Evaluation of the peformance

General Evaluation of Performance

The play was a success, everyone managed to commit to their roles and live in the world of the play, it was much better than I though it would be.

As we entered the space the atmosphere was tense and exciting. Moving as teenagers in the dark chatting, laughing and throwing paint really engaged the audience because they had no idea what was going on. The paint was really effective because it helped transform us into the nation. However, unfortunately the lighting cue did not occur so we were waiting for a long period of time, this allowed a drop in energy and the audience noticed there was a problem. In order to improve this we could have kept the energy by moving around until the lights came up.

The transition into the sailor scene I believe was quite weak. Rolling out the blue sheets was very difficult and sadly we lost grip so it was not completely stretched out. This occurred because everyone was so full of adrenaline from the previous scene, that the four of us who were stretching out the sheets found it difficult to work together from opposite sides of the room. If we had had more rehearsal time with the blue sheets then the transition would have been slicker but we only introduced them in the performance on the day. However, after this we managed to pull our audience back. The slow motion of the sailors and the dramatic shouting and praying from the balcony created a tense and shocking atmosphere. The use of the balcony to define the ship was very clear because underneath we could see the waves tormenting the ship. The drowning and zombie section I believe went really well because the whispering of 'Imo made the sea', created an eerie atmosphere. We all managed to keep these creepy, inhuman characters throughout the scene and it established the style of the play to the audience. Working as an ensemble in this section was extremely important because we were all playing the same characters and we didn't want to distract audience, because they needed to focus on Mau and his father to understand the events that had just occurred.

The next scene I appeared in was the sea scene. Again we had to work as an ensemble using movement to portray the tide coming in and out. We decided to add the voiceless fricative of 'Shhhh' sounds to make our low swaying movement more believable. The sound was loud so that the audience knew what we were resembling. It was very important for us to be fully committed to the movement because in order for the audience to know what we were, we had to really become part of the sea. This scene went particularly well, the lift with Sam was smooth and we managed to personify the sea, by grabbing at Kit. Our exit was well thought out as the marching introduced the raiders who appeared in the next scene also marching.

During the birth scene all the girls ran on stage and began chanting under their breath. This was effective because it showed the difference between Daphne thinking science and knowledge could help whereas the tribal women believed it was all about women wisdom, and their gods helping them. The lift up helped Amber and Tahlia create the baby shape and the sighs were appreciated by the audience because finally the dramatic screaming and shouting had stopped. Giggling and running after Tahlia was a good exit because after seeing the difference between English and tribal custom we were also able to show the similarities, for example love and romance.

The other ensemble scenes performed in Act one, scene 10, 15 and 16 were also successful. Our tribal chants were powerful and believable and everyone one was fully devoted to the performance. By us all believing we were pigs and dream fish we could convince the audience. The moment I found most difficult was the funeral song because it was changed last minute to only me and Katie singing which made me very nervous.

Overall after talking to the audience, act one was successful however they did find it quite loud and confusing because so many different things were going on. They believed that act two brought everything together and was easier to understand. Scenes one to four were a constant flow, the transitions were smooth, the atmosphere was lively and it was easy to understand. Scene one really created the setting of the tribal village and the happy birthday dance added a modern idea to the play. I particularly liked the hand gesture scene over Jacob because here two scenes were taking place simultaneously and it created a spiritual feeling. We used a similar technique of gestures in the performance of Blackout - http://hollygarciablackoutresearch.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/techniques.html

The scenes I played Daphne in I believe also went well, they flowed from line to line, we got lots of laughs for the grandmother character and the audience believed in the relationship between Mau and Daphne.

Evaluation of myself

One performance skill I used was right at the beginning of the project when we received the script. I decided to break down the script and give myself objectives for my lines and also when on stage as part of the ensemble. This gave me a purpose for being on stage and created an atmosphere, for example when we were all in the watch scene, we all had the objective to look, this meant we were all connected by focusing on the same point so it created a tense atmosphere. Also by marking out my thoughts and analysing the text in my free time it allowed me to learn my lines easier and be able to offer ideas and suggestions during rehearsals so that the directors had more options to review.

