Week 4 w/c 13th October

WEEK 4 

In our piece there is a strong focus on characterisation, due to the fact that we multi role throughout. So, because I have a strong interest personally of exploring characterisation, so Beth L had me lead a rehearsal where we explored some of the characters in our piece. I find that when exploring a character, it is important to take your time and try out as much as possible no matter how wrong it may feel. 

So to begin the session, I had myself, Beth L and Cat (Beth D did not turn up to the session) all walk around the space as if we were all playing Sally, I had them try to stop in the space as Sally, look out the window as Sally and pretend items around the room were parts of her cafe, such as using the curtain around the room as a door or dusting it to insinuate it was an ornament. I decided to step out and just guide Beth L and Cat, I also decided to play music alongside this exercise to see whether it would inspire them to explore a different way to move or how to experiment with pace. 

 Beginning the session by walking around the room, in a neutral position then introducing the idea of walking like Sally. 

 Cat stopping at the whiteboard as Sally, pretending to perhaps update the cafe menu, and Beth L watching as Sally. I stopped them from speaking, so that there was a focus on their physicality and non verbal communication. 

 I introduced the idea of different music to provoke certain emotions such as :- 

• Happy 
• Sad
• Anger 
• Lust/Seductive
• Mental/Emotional unstable
• Dominating

 In these 4 images, Beth L has stopped playing Sally and Cat has focused her energy as Sally to reflect anger towards Beth, by speaking Sally's monologue with as much anger instilled in her vocals and her body language. I was also playing a piece of rock music in the background to encourage her to delve into Sally's anger. I found that if I told Cat why she was angry that helped, as she could relate to why maybe Sally was angry and use her own anger to reflect this as Sally. 

 Additionally we experimented with the emotion of Lust and seduction, again we had some lustful music playing in the background. I asked Cat to try and seduce Beth whilst she was sat on a chair, whilst speaking Sally's monologue. Cat struggled with this a little, as I think she felt a little embarrassed and self conscious to begin with, but she managed to warm up to it eventually after I swapped her and Beth round so they both had a go at being seductive. I think that this was a useful exercise, as whilst speaking and moving, there seemed to some sort of correlation in between the two. In that when leering towards Beth, Cat changed her vocals to be more wistful and almost whispering in her ear. I think this was useful for Cat to explore as Sally, as I think it will make her think about how she moves across the stage and how she perhaps delivers certain lines to the audience to receive a certain reaction. 

 

 

 I then instructed Cat to think about her status in the piece as Sally, and to think about controlling how Beth moves across the space, with just her eyes and no head or body gestures. Again I played some music that gave Cat the confidence to command the room, and I told her to try and get Beth to move around the room for her and move objects for Cat. Additionally, I put myself into the mix and had Cat sit on a chair and command both myself and Beth to bring her up to standing from sitting in the chair with just her eyes and her arm gestures. As someone who is being guided to do something, you find yourself being more aware of what Cat may or may not be asking us to do. I think this is a good exercise in terms of exploring trust within a company, as well as having the trust to explore improvisation during a performance. Because in this piece Beth D and I are the 'actors' and there is this aspect of Sally controlling us, I think it is important to perhaps consider this exercise, so it is disappointing that Beth D did not turn up today to experience this.

 The space in which we rehearsed today. 

We then went on to explore Mildred and Barry as a couple, unfortunately because Beth D did not turn up we had to ask Beth L to fill in as Barry for me, so I could explore the script and the character of Mildred. I see Mildred to be this very heightened character, who is very bossy and cares very much about what people think about her and most importantly her family. In some ways I would say that Mildred reminds me of a Yorkshire version of Hyacinth Bucket from 'Keeping up appearances. 

 

We improvised with the idea that Mildred had some of her grandchildren round for tea (Beth L and Cat) and they were causing some havoc for Mildred, such as moving furniture, shouting and demanding biscuits. This then gave me some purpose to explore how Mildred would react and act on what Mildred's impulses may be, such as bossing them around and telling them off, and moving around the stage to make sure everything was in its correct place. I see Mildred as a perfectionist, constantly cleaning her home, bossing Barry about to run errands for her. Additionally I think that Mildred is an overly organised person, making sure that she knows exactly what she wants to buy her family for Christmas, I would compare Mildred to Hyacinth Bucket (Played by Patricia Routledge) because they both control their husbands, and both of their husbands very much have a "Yes dear" mentality, for what may seem an easy life. Additionally similarly to Hyacinth, I think Mildred is very much focused on 'Keeping up appearances', in that she wants her neighbours, peers and family, to think that she is an outstanding citizen at everything in which she does, whether it be cooking christmas dinner or buying the best secret Santa gift. Furthermore, I believe that there is nothing more that Mildred would enjoy than gossiping about her neighbors and turning up her noses to some of their decisions etc.

Room Bookings for next week