Maria vargas- Zafra, Katie
Magda- Shenniel
Marie- therese- Wildat, Saffron
Theresa- Amelia
Mary- Me
Lapin- Esme, Max
Conrad- Natasha, Poppy
Fabian- Isaac, Kailash
Violent- Mia
Obseno- Ruby
Feste- Charlie
Andreas- Kaleem
Madame- Lili, Laila
Flavia- Jess, Megan
Monday, 10 April 2017
Sunday, 9 April 2017
evaluation
how have you explored, developed and shaped performance material with focus insight and imagination?
Initially as a group we went through scene and casting ideas we made suggestions and gave ideas to shape the material such as staging, location, genre and takes on the text. we also put forward directorial ideas when Mr Rennison wasn't available to teach us and we took direction into our own hands. We also had physical workshops where we gave suggestions and made ideas to help with the overall material. The performance was all ensemble which requires individual responsibility to make the ensemble work and be cooperative whilst all having individual responses and opinions to bring the work to life. Another way i showed focus was in creating goals to achieve as it created an aim forcing me to put my energy into achieving the aim. I also feel as though i took a leadership role when people were unsure of the next movement or scene to know what is happening and push the performance in that direction, a simple way of doing this was being energised and focused ready to do what i need to do so anyone uncertain could copy, even when i was not the most needed i made sure to give positive energy into the space because i feel as an actor this is one of the most important things to make other people feel able to give themselves to the work.
How have you used research findings effectively in the performance?
In the initial stages of the performance we each researched different groups to share the information with the class and develop a greater understanding with the world of Illyria (the information is all on a separate post). My group looked at female war journalists which gave a good understanding of Maria's character but the research i found most helpful was from the dictator group as i learnt how dictators gain support and what the people in the dictatorship experience, to a person not looking into the world it may seam strange why they support such murderous people but i discovered from this that the people are put through so much propaganda and don't get true information, all they know is how great the dictator is making them infatuated by them and able to give the dictator their total support which is something i think i presented through Mary in her interactions with Madame. In sharing the information we all learnt how important vulnerability is to all the characters and how none of them truly have power in a dictatorship. I also performed background research into my character and maids by doing character development sheets to discover how Mary thinks and feels because initially i didn't understand why she kept saying 'holy mother' but after research you find that in their situation many people rely on religion for strength to get them through and give them hope so whenever she heard something negative Mary would respond 'holy mother' because she is looking out for support and help from a higher cause since all help and support is gone from around her.
how have you carried out preparatory work with effective application of rehearsal skills?
how have you demonstrated a high level of commitment and input to the process?
I carried out preparatory work by doing character development, learning lines, finding objectives/ reactions. These gave me the basic skills to enter a rehearsal room ready to put my character forward and give myself to the work. Other work i have done is research as mentioned previously, using time effectively such as not sitting around, if i had a spare moment i would be preparing for the next section, making notes or going over lines. I also presented my voice more throughout this show than any others we have done by giving more opinions and suggestions and having focus/ commitment to the material being prepared for every rehearsal or scene. I feel i have shown commitment to Illyria throughout the rehearsal process by attending extra rehearsals taking time out of my schedule to create material when Mr Rennison left the class to direct. I also attended every rehearsal on time ready and prepared to work and make detailed notes.
discuss how you have taken part in the performance demonstrating effective use of performance skills?
I used simple performance skills such as effective body language, vocal work, spacial awareness. I also was clear on ques to help keep a cohesive moving ensemble. As the performance was ensemble i had to be capable of adapting quickly and having a change in character or emotion within a short space of time, i also had to have good and aware transitions which i feel i achieved well due to an understanding of my ques. Other skills i used was playing to objectives and maintiaining my objectives. Overall my superobjective was to serve which required a more submissive posture and quick pase to get jobs done fast but my other objectives were to clean, to listen, to admire, to attend to/ help. Not only did we have to play to objectives but our characters had to have opinions and responses to what was happening which i believe i acheieved well.
how have you made a significant contribution to the success of the piece?
overall one of the ways i think i contributed to the piece was caring about what happened and the outcome of the show. Caring about Illria made me strive for more than an average show and push myself to take on roles and do things i wouldn't have been able to do if i wasn't bothered about the show or how it turned out. Caring allowed my to actively contribute in rehearsals and keep a focus on every piece of work i put out or was asked to do. I also contibuted in my research and by giving suggestions for the piece and also being an avaliable person throught rehearsals.
