Facial expressions
-This will be hieghtened in Harry's Christmas as because I am not moving around the stage as much the spotlight will focus the audiences attention on the facial expressions and make the slightest move very significant.
Exaggerated gestures
- This will be shown in Harry's Christmas because of the Berkoff influences of suing an animal. Because my animal is a turtle I will be using my arms in a more outstretched way than usual
- This will be shown in A Midsummer Nights Dream because these gestures will be used to help the audience understand the shakespearian language that I am saying and the situation that has this happening.
Emotive characters
-This will be shown in Harry's Christmas because Harry is very emotional when he is dying I am showing this by crying on stage this builds the actor audience relationship as this will create a sense of catharsis with the audience.
- This is shown in Closer as Larry becomes very angry with Anna and then breaks down and tells her he loves her. This emotional pitch will be reached by using Stanislavski's technique of emotion memory.
Bringing historical to a contemporary audience
- This is shown in the character of Puck and his 'jack-the-lad' qualities instantly recognising the class and the stereotype assosiated with this type of character. The gestures and empahasis on certain words or phrases will help me perform this.
Accents
- This is shown in Closer through Larry's londoner accent this allows me to build upon the cockney accent used in Saved but relate to a more specific class group
Working with props
- Harry's Christmas will emphasise the props used as when I am using them I will be using a Berkoff gesture to show how important each of these props are to his life.
- A Midsummer Nights dream shows this with either a broom or a travelling bag states the class and time of the piece (along with costume) straight away so an audience can recognise what is happening and then concentrate on what Puck is saying.
Puck's soliloquy is took short to be able to perform in 5 minutes so I have added to it the monologue before hand when he enters the scene. These two monologues flow together well and create a sense of story.
Friday, 6 May 2011
Monologue research - Midsummer Nights Dream (cultural, rehearsal and how I am playing the character)
A Midsummer Nights dream was written as a comedy for Shakespeare's time meaning that some references are now out dated. Get the obvious comedy is still in place (such as when Bottom turns into an ass). The language is also very different but much as the Rivals and Richard III understanding the play will enable me to perform it so that an audience will understand the play more easily.
The play itself is set in Athens this is far away from the audience of Shakespeare as these would be english persons, setting this play in a far off land lets the audience believe the story as they could not believe it for themselves. Now we are in modern day and are able to travel to Athens easily this setting looses is belief slightly and this is what makes Puck's soliloquy most important as it reminds the audience that the play is not real but a dream. The plays time is set when there is a lot of political changeover and this is reflected within the lovers as change between the power couple frequently.
During rehersal using a prop of a broom or a travelling bag on stick sets Puck in context of being a servant not a high class of fairy.
From my feedback this really helped the audience identify with the character straight away which is what needs to happen from the monologue so that they will understand that Puck is talking to them and not introducing his character.
From the research I am going to play Puck with light footing so when I travel the stage I am very light as quick on my feet. I will also be in a reflective tone throughout the solioquy as Puck is reflecting on the whole play. I will be using gestures and body language greatly throughout to show the understanding of the piece.
Thursday, 5 May 2011
Monologue research - Midsummer Nights Dream (first thoughts, understanding the monologue)
'Puck is a clever and mischievous elf and personifies the trickster or the wise knave.'
This is the description of Puck shown in the he is a more lighthearted, mischievous character. Throughout the play Puck is the only character to address the audience directly showing that the audience-actor relationship between this character is strong. Puck is the servant to Oberon and confused the story of the 'the lovers' by using the infatuation flower under order of Oberon. Puck is also very famous for his line 'o lord what fools these mortals be'.
Because of this research I am going to play Puck as a 'jack-the-lad' type character that is light hearted and warmed by the audience.
To help me understand the soliloquy I took apart the Shakespearian language and tried to make into something I could understand, therefore allowing me to add gestures that my audience would understand.
'If we shadows have offended'
- This is referring to the actors in the play suggesting that they may have offended the audience
'Think but this (and all is mended) That you have but slumber'd here, while these visions did appear'
- This is suggesting to the audience merely think that they were asleep during the play and that the actors were just figments of there imagination
'And this weak and idle theme, no more yielding but a dream'
- That the themes with in the play be less important and that the worrying they felt can go away and imagine that the play was just a dream.