Research was an extremely important skill. In order to fully understand the play we had to complete research on tribes, history, Victorians, and prop work. This took lots of time and dedication however it resulted in a more believable play. We also did lots of research on staging ideas. At the beginning of the process we took notes on each scene, collectively thinking of ideas such as the blue material for the wave and the extra steps over the stage. Throughout every rehearsal we made notes on our movements and the staging so we knew exactly where moments would take place. The project was quite technical because it involved lighting, sound and props. however by careful planning it was a success.

In addition I believe I showed effect instincts during the performance, we had a very short space of time in a space we didn't know to rehearse, therefore we had to lead with our instincts. For example when Cox was first talking to Mau I decided to stand on the steps so I was separated from the nation to show the audience I was who Cox was looking for. The play we took on was very difficult therefore we all had to use a lot of imagination. We had to be able visualise the space during rehearsals because we were unable to rehearse in Stanley Halls until the day of the show and also we had to live in the world of the play. We had to be part of the world because the play chosen was not very realistic so we had to believe in what we were doing so that the audience could see it too, for example we had to really believe we were a pig otherwise the audience would just see a group of teenagers in a huddle having a laugh and making noises.

Furthermore in the actual play we had to use voice skills, physicality and emotion. In order to show different characters I used my physicality for example when tribal I was quite low and animalistic whereas when I played Daphne I was upright to show that I was originally Victorian. I also used my voice and body as one when being the sea and performing the tribal chants because they had to work together to portray the character. Voice work was extremely important when adapting to the huge space. I had to project my voice to both sides of the audience and when Daphne I had to articulate and used 'received pronunciation' which I practised in my voice lessons by performing tongue twisters in the warm ups. Emotion was another key skill this could only be achieved by knowing my objectives (my purpose for being on stage) and living and reacting in the scenes.


I communicated my role as Daphne by wearing the orange bracelet and a white dress to show how she was innocent and different to the rest of the tribe, also by using an aristocratic voice and adapting my posture. This play did not allow for television acting, we had to be almost over the top because the space in which we were performing was so big, this meant that any small acting would be lost. Each character I played was changed by size and body. I communicated my intention by the colour of my voice, not throwing away any lines and creating soundscapes for example the sea. Our theatrical conceit was an imaginative concept, in order for the audience to believe in our skateboards as boats, us as teenagers breaking in to an abandoned building we had to believe in it ourselves. The style we performed used simple and subtle props but it was a difficult play. In order for the audience to understand, we had to understand it ourselves by knowing our objectives and believing in the play. There were lots of cross-cutting between scenes, but the intention was clear by the interesting entangled trees, the environment of the sea, pigs and also the use of bandanna's for the raiders. (This was an extremely clever idea by Toby because every time they came on stage the audience was able to recognise them.)


I made a significant contribution to the piece by putting in effort, commitment and not being distracted. I made notes on my script and staging diagrams for every scene even ones I was not in. I committed to the ensemble, turned up to extra rehearsals and helped my cast members when they were unsure. I was prepared for rehearsals by learning my lines, cue lines and ensemble lines in the process, researching lyrics and tribal culture and using diagrams to familiarise myself with the space. Cue lines were particularly important because in some parts 50 people (the ensemble) relied on the same cue line. I also lead in some Thursday rehearsals when people didn't know what they were doing in the 'beer' scene, I remained in character throughout the play and I did not draw attention when in the ensemble. This was a live piece of theatre so I was able to react for the audience and play with what was given in the performance.


I have learnt over the past two years at the Brit school that acting doesn't have to be perfect, it's called a play because we are supposed to play with it, make mistakes in order to find out what feels right. During this project I particularly learnt how to quickly adapt to a space, as an actor we should be flexible and be able to perform anywhere. Also when acting you need to use your time well, be motivated to learn your line and objectives and get the most out of it. I learnt that acting isn't just about the performance, its about the research, prop making and rehearsals, everything done before the performance counts. Acting in an Ensemble means you are not trying to make yourself look good, you should be making everyone else look good because it is as important as performing a monologue. Acting has no limitations, the more practice you have and the more skills and techniques you learn the better an actor you become and you also need to be able to improvise in case things go wrong. Finally Acting is truthful, you are becoming a character, living as the character, everything to do with you should be forgotten in order to become a different person.


