Log: Acting

Family and Friends

After already doing two other performances today everyone was really tired as the shows are very tiring and energetic but I think this show went very well and was as successful as the previous performances. All the cast managed it give the same energy level and give it their best through-out.

This evenings audience was the oldest age range we have performed to as it is the casts family and friends, but despite the show being aimed at children the adults seem to have toughly enjoyed it they were laughing though out most of the scene and seemed to be engaged thought out the entire show, so it just goes to shows that you are never too old for fairy tale ending, and most they adults would have been very familiar with the story Rumpelstiltskin from when they were little and  also reading it to their children and even grandchildren.

So over all I think today has been a real success and on Monday we start touring all the schools in the area so I hope we will be just as successful as today if not more.

Workshop Performance

         &

Evaluation

Today we’re doing a workshop on street theatre, learning all the aspects of street performing a building towards a performance out on the street with the general public.

First thing we did was an exercise to help us build a character and story line, we had to pick out a photo from a magazine or paper and create a character and story from this, once we had done this we had to talk a bit about our self’s as the character a bit of improvisation, you really had to think on the spot especially when you were asked question, and did find this slightly difficult it’s a lot harder than it looks to talk about you as a character you’ve just made one the spot to its good to be really prepared and think of a back story , so you’ve got lots to talk about and not left silent on the spot.

After lunch I teamed up with Amy for the following exercise as it is done in a couple, we were then given costumes to choose from to the create a character and set piece that we will go out and perform and entertain the general public on the streets of Kendal. There were numerous costumes to choose from but the one that caught our eye was the safari ones. Once putting on the costumes we noticed two nets that went with them then instantly came up with the idea of pigeon catching around Kendal as there is a lot around the streets, we then came up with a title Pigeon Dundee, then give our characters names, ‘’Author and Mather’’ with an Australian accent as it felt appropriate in the safari gear, once we sorted all this out we started to come up with a story and scene basically were on the hunt for extremely dangerous pigeons around Kendal which is all of them and were warning the public and teaching them how to catch the pigeons but were the worse pigeon catchers in the world, we’re always scaring them off and going after paper thinking it’s a pigeon and , ‘’Author and Mather’’ are always falling out as Author old and a bit slow and Mather the young trainee but see useless. So we started going through a few scene all improvised with that idea in mind!

Once planned all this and gone through it a while we show cased to Gary and the class with Gary acting as someone were meeting on the street and acted out a few scenarios of what could happen when we’re there on the day, some were really difficult and awkward but you’ve got to stay in character and keep on top with it and be quick thinking on the ball and entertaining without being offensive or rude! I did find this even more difficult as Amy was absent so I had to showcase the act on my own and it’s really a double act really with me and Amy have banter that’s the performance but I went on and did the best I could on my own but it shall be fine when Amy get here for the street performance later.

Before the performance we did some more exercise games to help us with the street theatre.

Physical Chinese whispers – were four people leave the room, and one person in the room acts out 4 different scenarios once they people in the room have decided on the scenarios the one person from outside the room comes in and sits down on a chair while the chosen person inside to room acts out the scenarios in how ever shape or form once finished the person sat down then has to rein act what he/she has just seen to other one of the group who is waiting outside and this goes on till the last person who then describes what he/she seen whilst acting it out then the first person reviles what the scenarios where at the start of the game to then see if they were the same as the last person.

This game really makes you really think about what’s going on makes you more observant and aware of what’s happening in the surroundings, and when you’re up there you’re creating a scenarios the performing it out very physical and animated. This is very useful because when you on the streets you got to be very observant, very street aware pick you audience, who’s going to play along and be a good laugh and who’s going to get offend, angry or embarrassed.

Key note to remember before going out Be safe / Beware of other peoples / and the safety of yourself and the people around you.

