In my final year at York St John University, I created a 20 minute performance exploring the assassination of former Beatle, John Lennon. This performance was intended to explore our ability as theatre makers to effectively research and create a performance or piece of theatre. My creative roles within this module were to fully create and direct a performance to engage and educate my audience. ‘Give Peace a Chance’ was performed on March 6th 2020, at York St John University, with the cast members; Rhys Speight, Jake Prout, Harry Locker Fennel & Lewis Wright. Give Peace a Chance is a verbatim play that focusses on the day John Lennon died. The 20 minute performances explores the mind of Mark David Chapman- who seeming committed a senseless act of violence on the much loved musician.
My roles within my IPAR module included script writing, stage/lighting/costume design and also directing. ‘Give Peace a Chance’ was the first time I had written and directed my own performance- and the experience was obviously extremely beneficial. This performance helped me as a theatre practitioner as it widened my experiences and also taught me new and useful techniques. The experience I have received from directing will help me in my future as I have a clearer understanding of the effectiveness of good directing and clear directions.
This project challenged me to try things I hadn’t done before, and allowed me to deepen my understanding and knowledge on what happens behind the scenes of creating and performing a piece of theatre. This will help me to explore my work as a theatre practitioner and I can say that I created something that I am proud of.
