RESEARCH – Summer Shows- Bad girls

I Leah smith confirm that the work on this page is all my own work and does not include any work completed by anyone other than myself. I declare that this is my own work. I understand that assignment malpractice such as plagiarism (copying), colluding or other forms of cheating will incur a heavy penalty in line with College and other policies. I have properly acknowledged the books, texts or other material quoted or used in this assignment. I am aware of the college appeals policy in the Student Handbook.

Date insert date of completion of work here

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Section 1. Research

This is what you need to ask yourself in order to successfully carry out Research for a Production. You will find yourself doing this when you respond to the research prompt questions further down this page. Do not answer these 3 questions, answer the prompt questions.

1. What knowledge and information will I need to find and use so that I can be successful in this project? This might be theoretical, it might be practical, it might be both. See below for some show specific suggestions for you to carry out research on which will not only help you prepare for this production but also throughout the entire process. As the project progresses you will need to keep finding out more and more things and recording them on this page.
2. How am I using the knowledge and information I have become aware of in my own Production? You need to show how the information / knowledge you discover is being used, or not used, for this production.
3. Where have I found the above required knowledge and information? Some of this information you will not know already and you will have had to carry out research to find out about it. This is called secondary research.
   1. For ALL secondary research (images, YouTube videos, online websites, books, magazines, radio etc.) you MUST record your sources of information using the Harvard system of referencing and maintain a Bibliography. Here is the link to the college online Harvard referencing guide https://library.wsc.ac.uk/referencing/onlineguide
   2. Please note that your grade will be capped at a Pass if you do not use Harvard referencing and citations

RESEARCH prompt questions for Production 3 ‘Bad Girls: The Musical’ Delete these prompt questions if they do not apply to your production

Please respond to each question directly underneath the question. Do not answer at the bottom of the page. Your research should be referenced at the bottom of the page where it says ‘References’. You should also include citations alongside your actual research including any images or videos.

Find out as much information as you can about the about the musical you have been cast in; its origins and about the ‘book’ authors and composer / lyricist. This might include looking at reviews of other performances, it might include finding out about their past experience of developing musicals, YouTube clips, films, books etc. Why will carrying out this research help you with your own performance?

I have currently been cast and am working on ‘Bad Girls: The Musical’. The book written by Maureen Chadwick and the lyrics by Kath Gotts. The show had a try-out in Leeds in June 2006 at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. It was then first performed on the West End at the Garrick Theatre on 16th August 2007, The show officially opened on 12th September 2007. It then closed only two months later, with the last performance on 17th November 2007.

Bad Girls: the musical was based on the popular ITV prison drama series called “Bad girls”. Bad girls the television drama series was broadcast on ITV from 1 June 1999 until 20 December 2006. It was created by Maureen Chadwick and Ann McManus of Shed productions(Warner Bros.), who initiated the idea of developing a series primarily focusing on the inmates and staff of the fictional women’s prison, Larkhall, located in the South Londonregion.-Wikipedia,(2020). Shed productions.

Throughout its entire run, Bad Girls was broadcast at 9:00 pm (60min running time per episode), first on Tuesday nights from 1999 to 2001, then, it moved to Thursday nights from 2002 to 2003. The show achieved critical acclaim, becoming immensely popular throughout the course of its first three years. It constantly attracted high viewing figures, peaking at 9.49 million viewers.

Unlike past prison series, Bad Girls storylines were portrayed in a more graphic manner in terms of violence, bad language, and sexual content, as prior shows were somewhat more restrictive in content. Common themes in the series include separation from families, recidivism and adjustment to prison life, while storylines concern the friendships and relationships between the inmates and staff alike, and to a more serious extent, the series focused on sensitive issues such as bullying, rape, suicide, miscarriage, drug use and violence against women, It is also notable in that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender characters are portrayed in a more permissive way.

–The guardian[2001 newspaper]- 2020

Did this research help, was it relevant?

-Finding out this information really helped me as I got an understanding the how this show is purly advertised to a more adult audience. Finding out about the time it was on tv tells me a lot as, if a program if on 9pm or after it will have adult themes run though the program. This there for gave me a good inside to what the authors and produces was trying to aim for.

