Blog Review

Emily, there are some strong detailed examples in your blog but there is more that could be done. You have tackled most of your learning zone tasks, so well done for the work you have achieved so far, but lets ensure you get completely up to date over half term. 

In the posts so far there is room to expand on the reasons for undertaking the class based exercises/techniques in certain posts such as your Masks post. You are clear about the content but could afford to provide additional detail, explore the work that was done on status and use of space. 

Answering the questions below after each session, will help you to ensure you are doing that. 

Why the task is useful to an actor/director? 

How you could develop the work further? 
(if you were to act/direct the full play) 

How the task helped you to develop understanding of the characters/narrative in Gotcha?

14/10/13 AS Drama

Rachel Lesson

AS Drama

Drama Interpretation - Taking the play from Page to Stage

Drama, as a genre of literature, is unique in the way that it presents and develops its story, characters and themes. Because there is no narrator or narrative in drama as there is in the novel or the short, story, the audience must rely on the setting of the play and the characters dialogue, facial expressions and actions to tell them the story. Readers must also consider these elements in order to develop their interpretations of the play's themes and characters. Below are some suggestions on how to analyze the different elements of drama and explore their relationships with one another.

We got put into groups and had to describe either Plot, Acts and Scenes, Character, Dialogue or Stage Directions. In our group, we did plot. We had to dcecsribe in a shortened version what plot was. We said that when talking about the plot, you need to think about what happens in the play - storylines. It also draws the audience in with tension and dramatic scenes. We also said in relation to Gotcha, that it tackles the emotion that the characters go through and that it tackles issues going on in the world today, like in Gotcha and the comprehensive schools and how in the 70s you were either a sporty student or and academic student and in our group, we decided/discussed that kid was in the middle of them both. When presenting to the class, we also said that the story line was linear and the issues they are facing are working class issues.

ACTS & SCENES
Traditional plays, had 2 acts and a lot of scenes. But in Gotcha, it has only 1 act and two scenes. With acts and scenes, in the first act they always introduce the characters and the setting, they always lay it out. With acts and scenes, throughout the play, the pace change, depending on how many scenes you have e.g. Gotcha has two scenes, so you have more time to explain and go through what is happening compared to a shakeperian play where there is always a lot going on. In Gotcha you can take your time and you have leway to do what you want with the pace, you could build tension to keep the play moving.

CHARACTER
Without characters, you wouldn't have a play. Characters are the first thing you notice in a play. You always look to see what type of characters you have so you can get a starting piont and you can see where to go with the play. With characters, there are endless wasy to show them e.g. the kid character could be a victim in the play, but personally I see him as more of a manipulator.  

DIALOGUE
Dialogue is a cruccial element of drama that is used to develop the plot and characters of the play. It is quite important to take note of the choice of words and any metaphors, imagery or puns that are present. The language of the play is correct for the area the play is set e.g. when the kid says did't instead of did not. The langauge is very naturalistic, informal and common (working class). Also, the slang used ' what you doing in here lad' 'd'yer instead of do you'  wheras the head is more formal 'One would like'.

STAGE DIRECTIONS
The stage directions show exactly what they want to happen. The staging gives the audience a further description. With stage directions, in Gotcha, the only thing that could change the time period, would be the music. It also gives you more leway with the staging in Gotcha because you're in a stockroom, and with that you could go anywhere.

After we had explained to the class, we did an exercise to see if Gotcha could be performed in different styles. Everyone got given different genres e.g. western, horror, musical, rom com and milartary. Our group got given musical. We picked a scene (p48) and had a dicussion about what the musical genre means. Musicals always over exagerate everything, so we thought about how we would do the scene. The scene we chose is right at the start of the play where the kid enters the stockroom and Lynne and Ton are trying to find out his name. In the scene, I played Lynne. She only said a few things and we made her have a song to sing (Ariana Grande ft Nathan Skyes - Almost is never enough). In the group Ton and Kids little arguement had to be more exagerate, so we made every movement bigger and our voice louder. Lynnes character was the quite one who hardly said anything, but when she did it was through song. It was her chance to have a say and break away from the action.

