MORNING PORTFOLIO

MAYBE THERE IS NO HOPE... ...A PLAY EXPLORING THEMES OF LOVE, DEATH, GRIEF, TEENAGE NIHILISM AND MORE...

BY: LUCY PINHO -KADLEC

PERFORMING ARTS - PLAY - UNIT 3

MORNING - PORTFOLIO

Index

MORNING

THEMES

REVIEWS/OPINION

SIMON STEPHENS

MY LOGS/REHEARSALS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

EVALUATIONS

CHARACTER PROFILE

GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES

THANK YOU!

SECTION 1: RESEARCH & UNDERSTANDING

WRITER, THEMES, PRODUCTION, REVIEWS AND MUCH MORE

Pages 4-18

Playwright Simon Stephens, who is Irish-British, teaches screenwriting at Manchester Metropolitan University. He was born on February 6th, 1971, in Manchester, England. Stephens graduated from the University of York with a degree in history. Stephens is regarded as one of Germany's most performed English-language authors. After university, he lived in Edinburgh for several years, where he met his future wife, Polly, before later completing a PGCE at the Institute of Education. He worked as a teacher for a few years, before leaving to become a playwright. In 2017, Stephens was engaged in a Professorship at the Manchester School of Writing, at Manchester Metropolitan University. He is also an Artistic Associate at the Lyric Hammersmith. “He was also on the board for Paines Plough between 2009 and 2014 and was a Writers’ Tutor for the Young Writers’ Programme at the Royal Court between 2001 and 2005.” “Simon Stephens began his theatrical career in the literary department of the Royal Court Theatre, where he ran its Young Writers' Programme.” The main target audience for Stephens' plays is youth, which highlights both their significance and susceptibility to exploitation. “His plays for theatre include Bluebird (Royal Court Theatre) Herons (Royal Court Theatre, 2001); Port (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, 2002) and Morning (Lyric Hammersmith, 2012)” Many of his play are dedicated to a young audience targeting the social issues of teenage nihilism, death, fear, young responsibilities. Stephens also currently works as Artistic Associate at the Lyric Theatre and Associate Playwright at the Royal Court. Stephens has form when it comes to teenage murder. In Herons (2001) he depicted one child killing another, while 2009's Punk Rock offered a Columbine-style massacre in a Stockport grammar school. “Simon is one of the UK’s most prolific and celebrated playwrights.” In an interview with Simon Stephens, he stated that “If I can identify what I’ve done, I can do it again. So, to get a body of work that is sustained over years you need to understand what you’re doing.” This means that in order for him to craft a successful play, he needs to understand his work and why he is doing it, not only for his audience but for himself. This would only work if he recognises the social issues he wants to portray in his plays. According to an interview with A Younger Theatre, Stephens writes for younger audiences because he believes they are more open to new concepts and experiences. He also believes that young people are more willing to experiment with different types of narratives.The notions of this play and "Morning" are similar in that they both reveal the corruption in today’s young society. Presented as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, this brutal and audacious play makes its stage debut at the Traverse Theatre before heading to the Lyric Theatre in September. Stephens' work, which was created through development workshops with the teenage players, explores the circumstances surrounding an excessively aggressive teenage game.

SIMON STEPHENS - HIS LIFE & WORK

In collaboration with the young company of the Lyric Hammersmith, Simon Stephens wrote the play "Morning." The story centers on two friends, Stephanie and Cat, who are close to leaving their small, cramped town at the end of the summer to go their separate ways—one to university, the other to stay put to care for her dying mother. 17-year-old Stephanie idolises her friend Cat, who has the sex appeal and confidence that Stephanie can merely imitate. As the play opens, Cat is about to move away to university later, but Stephanie’s doesn't want her to.Stephanie concentrates on her loyal boyfriend Stephen when her request is denied, treating him with an unsettling combination of mockery, insults and harsh dismissals. They later take Stephen to a quiet spot, offer him a threesome, tie him up, and eventually kill him. The drama portrays young people who look out at the world with the constant attention of scientists researching an interesting topic, only to find that they are the subject under the microscope. It is based on true stories of children and teenagers who commit murder. The Lyric Young Company will play this chilling portrayal of a dark coming-of-age drama that delves into our society's neglect to physical suffering, the capacity we have for horrible crimes, and the consequences of our decisions. The play emphasises the youth's susceptibility to influence, as well as their lack of self-control and regret while making judgements. Furthermore, it demonstrates how they are free to do whatever they want, even if it is wrong, and how little supervision by parents exists.The play reveals to us how an incident can change a person's entire life, which demonstrates Simon's concern for teenagers due to their impulsive acts. According to Stephanie, nothing will change even if someone passes away because she feels that the younger generation has a lack of importance, and that life is terrible. Everyone would carry on with their regular activities as if nothing had occurred. This could also be seen as a statement about how society has turned into a fraud. Morning increases the intensity, in contrast to most of the content that appears to be developed and performed for youthful audiences. The play takes a realistic look at today's young, who enjoy sexual independence yet are plagued by the horrors of using games and films to express themselves.Society frequently strives to trap adolescents. Morning not only confirms Simon Stephens' place as one of today's most current writers, but it also represents a dramatic shift in how playwrights and directors understand the value of writing for younger audiences. In just over an hour, it reveals the nihilism of a disenfranchised generation whose violence is reckless and impulsive. Stephens finds it fascinating that this well-known theme of hypersensitivity combined with blunted morality is subtly brought up once again. The play gives off the strange impression that it is determined to destroy any hope for the future. Morning explores the much talked-about topics of friendship and adolescence in addition to the heavier themes of psychosis, grief, remorse, and the weight of all of these on young shoulders.

MORNING - PLAY

In his play "Morning," Simon Stephens explores the themes of adolescence, friendship, psychosis, death, and guilt—as well as the burdens that each of these themes places on young people. The play offers a startling look at the horrible things we are capable of, our society's indifference to physical suffering, and the consequences of our decisions. The themes of morality and youth are also linked in the play. The play explores the ways in which young people can carry out heinous deeds and how they respond to the fallout. The play also examines how young people are viewed by society and how this may lead to a lack of empathy for their pain and suffering, which may influence the decisions that they make. This reinforces Stephanie's argument that young people are overlooked and undervalued, which may have an impact on their perspectives and mental health. It's likely that they are not receiving the love they deserve and that the issues they produce are a result of growing up in an unfavourable family or environment. Throughout the play, examples of this may be seen in the way teenagers engage with one another and the intensity of their language use. It is normalised that young teenagers take on the parent figure role to provide and care for everyone, rather than the adults with experience and maturity. The final year before becoming an adult is spent in the play hiding a crime, rather than the years being spent on enjoyment, socializing, education, and a sense of belonging. This shows how unstable the children are and how uncontrollable and impuslive they are with their actions later causing trauma such as continuous overthinking and feels of guilt. According to Simon Stephens, teens can easily be deceived into participating in illegal activities due to a variety of circumstances, such as an unstable home situation, peer pressure, mental health concerns, a lack of affection, and many others. Morning portrays the darker aspects of youth, such as neglection, sending a stern message to the next generation. If someone does not feel safe or loved in their home, it could be seen as a way to get help to move away from such environments instead of letting enjoyment and curiosity lead to a darker future. Stephens might be trying to make the point that, in order to help young people move toward a better and more promising future, everyone in society should support and care for them even when they make mistakes. He also presents the idea that young people today face greater challenges and mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, ADHD, suicide, self-harm, and many more, as a result of the terrifying and pressuring social media environment and the absence of parental guidance. The theme of suicide is revealed in our interpretation of the play morning at the end.

MORNING - THEMES IN THE PLAY

Death is the cessation of all brain activity (including activity in the brain stem), breathing, and heartbeat, among other essential bodily functions. Death can occur from a variety of causes, including an accident or an unforeseen medical condition. It can also be anticipated following a diagnosis of a terminal illness. Surveys indicate that the thought of leaving loved ones behind and the actual dying process are the two most common fears associated with death. On the other hand, making certain decisions in life may help allay a fear of dying. It is a great relief to be married or in a committed relationship. It also helps to be in good physical health. This could be because it gives life purpose and is linked to better mental health, or it could just provide the impression that the Grim Reaper is farther away. People with opposing opinions also seem to have less dread of dying. While devoted believers take solace in the knowledge that their life has meaning and that there is an afterlife, atheists are more composed and "in the moment." This could be explained by the fact that older people have lived longer and are therefore less afraid of missing out. On the other hand, it's possible that they have experienced and seen more deaths than others. But in certain cases, the fear of death can become overwhelming and develop into a disorder called thanatophobia. “It is natural to feel some sense of worry about death or dying. After all, it's normal to fear the unknown. You might think dying will be scary, painful, or lonely. But if you have thanatophobia, your fear of death affects your daily life.” It affects how you complete your daily activities. Santa Maria stated that "It is healthy and normal to be afraid of death, but when we venture into these pathological fears where it becomes all-consuming and it starts to interfere with our activities of daily living, there are things that we can do therapeutically,”Grieving for a loved one can be enough to traumatise a young person and create the fear of dying. This can lead to constant overthinking and worry about the loved one, which puts pressure on the person to always be protective of them and impose responsibilities. They shouldn't have to assume such responsibilities at such a young age because doing so can result in maturing and a loss of youth and childhood. They are forced to enter the world sooner than others, unprepared.Regardless of the cause of death, people often fear dying because they believe it will be unpleasant. Certain deaths can be pleasant and painless, while others might be excruciatingly agonising. A person may experience significant emotional and physical changes in the final weeks of their life. A person who is slowly dying loses strength both mentally and physically, making it harder for them to perform the activities they once could.

