The Corpse

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The Corpse

• AIMS
• To consider what theatrical style is used in Boom
• To analyse the use and character of the Corpse

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The theatrical style of Boom

• Boom is a realist/naturalist play
• It present real life on stage normal
  situations, normal people, normal speech
• The audience believe that these are real people
  e.g. they are not representative of something
  else.

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What is Magical Realism?

• Magical elements are blended into a realistic
  atmosphere in order to access a deeper
  understanding of reality.
• Explained like normal occurrences that are
  presented in a straightforward manner which
  allows the "real" and the "fantastic" to be
  accepted together.
• Matthew Strecher - "what happens when a highly
  detailed, realistic setting is invaded by
  something 'too strange to believe'".

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Prologue of Boom

• Jean Tay initially planned to start the play with
  a monologue by Mother, in the spotlight, alone,
  complaining about how she was being forced to
  move. Instead, she begins with a hand emerging
  from a gravestone, with the sound of booming in
  the background.
• CONSIDER
• Why does she choose to start the play in such a
  non-naturalistic way?
• What effect does it have on the audience?

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Task

1. In pairs, read Act One, Scene 14 (p.40) and Scene
   6 (pgs 21-25)
2. Mind map what you know about the character of the
   corpse (both from these scenes and earlier/later
   in the play), the impression we get of him and
   what you think he might represent

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Jean Tay on the Corpse

• I thought it would be interesting to take this
  tack to show its not just about the living, but
  also about the dead
• She tried to find a balance between reality and
  unreality, so she didnt want him to say too
  much.
• Hes a voice narrating another strand of the
  story.