Wood  wrote  in  his  introduction  notes:    “I   thought   long   and   hard   about   Sammy.   Tom’s   dog   in   the   book  plays   a   vital   role.   He   is   Tom’s   best   friend.   He   also   introduces  William   to   animals   and   nature,   and  his   sense   of   smell   helps   Tom  find  William  in  London.  It  seemed  right  to  include  him  in  the  play.  I  decided  the  best  way  of  doing  this  would  be  to  have  a  puppeteer  in  black  operating  an  endearing,  naturalistic  –  looking  puppet”      

 Toby  Olié,  our  puppet  designer  and  director,  said  that  the  main  reason  for  using  a  puppet  for  Sammy  is  that:  

 “You  can  make  him  happy,  sad,  quiet  or  excited  exactly  when  you  want   to,   rather   than   a   real   dog   which   would   be   very  unpredictable!  He  becomes  more  of  a  real  character  that  can  add  to  the  story’s  emotions  and  action,  for  example  when  he  first  meets  William  he   is   really   friendly  when  Mister  Tom  is  grumpy,  and   it   is  Sammy  who  leads  Mr  Tom  to  William  in  London.”    

                   

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THE MAKING OF “SAMMY”  So,  how  did  Toby  go  about  designing,  making,  and  rehearsing  our  puppet  Sammy?    Here  is  a  Step-­‐by-­‐Step  Guide…    

Step  1:  Reading  the  script  and  working  out  what  sort  of  puppet  Sammy  is!    

EXERCISE  –  Think  about...  Here  are  some  “Sammy”  stage  directions  from  the  script.  Think  about:  

 How  many  people  you  need  to  operate  him?  What  you’d  make  him  look  like?  What  bits  of  him  should  move?  What  sort  of  personality  he  has?  

     

Tom: In yer come, Sammy, Say ‘ello A SMALL BLACK-AND-WHITE COLLIE SCAMPERS IN AND EAGERLY BOUNDS TOWARDS WILLIAM

Tom: Hold yer hand out, pal up like that, that’s so he knows you ‘ent going to harm him, see SAMMY SNIFFS WILLIAMS HAND AND LICKS IT

Tom: You’re getting over excited, Sam! Outside! Exercise! SAMMY DASHES OUT BARKING HAPPILY

Tom: Come on then Sammy, Say Goodnight SAMMY MANAGES TO CLIMB THE LADDER. HE LEAPS ON THE BED, WAGGING HIS TAIL AND LICKS WILLIAM’S FACE, SLOWLY WILLIAM PUTS HIS ARMS AROUND HIM

When the Warden and Mr Tom are outside Willies mothers house, and they think there’s no one in. SUDDENLY SAMMY PULLS AT THE LEAD, WHINING. HE PULLS AWAY AND STARTS SCRATCHING FRANTICALLY AT THE DOOR. HE BARKS

             

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Step  2:  Sketching  some  ideas  and  drawing  a  design  for  Sammy      From   the   stage   directions   we   already   know   now   that   Sammy   is   a   ‘’A   SMALL   BLACK-­‐AND-­‐WHITE  COLLIE’’   so   Toby’s   next   step   is   to   draw   some   sketches   for   a   working   puppet.   You   can   see   in   the  sketches  below  that  he  has  sketched  the  body  of  the  dog,  but  also  the  outline  of  a  puppeteer,  so  he  can  get  an  idea  of  how  they  might  control  the  puppet.      Here  is  a  page  from  Toby’s  sketchbook  with  his  initial  ideas:    

 

EXERCISE  –  Take  a  look...  These  designs  then  get  shown  to  the  set  designer  and  director  so  they  can  say  whether  or  not  they  like  it!    What  do  you  think!?  

 In  Toby’s  sketch  book  you  may  also  notice  sketches  of  other  animals!    Have  a  close  look  and  see  what  else  you  can  see!  

 Can  you  see  how  the  puppeteer  will  control  Sammy?    

 Compare  the  dog  to  the  human,  how  big  will  the  puppet  be?    

       

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The  final  sketch  for  Sammy  by  Toby  

   

Step   3:   Making   a   miniature  version  of  Sammy!      This  smaller  version  of  the  puppet  is  called  a  MAQUETTE.    The   reason   that  Toby  makes  one  of   these   is  so   that   he   can   show   Angus   and   Rob   how  Sammy  will  move!    You   can   see   Toby’s   hand   on   the   right   hand  side  of  the  picture  –  so  you  can  imagine  how  small  the  maquette  is!                          