MORNING - DEATH AND WHAT ITS LIKE

The majority of people will at some point in their lives encounter grief, which is a terrible and unpleasant feeling. “Grief is the response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or some living thing that has died, to which a bond or affection was formed.” Grief has aspects that are physical, cognitive, behavioral, social, cultural, spiritual, and philosophical, despite the fact that it is typically concentrated on the emotional reaction to loss. However, even so, it can be difficult to predict our possible responses to death because grieving is a very personal experience and can affect us differently. "The pain doesn't vanish, and we shouldn't have to hide it, especially from those closest to us." After a loss, there is no right or wrong way to feel. While some people would rather handle things slowly, privately, or alone, others would rather communicate their wants and feelings to others in order to express their feelings and get support. Feelings of grief or depression caused by the reality of the loss may cause you to withdraw and reflect on your time spent with your loved one. Some even begin their grieving process with denial. Refusing to acknowledge the reality or truth of something unpleasant is known as denial. People begin with this state when it is too painful to admit the loss of a loved one or even when they are in shock due to a sudden death. Denial is like a psychological reflex emotion that protects people from struggling to deal with their losses. This can sometimes be good for them, and other times can damage their mental health – leading them to depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, anger, and guilt. Some people experience numbness because shock, denial, or disbelief are frequent reactions to losses, and our minds naturally try to protect us from suffering. Shock may last a very long time and keep the feelings from becoming too intense, especially in the early stages of bereavement. Even after one has healed completely from grief, they will never really be able to move on from the loss of a loved one since grief is an ongoing struggle. Although our experiences vary during the grieving process, we all experience the same emotions. For example, numbness is “a strong feeling of a kind of limbo state between the trauma of the death and the pain of learning to live without the person they love.” This feeling is very natural at the beginning stage of grief. It allows us to comprehend what has happened at our own pace rather than pressuring us to do so before we are ready. Although it is normal and sometimes helpful, it can become problematic if all we experience is numbness. This can make us feel trapped. “Emotional numbness can be linked with a type of grief called 'inhibited grief,' which is characterised by suppressed emotions. This type of grief may not fit with the way society expects us to behave after a death.” “Grief is a fickle thing, and it hits you in ways that you aren't prepared for.” Usually, when we think back on what happened before our loved one passed away and think about how things might have turned out differently, remorse creeps in. Sometimes we believe that there's a chance that we could have done something to alter the course of events. However, since death is unpredicted and uncontrollable, doing anything differently will not bring the deceased back. Grief can cause confusion and panic, especially for young minds as they are not experienced with these emotions. Leading to them overthinking and fearing any more loss. Additionally, this can occasionally leave them feeling empty and alone, leading to battles with drugs, alcohol, suicide, and self-harm as a means of attempting to fill the gap left by the loss of a loved one. Someone can become traumatised and damaged from the inside out by death. Another common coping method during the many stages of grieving is anger and resentment. Some people try to find something or someone to blame in an attempt to make sense of the loss.

MORNING - HOW CAN DEATH AFFECT SOMEONE/GUILT

Suicide is a very extreme and violent act one commits upon themselves. Suicide is death caused by injuring oneself with the intent to die. “A suicide attempt is when someone harms themselves with any intent to end their life, but they do not die as a result of their actions.” Suicide can be influenced by or committed due to various reasons/experiences, such as domestic violence, depression, eating disorders, BPD and many more mental health illnesses/disorders. Suicide can also happen as a result of the loss of a loved one. This can sometimes be portrayed by social media as an escape from pain or “the easy way out”. However, many people don’t take their own lives just to escape, many lives are taken due to traumatic experiences or impulsive behaviours due to mental illnesses such as schizophrenia. Suicide takes the lives of many young minds in today’s generation due to the cruelty and horrifying acts of others in the world. “It’s a very tragic response to difficult situations and feelings, perhaps most tragic because it is preventable.” While there is a link between mental illness and suicidal thoughts, having suicidal thoughts does not always indicate that one has a mental illness. Suicidal ideas and feelings can be enigmatic, frightening, difficult to understand, and isolating. People die by suicide for a variety of reasons. There are social, psychological, and cultural factors that can make an individual more susceptible to suicide.Because depression is accompanied by pessimism and despair, even though it may seem obvious to an outside observer that things will get better, those who are experiencing this illness may not be able to recognise this. There are many beliefs around the concept of suicide and how moral it is. Christians believe that suicide is considered as a rejection of God's sovereignty and loving plan, they see it as a sin. “Suicidal feelings can mean having abstract thoughts about ending your life or feeling that people would be better off without you. Or it can mean thinking about methods of suicide or making clear plans to take your own life.” There are many warning signs that people can look for when it comes to suicide, such as talking about wanting to end their life openly, Self-destructive behaviour and many more. Different people have different experiences of suicidal feelings. You may feel that you are unable to handle the challenging emotions you are going through. Perhaps what you are feeling is that you cannot continue living the life you have, rather than a desire to die. Sometimes an attempt at suicide can be a cry for help rather than a wish to end your own life. Suicide can affect friends and family terribly, causing trauma, grief and anger towards you. A loved one's suicide can trigger intense emotions. “There is no blueprint for how we react to and cope after a suicide. We each have our own relationship with the person who died and we all grieve in our own way and at our own pace.” Strong feelings of rejection or betrayal are common when a loved one commits suicide.

MORNING - SUICIDE AND HOW IT CAN AFFECT SOMEONE

Extreme rejection by society or intense rage at the world can lead to nihilism, which is the state in which a person loses all sense of purpose in everything they encounter. Nihilism, with its manifold interpretations, can be simply defined as a disconnection from religious and moral principles, concurrently emphasizing the insignificance of existence. “Nihilism” comes from the Latin nihil, or nothing, which means not anything, that which does not exist. It appears in the verb “annihilate,” meaning to bring to nothing, to destroy completely. Some view it as an intellectual byproduct, while others liken it to a guise for concealing one's predisposition towards malevolence. “Frequently associated with the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who asserted the meaninglessness of life, nihilism has reemerged, captivating the attention of the younger generation.” Nihilism emerged in a pre-dawn darkness, as societal chains were dismantled, and inherited moral absolutes were questioned. Its rise parallels the fading of restrictive beliefs, hastened by rapid technological advancements. In this age of heightened awareness, fueled by a constant stream of information, the youth grapple with a continuous state of anxiety. The distress, coupled with the demanding and competitive nature of the contemporary world, propels individuals to seek solace in nihilism, offering a way to nullify their existential predicament and evade the harsh realities of life. Nihilism has become a way to cope with reality. The nihilistic attitude is typically accompanied by strong negative emotions, such as depression, occasionally even with thoughts of suicide. “Countering nihilism should not hinge solely on revealing the falseness or moral flaws of nihilistic perspectives and persuading their advocates to adopt non-nihilistic ones.” To overcome nihilism, the primary focus must be on altering reality itself, transforming the events and circumstances that unfold, rather than merely adjusting one's worldview. In this context, it is essential for adolescents to prioritize internal qualities over external appearances when evaluating others. The emphasis should shift towards recognising the intrinsic worth and qualities within individuals rather than making judgments based solely on external appearances. Anxiety, like depression, is a common consequence of nihilism. “We tend to label a thought, feeling, or event as "meaningless" when we wish to avoid grappling with its significance.” The extent of harm caused may be minimal, corresponding to the triviality of the disregarded meaning, especially if one refrains from habitually dismissing meaningful aspects of life. Being nihilistic is closely entwined with the political philosophy of anarchism, which asserts that the dismantling of all existing social structures is necessary before the construction of a new and improved society can take place. The connection lies in the shared rejection of established norms and a belief in the necessity of deconstructing prevailing systems for the prospect of a more desirable societal framework to emerge. The proliferation of false expectations of reality online, coupled with the constant inundation of content, has contributed to a growing sense of nihilism among many young people regarding the world around them. The virtual realm often presents distorted or exaggerated versions of reality, fostering disillusionment and a perception that genuine meaning and purpose are elusive in the tangible world.

MORNING - TEENAGE NIHILISM

Love is a complex and multifaceted emotion, often described as a deep affection, attachment, or strong emotional connection between individuals. It can manifest in various forms and contexts, including romantic relationships, familial bonds, friendships, and compassion for others. Love is often associated with feelings of warmth, care, empathy, and a genuine concern for the well-being of those we love. Different cultures, philosophies, and disciplines offer diverse perspectives on love, ranging from romantic and passionate love to unconditional and selfless love. “Psychologically, love is studied as a complex interplay of emotions, cognitive processes, and behaviors.” Ultimately, the definition and experience of love can vary significantly among individuals and cultures, making it an exceedingly subjective and deeply personal facet of the human journey. It revolves around mutual growth, support, respect, and understanding. Both partners are dedicated to each other's happiness and well-being. At its core, it's about acceptance. True love entails embracing each other's imperfections and cherishing the complete person, including their flaws. “The sensation of love is highly personal and can exhibit considerable diversity among individuals. Frequently characterized as an intricate and profound emotional state, love encapsulates a spectrum of feelings and sensations.” However, it can also give rise to negative emotions like jealousy and stress. Understanding and appreciating each other's preferred ways of expressing and receiving love can enhance relationship dynamics. Even though love seems like such a beautiful thing to experience, it can over time turn into overwhelming feelings of obsession. This can lead to manipulation, causing toxicity in a relationship between two people. Despite love being an amazing, wholesome feeling, it can also be damaging to your mental health if put in situations where you are blinded by your love for someone whilst they manipulate you. If love turns into an obsession, it can become dangerous and threatening, not only for the one obsessed but also for the other person. This relationship between two people can affect their mental health and traumatise them, leaving them destroyed. These relationships also affect the people around them, as due to this toxicity, people become more reactive to their surroundings. This can lead to many mental health disorders such as PTSD, depression due to emotional/physical abuse and more. This can also lead to physical health issues such as heart disease and heart failure. The lack of care refers to a situation where individuals or entities do not demonstrate the necessary attention, concern, or consideration for someone or something. It can manifest in various forms and contexts, including interpersonal relationships, professional settings, or societal structures. Lack of care may involve neglect, indifference, or a failure to provide the essential support, nurturing, or attention that is needed. In personal relationships, a lack of care can lead to emotional distance, strained connections, and feelings of abandonment. In professional settings, it might result in suboptimal performance, low morale, or a negative work atmosphere. “Societally, a lack of care in institutions or policies can result in the neglect of vulnerable populations and societal issues.” Recognising indications of a lack of care in someone involves observing various behavioral patterns within a relationship. Emotional detachment may be evident through limited engagement and a lack of responsiveness to the emotional needs of others. Communication dynamics play a crucial role, including infrequent or surface-level interactions and a tendency to avoid meaningful conversations. Consistent neglect of responsibilities, unreliability, and a lack of initiative in shared tasks are suggestive of a lack of care.

