Rehearsals are going very well. Over the past few weeks we have been focusing heavily on building up various skills as Actors and as a group. We have been covering many areas from Improvisation to team work skills and devising. We have been participating in many games which requires us to work hard as a team and communication skills. This would simple be a game in which carrying one another from one end of the room to another. Although this sounds simple, it proved as a difficult challenge for most of the group. We all struggled to communicate in quick amounts of time under pressure and competition from another group. Even though this proved as a difficult task, it helped us to work together and solve problems, also bringing us closer as a group.
Improvisation I feel is one of my weaker areas in performance. I find it difficult to be able to think of a character and a scenario in a short space of time. Our director Jay really tested us on this skill by asking us to get into groups and stand in front of a class and begin improvising a scene. This proved as a difficult task and at the start I felt that I was being challenged a great deal. This however was a good thing because the more we kept improvising various scenes with one another, we began to identify many important aspects of performance, including use of space, dialogue and movement. At the start we all seemed to bundle up into small groups, but eventually we all began to make use of the space we had, making performance look much neater and less of a mess.
As we continued to complete tasks of improvisation, we all began to get more comfortable in what we was doing and go from one scenario to another. This required quick changes of character and other techniques such as the way we spoke and moved. This was a good way to learn how we can change ourselves into another character and use our movement to convey different characters.
After completing many of these tasks, it has made me far more confident in this area and I have learnt many things from it. Rehearsals are really helping me to grow as a person and as a character, am gaining more confidence, and learning new things within performance that I can then apply into my role in Ten Tiny Fingers.
I feel that being pushed as an actor is a very important thing to help me grow as a performer and learn new things. Jay made us try out something new to test us and see how we coped doing something completely new. We were given a song to listen too and then had to compose a piece of contemporary dance to match the piece of music and tell a story. When we first tried this, it was needless to say that each and everyone one of us was stuck on what to do, most of us just standing there listening to the music. This on its own taught us that trying something straight away is more likely to lead to something rather than standing there clueless thinking what to do. The first routine started well but then drifted off as the piece came to an end. We then was given a second piece and this made me realise that stepping in to take control of the group was a good idea and others did the same and this allowed us to all incorporate our own ideas. The second piece then worked as much more of a success. We all thought of a story together and our own ideas and each of us took the second routine more seriously, all of us seeming to learn from the first performance. We then seemed more comfortable and familiar with what we were doing, enabling us all to focus more and think of some creative ideas on how to use dance to tell a story. We then again split into groups and completed the same thing, again devising some nice performances that our director Jay was then to video. This has helped me to learn that you don't know what your going to be like at something until you give it a go and try new things. This has also helped to realise how powerful movement and music can be and how using movement can tell a story by itself without any dialogue.
We then completed some more activities. Such as a game in which one of us went out as a character, acting very over the top pretending to build a house, then one after the other each of us would join as an individual character and ask to help. This was again a good way to develop characters and using over the top movement and voice, is a good thing that some of us can apply into our characters for the play that we are working on. We again focused on some activities that required us to feel more comfortable with one another, using eye contact to take focus and follow one another's movements and being able to communicate in various ways, with over the top movement to restricted use of fingers to have conversation. This helped us all to work together and feel more comfortable. We then completed some team building exercises in which we had to create objects in short amounts of time using more physical theatre and arrange ourselves into various orders such as age, shoe size etc. This tested each of us as a team and helped to use our communication. Finally we completed trust activities such as getting into a circle and holding a person in the centre up from falling. This tested each of our trust on others within the group.
Overall Rehearsals are proving extremely beneficial. Our director Jay has made us complete many activities that I feel are really benefitting and enhancing us as a group. I am also learning many new skills and trying new things that I never thought id be comfortable doing. I feel than now we can continue rehearsing on our Play and apply many new skills into it to improve it and each one of us can apply some new skills that we have learnt such as the use of space and movement that help to give an impression of various characters and what they are like.
Wednesday, 26 June 2013
Monday, 17 June 2013
The Status of Being Apart - Apartheid in Africa
Apartheid in South Africa means the Status of being Apart. It was a system organised by the National Party who ruled in africa between 1948 to 1994. This means that people are segregated and categorised into different groups. Native, White, Coloured and Asian. This would mean that the residentual areas would be segregated and apart from one another. Within this govornment.
