Production Project Blog

Evaluation

Each performance of Spring Awakening was a huge success, and from invited audience feedback, they hugely enjoyed the show and the ideas and themes that it explored. I believe that as a whole group, we were able to show the differences between us and the characters, and with the help of the brilliant set, we were able to visualize the dimensions of our characters worlds. We ensured that we kept the energy through each of the shows, and we were able to feed off of each other during scenes, to really  bring them to life.
Throughout the process I've developed choices that I made as an actor, for my characters and really got to understand the play in much more depth, enabling me to really present my characters in truth and honesty. I've contributed a lot of my own work, and given ideas throughout this process to not only help myself but others. I was able to challenge myself throughout and as a result, created two contrasting and intelligent portrayals. Although Bluebottle and the Doctor have nothing similar about them, I managed to capture this through the subtleties of the Doctor, and the animated choices of Bluebottle.
What I liked most about this performance was the chronological structure that it was written in. I enjoyed the themes of the play that almost intertwined with reality mixed with abstract characters too. The fact that we kept it slightly modern did in some ways make it more relate-able and easier for me to connect to the play as an actor. However I did enjoy the challenges that came along with it.
During this process I found some words difficult to understand, and considering the time that the play was written, at first it was quite hard for me to understand the whole concept of it. Reading the words to myself, wasn't naturalistic which meant that I'd be just reciting lines, therefore I searched for the bigger meanings behind words and analysed the sub-text of the play which proved to me extremely valuable, as I had developed my understanding which gave me more confidence during rehearsals which should have translated through the performance. With this, I could then gather my characters objectives and tactics throughout, which was a huge step for both of my characters development. Giving each of my lines a sub-title also allowed me to break down my speeches into sections, helping me to remember lines, which obviously worked for the performances
Overall, each of the three performances were performed to the best quality, each member of the cast were aware of our cue lines, and anything that did go wrong wasn't highlighted, which was probably a result from previous improvisation tasks during rehearsals and applying acting style classes! On stage, each of us saw the set for the first time, and said our lines for the first time for the sake of making it believable for the audience. We responded with each other and reacted to everything whether in a subtle or extreme way (depending on our characters), and each of these little things created the web for our shows, making a great piece of theater!

Production Project Blog

Songs being used in the show:

1. My Body is A Cage by The Arcade Fire  My Body Is A Cage warm up
2. Act of the Apostle
3. 9 Crimes by Damien Rice 
4. All of Me by John Legend All Of Me Video
5. Asleep
6. s.p.s by Kasbian
7. Bullet Prood...I wish I was by Radiohead

Applying Acting Styles

Workshop Plan

We were given a theme in which we had to present a workshop to the group in the style of a certain theater practitioner. The practitioner that I was given was Michael Chekhov, and the theme was Belief in the Director. For me, the aim of this workshop was to get the actors to understand the reasons why Michael Chekhov used his techniques, and why he believed in those techniques and what it did for him and others.

Objectives: 

• Increase the focus within the mind and body.
• Deepen their understanding of the techniques, by going over things, and giving feedback.
• Develop a sense of group work with ease and in sync.

1. The ball toss - Someone goes into the middle, and is thrown a ball by others in the form of a circle surround the student in the middle. (Objective - Bring the ensemble group to one focus, and forget the outside world, exercise their concentration, warm up their physical being and activate energy into the room.)  - 5 minutes
2. Zip Zap Zop - Objectives: Keep everyone together, and for someone to win. 5 minutes
3. Qualities of Movement - Everyone is in neutral, they then have to find themselves moving in an abstract way: Molding (Sculpting)- represent Earth or Clay, Flowing (Floating)- represent Water/Wave, Flying- Air & Wind, Radiating- Sun/Light/Laser. 5 minutes. Later, In partners one member from the pair will select a quality and use improvisation, a monologue or nursery rhyme to add onto it. (Objective Develop a rhythmic movement or sequence, get the actors to create movement in truth organically).
4. Three Sisters - Play with several different ways to balance, fall, and float. To develop this, try doing it with an action, and even further with unrelated dialogue. (Objective: Get the actors to understand the equilibrium with gravity and the disequilibrium when struggling against it.  10 Minutes
5. The end - Ask class overall what they liked, and what they'd do differently next time. 3 minutes

Production Project & Applying Acting Styles

 We did an exercise where we had to be in role of our character(s) from Spring Awakening, however instead of trying to become the character, we had to see and hear through the characters eyes and ears. This literally means that we can experience the characters situations and reactions.