MORNING - LOVE AND AFFECTION/ LACK OF CARE

The theme of death in the play "Morning" is intriguing as it highlights the varied responses individuals have to mortality. Stephanie and Cat initially exhibit a surprising lack of remorse for their actions, prompting a deeper consideration of their mental well-being and raising questions about the presence of underlying issues. The play challenges conventional expectations regarding how people should emotionally respond to death, suggesting that these reactions can differ widely. The diverse reactions among characters contribute to the nuanced portrayal of their attitudes toward life and youth in the play. Overall, the play highlights death as a theme, showing it can affect anyone, even those who've led a good life. Stephanie and Cat demonstrate that death may be unintentional and can occur swiftly, especially in outnumbered situations. Stephen, anticipating a threesome, was convinced by the girls that he was safe, despite feeling uneasy. This emphasizes the theme of death's unpredictability and explores manipulation and vulnerability in the storyline. The theme of suicide in the play “Morning” is explored successfully as it reveals that it can be influenced by or committed due to various reasons/experiences, such as domestic violence, depression, eating disorders, BPD and many more mental health illnesses/disorders. It takes the lives of many young minds in today’s generation due to the cruelty and horrifying acts of others in the world. Stephanie views the world differently to the other characters due to the responsibilities she was given at such a young age. The dysfunctionality within her family has caused her to mature quicker than others, but also while growing up so quickly, her mental health was affected due to having to look after her family and grew up with no parent figure. This meant that she had to take on the responsibilities of a parent figure throughout her youth, causing her to have a better understanding of the cruelty and immorality in society. After being exposed to the horrifying side of society, she is then influenced to become a part of that side and feels truly alone. Even though she has her brother, there is an absence of adult figures to support her in her own life, leaving her on her own to explore life experiences, which then later leads her to self-destruction as she has no one to support her in her decisions. This links to the theme of suicide as towards the end of the play she becomes hopeless and takes on the idea that life is pointless, and the world is cruel, leaving her alone and empty. This then causes her to cry for help by leaving a suicide note where she vents about how messed up the world is, leaving her no choice but to end her own life, proving the idea of corruption in society.

MORNING - THEMES LINK BACK TO PLAY

In Simon Stephens' play, "Morning," a profound examination of existential challenges unfolds among its teenage characters, delving into the pervasive theme of life's perceived meaninglessness. The narrative intricately navigates the complex terrain of teenage nihilism, where characters, mirroring broader societal sentiments, question the intrinsic purpose of their actions and the overarching structures shaping their existence. A particularly poignant moment arises in Stephanie's monologue, a heartbreaking instrument through which Stephens articulates a societal decline into apathy. Stephanie believes that even in the face of horrific events, the world will not significantly alter. This insight highlights the extent to which society turns a blind eye to its own problems, exposing a general lack of awareness and a collective unwillingness to confront obvious issues. The narrative also effectively communicates the idea of continuous self-discovery as a meaningful and purposeful path. However, the young people depicted in the play convey a perspective that life has not imbued them with a sense of essential significance. Moreover, the play interrogates the prevailing notion that life offers excitement or joy, portraying societal issues. Stephens crafts a nuanced exploration of youthful nihilism, orchestrating a symphony of emotions that culminates in a profound sense of shame and empathy for the characters. The research extends beyond the individual hardships portrayed, resonating with a broader sense of despair and societal indifference. The canvas on which these complex stories unfold encourages contemplation of the intricate relationship between individual personal distress and the larger social context. The themes of love and lack of care in the play “Morning” are explored deeply through the different relationships between the characters in the play. Stephanie’s first relationship revealed in the play is hers and Cat’s. The intricacies of the relationship between Cat and Stephanie become prominent, unveiling a connection that is characterised by its fluctuations between being close friends and occasionally turning contentious. Within this dynamic, there is a noticeable undercurrent of jealousy emanating from Stephanie. This envy is specifically directed at Cat's physical appearance, her self-assuredness regarding her body, and her unwavering mindset. These qualities, which stand in stark contrast to Stephanie's constant need for external validation, contribute to the nuanced and somewhat tumultuous nature of their relationship. The next relationship of hers that is conveyed is with Stephen. Her relationship with him is based on his obsession with her and her utilisation of his obsession to stay away from home. Her disregard to his obsessive feelings of love portrays her lack of empathy and nihilistic view to the world. Her relationship with Stephen becomes based on manipulation and abuse as the play progresses. We see little of her relationship with her mother. However, they seem very distant now that her father is no longer a part of her life. The lack of a father figure in Stephanie’s life has portrayed the idea of the importance of a male to keep the family close. Stephanie uses her feelings of love towards her friends and family as a façade for her insecurities and fears. Her relationship with her brother seems close, however, due to their mother falling ill, their relationship becomes more distant as she takes on the responsibility of looking after everyone. Her relationships with her friends are based off her insecurities and jealousy, revealing her lack of understanding of love.

MORNING - THEMES LINK BACK TO PLAY - PAGE 2

The plot of "Morning," written by Simon Stephens, delves into the intricacies of teenage nihilism and anger while unfolding in a brutally humorous way. Stephens travels through emotionally and physically familiar ground, yet his particular narrative approach is evident throughout. The story is a masterful examination of the complex and frequently chaotic emotional terrain of adolescence as well as a monument to Stephens' narrative skill. In Stephens's play, the consequences of an adolescent game are explored together with its many facets as they spread beyond their initial limits. The complex storyline explores the challenges faced by friendships, intertwined with the complications emerging from police investigations and the secretive burial of a vital secret. This adds depth and complexity to the overall plot. Stephanie, a seventeen-year-old trapped between love and insanity, is pitifully attempting to warm up to her best friend Cat, who is about to leave town. Stephanie gives Cat a threesome with her boyfriend Stephen as a parting gift, but their flirtatious kissing game goes too far, and soon Stephen is left gagged and tied at the hands of the two girls—possibly as a plea for aid, but more likely just for amusement. Among the characters, Stephanie emerges as the most intricate—a complex portrayal of a person characterised by neediness, compulsiveness, and manipulative tendencies. The narrative undertakes a comprehensive exploration of a spectrum of deeply poignant themes, delving into the profound emotional repercussions of the loss of family members, the burdensome aspects of navigating the challenges of premature maturation, the deleterious effects of jealousy, the looming and pervasive spectre of death, and the persistent and haunting presence of remorse. Simon Stephens skillfully navigates the nuanced theme of the malleability of youth, expertly portraying how the harsh realities of life and unexpected circumstances serve as catalysts, propelling young individuals into challenging and precarious situations. This, in effect, compels them to embark on a journey of premature growth and a heightened understanding of the complexities that life presents. By skillfully incorporating these thematic elements into the narrative, the play adeptly plunges into the unfiltered and intrinsic truths of adolescent struggles, unfurling a vivid tapestry that serves as a reflective mirror to the intricate and multifaceted emotions with which teenagers contend. The characters, epitomised by the complex figure of Stephanie, encapsulate the collective turmoil experienced during youth, as they navigate a world where external judgments and societal expectations converge to exert a profound influence on the shaping of their identities. Simon Stephens skillfully utilizes the characters in his narrative as conduits through which he articulates the universal challenges that adolescents confront. This approach underscores the arduous nature of the journey these characters undertake in the process of carving out their identities, particularly when contending with the myriad societal pressures that play a significant role in shaping their individuality. Stephanie serves as a manifestation of everything that instils fear in adults about teenagers, as well as encapsulating the fears that teenagers harbour about their own lives. Her emotional devastation stems from the impending departure of her best friend, the pervasive belief that everyone perceives her as annoying, and the heart-wrenching reality of her mother battling cancer. "Morning" stands as a vivid portrayal where the agony and ecstasy of teenagerhood are magnified, evolving into a nightmarish experience.

MORNING - MY OPINION/REVIEW

SECTION 2: CHARACTER ANALYSIS & LOGS

CHARACTER PROFILE, GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES AND MUCH MORE...

