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| Full cast picture taken before our last show of Spring Awakening. |
Saturday, 14 February 2015
Performance Evaluations
Opening Night-22nd January
Today was our first show of the season and already there was a buzzing atmosphere due to the fact that the two other shows in the season, Summerfolk and Six Characters In Search Of An Author had had incredible opening nights, so we new the standard was very high for our performance. There was a great atmosphere back stage and everyone couldn't wait to show our audience what we had been working on over the past few months.
During the day we did two dress rehearsals to smooth over any rough edges and get a feel for the proper performance which would be taking place tonight. These run throughs were important to get us into the rhythm of the play and prepare us both psychically, mentally and vocally for nights performance. The aim for our first run through was to get through the whole show without any pauses and to feel comfortable in the space and not overcome by nerves or the technical elements. During this run I personally focused on my projection and making sure my movements were bold enough to be seen by each member of the audience. both run throughs went well and it showed me how far we have come from our previous rehearsal and from the tech run. I do think, however, that I could stretch my voice even more and give more in certain scenes. Devan and I need to go over the 'trying on the sackcloth' movement to get it in sync with each other as during both run throughs we were slightly out of time. The main cause of focus for me is making sure the clarity in my voice comes through and controlling my nerves which I know I will have tonight. I think for tonight's performance I need to bring even more energy and make sure I am stable enough for my fellow cast members to play off. During the run I did muffle a few of my lines due to nerves and my natural clumsiness of falling over the tree. I'm glad we did these rehearsals because I felt less nervous for tonight. The speed of our piece is excellent but I think we could be on our cues a lot more. We all need to keep the energy alive and keep the spontaneity of this piece fresh for tonight.
About an hour before beginners call we did a full cast warm up, going through copious vocal warm ups to prepare our throats and lungs. We did tongue twisters, plosive repetition, breath control, massaging and scaling. Devan and I then got into preset position and I think I can speak for the whole cast when I say we were ready to show everyone what we had worked on.
Tonight's show was very successful and we were all pleased with it, both cast and crew. I think the main reason for this was that the energy never dropped and the pace wasn't rushed or sloppy. Like every performance, the audience contributed to the piece, us feeding of their responses and being spurred on by their reactions and enjoyment of the play. It's lovely having vocal responses from an audience who haven't seen the play before as it makes you feel like you have succeeded in bringing to life this world and really immersed them into our character's lives. I could feel that everyone felt more comfortable in the space which lifted our performance up. Unfortunately I don't think my vocals were very strong in this performance and again I put this down to my nerves affecting my vocal projection. Next time I will do my own vocal warm up before I got on so as to ensure I don't slip up. I did feel that my reactions were alive and honest and that I was committed in each scene. Both forests scenes went extremely well and the reaction we got from the beating was what we wanted. Afterwards some of our friends said that they couldn't watch it as it was so horrid and uncomfortable. Josh really surprised me in this performance as he heightened and refined everything he was doing in rehearsals and really gave all he had, especially in the end scene. It was a joy to react of and I think we are on track for an excellent couple of shows.
Second Night-28th January
We knew as soon as we arrived in the theatre that we had a lot to do for tonight's performance in order to match and expand on the last. People always say that the matinee is never good and we were very conscience of this. We knew we would have to work extra hard to maintain the focus and energy required for this play. We did a fast line run to smooth over any uncertain cues and then went straight into a vocal and physical warm up. Some people said that they didn't like the speed run as it un-nerved them or made them get out of their character, but for me it was beneficial because I could go over the lines which I had struggled with the previous night. Devan and I did a mirroring exercise to connect the two Wendla's and I did my own vocal warm up so I could prevent muffling my lines again.
Overall I think our second performance was very strong. There were a few prop mistakes, me breaking the switch by accident and the umbrella breaking during the funeral scene, but everyone carried on and it didn't disrupt the flow of the piece at all. Concerning the switch I think I delt with it very well as it didn't affect my performance and Josh and I still managed to do the beating. I noticed during this show that Nairac's reactions as Scoot were fantastic and he fed off the audience so well, not playing it for laughs but playing it for the truth which is where the comedy lay. My vocals this show were so much better than the last and I knew this was because I had done an extra vocal warm up to calm my nerves and relax my throat. For our final performance I will continue to do the same and just make sure I don't hit the switch hard.