I have learnt that personally I am not a very confident person, I get embarrassed over silly things and I find it difficult singing in front of people but I know that confidence doesn't matter because I know that I am willing to try new things and I know its OK to fail. I also learnt that I should have more trust and belief in people because we were able to pull it together in the end. Additionally I need to learn how to stress less and enjoy the rehearsal period instead of worrying all the time because time and energy in the rehearsals pays off. Everyone needs to be at the same level in order for the performance to work well and finally I need to be both selfish and selfless. When I am the focus I need to show my character and project but as part of the ensemble the focus should not be on me. I have learnt that true acting is finding the balance between the former two attributes.

WWW

I remembered my lines, cue lines and objectives so every line sounded like I was saying them for the first time. I took direction well in the end scenes and followed the idea that every scene is a chase scene, for example the spacing in the scene between me, D'nai and Charlie, we all allowed space and directed our lines to the audience. I took good notes which meant I could lead rehearsals on Thursdays. I really enjoyed the physical work especially being a tribal character. Finally I think I worked really hard on my vocal work this term, I was able to control my breathing which was useful alongside the physical work and I was able to project even within intimate moments.


EBI

Our transitions were better on the night but they could have been improved, there were still a few lulls in energy and we should have practised them better in rehearsals and they should have been thought about in more detail. I should have made my physical objectives more clear and researched more about the relationships between characters to be able to show more emotion. Unfortunately lots of us strained our voices through the shouting and chants but this could be improved through voice exercises and learning how to support our voice with our diaphragm. Finally I found it difficult to adapt to the space so I should have gone back to the technique of the dagger and shield and I should have made even more detailed notes because the little decisions and alterations make the play better like the precise chips in a sculpture make it beautiful.

Objectives, rehearsals, exercises

Objectives are very important; http://hollygarciaactingskills.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/objectives.html

As well as being Daphne I was also part of the ensemble cast so I had other objectives for different area of the play.

Stanley Halls:

Dress rehearsal

When entering Stanley halls, we really got excited for the performance, the justice, liberty and science sign really pulled the play together and it was a beautiful space to work in, did two dress rehearsal's one was very slow because we had to adapt to the space, and work with the sound and lighting and the second run through we did without stopping. These were the first time we had performed the play all the way through and in the space.

We all entered the stage as rehearsed, our objectives were to look and to explore the building, we were told in the real performance we would also have powder paint to put on our faces to become part of the play. In the dress rehearsal it allowed me to practice how I would transform from a teenager into a tribal person. When we became sailors and our objectives were to pray, to panic and to balance I was able to take of my coat and jumper and put it into the orchestra pit whilst moving. The objectives then changed to drown and then to stare as zombies at each other and the audience members.
These first three scenes went very well, because we all kept our characters and they flowed smoothly. However me and Eleanor did find it difficult when rolling out the blue sheet to represent the wave, because it was hard to keep hold of it.

The next scene I was in was the sea scene, in this scene we became the sea, I really enjoyed exploring the movement of the scene and I believe we worked well as an ensemble to create the tide coming in and out by having the objective to sway. In this rehearsal we were also able to alter the way in which Sam was lifted to make it a smooth transition. We need to remember in this scene to commit to the sound we are making otherwise it sounds weak and by grabbing kit and fighting for her it made the scene more tense. Furthermore we corrected our exit, we changed this to marking in order to announce the presence of the raiders which appeared in the next scene.

Scene 8 was the birth scene here all the girls sat in a circle and mumbled, our objectives were to pray and to chant. When the baby was born we all stood then sat back down, our objective was to sigh. Then we watched Daphne and Mau (to watch) and when she ran off we did to giggling to show the similarities of the two different cultures in love and relationships.

In scene 10 our main objectives were to dance, to celebrate, to look and to protect when first entering the stage as hungry islanders. The chanting went well, however we had a limited space so it was quite difficult to move within the inner circle, this could have been improved by stretching out the circle more to make an oval shape. I felt we really pulled together on this scene, there was a exciting atmosphere and the song at the end was very successful.

Scene 14 and 15 were the dream scenes. Our first objective was to look, we were all supposed to be looking at Daphne in order to make her feel uncomfortable. The dream fish section was ok but again the transitions were not very smooth because some people did not know the cue lines. As the islanders dancing I decided to really let go, by closing my eyes I imagined no body was watching and it allowed my movement to be free because my objective was to open and to dance freely. The funeral transition was a lot better than it had previously been but the song still wasn't right, therefore for the performance the directors decided only me and Katie should sing it. We added a drop to the floor to transform back into islanders, again our objective was to look, we were waiting for Mau to wake up and also when creating the cave entrance we were looking at Daphne in order to entice her in. This was the end of act one and I believe it was a powerful image to leave the audience with because we were humming and create an interesting atmosphere that the audience were left wondering what was in the cave.

