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KNEEHIGH - Coggle Diagram
KNEEHIGH
STYLE OF KNEEHIGH
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they are full of energy with lots of elements working together to create a stage alive with action, from props and puppets creating a visual spectacle to music and dance being used to create a carnival atmosphere
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high-energy style has been combined with moments of darkness, stillness and silence to help weave the comedy and tragedy in their work more closely together
this way, they can make the audience laugh while also getting them to look at something familiar in a different way.
For instance, in Cymbeline they often played with Shakespeare’s text and satirised the style – on reading a letter, one character misreads ‘strumpet’ as ‘trumpet’ leading the other character to exclaim ‘I don’t even play the trumpet!’.
they see the audience as an accomplice in creating the narrative, as while the performers are the ones acting out what is happening on stage, the audience need to engage their imaginations to make the show work.
The narration in their plays is often delivered directly to the audience, and often in a friendly, off-hand manner, as if the characters are chatting to them rather than relating a grand narrative.
lighting
moments of strong emotion or full of movement and song, but are also often used as backlight and around the edges of the stage, while the actors are covered by white light or more subtle colours – this combination means that the colours can help give an impression of emotion and atmosphere while the performers are still easily and clearly seen.
Kneehigh’s non-naturalistic approach they often use vibrantly coloured lights to create different effects and add to the anarchic atmosphere,
Different colours are used along with angles, sizes and textures, or areas of light, to create the impression of different spaces
Kneehigh have often also used neon signs spelling out words to give a sense of atmosphere and location in their plays
Although Kneehigh have used projection in some of their other productions (including A Matter of Life and Death, Pandora’s Box and Cry Wolf), they used it most notably in their adaptation of Brief Encounter, so this worksheet will focus on its use in that show.
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costume
Kneehigh’s costumes are often bright, colourful and eye-catching. They also tend to mimic vintage styles. Sometimes, these are specific to the play – for example, the characters in Brief Encounter are clothed in 1940s styles to reflect the period when the original film was made
specific era isn’t being referenced, the style of the costumes often features a combination of modern (such as T-shirts), 1960s (such as dresses with small waists and full skirts) and Gothic Victorian (such as lacy gloves and heeled boots) styles. The style of the costumes can also be used to show what kind of environment the shows are set in – city-set shows often have sharper suits and dresses, while ones set in the countryside are more likely to include flowing dresses, cardigans and tweed.
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