MARY'S HAIR - THE MAKING

Horrors of War puppet

As a group, we experimented with this idea of creating a figure out of found objects that come together

Each person took charge of 'creating/finding' a limb and then when we came together and manipulated that limb..

During the experimentation, we manipulated the figure together, each on one body part, and got the figure to walk. We also liked the way the objects were scattered all over the room and then came together, walked as a figure, then completely fell to the ground into a pile of objects again. 

We really like the meaning an object brings, for instance, the clock - symbolising how time has past, reflection, memory...

Within our next exploration, we hope to find and bring more objects of relevance to create this figure

Sketch book - design ideas

The Horrors of War section - there is a lot of references to body parts being in pieces... 'picking em up in pieces' and 'replacing casualties' 'toe flicking off' etc...

Found it quite interesting to explore my earlier design and break it up into pieces that could come apart and join up together again - creating this dis-figured figure that appears and disappears with more than one manipulator...

Could experiment with the parts to create visual moments - explosions, war, attack, mayhem.. 

Could even start as a pile of junk/scraps/rubbish (something you would never expect to become a figure)

World War One: How did 12 million letters a week reach soldiers?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25934407 

'During World War One up to 12 million letters a week were delivered to soldiers, many on the front line. The wartime post was a remarkable operation, writes ex-postman and former Home Secretary Alan Johnson.For fighting soldiers it was essential to morale and the British Army knew that. It considered delivering letters to the front as important as delivering rations and ammunition.

Trains ran back and forth across Picardy under cover of darkness dropping some mail off along the route and unloading the rest at railheads where special REPS lorries took them to the "refilling points" for divisional supplies.
 Regimental post orderlies would sort the mail at the roadside and carts would be wheeled to the front line to deliver it to individual soldiers. The objective was to hand out letters from home with the evening meal. It's said that no matter how tired and hungry the soldiers were, they always read the letter before eating the food.'

 

Joe Glenton

http://joeglenton.com

Joe Glenton is a journalist and author with a focus on defence, security and war. He is also a British Afghanistan veteran.

Joe served in Afghanistan, Africa and the UK. He was the first British soldier to refuse to serve in Afghanistan on legal and moral grounds. Threatened with years in prison, he challenged and beat charge of desertion, which was withdrawn by the military before trial to avoid a public examination of the War on Terror.

He talks about this 'British Identity' and 'Imperial identity' and our perceptions of the army - how there are 'powerful idealogical drivers' to make people want to join, such as:
- masculinity
- ideas of heroism
- serving the country/Queen

We have a very patriotic culture which persuades people to join..

 http://socialistworker.co.uk/art/37319/First+World+War%3A+%E2%80%98I+refuse+to+murder+and+butcher+people+that+know+as+little+as+we+do+for+what+end+they+are+fighting%E2%80%99#prettyPhoto

First World War: ‘I refuse to murder and butcher people that know as little as we do for what end they are fighting’

Thousands of First World War appeals from men of military age arguing for exemption from conscription were released last week, writes Raymie Kiernan

Rehearsal Notes from today...

• Need to get at least 4 more typewriters
• More armchairs
• Sewing machine
• Hospital beds?
• Old TV

• We decided whether we need a kitty and treasurer? £20 each? To buy props we may need that we can't find/collect
• Contact Joe Glenton to see whether we can organise an interview with him or use his pre-existing interviews available on his site

• Puppet feet - need to have wood or rubber on base to stop the polystyrene noise they create and to give more weight
• Paint or cover in fabric - illusion of real shoes

Opening of production 

• Old people watching a TV documentary/News report/Interview with modern soldier 
• They wake up and what they listen to triggers memories - catalyst which sparks these stories
• Typewriters are revealed - sound effects for second story (feet marching, rain, gun fire..) 

'No Glory' and 'Stop the War'

No Glory is a campaign created in order to remember the Great War but not in the 'patriotic' traditional way.

''2014 marks the hundredth anniversary of the beginning of the First World War. Far from being a "war to end all wars" or a "victory for democracy", this was a military disaster and a human catastrophe.''

''Instead we believe it is important to remember that this was a war that was driven by big powers' competition for influence around the globe, and caused a degree of suffering all too clear in the statistical record of 16 million people dead and 20 million wounded.''

http://noglory.org/index.php/articles/119-how-to-stop-the-commemoration-of-world-war-one-becoming-a-justification-for-future-wars#.Uu-cavl_s40 

Ex-British soldier Ben Griffin on why we will not fight for Queen and country

'I am a Human Being and my allegiance is not to Queen and Country but to the whole of Humanity.

I no longer accept the lies which perpetuate war.

I no longer accept that violence can lead to Peace.

Never again will I be complicit in the killing and torture of my Brothers and Sisters.

Never again will accept the vile religion of Patriotism.

I refuse to pull on that rancid uniform.

I refuse to fight for Queen and Country.'

http://www.stopwar.org.uk/ 

''Dedicated to ending the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, bringing the troops home and forcing the British government to change its disastrous foreign policies. We have initiated many campaigns around these issues and are also committed to opposing sanctions and military attacks on Iran, supporting Palestinian rights, opposing racism and defending civil liberties.''

I successfully contacted Stop war to find out if they know of any modern day soldiers we could interview; and they do! Currently I am sending an email back to them about our project which will be forwarded to numerous soldiers and families who have been involved with the Afghanistan war. If any reply, this would be extremely useful. As at the beginning of our production, we want the old people to be sleeping/watching TV. On the TV we want a current soldier talking about issues surrounding war today or a news report which will act as a catalyst to spark off these memories and talk about their experiences.