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Step  4:  Making  a  full  sized  ‘Rehearsal  Puppet’    

This   puppet   is   not   the   real   one   that  will   be   used   in   the   show;   it   is   just   a  rehearsal   one!   That   means   that   it   is  not  painted  in  the  colours  and  is  made  from   simple   materials   like   cardboard,  but   it   is   exactly   the   same   shape   and  size  that  the  real  one  will  be.                      

   

  EXERCISE  –  Quick  Question  Why  do  you  think  we  don’t  use  the  real  one  in  rehearsals?    

   

Step  5:  Rehearsing  with  the  puppet  to  make  sure  it’s  perfect!      Toby  not  only  makes  the  puppets  but  also  directs  Laura  the  puppeteer.  This  means  that  he  has  told  her   how   to  move   Sammy   and   herself   to  make   him   look   realistic!   He   has   been   in   rehearsals,   so  knows  any  problems  with  the  puppet  that  need  to  be  changed  before  he  makes  the  real  one.      

Toby said that:

‘’Laura found a huge range of dog moves and gestures with Sammy herself. I was there to add little details like making the puppet look heavier when he jumped, or making his breathing deeper after he races home with William.’’

You will see in the interview with Laura below that she is an experienced puppeteer!

 

     

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Step  6:  Delivery  of  the  final  puppet  to  rehearsals    Rehearsals  last  for  4  weeks,  and  after  about  3,  Toby  brings  in  the  real  Sammy  that  will  be  used  in  the  production.  Sammy  is  made  out  of  a  core  of  grey  board  covered  in  layers  of  brown  paper  and  wood  glue.  His  ‘fur’  is  wool  and  chiffon,  and  his  eyes  are  moulded  glass.      

 

 Did  You  Know?  Sammy  is  not  the  only  puppet  that  is  used  in  Goodnight  Mister  Tom.  There  is  also  a  squirrel    and  a  bird.    In  fact  did  you  notice  that  there  are  actually  two  identical  bird  puppets?  This  is    so  that  they  can  appear  in  different  places  on  the  stage  very  quickly  after  each  other  to  get    the  effect  of  a  fast  moving  bird  flying  through  the  air!)  

   

Here   is   a   picture   of   Louise  Collins   rehearsing   with   the  rehearsal  squirrel  puppet.                            

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Interview  with  Laura  Cubitt  Puppeteer  of  Sammy  

Q: Have you ever been the puppeteer for any other animal and what was that like?

A: I was a horse for a year in War Horse for 6 months as the back legs of the foal Joey and another 6 as the head of Joey. Being a horse was amazing. As the back legs you are actually inside the puppet and they are amazingly life like, they can gallop, trot and fight and at times people ride on top. We spent many weeks researching horses, visiting stables and learning to think like a horse. We made all the noises too between the 3 puppeteers operating one horse; I could be heard cycling to rehearsal whinnying through the streets practising for months. Towards the end they lurched into life, snorting and foot stomping, kicking and galloping like the wind; it was like being inside a rollercoaster!

Q: What's it like playing a dog?

A: Incredibly fun and pretty tiring, thank goodness Sammy is a little bit old otherwise I'd never stop running! One of the first things I read about Border Collies was they are one of the fastest most energetic breeds; footage of them running is incredible. And I heard recently in an average day they will cover 74-100 miles! I have a bearded collie myself and look after my friend’s whippet in London so fortunately I spend a fair bit of time around dogs which helps getting their behaviour right. I have been going to the park and watching dogs running and playing and how they interact with their owners, to get the feel for them. It’s incredibly freeing and fun to be playing a dog because they are naturally curious animals, and as a breed massively friendly and enthusiastic which means as a character I can get away with being quite naughty and cheeky and then lie down and have a little nap, perfect!

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Q: If Sammy could speak, what do you think he would say?

A: I'd like to go for a walk, I'd like my dinner, play with me! I think he has a pretty good life, surrounding by beautiful green fields to romp in and forests to run through, incredible smells, squirrels to chase, birds to bark at, weather to experience... and all with his best friend at his side who he loves and is incredibly loyal towards. The village is peaceful and familiar and Sammy can play in the graveyard at the back of his house whenever he likes, with a nice warm stove to curl up by and go to sleep at the end of the day.