 Author-Maureen Chadwick

 

Awards-Tv Quick award, UK 2006- best new drama Waterloo Road – IMDb

She is a writer of a wide range of award-winning, critically acclaimed and controversial shows for both television and theatre, including single plays, primetime television dramas, stage plays and musicals.’ – (Nick Hern Books)

She is a cofounder and creative director of Shed Productions (a connecter to Warner Bros.)Wikipedia,(2020). Shed productions.

She is most known for her television drama Bad Girlsas well as the musical spin off. Some of her other television credits include Footballers’ Wives, Waterloo Road, Eastenders, Coronation Street and Angels. Some of her other theatre credits include Joséphine, Dust, The Crush, The Speed Twins and The Realness – (Nick Hern Books)

 Author-Ann McManus

Ann McManus has written extensively for television, and was co-founder and creative director of shed producers. She is known for hit tv series including Bad girls, Footballers and Waterloo Road. – IMDb

 

Lyricist- Kath Gotts

 

• ‘She has written incidental music and songs for television and theatre, including Bad Girls, The Fugitives,Family Affairs and Waterloo Road on television and Dust, The Bodies and Any Which Way for theatre’ (Nick Hern Books)

She Studied Philosophy and Psychology at St. Hilda’s College in Oxford. She then went on to study Music at Goldsmiths College in London (Nick Hern Books)

 Did this research help, was it relevant?

-Looking into the authors and the producers on the show and program really helped me as I found out other things, they have worked on this showed me the type of writing they did. For example, I Was a big fan of waterloo road which has quite harsh themes run through. This tells me that the authors was very passionate about people showing the truth and realistic happenings of schools and prisons. This will them help me in my performance as I no what there gaols and resions behind making the show.

Reviews

Tv show

“Bad Girls Hard-hitting, original and controversial

Depicts. Shows the personal trials and triumphs of prison inmates and officers alike. This is a drama where fear and brutality meet friendship and compassion, and where corrupt staff, treacherous inmates, drugs and violence all combine to test the mettle of those thrown together 24/7.”– Google books press release.

Musical

‘The plotting and characterisation in this two and a half hour comedy are generally weak while the music and choreography are rarely memorable. However, there are a handful of good performances that somewhat redeem the evening… Beyond questionable production qualities, the main problem with Bad Girlsis that credibility is stretched so far that disbelief intervenes on a regular basis.’ – Philip Fisher, British Theatre Guide

‘I would like to say they’ve done a sterling job with the musical, but I’m afraid I can’t. Essentially, the show doesn’t really know what it is or what it’s trying to do, and I sensed that, like me, many members of the audience were confused… these could be dream sequences, but they just don’t work and seem odd and out of place, leaving the audience rather bemused… ‘Bad Girls’ had a chance to show that gritty reality can be hummable, but opted for the soft option, I think, in order to make it more palatable. What they actually achieved was a bit of musical nonsense that lacks a real sense of vision and clarity.’ – Peter Brown, LondonTheatre.co.uk, 2007

The overall reviews of the musical mainly highlight the poin that there was a lack of characterisation and how it seemed to be unrealistic witch didn’t resemble the ITV show.  This was clearly a bit difference to the reviews about the tv show witch says how realistic the show was.

Did this research help, was it relevant?

Researching the reviews of both the tv and musical was very necessary and relevant and I found this very helpful. It showed me how people initially reacted and there thoughts and feeling behind them, for example what they thought of the themes and Issus that wear exploited in the shows. This helps us no how to produce the show and the things we need to improve and avoid doing in order to make the show appeal to more people and the best it can be. For example, characterisation will need to be very strong however not unrealistic so that it dosnt seem true.

