The Story.

'A Little Princess' is a classic childhood novel written by Frances Hodgson Burnett in 1905 a story and directed by Alfonso Cuaron as a film in 1995. Since being recreated for theatre the most recent adaptation the three act play script written from the classic novel and Frances Hodgson Burnett's 1902 play 'A Little Un-fairy Princess' by Rachel Louise Lawrence in  2014. These three sources will be my main point of reference. 

''It would be easy to be a princess if i were dressed in cloth of gold, 

but it is a great deal more of a triumph to be one all the time when no one knows it.''

(Burnett, 1905)

The story explores a little girl Sara Crewe raised in India by her affluent and adoring farther Captain Crewe Sara was sent to London to be educated at 'Miss Minchin's Seminary for Young Ladies' and board at the age of seven while here father goes to war (in the book and play he goes to work in the diamond mines). Impressed by Captain Crewe's fortune Miss Michin allows Sara luxuries far beyond those of her other boarders up until the day of Sara's eleventh birthday when the news of her farther's death arrives. Suddenly penniless Miss Michin banishes Sara to the attic to work as a servant alongside other young scullery maid Becky. Although starved and abused Sara uses her imagination and friendships to make the best of her situation. However next door lives a mysterious man Ram Dass ( Mr Carrisford's manservant) whom looks over Sara in the attic and eventually reunites her and her farther whom had been recovering in Mr Carrisford's care since his war accident (in the book and play he dies, Mr Carrisford is his business partner and was sent his fortune to care for Sara).

The story explores themes of adventure, mystery, imagination, burgeoning sexuality and escapism through a little girl’s vivacious outlook on life. I want to express these theme's through a surreal and sinister manner. Particularly when watching the 1995 film I found myself drawn to the dark gothic nature of the aesthetics' combined with the emotive beauty of Sara's outlook on life this is something i was to keep key to the design process. 

The scene below from the 1995 film i found a pivotal moment within the story and a key theme expressed through all the sources of the story. Through history the shift from being a girl to a women is a varst point in time for every young impressionable woman; magic, imagination and spirit is often diminished and the real hardship of live is pushed through to us. In this one scene the contrast in time is a visual expression that is direct to the viewer wether old or young a personal engagement is made as its something we have all been through. This is something i want to explore throughout the process the contrast in escapism, imagination to the raw, gothic element of hard life creating a dark fairytale feel to the imagery in the book. The Image below by one of my most inspirational photographers Alex Stoddard explores the emotive aesthetic I initially envisage in relation to this key theme, the dark gothic nature of the colours and woman's hands contrasts the purity in the young girls skin portraying this idea of innocence clashing with the darkness of reality. 

{http://www.refinery29.com/alex-stoddard-photography#slide}

Expanding from this initial breakdown of the story i would like to go on to decide the key scenes i will be focusing on for the brochure production imagery. Finding scenes that show the full narrative of the story giving the reader a visual sense of story line as its a publication as an add on from the theatrical play its important that the book captures the sense its a stage production with a chronological story.