Pages 4-18

MY ROLE - PERFORMANCE MARKETING POSTER

My peers and I, who all played the character of Stephanie, talked about who we felt she was as a person and wrote down our own knowledge and impressions of her in a role on the wall. We talked about how she is trapped between boredom and psychosis, Stephanie appears as a character devoid of moral grounding, showcasing self-centeredness and a disconnection from those around her. Her actions lack consideration for others, and she finds pleasure in causing discomfort. Throughout the performance, Stephanie's relationships with other characters evolve, as she operates in her own world, requiring her friends and family to navigate around her, highlighting her seemingly isolated and self-absorbed nature. Her characteristics include neediness, compulsiveness, and manipulative tendencies. By the end of the play, Stephanie is depicted as embracing a nihilistic worldview. Stephanie embodies all that instils fear in adults regarding teenagers and encapsulates the fears teenagers harbour about their own lives. Her emotional devastation arises from her best friend's impending departure, a prevailing belief that everyone finds her annoying, and the heart-wrenching reality of her mother battling cancer. Stephanie idolises her friend Cat, who has the sex appeal and confidence that Stephanie can merely imitate. In the aftermath of her mother's death, Stephanie appears to grapple with the mental repercussions, resorting to the commission of a violent crime as a coping mechanism to fill the void left by the loss. Her emotional landscape becomes marked by a poignant sense of isolation, emptiness, and profound fatigue, prompting her to articulate a pervasive sense of despair and a profound lack of hope for both the future and her life. The monologue serves as a poignant window into Stephanie's complex emotional state, revealing a depth of psychological struggle and intricate interplay of emotions within her character. This nuanced portrayal underscores the profound impact of grief on Stephanie's psyche and the intricate layers of her emotional experience. Stephanie uses a façade to cover her insecurities through her superficial appearance of being confident. Underneath this, lies her true self, of which she struggles with mental health disorders.

STEPHANIE - CHARACTER PROFILE

Stephanie's profound longing for approval emerges as a significant contrast between her and Cat. While Cat maintains indifference to external opinions, Stephanie continually alludes to the paradoxical dynamics of her relationships, emphasizing the intricate interplay between love and resentment. This contrast might find its roots in Stephanie's upbringing, navigating life without a robust support system, and yearning for reassurance that everything would eventually align positively. The juxtaposition of their attitude's sheds light on the nuanced complexities within their friendship and the emotional undercurrents shaping their individual perspectives. Stephanie's family's dysfunctionality has compelled her to mature at a rate faster than her peers, propelling her into adult responsibilities during her youth. This accelerated growth, however, exacted a toll on her mental well-being, as she assumed the role of a parental figure without the guidance of a stabilising adult presence. This early imposition of responsibilities bestowed upon her provided a profound insight into the harsh realities and moral challenges prevalent in society. Exposure to these grim aspects of the world influenced Stephanie to align herself with them, fostering a profound sense of isolation. Despite having her brother, the lack of supportive adult figures in her life forces her to navigate life independently, confronting its complexities without the guidance needed. This solitary journey eventually leads her down self-destructive paths, lacking the supportive presence required to steer her decisions towards healthier alternatives. In delving into the dynamics of Stephanie's initial relationship within the play, it becomes evident that her connection with Cat is marked by intricate nuances. The relationship undergoes notable fluctuations, oscillating between phases of deep friendship and occasional tension. One discernible undercurrent in this dynamic is the manifestation of jealousy on Stephanie's part. This envy is specifically directed towards Cat's physical appearance, her self-assuredness regarding her body, and the unwavering mindset she possesses. These distinctive qualities, standing in stark contrast to Stephanie's perpetual need for external validation, contribute substantially to the complex, multifaceted nature of their relationship. In the subsequent portrayal of Stephanie's relationships, the focus shifts to her connection with Stephen. This relationship is intricately woven around Stephen's profound infatuation with Stephanie, a sentiment she strategically exploits to maintain distance from her home environment. Stephanie's indifference and dismissive attitude toward Stephen's intense expressions of love not only underscore her apparent lack of empathy but also align with a nihilistic worldview. As the narrative progresses, their relationship takes on a complex dynamic, marked by manipulation and instances of abuse, adding layers to the evolving storyline. The play extensively delves into the societal perceptions surrounding the younger generation and the potential ramifications these views may have on their emotional well-being. It carefully examines how these societal attitudes could contribute to a notable lack of empathy for the struggles faced by young individuals. Stephanie's poignant perspective, which contends that the youth population is often overlooked and undervalued, gains considerable resonance as the narrative unfolds. This narrative exploration suggests that broader societal attitudes towards young people might play a pivotal role in shaping their perspectives and exerting an influence on their mental health. In the case of Stephanie, her tumultuous upbringing in an unfavorable home environment is suggested to be a significant contributing factor to the challenges she grapples with, prompting thoughtful reflection on the love and support she may have lacked throughout her formative years.

STEPHANIE - CHARACTER PROFILE

Who: Stephanie's perspective on the world is distinctly shaped by the responsibilities thrust upon her at a young age, setting her apart from the other characters. This unique lens through which she views life contributes to a portrayal of Stephanie as a character seemingly lacking a moral foundation, characterized by self-centered tendencies and a discernible disconnect from those in her immediate surroundings. Within the narrative, her actions unfold without the requisite consideration for the feelings or well-being of others, and there is an observable inclination towards deriving pleasure from creating discomfort for those in her proximity. This individualistic worldview positions Stephanie as a character with a complex set of motivations and reactions, adding layers to her personality and emphasizing the multifaceted nature of her role within the broader narrative structure.What: Within this particular scene, Stephanie finds herself in the confines of Stephen's house, occupying the sofa with casual doodling. However, the atmosphere takes a noticeable shift as Stephen enters a suggestive and sexual mood, persistently teasing her, revealing a conspicuous obsession. In response, Stephanie adeptly crafts a façade of affection for Stephen, a veneer that conveniently allows her to sidestep the weighty responsibilities brought about by her mother's cancer diagnosis. This outward projection of love, however, masks a deeper layer of insecurities, and her seemingly confident exterior serves as a superficial shield to obscure the internal turmoil she grapples with. It becomes increasingly apparent that Stephanie strategically upholds her relationship with Stephen not out of genuine care, but rather as a tactical means to justify her frequent absence from home, thereby enabling her to persist in a state of denial as her mother's health gradually deteriorates. Despite projecting an outward sense of confidence, there exists beneath the surface a palpable layer of insecurity that she endeavors to conceal. This intricate balancing act, however, begins to unravel, exposing her lack of authentic care for Stephen and her tendency to dismiss his emotions during moments of tension, thereby laying bare the complex emotions and coping mechanisms she employs in the face of challenging circumstances. This revelation adds a nuanced layer to her character, underscoring the intricate interplay of emotions within the unfolding narrative.Where: At Stephens house, on the sofa, in the front room. When: In the morningWhy: Stephanie strategically upholds her relationship with Stephen not out of genuine care, but rather as a tactical means to justify her frequent absence from home, thereby enabling her to persist in a state of denial as her mother's health gradually declines. The foundation of Stephanie's relationship with Stephen is rooted in his intense obsession with her, and she strategically leverages this fixation to maintain distance from her home. Her apparent disregard for his obsessive feelings of love serves as a stark portrayal of her lack of empathy and a nihilistic perspective toward the world. As the play unfolds, the dynamics in her relationship with Stephen undergo a significant shift, evolving into a framework characterized by manipulation and abuse. This progression underscores the intricate and darkened facets of Stephanie's character and contributes to the overarching exploration of complex interpersonal dynamics within the narrative.For what reason: Stephanie attempts to dismiss responsibilities that were given to her at such a young age, so her relationship with Stephen is a way of her escaping her problems, although problems begin to arise with him, leaving her nihilistic and hopeless for the future.

GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES - SCENE 2

GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES: Who: Stephanie, a 17-year-old girl suspended somewhere between boredom and psychosis, emerges as a character seemingly devoid of a moral foundation, exhibiting self-centeredness and a disconnect from those around her. Her actions lack consideration for others, and she derives pleasure from causing discomfort. Throughout the performance, Stephanie's relationship with the other characters undergoes changes. She exists in her own world, and her friends and family are compelled to navigate around her, emphasising her seemingly isolated and self-absorbed nature. She is characterised by her neediness, compulsiveness, and manipulative tendencies. At the end of the play Stephanie is portrayed as having a nihilistic view of the world. What: Stephanie concludes her stage presence with a closing speech steeped in indulgent despair, expressing a perception that she sees "no hope" in her circumstances. Stephanie believes that even in the face of horrific events, the world will not significantly alter. This insight highlights the extent to which society turns a blind eye to its own problems, exposing a general lack of awareness and a collective unwillingness to confront obvious issues that signal a larger social malady.Where: She writes a suicide note as a cry for help at the beach close to Stephens burried body When: in the morning Why: Stephanie, profoundly affected by the mental repercussions of her mother's death, appears to be navigating the aftermath by resorting to the commission of a violent crime as a means of filling the void left in its wake. Her emotional landscape is characterized by a poignant sense of isolation, emptiness, and profound fatigue, prompting her to articulate a pervasive sense of despair and a profound lack of hope for both the future and her life. Within the confines of the monologue, Stephanie vividly conveys a tangible emotional distance, presenting herself as numb and seemingly disconnected from her own emotional core. This complex portrayal underscores the depth of Stephanie's psychological struggle and the intricate interplay of emotions within her character.For what reason: Towards the conclusion of the play, Stephanie's monologue emerges as a poignant window into her innermost thoughts and the deep well of exhaustion she experiences. Through this soliloquy, she eloquently conveys the emotional numbness that has taken root within her, a direct consequence of the profound loss of her mother and the heavy burden of grief that shrouds her existence. Additionally, her words unveil a profound realization, one that brings into sharp focus the wrongful actions she has committed, introducing a layer of introspection and genuine remorse to the complex tapestry of her character. This culmination of the narrative affords the audience a nuanced understanding of Stephanie's internal struggles, emphasizing the intricate emotional journey she undergoes within the trajectory of the play.

GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES - SCENE 11- MONOLOGUE

WEEK ONE LOGS

DAY 1:Today we started with a warm-up exercise using rhythm. This helped me gain focus so that we kept the same pace and rhythm as everyone else. This exercise forced me to pay attention and helped me work on my teamwork skills by making sure I knew when it was my turn, so I didn’t ruin the rhythm. This exercise required a lot of my attention and focus. We then moved on to an exercise to warm up my body by massaging our feet and removing any tension in our feet. This would help us when acting to ground our feet, so that we don’t dance on the spot (due to nervousness) or strain our feet. Removing all tension from my body helped me prepare for my audition for the play “Morning” after the warm-ups. This helped me stop myself from panicking due to my anxiety and prepared me to not be nervous for the audition as I really wanted that specific part. We then moved onto rehearsals for our auditions. We all focused on our own roles. I worked on the first 4-5 lines of my monologue.I had previously done some research on the monologue and her feelings during it. I delved deeper into the meaning behind the monologue so that I could understand how she felt and why she was saying all these different things in her monologue. This helped me gain an understanding of who the character is and what led her to feel that way and say those things. It pushed me to research a lot about the effects of grief and I gained a better understanding of the damage that is caused by detrimental events. This research I did before my audition helped me rehearse as I was able to incorporate my knowledge of the scene and the play to portray the different emotions of Stephanie. At first, I took the interpretation of Stephanie venting to the audience about the world as a subtle crying for help. Therefore, I began rehearsing my audition with the idea of portraying my character as empty and exhausted. This helped me work on my skills of being able to portray different feelings and emotions clearly. These skills will later help me in the industry when I need to show the development of a character throughout a play and show how they have adapted to their surroundings changing continuously. We then went to do the auditions one after another. This was a little challenging for me as this was my first audition for such a big part so I was a little nervous but as I saw my peers do their auditions, I slowly felt less nervous as it didn’t seem so scary. When I did my audition, I was the last one. I felt a little anxious that I was going to mess up but Ipushed myself to feel comfortable enough to do it and I didn’t mess up. I also had my friends cheering for me which made me feel more at ease and less nervous. I also reminded myself of how far I have come and how well I am doing which was enough to motivate me to get out of my comfort zone and perform my audition. The ability of continuously reminding myself of my excellent progress is a skill that many people struggle with and will later help me in life under any circumstances.

DAILY LOGS

Day 2:Today's lesson started with a series of warm-ups, beginning with the exercise called “the evolution of the chicken”, where we started as an egg and gradually went up the scale until we became an angel. To go up the scale we had to rock, paper, scissors, someone on the same level as us, whoever won would go up and whoever didn’t would go down. This was really useful as it pushed me outside my comfort zone and forced me to work with people I don’t usually work with. I found this exercise really entertaining and fun. Having a wide variety of exercises is useful as it ensures that you don’t always warm up the same way, reducing the exercises from becoming boring. This also helps you target multiple parts of your body rather than just one part. We then moved straight onto finding out the casting for the play “Morning”. I got the character of Stephanie in scene 2 and 11 (my audition part). We then moved straight onto reading the scene we got with our partners. So, I started to read scene 2 with my partner, Plando. We discovered that his character – Stephen – is overly obsessed with Stephanie and we also understood that Stephanie is very monotone at first – we took the interpretation that she doesn’t seem to care about Stephen as much as he does for her. Stephanie is very distant to him and impulsive. We started to explore the scene and began by acting it out with our own ideas of how we thought the scene would look. This is useful as we all have input of ideas and how we think the scene should look. This also helped me see the scene through different perspectives which allowed me to develop my knowledge and understanding of the scene. I then moved onto working on my monologue (scene 11). I first had taken the interpretation that she commits suicide at the end. I took this idea due to her expression of lack of hope and that everything is “shit”. I began by exploring the ideas of how I was going to show that she was preparing to commit suicide. For example, through writing a suicide note, slowly falling back (disappearing into the darkness) etc. At first, this was a little challenging due to personal experiences, it was a little difficult to delve into emotional memories to help me understand my character's mindset more but later helped me understand on a more relatable level with the character. By doing emotional memory recall, it allowed me to put myself in the mindset of Stephanie but also making sure that there was a clear difference between me and Stephanie, it's good to allow myself to not be too vulnerable while still finding mutual connection between me and my character. Emotional memory uses my own personal experiences with specific emotions and allows me to incorporate it into my acting for my character. This allows me to find certain connections to my character. This will be useful later in the industry as it helps me connect with different characters, it helps me find similarities and differences. This is beneficial as I am then able to take the role of completely different characters only by finding a way to connect with them through experiences, bringing the characters to life.

DAILY LOGS

Today we started with a new warm-up exercise called “gunslinger”. This exercise is similar to “zip, zap, boing” with a cowboy twist to it. For this exercise, we had to make sure we exaggerated our movements and put in effort to make it more fun. I had to make sure I was focused throughout the game so that I wouldn’t lose my queue. I also had to push myself outside of my comfort zone again to make the game livelier. This game required me to use my vocal skills, which, at the same time, helped me warm up my vocals and helped me improve my skills. For example, projection of voice. This exercise helped me put all my thoughts to the side to help me get into my acting mind, so I was prepared for the upcoming tasks. I was able to separate my private life from my lessons/education. This is an important skill when it comes to acting as it allows me to be present as an actress – which will later help me in the industry so that my mind is not preoccupied with different thoughts and worries that aren’t related to the lesson/performance. The concept of being present when acting, one of Stanislavski’s techniques, is an important skill as it allows me to get inside my character’s mind and helps you focus, so I can perform. This also helps create a realistic and authentic performance. We then moved onto the task of going through our scenes with our partners. Our director (Blanka) gave us the task of reading through the scene we were given with our partner and start to act it out as she was then going to call us in order of the scenes to go through them with us. I was not able to go through scene 2 with my partner as he was not in yet, so I started to work on my monologue. I was a little stuck on what action I should do during my monologue, so I asked for a little help from Ryan (another teacher) for ideas on what action would make my monologue look realistic but also stand out. I was given the idea of just sitting at a table or on the floor writing my suicide note. These different ideas for actions my character would do during the monologue were a little challenging to take in at first due to personal experiences with suicide. However, after reminding myself of how far I have come and how much progress I've been making I was able to overcome my personal issues with the idea of suicide. During dance, after lunch, we then moved onto working on the first movement piece, scene 7, with the idea of angels. We all gave various ideas; however, we were more inclined to the exciting idea of a lift of one of Stephen’s bodies and the other Stephen act as his soul. This idea was a little challenging at first as we had to have enough people that were able to lift one body. This was also a struggle as our peer had to put a lot of trust in us that we wouldn’t drop him. To prepare for this lift we did an exercise of lifting our peers in different ways so that we got used to lifting and trusting in each other, which was a challenge at first as I have trust issues and had to continuously push myself out of my comfort zone. However, I got used to the idea of lifting someone the more we practiced. We then went to try out our idea for the first movement scene. At first it was a struggle as we had to find the right position to be in in order for it to be safe to lift our peer (plando). After overcoming these different struggles. We attempted to lift him many times. This was still a struggle for me as I was lifting from his waist, but I had to stay on my knees for a bit which was causing me pain. We then moved onto the next idea for the movement of dropping him on the floor and his other body doing a mirror piece with him however we ran out of time to complete this.

DAILY LOGS

WEEK TWO LOGS

Day 4:In today’s lesson we began by starting with the exercise game of “gunslinger” once again as we really enjoyed it the previous time. We then moved onto a game of “splat”. However, to help gain focus, we had to put in full energy. This helped me prepare myself for the upcoming tasks so that I was fully focused. Having a variety of exercises is useful as I can use different ways of warming up each lesson, making it less boring and repetitive but also, I can target different parts of my body differently each day. I still find this a little challenging as I need to push myself to do activities beyond what I'm comfortable with so that I am more creative/imaginative and open to new things. However, I know that this will take time for me to be comfortable enough around my peers, so I am very patient, and I remind myself of the progress I am always making every day. We then moved straight into rehearsals. Me and my partner went through our scene continuously. This helped me begin to start learning my lines so that I was off script quicker as the show was the following week. We didn’t have much time to learn our lines but rehearsing everyday helps me learn a bit each day. I am able to learn my lines quickly, however, by blocking the scene at the same time, I am able to find an action that I do that goes with my lines. This skill is useful, especially later in the industry, as it shows how I have good time management and shows I am reliable as I am fully committed to my role. By learning my lines early, I am then able to fully focus on how I'm going to deliver my message towards the audience using my movement and vocal skills. We then got Shan to watch our scene and give us feedback on what she thought was good and what she thought we needed to do to convey the idea that Stephen is obsessed with Stephanie more clearly. This was a little challenging for me when I had to allow my partner to put his arm around me multiple times and grab my legs as due to personal experiences, I am sensitive when it comes to touch. However, my partner was very understanding and continuously asked for consent before we rehearsed in case there was any time, I felt too uncomfortable. This helped me work on getting myself outside of my comfort zone. By rehearsing so many times I was able to work on my skills and get used to being present in my character/role. This allowed me to get to know my character more. I learnt that by rehearsing many times even when I get tired it helps me get into a routine of getting into the role I have been given. It also helps me work on how quickly I can become present in my acting. This skill is necessary in the industry as sometimes there can be technical difficulties and they have to stop the scene but when they call me back, I have to be able to give the same energy as I did previously and I have to be able to get in focus as soon as they need me to perform my role/character. Therefore, I am preparing myself well by continuously rehearsing with my partner so I am able to work on my different skills and techniques that will help me succeed in my performances and will prepare me for the industry.