Final Night-4th February
We did the same warm up as we had done last week, with a quick line run which helped us immerse ourselves in the world of Spring Awakening. We had a slightly longer vocal warm up this time, with some new relaxation exercises added to make us feel more confident in the space and help us connect to the audience. This was definitely helpful as it reconnected me to the play and reminded me of the boldness I need in my vocals and reactions. Again I did my own privet vocal warm up and listened to Wendla's playlist to get me into my character. Devan and I did the same mirroring exercise and we all got ready for our last performance.
I know I speak for everyone when I say this was a brilliant closing night. Everyone had the intensity needed and I don't think anyone really outshone anyone else as we all matched each other in vocals and reactions. I felt the scene with Maya where Wendla finds out about reproduction was at it's best in this show because we both just went for it and that translated over into the audience. We were all focused and committed in each scene . My vocals were at their strongest in this performance too and I really felt the emotion and desperation of Wendla throughout the entire piece. As the performance cam to an end and we went on for curtain call, I could see the audiences faces and I knew we had done this play justice, ending the season on a very high standard and happy performance.
Today was our first show of the season and already there was a buzzing atmosphere due to the fact that the two other shows in the season, Summerfolk and Six Characters In Search Of An Author had had incredible opening nights, so we new the standard was very high for our performance. There was a great atmosphere back stage and everyone couldn't wait to show our audience what we had been working on over the past few months.
During the day we did two dress rehearsals to smooth over any rough edges and get a feel for the proper performance which would be taking place tonight. These run throughs were important to get us into the rhythm of the play and prepare us both psychically, mentally and vocally for nights performance. The aim for our first run through was to get through the whole show without any pauses and to feel comfortable in the space and not overcome by nerves or the technical elements. During this run I personally focused on my projection and making sure my movements were bold enough to be seen by each member of the audience. both run throughs went well and it showed me how far we have come from our previous rehearsal and from the tech run. I do think, however, that I could stretch my voice even more and give more in certain scenes. Devan and I need to go over the 'trying on the sackcloth' movement to get it in sync with each other as during both run throughs we were slightly out of time. The main cause of focus for me is making sure the clarity in my voice comes through and controlling my nerves which I know I will have tonight. I think for tonight's performance I need to bring even more energy and make sure I am stable enough for my fellow cast members to play off. During the run I did muffle a few of my lines due to nerves and my natural clumsiness of falling over the tree. I'm glad we did these rehearsals because I felt less nervous for tonight. The speed of our piece is excellent but I think we could be on our cues a lot more. We all need to keep the energy alive and keep the spontaneity of this piece fresh for tonight.
About an hour before beginners call we did a full cast warm up, going through copious vocal warm ups to prepare our throats and lungs. We did tongue twisters, plosive repetition, breath control, massaging and scaling. Devan and I then got into preset position and I think I can speak for the whole cast when I say we were ready to show everyone what we had worked on.
Tonight's show was very successful and we were all pleased with it, both cast and crew. I think the main reason for this was that the energy never dropped and the pace wasn't rushed or sloppy. Like every performance, the audience contributed to the piece, us feeding of their responses and being spurred on by their reactions and enjoyment of the play. It's lovely having vocal responses from an audience who haven't seen the play before as it makes you feel like you have succeeded in bringing to life this world and really immersed them into our character's lives. I could feel that everyone felt more comfortable in the space which lifted our performance up. Unfortunately I don't think my vocals were very strong in this performance and again I put this down to my nerves affecting my vocal projection. Next time I will do my own vocal warm up before I got on so as to ensure I don't slip up. I did feel that my reactions were alive and honest and that I was committed in each scene. Both forests scenes went extremely well and the reaction we got from the beating was what we wanted. Afterwards some of our friends said that they couldn't watch it as it was so horrid and uncomfortable. Josh really surprised me in this performance as he heightened and refined everything he was doing in rehearsals and really gave all he had, especially in the end scene. It was a joy to react of and I think we are on track for an excellent couple of shows.
Second Night-28th January
We knew as soon as we arrived in the theatre that we had a lot to do for tonight's performance in order to match and expand on the last. People always say that the matinee is never good and we were very conscience of this. We knew we would have to work extra hard to maintain the focus and energy required for this play. We did a fast line run to smooth over any uncertain cues and then went straight into a vocal and physical warm up. Some people said that they didn't like the speed run as it un-nerved them or made them get out of their character, but for me it was beneficial because I could go over the lines which I had struggled with the previous night. Devan and I did a mirroring exercise to connect the two Wendla's and I did my own vocal warm up so I could prevent muffling my lines again.