They would be seperated in many other ways for example, Education, medical care, beaches and other public services. Black people would also get priorities over white people and they were provided with many more services. From the start, there were rules beginning that seemed very strict. An example of this is that marriages between white people and other raced people were banned and banned sexual relations between black and white South Africans. In many cases, the govornment also split families apart, because their races may differ slightly. Within the 1920's black people were also restricted to getting jobs and they would be immediately sacked from their jobs, and these would be given to white people. Meaning many white people would be earning five times as much as Africans.
This applies well to the laws within the play that we are currently working on. In looking at these laws that are put in place it gives an actual realistic view of what life would be like if people were to be categorised. The rules here seem very strict and it is hard to imagine what our life would be like if we were to suddenly be segregated from eachother, possibly including family. This Law was only rid of because many people protested and the amount of people against the Apartheid Law increased greatly. Forcing the govornments to gradually remove these laws. There were many violent riots in which many people died, and many people protesting against the segregation of Africans.
Thursday, 13 June 2013
Rehearsal Progress
So far rehearsals are going very well. We have participated in many activities that are helping me to grow as an actor and as a person when in drama. We first looked at working well as a group. We completed many activities to build our confidence around eachother and feel more comfortable when rehearsing. We completed games to build our use of character and conveying emotions through a simple word, and other activities to build up trust and relationships. These are really helping to build us up as a company and cast as a whole as there are many moments within the play where we need to all feel comfortable together and some relationships need to shine through.
At first i thought that id take to these tasks with hesitation and feel at many times uncomfortable, but i was surprised to feel comfortable in what i was doing and it really helped me to grow. This could then really help me apply most of this into my character and each rehearsal i am really developing my character like i havent before.
Ever since i read through the script i was excited at the prospect of working on and performing this play and when i was given my character, i was excited at what i could do with it as it is an interesting and exciting character to work on.
We completed devising excersises as our characters with another member of the class and i felt that this really helped me to learn how reacting differently to other characters is important and i got out of it how my characters movements are important to this play and getting my character across to an audience. When beginning to work on each scene in seperate groups, it gave me a good chance to work on my relationships around others and getting my character across. At first i was reluctant to really go for it with my character, but as rehearsals progressed i have began to really go for my character and feel is is progressing well. This is from expression to movement. It is also the constant use of activities with our class that is helping me to progress and develop as an Actor and us all as a group.
When working on the first scene where i sell a baby to Ralph and Lucinda. I had to really think about how i was going to convey my character to an audience as i am restricted from movement as i sit in a chair. At first my character here just seemed normal and simplistic. This made me realise how expression and dialogue in this scene is particularly important rather than just sitting there speaking. I felt that when i sat down and looked closely at my lines in the play, the more i read them, the more i began to understand them, and this managed to get across the humour more as the play itself has many humurous moments, and this is important that it gets conveyed to an audience watching. When we began to see the humour. I think it not only helped me, but everybody to work on their character more and i began to get many more ideas to contribute to my character, as well as looking at comedian Michael Mcintyre as my characters comparison for developing ideas further.
At first i thought that id take to these tasks with hesitation and feel at many times uncomfortable, but i was surprised to feel comfortable in what i was doing and it really helped me to grow. This could then really help me apply most of this into my character and each rehearsal i am really developing my character like i havent before.
Ever since i read through the script i was excited at the prospect of working on and performing this play and when i was given my character, i was excited at what i could do with it as it is an interesting and exciting character to work on.
We completed devising excersises as our characters with another member of the class and i felt that this really helped me to learn how reacting differently to other characters is important and i got out of it how my characters movements are important to this play and getting my character across to an audience. When beginning to work on each scene in seperate groups, it gave me a good chance to work on my relationships around others and getting my character across. At first i was reluctant to really go for it with my character, but as rehearsals progressed i have began to really go for my character and feel is is progressing well. This is from expression to movement. It is also the constant use of activities with our class that is helping me to progress and develop as an Actor and us all as a group.
When working on the first scene where i sell a baby to Ralph and Lucinda. I had to really think about how i was going to convey my character to an audience as i am restricted from movement as i sit in a chair. At first my character here just seemed normal and simplistic. This made me realise how expression and dialogue in this scene is particularly important rather than just sitting there speaking. I felt that when i sat down and looked closely at my lines in the play, the more i read them, the more i began to understand them, and this managed to get across the humour more as the play itself has many humurous moments, and this is important that it gets conveyed to an audience watching. When we began to see the humour. I think it not only helped me, but everybody to work on their character more and i began to get many more ideas to contribute to my character, as well as looking at comedian Michael Mcintyre as my characters comparison for developing ideas further.