Link to episode 1 season 1 of Bad girls- www.televisionace.com/Episode+1

Here is also the link to the trailer of the musical for the West End production.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/137076185

Song list:

Act I

• I Shouldn’t Be Here – Shell, Crystal, Denny, Julie S, Julie J, Nikki, Jim, Sylvia, Helen and Prisoners.
• Guardian Angel – Shell & Denny
• Jailcraft – Jim, Sylvia & Number One
• One Moment – Nikki
• Life of Grime – Julie J, Julie S and Prisoners
• A-List – Yvonne & Prisoners
• The Key – Jim, Shell & Rachel
• That’s the Way It Is – Helen, Sylvia, Yvonne, Shell, Nikki, Julie J, Julie S, Number One, Jim, Prisoners & Officers

Act II

• Freedom Road – Crystal
• The Future Is Bright – Jim, Sylvia & Officers
• Sorry – Julie S
• Every Night – Nikki & Helen
• All Banged Up – Yvonne, Julie J, Julie S & Justin
• The Baddest & the Best – Nikki, Denny, Justin, Yvonne, Julie J, Julie S, Shell, Crystal & Prisoners
• First Lady – Shell & Jim
• Baddest & the Best (Reprise) – Shell
• This Is My Life – Nikki, Helen & Prisoners

– StageAgent.

• Find out as much information as you can about the performance style / styles you will be working in. What are the key features of this style/ styles? What will you need to emphasise / work on to pull off this style /styles effectively? How are you going to use this information to develop your own performance in your production?

In this production, I will be working in the performance style of musical theatre. Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dancing.
Musical theatre involves a frequent amount of dance. Technique in your dancing if a big thing and should always be used as much as you know at least.
To be able to conduct this style efficiently and professionally you have to understand the meaning behind all the songs, lyrics and spoken dialog, so you can develop the emotion you have fixated on. This also means you have the knowledge and understanding so that your audience members do not get confused. In addition to this I need to make sure my character is fully supplemented with characteristics, and I have a perfect understanding of what my character would do in certain situations therefor, making it believable. This is something I feel myself and every member of the cast need to work on, not because it’s a bad thing but so we are all different and unique showing different personalities, traits, styles and behaviour. For example, we are all in prison for a different reason, our sentence time id different, and our attitude towards the prison if different to each other.

Musical Theatre:
The tradition Musical Theatre Show normal has the following, this is traditionally because it adds a lot of dynamics to the story and can also help cross lots of emotions happy, anger, exited ect. Musical theatre will most likely also include the following-

libretto – the overall text including the spoken and sung parts
lyrics – the words to the songs

Most songs fit into these categories:
action songswhich move the plot forward
character songswhich enable a character to express their feelings
Within these two formats, different song types can be found, including:
ballads which are usually slow, romantic and reflective
comedy songs which are funny, so the lyrics are very important
production numbers which involve the full company and are used to show major changes in location or plot, and often open and close acts
rhythm songs which are driven by energetic rhythm patterns

(study-Musical theatre-28/5/19) https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-musical-theater-history-terms.html

Did this research help, was it relevant?

By researching information about musical theatre, it can help me develop a clearer understanding of individual song and dialog furthermore, possibly go into more analysis in finding the underline of emotion thought my parts. This I Found really helpful as I went into strong detail about the songs. For example, “I shouldn’t be hear” looking into this song I believe that although it seems like its I shouldn’t be in prison, I think it could also mean I shouldn’t be alive. I think it depends on the character and how they want to take the song on.

Find out as much as you can about the period YOUR production is set in (not the original setting); what is / was going on in the world of your production (prisons), what is / was important to the people (prisoners and guards), how does / did their society work etc. Why will this research help you with your own performance?

We our setting our production of Bad Girls: The musical in the present day with no specific year. So I have researched what it’s like for women in prison now-a-days. (This ranges from around 2012-2020)

When comparting female prisons to men’s there are a lot of differences for example, the population of females in prison is 3,869 which is significantly less than the amount of men in prison (79,749). There population is more than 20 times more than the females. – Wikipedia

The key findings from prisons are that, at March 2019:

• The prison population is ageing: in 2002, 16% were under the age of 21 compared with 6% in 2019 and the number over the age of 50 went from 7% in 2002 to 16% in 2019;
• Prison sentences were longer in 2019 than in 2010, with 48% being over 4 years compared with 33% in 2019;
• Foreign nationals made up 11% of the prison population;
• People of minority ethnicities made up 27% of the prison population

compared with 13% of the general population. In May 2019,

• 62% of prisons in England and Wales were over-crowded.