Overall I think our second performance was very strong. There were a few prop mistakes, me breaking the switch by accident and the umbrella breaking during the funeral scene, but everyone carried on and it didn't disrupt the flow of the piece at all. Concerning the switch I think I delt with it very well as it didn't affect my performance and Josh and I still managed to do the beating. I noticed during this show that Nairac's reactions as Scoot were fantastic and he fed off the audience so well, not playing it for laughs but playing it for the truth which is where the comedy lay. My vocals this show were so much better than the last and I knew this was because I had done an extra vocal warm up to calm my nerves and relax my throat. For our final performance I will continue to do the same and just make sure I don't hit the switch hard.
Final Night-4th February
We did the same warm up as we had done last week, with a quick line run which helped us immerse ourselves in the world of Spring Awakening. We had a slightly longer vocal warm up this time, with some new relaxation exercises added to make us feel more confident in the space and help us connect to the audience. This was definitely helpful as it reconnected me to the play and reminded me of the boldness I need in my vocals and reactions. Again I did my own privet vocal warm up and listened to Wendla's playlist to get me into my character. Devan and I did the same mirroring exercise and we all got ready for our last performance.
I know I speak for everyone when I say this was a brilliant closing night. Everyone had the intensity needed and I don't think anyone really outshone anyone else as we all matched each other in vocals and reactions. I felt the scene with Maya where Wendla finds out about reproduction was at it's best in this show because we both just went for it and that translated over into the audience. We were all focused and committed in each scene . My vocals were at their strongest in this performance too and I really felt the emotion and desperation of Wendla throughout the entire piece. As the performance cam to an end and we went on for curtain call, I could see the audiences faces and I knew we had done this play justice, ending the season on a very high standard and happy performance.
Tech Rehearsal
This week we had our technical rehearsal for Spring Awakening. We had been in the theatre a couple of times before but only to block the play and get used to the space, so it was really nice to spend more time in the theatre with the props, costume, sound and lighting. One of the main points which was highlighted during this tech was the usage of the space, both vocally and physically.
This part of the process is always exciting because it's when everything comes together. The use of props, set, lighting, sound and costume all make the world of the play seem real and our performance seems to breathe new life. We started to do a run through of our play, stopping when the technical team needed to go over a que or something or when a tricky moment came up, for example to rape scene in the hayloft platform. It was extremely useful to have a real tree in our set because it will make our piece look naturalistic and effective but also enchanting. I loved having the tree there because I could now actually climb up it during the woodland scenes and play off it. Lizzie, Humera and I used it to our full advantage during our scene and even though I struggled slightly with working out how to climb up and down it, after a few practices it because effortless and the scene flowed at it's new found pace. Having the mirror there was brilliant for Devan and I, as we could start practicing working behind it and using it in each scene. We had to play around with the lighting slightly so as to ensure that either Devan or I could be seen the whole time. From early on Tim had included chalk in our set design, and it was great seeing the chalk marking on the floor guiding us as to which section of the stage was each room. Tim added in another set up which was to write in chalk which room we were in ,So for example while I was in preset (Wendla reading in her room) I would then write on the floor WENDLA'S BEDROOM, and then again write WENDLA'S SITTING ROOM before the reproduction scene with Maya. I think this goes incredibly well with our set, which looks amazing. The TTA have created a beautiful set which fits in with our play's atmosphere perfectly.
My character isn't too prop heavy, besides the headphones and backpack, but it was incredibly useful and exciting to work with these as it brought a level of realism to my character. I added in a book for Wendla to read during preset which I think lifted up my performance. Devan, Josh and I rehearsed the beating and the rape scene a few times which made me feel more comfortable and gave the scene some freedom. Another factor which we had to bear in mind was the thrush stage setting and the large stage. We had to be conscience of this and adjust our physicality and vocals to this. The dimensions of the set were different to what we had been rehearsing, for example to size of the mirror and doorways and of having a raised platform. I was slightly conscience of not always being heard or seen, so I experimented during a few scenes, for example giving some space between Maya and I so I wasn't stuck behind the chair and so the audience could see Maya. As I said before the set looks incredible but we still need some practice with how to use it. Tim reminded us all not to be afraid of it and to use the whole space during the forest scenes, as it's like the rooms have merged into the woodland.