'Gentles, do not reprehend'
- Gentles is referring to the audience members again, often in Shakespeare's time the upper classes sat on seats in the global not addressed to the commoners standing on the floor.
'If you pardon, we will mend. And as I am an honest Puck, if we have unearned luck'
- If the audience thinks this then then Puck and the audience can forget the themes in the play and bring back the actor-audience relationship. Puck is referring to the fact that throughout what he has done in the play, Puck has still been honest and he has been lucky in what he has done.
'Now to scape the serpent's tongue, we will make amends ere long:'
-To scape the serpent's tongue is to avoid what the audience may say about the play, then Puck tries to reinforce that he tried to make amends by saying it was just a dream.
'Else the Puck a liar call'
- This is talking about if the audience then retaliate and call him a liar or think he is a liar from the actions he had performed in the play.
'So good night unto you all. Give me your hands, if we be friends, and Robin shall restore and amends'
- Puck closes the show and asks the audience to believe what he has just said and that he will make it better. Robin refers to 'Robin Goodfellow' which is another name for the same character as Puck therefore he is talking about himself.
This is the description of Puck shown in the he is a more lighthearted, mischievous character. Throughout the play Puck is the only character to address the audience directly showing that the audience-actor relationship between this character is strong. Puck is the servant to Oberon and confused the story of the 'the lovers' by using the infatuation flower under order of Oberon. Puck is also very famous for his line 'o lord what fools these mortals be'.
Because of this research I am going to play Puck as a 'jack-the-lad' type character that is light hearted and warmed by the audience.
To help me understand the soliloquy I took apart the Shakespearian language and tried to make into something I could understand, therefore allowing me to add gestures that my audience would understand.
'If we shadows have offended'
- This is referring to the actors in the play suggesting that they may have offended the audience
'Think but this (and all is mended) That you have but slumber'd here, while these visions did appear'
- This is suggesting to the audience merely think that they were asleep during the play and that the actors were just figments of there imagination
'And this weak and idle theme, no more yielding but a dream'
- That the themes with in the play be less important and that the worrying they felt can go away and imagine that the play was just a dream.
'Gentles, do not reprehend'
- Gentles is referring to the audience members again, often in Shakespeare's time the upper classes sat on seats in the global not addressed to the commoners standing on the floor.
'If you pardon, we will mend. And as I am an honest Puck, if we have unearned luck'
- If the audience thinks this then then Puck and the audience can forget the themes in the play and bring back the actor-audience relationship. Puck is referring to the fact that throughout what he has done in the play, Puck has still been honest and he has been lucky in what he has done.
'Now to scape the serpent's tongue, we will make amends ere long:'
-To scape the serpent's tongue is to avoid what the audience may say about the play, then Puck tries to reinforce that he tried to make amends by saying it was just a dream.
'Else the Puck a liar call'
- This is talking about if the audience then retaliate and call him a liar or think he is a liar from the actions he had performed in the play.
'So good night unto you all. Give me your hands, if we be friends, and Robin shall restore and amends'
- Puck closes the show and asks the audience to believe what he has just said and that he will make it better. Robin refers to 'Robin Goodfellow' which is another name for the same character as Puck therefore he is talking about himself.
Monologue research - Harry's Christmas (rehearsal)
I have decided that when ever I am taking a depressive turn I will sink down to the floor by the chair so as if you can see clearly that my life is getting more depressed, yet staying up for when Harry dies so that he dies in his chair, as though he could be sleeping. This is what makes the death more relatable because it looks so peaceful.
This has proven to be effective as feedback shows that this movement really helped relate the piece to the audience.
This has proven to be effective as feedback shows that this movement really helped relate the piece to the audience.
Monolgue research - Harry's Christmas (cultural, props)
I have come to believe that Harry is suffering from Bi-polar / manic depression. So i felt to set this into soical and cultural context I should find out the symptoms of how to spot someone who is a manic depressive and include this in my monologue.
Harry is always in a state of depression throughout the play as I believe he has been for several months, the interview with how this woman was going to commit suicide I will be using some of her personal experience in my monologue such as;
crying
written a suicide note. (inside the box)
From the signs and symptoms of depression I am heightening;
lack of interest in any activity (this is why he is always in his chair)
fatigue or loss of energy (every move I make must be a big struggle)
The other symptoms are expressed already through Berkoff's writing and the behaviour of Harry.
