Source Sheet

BRIT School Internet Source Sheet
Project Title	Performing Scripted Plays ‘Blackout’
Name
	Aoife Gaston
Date	13/11/2013

Source 1
Blog reference	Definition of fascism
Author
Title	Oxford Dictionary
Web Address	http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/fascism
Date Found	13/11/13
Source 2
Blog reference	Definition of fascism
Author
Title	Urban Dictionary
Web Address	http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fascist
Date Found	13/11/13
Source 3
Blog reference	Stage Configurations
Author	GCSEs Bitsize
Title
Web Address	http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/drama/performing/stagerev1.shtml
Date Found	15/11/13
Source 4
Blog reference	Research on Skinhead Subculture
Author
Title
Web Address	http://skinhead.generalanswers.org/
Date Found
Source 5

                                                                               

Reseaching Skinheads

Subcultures

How are youth subcultures defined and when and why do they emerge?

All teenagers go thought identity crises, a wanting to belong some were be a part of something. The majority of youths define themselves mostly depending on the social class and ethnic background as well as characterized by its adoption of a particular music genre. This impact on the way they dress as well as their shared attitude towards things politics.

What are the defining features of youth culture?

For example:

Rastafarian, Rasta’s - They come from a black Jamaican subculture, it’s a religious movement

Teddy boys - A British youth subculture first appeared in the 1950s. Mainly from unskilled teenagers, with whom adopted a pseudo Edwardian dress code and listened to rock’n’roll music, they were involved in race riots in the United Kingdom. In ways similar to skin heads.

Boot boys, Skinheads - a youth subculture that appeared first in England in the late 1960s as a working-class reaction to the hippies. Hair was cropped close to the scalp, almost bald and wore work-shirts and short jeans with braces to hold them up and heavy red boots/ doc martins. They were involved in many violent racial attacks, traditional skins heads extreme racists.

Skinhead research

Skinhead culture

When?

1968-present

Where?

London

Politics

Most commonly, skinheads are known to have practiced Neo-Nazi opinions and viewpoints, and preached white power, generally being a very racist community of youths. They are known to have performed racist acts of violence against immigrants, most commonly South Asians (which they referred to as ‘Paki-bashing’.

Style:

Skinheads emerged after ‘Hard mods’ were introduced (also known as peanuts/lemonheads/gang mods). By 1966, hard mods were becoming known as Skinheads. Despite this, when the 70s started, skinheads were dropping from society and being replaced by ‘Suedeheads’, ‘Smoothies’, and ‘Bootboys’. The late 70s got the Skinhead scene booming again with the introduction of Punk Rock.It was not only a mod-influenced movement, but Skinheads also took aspects of their look from Jamaica, and the ‘Rude boy’ style (this is also where some of their music tastes originated from such as reggae).

Why become a skinhead?

People became skinheads, as they believed that white people owned Britain, hence showing racist intolerance of other races entering Britain from overseas.

How were they defined?

The role of young women/men in the emergence of the culture:

 Young people were unemployed and angry. Left with nothing to do, they were the face of the Skinhead culture.

 Has it changed?

The Skinhead culture has changed substantially from when it first emerged. Instead of being Neo-Nazi, fascist and racist, they are now most commonly against racism, with groups such as SHARP (SkinHeads Against Racial Prejudice), and the Redskins and anarchist skinheads, still stressing the working-class image, but not discriminating.

How were they perceived?

 

Mass media:

• 1969 - Slade wear the Skinhead look to get the public's attention.
•  Late 1977 - Gary Hodges and Tom McCourt start a Skinhead revival.
• 1979+ - Skinhead culture gains attention due to football hooliganism. More exxaggerated looks.
• Skinhead, a book by Nick Knight
• 1991 - Spirit of '69: A Skinhead Bible By George Marshall,a Glasweigan Skinhead

Does it still exist?

Some elements of fashion in present day revolve around the old Skinhead look, but they don't follow the Skinhead ideologies, or preach Neo-Nazism, or aren't actively against fascism. 

http://blackoutscript.blogspot.co.uk/

http://blackoutscript.blogspot.co.uk/

Blackouts Themes and Issues

Skinheads, known mainly for their shaven heads, are members of the subculture that originated in Britain in the 1960s, where it was closely associated with the Rude boy culture of West Indian immigrants and the Mods in the UK. One of the main themes of the play is the subculture of skin heads. When doing research I found out that there is more than one type of skin head, for example Neo-Nazis,SHARP (Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice) and traditional skin heads. Skinhead subculture varies from extreme racist views two anti-racist skin heads. When the skinhead culture first emerged in Britain, it was non racist and multi-racial. The white skinheads adopted and admired the clean cut dress sense and music of West Indian immigrants.  A lot of the violence that came out of skinhead culture was originally not racist in nature but was centred around football clubs and supporters.  early on there was a split between racist and non-racist skinheads. By the early 1970s in London there was the infamous incidence of packibashing and was reported internationally. Although there was no physical identification between the two there was a massive different in racial views.

Experimenting with Stage Configurations

In groups of 6 we devised a short scene using the first 5 lines of the play experimenting with stage configurations . Our group got thrust witch i was was quite pleases with because , i think physical thearter works really well in thrust because no clarity form the performance is lost.

Once we had finished rehearsing we all shared our short scenes with the class and voted for the most effective piece scene and another groups stage configuration.  

I think the chosen piece works really well and is well related to our play. the beginning starts with everyone on the fall and then us raising ours arms ,like a salute ,in unison and thumping them tot he ground. i next part involves us all sitting up and saying "imagine" as a chorus. This uses the waking up for the first time exercise witch looks really effective. that all we got to at them momment but heres a it and more in action...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt5-TzAoe80#t=45

 What is your view of how masculinity is defined in the film?

The masculinity is quite dominate in the film "This is England" The way all of charatures are dress including the women is quite very male oriented. For example the women have there heads shaved and dress very similar to the men ,in context the reasoning for this is that in the 1980s women felt dis empowered for at that time working class women didn't have equal rights to men , many women were expected to be domestic house wife and as a way of rebelling and to compensate they dressed very masculine.

Discuss the theme of loss-of-innocence/coming-of-age in the film?

The main subject in the film is Shaun, and this seeking an identity. I think as the movie progress there is definaly a loss of innocence s and vulnerability towards Shaun. he stats off as this young outcast, being bullied for the way he looks.  As a adolescent he is seeking belonging as well as an identity , however when being accepted by the skin head subculture he loses his vulnerability and gains a a sense of belonging. 

The atmosphere of the film competently changes when then main heard skin head turns up. When watching the film you could feel the loss of innocent when the hard core skins heads are introduced for woody and his group are quite immature and act like young kids however the older skin and hardcore skin heads are Superior to woody and his group.