Initially as a group we went through scene and casting ideas we made suggestions and gave ideas to shape the material such as staging, location, genre and takes on the text. we also put forward directorial ideas when Mr Rennison wasn't available to teach us and we took direction into our own hands. We also had physical workshops where we gave suggestions and made ideas to help with the overall material. The performance was all ensemble which requires individual responsibility to make the ensemble work and be cooperative whilst all having individual responses and opinions to bring the work to life. Another way i showed focus was in creating goals to achieve as it created an aim forcing me to put my energy into achieving the aim. I also feel as though i took a leadership role when people were unsure of the next movement or scene to know what is happening and push the performance in that direction, a simple way of doing this was being energised and focused ready to do what i need to do so anyone uncertain could copy, even when i was not the most needed i made sure to give positive energy into the space because i feel as an actor this is one of the most important things to make other people feel able to give themselves to the work.
How have you used research findings effectively in the performance?
In the initial stages of the performance we each researched different groups to share the information with the class and develop a greater understanding with the world of Illyria (the information is all on a separate post). My group looked at female war journalists which gave a good understanding of Maria's character but the research i found most helpful was from the dictator group as i learnt how dictators gain support and what the people in the dictatorship experience, to a person not looking into the world it may seam strange why they support such murderous people but i discovered from this that the people are put through so much propaganda and don't get true information, all they know is how great the dictator is making them infatuated by them and able to give the dictator their total support which is something i think i presented through Mary in her interactions with Madame. In sharing the information we all learnt how important vulnerability is to all the characters and how none of them truly have power in a dictatorship. I also performed background research into my character and maids by doing character development sheets to discover how Mary thinks and feels because initially i didn't understand why she kept saying 'holy mother' but after research you find that in their situation many people rely on religion for strength to get them through and give them hope so whenever she heard something negative Mary would respond 'holy mother' because she is looking out for support and help from a higher cause since all help and support is gone from around her.
how have you carried out preparatory work with effective application of rehearsal skills?
how have you demonstrated a high level of commitment and input to the process?
I carried out preparatory work by doing character development, learning lines, finding objectives/ reactions. These gave me the basic skills to enter a rehearsal room ready to put my character forward and give myself to the work. Other work i have done is research as mentioned previously, using time effectively such as not sitting around, if i had a spare moment i would be preparing for the next section, making notes or going over lines. I also presented my voice more throughout this show than any others we have done by giving more opinions and suggestions and having focus/ commitment to the material being prepared for every rehearsal or scene. I feel i have shown commitment to Illyria throughout the rehearsal process by attending extra rehearsals taking time out of my schedule to create material when Mr Rennison left the class to direct. I also attended every rehearsal on time ready and prepared to work and make detailed notes.
discuss how you have taken part in the performance demonstrating effective use of performance skills?
I used simple performance skills such as effective body language, vocal work, spacial awareness. I also was clear on ques to help keep a cohesive moving ensemble. As the performance was ensemble i had to be capable of adapting quickly and having a change in character or emotion within a short space of time, i also had to have good and aware transitions which i feel i achieved well due to an understanding of my ques. Other skills i used was playing to objectives and maintiaining my objectives. Overall my superobjective was to serve which required a more submissive posture and quick pase to get jobs done fast but my other objectives were to clean, to listen, to admire, to attend to/ help. Not only did we have to play to objectives but our characters had to have opinions and responses to what was happening which i believe i acheieved well.
how have you made a significant contribution to the success of the piece?
overall one of the ways i think i contributed to the piece was caring about what happened and the outcome of the show. Caring about Illria made me strive for more than an average show and push myself to take on roles and do things i wouldn't have been able to do if i wasn't bothered about the show or how it turned out. Caring allowed my to actively contribute in rehearsals and keep a focus on every piece of work i put out or was asked to do. I also contibuted in my research and by giving suggestions for the piece and also being an avaliable person throught rehearsals.