As well as using the set we all wore our costumes for the first time during this rehearsal. This was very beneficial to the run through, especially for those who had quick changes or for Devan and I as we had to change on stage. By wearing our costumes it helped me especially to get into my character and feel her characteristics come through. We could all move more freely in them and understand the restrictive quality our characters live under. I noticed that costumes seem to give the play a fresh breathe and it seems to lift up all our performances. The costume and set seem to blend in together which made the piece look inclusive and seamless.
During the technical run through there were many positives which came out of it. For example the technical elements which had been introduced were a great new level to our play. Having said this, I did think that it affected our performances slightly, I especially was losing a few lines and I know my projection was weak due to moving around the stage a lot more. This is something I need to work on in the next week before opening night. I think quite a lot of people struggled slightly with their projection as the New Theatre is such a vast space it is easy to loose your voice. However, I still think this was a very successful technical run and I now feel ready for our first performance next week.
This part of the process is always exciting because it's when everything comes together. The use of props, set, lighting, sound and costume all make the world of the play seem real and our performance seems to breathe new life. We started to do a run through of our play, stopping when the technical team needed to go over a que or something or when a tricky moment came up, for example to rape scene in the hayloft platform. It was extremely useful to have a real tree in our set because it will make our piece look naturalistic and effective but also enchanting. I loved having the tree there because I could now actually climb up it during the woodland scenes and play off it. Lizzie, Humera and I used it to our full advantage during our scene and even though I struggled slightly with working out how to climb up and down it, after a few practices it because effortless and the scene flowed at it's new found pace. Having the mirror there was brilliant for Devan and I, as we could start practicing working behind it and using it in each scene. We had to play around with the lighting slightly so as to ensure that either Devan or I could be seen the whole time. From early on Tim had included chalk in our set design, and it was great seeing the chalk marking on the floor guiding us as to which section of the stage was each room. Tim added in another set up which was to write in chalk which room we were in ,So for example while I was in preset (Wendla reading in her room) I would then write on the floor WENDLA'S BEDROOM, and then again write WENDLA'S SITTING ROOM before the reproduction scene with Maya. I think this goes incredibly well with our set, which looks amazing. The TTA have created a beautiful set which fits in with our play's atmosphere perfectly.
My character isn't too prop heavy, besides the headphones and backpack, but it was incredibly useful and exciting to work with these as it brought a level of realism to my character. I added in a book for Wendla to read during preset which I think lifted up my performance. Devan, Josh and I rehearsed the beating and the rape scene a few times which made me feel more comfortable and gave the scene some freedom. Another factor which we had to bear in mind was the thrush stage setting and the large stage. We had to be conscience of this and adjust our physicality and vocals to this. The dimensions of the set were different to what we had been rehearsing, for example to size of the mirror and doorways and of having a raised platform. I was slightly conscience of not always being heard or seen, so I experimented during a few scenes, for example giving some space between Maya and I so I wasn't stuck behind the chair and so the audience could see Maya. As I said before the set looks incredible but we still need some practice with how to use it. Tim reminded us all not to be afraid of it and to use the whole space during the forest scenes, as it's like the rooms have merged into the woodland.
As well as using the set we all wore our costumes for the first time during this rehearsal. This was very beneficial to the run through, especially for those who had quick changes or for Devan and I as we had to change on stage. By wearing our costumes it helped me especially to get into my character and feel her characteristics come through. We could all move more freely in them and understand the restrictive quality our characters live under. I noticed that costumes seem to give the play a fresh breathe and it seems to lift up all our performances. The costume and set seem to blend in together which made the piece look inclusive and seamless.
During the technical run through there were many positives which came out of it. For example the technical elements which had been introduced were a great new level to our play. Having said this, I did think that it affected our performances slightly, I especially was losing a few lines and I know my projection was weak due to moving around the stage a lot more. This is something I need to work on in the next week before opening night. I think quite a lot of people struggled slightly with their projection as the New Theatre is such a vast space it is easy to loose your voice. However, I still think this was a very successful technical run and I now feel ready for our first performance next week.
