MUG Vital Information

HOME WORK-
1) Info about the time period you come from- significant events, location, food, culture, style, 'in' things, 'hot topics of duscussion'. Do the Stanislavski BEFORE STORY thing.
2) What role do you play in that society?- unwanted artist/ disgraced outcast (MC)/ unwanted child (Baby)?
3) How do the issues you deal with then relate to modern day society TODAY. Does the current society still practise the same segregation (If any)?
4)What is the irony that will be seen in your character (if any)? How will you show this?
5) Go through the script and check to see-
(i) There is a constant type of voice for your character- Eg- Eng E Shen's voice
(ii) IS your characters realization caused directly/indirectly by Sarah? (It has to be)
(iii) Do you manage to tackle and unearth the mystery of life your character is dealing with?
(iv) Check if regret is seen in ALL the scenes you are in (Make sure its not too obviously stated)

I have decided to mould my character in the form of Wen Chang, a Taoist God of wisdom, drawing influences from his character as the Taoist God of Wisdom etc. Melvyn, I might need a bit of your help with it since you used to be taoist right? So... yea. The difference is that I'm not actually him but more like a representation of wisdom and eastern culture that is being lost in society. If we talk about that kind of loss, my death would have been only about 100 or so years ago when western influence started to spread. However, I'm looking further back to see if it can be further pushed back so that my age is er... more apparent. Unless of course 100 years is long enough.

1) STANISLAVSKI BEFORE STORY -
I was an entity that existed long ago but only came into real existence at about 1314 AD, during the Yuan Dynasty. I lived on as people prayed to me for wisdom in life and was appreciated, worshiped and even celebrated. I was a god. Scholars came, deliberating their many meanings of the world and of life, of how it ran and how it stops. People came to me, seeking wisdom for a better life. For a while, the only people above me were my superiors in high heaven but I was content. My people always ensured that my god-life was comfortable and assured. They needed me, they relied on me, they leaned on me.
People usually ate rice with a small arrangement of side dishes on the side. The richer you were, the more fish and meat you would get and the more elaborate your meals would be. Of course the meal would increase in size as well. Being a God, I ate the best meals. Fish, meat and on occasions, sharks fin and the like.
Then came the western gods. Gods that preached democracy, in all their self-righteousness came in and usurped my position. I thought that my people's faith would be unwavering but very quickly, it was evident that the tables had turned. As my own people learnt the ways of this new god, they realised the state of China and called for revolution. My people were slaughtered and the imperials were overthrown. Suddenly, everyone wanted more than ever, to prosper. The hunger for advancement overtook the need for wisdom and soon, people started to push me to the back of their minds. It wasn't long before I was truly dead as now, people have seem to forgotten the higher forms of wisdom and what it truly means to be wise. I was forgotten.

2) ROLE IN SOCIETY -
God of Wisdom. Revered and respected.

3) SOCIETAL ISSUES -
The loss of tradition and roots in todays world reflects a desensitized and americanized society where the ideologies and conventions of the west have become the main aim and focus for way too many in the world today. Despite the arguments of culture being emancipated, what undergoes this emancipation is the "desirable" parts of culture. Fashion, art, food. The true essence of culture is being lost. Religion, values, ethnicity. Even the extracted aspects are modified to suit western traditions. Mug is the embodiment and representation of this shift in power, being the main victim of Globalisation and its powers to repress culture and tradition.

4) IRONY -
The main irony in my character is that despite his perceived power-position over people, he in fact, relies more on people than people rely on him. A religion is only as strong as its disciples and without this support, the religion is defunct, its gods forgotten. Much like Mug. The notion of wisdom in today's society depends on people's perceptions and quest for it. Without this, wisdom is non-existent. This will be shown by my reliance on the cane as a symbol of this support that I continuously need. Without the support, I fall. I am defunct. A corpse on the floor awaiting the undertaker.

5) i) My voice is pretty consistent. The abstract approach that Mug takes to life is further supported by his subtext of his unwillingness to let go of the past. I feel that perhaps more could be said about the west and its influential power over culture and traditions in the world though. I think it was only mentioned once in the death scene and then er... forgotten.

ii) My realization is well... pretty obviously caused by Sarah who makes me realise my state of being and makes me realise how people no longer need me in life. I should just move on to life and see what I can do there instead of pinning here in purgatory for a lost past.

iii) As to what makes the west so powerful? I dont think its really dealt and solved here in the play. For my character, the play acts as a stepping stone to finding out what is so powerful about western influence. It is overcoming my inertia to find the answer for myself.

iv) 1st Scene - YES.
2nd Scene (congregation around Sarah) - Not that apparent but it is implied subtly. Which is good.
3rd Scene (Sarah and Mug Scene) - Not so much about regret here but an aspect of regret. The unwillingness to change, to move on. The depiction of a degraded and mentally unstable Mug at the beginning also stands in contrast to Mug's own belief of his power. The realization if this state thus brings about Mug's regret in the sense that he realizes how far he has really fallen. The regret for having let himself fall so far down.