Punk Rock - Subtext

In the lessons this week we spent time looking at the subtext of the scenes we are in. We did this by playing a kind of game where whenever you want to express what your character is thinking you clap, this means that the scene stops so that the person can speak out. We ran the play from the beginning and did the first couple of scenes using this technique which turned out to be very useful. It gave us an opportunity to explore our own character and understand the other characters more in depth, making our performance better and the relationships between us more realistic.

Punk Rock - writing in role

Cissy -

I'm not sure how much longer I can do this. Bennett was absolutely disgusting today. He spat at Tristan today, I still can't believe it. I mean I know he's horrible most of the time but spitting, that's a new low even for him. Tristan and Bennett haven't really ever gotten along, I guess that because of them both being gay, the only difference is that Tristan admits it. I really don't mind covering up for Bennett, honestly its the least I can do considering how much he helps me. If I didn't have him I don't know how I'd face all of my parents dinner parties and gatherings, he's always such a gentleman and my parents love him so I never have to do any of the talking anymore, which is great as it saves me from a whole load of embarrassment. He's so different away from school I just wish they could see him when he's not putting on a front of a mean horrible boy.

Punk Rock - Lily

Cissy and Lily become friends as they are the only two girls in the group. Lily seems to like her and likes talking to her about personal girly things that she can't talk to Nicholas about. 

Punk Rock - Nicholas

Cissy and Nicholas are friends, they don't really interact with each other and stay quite neutral. Nicholas doesn't particularly want to get closer to Cissy because of Bennet and how he may react, becoming closer with her may attract more attention from Bennet. 

Punk Rock - Chadwick

Cissy and Chadwick have a good relationship, considering Bennet is so horrible to Chadwick. Chadwick has a soft spot for Cissy and would really like her if only she wasn't with Bennet, he feels sorry for her and doesn't argue back with Bennet so that it doesn't get any worse. 

Punk Rock - Cissy from Tristan's point of view

Cissy and I used to be really close, we've known each other for years, but since she's been with Bennet I'm finding it really hard to be friends with her. It's not really her fault, I know how controlling and spiteful he can be but she doesn't even try to stop him. At the very least you'd think she would ask if I was okay but no because then Bennet would be in a mood and his feelings are more important than mine obviously. I don't even know why she's still with Bennet. He's clearly gay, I should know, and I think she knows too. I think most people suspect it to be honest, not that he'd be able to tell his parents. His dad wouldn't allow it so I guess Cissy is doing a good thing by putting up with him, so in a way I feel sorry for her, although that doesn't excuse her disregard for her friends whenever Bennet starts off on one of his rampages. I feel like I can't not be friends with her, I mean it's been so long I feel it would be stupid to give up on her now when she probably needs me most. The amount of pressure her parents put on her is ridiculous, I do feel for her in that respect, if she fails I actually don't know what she's going to do but obviously I can't tell her that, so I guess I'll just carry on being her friend and putting up with Bennets crap for her sake.

Punk Rock - Bennet

Bennet doesn't like Cissy as a girlfriend, he is only using her to cover up his homosexuality and keep his popularity within the school. She is also a cover up for his parents so they do not suspect him as they would not accept it and he would possibly not get the money he will inherit. 

Punk Rock - William

William and Cissy get on in general, until the end of the play. They have a couple of conversations where they both show an interest in each others lives. He does not agree with her relationship with Bennet and doesn't like how she defends him, ultimately this is why he kills her. 

Punk Rock - Cissy

For the past two weeks we have been working on our characters relationships and how they feel about each other as this will have a big impact on how we act the play. We have gone through each character and in detail discussed how they feel about everyone, using different colours to depict different people.

Cissy spends her life worrying about what other people think about her. She is very superficial and likes to try and please as many people as she can, but still lets Bennett control her. 

Bennett

Cissy knows that he is gay but doesn't care because of the social status he brings her, and she feels a need to help protect him and stick up for him as she does care for him just not in a loving way. She sees a stable future with him, maybe not a happy one but one that her parents would be proud of and she knows that she would be well looked after in his rich family. I think she is scared to loose him because of what her friends would say and especially if they admitted to his homosexuality, she would be completely humiliated so tries very hard to back him up and stay on his good side. 

Nicholas

Cissy likes Nicholas, he is a nice boy and easy to get on with. Nicholas has known Bennett for years so does not dislike Cissy for being with him but is still wary to get close to her so does not interact much with her. Cissy sees Nicholas as a quite manly boy so tries to tease Bennett by flirting with him, but of course it doesn't work with Bennett. 

Tristan

Cissy likes Tristan and has been friends with him for years, they get on well because he is very feminine so they conversations about girly things. They are not as close as they used to be because of her relationship with Bennett but Tristan tries not to blame Cissy, he knows it is just a cover for Bennett's sexuality and is one of the people that hint to it. 

William

Cissy feels sorry for William, he is a bit of a loner because of his odd nature so she tries to include him by making conversation with him. I think she is very shocked at the end of the play when he pulls out the gun and is in disbelief that he would do anything so drastic, until he kills Bennett and then she breaks down completely and almost gives up so does not try to stop him killing her. 

Lily

Although Cissy is wary of Lily at first they become friends because they are the only two girls in the group, so have lots in common and lots to talk about. Initially I think she feels slightly threatened by Lily's sudden popularity and so befriends her to make sure she doesn't loose her friends to her, but then genuinely grows to like her. 

Chadwick

In an ideal world if status and money didn't matter \Cissy would probably have Chadwick as her boyfriend. She secretly quite likes him but joins in with Bennett's taunting to try and hide this from the rest of the group. We see some of her true feelings come out when she kisses Chadwick. It i a very odd thing for Bennett to ask and although she is a tad scared of \\Bennett I do not think that is her only reason for kissing him, deep down she quite wanted to and maybe Bennett knows this, or just wants to create more tension as usual.