Diploma in

Performing &
Production Arts
Unit 8 Project Proposal

Candidate Ella Joyce Varney

Name
Candidate 3178195261
Number
Pathway Performing And Production Arts Level 3

Project Title Final Major Project: The wardrobe

Section 1: Review

When I first started this course, I had no experience in live theatre, and had just escaped a
pandemic that restricted my ability to see people, I was hopeful that this course would offer me
a wide range of skills and an environment in which I felt safe. as we stepped into college in
September of 2021 I was immediately thrown into practical work, something I had long missed.
Throughout all 11 units I learnt more performance skills than I had learned in all my 5 years of
school. I learnt the different types of theatre; how different directors have unique styles. We
practiced verbatim which taught me to listen closer and to look at the finer details for a truer
feeling. Later, we investigated set design, we were given a play to design the set for. This is
something I had never seen myself wanting to do, however after the process I learned that
perhaps I am more capable that I thought. Something I struggled with was reassurance in
myself, but the topics we have looked at throughout the year have taught me to trust myself,
and to always be open to trying things I thought I didn’t want to do.

Section 2: Project Concept

The concept of my project is to create a piece that not only looked at British history through a
wardrobe, but to also bring the behind-the-scenes aspects of theatre on stage. The play is
called ‘the wardrobe’, instantly within the first scene we see actors running on stage in a panic
‘before the show’, a moment of improv, and after some rail choreography with the prologue, the
first wardrobe scene begins. We see a young Elizabeth of York and Cecily together inside this
wardrobe shaped by clothes rails. Throughout the changing of scenes are meticulous
choreographed moments we called ‘railography’, where the wardrobe would be moved into its
next position by the ‘actors’, enforcing the concept of the behind the scenes on stage. So, I will
research the types of things actors do when putting on a show, particularly for the improv
section when we interact with each other, asking where someone’s costume is etc. I would
perhaps also research the characters we see throughout the play, as many of the characters
are real people throughout history, research what happened before and after their scene takes
place in history. We will utilize the space effectively, ensuring that it encapsulated the audience
and adds a sense of truth to the scenes that require it. I will also ask my peers and director
after rehearsals how I could improve within my scene and take mental notes that I will set in
motion in our next rehearsal. To also ensure the flow of out play, I will talk with my peers about
making sure we understand the time period of our scenes so that the audience can keep track
of how far in history we are in each scene. I look forward to seeing how our piece progresses
over time when our knowledge widens each day.

Section 3: Evaluation

To reflect on my work, I will evaluate the progress I make in each section and review if there
are improvements I need to make toward my productiveness, if that means taking more notes,
annotating my script etc. with the development of my play I will be taking notes of the
choreography between each scene and what I do during that changeover, which I can review
when I need to. I will also be taking notes of the tension required in my lines, movements and
actions within my script whilst making a video of reflection each week to also track my
progress, thoughts and challenges. To develop myself practically I will be looking to peers
outside of my scenes to receive notes for improvement, and suggestions of what I could do to
try and play around with different variations. This is useful because sometimes on stage you
don’t have self-awareness in terms of how you’re standing during the scene, how that effects
the way you’re portraying your character and, your volume, so that the audience can hear you. I
will ensure to keep the rehearsal space light and friendly to create a good atmosphere to that
we all feel safe and confident in our work. To keep a friendly environment enables us to give
each other notes without anything being taken as an insult, making a more collaborative space,
rather than competitive.

Proposed Research Sources and Bibliography (Harvard Format)

J. Brain. 9th August 2019 “the Victorian workhouse” Historic UK [online]
Available at: https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Victorian-Workhouse/
[Accessed 19th April 2022]

History.com Editors, 29th October 2009, updated 9th September 2019 “Industrial Revolution:
definitions, Causes & interventions” History
Available at: https://www.history.com/topics/industrial-revolution
[Accessed 19th April 2022]

History.com Editors. 2nd December 2009, updated 20th September 2021 “English civil wars –
causes, timeline & results” History
Available at: https://www.history.com/topics/british-history/english-civil-wars
[Accessed 20th April 2022]

English Heritage. 30th September 2020 “Dido Belle” English heritage [online]
Available at: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/histories/women-in-history/dido-belle/
[Accessed 16th March 2022]