When Amy and I got out on the street we were straight in character I could feel it we just bounced of each other like a comedy duo as were both just bunker once we get going. Straight away we had one of some of the public engaged, we tried teaching a few people how to catch pigeons some played along some just listened and watch us have ago rather than doing it them self’s , but once you could see the general public wasn’t playing along me and Amy then went on to catching the pigeons very terribly may I add, we were sneaking around using all different levels and heights crawling along on the floor going on each other’s shoulder trying to catch the pigeon with the net and failing , we soon then caught the eye of the passer byers but once we lost people’s attention wed then have a fall put and be dead loud and scare the pigeons away and then say to each other ‘’ look what you’ve done now you’ve scared it away I almost had it!’’

I found it very difficult to get the public to play along as the all seemed to be busy and in a rush but I lot easier to get them to stop and watch for a few second and we got up to our pigeon catching antics but after a while my back was really hurting with the way a chose to walk with the character and you get really tired quick as you using a lot of energy and effort trying to win the public over to and entertain them, but in all it was really good fun and brilliant experience I don’t think it’s for me but I really enjoyed taking part and it was something different  and I got to see so another side to the industry it’s not all stage and TV work.

Skills

·         Able to sing – having the vocal ability to sing and stay in tune.

·         Able to dance – to execute a dance sequence with sense of style and clarity.

·         Able to act-to act in a numerous roles, be a different character and to perform in plays, movies TV.

·         Able to choreograph- choreograph your own dance routines for auditions, you can be hired to choreograph for other company’s doing shows routines. can be dance teacher or captain

·         Having a wide vocal range- more employable to sing big vocal roles and not as limited to what you can sing

Qualities

·         Reliable- people can rely on you to do things and get the job done making you more trustworthy.

·         Trustworthy- people trust you to do things and get things done properly and trusted with more responsibility’s

·         Good personality – people like you and get on well with you they will enjoy working with you.

·         Likeable – you create a good working environment people will want to work with you.

·         Passionate- about what you’re doing and give it a 100% and want it work well and make it successful.

·         Caring – have respect for things and people see what good person you are they will like working with you.

Attitude

·         Determined- to get thing right and accurate, dance routines and scenes etc. done properly and professionally.  

·          Positive – that you do it and it will work, be successful.

·         Hard working- put the hours in to complete and get it done right, perfect.

·          Professionalism- being professional through-out in rehearsals etc.  not messing around and getting the job done right and on time.

Thursday 8^th march 2012

Final performance

Looking back at the performance I come across and looked really confident and you can see a clear divide in-between the character’s as   I played them all completely different

Curt is very drunk staggering a long his voice in a bit horse and shacking from drinking and you can really tell watching that he’s coming home drunk down to his movements, the way he’s talking and even his costume all undone with a shoe missing and his messy hair do! And he’s just so different from the professor and Bisto.

Bisto is just so cheeky and chavy the way he walks and talks and he gets away with the cheekiness, and his body language it’s just so chavy the way he stands about he’s also got a northern accent but its different for curt and the professor as its still northern but not a broad and he puts on his Dee jay microphone voice when interacting with the audience over the mic, even the clothes he has on you would never find curt or the professor dressed like that in the chavy oversized track suite. But the audience seemed to really react well with Bisto and they found him really funny it must be with the ways he’s dressed and walks with his cheekiness

Professor is really slow bouncy in a creepy sneaky edge especially when walking and his accent is a lot more northern and common compared to the other to as he’s a lot older even his body language when stood is different for curt and Bisto as he slouched and just bounced on the spot I the character was really physical and moved around a lot to tell the audience the story, created the scene like you was there and they audience reactions went really well better than I expected,

Overall performance on all three nights I felt I did really well and wouldn’t change a thing and I felt I’ve really come along with my acting from starting at college and I feel a lot more confident acting, more confident in myself and my acting abilities.

For next performance make sure I learn my lines and script as quickly was possible then I can focus more on my character building and acting skills.

Wednesday 7^th march 2012 

The second main performance

Professor

Before my scene today I got really nervous to go on waiting behind stage I think I was with all the added seats on stage I didn’t notice them till I was about to go on and it made me really nervous as they were so close and I wasn’t expecting the added seats, but I soon got over it and carried on and it all ran very well only had a miner problem the scene with Annie when I knocked over my trolley everything fell out and I couldn’t get it all back in quick enough so by the time I had Annie had nearly gone of stage so I had to do a sneaky jog over to catch her up. Today I felt the audience was much better they seemed to really enjoy the scene and they all reacted well when I went over to three ladies sat together and said a ‘’there was a row of old prostitutes all done up as if they were in the war years’’ but all went well last show tomorrow then finished.