DAILY LOGS

Day Five:In today’s lesson we had no teacher due to the strike. However, some of us still came in to rehearse and prepare for our show the following Friday. We began with our own choice of warm-up exercises joined with group 1 as they also had no teacher. We started with a warm-up by stretching, to remove any tension from our bodies. For example, in our shoulders or necks. We then moved onto a more energy and focus-based warm-up with a few rounds of “gunslinger”, a game introduced previously by Ryan (teacher assistant). We then moved onto a vocal warm-up, introduced by Tim at the beginning of the year, where we began by breathing in through our nose and out through our mouths, but we had to control our exhaling rate, using our stomach while humming. This was a way of getting our bodies used to speaking and breathing from our stomach. This is useful as when performing or rehearsing we don’t strain our voices so much, so we reduce vocal pain but also helps us project our voices more. This will be beneficial for our performance as by projecting our voices, the audience will be able to understand what we are saying and will be able to hear us clearly. This exercise helped us improve our vocal skills. By joining the two groups for the strike lesson, I was able to work with people outside my class, allowing me to push myself more, helping me gain confidence to work with other peers. This is beneficial for me in the industry as I will have to work with people I don’t know and will have to cooperate and use my teamwork skills to create authentic and engaging performances. We then moved straight onto working on our Show/Play. We decided that we wanted to work on the 3 movement pieces as our partners were not in to go over our scenes. I first started with the idea of all Stephanie’s in the second movement scene where they all say, “the philosophers have only interpreted the world; the point however is to change it”. The idea of having all Stephanie’s together in that scene would work well as after this scene was my monologue where I took the idea that she commits suicide in the end. The other Stephanie’s would represent my soul. This idea was developed from an original idea of making it clear to the audience of which actors were playing the character of Stephanie. The idea was that after my monologue, all the other Stephanie's would hover over me and leave to portray the idea of me letting myself go – suicide. The idea of joining group 1 was also helpful for our performance as I was able to get different ideas on what our movement pieces should look like. We then moved onto the final scene, the last movement piece, and came up with the idea of having an ensemble with the cast after the reveal of a funeral that the character of Alex prepares for. Vonzelle, Sarea and I thought it would be a good closing to the characters and the story they had. I thought that for the ensemble it would be clear to the audience if we used two movements from the previous movement pieces.

DAILY LOGS

Day Five Continued:I thought it would be an engaging ending to our performance and we would be able to reveal the different relationships and issues that occurred in the play through grouping my peers with a specific character. These ideas were a little challenging as I was not sure if our director would agree with the movement pieces. However, I reminded myself that even if our director doesn’t like the idea, we can still incorporate some of the movements/pieces into the scenes. Facing the challenge of strike days was invigorating, and emerging triumphantly with a well-documented record of our accomplishments added a profound sense of achievement for both myself and my group.Day Six:For today’s lesson we had no teacher due to the strike, so we merged the two groups once again to do some work. We began with the same warm-ups as last time, releasing any tension or stress in our bodies. We then moved straight into working on our play. We began by going through our ideas for our movement pieces, despite potentially being a waste of time as we were not sure if our director liked the ideas. I was also given the role of marketing our show – creating a poster that contained all the details of our show – when, where, show context & themes and a trigger warning for our audience therefore I went to craft and design an eye-catching and engaging poster. At first, this was a challenge for me as I was unable to think outside of the box and create something simple but complex at the same time, making it appealing to my unknown audience. I then sent it to my director for approval and then printed it and spread it around the college so that everyone would be able to see it and come watch our show. I then went back to rehearsing my monologue and learning my lines so that I was off script. I found this lesson a bit of a struggle as there was no teacher to help me block my scene in the artistic view my director had. This made it difficult as I was not able to find a specific stage blocking for my monologue in order to get used to it. I was only able to use my imagination and creativity to explore my monologue and how I was going to perform it. This is beneficial as it pushes me to work on my creative and artistic skills allowing me to think outside of the box, rather than continuously utilising simple and basic ideas for a performance. This will later help me in the industry if I ever want to become an artistic director – allowing me to think about the creative vision of the theatre performances. I would also be able to manage and direct the performance wing of the organisation.

DAILY LOGS

Day Seven:For today’s dance lesson we went through the different dance pieces that me and my peers came up with on the two strike days, with the teacher, director and class. After we showed our director the pieces, she liked the ideas, however she thought that they were a bit too much for such simple scenes, almost as if we were too imaginative. Therefore, we had to cut them down. The only scene that really stood out well for our play was scene 10, the scene with all Stephanie’s. Our director liked the idea of making it clear to the audience who was playing the character of Stephanie. We began by working on our idea for the first movement piece. Our dance teacher and director really liked the idea of angels on the sides – almost like guards of the gate to Heaven. However, they still wanted some sort of lift in that scene to make it simple but look complex and engaging, which would also help with the idea of angels – the idea of flying and his soul being lifted to Heaven, revealing the idea that he is at peace. This idea of an angelic death and entrance to heaven would contrast with the event of his death and how violent it was. I thought that it would be a good idea to have two angels accompanying the soul of Stephen almost like they were guiding him. This idea was a little challenging to show the class as some of our peers we're not in and others were not cooperating or listening to us as we explained our ideas. However, once we had explained our ideas and attempted a rehearsal once, it got easier, and I didn't feel so much pressure too quickly teach a whole movement piece as we simplified our movements while also revealing a meaningful message of death to our engaged audience.We then moved on to teaching our peers, who were not in on the strike days and played the character of Stephanie, the movement piece we created for scene 10. At first, we had the idea of screaming the line “all philosophers have only interpreted the world the point however is to change it.” However, we then thought of the idea of doing a voiceover with the sound being used in this scene. The reason I came up with the idea of all the Stephanie’s in this scene using purpose walk almost like a cult, was to create a sinister, fearful and spiritual atmosphere which also went well with the first movement piece with the angels. After going through the scene with all the Stephanies on stage we went through the final movement piece. Our director thought that our ideas for the ensemble were great ideas, but it was too complex for our play and didn’t make sense at the end, as it almost seemed as if we were adding a whole different scene. She thought that it would look too messy for the end of our show. This was a little challenging for me to accept at first as I had spent a lot of time during the strike days coming up with the different movement pieces. However, our director liked the idea of revealing the different relationships at the end, so we incorporated some of our choreography into the end scene when the character of Alex is preparing for the funeral.We decided to incorporate a meaningful movement piece between Stephanie and Stephen, between Stephanie and Cat and Stephanie with herself.

DAILY LOGS

WEEK THREE LOGS

Day Eight: In today's lesson we began with a series of vocal warm-up activities/games. We started with breathing through our stomach and making a siren to warm up our voices a little and prepare for the activities after. This was useful as it helped me acknowledge how well I can control my breathing. This is important in acting as it allows me to create realistic responses to my environment and surroundings when acting, crafting an authentic performance. At first, I found this a little challenging as I wasn’t able to control my breathing well. However, by continuously practicing I found that the more I breath in through my stomach, the more air I inhale, helping me exhale in a more controlled manner. We then went onto attempting to say tongue twisters. We began saying them slowly, which I found easy, but then started trying to say them quicker. By doing this, I learned that using my vocals was not my strongpoint. This is because when I attempted the tongue twisters quickly, I was mispronouncing the words, so it almost sounded like I was mumbling, making it harder to understand what I was saying. I also found that my jaw was a little tensed up, so it was hard to use my mouth to pronounce every single letter. After attempting this many times, we then tried to speak through our stomach rather than through our throats. This was challenging for me as I was finding it hard to speak from my stomach. It felt like I was targeting my abdominal muscles. However, by practicing it more often I am sure I will be able to master the skill. This skill also helps me on my projection as when I want to shout a line, I would usually strain my voice if I used my throat, so by mastering the skill of speaking through my stomach I will be able to project my voice really well without causing any injuries.We then were told to go to one end of the classroom and Ryan went to the opposite end. We were then told to repeat the tongue twisters after him, saying it as loud as possible while speaking through our stomach. We then moved straight onto rehearsals with our director. We revisited the rehearsal that we were doing on day 3 when she called us in order of the scenes. So, my partner and I went straight up to rehearse our scene with our director. After having learnt that Stephen is more obsessed with my character than we were portraying him to be, our director guided us and told us her view of our scene and how she wanted it to look. So, after consenting to touch, we showed more one-sided intimacy between the character by Stephen continuously putting his arm around my character and being more open about sexual intimacy with Stephanie by grabbing her legs and moving his hands up my legs. In order to show a lack of care from my character and rejection without hurting Stephen's feelings, I used more closed body language. I also had to continuously remove his hands from my shoulders and sit up onto the arm of the sofa. This helped me convey the idea that I was not open to any sexual interaction and didn’t really care about him. At first the idea of the physical touch was a challenge as I was not completely comfortable with it due to personal experiences, however by continuously rehearsing with it, I got used to the idea of my peer's arm being around me and having a very open posture.