Q: What's the best and worst thing about being cast as an animal rather than a human?

A: No Lines to learn! No, there's lots of moves and choreography to learn that are the same really. There's a lot of freedom which is wonderful. They don't operate to the same set of rules as humans so they don't have to be polite or appropriate or do the right thing, they do exactly as they like, when they like. Sammy has his own story which I have to make true for him, so he really lives. It’s a subtle balance between making him look spontaneous and 'wild' but also be in the right place at the right time on stage so you're not in people's way or too distracting at important bits of the story. There aren't many bad bits, I love the freedom and the challenge of keeping him alive at all times, and the possibilities to improvise and keep coming up with little things. I suppose the bad side would be the back ache and when we had doors, getting shut on stage if a door slammed beforeI got off, I couldn't open it!

Q: What does Sammy make of William when they first meet?

A: He's a very strange, small thing. It has just been Tom and Sammy his whole life so it’s a huge change. Tom doesn't really have many visitors at the start of the play so it really has been just the two of them. Suddenly there is a little boy who smells funny and is quite scared. He does strange things and makes funny noises. He is at the same time very intriguing and has a nice youthfulness that’s new for Sammy. As they get to know each other Sammy grows to love him too, relishing having another person to play with and run about with and fuss over him. Sammy gets to know William quicker than Tom and can be physical and bold with him in a way that Tom can't be. I think Sammy senses William’s sensitivity and develops a natural protection for him. And it's partly through playing with Sammy that William can take the first tentative steps to finding his own sense of fun and freedom.

           

*  CLASSROOM  TASK:    PUPPETRY  *    

MAKE  YOUR  OWN  PUPPET!      Toby,   our   puppet   designer   and   director,   has   designed   this   himself   so   you   can   make   your   own  SAMMY!  Try  this  and  see  how  easy  it  is!    If  you  have  a  favourite  type  of  dog,  you  could  make  it  that  colour  or  size!  Sammy  is  a  border  collie  and  is  black  and  white,  but  you  could  make  any  dog!    

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WHAT  YOU  WILL  NEED:    

• A  plastic  drink  bottle  • An  old  newspaper  • Some  white  glue  • Sticky  tape  • Some  sticks  • Some  string  • Black  and  White  paint  • Old  bits  of  fabric  • Beads/buttons/  tin  foil  for  the  eyes  and  nose    

INSTRUCTIONS:    1.  Cut  the  top  off  a  plastic  drink  bottle,  these  two  pieces  will  be  Sammy's  head  and  body.  Cover  both  pieces  in  a  layer  of  torn  bits  of  newspaper  and  white  glue,  then  leave  to  dry.    

 

       2.   Glue   or   tape   short   bits   of   stick   or   garden   cane   to   both   sections   of   Sammy,   these   will   be   your  control  rods.  A  piece  of  string  stuck  from  the  top  of  Sammy's  head  running  to  his  shoulders  will  be  his  neck.    

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     3.  Paint  your  Sammy  black  and  white  like  a  real  border  collie  dog  (or  any  other  dog!)    now  he  needs  eyes,   ears  and  a  nose.  Shiny  beads  or  buttons  make   great   eyes,   you  can  use   triangles  of   fabric   or  paper  for  ears  and  paint  or  draw  on  his  nose.    

         4.  Glue  or  tie  lots  of  thin  strips  of  fabric  along  Sammy's  string  neck  and  also  along  his  body's  control  rod   -­‐this  will  make   it  his   tail.   Finally,   cut  out   four   larger   strips  of   fabric,   these  will  be  his   legs   stick  them  on  the  sides  of  his  body.      

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     5.  Now  you  have  a  finished  puppet!  Try  to  make  your  Sammy  walk,  run,  jump  and  bark  just  like  the  real  thing!    

       

Now  you’ve  made  Sammy,  try...  Making  him  run  fast.  Making  him  walk  slowly  like  he’s  tired.  Making  him  have  a  nap.  Making  him  look  sad  (hanging  his  head).  Making  him  eat.    

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SUGGESTIONS  FOR  OTHER  TASKS:    

Think  of  a  favourite  animal  character  from  your  favourite  book,  e.g.  Hedwig  from  Harry    Potter,  and  sketch  a  drawing  of  what  your  puppet  might  look  like.    Think  about  turning  it  into  a  puppet;  what  will  you  use  for  the  head/  body  and  feet  and  how    will  you  attach  them?  What  will  you  control  it  with?  Try  making  it!  If  you’re  feeling  really  brave  why  don’t  you  make  a  full  scale  owl!    