Act two was a constant flow of movement and lines. Scene one begins with islanders going about there normal lives, cooking, hunting and making things. Me and some others then group together to sing happy birthday to twinkle, we perform abstract movement and sing the tune but replace the words with tribal noises. Our objectives then change to look and to watch, we stare in admiration as the god anchors enter and we are also fascinated by the watch twinkle receives. When they talk of opening the cave I chose a different objective, I decide to change to protect and to hide to show my disbelief and how my islander character completely believed in the Gods. We then turn into statues, the only movement we perform is moving the spine to create a ripple affect. Both scene one and two were good in rehearsal because everyone was on their lines, everyone was committed and it was fast moving.

The transition into scene 3 was good we became servants, and walked to the balcony doors where we stood as aristocrats. Here we just had to react to the scene, by laughing , chatting and gasping at the shocking news.

Scene four - we again created the sea to show Polegrave and Foxlip had been washed up on the beach. My objectives in this scene were to touch, to look and to protect. Whilst scene five occurred we cradled the body of Ataba and performed a chanting gesture to show us blessing the body. I believe this was really effective because it showed the atmosphere on two different parts of the island.

Scene six was the trial scene. Here our objectives were to look, and to follow Mau's command. This scene was good however some of the lines were said in the wrong order.

After scene six I became Daphne which I have talked about in the previous post.

Voice Thursday Lessons and Other Rehearsals

We had to arrange some extra rehearsals during lunch and on Friday in order to finish the play and run through scenes. This occurred because we did not realise the sheer scale of the project and the performance date was approaching fast. These happened at lunchtimes, on Fridays and before school. My tribal group decided to rehearsal our tribal chant during scene ten and we changed it to what we made up previously in the lesson because the shoulder lift was too difficult and the transition would take to long.

In our Thursday lessons we were working on voice work, this was extremely helpful for our performance of nation. The main techniques that have helped me are projection, articulation and breath control. The tongue twisters and facial muscularity building really helped when I had to use received pronunciation as Daphne. The semi supine voice exercises helped me when creating sounds-capes and combining body and voice. By evaluating my voice throughout the process of nation in my voice log book I was able to improve the areas I needed to work on.

The rehearsal period was a very long and slow process, some scenes everyone was together, others only the main characters were taken to run lines and sometimes I would just sit and watch a scene. I did find it difficult to adapt to this way of rehearsal because it meant that I did not know what was going on in every scene which made it harder to know scene changes and create smooth transitions.

Approaching my script

What people say about me and what I say about myself

Mau - 'Ghost Girl', 'Are you one of the raiders?', 'I like your language it's very beautiful', 'You were wonderful', 'Because in that world I would never have met you', 'you're a princess'

Ataba - 'Half-bake', 'Foolish girl', 'This is a strong woman'

Pilu - 'Woman's wisdom'

Marisgala - 'Brave girl', 'Brave Woman', 'Strongest and Bravest women'

Locaha -'Crazy Ghost Girl', 'Mad Girl'

Daphne - 'I've gone native', 'I'm a murderer', 'I am your daughter'

Cahle - 'She is a great women', 'Are you watching her sail away?'

Cox - 'so changed. You've let the sun burn your flesh', 'the girl is mine'

Father - 'Most wonderful advantage, she knew about science. Observation and experiment', 'precious child'

Soldier - 'Just a savage'

Grandmother - 'native girl', 'you're first in line to the throne'

Man - 'She was Queen, Got married'

Boy - 'they turned into dolphins'

Who am I?

I am Daphne, a young English girl who has survived a terrible shipwreck. I am a posh girl whose father is 139th to the throne. I live in Wiltshire and was on the way to meet my father in Port Mercier when the terrible storm happened. I have blonde hair, white skin and I speak English. My Mother died in childbirth whilst having my brother who also didn't make it. I have a butler and my Grandmother looks after me, but she is always telling me what to do. I live in a very traditional society, however being on this island I have to adapt to a new way of living, the more time I spend here the more I feel as though I am falling love with this culture, the people and Mau.

