Brief Encounters

Brief Encounters is actually an adaptation of Noel Cowards 1936 one-act play, mum Life. It came out as a film in 1945. Set in the backdrop of World state of war II in 1945, the story tells of how Laura Jesson, a ho utilisewife and Alec Harvey, a married doctor, get to slowly kind a forbidden romance. They met at a legitimate cafe in a railway shoes and set a r wipeoutezvous at the selfsame(prenominal) place on several occasions. With that, a certain friendship based on companionship which fifty-fiftytually grew into love was formed. They arranged to meet at cursory opportune moments hence the title, Brief Encounters.The twain kept on with the relationship, stealing brief moments to see to to each one one an different(a)(prenominal). Then after, when Alec needed to leave the country for a job in South Africa, they said good day to each other and finally put an end to their especially-colored friendship. Alec and Laura met on the same cafe at the drop behind brand. ( Chadderton 1) Plot When Laura needed to go to Milford town, she usually goes for shopping and sees a film at the cinema. It was when she got a mainstay in her eye on the way home when she met Alec Harvey, a general practitioner who goes to the hospital as a consultant.Both of them are married and have deuce children. The two arrange another set of rendezvous and suddenly found that their friendship develops into love. This virtuallyhow affected Lauras relationship with her husband Fred. Secretly, they meet, wary of come-at-able lay on the line encounters with vernacular acquaintances, probably with a certain longing to spend more(prenominal)(prenominal) time with each other in private. There was this one time, after a certain number of meetings that they went to Alecs friend, Valentine Dyall apartment.It is upon chance also that this friend of the doctors suddenly arrives that our heroine needed to leave the scene through the lighting exit. It seemed though that all situatio ns surrounding the lovers did not permit them to achieve the happiness that they wanted to have together. hazard wanted to tell them that they have to cause the veridicality that they are tied to responsibilities in their respective families that the two decided to stop seeing each other. The last meeting that they had was when Alec heads to Johannesburg, South Africa. Laura went to see him off at the same train station in Milford where they first met.At the opportune time that they were seeing each other for the last time, a certain friend of Lauras named Dolly Messiter appears and gets to sit with them, uninvited. Until the end, the relationship seemed to have stood among rocks and even the last meeting has been only a brief encounter. Meanwhile, in ancestry to their love engagement, the leads were surrounded by other childlyer couples who were freer to love, were victorious in their relationship and were able to have the opportunity to experience passion. Myrtle, the statio n manager and Albert, the guard, actuateed an affair that was more open and passionate.The waitress, Beryl relished the gift of young and first love with cake-seller Stanley. Beryls dancing scenes has far dimmed out and at the same time placed a brighter spotlight to an unconsummated love affair between Laura and Alec. The story, which is all virtually having secret love affairs, is quite a common occurrence already during the time when the play was bufferly released. It might not seem to be a new concept that everyone would die to see but due to the vividness of the emotions of the characters, especially the woman, it appealed to a undischarged number of earreachs.Its be told in the womans point of discover really makes it much of a demonstration of repressed emotions and repressed sexuality, capturing real life human passion from every commoners life happenings. The original play has been adapted by various spheres in the United Kingdom such as the Oxford Stage and The L iverpool Playhouse among others. The latest and most talked about adaptation is that of the Kneehigh Theatre, a London-based international theater group, directed by their artistic director, Emma Rice, getting all praises from reviews and critics.Kneehigh Theatre started out fine with a instructor giving workshops in Cornwall in 1980, after which they started giving out shows for the common people of Cornwall and up until now, they remained in that place by choice. It is where they believe that they can produce the most possible fruits of creativity. we always try to start the original process at these barns, to be inspired by our environment and where we work. (Sheperd 2) The theatre is 28 historic period old now and has gathered quite a number of patron, or more so, devotee audiences.Their creative work usually rested upon the spirit of the eccentricity, sometimes also urbanely surreal and crazy. Ive know of usual scenes in the city with upbeat and loud music apply to be the ir signature room with added hoisting-in-the-air fantasies that ought to be their normal. For this recent adaptation of Noel Cowards Brief encounters, there was quite a noted convert in this style not actually a shift but a different attack. The characters stayed more on the ground and were more real and conventional. We saw characters full of emotions and humanity.This then proves the Kneehigh to be much more flexible and lived up to what they have been for the past 28 years. Upon the entrance to the Haymarket Theater, a foreboding message that this is the 1940s plays as the blue curtains covers the act. There was something about the lighting and music that reflect the 1940s and has given the audience a feel of watching and being in a real 1940s film. More divvy up comes way as actors themselves in 1940s costume usher in the audience. The idea of love in a repressed society in that specific time finds a good haven in this setting. The use of this technique has established the setting very well.It did not just show, but it would transport each onlooker to the time when the play was set. It was like watching the original film, although with more visual treats, and more elaborateness. Its surprising though that the play has incorporated cinema in it. Some scenes were live on stage, some were onscreen and at most, they were a combination of both. This combination of theater and cinema provided an aura of a film that is culmination to life. The black and white cinematic scenes makes the conveyance of the setting and dramatic situation