Thursday, 23 March 2017
Rehearsal 23/03/17- evaluate the performance
Todays rehearsals went positively due to an all round focus and positive energy being spread allowing us to work to our full potential and not have restrictions of negativity. Some reasons for this positive atmosphere could be the good direction we where being given which forced us to focus and engage in the task due to its demanding nature. The people who were not invilved in the main direction also showed respect and made the space a safe place to experiment which shows that Mr Rennison leaving us forced us to respect him more and give our focus to him so he could create what he wanted. There was a lack of fluidity in some scenes due to people not knowing all their lines which made the scenes slow and dropped the energy. Even though we are only half way through the performance i have faith that if people learn their lines we can put out a good performance and get through this show.
Sunday, 19 February 2017
internal monologue
cleaning
scrubbing
dirt
gone,
the words come,
ripping through my mouth,
I try to swallow them down but the words ache to be spoken.
They fly,
As they fly the world breaks,
The sky falls,
I'm alone.
He hates me,
The generalissimo is looking down on me,
I have disappointed him.
so i clean,
make the world clean.
scrubbing
dirt
gone,
the words come,
ripping through my mouth,
I try to swallow them down but the words ache to be spoken.
They fly,
As they fly the world breaks,
The sky falls,
I'm alone.
He hates me,
The generalissimo is looking down on me,
I have disappointed him.
so i clean,
make the world clean.
Thursday, 9 February 2017
Saturday, 4 February 2017
rehearsal 7 homework
Why have we/i worked well?
I think that we as a group have worked well because we are being given clear direction in rehearsals for Illyria, one idea that required key direction was the chorus creating walls around violent during the safe house scene. The use of the ensemble creating walls made the space feel small and clostrophobic making this idea work very well. However there was a lack of clear notation and this idea had to be scrapped. In theatre making detailed notes on ensemble movement and how the movement is created so it is recreatable as every time we redid this section there was gaps and issues resulting in this section being scrapped. The play is enjoyable and more exciting than what we have worked on before which is captivating us as a group and making us more focused and giving us aims to achieve. My aims for this play is to be a successful member of an ensemble by keeping focus and being productive, overall i want to produce a successful and moving piece of theatre which i feel Illyria has the capability to do as the story is very intense and presents the dark lives many people experience. Another key factor to working well is group participation, where the majority of the group is focused and working well there is less disruption and issues in the group allowing us to work better as a collective and become one ensemble unit. I believe that group support is one of the most important factors in having an effective ensemble and as a class we have found the support in us and we can now create an efficient ensemble.
I think that we as a group have worked well because we are being given clear direction in rehearsals for Illyria, one idea that required key direction was the chorus creating walls around violent during the safe house scene. The use of the ensemble creating walls made the space feel small and clostrophobic making this idea work very well. However there was a lack of clear notation and this idea had to be scrapped. In theatre making detailed notes on ensemble movement and how the movement is created so it is recreatable as every time we redid this section there was gaps and issues resulting in this section being scrapped. The play is enjoyable and more exciting than what we have worked on before which is captivating us as a group and making us more focused and giving us aims to achieve. My aims for this play is to be a successful member of an ensemble by keeping focus and being productive, overall i want to produce a successful and moving piece of theatre which i feel Illyria has the capability to do as the story is very intense and presents the dark lives many people experience. Another key factor to working well is group participation, where the majority of the group is focused and working well there is less disruption and issues in the group allowing us to work better as a collective and become one ensemble unit. I believe that group support is one of the most important factors in having an effective ensemble and as a class we have found the support in us and we can now create an efficient ensemble.
Monday, 30 January 2017
Rehearsal 6
What do you need to find in yourself to become your character? And how is my character different to me?