What is the present situation?

Foxlip has just died and we have had a trial, now the raiders have arrived and there leader is looking for me. My intention in this first scene is to fight the raiders, to remain powerful and to be open. However when Mau is fighting cox my objective changes to protect because I am praying that Mau wins.

Where am I?

I am on the island, which is hot and humid. We are currently on the beach watching Mau as he fights cox, everything is in slow motion. I sit in the sad praying that Mau will be OK. My other two scenes also take place on the beach.

Costume

In the end I decided to wear the dress, black leggings, a jumper and my denim jacket. After the breaking in scene at the beginning I removed my jumper and jacket to demonstrate that I was becoming part of the play and was now a tribal character.

My scenes - Scene 7, 8 and 9

Scene 7-

In my first scene the given circumstances are that the raiders have just arrived. In this scene my first objectives are to open. I do this in order to show that I am confident in the fight and when speaking to Cox I am showing him that I am not scared of him and I know who he really is. When I say my line to Mau my objective changes to look, here I am looking at Mau giving him support, and I'm looking at the rest of the nation for support for Mau. When I am on stage whilst Mau is fighting my objectives become to protect and to hide, here I am praying to my God that nothing bad happens to Mau and I am protecting myself scared about what the outcome will be.

Scene 8 -

When I enter scene 8 time has passed so the given circumstances are that a few years have passed and I have just been living on the island with Mau and the others. My first objective is to open because I am really excited for twinkle to share his song with Mau. My objective becomes a lot more serious after twinkle has finished his song, it becomes to look. I am searching for an answer, seeing if Mau really has true feelings for me and when he admits them I slightly change objectives I am still looking but I also change to hide because I know I have feelings for him to.

Scene 9-

Scene 9 is the final scene of the play, in this scene a boat has arrived carrying my father but I don't know who is on the boat yet because I have gone off to tell the other Islanders. My first objectives are to look and to open, I am playing with twinkle and when I see my father my objective changes to embrace. I keep these objectives until Grandmother enters, when this occurs my objective changes to, to hide and to protect, because I haven't seen her in a long time and she is quite strict and I don't think she will approve of the new Daphne. Other objectives used in this scene are to stop, to remember and to admit. Right at the end my objective is to look because it is the last time I will ever see Mau again.

Finishing the play

At the end of scene four whilst scene 3 is taken place we one by one place a candle around Ataba's body. The technique needed for this is too work as an ensemble. We have to all be in sync with one another so that two people do not stand up at the same time. The girls then arrange the body for a tribal ceremony, they clean his arms and make him look peaceful. We all then beginning chanting, the words are quite like a whisper so that scene five can be heard. This I think is a very good scene because we all perform different hand movements making it seen really spiritual and interesting to look at. This quickly changes into a new scene the trial scene, we make the post by covering Ataba's body so that it is a smooth transition. The nation then prepares for battle drumming and looking powerful by the stage.

Scene seven is the first scene when I become Daphne. I really need to project my voice in the first line because their is lots of background noise so I need to make sure I am heard. I really think the 'imperfect world' part of this scene is different and shows the contrast off the two worlds. The movement we use has to be really creative and
powerful to show what Mau has to decide between.

In scene eight I need to remember to keep a distance between myself and other actors because otherwise all the energy is lost quickly and everything is clumped together which is not fair for the audience.

Scene Nine is the final scene. it is quite a long scene and personally I find it difficult. In this scene I really need to show my emotions towards my father and Mau. When I first see my father I need to be in shock but also so grateful that he has come to find me. This needs to come across natural and not staged therefore I have chosen to follow the Objectives to look and to embrace. Before this when I am playing with twinkle I need to make sure I have good articulation because my father is supposed to be able to recognise my voice after all these years. After the coronation I have to say good bye to Mau. The advice I was given in rehearsal is to take my time and to allow long moments of silence when doing the tear and smile. Here we are taunting the audience because we are dragging out the scene. When we freeze I have to stay perfectly still so that the scene cross cuts into the man and the two children, and after I kiss him I walk away and don't look back.

Tomorrow is our dress rehearsal therefore, all lines must be learnt, everyone should be committed and people should invest in the play cause if we don't believe in it how can we expect our audience members to?