Bisto

I slight problem today in the first scene I said ‘’I’m disco the dj’’ instead of I’m Bisto the dj but I managed covered it up well with my cheekiness and  make a joke about it and it ended up getting quite a lot of laughs from the audience.

The interval today was the best so far the atmosphere was so much livelier and everyone was just enjoying themselves and genuinely having a good time, the audience just got more involved they interacted with the characters and got up dancing and singing away to the cheesy 80s music, and the cast kept in character throughout all totally improvised. Near the end I did have a technical problem my laptop just cut out! Bang died! No music silence but I quickly grabbed the microphone and said ‘’sorry guys the pub is shut the landlords pulled the plugs because theirs to much noise and not enough drinking  ‘’ and I also made jokes about them not paying the electricity bill and told everyone to ‘’piss of back to where they came from’’ it was so unexpected and I was a little bit shocked but I managed to cover it well and nobody seemed to notice, they just thought it was how the scene was done any way all part of the act, everybody carried on in character and played along with it, so pleased it went well because it could of gone completely wrong and fingers crossed it don’t happen again tomorrow.

Curt

I felt today performance went better than the last I think it really helped with the added seat and with the audience being so close and near so it made the heaving effects so much better as they thought I was going to be sick on them so the audience reactions where just so much better, I used a lot of the stage area once again went over to the other side more this time to make sure all the audience were involved in this scene. Really enjoyed playing curt today and the scene went really well and so did the audience reactions so looking forward to the last one tomorrow.

Matinee show in front of the other years

Professor

Went rally well, really felt and got into the character, walked in slow and bouncy, really made the accent more broad and stronger northern than mine , I felt I made the scene big and animated while telling the story to the audience with arm gestures etc. I kept a strong and funny facial expressions through-out the scenes slightly creepy.

In this run I used the professor standing position where he places is hand in his pockets and just swings nervously on the spot he does this quite a lot throughout the play

·         The scene with Lane/Lucy was much better I felt just more quick and it seemed to flow more natural and realistic, but need to get the other side of the audience involved more as their kind of out the way a bit.

·         Scene with Annie I notice one I’m waiting  for her I didn’t have much to do so next time I’m going to bring on a camera of a note book that he can be getting on with whilst he waits.

There was a slight technical fault with the lighting and music cue with the Proff entrance but I just carried on and didn’t let it throw me off or affect my performance but apart from that I think it went pretty well and hope it goes as good and if not better later on this evening.

Bisto

The scene went ok, but nearly missed my coming on cue my mind just went blank and I dint realise it was my bit but I got on and nobody noticed, struggled getting my words out today stuttered slightly I found the lines I uses are slightly tongue twisters because they rhyme and if you get one bit wrong it all goes wrong so need to make sure this is bob on for the main performance but it still went ok the audience reacted well and enjoyed him!

·         I kept the character really cheesy and chavy ad-libbed a bit handing out the leaflets but need to make sure a get the leaflets spread out more to the audience, handed out to more people, not just the front row.

·         In the interval Bisto’s disco went down really well with the audience, it’s such a fun and different way to do the interval  and it just looked really good and realistic with the cheesy 80s music, flashing lights and everybody pretending to get drunk, enjoying themselves having a good night out. The cast did it all so well the genuinely look like they were having a ball getting drunk, really going for it like a real night out on the town and they kept in character through-out the scene and all improvisation.

·         I felt I kept in character all the way through the interval and really got into the Dee Jay role it’s like Bisto had another character inside a Dee Jay-ing one that came with loads of over mic banter and crowed interaction in his Dee Jay microphone voice, I plugged the bar a lot to get people over there to get drink and that and also got them up on the dance fool with encouragement to get up like a proper Dee jay playing a great  mixture of cheesy 80s dance classics, mixing them with my pretend decks.