Rehearsal Notes
We have had many rehearsals for our production of Spring Awakening and every week I have seen the progression of the play and how it all links together. Over the rehearsal process there have been certain scenes which we have focused on more, due to their difficulty or delicate subject matters. These two scenes are the woodland scene with Lizzie, Humera and I and the beating scene with Josh and Devan. To start of with both these scenes were rather stiff and unnatural and I put this done to nerves or fear of letting go and allowing our characters to shine through.
Tim did many exercises to help Lizzie, Humera and I in the woodland scene, but the most effective was when he got us to close our eyes and lie on the floor. He then played some music and we had to 'wake up', seeing the room as a sunny day in the forest. While exploring the woodland lying down and moving slowly we said our lines with no characterisation, just feeling the warmth from the sun and feeding off each other. The aim of this was to get us all out of our heads and feel the forest. The woodland is where the children go to escape the claustrophobic atmosphere of school and home so we had to bring this across. Melchior also refers to Wendla as being a 'wood nymph' and I wanted to get this natural quality across in this scene too. After we had completed our lines we carried on feeling the forest until Tim said to stop. After the exercise we all felt refreshed and I suddenly understood the scene. We needed to free it up and explore the space, keeping the pace going, both in our actions and our lines. We then did the scene again and I could feel the improvement already. All of us were just playing in the space and living as three friends in the forest catching up. It was a great exercise to do and one in which we could translate over into the New Theatre. Over the course of the rehearsal period, both Lizzie, Humera and I have worked on this scene outside of class in order to get that deep connection the three girls have. I think this scene has developed nicely over time and I know that when we get into the New Theatre with the set it will truly come to life.
The other woodland scene where Melchior beats Wendla, and due to it's complicated events, Tim really focused on the importance of this scene. To start off with the scene was far to preempting, with Josh and I pausing too much as we were so focused on the beating right at the end. Once Tim told us that we should relax and exist as two characters who find each other attractive and want to be around each other, the lines eased up and the scene because more lucid and endearing. Josh and I worked with Devan concerning the passing of the switch and the fall near the end. we tried many different methods of the attack by Melchior at the end. The first being a slow motion hit, with Josh over me and I reacting. Devan and I would scream over the top of the hits as Josh then backed off. We tried working with this a few times but it always made the scene too stilted and uneasy. The hitting looked fake and over melodramatic. Even though I felt safe and comfortable, I could tell it wasn't working and if something were to go wrong in the performance both Josh and I could get seriously hurt. Tim then tried something new. During the hayloft scene where Melchior rapes Wendla, Josh stands a few center meters away from Devan and Devan feels the impact of Josh being there. Tim then transferred this style into the beating scene, so now after Josh had pushed me (and Devan safely landing me on the floor) he would step back a bit and then hit the air as I then felt the impact on the floor. This was extremely effective and felt more natural somehow. Having said this the hits were messy and the scream didn't quite fit. Jody who is the head of dance strand then came in to help Josh and I. She advised Devan on a cleaner way of laying me down, placing her hand on my shoulders and not under my arms and she choreographed the hits and reactions, having two in the stomach, two to the face and four near my chest, stomach and then gut. She also said that the reason the scream wasn't working is because when you get punched in the stomach it knocks the air out of you so you literary can't breathe. She said it was more of a breathless grunt for the first few hits, then an agonizing scream for the rest. We tried this and I could feel the scene working so much better. As the end sequence had been sorted it eased my mind up and I could really get lost in the scene and be free. For me, the main reason why this scene was quite tricky to rehearse was because I didn't want the emotion of get too stale or comfortable, I wanted there to still be an element of surprise and horror when I performed it. I have learnt now though that rehearsals are used for this reason, they are there to experiment with different moods and choices. This scene has been a massive learning curve for me, as I have learned how to stage a fight and how to let go and just allow the scene to happen as if it is happening for the first time.
As Devan and I share the role of Wendla, we have spent a lot of time together over the rehearsal process getting and comparing notes on the two different Wendla's. Whenever we did a character exercise we would always either be together or compare discoveries afterwards, and if our choices were different we would talk through them together. We decided that our character would be the colour yellow if she were to be a colour, the number seven if she were to be a number, the season of spring if she were to be a season and the a grape if she were to be a grape (Devan was a frozen grape though, representing the older and more experienced Wendla). It has been really liberating working on a character with another actor and I have really enjoyed finding Wendla with Devan.