 Pair  up  with  your  friends  puppets  and  write  a  short  sequence  e.g.  The  owl  tries  to  fly  away    but  the  wolf  howls  and  tries  to  chase  it,  the  owl  then  flies  down  and  the  wolf  gives  it  a    hug!    Practice  working  out  how  these  puppets  will  interact  and  rehearse  this  short  scene  and    share  with  everyone  else  in  the  class    

 Think  about  staging  animals  –  If  you  had  to  decide  how  to  stage  Sammy,  what  would  you    do?  Think  of  all  the  other  ways  it  might  be  possible  to  stage  a  dog  –  try  them  out  and  write    a  lot  of  good  points  and  bad  points  about  each  one.  Which  one’s  the  best?    Think  about  the  fact  that  we  have  to  take  Sammy  on  tour  to  14  different  locations  so  it  has    to  be  manageable!  

                                                       

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6. REHEARSAL DIARY from the original production at Chichester Festival Theatre

 How  do  rehearsals  work?  Ever  wondered  what  actually  happens  in  them?  Read  on  to  find  out  and  see  lots  of  rehearsal  snaps!  

Angus  (the  Director)  and  Oliver  (Mister  Tom)  by  Catherine  Ashmore  

We  rehearsed  in  a  rehearsal  room  in  North  London  for  4  weeks,  before  spending  3  days  in  our  first  theatre  in  Chichester.  Normal  rehearsal  hours  are  10am  to  6pm.  

It’s  a  very  short  time  to  get  the  whole  play  in  shape,  learn  all  the  lines  and  rehearse  in  the  3  groups  of  boys  playing  William  and  Zach.  Everyone  has   to  work   very  hard  and  work   to   tight   schedules   to  make  sure  everything  gets  done.    

 

 

 

 

 

DAY  1  –  THE  READ  THROUGH  

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 On   the   very   first   day   of   rehearsals,   all   the   cast   and   all   the   backstage   and   creative   team   came  

together  and  hear   the  play   read   for   the   first   time.  A   lot  of  people  had  not  met   each  other  yet,   so  everyone  got  in  a  circle  and  introduced  themselves!    

All  the  actors  and  creative  team  are  introduced  to  the  FINAL  SET  BOX  and  the  animal  puppets  that  Toby  has  put  together  for  the  rehearsals.  

 

At  the  end  of  each  day  Anne  (the  Deputy  Stage  Manager)  emails  everyone  with  NOTES  on  the  day’s  rehearsal.   These   will   include   changes   and   thoughts   and   things   to   work   on   the   next   day.   It   also  includes  the  next  day’s  CALL,  which  is  when  the  actors  are  supposed  to  come  in  the  next  day.  Here  is  

an  example  of  an  actual  rehearsal  note:  

NOTES: Props/ Stage Management

1. Pg 48. Re: paintings. Due to script alterations, the “Happy birthday” canvas is cut. Instead, on the easel should be a painting by Rachel of ‘Field and Sky’. It should be beautiful with a remarkable sky. To be confirmed if it should be watercolour or oil. Please see design Note 1. Pg 61. William’s painting from school should also have a remarkable sky.

2. Six blank canvasses of various sizes are required. 3. Due to a re-write of the post office scene, Miss Kavanagh has requested

a small invoice book she can write in and a couple of pencils.  

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  EXERCISE  –  Quick  Question  Why  do  you  think  it’s  important  for  REHEARSAL  NOTES  to  be  sent  out?    

 Things  change  in  rehearsals  every  day.  Have  a  look  below  for  an  example  of  a  rehearsal  note  telling  

the  entire  COMPANY  of  actors  something  to  concentrate  on  the  next  day,  then  below  that  for  when  it  changes  again.    

 

NOTES: Production Management - 19TH January 2011

1. The leaf/petal drop should be centre stage. NOTES: Production Management - 24th January 2011

1. Mr. Jackson would like the position of the leaf/petal drop moved. He would like it to drop onto the middle of the downstage area (not the platform stage).