Blog Check

Topic Area	What should be included in your blog? - Describe the exercise and the challenges/benefits of the activity?	Purpose -Describe the ways the activity helped you to understand/explore the play?
Induction, Playwright & Context	•    Lesson - Description of the 70’s context in which the play was written. •    Research into Mary Whitehouse •    LZP - Quotes with links to the context. •    LZP - An explanation of how the context in Gotcha is different to your own context?
Characterisation	•    Lesson - Round the circle – ideas about the characters backstories after reading the opening of the play.
Visual, Aural, Spatial	•    Lesson - Set Design •    LZP - Props ideas •    LZP - Sound ideas •    LZP - Lighting ideas
Practitioner	Details of the …. •    Lesson - Emotion Memory Exercise •    Lesson - Relaxation Exercise •    Lesson - Given Circumstances Exercise •    Lesson - Circles of Attention Exercise •    Lesson - Units/Objectives •    LZP – Stanislavski mind map
Non Verbal Communication	•    Lesson - Laban Efforts •    Lesson - Complicites 7 States of Tension •    Lesson - Mask/Status work •    Lesson - Mimed exercises
Vocal Awareness/Interpretation	•    Lesson - Audit of your own vocal influences, habits etc •    Lesson - Directing your peers exercises. •    LZP – How would you direct the play? What is it important to understand?
Gotcha Reviews	•    LZP - 3 reviews of the play Gotcha with the analysis/opinion highlighted and a summary of your findings.

9/10/13 AS Drama

Rachels Lesson

AS Drama

Today we used masks (non-verbal communication) 

Circles of Attention - For this we had to imagine that the only thing around us was the floor we were lying on, then, that there was only the stage and the other people in the room, then that it was only the theatre and the the entire world, how ever this audience mentions the audience. I think this is helpful because if you are in the right mindset, you can really get into a character, and it makes the actors more focused. 

Given Circumstance - For this we had to imagine the setting for Gotcha "the cupboard" e.g. decide how the cupboard looked, exactly where everything was such as shelving, boxes and the motorbike. This helped us determine boundaries and how we could work on the movement, because we know now where everything in the room is. We also did this for the smell and atmosphere of the room e.g. we had a musky, dirty smell. This helped me personally to get into the character better as it was like we had a back story to the whole thing. 

Unit and Objectives - For this we had to analyse one scene and determine when the mood changed, we then had to say what each character wanted in that scene e.g. the Kid wanted Ton and Lynne to feel trapped, but really, they want to be free.


We selected a mask then got into groups of three. With the people in my group, we had to decide on what status we were... either important, not as important or a follower. The group decided that I was the most important because my facial expression made the impression that I was the most important. In the status order, we then walked around the room in a line. I was at the front, then Georgie and then Ed. I walked around with a confident swag, then Georgie, she was a wanna be leader. Then Ed who was a follower and wanted to be everywhere Georgie and myself were. That went well because wherever I went Ed and Georgie followed...great team work!

My mask (left)

We then made a picture on the stage blocks according to our status we gave ourselves earlier on. We had to pick a pose that represented our character. I went on the middle level, because I thought I was quite important, but there were others, who looked more important than myself, so they we on the top blocks. We then did the same exercise.

6/10/13 AS Drama

Rachels Lesson

AS Drama

Voice

Pitch - Regular voice
- Attached emotion/content
If I cry, my voice goes higher and I start talking a little faster than my regular voice.
Angry my voice tends to go lower and if I am talking to a certain person, that will change the pace I talk.

Pace - Moderate
If I am excite3d I will talk very fast and my voice will get slightly higher.

Accents - In my family Northern (Blackpool, Leicester, Geordie)
Irish, welsh and Spanish

Slangwords - It depends on what area you are from, that can determine the slangwords that are used. Some slangwords can be different in the North than down here (Worthing)

Volume - Loud
When I am talking to friends, I tend to talk louder, because I am more confident with them.
This is different to when I am at home, because their is only two people who live in the house - I talk much quieter and this is the same as when I meet new people I tend to go quieter and more shy with my voice.

We picked a little mini monologue. We then had to apply each of the subjects above to the speech e.g. how and what we could empahsize and what we could make slower or speed up. I chose P69 'Gotcha' - Tons Speech

"Little shit..."

I then made notes on my script of what bits I wanted to emphasize, make faster/slower, louder or quieter and what bits were in regular voice.
Then I we went into pairs and had to direct them to what we ahd decided to do with our bit of monologue.

Language/Verbal
Did you feel the actor responded well to your direction?
I said a comment about how to say the opening line 'Little shit' and Talyor understood and she took it straight away. I said for her to be very angry at the Kid and for her to kind of grit her teeth when she is saying it, so her voice would be very firm, loud and at a regular pace.
What worked? What didn't work when put into practise?
The way I said the speech in my head didn't sound how I wanted it to sound out loud. When I was saying it in my head, I imagined Ton to be really angry at the Kid, but when Taylor said it out loud, it didn't sound right for her to be angry all the way through and talk fast.  
Is it easy taking direction from a peer?
I didn't find that I liked taking direction from Taylor because it didn't sink in as well as I wanted it to. I just didn't feel I nwas understanding how Taylor was trying to tell me what to do.