I need to find the desperation that Mary has due to the war. Mary has a lot of innocence and religious beliefs due to her desperation. The desperation and over emotion is something i struggle to connect with as i have had a more privalaged life than Marys. However in many ways Mary has been desensitised by the war and doesn't feel lots of emotion as going through such hard times and experiencing the things these women have such as rape or torture, living with the constant fear of being taken by soldiers. The women in this story have experienced so much vulnerability that they have learnt how to block themselves from it and not get effected by whats happening around them. However I need to find the struggle from small parts of my life so i can commit to the life of a person effected by war. Also i feel that although Mary has a lack of control due to war and she lives in a very patriarcle society where she is most probably abused by men often due to her desensitised nature to the topic. I feel Mary has a lot of control as she is influencing madame and the way the story goes, they controll what is happening on stage a lot and i am a very controlling person which i feel can both benefit and hinder my performance as in an ensemble you have to work as a collective unit and not as an individual meaning i cant take control i can only be an opinionated member of the unit.
Write up about the style?
The style of the performance is very fluid and ensemble led. The piece is very physical and shows emotions by visual representation and levels. The ensemble works to add dimension and story telling. There are lots of linking actions to create fluid movement such as when the soldiers carry the bodies from one place to the next to create space and signify the start of the maid scene or when we go to collect the shoes and as an ensemble create the infinity sign by crossing through each other into the spinal and out to linking arms to show the rush and hurry to get shoes whilst also adding movement and excitement creating energy before the next scene begins whilst also setting up the shoes for the next scene.
What character would i most easily be cast as? Servant- theresa. Theresa is quite similar to me as she has a bitchy nature but has a much deeper backstory and intensity which i know i can bring to the character. She doesnt have overly graphic storytelling or actions which wont force me to be uncomfortable and negatively effect the acting however it wont push me out of my comfort zone as doig something graphic or not natural to me would allow me to explore a different side of theatre. However the choral/ ensemble work will push me out of my comfort zone and teach me new skills about ensemble and physical theatre.
What character would be a challenge for me? Madame- due to her her over sexual atmosphere and confidence would be challenging because its unlike me and push me to be out of my comfort zone. Also the dark topic of rape can be difficult for me to portray as it is so unrealtable for me as i've never experienced anything as dark as that.
Sunday, 29 January 2017
rehearsal 5
interrogating scene 9
In chronological order
- human chain phone wire soundscape in cannon
- article maria "atmosphere changes in a heart beat" foley immitate heart beat
- chorus lean in to listen to conversation slowly bunching together
- chorus forms window in bodies
- freeze heart beat
- when cast moves chorus is still
- lapin and conrad lifted by chorus as they become enraged "a reverse, a reverse"
- swears chorus recoils
- when generalisimo paining is ripped down david shillinglaw sketch is shown
- metronome on foley
- andreas "fuck" chorus repeat
- chorus rain down badges
- maria stood observing through scene
- " you must be quiet" chorus picking on her covering mouth toughing arms ext
- shoe boxes form set with desk, inside there are shoes
- pulling house down shoes everywhere
- everyone manic panic looking for stuff aided by chorus
- maria is observing chorus walk through with items
- "gargoils" chorus embody
- inside shoe boxes are papers and guts to show hidden parts
- "and you collect your posessions" article maria telling maria what to do puppiteering
- chorus covers both marias with papers
- transport her onto block writing article
- madame steps from chorus through papers, chorus dress her
- chorus freeze looking at madame
- sieze her to behind papers
- maria stands on block
foley table
In chronological order
- human chain phone wire soundscape in cannon
- article maria "atmosphere changes in a heart beat" foley immitate heart beat
- chorus lean in to listen to conversation slowly bunching together
- chorus forms window in bodies
- freeze heart beat
- when cast moves chorus is still
- lapin and conrad lifted by chorus as they become enraged "a reverse, a reverse"
- swears chorus recoils
- when generalisimo paining is ripped down david shillinglaw sketch is shown
- metronome on foley
- andreas "fuck" chorus repeat
- chorus rain down badges
- maria stood observing through scene
- " you must be quiet" chorus picking on her covering mouth toughing arms ext
- shoe boxes form set with desk, inside there are shoes
- pulling house down shoes everywhere
- everyone manic panic looking for stuff aided by chorus
- maria is observing chorus walk through with items
- "gargoils" chorus embody
- inside shoe boxes are papers and guts to show hidden parts
- "and you collect your posessions" article maria telling maria what to do puppiteering
- chorus covers both marias with papers
- transport her onto block writing article
- madame steps from chorus through papers, chorus dress her
- chorus freeze looking at madame
- sieze her to behind papers
- maria stands on block
foley table
- Corn Starch in a leather pouch makes the sound of snow crunch
- A pair of gloves sounds like bird wing flaps
- An arrow or thin stick makes a great whoosh!
