4 - TURKEY, BARNACLES, BULLFROG and SWAN 1 Women 1 - IDA 2 - GRACE, DOT, LOWBUTT and SWAN 3 3 - MAUREEN, SNOWY, QUEENIE, OLD WOMAN (voice only) and SWAN 2 4 - HENRIETTA, PINKFOOT and PENNY Children DUCKLINGS and FROGLETS In addition the whole adult company play FISH and FROGLETS. Although you may want to assign each of the smaller supporting parts to a different actor, we think a lot of the fun of Honk! comes from seeing the same people playing a variety of comic characters - some of whom, thanks to Velcro®, have to perform amazingly fast costume changes! The show could, however, also be performed by a much larger company. Costumes Where possible we tried to think of the human counterpart of each character and used that as a basis for both the costume design and for the way in which the part was played. So as to give the show more relevance and resonance we think of the characters as being people who happen to have "ducklike" qualities, so never envisaged feathery body suits, masks and beaks. A quick browse through an ornithological tome may inform the costume designer as to suitable colour schemes for each character, and it's amazing how a judiciously placed baseball cap can give the impression of being a duck's beak, or a set of red hair-rollers bear an uncanny resemblance to a chicken's comb. Likewise a pair of orange Dr Marten® boots or platform trainers can look very much like webbed feet! The Bullfrog may not look unlike a plumber in green overalls; the Ducklings are very trendy schoolchildren with baseball caps, Walkman® personal stereos etc., while Ugly is like the class nerd in grey shorts, blazer and sandals. The Transformation - The transformation from Duckling to Swan is a challenge/nightmare for the designer but has previously been very successfully achieved in two different ways, both of which involved the actor playing Ugly leaving the stage unbeknownst.to the audience: 1. During the blizzard, coupled with a "snow fall" lighting effect, a huge sheet of white silk is spread across the stage by the company, covering Ugly and the Cat. The Duckling leaves the stage beneath the silk and changes into his Swan costume, returning before the "snow" melts. 2. Having rescued Ugly from the Farmer's net, the Cat and the Duckling leave the stage momentarily and an acting ASM look-a-like returns with the Cat during the blizzard while the true Duckling changes his costume offstage. In the subdued lighting state and again with a "snow fall" effect the false Duckling is choreographically replaced by the transformed Duckling who is enrobed in a cloak of "snow" ready for the big reveal. Either way the transformation and moment of revelation should be as magical and surprising as possible - if there is a dry eye in the house you have failed! Characters - We've found that Honk! works best when the characters are played with real conviction and truth rather than as cartoons. If the audience can believe in, identify with, and care for the characters then you will hopefully have an evening that is both comedic and moving.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODU3MzQ=