DAILY LOGS

Day Nine: In today’s lesson we began with a quick warm-up so we could move straight onto rehearsals for our show in two days. We began by playing two rounds of a new game introduced to us called “EastEnders”. This was a focus game that also helped get into a character so that we were able to leave our thoughts and worries to the side in order to completely focus on rehearsing and improving our scenes for the play. This exercise helped me prepare for the upcoming task of understanding my character and getting inside her head to help me recognise her aspects better. We then moved straight onto a task of getting together with my peers who play the same character as me and creating a role on the wall for the character of Stephanie. On the inside I wrote what I think she thinks of herself and on the outside what others think of her. I believe that my character thinks she is inadequate and powerless because by the end of the play she lacks hope for a better future and takes on the idea that the world is only cruel and has no love. I took this idea from my monologue as she states, “everything is fucking shit” and “there is only terror”, which helped me learn that my character is pessimistic. I understood that the reason my character thinks the world is a bad place full of terrible people is because of her traumatising upbringing without both parent figures and she also had to take care of her mother due to her having cancer. From this, I learnt that she had to grow up quicker than others and was loaded with responsibilities that she shouldn’t have had. After understanding this I learnt that my character and I had more similarities due to my own personal experiences in life as I had to take responsibilities that were not meant for me at such a young age. I also found that my character fears change for example when Cat is talking to her about leaving for university and when her mother passed away, she had to take on the parent figure role for her brother which could have been too much responsibility for her at her young age. This task of the role on the wall was a little challenging for me at first as I had to really delve deep into my scenes to help me understand her traits. It was also challenging to talk about as I was able to relate to quite a few of her experiences which brought me back to my memories, so I had to take a break. However, once I joined back, I had set my personal issues aside so that I was able to have my full attention on my character and rehearsal. We then thought of a movement Stephanie would do as a reoccurring motif throughout the play which would help the audience acknowledge who was playing the character of Stephanie. I thought that due to my characters traits and mindset, as she comes across and sociopathic, the best gesture would be to smile and have an upright posture that sometimes she gets too comfortable in and relaxes – allowing us as actors to portray her façade of confidence. We then started incorporating these movements and gestures into our scenes which helped us show similarities, making it clearer to the audience that we were all playing the same character. My peers also decided that we wear the same costume so that it was clear.

DAILY LOGS

Day Ten: Tech Rehearsal In today’s lesson we began with a relaxed morning of calm music and a quick run through of lines with our partners for our scenes, so we could move straight onto the tech run and go through the whole show. I started by going through my monologue while my partner was on his way. I repeatedly rehearsed on my own so that I was able to see what parts I really needed to focus on before the show the next day. I then started looking for the props and set design I needed for my monologue and put it on the prob table ready for the run through of the show. Once everyone was in, we then began the tech rehearsal so that we could figure out the lighting and sound queues and any changes throughout the scene that were needed. This was a little challenging for me as this was my first ever tech rehearsal for a show, so I didn’t know what to expect of it. This made me a little anxious as it was a little chaotic at the beginning due to not knowing any queues for each scene. I was also really nervous as my partner didn't seem to know his lines, which caused a few delays as we had to go over our scene a few times. There was also quite a bit of noise backstage, so it was difficult to focus and hear what our director was saying. I was also extremely anxious for the play, so my partner messing up his lines during the rehearsals made me nervous and scared that I was going to mess up during the show. There were also a few times I missed my queues to come in and set up our props on stage before our scene. I later went through my monologue lighting and at first, I had the idea of a spotlight to have all the attention on my character and what was happening to her in that scene. However, with the previous scene we decided as a group with our director that half of the stage with a dim red light and the other half a dim blue light worked with the movement piece, so we quite liked the idea of me sitting in the centre with my face half blue half red, conveying her mixed emotions of hopeless and anger towards the world for making her struggle at such a young age. After running through all the scenes and getting the lighting and sound queues in time for the performance, we then decided to do a whole run through of the play to see what it would look like. I was extremely nervous about this due to my anxiety, I thought I was going to mess up in my scenes. However, after doing it the first time as a rehearsal I felt less pressure and anxiety. From this I learnt that by continuously reminding myself of the progress I have achieved, I felt less and less anxious, which helped me boost my confidence. There were a few times my partner messed up his lines which made me feel scared, however by always reminding myself of how well I was going to do in the performance made me feel excited. I acknowledge that confidence takes time to achieve and gain but by continually reminding myself of the amazing work I was doing and how resilient I have been motivated me to continue putting in the same amount of effort and not let that affect me.

DAILY LOGS

SECTION 3: EVALUATIONS & BIBLIOGRAPHY

EVALUATIONS, PICTURES AND MUCH MORE...

Pages 4-18

I am writing about my experience of the duologue in scene 2 of the play morning. The play was written by Simon Stephens In 2012. The play is about two friends, Stephanie and Cat, who are close to leaving their small, cramped town at the end of the summer to go their separate ways—one to university, the other to stay put to care for her dying mother. 17-year-old Stephanie idolises her friend Cat, who has the sex appeal and confidence that Stephanie can merely imitate. As the play opens, Cat is set to move away to university later in the week, much to Stephanie’s anguish. After her plea is denied, Stephanie focuses on her devoted boyfriend Stephen, treating him with a disconcerting mix of jeers, taunts, and harsh dismissals. Stephen is later taken to a secluded area by them, where he is offered a threesome, tied up, and eventually killed with a casualty that leaves the audience on the edge of their seats. Despite everything separating them, they will always be connected by one moment: a moment that changed their lives irrevocably. Simon Stephens delves into a myriad of profound themes in his exploration of adolescence, friendship, psychosis, death, and guilt, examining the burdens imposed on young individuals by each of these intricate aspects. The play delves into the darker aspects of human nature, exposing the capacity for committing terrible deeds. It highlights society's indifference to physical suffering and the profound consequences of our decisions. The central thread revolves around morality and youth, examining how young people navigate moral dilemmas, sometimes leading to heinous actions, and explores their responses to the aftermath. In this intricate exploration, Stephens thoughtfully portrays the multifaceted nature of human behavior, emphasizing the intricate interplay of societal and individual factors shaping the narrative. In this evaluation, I am focusing on aspects of the techniques I used in rehearsals, the preparation and the overall performance. I will also talk about the challenges I faced throughout this unit. The main things I learnt through this unit are to be present in the character and the scene. This means that I need to get inside my characters head to be able to portray a realistic response to my surroundings in the scene I play. Throughout this unit, I focused on developing effective teamwork and collaboration skills, particularly in duos. This involved cultivating an open-minded approach to different ideas and opinions, emphasizing the importance of strong communication skills within the team. I also acquired the skill of considering the given circumstances of my character, a key element in Stanislavski's acting methodology. This involves understanding the who, what, where, when, why, and for what reason of my character in the scene I am portraying. Moreover, I actively engaged in pushing beyond my comfort zone to enhance my confidence in acting. This deliberate effort also led me to become more at ease with myself as I collaborated with peers with whom I don't typically work. I encountered significant challenges during the performance, primarily related to working with unfamiliar peers and building confidence within the group. My struggle with anxiety contributed to appearing reserved and antisocial initially. However, I consciously challenged myself to be more authentic around my peers, gradually becoming more comfortable. Continuous efforts to step outside my comfort zone enabled me to thrive in the performance. Through this experience, I learned the importance of acknowledging my progress and accomplishments, cultivating resilience, and avoiding unnecessary self-criticism. This newfound perspective encourages me to be proud of my achievements and to go easy on myself. Overall, what i learnt from this unit is mastering the art of compartmentalisation, separating my private life from my educational pursuits. This skill proves invaluable in acting, enabling me to be fully present as an actress. The ability to focus solely on the lesson or performance at hand becomes crucial, ensuring that my mind isn't burdened with unrelated thoughts and worries. Embracing the concept of presence in acting, a fundamental tenet in Stanislavski's techniques, has been instrumental. It empowers me to delve into my character's mindset, fostering focus and enhancing my performance abilities, a skill set that holds significance for future endeavours in the industry. In conclusion, my performance experience allowed for the further development of my acting skills and techniques. I successfully communicated with my peers, fostering an environment of open-mindedness and collaboration where various ideas and opinions were embraced.