Overall I have really enjoyed these rehearsals because I have had another glimpse into what a professional one looks like, with the production team sitting in and having a read through and props checks and costume fittings. I have learned and gained so much from these rehearsals that will help me in the future as a hopeful professional actor. I noticed that some people were excellent at rehearsing, meaning they were always on their ques, always listening and awake in the space, on top of their lines and bringing their character choices into the space with them. Jackie is a good example of this. I have observed that she was always there and brought such strong and bold choices to the table that her character was set from the first day. Tim's direction has really helped me feel comfortable in choosing strong character impulses and safe throughout all the rehearsals. I've learned that you always have to bring a constant amount of energy to each rehearsal as then you will produce a very useful and effective scene. Getting on top of your lines quickly is also something I've noticed throughout my time at BRIT, but even more so now. Once you are off book it frees up your physicality and enables the director and your fellow actors something to play with.
Personally, I think I have been very focused and awake during our rehearsals, being on top of ques and lines. Even though I wasn't always vocally strong and sometimes held back at the beginning, I quickly changed that and I hope I was good to direct and made my fellow cast members feel safe and comfortable on stage. As I said before, I have really enjoyed these rehearsals for common ground and found the independence of going off with Lizzie, Humera, Devan and Josh to rehearse very liberating which helped me develop my character with purpose.
Tim did many exercises to help Lizzie, Humera and I in the woodland scene, but the most effective was when he got us to close our eyes and lie on the floor. He then played some music and we had to 'wake up', seeing the room as a sunny day in the forest. While exploring the woodland lying down and moving slowly we said our lines with no characterisation, just feeling the warmth from the sun and feeding off each other. The aim of this was to get us all out of our heads and feel the forest. The woodland is where the children go to escape the claustrophobic atmosphere of school and home so we had to bring this across. Melchior also refers to Wendla as being a 'wood nymph' and I wanted to get this natural quality across in this scene too. After we had completed our lines we carried on feeling the forest until Tim said to stop. After the exercise we all felt refreshed and I suddenly understood the scene. We needed to free it up and explore the space, keeping the pace going, both in our actions and our lines. We then did the scene again and I could feel the improvement already. All of us were just playing in the space and living as three friends in the forest catching up. It was a great exercise to do and one in which we could translate over into the New Theatre. Over the course of the rehearsal period, both Lizzie, Humera and I have worked on this scene outside of class in order to get that deep connection the three girls have. I think this scene has developed nicely over time and I know that when we get into the New Theatre with the set it will truly come to life.
The other woodland scene where Melchior beats Wendla, and due to it's complicated events, Tim really focused on the importance of this scene. To start off with the scene was far to preempting, with Josh and I pausing too much as we were so focused on the beating right at the end. Once Tim told us that we should relax and exist as two characters who find each other attractive and want to be around each other, the lines eased up and the scene because more lucid and endearing. Josh and I worked with Devan concerning the passing of the switch and the fall near the end. we tried many different methods of the attack by Melchior at the end. The first being a slow motion hit, with Josh over me and I reacting. Devan and I would scream over the top of the hits as Josh then backed off. We tried working with this a few times but it always made the scene too stilted and uneasy. The hitting looked fake and over melodramatic. Even though I felt safe and comfortable, I could tell it wasn't working and if something were to go wrong in the performance both Josh and I could get seriously hurt. Tim then tried something new. During the hayloft scene where Melchior rapes Wendla, Josh stands a few center meters away from Devan and Devan feels the impact of Josh being there. Tim then transferred this style into the beating scene, so now after Josh had pushed me (and Devan safely landing me on the floor) he would step back a bit and then hit the air as I then felt the impact on the floor. This was extremely effective and felt more natural somehow. Having said this the hits were messy and the scream didn't quite fit. Jody who is the head of dance strand then came in to help Josh and I. She advised Devan on a cleaner way of laying me down, placing her hand on my shoulders and not under my arms and she choreographed the hits and reactions, having two in the stomach, two to the face and four near my chest, stomach and then gut. She also said that the reason the scream wasn't working is because when you get punched in the stomach it knocks the air out of you so you literary can't breathe. She said it was more of a breathless grunt for the first few hits, then an agonizing scream for the rest. We tried this and I could feel the scene working so much better. As the end sequence had been sorted it eased my mind up and I could really get lost in the scene and be free. For me, the main reason why this scene was quite tricky to rehearse was because I didn't want the emotion of get too stale or comfortable, I wanted there to still be an element of surprise and horror when I performed it. I have learnt now though that rehearsals are used for this reason, they are there to experiment with different moods and choices. This scene has been a massive learning curve for me, as I have learned how to stage a fight and how to let go and just allow the scene to happen as if it is happening for the first time.