We did this with people whom we encounter throughout the play, and personally this gave me an honest response to my character, as I wasn't thinking 'what next' or 'how would my character respond to this', but I was rather literally in the mindset of 'Bluebottle' and the 'doctor' in order to give truthful and honest responses.

This 'Declan Donnellan' technique helped me throughout improvisations, as I was able to develop my characters decisions as time went on. This meant that during rehearsals, I could then refer back to this and develop on what I'd previously discovered about my character.

Production Project & Applying Acting Styles

One exercise that I found useful during this session and valuable to my common ground performance was when we had to work in partners and we created a scenario however we were told two different things in relation to the scenario. This was a great improvisation task in which we had to go ahead with the scene, despite having totally different objectives.
This gave me the thought that perhaps in some scenes for our show, my character's objective might be slightly different to another, though it's perfectly fine for this to happen but how we play along with it should help the audience understand the meaning and possible even the meaning behind certain words, to a degree.

Production Project Blog

Overall the rehearsal process has helped me to develop my skills as an actor. I was able to portray two different characters totally different to me, and two that contrasted with each other completely. The improvisations have shown me how each of my characters would respond to other characters, therefore I gathered an understanding of how to talk and act when around others that I come across.
I've taken the work seriously, and at points I was pushed out of my comfort zone. At first, finding out that I had a play an abstract character wasn't great for me, but as the process went on playing an abstract character was my favorite part, as it was completely different to who I am, therefore I could turn up the melodramatic acting as much as possible. I've responded and acted upon given direction, and have carried out my rehearsal tasks well. Gradually I was able to see my characters literally come to life.

Production Project Blog

As part of my character development I have to understand what my characters are saying in order to act out these spoken words in truth. When researching these words, it definitely helped me piece together my characters relationships with others, thoughts, views etc throughout the play.

Stifle: To restrain a reaction or to prevent acting upon an emotion. Or, not being able to breathe properly, feeling suffocated. 

Insolence: A rude and disrespectful behavior.
Before knowing this, I did imagine that it meant something like abnormal or crazy behavior hence the situation in the scene, however the definite meaning did give some assurance.

Purgative: A laxative.
I used my common knowledge and thought if the word Purgative has the word 'purge' in it, it would be some sort of laxative. After doing research I was definite on this.

Production Project Blog

During the rehearsal process, I had to make a decision as to whether the 'Doctor' was comfortable about the fact that 14 year old 'Wendla' was having an abortion. This had to be shown through my physicality and perhaps the tone in my voice...
Originally I would sit beside Wendla's bed, however from feedback it looked as if I was too comfortable. Therefore I had to free it up slightly. I made the decision to stand up and bring some props with me that I could tamper with and move around the 'bedroom' more which I strongly believe looked much more better. I responded and acted upon the feedback and given direction well, and added more of my own work to give to my character. At first I found it more uncomfortable standing up, though as I got used to it, it became more natural.
Furthermore, I had a habit of adding fillers such as 'Now, See, and Well' to my monologue which I thought made it seem more realistic, though I did this too much from given feedback. When I had to remove these words I found it difficult remembering the next topic in my doctor's monologue, therefore during rehearsals in the new theater, I felt uncomfortable and more nervous when doing that scene. I pick up direction and feedback quickly, so I managed to work on this and build my confidence back up on that scene.
Out of college, a few days before our first performance, I watched 'The Woman in Black' in Theaters, and from observing I noticed that it had seemed as if the actors were speaking the words for the first time... I noticed that one of the characters elongated some of his words, it wasn't noticeable for the audience members as when I told my father he hadn't a clue, however being analytic and looking out for ideas on how I can improve my character decisions for my show, this gave me an idea of what I can do for my character when speaking.

Production Project Blog

Rehearsing in an ordinary space would obviously be much different compared to when we're in the theater. Therefore, I did an exercise where I had to root myself to the ground, and with a partner opposite to me, I had to say a line from the play and gradually move further apart from them as I continued.
I had to imagine that I was throwing a ball so that you it would create an imaginary line in the form a rainbow. Doing this, gave the lines almost some sort of rhythm. I never lost my volume because staying rooted to the ground and projecting my voice from the core of my stomach, allowed me to deliver the lines with more power, and the words didn't drift away in the room.
This exercise was great for me, as there are parts in the play when I'm not facing the audience whilst talking, therefore it is important for me to be able to project my voice in such a way so that it fills the whole room.