The Pink Unicorn: a solo performance on film (2020)
Kendra Hesketh performs alone beside a table laid for tea. In The Pink Unicorn, filmed for New Vintage Theatre in 2020, wide and closer views give different weight to her gestures, the props and the outdoor set. Watch the two-minute trailer, then compare the compositions below.
A solo play for an online audience
Elise Forier Edie’s play follows a mother confronting questions of gender identity and acceptance within her family. Kendra Hesketh performs the solo role in this New Vintage Theatre production, filmed outdoors during the 2020 theatre shutdown.
Bonnie Gratz directed the play. James Alton directed and edited the film, and produced it with Gratz. Noah M. Dorsey was director of photography, with Aidan McLane on additional camera.
Space for the gesture
The wider view shows Hesketh standing beside the tea table, with a chair, microphone and music stand nearby. Her arms extend into the space around her. Trees and the hillside remain visible beyond the small performance area.
That distance gives a gesture room to develop. A hand can travel away from the body without leaving the picture, and the audience can see where the performer stands in relation to the furniture. For filming a solo play, those relationships matter alongside the words.
Closer to the face and hands
In the seated view, Hesketh occupies more of the image. Her face, shoulders and hands become easier to examine, while the teapot, cup and plate still connect her to the same table. The outdoor setting remains visible behind her.
Compare this with the wide shot: each composition gives access to a different part of the performance. The wider image shows movement across the stage; the seated view makes smaller changes in posture and expression more prominent.
The The Pink Unicorn project gallery also includes views of the cameras and outdoor setup behind the filmed production.
