Director's Concept

The director’s vision is the core of the entire production process.  His or her concept is the basis for all the work done over the course of the production. The Appalachian State production of Still Life with Iris is directed by Teresa Lee, an associate professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance since 1988.  The following is her concept in her words, which she wrote in July 2009:

Setting

The play takes place in several locations: Nocturno, the Great Island, the beach on Great Island, the Tunnel of the Unwanted, the dark room where Miss Overlook resides.

The world of Nocturno is a parallel world existing at the same time as the “real” world we “know.”  It is a world of possibility and imagination...MAGIC…the world of a child in which notions and concepts of adult “reality” are challenged.  Notions of up and down, inside/outside, distance, size...A place somewhere between dreamland and playground fantasy.  A kind of waking dream.  I say this because it is real to its inhabitants.  It is not a dream they wake up from at the end of the play, like we see happen in the Wizard of Oz.   Just as we sometimes dream in color, Nocturno is full of color even though it is set against the backdrop of night.  It is a more organic environment full of the wonders of the natural world, in contrast to the Great Island.  Think child's playground, but not limited by the literal structure, rather inspired by what it evokes in children.  Objects in a child world appear larger.  There is more of a melodic sense of being.  Just as the sign reads, “Welcome to Nocturno,” I would like the audience to have a sense of wanting to step into this world…it should be playful and inviting.

In contrast to Nocturno, the Great Island represents the adult notions of reality--perfection, control, order--Platonic Idealism (Myth of the Cave.)  Because of the presence of the character of Mozart and his music being a kind of backdrop for the show, I was compelled to research his time period.  It seems to me that the Great Goods’ world should be inspired by the Classic age of the 18th Century.  During this period, the notion of the one “ideal” and the search for perfection was a strong influence on society and culture.  There is a divide, literally by deep water, between the Great Island and the place of Nocturno.  It is isolated.  The atmosphere is more linear, geometric shapes, less organic in it's textures.  Perhaps it is devoid of color in contrast to the rest of Nocturno. Or perhaps there is only ONE color, because it is the one perfect color!  The objects in the Great Room are put on display, so there is a kind of museum quality to it—look but don’t touch.  Time is more present on Great Island and the tempo and rhythm of being is sharper in this world. 

The “Dark Room” where Miss overlook resides can be defined by lighting and the furniture of the table and chairs.  It should look like it is a different place from the Great Room.

The beach is the “wishing place.”  It is where Iris goes to look for help and her wishes come to life in the form of Annabel Lee and Mozart.  I see the water out beyond the fourth wall in the audience.  The night sky is full of stars.  The large seashell they disappear into helps to define the space.

The Tunnel of the UnWanted is a place of not belonging.  The “mediocre middle,” where those who displease or don't measure up in some way go.  There is more chaos here, less order.  At the same time ironically, it is the place where the things the characters are searching for are found.  It represents discarded childhood and adult ideas of imperfections.  There should be a sense of claustrophobia, dark void—it is the place “in between” the worlds of Nocturno and Great Island.  Perhaps the use of fabric to help define the space.

The time of the play takes place in the present imaginary world of Nocturno over the course of a day and a night.  The season is autumn.  It is a time of the lunar eclipse.

Transitions

The scenes need to move seamlessly from one into the other, as they do in our dreams.  NO BLACKOUTS if at all possible, except at the end of the act.  The playing space should “quickly and simply represent a variety of locales,” as suggested in the production notes.

 

Characters/Costumes

The people of Nocturno represent the “magic” world the child creates when they are at play (see notes above.)  They are all wearing a “pastcoat” of some kind.  I don’t think the coats should all look the same, but instead they should reflect something about each character.  The people of Nocturno are ruled by the Great Goods.  Just as most children are with their parents, they are always aware of pleasing or displeasing the Great Goods.  If the world of the Goods is influenced by the “classic” style of the 18th century, the world of Nocturno should be influenced by imagination, wonder and playfulness.  I think of the delightful incongruity we see when a small child plays “dress up.”  Through the eyes of an adult, the costume pieces don’t necessarily “match,” but the child’s “make-believe” character is very real to them.    

The Great Goods are driven by their obsession with perfection and “the one” ideal representation of everything (see notes above.)  They impose the notion of perfection onto the people of Nocturno.  They are in control.  In the Classic Age, society treated children like miniature adults.  We should be able to laugh at their extreme ridiculous behaviors.  Gretta really dominates Grotto in their relationship, but it is important for Grotto to appear “in charge.”

Iris is the protagonist.  She is searching for “the story of her life,” representing a coming of age phase of development when we begin to know ourselves and formulate our knowing around our story in relationship to others.  I see her to be around twelve years of the age.  Irony—her special talent of finding things is destroyed when she enters the world of the Great Goods.  The “supporting” child characters of Annabel Lee and Mozart are manifested by Iris’ imagination, but should be “real” to the audience.  No attempt to make them “dream-like.”  Annabel Lee represents Iris's courage, faith--her inner wisdom (strong woman.) Her mother was a pirate; her father was the sea.  I see Annabel Lee to be around 15-16 years old.  Mozart represents Iris's wish for “a key”; her muse, her inspiration, her talent.  (Mozart was a child prodigy, forced into early adulthood because of his unique gift of music.) Also represents Iris's fears--afraid of the water, afraid of disappointing his father, afraid of not being perfect.  He is age eleven, as the script indicates.

Mr. Matternot is a dark figure, as is indicated.  He and the other adults on the Great Island are there to serve the Goods.  They should be fairly non-descript.  Perhaps all wearing similar “uniforms,” or work suits like utility “jumpsuits?”

Themes

1. The Quest:
Iris is searching for her story, her father, the still life image, the girl who owns the coat.  Annabel Lee is searching for her ship.  Mozart is searching for his musical composition.  The Goods are searching for the perfect girl and boy.  All have to overcome obstacles in the process.
2. Perfection/Idealism:
What is it?  Does it really exist?  Perfection vs. Imagination and play.  Perfection breeds isolation.  The “one” ideal creates necessity for the notion of “the other” or the “lesser.”
3. Identity and Memory:
Remembering the child within...keeping alive the magic of our childhood imagination.  How do our memories shape who we are?
4. Family and belonging:
Importance of family unit