Each jurisdiction also publishes data on the cost per prisoner or prison place. In 2017/18, the average direct cost per prison place was £26,274 in England and Wales, £35,293 in Scotland, and £55,304 in Northern Ireland.

-House of Commons

Average Sentence length for a female

As at the end of March 2019 the most frequent length of sentence being served was a determinatesentence of over 4 years. Around 48% of the sentenced population (female) were serving this length of sentence. About a quarter of prisoners were servingsentences ranging between 1-4 years and around 13% had over there ife expectancy sentences.

The violence in a women’s prison is slightly different when compared to a men’s prison. Usually, fights will break out due to jealous and other reasons. The majority of arguments are incredibly petty. Arguments can end badly, but not usually as violent as in a men’s prison where stabbings with shank (home-made knife) aren’t really uncommon. Female prisons are also known for being more roundy then mens. This may be due to men being more likely to keep to them self rather, than woman who are more likely to become attached meaning more “bitchieness”.

There can be different types of roles in a prison for example,

Mother figure- someone who will look after you when you first come in and potentially show you the ropes.

Dealer- someone who will get you what you need for a price of course. There normally drugs but can sometimes be adult toys, phones and more.

Buyer- someone who will do anything the buy off the dealer. Normally the ones serving longer who haven’t got much to lose

-House of commons

 

Work can be for the prison itself or outside the prison. Inmates can clean, work in the kitchen, help out new inmates or they might be doing something for an external company (eg. untangling headphone wires for headsets going on planes)-

 

The biggest thing about female prisons is the emotions that run strongly though every inmate in a different way. This is especially grater in female prisons due to the hormone’s gilds have. Anger and tension can rise incredibly quickly as you are so enclosed with so many people with absolutely no privacy.

– The truth about prison:

Did this research help, was it relevant?

Finding out about sentence length for the average female was very interesting. I found this really helped me with my character building. As it helped me determine the reality of the sentence for my crime. The chart and data I found also help me determine my crim and how I can build my character up. This will help me a lot on stage, as it means I will no how to act for example, if I was in there for petty theft it would be a very short sentence meaning I’m probably not a rougher tougher person to someone who has killed someone. This will therefor help me portray my character better and will help me create layers.

• Find out about your character(s). What motivates them? (We recommend using Uta Hagens 9 questions as a way in to understanding your character(s) in an in depth and useful way) How are you going to use this information to develop your performance? Make sure you do this for EVERY character and for EACH scene in which they appear.

UTA HAGEN’S 9 QUESTIONS (answered in character)

Who am I?

• My name is Willow Dipling
• People call me “Dip” because I’m always dippng in and out of trouble.
• Age 24
• I am very strong willed and I know how to fight when I need to. I tend to be very stubborn and I am known for getting into fights.
• I am a Criminal at Larkhall Prison. I was sentenced to 3 years for drug supplying and making, then the week before I was supposed to be released, I got into a fight with a prisoner and officer and used the chair edge as a weapon. This led me to get an extra 18moths (public intoxication and harm under influence); I am now every close to my end and I intend on getting out.
• Age 14 and 16 I was put into a young offenders unit for fighting and dealing.
• I let out like I don’t have a weakness so people can’t hurt me but everyone has a weakness, money and my fiancé is my weakness. When they take away my visit time that’s hard for me.
• I help get all sorts of stuff into the prison for people for a price. My fiancé helps me out getting me drugs into the prison to sell to the Weeklings.
• Surprisingly I had a high class upbringing but I didn’t cear I always went with the wrong crowed its more fun.
• My mums a hair dresser owns her own salon in Essex and dad’s our bankers. My older brother is a footballer. I also have a little brother as well he’s doing well at college. I guess I was the rebel child you could say. My family supports me a lot and tort me how to fight when I was bullied guess that’s why in tough.
• I have hobbies that keep me sain in prison; I like working out any time of fitness I love, I always loved it from a young age its helped a lot. I also like doing hair you can often find me doing the other inmates hair.

what times it?

