Development of 'The Pied Piper' performance.

Choosing which masks we were going to where in the performance was a difficult process as we had to choose from three mask types, neutral masks, Trestle Theatre masks or counter masks.

To help us decide, we did many activities with the various masks.

Firstly, we experimented with Trestle Theatre masks. In this activity, we were in groups of fours had hads to choose from one of  the two scenarios we were given.

My group chose the 'Going on Holiday' scenario where we had to perform a short scene using these masks.

Below is a timelapse of our performance.

Development of 'The Pied Piper' performance.

In these group discussions, we had decided upon topics such as possible scenarios and costumes.

One idea we came up with was to show the Pied Piper as an alien as in the tale we had read, he appeared to be a mysterious character.

We decided the Pied Piper should wear a shiny cape so we used a coloured scarf from the props to display it on the character.

This is what the first interpretation of the Pied Piper. The Pied Piper is portrayed as unique and mysterious by wearing an unusual shaped mask.

Despite proposing this idea for the character of the Pied Piper, in our final performance we did not go for these particular costume choices.

Development of 'The Pied Piper' performance.

During the early stages of planning our performance, we had created two brainstorms/mindmaps about possible scenarios and plots that we could include in our performance. 


Whilst doing this we were also verbally discussing ideas. Below is a short timelapse of this group discussion

Development of 'The Pied Piper' performance.

One of the activities the group participated in at the beginning was adjusting and adapting to Counter Masks; this helped us become familiar with various types of masks. 


These types of masks has different expressions on them such as, happy, sad and upset. As there are no 'mouth holes' in the masks, it was very difficult to speak therefore, we had to use body language to adjust and work with the masks. 

Here is a video of one of the activities that helped me adjust to the mask I was wearing. We were given a script whilst working in pairs and one person in the pair had to use their voice to communicate, whilst the other person, who was wearing the mask, has to use body language to communicate. 

Modern Masks - Trestle Theatre.

Trestle has been making inspirational physical theatre since 1981.
The advanced masks are a  hand painted set of theatre masks which consist of strong character types.
They explore all of the qualities of an expressive mask through bold and precise movement.
 They can be used individually or in unison and can interact with both masked and non-masked characters.

"Trestle theatre masks are playful, they transform performers and transfix audiences. With a mask on you have the freedom to explore your world through another’s eyes."

African Masks.

One of the main characteristics of culture of African peoples is use of masks in rituals and ceremonies.
The masks represent spirits of animals or ancestors, mythological heroes and moral values.
They are made from wood, pottery, textiles, copper and bronze Additionally, the details of the masks are made from animal teeth, hair, bones and horns.

African masks are most commonly shaped like a human face or a abstract replica of some animal. Antelope is one of the most widely used animal masks. The mask of an antelope symbolises agriculture and is worn to enable better crops.  Horns represent growth of millet, legs roots of the plants while ears represent songs that women sing in the harvest time.  Many different masks and materials represent different things, for example, masks made of antelope horns, crocodile teeth and warthog fangs symbolise power. Additionally, masks that represent calmness and patience have half-closed eyes and a small mouth.

Masks that represent ancestors are usually shaped as a human skull. They are used in various ceremonies as witnesses, dead ancestral protectors or as subjects to whom respects are paid.

Masks that are worn by a dancer that then becomes “bearer” of the spirit of the mask, a sort of a medium between the tribe and a spirit. Ceremonies as weddings, initiation rites and funerals have a masked dance.

Masquerade Masks.

Masquerade masks were used to hide the identity of the person wearing it during magnificent balls. This meant that you did not know the person you were dancing with because they had a mask on their face what hid their true identity.

The idea of a Masquerade Ball goes back to late medieval court life; it was originally designed to celebrate a marriage or mark a point in a royal family.
Masquerade balls grew into semi-public events by the time of the Renaissance, allowing the aristocrat and servant to interact, under the cloak of disguise - their popularity was very much about the freedom wearing a mask gave you.

For the rest of the 18th century these types of masks remained popular, spreading from England across to America; where they also became more relaxed, as guests tried to guess the identity of the person behind the masks.

They then had a rebirth in the late 80's and 90's both across Europe and in the US, when both individuals and business organisations rediscovered how perfect a Masquerade Ball was to add an element of Glamour and Excitement to any Ball or Party.