Sound
NEGATIVES
Voice announcement for start of show - Ruin sudden start that creates tension
Act 1
Pace - Sporadic => Unnerves and shocks the audience, heightening the fear and catharsis they experience
Direction => Surround sound => Creates a vivid 3D immersive atmosphere for the audience. Establishes the location of the scene beyond the 4th wall => We share in Kipps' fear, thus heightening tension
Volume - Quiet => Creates ominous atmosphere that creates tension for the audience.
Type - Raven crow => Typically associated with graveyard => Helps establish location for audience, creating a more realistic setting, heightening feelings of fear.
Reference to 'Mr Bruce', the Sound Designer in the show => Shatters theatrical illusion, allowing the fear and terror on stage to extend into the audience.
Pace => Slow pace => Long sound protracts the sound whilst also reflecting the slow, impending doom, creating a tense atmosphere
Direction - Surround sound => Encapsulates the audience. Reminder of theme of isolation but creates a sense of powerlessness that extends from the stage => We share in Kipps' fear
Volume - Quiet => Fades into background like Woman in Black => Creates tension and an ominous atmopshere
Type - Ticking Clock => Reminder of impending doom of protagonist. Creates tension for the audience
Act 2
Type - Music Box => Associated with children => Audience knows Nathanial is dead => Suggests supernatural presence => Creates fear for the audience and heightens tension and suspense. Anachronistic => Heightens fear
Type - Horse Scream => Conveys meaning of car crash => Evokes Pathos in audience and worry/fear over what happened to Kipps and his family
Volume - Very Loud => Scares the audience and creates a sense of immediacy that further heightens tension
Length - Very Short => Piercing sound that allows for sharp burst of fear to unnerve and scare the audience
Direction - Unidirectional from stage => Isolates event to on stage. We are watching this happen yet cannot do anything to stop it => Reflect power of WIB as we share in Kipps' weakness?
Creation of Atmosphere - Sound happens whilst blackout is going on => Fear of the dark and what has caused the crash? Unknown => Adds to fear and tension
Volume - Crescendo => Reflects how Kipps is overwhelmed and his growing fear and also creates tension as the audience wonders why Kipps is scared but also trains them to be prepared for a scare.
Direction - Surround sound => Creates intimate relationship with Kipps => We share in his fear
Pace - Accelerando => Reflects Kipps' fear => Audience wonders why Kipps is scared and what is scaring him => Trains audience for scare and heightens tension
Type - Heartbeat => Allows Kipps' fear to be palpable, evoking pathos and fear in the audience
AUDITORY MOTIF
Direction - Unidirectional emanating from stage => Creates realistic sense of observing supernatural occurrence => Heightens fear and tension that we as an audience feel
Auditory Motifs get boring and predictable towards the end of the performance - Break the Status Quo?
Pace - Slow => Protracts the fear that the audience experiences but also juxtaposes very intense previous scenes but subverts audience hopes of a 'safe haven/break' => Creates a more impactful shock
Volume - Low => Creates ominous and haunting atmosphere while lulling the audience into a false sense of security => Heightens fear experienced next
Creation of atmosphere - The music box breaks a tense moment of silence with a piercing and haunting childish sound => Heightens fear and grips the audience
Texture - Monophonic => The use of a simple melody created tension, established the time period of the piece whilst also created a sense of realism => Heightened fear due to suggestion of realism. Repeating melody suggests monotonous and inescapable fear?