For costume the Daphne have all decided to wear similar outfit and our hair gets messier as the show goes on from kits being in a bun, to mine being down. We were thinking a dress that could be tucked into denim shorts and a jumper or something over the top. On Monday we are going to see what each other has and decide on our costume. This is a dress that could be a possibility:

Tsunami and Tribal dance

Aftermath of tsunami

The Nation would find it very difficult to survive, All food would have been destroyed and original settlement. They would have to plant new food but it would be difficult because the land would of had a massive intake of water.

For scene ten we perform a tribal scene, in this we need to think about our voice and body. From research lots of stamping and linking with one another is very traditional. Also the voice is often very powerful, it is spoken from the belly in a chant. Chants are often very repetitive bvut the can also be performed in a whisper.

Rehearsals

I decided to re write my scene staging notes because we changed a few things in the lesson. We have now also started act two and have completed scenes one, two and four.

In scene one we are all islanders going about daily life, my group is rehearsing a dance to happy birthday for twinkle. When making up the dance we thought about using strange, big, twisting movements to make it seem tribal. We also have changed our voices for when we sing happy birthday to make it sound sharp and staccato to show a tribal adaptation. In this scene I have the objective 'to look' quite a lot because I am interested by the god anchors and the clock Daphne gives to Twinkle. This scene is all about the atmosphere therefore I as an islander need to constantly be reacting to what the main characters say and the tribal elements of the scene.

Scene Four is also a tribe scene, we run at the beginning to represent the scene and then we turn into islanders intrigued by Foxlip and Polegrave. When Ataba is shot we have to quickly react to keep the tense atmosphere.

These Three scenes are very simple but the lines need to be quick and everyone needs to react to the situation taking place.








Notes from the lesson:
- Need to be focused in rehearsals - always work at distinction level
- Constantly be switched on ad ready (Don't lose concentration and interest after a few minutes)
- Invest in the play
- Have the courage - to do something with your career and to be someone
- A performance can only be as good as the worst person in it
- Know all movements
- Learn lines
- Rehearsals do not finish - during the week look over notes
- Make good notes on staging diagrams
- Fully commit to rehearsals
- Working as an ensemble means that everyone needs to know lines, what they are doing and be committed.
- Energy and transitions are key don't allow lulls

Scene Ten Song

In South Australia I was born, heave away, haul away
In South Australia, 'round Cape Horn, were bound for South Australia

Haul away your rolling king, heave away, haul away
Haul away, youll hear me sing, were bound for South Australia

As I walked out one morning fair, heave away, haul away
'Twas there I met Miss Nancy Blair, were bound for South Australia

There's just one thing that's on my mind, heave away, haul away
That's leaving Nancy Blair behind, were bound for South Australia

And as we wallop round Cape Horn, heave away, haul away
You'll wish to God you've never been born, were bound for South Australia

In South Australia I was born, heave away, haul away
In South Australia, 'round Cape Horn, were bound for South Australia

Scenes 10, 15 and 16

Scene 10

When Mau says 'I have a plan' we all enter from different doors as islanders and say 'No'. We stand in two circles boys and girls and perform a dance relating to the four elements, girls are fire then water and the boys are air and earth. The circles cross over and we spit in the middle to show a ritual is taking place. The steady chanting of beer creates a tribal atmosphere. We then all perform our offerings into the middle in groups using levels, movement and voice in order to create a beautiful picture of all the islanders coming together in order to save a child. In this section we use shoulder lifts and echoes and whispers, in order for this to work well we need to fully go for it and work well as an ensemble. I think this did go well in the rehearsal cause no one cared what they looked like and went full out however I do need to rehearse getting onto Lara's shoulders cause it needs to be slick and look easy.

After the ceremony we go back into a circle and when Mau says 'come' we turn into trees. Becoming a tree we have to create weird body positions and link with others around us in order to make space for Mau and Daphne to travel through. The cue for us to turn into piglets is 'look', here we have to snort and fight for our place by the mother. This occurs in the top corner by the stage.

Finally on Mau's line 'that's it, come on' the piglets disappear and in that same corner in a huddle we enter as tired and hungry islanders, we look around the island and then exit through the doors underneath the balcony slowly.