Alan Cathcart - The Baby Salesman
If you was to sum up my character they it would sound very interesting. When you hear the term Baby Salesman it isnt exactly the most normal and everyday heard phrase. This is also reflected in the way that Alan is. He could be said to be a bit strange and usually a bit too over the top. I wanted the character to appear very interesting to an audience and intreaguing almost. I wanted Alan to be almost the comedic character in this play much like Orderly and i wanted him to make a heavy impact on an audience and stand out.
In looking at Alan's background, he used to be a shoplifter and get into lots of trouble and didnt really have nothing for himself. Shortly after he decided to run away from all of this and try and escape to a new life and he did this successfully. When he met his wife however things changed and the class system was introduced. When he had his two children the govornment were interested and saw that Alan proved to be a fantastic father. With no knowledge of Alan's background he was offered a job as a Baby Salesman, putting his good art skills to use and designing children for couples that wish for a child. Obviously all classes ecept 5. This was obviously a huge turning point for Alan and his family as he was able to provide more when he began working for the govornment. This is kind of why Alan is the way he is. Due to his happiness of the life he used to have compared to the one he has now. This is his motivation in helping others because of his past situation and he has many sympathy for Class 5's as he used to be in a similar situation and he wished he could give all Class 5's children and give them the chance to breed.
The way Alan actually acts is interesting. When he is first seen he is seen in his office selling Ralph and Lucinda a Baby. He is restricted in his movement as he is sitting down at a desk. So it proved interesting to convey Alan's crazy way of speaking and moving. He will show many emotions through his hand movements and facial expressions and he will almost appear as a fidget because of the fact he gets into his job and can get a little excited. This can include a lot of the time just throwing his hands forward, pointing or just every so often moving in his chair. The only time he really is restricted in movement is when he attempts to take what he is doins seriously and listen to others Speaking e.g. Ralph talking why he would be good with children.
Alan seems to be very very friendly towards others and can almost say anything without thinking, for example during the ceremony when he is asking Lucinda to put lipstick on and saying she looks 10 years older and when he is Talking about Ralph saying he is ill-educated and lacks capital. Alan isnt really bothered by this and he isnt aware of how he is and occasionally holds back to let others get on with it. I want to convey my character a lot through using many movements and using the space that i am given well. This will convey his energetic side and create a nice contrast to others on the stage.
When you see the different scenes that Alan is in, i kind of wanted to suprise the audience with the way in which Alan acts and almost be completely different to how i usually am in real persons, using much more louder speech and movement and almost in my character appearing as a show off who acts up all the time as if there is a camera there.
My character most of the times acts as if there is always a camera recording him or he is on a tv show or programme. Looking at American TV programmes when many of them act very OTT.
In looking at Alan's background, he used to be a shoplifter and get into lots of trouble and didnt really have nothing for himself. Shortly after he decided to run away from all of this and try and escape to a new life and he did this successfully. When he met his wife however things changed and the class system was introduced. When he had his two children the govornment were interested and saw that Alan proved to be a fantastic father. With no knowledge of Alan's background he was offered a job as a Baby Salesman, putting his good art skills to use and designing children for couples that wish for a child. Obviously all classes ecept 5. This was obviously a huge turning point for Alan and his family as he was able to provide more when he began working for the govornment. This is kind of why Alan is the way he is. Due to his happiness of the life he used to have compared to the one he has now. This is his motivation in helping others because of his past situation and he has many sympathy for Class 5's as he used to be in a similar situation and he wished he could give all Class 5's children and give them the chance to breed.
The way Alan actually acts is interesting. When he is first seen he is seen in his office selling Ralph and Lucinda a Baby. He is restricted in his movement as he is sitting down at a desk. So it proved interesting to convey Alan's crazy way of speaking and moving. He will show many emotions through his hand movements and facial expressions and he will almost appear as a fidget because of the fact he gets into his job and can get a little excited. This can include a lot of the time just throwing his hands forward, pointing or just every so often moving in his chair. The only time he really is restricted in movement is when he attempts to take what he is doins seriously and listen to others Speaking e.g. Ralph talking why he would be good with children.