SCENE 2 EVALUATION - DUOLOGUE

I am writing about my experience of the monologue in scene 11 of the play “Morning”. The play was written by Simon Stephens in 2012. The narrative centres on the friendship of two close companions, Stephanie and Cat, on the verge of parting ways in their small, cramped town after the summer. Cat is destined for university, while Stephanie remains to care for her ailing mother. Stephanie, a 17-year-old, idolizes Cat for her sex appeal and confidence, qualities Stephanie can only mimic. The play unfolds with Cat preparing to depart for university, intensifying Stephanie's distress. Denied her plea, Stephanie redirects her attention to her dedicated boyfriend, Stephen, subjecting him to a disconcerting mix of jeers, taunts, and harsh dismissals. In a subsequent development, Stephen is brought to a secluded location by Stephanie and Cat, where he is propositioned for a threesome, ultimately being tied up and meeting a tragic end that captivates the audience, keeping them on the edge of their seats. Despite the numerous factors driving them apart, they will forever share a connection forged in a singular moment that irreversibly altered their lives. Simon Stephens explores a plethora of profound themes, including adolescence, friendship, psychosis, death, and guilt, unveiling the intricate burdens borne by young individuals. The play delves into the darker facets of human nature, revealing the potential for committing grievous deeds. It sheds light on society's indifference to physical suffering and underscores the profound consequences of our decisions. The central theme centres on morality and youth, scrutinizing how young individuals navigate moral quandaries, sometimes resulting in heinous actions, and delving into their responses to the aftermath. In this intricate exploration, Stephens skilfully portrays the multifaceted nature of human behaviour, accentuating the complex interplay between societal and individual factors that shape the narrative. In this evaluation, I am focusing on aspects of the techniques I used in rehearsals, the preparation and the overall performance. I will also talk about the challenges I faced throughout this unit. The main things I learnt through this unit are engaging in emotional memory recall has been instrumental in immersing myself in Stephanie's mindset while ensuring a clear distinction between myself and the character. It's crucial to strike a balance between vulnerability and maintaining personal boundaries. Emotional memory involves tapping into my own experiences with specific emotions and incorporating them into my acting for the character. This process facilitates a deeper connection with the character and will prove valuable in the industry. It enhances my ability to connect with diverse characters, identifying both similarities and differences. This skill allows me to breathe life into various roles by finding common ground through shared experiences, contributing to a more authentic portrayal. Moreover, I proactively engaged in the deliberate and conscious effort to challenge myself by venturing beyond the confines of my comfort zone. This intentional approach aimed not only to foster personal growth but also to instil a heightened sense of confidence specifically in my work and acting endeavours. The deliberate acts of stepping outside familiar boundaries contributed significantly to my overall development and self-assurance within the professional realm. I encountered substantial challenges throughout the performance, particularly related to grappling with my own personal experiences surrounding the themes of suicide and mental health disorders. The presence of anxiety initially manifested in my demeanour, causing me to appear reserved and antisocial. However, I deliberately and progressively challenged myself to present a more authentic version of myself among my peers, thereby cultivating a heightened sense of comfort over time. Consistently pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone not only enabled me to surmount challenges but also played a pivotal role in my overall success in the performance. This transformative experience underscored the paramount importance of acknowledging personal growth and accomplishments, nurturing resilience, and consciously avoiding unnecessary self-criticism. Embracing this newfound perspective serves as a catalyst for fostering pride in my achievements and adopting a more compassionate and forgiving stance towards myself. In reflecting on this project, I've gleaned invaluable insights into the diverse techniques available to craft authentic and genuine performances, even when dealing with extreme themes. These techniques serve as powerful tools for conveying specific messages to target audiences. Additionally, I've come to the realization that by consistently challenging myself and cultivating resilience, I can foster a greater sense of ease and comfort among my peers. Moving forward, I aim to carry forward the lessons learned into my next project. This involves maintaining a conscious awareness of the progress I make and acknowledging my achievements. I recognize the importance of continual self-push, stepping outside my comfort zone to thrive in both lessons and performances. Moreover, I've internalized the understanding that confidence is a gradual process that requires patience. In summary, my experience in this performance was successful, allowing me to not only develop various skills but also to grow, be adaptable, and embrace an open-minded approach. The journey reinforced the importance of resilience and self-acceptance, laying a solid foundation for future endeavours.

SCENE 11 EVALUATION - MONOLOGUE

I am writing about my experience of the play “Morning”. The play was written by Simon Stephens in 2012. The narrative centres on the friendship of two close companions, Stephanie and Cat, on the verge of parting ways in their small, cramped town after the summer. Cat is destined for university, while Stephanie remains to care for her ailing mother. Stephanie, a 17-year-old, idolizes Cat for her sex appeal and confidence, qualities Stephanie can only mimic. The play unfolds with Cat preparing to depart for university, intensifying Stephanie's distress. Denied her plea, Stephanie redirects her attention to her dedicated boyfriend, Stephen, subjecting him to a disconcerting mix of jeers, taunts, and harsh dismissals. In a subsequent development, Stephen is brought to a secluded location by Stephanie and Cat, where he is propositioned for a threesome, ultimately being tied up and meeting a tragic end that captivates the audience, keeping them on the edge of their seats. Despite the numerous factors driving them apart, they will forever share a connection forged in a singular moment that irreversibly altered their lives. Simon Stephens embarks on a profound exploration of a myriad of themes within his work, encompassing adolescence, friendship, psychosis, death, and guilt. The narrative meticulously unravels the intricate burdens that young individuals bear, shedding light on the darker dimensions of human nature and unveiling the potential for committing grievous deeds. Furthermore, the play exposes society's indifference to physical suffering, emphasizing the far-reaching consequences of our decisions. At its core, the narrative revolves around morality and youth, critically examining how young individuals navigate moral dilemmas, sometimes leading to heinous actions, and delving into their responses to the aftermath. This sophisticated exploration is a testament to Stephens' skill in portraying the multifaceted nature of human behaviour, accentuating the intricate interplay between societal influences and individual factors that collectively shape the narrative landscape. In this evaluation, I am focusing on aspects of the techniques I used in rehearsals, the preparation and the overall performance. I will also talk about the challenges I faced throughout this unit. The main things I learnt throughout this unit are being able to work as a team/group. This means being open minded to different ideas and opinions and using our communication skills. I also developed my knowledge of given circumstances and thought about the context of our play. This helped me create realistic responses to my situation in my scenes. This helped me create a sense of truthfulness in my performance. This also means that I had to do my research on the whole play so that I understood every character and their relationship with mine. This allowed me to understand my character and gain a connection with my character by finding similarities between our experiences. Taking on the role of Stephanie was a little challenging at first, as due to similar experiences between us, I was overwhelmed with memories that triggered my anxiety. However, after taking a break and separating my personal life from my performance, I was able to embark on a journey of bringing my character to life. A significant aspect that I have gleaned from this unit revolves around the transformative role of engaging in emotional memory recall. This technique has proven to be instrumental in immersing myself in the intricate mindset of Stephanie, the character I portray, all while ensuring a discernible boundary between my own identity and that of the character. The delicate equilibrium between vulnerability and the preservation of personal boundaries is crucial throughout this process. The practice of emotional memory entails tapping into my reservoir of personal experiences, specifically those associated with distinct emotions, and seamlessly incorporating them into my acting for the character. This intricate process not only deepens my connection with the character but also holds substantial promise for its application in the industry. The acquired skill enhances my ability to authentically connect with a diverse array of characters, allowing me to discern and portray both shared experiences and unique differences. In essence, this newfound proficiency enables me to breathe life into various roles by establishing a genuine connection through the exploration of shared experiences. This multifaceted approach contributes to a more authentic and vivid representation of characters, thereby enriching the acting landscape. Additionally, I took a proactive stance by consciously and deliberately challenging myself to extend beyond the confines of my comfort zone. This purposeful endeavour had a dual focus: nurturing personal growth and cultivating a heightened sense of confidence, particularly in the domains of my work and acting pursuits. The intentional acts of venturing outside the familiar boundaries, albeit challenging, played a pivotal role in shaping my overall development and bolstering my self-assurance within the professional landscape. Moreover, I've come to the realization that through a continuous commitment to challenging myself and cultivating resilience, I can foster a heightened sense of ease and comfort within my peer group. Moving forward, I'll apply lessons learned in my next project, staying aware of progress and recognizing achievements. I'll continue pushing boundaries for growth in lessons and performances, understanding that confidence takes time. In summary, this successful experience emphasized resilience, self-acceptance, and set a strong foundation for the future.

OVERALL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

https://www.careforthefamily.org.uk/bereavement/the-role-of-guilt-in-grief/#:~:text=Usually%20guilt%20comes%20as%20we,things%20might%20have%20unfolded%20differently.

https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/talkabout/articles/emotional-numbness-grief/346166

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/denial

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/bereavement/experiences-of-grief/#:~:text=The%20pain%20doesn't%20vanish,on%20memories%20from%20the%20past.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24787-grief

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/servicesandsupport/At-the-end-dying-explained

https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/afraid-of-death/

https://www.uktherapyguide.com/overcoming-fear-of-death

https://www.fulhamsw6.com/#!pages/shared:common:revlyric008

https://www.ayoungertheatre.com/edinburgh-fringe-review-morning-simon-stephens-traverse-theatre-lyric-hammersmith/

https://exeuntmagazine.com/reviews/morning/

https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/morning-lyric-hammersmi-8015

https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/theatre/morning-lyric-hammersmith-review-8121594.html

https://www.concordtheatricals.co.uk/s/47277/morning

https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/morning-9781408173411/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Morning-Modern-Plays-Simon-Stephens/dp/1408173395

https://stageagent.com/writers/6689/simon-stephens

https://oxforddrama.ac.uk/trustees/simon-stephens/

https://www.writersandartists.co.uk/advice/interview-simon-stephens

https://www.concordtheatricals.co.uk/a/116144/simon-stephens

https://essentialdrama.com/playwrights/simonstephens/

https://www.mmu.ac.uk/staff/profile/professor-simon-stephens

https://www.dramaonlinelibrary.com/person?docid=person_stephensSimon

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2012/aug/06/morning-edinburgh-review

BIBLIOGRAPHY

https://www.verywellmind.com/i-don-t-care-about-anything-why-you-might-feel-this-way-5215747

https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/lack-of-care

https://theconversation.com/what-is-love-139212

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/love

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-love-2795343

https://gnet-research.org/2022/12/16/generation-doomer-how-nihilism-on-social-media-is-creating-a-new-generation-of-extremists/#:~:text=Social%20media%20has%20created%20a,about%20the%20world%20around%20them.

https://iep.utm.edu/nihilism/

https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/nihilistic

https://meaningness.com/accomplishing-nihilism#:~:text=If%20everything%20is%20meaningless%2C%20then,depression%2C%20sometimes%20with%20suicidal%20feelings.

https://www.huckmag.com/article/why-more-young-people-are-turning-to-nihilism

https://www.hevseltimes.com/post/the-appeal-for-nihilism-among-teenagers

https://ijream.org/papers/IJREAMV05I0250146.pdf

https://uksobs.org/we-can-help/suicide-bereavement/how-suicide-affects-others/

https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/health-and-wellbeing/suicide-prevention/worried-about-someone/warning-signs

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/suicidal-feelings/about-suicidal-feelings/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/end-of-life/in-depth/suicide/art-20044900

https://mentalhealth-uk.org/suicide/

https://www.verywellmind.com/why-do-people-commit-suicide-1067515

https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/index.html

https://www.supportline.org.uk/problems/suicide/

BIBLIOGRAPHY - PAGE 2

By: Lucy Pinho Kadlec - 862345

Thank you!!