In order for this scene to look successful we need to have good transitions and work together as an ensemble so that our movement and voice are strong. Other tips given in the lesson were to keep up the energy and open the voice if trying to show you are higher status. To improve we need to rehearse this scene so that everyone knows what they are doing and so that transitions work effectively.

Scene 15

Everyone enters as death, walking around Daphne keeping her always in our sight. Whenever Locaha speaks we freeze in order to show that he is our master and we are controlled by him. We then split into four groups when Mau says 'Run Daphne'. We then become dream fish, we cross the centre and then move around. In order for this to be effective we have to use our whole body to create a ripple effect to make it seem magical.

When Daphne says 'I cant', we turn into islanders, I have chosen three actions, lighting the fire, chopping and stirring a pot. This is all in mime so the actions have to be really clear so that the audience will understand what we are doing. We then notice a telescope in the middle of the stage, between the rows of audience. We start dancing with happiness to create a contrast between our happy atmosphere and the voice of Locaha. We laugh and dance to ourselves not realising what is happening between Locaha and Daphne. Then when Mau says 'it's coming' we notice a huge wave coming from the balcony, we scream in terror and run to the sides of the room.

Finally we create the funeral scene, I am a mourner. We walk in a group, two people are carried representing the dead mother and baby. As we begin to sing we walk to the edges of the room while the coffins are lowered to the ground. Daphne then has her speaking bit when she places the baby into the mothers arms.

To improve this scene we need to all learn the words to the song, again like scene 10 there are lots of changes in setting therefore we need our transitions to be smooth in order for the scene to be effective. Also because this is a magical scene everything needs to be clear and easy to understand because it might be difficult for the audience to grasp what is happening.

Scene 16

After scene 15 we stay in our circle around Mau, Daphne and the other principal characters. When Marisgala says 'dream fish' we do a quick arm action to represent the fish connecting it back to the previous scene. After this we begin to hum and echo 'what does it mean' as the circle splits and moves round to the entrance of the cave (the door under the balcony). Here we are trying to draw them into this magical cave to show there is more to come in Act Two.


Through all of these scenes the main techniques we are using are ensemble, lifts and changing the voice which I have spoken about in my previous post: http://nationhollygarcia.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/scene-7-and-11.html

Scene 7 and 11

During this rehearsal we devised the two raider scenes. Even though I was not chosen to be in these scenes, I was able to watch and learn lots of techniques from my fellow class mates. This are the theatrical techniques we used in the lesson.

Ensemble

Working as an ensemble means that everyone should work together with both voice and physicality in order to create a single effect.

This was done both physically and using voice. Ensemble was used throughout to show that the group of raiders worked as one. Some of the moments I thought were particularly goo were when the raiders entered in formation. They all performed the same arm movements and used there voices to show that they were a pack that worked as one. The use of the 'who, hah, hee' sounds were particularly effective because it demonstrated that they did not speak the same language and they were tribal people.

To improve the ensemble work they all need to be focused and know what they are doing in order to show they are a group that attacks and lives together. Ensemble was a key technique in both scene 7 and 11 and where essential for some of the other techniques that I will be talking about later.

Lifts

In the scenes we used lifts in order to include levels. This was done in order to show status and emphasise the characters.

To carry Cox onto stage, Courtney used a fireman's lift in order to carry him safely. We also performed throws with Danny over head, The raider chief was lifted in order to show his status as well as the throw for his death and for Edgar and Hector two lifts were performed. The first was them being tied to a poll and carried by two people with the carpet poll on their shoulders and the second was being lifted upside down to show they are slaves and not important to Cox.

In order to perform these lifts the base needs to be strong and the raiders have to work as an ensemble in order to create a stable structure for the person to feel comfortable in. Whenever they rehearse these lifts they need to be careful and complexly focused because if not the lift could go wrong and there could be serious consequences.

Stylised movement

The way that the raiders moved was very important, they had to move quite animalistic and also act aggressively.

This was shown in the march section where they use the arm signals, also when cox becomes the leader we see the x turn to a cross in order to show the different leadership. Also when cox is in the circle talking about the bishop we see the pack working together hunched over and growling, scared and confused by this strange being.

In order to improve their movements they need to be a lot more free with their movement, constantly acting defensive and be growling in order to show they are not civilised people, they are cannibals.

Cross cutting/Double scene

Cross cutting is when you cut from one setting to another.