English heritage, narrated by Samanthi, produced by Digital delicious.com. 5 th December 2011

“Kenwood: the story of Dido Elizabeth Belle” [online, Video]
Available at: Kenwood: The Story of Dido Elizabeth Belle - YouTube
[Accessed 23rd March 2022]

Sky History. 25th November 2021 “the story of Dido Elizabeth Belle: Britain’s first black
aristocrat” Sky History [online]
Available at: https://www.history.co.uk/articles/the-story-of-dido-elizabeth-belle-britain-s-first-
black-aristocrat
[Accessed 16th March 2022]

V. Masson. 13th November 2016 “the origins & causes of the English civil war – historic UK”
Available at: https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Origins-of-the-English-
Civil-War/
[Accessed 20th April 2022]

J. Simkin. September 1997, updated January 2020 “child factory Accidents – Spartacus
Educational” Spartacus educational [online]
Available at: https://spartacus-educational.com/IRaccidents.htm
[Accessed 19th April 2022]

Sites.Udel. date published unknown “social and family life in the late 17 th & early 18th Centuries”
British literature [online]
Available at: https://sites.udel.edu/britlitwiki/social-and-family-life-in-the-late17th-early-18th-
centuries/
[Accessed 20th April 2022]

Project Action Plan and Timetable

Week Date Week Activity / What you are intending to do - Resources / What you will need to do it -
Beginning including independent study including access to workshops

script, pen, notebook, moveable clothing,

14th March Monday - We first met jenny Davies, our water
1 director, and read through the script
altogether. But before we started reading, we
all introduced ourselves to our director and
associate director, we voiced what we were
interested in doing in terms of theatre
making, so acting, directing, stage managing
etc.
After finishing reading a scene we discussed
the scene, what things could mean,
summaries etc. after each scene we took a
two-minute break to digest the information
and to keep focus. We really explored the
meaning of the wardrobe also, and how we
could portray it on stage, whether we would
 make it literal or more metaphorical.

Script, pen, phone, moveable clothing

21st March Monday – we began performing certain
2 parts of the play, narrowing down on each
scene unlike in week one where we looked at
the play all together and not individually. We
also looked at giving life to the script, turning
dialogue into actions and scenes. We were
able to put
our own interpretation on the scenes. We
were given a lot of choice over what scenes
we wanted to work on, and talked about each
scene that we chose, going through a
timeline of the play. We made a physical
timeline of the play with pieces of paper
summarizing each scene and them put them
in chronological order. Looking also at when
the mood changes in each scene, and what
lines carry the emotional changes. We were
able to portray a few scenes, and I did one
that was rather lighthearted which is
something I had never really been interested
in before.

Script, moveable clothing, water

28th March Monday – we attended a stage combat
3 workshop. We practiced punching, slapping,
pushing and strangling in a safe
environment. We got into pairs and devised a
fighting routine. The environment created by
the practitioner ensured that we all felt safe,
which improved the quality of our fight
sequences. Towards the end of the session,
we investigated strangulation as this is a part
of scene 3 in our play. Doing this gave all of
us an understanding of what is needed in
that scene and how that smothering can be
carried out in a controlled way that ensures
the safety of all involved.

Script, pen, highlighter, moveable

4th April Monday - as our last week before intensives clothing
we took this time to do some rough blocking,
and also looked at the casting we received.
We read of our lines as a group and then
went over blocking in our individual groups. A
4
member of my scene was not there when we
did this so someone else had to fill in for him,
 this enabled us to still carry out our scenes
and gave us more opportunity to investigate
it without someone missing. We then roughly
shared what we had created to the rest our
group after an hour or so. We also got
measured for our costumes.

