16/11/14

Unit 68 Theatre Directing/Unit 44 Outreach Drama 16 November 2014

Newspaper Project

I enjoyed working on the newspaper project this week because, I felt that the pressure of having to show it on Thursday helped us as directors to push the work forward and get things done. As directors we assigned ourselves roles for example, Sam wanted to write the script and Alex and I wanted to work on the choreography and physicality of the piece. After reevaluating certain transitions and scenes that we had previously created, we realised that we had great dialogue but we were lacking physicality. Therefore, Alex and I created a stage combat scene with 4 actors. The hardest part about this choreography was teaching the actors how to make it look realistic. To begin with I explained all the safety rule and then I began by showing and teaching them the basics like sight lines, naps and reactions. These are the 3 key elements that I showed them but due to lack of time and space in rehearsals this week it was actually more difficult than I anticipated. It wasn't as crisp as I would have liked it to have been but it is supposed to be messy and scrappy. Therefore, I believe we made a good attempt but it is defiantly something that we need to work on next week. The ‘turn down for what’ scene was the more fun and energetic scene. As directors we also incorporated a slow mode dance for more of a comic feel. However, we switch it up by turned it into a maze which really creates an environment contrast and a feel of panic. This is a chase between the bullies

Amber-Lily Foxon �1

DETERMINATIONCredited: Goggle Images


and the victim. The maze is supposed to create physical tension. I wanted to create an emotional traumatic experience that isolated this one person, in order to show people how horrible it must feel to be different and to be excluded from everyone else. Once we finally got the whole piece together as a director, I ran it through and then gave director’s notes. For instances, in the ‘Angels and Demons’ scene we have on the right side a good conscious and on the left a bad conscious standing over Sam (Natalie) the victim. This is to represent the little voices that we all have in our heads, that sometimes try to help us or in other cases steer you down the wrong path.

The piece we have created is about sexual discrimination and it is all about making people view things differently. We want people to be expressing their true feelings, rather than hiding who they are and telling lies because they feel as though they have to. The idea came from the pressures of society in terms of what you should be and what you shouldn't be. But surely isn't that a choice that we should be making ourselves, not society? This is indirect question that I hope the piece provokes to the audience because I want people to be more aware of these issues.

I feel this weeks monologue workshop with Innes has helped me build confidence and it has helped me understand more about what you can do with monologues. I liked how we worked in small groups and took a slow approach into doing it. I personally feel like I’m still not ready to perform a monologue. I don't feel comfortable or confident and that is one of my biggest weaknesses. Throughout, these next few weeks I really want to focus and work on a my monologues. The problem is I don't actually know what I’m looking for in a monologue. I know that I should be interested in it and that I should feel like I can relate to it in some way but I’m finding it difficult. The approach Innes used by starting slow and just getting us to read the speech out loud was a big step for me. We then gradually built up the characteristics of this character. Doing this allowed me to focus on small details and think about what it is I’m doing physically as well as vocally.


Credited: Goggle Images


I think being thrown into the dept end can sometimes have a positive effect but not in this case. I know that it isn’t something that is going to happen over night. I really need to work on this because have a good monologue for auditions is such a vital part of an actors career.

As a company we were set a task to create a scene of a live TV talk show, based on 2 special guests the 'Sidney theatre company' and the 'Attic theatre company'. The aim of the scene was to get to know each other and create a sense of rivalry between each company. We created two groups, half of us would play the 'Sidney theatre company' and the other half would be the 'Attic theatre company'. We also had hosts which were Lewis and charlie. Their role was to lead the show, ask us questions based on facts about each company but they also had to create tension between the groups. I was apart of The Attic theatre company with Julia, Daniella and Levi. I really enjoyed working with them and they were easy to communicate ideas with. We didn't have time for disagreements so we all just went with each others ideas. Most of what we did was improvised and didn't always have a relevance but somehow it worked and it was really fun. I liked doing the research together as a group because it was quicker but also I noticed that every one of us picked up on different things. The research task as a group help me understand and discover new ways in how to approach research. Doing research can be really interesting and helpful but I find it hard to absorb. However, by creating this short performance which is a different approach to the work, made me enjoy it so much more which meant I took more information in. I had fun making mistakes and creating something physical because I feel like I actually learnt something new. This is some of the research that we used in our performance. I learnt that the 'Attic theatre company' was formed in London in 1994. This company has been very success it even won a stage award. This was a quote that I found and that we decided to use in our performance to describe what it was that we do.

'Attic engages people in the arts by commissioning and producing theatre that challenges and excites Audiences, and empowers the communities we work with in Merton, across London and on tour.' This helped me understand Attic as a theatre company. The quiz had to involve 3 parts:

Interview Questions:

What is an outreach company? What is community theatre ?



Is there links between the two? How does it effect people? Do we do workshops with the local theatre company?Note - Based everything on facts and don't make thing up

The Game Show with buzzers:

Name 3 things that you might gain in taking part in outreach ?- Networking - Connecting with new people- Gain confidence and understanding of the arts - Divise and create work- Better understanding of a specific company- Create a social impact

As a theatre company name 3 reasons for leading a workshop? - To empower the people we work with- Learning from each other and solving problems together as a team - Create theatre

Name 3 groups of people that might participate? - Children- Actors- The community- Disable people- Older people- Refugees- Asylum seeks


Games

King Chairs: This game is about working as a company against the middle person.

Spare Chair: This game is about figuring out that it's the furthest person’s job to

move and sit on the spare chair. It is also important to stay calm and work as a

company.

Sardines: Hide and seek small places.

Guessing Voices: Close your eyes and guess who’s voice it is, in the opposite

team.


My strengths this week:- In Innes workshop I picking a monologue that I didn't know and experimenting with it.- Stepping up and having more of an input into the piece for the Newspaper Project- Getting organised and making sure I was up to date with all my work

My weaknesses this week:- My punctuality- I started to feel overtimed with all the work. I need to priorities my time better in order

to stay on top of everything. - I have no confidence when doing monologues

The company’s strengths:- Working together as a company when playing spare chair- Given each others groups good feedback in the Newspaper Project process- Believing and being supportive in each others decisions when directing

The company’s weaknesses:- The negative- The energy- The lack of commitment sometimes

These are all things that we need to work on individual but also together as a company in order to progress and move forward.


16/11/14

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Transcript of 16/11/14