As Devan and I share the role of Wendla, we have spent a lot of time together over the rehearsal process getting and comparing notes on the two different Wendla's. Whenever we did a character exercise we would always either be together or compare discoveries afterwards, and if our choices were different we would talk through them together. We decided that our character would be the colour yellow if she were to be a colour, the number seven if she were to be a number, the season of spring if she were to be a season and the a grape if she were to be a grape (Devan was a frozen grape though, representing the older and more experienced Wendla). It has been really liberating working on a character with another actor and I have really enjoyed finding Wendla with Devan.
Overall I have really enjoyed these rehearsals because I have had another glimpse into what a professional one looks like, with the production team sitting in and having a read through and props checks and costume fittings. I have learned and gained so much from these rehearsals that will help me in the future as a hopeful professional actor. I noticed that some people were excellent at rehearsing, meaning they were always on their ques, always listening and awake in the space, on top of their lines and bringing their character choices into the space with them. Jackie is a good example of this. I have observed that she was always there and brought such strong and bold choices to the table that her character was set from the first day. Tim's direction has really helped me feel comfortable in choosing strong character impulses and safe throughout all the rehearsals. I've learned that you always have to bring a constant amount of energy to each rehearsal as then you will produce a very useful and effective scene. Getting on top of your lines quickly is also something I've noticed throughout my time at BRIT, but even more so now. Once you are off book it frees up your physicality and enables the director and your fellow actors something to play with.
Personally, I think I have been very focused and awake during our rehearsals, being on top of ques and lines. Even though I wasn't always vocally strong and sometimes held back at the beginning, I quickly changed that and I hope I was good to direct and made my fellow cast members feel safe and comfortable on stage. As I said before, I have really enjoyed these rehearsals for common ground and found the independence of going off with Lizzie, Humera, Devan and Josh to rehearse very liberating which helped me develop my character with purpose.
Friday, 13 February 2015
Costume
As I mentioned before, Tim has drawn inspiration from the films '1984' by George Orwell and 'The Double' by Richard Ayoade as ideas for our set and costume. This is reflected in the costume and set style which echo's the 1890's period dress sense, being dark, plain, formal and lacking in sexuality. The costumes are mainly based on the ones seen in 'The Double' (see below) and I think these are very effective as they fit in with the atmosphere of the film and fit the characters. The suit worn by the lead is a little too big, as if he is wearing his father coat. This to me symbolizes an innocence within the character but also the time period. To me, costumes are vital to making a piece look together and atmospheric, but also projecting the character to the audience. I always feel more like my character whenever I'm in costume because I feel as if I actually am them. My costume for Wendla is more flamboyant than the rest, having a white lace collar and sleeves, the skirt being pleated and being rather short. This is because Wendla has refused to wear the plain sackcloth her mother and society begs her to wear. For me this shows Wendla's stubbornness but also free spirit and makes her stand out.
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| Images from 'The Double' by Richard Ayoade. |
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| Images from 'The Double' by Richard Ayoade. |
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| Devan and I's costume for Spring Awakening. |
Improvisation with Maya
Today we did duet improvisations with characters in the play who are influential to our own. I was paired with Maya who plays Mrs Bergmann, Wendla's mother. We decided to focus our scene around the breakfast table just before Wendla goes off to school. The improvisation lasted for about ten minuets and within that time we uncovered some really useful background knowledge about these two characters.
The scene started with Wendla and her mother discussing a book Wendla was reading. This then changed into Wendla asking her mother about romance and babies. This was a really interesting topic because in the play Wendla doesn't stop until she finds out everything about reproduction. It developed into a convocation about what happens why the stalk comes. In the play I have a line 'A boy! That's why she had the flu for so long!' Maya and I discovered from this improvisation that Wendla's mother told her that when someone is expecting a baby boy from the stalk, they get a terrible flu for nine months, with regular vomiting and a bloated stomach and when someone is expecting a baby girl they get a really bad stomach bug, hence the vomiting, bloated stomach and slight weight gain. This was really interesting to experience as it gave purpose to that line which I have been struggling with slightly. We then moved onto Wendla's dad. Her mother doesn't like talking about it but Wendla becomes more curious and as the improvisation went on. We developed what we discovered in the hot seating. Although Mrs Bergmann never caved in, it was still very useful for character development to see each of the characters different reactions.