·         The whole scene just went grate  the audience really loved it felt involved into the play and involved into the characters night out around town a brilliant way to do an interval and it’s so different.

Curt

Went brilliant got lots of discussed reaction to the throwing up parts which I was hoping for and they found the drunken fool funny staggering about intoxicated from the night out.

·         I kept curt staggering and retching throughout the scene slurring his words and falling all over the place.

·         I repeated a lot of my words to create more of the illusion of being drunk. Also i explored a lot with vocal dynamics my pitch and tempo was all over the place and changed a lot ‘’pressed leaf’’ which made the scene more believable and funny. Also i would just go high pitched or shout randomly ‘’full of good cheer’’

Next performance I want to make it even bigger, drunker more disgusting and all over the place, but over all very pleased with my performance

Feedback from the audience and Hilary was really good and positive they really enjoyed the play and thought everybody was amazing so we need to keep up the energy level for tonight’s performance, only negative there was a few technical faults but we’ll get them sorted ready for tonight.

Performance day

Today we go live with ‘’Road’’ performing two show the matinee in the afternoon then the main show later on this evening, but before these we have to do our dress run this morning to see if any problem accrue.

Morning Dress Run:

Professor

It went really well this morning doing the professor, the costume really suites my character theirs was no problems with the changes or the scenes coming on and off probably the only thing is that you can hear my footsteps at the side of the stage when walking the other end ready to go on. Acting with the costume was so much better, it really helped me get into character and feel like the professor, when I saw myself in costume it was really how I had versioned him.

·         When on later to night need to make sure I’m telling my story and acting to the whole audience the seating is lightly spread out.

·         The scene with Lane /Lucy needs to be spot on fast and flowing.

·         The scene with Annie I need to make sure I knock my trolley over easily as I struggled to day it just didn’t knock over smoothly with all the stuff in-side it weighing it down.

·         The scene with scullery/Aaron need to make sure I only walk in as he’s talking, say my bit then carry on.

But over all pleased with the dress run, looking forward to the later performances and I’m going to give it my all

Bisto

Bisto went ok need to make sure i get straight in once Clair/Rosie gets into bed and it goes into black-out and hand out the flyer and interact and tell the audience about Bisto’s disco all mainly improvisation but based around the script just go with the flow of the audience, once live.

·         Interval all mainly improvisation with the basic idea of the scripts scene all set up like a typical 80s pub with Dee jay booth and bar with flashing lights and cheesy 80s music all set up in the art room.

·         Yeah costume fine really chavy need to get changed quickly out of professor into Bisto ready for the interval but its manageable.

Curt

Went well remembered all my lines ran smooth, when performing in front of an audience can make it like he’s going to be sick on the audience throwing up near them.

Costume was fine messed it up a little, with half tucked in shirt and it hardly buttoned up like it had been ripped on the night out with totally bed head messy hair and only one shoe on.   

Bisto

The interval today the atmosphere was just buzzing it was just like being in a normal pub, so realistic everybody was really enjoying themselves having a drink and a dance, everybody was socialising with each other the audience was interacting with the cast just having general pub banter.

I think it’s just a brilliant way to do and interval because the audience still watching the play but not the have a chance to get involved and when the characters quote the night out later on in the play or come stumbling in they know where they’ve been and what’s gone on in the night out because they where their and it just makes the interval so much more entraining.

Also with all the cast improvising the energy was high and everybody just bounced of each other!

I kept my body language and gestures very chavy down to my hand gestures and just the way I stood in the Dee Jay booth. Also I put on the Dee jay mic voice on again it’s a different tone from my speaking voice but still with the same accent. My facial expressions where frowning a lot and doing a lot of chavy poses as he’s still got to keep his bad bod image but really cheeky and cheesy over the mic and he uses his catch phrase a lot ‘’you’ll get used to me ya’d better’’

Curt

Today I really interacted with the audience, in their face drunk, staggering and pointing in their face which got some mixed reaction with the audience a lot found the scene quite funny and a few others I think felt a bit sick because I was sick. I played him really animated and used all the space available on the stage and involved the audience from all stands and angles but it was a little bit difficult to get the left side as the bed was there for the next scene so I just did the best I could. I used a number of different facial expressions mainly the one where he’s about to be sick. My eye contact with the audience was all over the place as he’s that drunk he can’t see straight but at once point I straighten up and stair out a member of the audience and tell them ‘’I’m not supposed to drink with what I’m on’’ hes movements are really big and over the top using different levels and heights one min he’s down to the floor trying not to be sick then next he’s up gazing into the sky in a world of his own. I explore a lot with vocal range constantly changing pitch, building dynamics with the scene then I just got for it let it all out at the end ‘’ should be full of good cheer’’.