It is the present day. In the whole of the show, we travel between roughly a week, as all of the events that happen are in the space of a few days.

Where am I?

I am in the women prison at H.M. Larkhall prison Eaaex. I am in the G wing of the prison in Cell 8. This is wear all the drama seems to happen in the show.

What surrounds me? 

Well Jim Fenner is still “caring for us” if you can call it that hes always in someone’s pants. All he cares about is having his way with some of us. Everyone’s still them doggy self’s. There has been a lot happening in the prison though lately first of all  little young Rachel Hicks joint us aka Shell and Denny’s new toy to play and boss about with, then Yvonne came and I must admit she really brought the party with her. which kept shell and Denny quiet. Outside world is supposed to be falling apart right now as well, but my last visitor was a month ago now so who knows what’s happening.

What are the given circumstances? 

I was raised in a high-class home could say perfect but we had our problems. We have always made money from dealing that’s all I’ve known. All the way though school I got bullied so my dad and older brother taught me how to fight. Age 14 and 16 I was put into a young offender’s unit for fighting and dealing. Then at 19 I was sentenced to 3 years for drug supplying and making, then the week before I was supposed to be released, I got into a fight with a prisoner and officer and used the chair edge as a weapon. This led me to get an extra 18moths (public intoxication and harm under influence); I am now every close to my end and I intend on getting out.

What are my relationships?

I am okay with most of the inmates. The two Julies are nice also, Laurens character I get along with well as we share a cell together and she’s a true mate of mine inside. However, I never get attached to people as this can lead to a weakness, I know who my mates are and who has my back. Outside of the prison I have a very wide spread social group. I am friends with many gangs this is how I started learning about drugs and dealing. I am still close with my family but most of all my fiancé.

What do I want?

At this present time, I’m trying to control my anger as I’m looking forward to getting out soon. You can see this as I am cleaning the floors and trying to really trying to keep my tensions with people minimal. I want to get out so I can get married to my partner as we have been engaged for 4 years now just before I went inside.

What is in my way?

My anger and the need to start on people. I already find it hard to keep calm and with people always getting mad about something I am finding it hard to keep cool. We are treat very very purely in prison and are actually abused and disrespected to much. I find this really hard to “stay cool” with officer’s and simply keep quiet.

What do I do to get what I want?

In act two I take part in a riot to prove our rights. This helps me release a lot of anger I have building up. But I maind don’t get into fights and keep quite for most of the show. However, you can see me egg on a few fights.

Did this research help, was it relevant?

Every show I have been in hear at Con EAST I have leaned that the more depth I go into and specific I am, the better I feel I understand the character and to even build a character like I have hear. I feel breaking it down like this really shows the character and all their problems and how to portray them. I then find once it come’s to actually playing the part the characterisation is much stronger as I know there purpose and where they stand. This also helps me know a purpose behind everything I do and the actions my character takes during the show.

 

• Find out about the potential physicality of your character. How do they sit, stand, move? Are they relaxed, tense, energetic, sluggish? Why are they like this? How do you know this? How are you going to use this information to develop your performance?

How do I walk?

I’m always quite slow as there a lot of time on my hands so there’s no rush. I have quite a lose neck I tend to move my head a lit to always no what’s going on around me.

How do I sit?

I often sit slouched on a chair or snugged on a table; I like to be comfortable with my legs in on the chair. I tend to sit more manly as I feel quite dominant.

How do I stand?

I stand quite wide legged, more manly as such too feel dominant. I can normally be found slouching/ leaning over my mop.

How do I talk?

I come from Essex whits means I have the Essex accent. I am quite lucky as I have done a lot of accents in the past and I am quite good at them. I have done as Essex agent before so this is nearly easy for me. I talk with attitude but I don’t really open my mouth wide as they normally talk with there mouth quite tight and not wide.

 Did this research help, was it relevant?