The improvisation helped develop our characters connection and relationship, but also helped Maya and I set up that Mother and Daughter dynamic. I found the tales which Wendla's mother told her about reproduction very interesting and it explained one of my lines in the play. Discussing the dad was also very informative because both of us saw each others reactions concerning the situation. The fact that Maya is a young mum came up, making us think that possibly she was in a similar situation as Wendla was. All of this is helping me to become this character and plan out her life. I feel as if I now have a comfortable bubble of Wendla's life around me and I can access that whenever I need it. I always find improvisations handy as they allow the actor freedom to make decisions about their character. The past few improvisations have been extremely helpful for me and I now feel completely immersed in Wendla's world and connected with Devan.
Improvisation with Animals
As part of today's aim was developing our character, we spent time focusing on our physicality, vocals and our characters existence outside of the play. Before we did the classroom improvisation, we explored our physicality using animals and breath. We laid down on the floor in semi-supine and steadied our breathing, going through several breathing exercises to control our breathe and work on our breath quality at the same time.These helped us become relaxed and ready to embody our character on a more physical scale. This is always useful to me as it grounds me in the room and opens my mind up to receiving new experiences and choices.
Once we were relaxed and prepared, we were told to think of an animal that has similar characteristics and physical traits as our character in Spring Awakening, like a spirit animal. I knew the animal had to be inquisitive and bold but shy and sweet looking, At first I chose a Meerkat, thinking it would suit Wendla, but I changed it to a Kitten fairly quickly as I felt they are sweet and innocent looking but can be vicious and are very curious with wanting to try new things. (After the exercise Devan and I spoke, discovering she had chosen a cat. This worked brilliantly at showing Wendla at different stages within her life that Devan and I represent, I the more playful and niaeve and Deven being the more experienced but quieter). Kittens have a lot of energy and have a confidence for trying anything, even if it'd hurt them.
Next we had to slowly embody our animal and start bringing them to life in the room. I started exploring and sniffing the chairs and walls, trying to climb onto things and looking into empty boxes and bags. I moved with haste and purpose around the room, immediately copying someone else if what they were doing looked interesting or exciting. After a few minuets of exploring the room to some music, we were then told to start interacting with the other animals in the room and respond to what was given to us. We also had to recgonise the human director in the room and react to him being there. I found the room very exciting and thrilling, being a small but excitable kitten. I would go up to the other animals, exploring them and then backing down if they frightened me or were too intense. After a while a rested for a bit, attempting to intimidate certain animals but backing off at the last minuet.
The next part of the exercise involved a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being 100% animal and 1 being 100% human. As we went through the scale, some animal traits were clearly left behind, for example walking on all fours or the animal noise we were making, although some stayed. For example I noticed Saskia's character's animal was a fly and she kept the buzziness nature and skittishness of a fly alive, but more internal. I noticed I clung onto the curious nature of a kitten and continued to lead with my head slightly. My pace became slower but I still observed the teachers and other students until they either ran off or disciplined me. We kept going down the scale until we reached 2 where were we stopped changing and stayed there for the rest of the rehearsal. This is because it is helpful to still have a bit of the animal quality within us, still have that playfulness and jitterness associated with our specific animal.
We continued moving around the room in out character. Different music was introduced with a more human quality than the track before. We responded according to the track, so altering our pace, mood etc. Now our characters were as they would be in the play, we started exploring the space. I noticed Jackie have very bold character choices which made her stand out from the rest. She had managed to incorporate her animal within her, creating an unique Headmistress. We were then allowed to interact with the other characters and I found myself instantly drawn to my friends, but my attention seemed to be pulling towards Melchior and seeing what he was doing. I started to copy him, only slightly and stand near him until he moved closer. Props were then added in, backpacks for the girls, over the shoulder bags for the boys (both genders having headphones too) and the teachers a notepad and pen. While most carried their backpacks on their backs, I swung mine around and played with it a lot more, not caring too much about it. This exercise helped me phsycialise Wendla, as that was one of my blocks. That kitten like nature which Wendla has will help with certain scene in the woodland.
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