 To do this scene I invested a high  emotional range as before the I went on stage I would really get in the mind set of being drunk and with all the being sick part, it really made me feel sick before getting on but this helped a lot on stage for making it look more realistic especially with the heaving it really sounded real and also my eyes were running and I was sweating my hands and body  was shaking and my voice slightly trembling like coming back from a night out once the alcohols starting to leave your system, I really enjoyed this performance I don’t think it went as well as the one earlier as its been such a long day and my energy level were not as high but I still gave it everything and just went for it.

Professor

This evening’s performance has gone really well better than the previous one I felt I just bounced of the audience and the audience’s reactions which they seemed to enjoy it and were laughing along. I really felt the character today once again, like I was really the professor it’s like when I put the costume on I’m really him down to every I do like  his voice, movements facial expressions. Today I really felt I sold the story to audience and they were hooked, listening and watching everything I said or did, using my whole body to sell the story, really animated and creating the scene like we was back in the ‘’woodstone drinking club’’ I made sure a got all sides of the audience involved and really made my facial expressions big and descriptive as I’m telling them the story, I also made my accent and the way I pounced my words a lot more broader and common really northern much more northern than my own ‘’A moved in thend ouse dane road’’ also the way he walked really slow, bouncy with a sneaky edge he just takes his time observing everything that’s going on around him as he’s no rush to be anywhere any time soon, takes life as it comes. For props I used a trolley to keep all my things in this really helped as he had so much things to keep a hold of mainly just bits of crap paper, but when walking with the trolley it really helped create the professor walk and make him look older and different from the other characters I play also all the notes and story he tells are in that trolley its everything his got all he’s worked for and got to show now as he’s ‘’lost me wife me family half me stomach really and now all I’ve got left is this tape and a box full of all me records’’.

Today a felt the scene with Lucy a lot better as it was quicker and flowed and the audience reacted well to us laughing at most of the scene.

I noticed last time I didn’t really have much to do whilst waiting for Annie to get a cig of scullery so I put a camera in my box and started taking pictures while I waited so I wasn’t sat there doing nothing. Playing this character I didn’t feel much emotion was needed  to play the professor as he’s so chilled and laid back he just goes with the flow, plodding along in life, he does what he pleases and gets the attention when he can of anybody who’ll listen to him which he loves doing.

Monday 5^th march 2012

Technical run through!

Today we did a Technical run looking at stage entrances and exits, lighting and music cues and also stage blocking with the set up, it went well for all my characters was very basic nothing overly complex but music and lighting spot on. Today’s gone pretty well considering everything has had to be done in a short period of time with the set and everything, we go live tomorrow and we haven’t yet done a dress run which we will do in the morning, not really worried everybody’s knows the part   and what they’re doing with cue’s, stage directions, entrances and exits etc.  So it should all run smoothly and well tomorrow hopefully.

Costume

Sorted out the costume for the professor, It really suited him and how I versioned him.

·         Tatty squashed glasses

·         Crooked glasses  

·         Dirty tacky shirt and waist coat

·         Dickie bow tie

·         Big green over coat

·         Big Stripped trousers

·         Brogue shoes 

Today we did an exercise to help develop our character in form for an interview, a was asked numerous questions about our characters this really made you think on the spot and really think about things you wouldn’t have before, and create a more in-depth back story .

Professor

Today I used the trolley with the professor it helped me get into character more easily.

Costumes

Today we tried the costumes that were picked out for out characters.

