Week 5 Week commencing 20th October

WEEK 5

This week has been crazy! In terms of rehearsals we have had a fairly productive week. We were in the Dance studio at one point this week so we used it to our advantage. We played around with music as a stimulus, and explored characterisation for characters such as :- 

• Mildred and Barry
• Young couple 1
• Young couple 2
• Sally and Ex David

We explored ways in which characters would walk across the room with influence from music, so for Mildred for example, a character who is very strong willed and hot headed, she would walk across the room in a very fast and brash manner, with large steps and maybe her shoulders shrugged over, maybe carrying a handbag on her shoulder. I think if you were to witness Mildred walking down the street, you would think she is in a hurry to get somewhere, almost as though she is desperately to get her errands done as soon as possible. 

Additionally we explored how music can stimulate an emotion between two characters, such as for Young couple 2, we explored how there relationship is very over the top and melodramatic in regards to confessing their love for each other in an exaggerated manner. So we explored the use of a happy jolly song to provoke these sort of melodramatic emotions. Myself and Beth D found it very hard to remain focused, because it just seemed so ridiculous the way in which we trying to respond to each other, in what seems to many a ridiculous way. I think that we are greatly struggling with this particular couple, as it just does not seem to have any grip to it, or any sort entertaining factor at the moment, it feels far to naturalistic and predictable, so this is something we need to focus and develop further. 

Also this week Ian Currie gave us the puppets that we asked him to make for us for the old couple scene, see picture below. As you can see the puppet itself is quite simple in structure, with it shaped in a wooden cross with hinged arms, with elasticated loops to attach your arms to control the puppet, and a polystyrene head, with a coat hanger attached at the bottom of the structure so you can attach trousers or a skirt. 

I think that Ian has done an exceptional job of the puppets, the only thing I am worried about is how stiff and rigid it is, which of course is good for highlighting the old couple, but I think it may be too stiff in that the arms can only move outwards and inwards, which will be difficult to give this aspect of drinking coffee and eating cake etc. Additonally if we want to create a dance for the old couple we are restricted movement wise with the arms the way they are. I think that if we had the arms shortened before the hinges so that if we have a shirt or blouse over the top part and arms, we can have some movement with our hands for connecting the puppets and for eating and drinking in the cafe setting. 

With all respect to Beth L, though I am not a massive fan of having the puppets so rigid, because in some ways it seems predictable, I think we could explore other ways to explore the puppets and the old couple. Such as perhaps creating a paper mache like head with quite intricate detail to highlight an older face. Furthermore we could explore the use of a white screen and exploring shadow perhaps, so the audience use the imagination a little more. 

We met with Jo, also this week and we explored what we had worked on this week. She saw Mildred and Barry and gave some great feedback. She highlighted that the scene itself is very long, and there was a lose of comedy in that it was too long, so it would be perhaps better to split it into two parts. Additionally she highlighted that this scene is very heightened and we must be aware of that fact that we loose some of words because we are trying to keep it fast paced. Additionally she noted that I go a little high pitched the more agitated I get as Mildred, so I need to be aware of this and make sure I do not go to high and lose my breath and lose words. 

We also showed Jo the contrasting couple scene, and she reflected that if this piece is to be heightened and to have this aspect of Beth D and I being Actors playing characters in a a play within a play setting, it might work to have Sally as like a ring leader/director style character. So for example in the contrasting couples scene, Sally can be passing us bits of costume as we scramble to change character etc. I really like this idea of Sally of being in control, I think it will give another level to the piece, and almost make the audience members feel a part of the piece. 

We talked through ideas in regards to staging, we have highlighted that we want to create an immersive stage in the Adelphi studio theatre with the audience sitting among the performance, just how the characters in the piece are sat in the cafe. Jo highlighted that the audience may struggle to see all the action going on amongst them if they are sat on the same level as we are whilst we are performing. So we explored the idea of having the performance tables raised on a plinth maybe so that all of the audience can see what is going on.