Monday – we arrived at 2pm due to Jenny Script, pen, highlighter, water,

being ill. We worked with Sophie, the moveable black clothing, notebook
25th April movement director, to create transitions
using rails. We looked more particularly at
creating one for the prologue, which took
quite some time, and then another for the
transition between scene 10 and 12. We
created character profiles fore our characters
and then stuck them up on the wall in the
roper room. we were also shown a ‘mood
board’ of the inspiration jenny had for her
5 play within a play idea which took the behind
the scenes of a production to the stage. We
finished at 5pm
Tuesday – we presented what we had
created on Monday to jenny. We spent the
morning with Sophie showing jenny what we
had created and allowing her to figure out if
anything needed changing etc. in the
afternoon, we investigated our scenes in
much more detail. On the afternoon we tried
on some costumes they had picked out, most
of them unfortunately didn’t fit, but it gave us
an idea of what works and what does not. By
the end of Tuesday, I was off book. 9am till
4:40pm
Wednesday – we did one on ones with jenny
in the morning, we worked more thoroughly
on the beginning of my scene and only really
got up to Carylls entrance in the scene, but a
lot of progress was made in terms of blocking
which gave us a better understanding for
later. In the afternoon we did a very rough
run-through of the scenes we had to time our
piece and it came up to around 45 minutes
initially.
Thursday – we spent Thursday just
rehearsing repeatedly, progressing as much
as we could whilst jenny was helping other
groups. And whilst we weren’t needed, we
would analyze our scripts, writing down the
blocking etc.
 Friday – Friday morning was spent
rehearsing our scenes when possible,
tweaking what needed to be tweaked. Jenny
came over to my group and we blocked
leahs death as we realized that we needed to
change it to accommodate for bens leg injury
and leahs asthma. We blocked in a cloth and
block instead so that ben could sit and kill
Leah with the cloth. I then got told that I
would help direct scene 11, so a majority of
Friday afternoon was spent blocking and
rehearsing that scene with jenny. I created a
list of props needed.
Monday - Not here (bank holiday) Water, theatre blacks, script
3rd May Tuesday - We blocked through more and
Jenny gave my group more time to
choreograph Leah’s death. Worked in the
theatre space, the egg auditorium for the first
time. We worked on the prologue transition
as things had changed in rehearsals, and so
we worked with Sophie to fix things in the
transitions. Did some improv for a first scene.
Wednesday – we were in the Roper room
One on ones with jenny per group. Did some
6 scene work on the Narnia scene, with more
of the props. me and Jenny watched it and
gave notes and was a creative process.
I then did the one-on-one session for my
scene; it was helpful as we blocked all the
way to the end of the scene and I’m trying
now to really focus on what I’m doing
throughout the scene 
Thursday - We were in the roper room again
It was more practise; we also did a full run
through of the play in the afternoon
The morning was one on ones again in the
evening I tried on my costume, ensuring that
it was the right measurements and taking
note of what needs tailoring.
Friday - We were in the egg auditorium
We tried on our costumes in the morning,
went over all the transitions with Jenny and
Sophie. Did tweaking when needed to make
transitions easier. We then did a run through
in costumes in the afternoon, which were a
bit Shakey, but it was good as it helped me
realise how I needed to practise our scene in
my costume as I’m in a dress which restricts
 some movement.

Monday – we began at around 10 am, we did Water, stage blacks, phone

9th may a tech rehearsal for the whole day, till 9pm.
7 We went through each transition and scene,
stopping multiple times to choreograph
lighting and sound effects. It was the first
time we all practiced with costumes and
props. In the evening, after we finished tech,
we just ran through transitions, and with each
one we wrote down what we did as a ‘cheat
sheet’.
Tuesday – we were in the dance studio, and
we began at 12pm. We did a run through of
the scenes out of costume and without some
props, such as rails and blocks. After the run
though we received some notes from jenny
and then finished at around 3:30 pm.
Wednesday – on Wednesday we did our first
ever dress rehearsal, and we performed for
the other cast. After the dress rehearsal was
finished a few of us had to stay behind to
better choreograph the blood cleanup after
the Elizabeth and Cecily scene. We then did
another dress rehearsal and had notes
afterwards.
Thursday- we were called for around 12:45
pm where we did one more dress rehearsal
until around 5pm. I was informed early in the
day that I would cover for another cast
member, so I used my free time to learn the
lines and recite the movements. When we
came back from dinner we changed into our
costumes (stage blacks) and then went into
warmups with the other cast. My cast then
went down to the auditorium to do more
warmups before the show. We then waited in
the wings, and we finished the show at
around 10pm.
Friday - we were called for 5pm. We did
warmups with the other cast before we went
down to the auditorium to do further
warmups. We then waited in the wings to
perform, and the show finished at around
10pm.