The play is written without a time yet was first performed in 1985. I am performing my monologue in modern day as this will be more relatable to a contemporary audience.
Most other Berkoff plays the props and set are imaginary such as in the Trial and Decadence, yet for this monologue I feel it wouldn't work without the props as I will be using my exaggerated turtle like gestures when using the props so that when without them the audience still feels a sense of catharsis for when Harry dies.
6 Christmas cards as this is how many Harry has at the beginning of the whole play and I want the monologue to stay within context. I will be drawing these out at the beginning to emphasise how many cards Harry has.
Telephone as this is what Harry uses to call Clara and his mother on.
Shoe box containing. christmas cards, pills, suicide note I will be reading the suicide note whilst on the phone to Ma to show reference that the note is for her. The pills are what I will be using when taking them to over-dose Harry. I will be shacking them out sharply as regretful for taking them.
Beer this shows how old the character is and what drink he has to 'how about a drop to wash it down with' the mixture of alcohol and drugs also heightens the chance of death
Harry is always in a state of depression throughout the play as I believe he has been for several months, the interview with how this woman was going to commit suicide I will be using some of her personal experience in my monologue such as;
crying
written a suicide note. (inside the box)
From the signs and symptoms of depression I am heightening;
lack of interest in any activity (this is why he is always in his chair)
fatigue or loss of energy (every move I make must be a big struggle)
The other symptoms are expressed already through Berkoff's writing and the behaviour of Harry.
The play is written without a time yet was first performed in 1985. I am performing my monologue in modern day as this will be more relatable to a contemporary audience.
Most other Berkoff plays the props and set are imaginary such as in the Trial and Decadence, yet for this monologue I feel it wouldn't work without the props as I will be using my exaggerated turtle like gestures when using the props so that when without them the audience still feels a sense of catharsis for when Harry dies.
6 Christmas cards as this is how many Harry has at the beginning of the whole play and I want the monologue to stay within context. I will be drawing these out at the beginning to emphasise how many cards Harry has.
Telephone as this is what Harry uses to call Clara and his mother on.
Shoe box containing. christmas cards, pills, suicide note I will be reading the suicide note whilst on the phone to Ma to show reference that the note is for her. The pills are what I will be using when taking them to over-dose Harry. I will be shacking them out sharply as regretful for taking them.
Beer this shows how old the character is and what drink he has to 'how about a drop to wash it down with' the mixture of alcohol and drugs also heightens the chance of death
Monolgue research - Harry's Christmas (first thoughts, Berkoff's techniques)
As apposed to Closer there is little research to be found on the internet for Harry's Christmas so I had to find the research from the play itself and my drama teacher.
After reading the whole play I have come to the conclusion that Harry is a manic depressive and He is desperately in love with Clara yet something has happened that has made him not able to ring her, this being the break-up with Clara. Harry is 40 and although he loves his mother he doesn't want to see her as he feels as though going to spend christmas with her is a embarrassing as Harry says 'a single man nearly 40 and still sees his mum' in disgust at a thought of ringing Clara.
Berkoff's techniques;
Giving the character an animal.
The use of an animal extension lets an actor be able to move like that animal.
I have decided to give Harry the animal of a turtle.
A turtle is suiting for Harry as he does not necessarily move very fast yet uses over exaggerated arm movements (such as when displaying the cards). Also I am going to be using the chair as a turtles shell and never leave this shell as I feel as though this is protection to Harry. Harry speaks in ebs and flows much like the turtles walk.
Duologue research - Closer (rehearsal)
We decided from our rehearsal that Larry would always be in control and the person with the more power this is why Anna would never leave the sofa until she confesses to Larry what she has done with Dan and then leaves again when she is ready to fight back with Larry.
This proved to be very effective in our rehearsal as it meant that Larry would never sit on the chaise-lounge affording me as an actor to use more of the space and fill the open plan living.
This proved to be very effective in our rehearsal as it meant that Larry would never sit on the chaise-lounge affording me as an actor to use more of the space and fill the open plan living.
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