- An old chair makes a controllable creaking sound
- A water soaked rusty hinge when placed against different surfaces makes a great creaking sound. Notice how various surfaces act as a sounding board to amplify and change the sound: this is an important principal of Foley and sound creation!
- A heavy staple gun and a other metal parts make can make a good gun sound
- A metal rake makes a great fence sound (and when scraped across metal makes a great metal screech - if you can stand it!)
- You will need a car door and a fender which you can pickup at a wrecking yard - they are good for car and other heavy metal sounds. If you can fit a whole car in the studio, even better!
- Burning black plastic Glad garbage bags (cut open a bag and strip it into thin pieces) will make a cool sound as the bag melts and drips to the ground
THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS!!!
- 1/4" audio tape when balled up sounds like grass (we walk on it!) or flowers
- A wet balloon makes a weird sound when rubbed: this is funny more than practical!
- 'Flubber' (they sell it in toy stores) is great for wet swuishy sounds; so is gelatin and liquid hand soap.
- Frozen romaine lettuce (I used this in the 'War Of The Worlds' television series for alien head squishes!) makes a great bone or head squishy noise
- Coconuts shells cut in half and stuffed with padding makes great sounding horse feet (I swear I still use this trick): it takes some skill to make good sounding ones (not too hollow or thin) but it works!
- Cellophane can make the sound of crackling fire (the effects editor should do the fire but in a pinch it does work)
- You will need a wooden door - apart from door knocks and other movement sounds, they make great wooden boat noises when laid across a heavy wooden stool (the stool gives the door a resonance and helps with the creaking
- A heavy rolled and taped up telephone book makes a good 'body punching' surface
microphone should be three feet away from foley artist and faced away from the face to stop the sound of breathing.
foley artist Greg Barbanell who works on the walking dead said "A lot of it has to do with physics — especially sonics and resonance. Being able to get the right resonance out of something and being able to manipulate it — it’s too woody, it’s too “metal-y” — you can change that. You can know how to do that by having a good sense of the world, but it’s also about learning the physics.”
Wednesday, 25 January 2017
lesson 23/01/17
DIctatorships
Link to presentation
Saddam Hussein- Iraq- 1979-2003
seen as a family man, progressive, effective, liked.
Manipulator, mass murdered and tortured.
Augusto Pinochet- Chile - 1974-1990
3200 people murdered, 30000 tortured. Lack of media. Lots of support. Military ran.
Francisco Franco- spain - 1939- 1975
totalitarian state- facist- nazi and italy support.
Dictators can either be created politically or by force of opposing groups. Use talents to manipulate into believing its the best option Saddam Hussein- Iraq- 1979-2003
seen as a family man, progressive, effective, liked.
Manipulator, mass murdered and tortured.
Augusto Pinochet- Chile - 1974-1990
3200 people murdered, 30000 tortured. Lack of media. Lots of support. Military ran.
Francisco Franco- spain - 1939- 1975
totalitarian state- facist- nazi and italy support.
under a dictatorship information is filtered and dictators have total control.
only one opinion, propaganda.
The Effects of War on Civilians
PTSD
sending families to war
sending families to war
Increase in homelessness due to bombing
Many people turn to religion
Become desensitised to death
Use of Foley in Theatre
in radio plays as prerecordings
in radio plays as prerecordings
Jack Donovan Foley- worked for universal filming the audio in sync to to actors
Katie Mitchell
Waves- National Theatre
The Forbidden Zone - Barbican
dark material
feminist
feminist
Actors look straight into the audience's eyes.
