Connor Clifford's Acting Page: The Wardrobe Project (Scene Analysis)

Date: 19th June 1916

Location: Great Britain, Industrial, Auction House.

Character: Antony Edward Leverson Gower, Ellen Anne Rigby.

19th June 1916, was two years after WW1 had begun, it is also the year that the "Battle of Somme", which began July 1st 1916 the research a found about the battle is as shown:

"As the 11 British divisions walked towards the German lines, the machine guns started and the slaughter began. Although a few units managed to reach German trenches, they could not exploit their gains and were driven back. By the end of the day, the British had suffered 60,000 casualties, of whom 20,000 were dead: their largest single loss. Sixty per cent of all officers involved on the first day were killed." (1)

This leads me onto the pre-scene event, this was Antony being conscripted to war, I know this because:

"A man wishing to join the army could do so providing he passed certain physical tests and was willing to enlist for a number of years. The recruit had to be taller than 5 feet 3 inches and aged between 18 and 38 (although he could not be sent overseas until he was aged 19). He would join at the Regimental Depot or at one of its normal recruiting offices. The man had a choice over the regiment he was assigned to. He would typically join the army for a period of 7 years full time service with the colours, to be followed by another 5 in the Army Reserve. (These terms were for infantry: the other arms had slightly different ones. For example, in the artillery it was for 6 years plus 6). When war was declared there were 350,000 former soldiers on the Army Reserve, ready to be called back to fill the establishment of their regiments." (2)

These events appear in the scene when Nell says "I don't want a wedding present for a wedding I might not have", this is what both characters are very sensitive about in the scene.

The scene shows both characters searching for a wedding gift, as they are engaged, they both are very naive and playful with one another, until Nell brings up Antony being conscripted to war, this is the dramatic turn of events in the scene, if I was to put this into an energy state, this part is when the bomb goes off in the room, both characters energies change drastically, going from about a 4, which is neutral as both characters are acting how they normally would to one another, to then change into an 8, when Antony realises that something is wrong, as Nell is acting differently, to eventually turn to a 9, the bomb has gone off, which is exactly when Nell brings up the conscription and the war to Antony and how she feels about it.

The character are Antony, who is 18 years old just about to be sent out to fight in the war there was such thing as the "Military Service Act" I found out:

"The Act specified that men from 18 to 41 years old were liable to be called up for service in the army unless they were married, widowed with children, serving in the Royal Navy, a minister of religion, or working in one of a number of reserved occupations. A second Act in May 1916 extended liability for military service to married men, and a third Act in 1918 extended the upper age limit to 51." (3)

But Antony wasn't married just yet only engaged, but I do think that he would have signed up anyway because of how it was frowned upon not to, and I think that he thinks about his pride a lot also, but many young men forged their birth certificate, which also makes me believe he is scared about the war. And I think that he dies in "The Battle of Somme" because this is in the year he is sent out and also many people died in this battle, he is very playful with Nell, but is also very naive also.

Nell on the other hand seems to be very controlled by what her mother has said previously, I know this because she says about how she told her mum she is going to need a huge handmade wardrobe, to which her mother apparently replied "Fat chance, people like us only have two outfits to their names, a set of flannel pyjamas and a serving apron." This shows that her mother has a big influence on the actions and decisions she makes. Like Antony she is also very playful and naive, but the thought of Antony going to war is something she holds back a lot by the look of things because in the scene she’s trying to look interested, but the thought is sitting with her until she eventually brings it up later in the scene. Nell is 17 and this was quite normal to get married at this age, me and Charlotte both believe she is from a working class, but we also think that Antony is more middle class, as they are both looking for an expensive present in an auction.

Costume and props would have to be from their era, but they would have to be props that can symbolise their era and also the fact they are in an auction house. A few ideas I have for props are these:

Props:

Antique French Louis Philippe Mahogany Chest circa 1840-1850

Above is an Antique Louis Philippe Mahogany Chest, I have chosen this item because not only is this an antique, but it also dates back to before their era, which fits in with the auction house setting, but it also looks like something that someone from 1916 would by themselves, and it would also fit in with the wardrobe by the way it looks.

Victorian Vanity Table
(5)

Above is a Victorian Vanity table, I have chosen this because it doesn't look too modern, like I have said I would like it to look like its before 1916 but I think that the wooden look would act the feeling of being in an auction house. Also I like this because in the script Antony refers to a Victorian Vanity table when he says, "or what about this Victorian Vanity Table?", which is why it would fit in well with the scene very well.

William Kay Blacklock (British artist, 1872-1924) Sunlight and Shadow
(6)

I have also chosen this painting, as it was a bit before 1916, which would could symbolise an auction house, but also Antony mentions a painting, as he says "well what about a painting" this is when he is trying to take Nell's mind off buying the wardrobe as its very expensive.

Costume:

For costume I have looked at images from 1916 to get a feel for what Antony and Nell might wear, here is what I had found:

First Image
(7)

Second Image
(8)

Final Image
(9)

I think that Antony is middle class, and so I looked at what a few of them would wear, I chose the first picture because this looks like something you would on a day out with family or friends, and in this scene Antony is out looking for a wedding present. The Second photo I found looks like something that Antony would wear when working, all thought the bowler hats indicate that they were working class, I think that the rest of the attire would be suitable if Antony has just come from work to look for antiques. The final image I have found, would be the helmet and the jacket that we are planning on having Antony finishing the scene, as he steps out of the wardrobe and puts his uniform on in order to go to war, which would fit in if we were planning on having him die in "The Battle of Somme" we could hear a whistle which is when he exits, as they blew a whistle just before you about to go into no mans land.

Image 1
(10)

When me and Charlotte were looking at our characters, we decided that she would be a lower class than Antony this is because there is a line where Nell says "Fat chance she said, people like us have two outfits to their name, that's a set of flannel pyjamas and a serving apron, that's all we will ever need. So I had a look at working class clothes for women in 1916, and from both the images I think Nell should wear a dress that is long, and plain, because as you can see in image one they don't have crazy patters its either plain or stripy, and in image two I noticed that their dress are quite light, even though its in black and white, and then they also have boots, and their dresses are not very reviling which is what I think Nell should be wearing. I think that as they are both out on a trip that Nell might wear a tea dress, or something as equally as innocent looking.