1. Denial and Isolation

"The first reaction to learning of terminal illness or death of a cherished loved one is to deny the reality of the situation. It is a normal reaction to rationalize overwhelming emotions. It is a defense mechanism that buffers the immediate shock. We block out the words and hide from the facts. This is a temporary response that carries us through the first wave of pain."

We think that this would work really well in the canteen scene because it is when all the characters being introduced. We thought that the idea that Claudio is in denial could be subtly added in in places without the audience even realising. We thought about having it just slip into conversation that he still thinks she is there but the comments generally go unnoticed. For example I thought Beatrice could ask Claudio if he is here with anyone and he replies "yeah my wife" and Beatrice would ask which one she was and either Claudio just points generally or gets interrupted before he can reply. This is because he still thinks he is with her. The bag from hero/ the mag motif throughout the show is another example of denial.

2. Anger
"As the masking effects of denial and isolation begin to wear, reality and its pain re-emerge. We are not ready. The intense emotion is deflected from our vulnerable core, redirected and expressed instead as anger. The anger may be aimed at inanimate objects, complete strangers, friends or family. Anger may be directed at our dying or deceased loved one. Rationally, we know the person is not to be blamed. Emotionally, however, we may resent the person for causing us pain or for leaving us. We feel guilty for being angry, and this makes us more angry.

Remember, grieving is a personal process that has no time limit, nor one “right” way to do it.

The doctor who diagnosed the illness and was unable to cure the disease might become a convenient target. Health professionals deal with death and dying every day. That does not make them immune to the suffering of their patients or to those who grieve for them.

We see in the original play that Claudio gets angry very quickly and at the smallest things. We see this especially in the masked ball scene where Claudio has a strop about something he doesn't even know to be true. We also see him violently blame and publicly humiliate hero in the 1st wedding scene and we wanted to adapt this scene into the flashback of an argument ,in the bedroom scene. We want to see him lose his temper really easily so that the audience can understand why hero did what she did. 


3. Bargaining
The normal reaction to feelings of helplessness and vulnerability is often a need to regain control–

• If only we had sought medical attention sooner…
• If only we got a second opinion from another doctor…
• If only we had tried to be a better person toward them…

Secretly, we may make a deal with God or our higher power in an attempt to postpone the inevitable. This is a weaker line of defense to protect us from the painful reality.

We found this bit really interesting because you could turn it on a lot of angles including religion (asking god to bring her back) bargaining with people (e.g. i should've been there for her; subtly wanting relief in the form of the pesron saying "it wasnt your fault") and bargaining with yourself (i promise never to love any one again). We really liked this because we like looking at how weak claudio really is and i think it would be interesting to see how far he would go to shift the blame off of himself or to bring her back so that he doesnt feel so bad. 

4. Depression

Two types of depression are associated with mourning. The first one is a reaction to practical implications relating to the loss. Sadness and regret predominate this type of depression. We worry about the costs and burial. We worry that, in our grief, we have spent less time with others that depend on us. This phase may be eased by simple clarification and reassurance. We may need a bit of helpful cooperation and a few kind words. The second type of depression is more subtle and, in a sense, perhaps more private. It is our quiet preparation to separate and to bid our loved one farewell. Sometimes all we really need is a hug.

There is a direct reference to this in the original script which we would like to use. It is in the scene where claudio stays at heros tomb all night and says a few sorry lines to himself. We wanted to use depression as claudios tipping point. It is in this frame of mind that he decided enough is enough and that something must be done. We think george is going to do a monologue during this scene and i think it should be as quiet and as still as possible to show that he is completely cut off from the real world in this sorrow of his. 

5. Acceptance

Reaching this stage of mourning is a gift not afforded to everyone. Death may be sudden and unexpected or we may never see beyond our anger or denial. It is not necessarily a mark of bravery to resist the inevitable and to deny ourselves the opportunity to make our peace. This phase is marked by withdrawal and calm. This is not a period of happiness and must be distinguished from depression.
Loved ones that are terminally ill or aging appear to go through a final period of withdrawal. This is by no means a suggestion that they are aware of their own impending death or such, only that physical decline may be sufficient to produce a similar response. Their behavior implies that it is natural to reach a stage at which social interaction is limited. The dignity and grace shown by our dying loved ones may well be their last gift to us.
Coping with loss is a ultimately a deeply personal and singular experience — nobody can help you go through it more easily or understand all the emotions that you’re going through. But others can be there for you and help comfort you through this process. The best thing you can do is to allow yourself to feel the grief as it comes over you. Resisting it only will prolong the natural process of healing.

This would be our final and capitol scene in our show. Claudio accepts that she is never coming back and because he has realised this, he knows that he only has one choice. However, he have not fully decided WHY he makes this choice to end it all. It could be that he misses her so much that he wants to be with her, even if that means dying. Or maybe the guilt got too much to handle and he couldnt live with what he has done and so ends his life.