Alan seems to be very very friendly towards others and can almost say anything without thinking, for example during the ceremony when he is asking Lucinda to put lipstick on and saying she looks 10 years older and when he is Talking about Ralph saying he is ill-educated and lacks capital. Alan isnt really bothered by this and he isnt aware of how he is and occasionally holds back to let others get on with it. I want to convey my character a lot through using many movements and using the space that i am given well. This will convey his energetic side and create a nice contrast to others on the stage.
When you see the different scenes that Alan is in, i kind of wanted to suprise the audience with the way in which Alan acts and almost be completely different to how i usually am in real persons, using much more louder speech and movement and almost in my character appearing as a show off who acts up all the time as if there is a camera there.
My character most of the times acts as if there is always a camera recording him or he is on a tv show or programme. Looking at American TV programmes when many of them act very OTT.
The Enviroment Each Class lives In
I have been focusing on what the environment will actually look like in each Class. I have a clear image of there being a contrast that is clearly obvious when watching the play of the state that each class will be in. Much like the way in which the characters dress that shows a clear contrast that creates a nice physical and interesting contrast for an audience. This can also be reflected in the way in which each scene looks and what i imagine the places to look like in each class. From houses to the outside. I have looked up a few images of how i feel the Enviroment will look.
Class 2's i feel would have a lot of luxuries and almost be living in what we feel as the future. With extrement advances technology and privelages that poor people do not get. As for Homes, they would have a futuristic feel, a little below what class 1's would have. This is what i feel their enviroment will look like.
Yes, this may be a little over the top, but i feel that the way in which each class lives will differ a huge amount. As for the upper classes in the play, they would live in houses much like this and live in a futuristic looking enviroment. They would be given priority from the govornment.
This house is simplistic but doesnt reveal that the people living in it may be poor. But it contrasts nicely from the upper class houses and way of living. They would have the simple technology and just live a middle ground life, with simple luxuries, food, privelages that most of us have e.g TV music e.c.t.
As For Class 4's it then gets lower and lower, meaning that they would now be strict of more luxuries and live very very basic lives, im not talking no food water or anything like that, but just live in cramped spaces with little room for movement and very very basic living things and not really any technology. They would live under a roof, but not have that much for themselves. This is what i feel they would live like.
Class 2's i feel would have a lot of luxuries and almost be living in what we feel as the future. With extrement advances technology and privelages that poor people do not get. As for Homes, they would have a futuristic feel, a little below what class 1's would have. This is what i feel their enviroment will look like.
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| The Upper Class way of Living |
As for the middle ground class, Class 3. They would have many priorities but be much more simplistic. For example live in smaller houses that look much like the houses today, much like the way in which they dress which would be just simplistic. To show they are not rich nor poor. As for the House, i felt that it would look like many houses we see today. But not too simplistic that they look poor or less well off.
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| How Class 3's would live |
As For Class 4's it then gets lower and lower, meaning that they would now be strict of more luxuries and live very very basic lives, im not talking no food water or anything like that, but just live in cramped spaces with little room for movement and very very basic living things and not really any technology. They would live under a roof, but not have that much for themselves. This is what i feel they would live like.
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| Small houses/flats Class 2's would live in. |
This is how i feel that class 4's would live. The image that many people have of council estates of flats that look very dull and that people would sometimes feel uncomfortable to be near. But they would still live under a roof with very little almost no technology or any luxuries.
As for the Lowest class Class 5, This would be a state of living much like a homeless person. The forgotten people of society shall we say. This would mean that they wouldnt really be allowed anything, no home, no food, water, drink, and have very little or no family. This is what i feel their enviroment will look.
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| How class 5's would live. |
Yes i know this image isnt the greatest of images, but its the sort of way that i can see these classes living. They are not really respected and given nothing to live with. As when we see Dot and Pete first. They are just alone sitting on the ground and tresspassing, suggesting they may have come from an even worse state.
These selection of images are just used to give a better understanding of how each of them will live and everything seems to contrast well, like if we was to see a class 1 with a class 5 next to him/her or a class 5's state of living next to a class 1's. This isnt only a good and powerful visual for an audience, but you can get a better understanding of how everybody actually lives and an understanding of their situation in the play.