Leo Warner filmmaker
tubaca was walrus sounds with lion sounds and more.
horse hooves for walking
meat for punches
Living in Devastation - Presentation Link
get bombed
want to die
70% have no education
physical harm, danger and loss
forced to grow up with trauma
7.5 million syrian children effected
50% of syria in aid
100 flee per hour
child soldiers
want to die
70% have no education
physical harm, danger and loss
forced to grow up with trauma
7.5 million syrian children effected
50% of syria in aid
100 flee per hour
child soldiers
ptsd
deeply scaring
ptsd can occur after a life threatening event
psycological symptoms-
re- experiencing trauma
agrivation
night mares
substance abuse
imelda Marcas
-first lady from 1965-1986 philipinnes
3000 pairs of shoes
iron beauty
maybe an influencer of madame
stole billions from phillipines econemy
eliptocrat- uses power to steal from econemy
"win or loose we will go shopping after the election"
"im allergic to ugliness"
talking head theatre- here lies love
deeply scaring
ptsd can occur after a life threatening event
psycological symptoms-
re- experiencing trauma
agrivation
night mares
substance abuse
imelda Marcas
-first lady from 1965-1986 philipinnes
3000 pairs of shoes
iron beauty
maybe an influencer of madame
stole billions from phillipines econemy
eliptocrat- uses power to steal from econemy
"win or loose we will go shopping after the election"
"im allergic to ugliness"
talking head theatre- here lies love
why is Illyria in this state?
A murderous dictator tortured millions secretly. Another country tried to get involved in the dictatorship creating hope for the civilians and spurring on a revolution. The secret got uncovered by an undercover reporter and there was a rebellion against the dictator. Due to his power the rebellion failed and now the country is under tonight military control. The media is under total control.
casting solutions
3 maria vargas as news reporters controlling live feed
madame is a person using puppitry
conrad or lapin could be media handlers
violent is ensemble
3 narrators conrolling foley box
more soldiers than named
translator doesn't fit as well as female war correspondants are told to speak the language, magda could be handler till she dies then handler becomes someone else.
2 madames, one before the rape and one after, puppet of madame gets head ripped of after rape. after rape is more aggressive and crazy, before is more obsessive.
Sunday, 22 January 2017
lesson 19/01/2017
female war correspondants
women war correspondant rules- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17288577
finding the play- the representation of our performance through visual art
foley items/ sfx use of live sound effects
live feed to direct attention and add another layer of emotion picking up on extra detail
David Shillinglaw
creating 2 sketches one of our view on the show and one on our character.
Ciaran carson 7 poems on war correspondants
http://www.frontlineclub.com/the-first-female-war-correspondents/ -video talking about peoplewomen war correspondant rules- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17288577
- what to wear- keep conservative, remember a hat, flat shoes or boots, wear a wedding ring.
- what to take- if you need glasses carry them with you, aerosol or a pin
- where to go- avoid large crowds, go local
- what to say- speak the language, good manners matter.
- give off the right vibe- don't be agressive, dont show fear, dont look men in the eye, dont shake hands
- be prepared- check in with base.
foley items/ sfx use of live sound effects
live feed to direct attention and add another layer of emotion picking up on extra detail
David Shillinglaw
creating 2 sketches one of our view on the show and one on our character.
lesson 16/01/17
Data mining
Costume
Theme
Atmosphere
Location
Set
Props
LX
SFX
Page Number
Act
Action/Physical Theme
Context
Opportunities
Important lines
scene 9-
the generalissimo has been delayed
what happens- trying to escape- rape- shoemaker-stabbing
atmosphere- tense- energised
characters- all alive
location- safe house
opportunities- rape- shoemaker- stabbing
important line- you know shoes are only something to cover the human foot, you have come from a country where this doesnt happen you switch on the light light you switch on the warmth warmth. it is war.
props/ set- telephone, bunting, flags, portrait, badges, papers, cigarettes, lighters
what theatre excites you?
i enjoy watching unnaturalistic theatre that has a moral/ point to learn through the theatre and by watching it i learn and discover something different. I enjoy physicality and ensemble work. It excites me when a play uses all the senses to captivate the audience.
performance opportunities for scene 4-
physical theatre to show the climbing of the stairs, using the ensemble as the stairs.
moving the set around the actors as they are performing the scene.
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