   Every  day  we  rehearse  a  different  section  of  the  play.  Angus  (the  Director)  works  out  how  he  wants  the  scene  to  look  and  then  we  practise  it  over  and  over  again.      We  don’t  have  the  set  in  rehearsals  –  just  a  few  props  like  the  bike,  door  frames,  tables  and  chairs  and   a   bed.   Gradually   this   builds   up   so  we   have   almost   a   complete   set   by   the   last   week   (See   the  Designing  Goodnight  Mister  Tom  section).      

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DAY  5  –  FIGHT  DIRECTION    The  fight  director  came  in  today  to  work  on  William  and  Zach’s  sword  fight  and  the  scene  where  Mrs  Beech  hits  William.  It’s  very  important  that  these  are  planned  very  carefully  so  that  no  one  actually  gets   hurt.   Aoife   (who  plays  Mrs   Beech)   has   to   practice   the   slaps   lots   of   times  with   all   3  Williams.  They   want   the   audience   to   believe   that   people   are   actually   being   hurt   –   but   it   is   all   carefully  choreographed  trickery  to  make  you  believe  that  –  no  one  ever  does!      

   

DAY  9  –  DANCE  TEACHER    Today   the   choreographer  came   in   to   rehearse  Zach’s  dance!    Ethan,  Max  and   Emilio,  who  all  play  Zach,  have  to  do  a  short  dance  sequence  in  Act  1  whilst  singing  “Let’s  face  the  music  and  dance”.      

DAY  13  –  PRACTICING  THE  KIDNAPPING    Today  we  worked  on  various  bits  from  Act  2  including  the  scene  where  Mister  Tom  kidnaps  William  from  hospital.      Every  time  there  is  a  scene  with  one  of  the  boys  in,  we  have  to  rehearse  it  3  different  times  so  each  boy   gets  a  chance   to  practice   it.  Whilst  one   is   rehearsing,   the  others  watch   from  the  side  so   they  know  what  to  do  as  soon  as  it’s  their  turn.              

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DAY  15  –  ACCENT  TRAINING    Today   the   vocal   coach   came   in   to  work  on   the  casts  West  Country  accents!  The  cast  are  originally  from  all  over   the  country  and  one   is  even  from  Ireland,  so   it’s  really   important   that   they  all  sound  like  they’re  from  the  same  place  when  they  are  in  London  or  Tom’s  village,  Little  Weirwold.      

DAY  17  –  THE  FIRST  FULL  RUN-­‐THROUGH    We  did  our  first  run.  This  means  we  ran  through  the  whole  play  without  stopping!  We  timed  this  so  we  can  let  all  the  theatres  know  how  long  it  is  going  to  be.  All  the  creative  team  came  and  watched  this  so  that  they  have  a  much  better  idea  of  the  shape  of  the  play.      For   example,   Tim   the   lighting   designer   needs   to   see   exactly   how   the  play   runs   so   he   knows  what  type  of  lighting  effects  to  put  where.      The   lighting  needs   to  be   very  different,   from  being  sunny  and  bright   outside   in   the  countryside   to  when  they  are  inside  Mrs  Beech’s  dark  and  dingy  house!      

                   

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WEEK  5  –  FIRST  WEEK:  TECHNICAL  REHEARSALS    These  took  place  in  Chichester  from  Monday  –  Wednesday  (we  open  on  the  Wednesday  night!)      In   the   ‘technical   rehearsal   period’   -­‐   we   go   very   slowly   through   the   whole   play   practising   all   the  technical  cues.  This  means  going  over  and  over  every  time  there  is  a  sound  effect,  change  of  lighting,  movement  of  scenery  or  set.      In  the  rehearsal  room  you  rehearse  without  technical  equipment  so  there  is  a  lot  to  do  when  you  get  into  the  theatre!      

WEEK  5  –  FIRST  PERFORMANCE  DAY:  AFTERNOON  DRESS  REHEARSAL      The  dress  rehearsal   is  when  you  run  through  the  whole  play  without  stopping.  The  whole  cast  is  in  costume  and  everything  is  exactly  as  if  it  was  a  proper  performance.      The  reason  we  do  this  is  so  that  when  it  comes  to  the  first  performance  –  everyone  feels  confident  that  they  know  exactly  what  they’re  doing.      The  cast  have  only  had  3  days  in  the  actual  theatre  with  all  the  technical  effects  so  they  need  to  get  comfortable  with  the  way  everything  works.