10 Rules for the Class System
I have thought of 10 rules that i feel would fit in nicely to the lifestyle of all of the characters and the society that they live in. This will reflect how they will all live and act in different circumstances and show the true extenent of the harsh govornment. The rules will also reflect the harsh reality and strict ways in which the people in this play live.
1. Class 5's are not aloud to breed, Marry, get a Job and tresspass on any other Sections.If they do so, precautions and punishments WILL be made.
2. If a woman is to breed an imperfect baby (That is of the slightest deformity) her baby will be taken away and left to die.
3. If any member of any class above class 5 commits a crime from taking drugs, Alcohol, smoking or any other law break, they will immediately with no warning be moved to class 5 and strict of all luxuries, including children.
4. No white male of female is to be seen socialising with any other Class members apart from their own, and shall always be sectioned of from others. If this is broken, punishments will be made.
5. Respect the services that we provide. Especially the Police. They are Armed, and will NOT be afraid to use them if need be. They are paid to do so.
6. Each individuals home must always be unlocked and any couples who purchase a property from any class must immediately hand in their keys. Allowing access from higher authorities. If a House is locked, police will take action.
7. Children must be educated each night of Class System rules. 2 hours of lesson each night apart from sundays. If children fail these tests in class. Punishments WILL be made.
8. Whilst in education/school. Children must be taught in seperate areas from one another with no physical or vocal contact. Classes must NOT interact.
9. After 11pm. Each person from every class ecept CLASS ONE must be sleeping. Police are on patrol and Class Ones do not want to be disturbed.
10. Last but not least.Love and Respect the Govornment and these rules. If a rule is broken. You will feel the force of the law.
1. Class 5's are not aloud to breed, Marry, get a Job and tresspass on any other Sections.If they do so, precautions and punishments WILL be made.
2. If a woman is to breed an imperfect baby (That is of the slightest deformity) her baby will be taken away and left to die.
3. If any member of any class above class 5 commits a crime from taking drugs, Alcohol, smoking or any other law break, they will immediately with no warning be moved to class 5 and strict of all luxuries, including children.
4. No white male of female is to be seen socialising with any other Class members apart from their own, and shall always be sectioned of from others. If this is broken, punishments will be made.
5. Respect the services that we provide. Especially the Police. They are Armed, and will NOT be afraid to use them if need be. They are paid to do so.
6. Each individuals home must always be unlocked and any couples who purchase a property from any class must immediately hand in their keys. Allowing access from higher authorities. If a House is locked, police will take action.
7. Children must be educated each night of Class System rules. 2 hours of lesson each night apart from sundays. If children fail these tests in class. Punishments WILL be made.
8. Whilst in education/school. Children must be taught in seperate areas from one another with no physical or vocal contact. Classes must NOT interact.
9. After 11pm. Each person from every class ecept CLASS ONE must be sleeping. Police are on patrol and Class Ones do not want to be disturbed.
10. Last but not least.Love and Respect the Govornment and these rules. If a rule is broken. You will feel the force of the law.
Tuesday, 11 June 2013
My Character Comparison
I have been focusing specifically on my character. This has meant looking up videos online of people that i feel will reflect nicely in my character and be a good comparison. I have been looking in more detail at many aspects of my character. From Manorisms to facial expressions and speech. I have looked at many characters that have an overpowering personality, who are very 'in your face' and have very over the top manorisms and expressions. I came to the conclusion that comedian Michael Mcintyre was a perfect comparison. The way he moves around the stage in a OTT way and many of his jokes come with impressions in movement. He speaks rather quickly and his personality shows through on stage. I looked closely at the way in which he moves and saw that his expression is shown through mostly in his arms, and when he speaks he also tends to talk with his hands. I thought that this would be a nice manorism for my character to have as when he speaks, he tends to speak directly to others and can be seen as very 'crazy' and at times this can get too much for characters in the play for example Ralph. The way that Michael speaks is very over exaggerated. He tends to say things differently to really emphasise parts of his speech for example the punch lines of his jokes and at times he can laugh at himself for what he is saying. Within the Play this is similar to my character as when we first see him, he is making jokes about not breeding a society of clones and there being a time when you could tell between the two sexes. I felt that this is a good comparison for my character because of the fact he finds himself funny, and at times others are almost forced to laugh along, much like Ralph who laughs sarcastically and Lucinda likes Alan as he is friendly from the start towards her and is getting her the child that she longs for.
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