The outcome I found of this question was very similar  to the last, and I feel this information is very important when it comes to making and understanding every aspect of my character. Bye really expanding on this question and finding out or developing on them this will help me really nail every characteristic and physical element of the role. This then leads to me always having a purpose to my actions and movement. You can see good examples of me portraying this movement for example, when Shell and Nickie fight, you can see me moping and leaning over the mop quite sluggish with a bad attitude. From this you then see me change when they start to fight to the wide spread stance. I really believe this research was very helpful and will really help me when it comes to acting.

 

REFERENCES:

Wikipedia,(2020). Shed productions. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shed_Productions[Accessed 1st Apr. 2020]

Ogle,T. (2001). Bad girls. The observer. [news paper] page 14. 10 Jun. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/jun/10/analysis.theobserver [accessed 1 Apr. 2020]

IMDb.(n.d.). Maureen Chadwick. [online] Available at: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0149498/awards?ref_=nm_awd[Accessed 2^ndApr 2020].

Nick Herm Books. (2018). Nick Herm Books| About Maureen Chadwick. [online] Available at: https://www.nickhernbooks.co.uk/maureen-chadwick[accessed on 2^ndApr. 2020]

IMDb. (n.d.). Ann McManus. [online] Available at: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0573121/[Accessed 2^ndApr 2020]

Nick Hern Books. (n.d.). Nick Herm Books| About Kath Gotts. [online] Available at: https://www.nickhernbooks.co.uk/kath-gotts[Accessed 5th Apr. 2020].

British Theatre Guide. (n.d.). Theatre review: Bad Girls- the Musical at Garrick Theatre. [online] Available at: https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/badgirlsmusical-rev.htm[Accessed 5th Apr. 2020].

London Theatre Guide. (2016). Bad Girls- The Musical. [online] Available at: https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/reviews/bad-girls-the-musical[Accessed 5th April 2020].

Google books. (1999). Bad girls the Musical- Press release. Available at: ]https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=h7irDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT293&lpg=PT293&dq=the+bad+girls+tv+show++official+press+release&source=bl&ots=Bj9xYupynZ&sig=ACfU3U1NB_yNnX10J8oqbUGPq8Xjs1q2Og&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjh1te_3YjpAhVHURUIHZ9eDo0Q6AEwCXoECBIQAQ#v=onepage&q=the%20bad%20girls%20tv%20show%20%20official%20press%20release&f=false [Accessed 5th April 2020].

Study.com. (2019). What is Musical theatre?- History & Terms| Study.com.[online] Available at:https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-musical-theater-history-terms.html[accessed on 7th Apr2020]

 StageAgent. (n.d.). Bad girls: the musical (Musical) Plot & characters. Accessed on  [online] Available at: https://stageagent.com/shows/musical/11396/bad-girls-the-musical[Accessed on 14th Apr 2020]

Study.com. (2019). What is Musical theatre? – History & Terms | Study.com [online] Available at: https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-musical-theater-history-terms.html[Accessed 20th April 2020].

Wikipedia Contributors (2019). United Kingdom prison population [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_prison_population[Accessed 20th April 2020].

House of Commons. (n.d.) UK prison population statistics.-Georgina Sturge- [pdf] Available at the link-  SN04334  [Accessed 27^thApril 2020].

The truth about prison: professionals and Families speak out. 18^thJun 2017- Richard W Hardwick | Page 10-15 [accessed on 27^thApr 2020]

 

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Research UAL definition: The ability to select, edit, interpret and respond to relevant material in support of lines of enquiry, and the level of initiative, commitment, personal responsibility and resourcefulness demonstrated in developing and progressing identified goals

Fail Little or no evidence presented or information does not relate sufficiently to task.

Pass Sufficient relevant information has been gathered, documented and used in the development of ideas.

Merit Thorough and sustained research and investigation of relevant sources, interpretation and synthesis of information used to inform, support and develop ideas.

Distinction  Independently identified, thorough and sustained research and investigation of a range of relevant sources, insightful interpretation and synthesis of information used to inform, support and develop ideas.

The above statements are guides to how evidence for this final unit (12) will be assessed.