more effective and make the adaptation of the play more accurate.In the cinema scene, the film used was the original Brief Encounters film with Laura and Alec academic session among the audience. An enigmatic and slightly comical effect was elicited from this manipulation. In the scene where Alec was trying to ask Laura if she feels the same for him, the sudden appearance of Fred (Lauras husband) on the screen has given this dreamy effect to the play and comes to come forward the much repressed emotions of Laura. The scene communicates much the idea of the characters waking up from a dream and having to face their responsibilities again.The incorporation of cinema in the show also solved what previous adaptations lacked in sincerity and real emotions. In the cinema, characters faces are focused and that would make the audience share the feelings of the characters. In this play, the use of proper stage acting caught what was there in the cinema. The acting of the characters was really effective and the cinematic effectuate helped a lot. Tristan Sturrock and Naomi Frederick shared a compatibility which made them seem inseparable as Laura and Alec. Since it was the 1930s, much modesty was detect in their relationship.Maybe the scene wherein they were undressing after plummeting down the river can be considered as one of the most tingling scenes. During that time though, it was necessary that simple hold hakes and cups of coffee should be enough to express love for each other. In the said scene scene, both were catching up with their modesty but failed as they ended up kissing. The recurring water waving into the screen intensified the idea of passion in the love affair and probably another attempt at depicting repression. Even so, an emotional connection between the two characters was very much established despite the limitation of romantic contac.The play has actually lived up to the original playwright. Not a lot of characters are needed to craft the play into something that is large, grandiose and festive. The presence of other couples has set love into three categories a freer love affair for two people among the working class, young love that transcends all classes and a forbidden, unconsummated love. The impact of the fact that most of the audience already knew how it would end all the more made the movie heart-wrenching than ever. Those brief encounters between Alec and Laur a made them seem as if they were stealing their chances on temporary happiness.Most wonderful is the use of the props vis-a-vis the use of the film clips and the maximization of the stage space. In Alecs first departure from Laura, Alec hopped into a small toy train which made an wry spectacle. Contrast it to how they made the refinement across the front of the stage, they pulled a vast amount of screen genuine in which a storey-high clip of the train where our Alec rode off shot across the entire stage with Laura attempting to take form with a highly dramatic death. The contrast was quite an impact. A trampoline was utilized for Stanleys entrance to the cafe, Beryl used a red scooter and rode around it.She threw it away in an angered fit of tantrums. On the other hand, Lauras children were played by two puppets. Some scenes used the screen as background. The use of the small objects gives a sort of a treat to the heaviness of the feelings of the audience. The use of the big tra in in contrast to the small props forget make you cringe with the climax of the story. It magnified the dramatic sad ending of the story. Never could be an adaptation be more effective. It cannot be anymore clever and brilliant. It is a solemnization of cinematography, theater and the totality of the elements of the performance.The incorporation of the film clips made it more effective in the sense. If one will refer to reviews of other adaptations of this play, it would seem that the Kneehigh Theatres occupation is the best of after the film. Liverpool Playhouses version back to back with another of Cowards works received the ire of the Catalyst Reviews thusly saying The plays could easily have been turned into radio plays visually seeing them was largely unnecessary the ponderous effects, notably of steam trains passing through the station could easily have been transferred to the radio. (Serjent 12) Another rework shown at Burton Taylor which was directed by Christchurch s tudent Georgie Paget got equally the same criticism although at notch milder. Alison Ireland of BBC made a rundown of the setting and the characters A table in a station refreshment room is not so prominent on stage and the staff, who provide a comic, lower-class backdrop for the lofty sad romance, are equals and fundamentally superiors in Still Life their robust humour, sensible decision-making, clear view of priorities and no-nonsense view of the world shows the upper class love affair for the anaemic misery it really is.(2) As for Kneehigh Theatres reviews, nothing could be seen but all praises. In Rices hands Brief Encounter is a clever, gimmicky production that has its fair share of humor. Yet theres passion, tenderness and sensitivity in abundance if you start to think about Johnson and Howard, it probably doesnt last long because the two main characters are exceptional individually and as a couple. (Orme 4) Kneehigh theatre is sure known for its inventiveness and ingenuity. Any piece of playwright given to them is like being put in the hands of a very powerful magician.Even the Royal Shakespeare Company entrusted them with Shakespeares late line of work play Cymbeline which Kneehigh took to Stratford as part of the Complete Works Festival. (Orme2) Cowards work fell into good hands with Kneehigh Theatre. It became a masterpiece that we only briefly encounter. References Chadderton, David. (2009) Reviews Brief Encounter. The British Theatre Guide. Retrieved April 17, 2009 from http//www. britishtheatreguide. info/reviews/briefenkneehighDC-rev. htm. Orme, Steve.(2007) Reviews Brief Encounter. The British Theatre Guide. Retrieved April 17, 2009 from http//www. britishtheatreguide. info/reviews/briefenckneehigh-rev. htm. Serjent, Colin. (n. d. ) Noel Cowards The Astonished Heart and Still Life. The Catalyst Reviews. Retrieved April 17, 2009 from http//www. catalystmedia. org. uk/issues/misc/reviews/Noel_coward. htm Shepherd, Mike. (2008). Introduction to the Kneehigh Theatre. Retrieved April 17, 2009 from http//www. kneehigh. co. uk/about-us/an-introduction. php.