Women On The Verge if A Nervous Breakdown

 For this project, students will explore how dramatic storytelling elements, ideas, aesthetics and themes in The House of Below dramatic storytelling elements, ideas, aesthetics and themes in The House of Bernarda Alba – as well as in Lorca’s version of duende per his lecture “Theory and Play of the Duende” – are exhibited and expanded upon in a film by Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar. The goal of this project is to discover how aesthetics and storytelling approaches of past storytellers have impacted and influenced storytellers of today – specifically comparing and contrasting artists who work from different mediums, in this case, playwriting to filmmaking – and how we as contemporary artists can learn from and expand upon those who have come before us. Pick an Almodóvar film. While watching the film: compare and contrast Bernarda Alba and Lorca’s lecture to the film – what are similarities and differences in themes, setting, character, plot, tone, etc. But especially – how does a storyteller execute these elements differently for the stage versus a film? > Be sure to note how the film exhibits the presence of duende. introduce film: discuss why you chose to work on this film and give a brief 2-3 sentence plot summary including at least 2 themes or ideas you believe the filmmaker is exploring > briefly discuss how this film exhibits regular themes or styles of the filmmaker and his personal motivation for making it * Compare and contrast how at least two dramatic storytelling elements from Bernarda Alba are present in the film and how Almodóvar executes them in his own way cinematically > storytelling elements may include plot, theme, style, tone, character, sensory/design elements (color, sound, etc.), mood, suspense, dialogue, etc. > this portion of the presentation should include visuals able to be shown on the T.V. in the classroom (via laptop or cell phone, etc.) * Discuss how 2 elements or ideas from Lorca’s lecture on duende are exhibited and expanded upon in 2 moments from the film > Read to us the moments from the lecture, then discuss where this is present in the film, and then show us the clips on the T.V. (clips should be between 5-7 minutes each) * Conclude by discussing how the role of duende was executed in both the play and the film, and how the experience of it might affect audience members similarly or differently