Bisto

Perfect chav outfit, oversized white track-suit bottoms and a big oversized stripped top, with a glitzy disco jacket for his Dee Jay acts.

Professor

Didn’t feel this outfit for the professor totally wrong not how I versioned it was too smart and clean cut unlike the Prof, so need to keep looking!

Curt

Yeah this costume will do shirt and cords like night out attire can make it look slightly scruffy.

Road rehearsals 

Professor

Today a felt a big break through with the Professor, I just went for it, wasn’t conscious or bothered about anybody else and it just felt natural telling the story and just flowed I felt confident and remembered all my lines

Hilary feedback she said ‘’ it was the first time she really felt the story’’

I’ve made professor move and walk quite slow very precise as he always looking around observing the surrounding and he’s not in no hurry to be anywhere particular, I would say this is the right way that he would move as he’s a slightly older guy without a care in the world he just strolls along and does what he pleases. I am finding this roll slightly more difficult to do as it is out of my comfort zone and I’m not really felling the character yet I can vision him but not me as him! 

Bisto

Bisto is sort of chav/scally lad so he’s very bouncy, jumpy pads of energy with like chav swag! Which I feel is spot on for this character and I’m really enjoying playing this role, it’s very free can say what I want and do what I want because the character is very cheeky and he gets away with a lot.

Curt

Curt is highly intoxicated he’s stumbling inn after a night out on the lash so he’s  swinging , falling, subliming everywhere he can beryl stand up, which is also spot on for this character as he’s to drunk to walk.

Today we ran through the interval.

Bisto is coming along well, once all the props and the music are sorted to run the scene with it will make it a lot easier, create more of an atmosphere, but it’s pretty much improvisation with a basic idea of how the scene is going to run.

Once audience are in on the night interact with them go with flow, also I could do with know more of the characters names to do shout outs over the mic.

Ran through the second half of road:

Bisto

The interval eve changed this scene from the script made it total improvisation to suite the audience and the scene, on the night of the show. In regards to the script I’m going to take a few quotes from it as there are some good lines I can use and still keep the scene basic idea of the scene.

On the night we are going to convert one of the art rooms to simulate a 80s public house, were most of the cast members will be their pretending to be getting drunk just enjoying themselves on a night out, all improvised. Once the interval has arrived the audience will be directed to the art room/The Millstone Pub and then are able to get refreshments while all this is going on around them, they can also join in have a dance interact with the characters throughout the interval. Also I will be set up in a Deejay booth playing some 80s classics, mixing on my decks and interacting over the microphone to create the atmosphere of a real night out in a typical pub in the 80s with flashing disco lights and cheesy music and karaoke.

    Curt

Curt coming along really well just need to make sure all the lines just flow and I don’t have to stop and think about them, as and added joke when retching do it right into the audience like you’re going to be sick on them.

Today we did and exercise called Imaginary door / Imagery body its where I choose one of my characters (The Professor) then Hilary lead us to the moment were I  opened the  door and on the other side was the professor as I imagined him stood there, I could see how he stood, his posture, his sneaky looking facial expressions, I could also so see his outfit and how he walked and moved about, this exercise really helped me vision these things as before I’ve only thought about them and not physically visioned or seen them all in action.

Today we also ran through the first half of the show:

Professor

Needs to be more relaxed and natural, talking to the audience like he’s really enjoying telling the story and loving the attention of everybody watching and listening to him. Also I just need to let the scene flow more, create more of a story by being more animated with it and creating a scene, paint a picture to the audience.  

Costume Ideas !!

Professor:

·         Big old tatty over coat

·         Old crooked glasses

·         shirt

·          trousers

·         Waist coat

Bisto:

·         track suit

·         Trainers

·         Stupid cap

Curt:

·         pants

·         shoes

·         Top

·         Jumper/jacket

Did a run through of ROAD

Notes on self:-

·         Professor: needs to be more animated and a lot faster in the scene with ‘’Lane’’

·         Bisto: need to keep the basic idea and lines of the script but ad lib and make it fit round the audience and the situation on the night.

·         Curt: need to be more confident in my lines because I know them.

Over all coming along well just need to keep rehearsing and be more confident in my abilities.