Duologue
For this we had to pick another section with an equal amount of lines for two characters and do exactly the same as before to this duologue. I chose p67 the speech between the Kid and Ton when they are talking about doing press ups.
We then joined another group and we directed them to do our piece and vice versa.
I found it difficult to direct my friends, I just didn't feel I was being understood, because I knew what I wanted to say, but it just didn't come out the way I wanted, so their was a bit of miss communication between us and the actors. I found that being directed was easier because I just had to follow what someone was telling me to do, but telling someone what to do was a bit trickier. I think the more I get to grips with what I am reading I think I will find it a bit easier.

In the same group we did the same thing, but instead of them directing us around, we had to sit naturally in a chair while the director told us how to say the lines. Also, we weren't allowed to look at our partner, we had to act like we were reading a radio play. 

Language/Verbal
What was particularly challenging about being unable to to rely on movement/body language?
The fact that we weren't allowed to look at our partners, made it harder, because

In the same group we did the same thing, but the director had to just direct our movements while they do a voice over of what is happening. Then we changed around and did the same thing with the other groups script.

What role was the least challenging? Why? Actor/director?
Least challenging was being actor because the directors where laying down the law. They knew what they wanted the scene to look like when I was the actor I felt more comfortable.

What role was most challenging? Why? Actor/director?
Most challenging was the director, because I feel I knew what I wanted to say  but couldn't get it out to the actors. I felt that I was miss communicating with them so they weren't understanding me.

What would you suggest to improve one or the scene you saw?
The second group (Kiera etc) I would make their group more angry with the way the voice overs delivered. I wouldn't also make the movement more sharp.

2/10/13 AS Drama

Rachel Lesson

AS Drama

Laban System of Efforts
Today we did the Laban System of Efforts.

We had to choose what characters were what. I chose Lynne and said a Float would suit her as I think she's quite shy and doesn't know what she's really doing with herself. We the had to do a short scene and play the characters with this Effort quality. I found this ok, as I sometimes don't really know what I am doing, but I get on with things, so it was ok to do. 
We watched each others short little scenes to see how each other was playing each character and most people that I sore do Lynne played her similarly to me, so I felt that I chose effort. 

Visual, Aural, Spatial


Sound- music in between scenes, or to emphasise mood changes. 

Lighting- one light in the centre to make the corners of the stage seem darker and make the set seem smaller. So the atmosphere is more cramped to make the audience feel like they are in a cupboard.

Props- in the centre I want the motorbike as this is the main prop used. I also want boxes to be used as seats so the actors don't have to stand for the entire play but boxes still fit in with the set being a cupboard whereas a chair wouldn't.

Costume- Ton- football shorts, trainers, polo shirt. Lynne- skirt and blouse or dress. Kid-school uniform, shirt, tie, trousers.

Set Design- boxes and shelving on the walls, cramped and dusty atmosphere to show the cupboard is rarely used. I want the boxes to be different heights to add levels and make my set more interesting.I want my set to be a traditional end on because it means I can use the walls as part of my set. For the colours I want mostly greys and browns to make the cupboard seem full and unused. I want my proxemics to make my set apart claustrophobic. 
I want the overall effect to show a cramped, cluttered and neglected cupboard.

30/9/13 AS Drama

Rachels Lesson

Drama

Emotion Memory - Stanislavski

Today in the lesson, we talked about our memorable item that we bought in. Stanislavski's emotion memory.
In the lesson we sat in a circle and got out our items. I bought in a ticket from the first broadway show that I saw 'In the Heights'. I listened to everyone talking aobut their items and what it meant to them. When describing my item, I had to describe what it was without making any opinions e.g. its was a piece of card, with a lot of black, orange and red writing. Then I explained what it meant to me. I said that it was the first musical I had seen in New York (Time Square) I said that it meant a lot to me, because I have such a love for musical theatre and it is what I want to do when I leave college. I explained the day - I went to the ticket booth and met a gay guy who recommended that we see this musical and we got tickets and went there and he was sitting next to us, which was aweseome. The musical started and I litterally was sitting on the edge of my seat, because it was so gripping and moving and I loved every minute of it.
At the end, once it had finished the guy we had met (Zack) he had backstage passes and we got to go with him, so we could meet the cast. At this moment I was litterally wetting myself, because I was so excited. I went through the back door and then there it was... the stage... the broadway stage that I had just watched a musical on. I was standing on it! I felt overwhlemed I was shaking with excitement and I had the biggest smile on my face. I finally then got to meet my idol Lin-Manuel Miranda he is an American composer, rapper, lyricist etc... I met him and got his signature and it was to me the best day of my life!