In scene seven we see cox entering a dream state, he believes he is back in Wiltshire with the bishop, Ermintrude and his boy. In order to show that he thinks he is home but actually is still on the island he uses the raiders to represent the people he is talking to, Cox also spins around on the floor to show that he has gone slightly insane and doesn't know what is happening.

In order for this to be effective the raiders need to act very scared of cox and confused at what he is talking about. They must be protective of each other and Cox needs to show that he has gone mad, by having quick changes of thought and not noticing what is going on around him.

Transitions

Transition are slick movement from one movement to another.

Transitions are key in these two scenes in lifts, when creating the chain and dragging the bodies. They are also important for those with lines because they need to be quick sharp and there should be no pauses otherwise the energy will be drop. They need to be able to lift and dismantle in a matter of seconds otherwise the audience may loose interest.

In order to achieve this they need to practise the lifts and transition so that they are quick and clean and they need to be constantly focused and know when there lines are supposed to be said

These two scenes were created in a short period of time and they include an immense amount of detail, therefore I would suggest to those in the scenes that they practice the lifts and transitions regularly so that when we come to do these two scenes again they will know exactly what they need to do.

First rehearsal

In this rehearsal we worked from the beginning of the play to the end of scene two.

Prologue

In the prologue we worked as an ensemble looking around the space, investigating and chatting to one another. In order to make the entrance affective we enter from different doors in order to give the audience the idea of chaos and children breaking in to this abandoned building. I enter through the fire exit and we are the pin ball group, this means that we have to be darting around the room in order to keep the energy up. In order to work as an ensemble we have to interact with one another and keep the transitions smooth and slick.

When clay enters as Mau, everyone creates a circle around him, this is so the audience only focus on him. when he shouts 'Mah!' we all scatter away as birds. In order to make this realistic we searched up different birds looking at the sound they make and the way they move. We then hide away at the edges of the room.

In order to improve the prologue I need to be constantly on the go when searching the building otherwise it may get boring after a while for the audience and also i really need to in body the bird. No one should be embarrassed about doing it because if we all do it well the audience will understand what we are trying to convey.

Scene One

This is the scene on the sweet Judy. We have set it so that the scene takes place on the balcony so that the audience can represent the scene. After all the lines the boys lift Mau in order to represent him being carried by the waves. As they do this the girls fall and twirl to the floor in order to represent the drowned sailors. I need to not fall onto the floor as quickly as I did in rehearsal because I need to take my time and use my facial expressions in order to represent the drowning sailor. As we fall to the floor we fall in uncomfortable strange positions to show the strength and power of the wave.

I believe this is very effective because when Mau stands up with all our bodies on the floor it shows how alone he is, and how many have died.

Scene Two

In this scene we all start hitting the floor in unison and we sing the 'Imo' song. In order for this to be effective we all need to know the lines, sing in the same rhythm and work hard as an ensemble in order to recite the song.We them begin standing one by one creating weird body shapes as we get up to show that we are no longer human. Mau runs around and we he takes us we scream fall to the floor and curl off. In this section we have to be really experimental with our bodies because we are supposed to be Locaha's people, therefore we cannot act normal.

We then stand and shake one part of our body to represent zombies and as Locaha passes we create a Mexican wave to show our alliance with him. The wave needs to be big and dramatic because it also represents the tsunami that happened at the beginning of the play.

Lyrics - Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.

When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

Then the traveler in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.

In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.

As your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the traveler in the dark.
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.

Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.

Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
How I wonder what you are.
How I wonder what you are.

Scene Idea Notes

Our Research and THE BIG IDEA

We gathered up information and here is where kitty put it together into a presentation...

https://prezi.com/embed/e9ssjnjgdyys/?bgcolor=ffffff&amp%3Block_to_path=0&amp%3Bautoplay=0&amp%3Bautohide_ctrls=0&amp%3Bfeatures=undefined&amp%3Btoken=undefined&amp%3Bdisabled_features=undefined

Our Idea

We were given scene Four the beach.

We think Mau should begin on the stage, on the island when he is speaking to Imo. Daphne should be just under the Balcony looking through a telescope. She should then begin walking forward so that she is in between the Audience and should say the lines 'He looks troubled...'. Meanwhile Milton will stay on board the shipwreck so the performance is spread across the building.

Daphne will make her way onto the stage in order to say 'Good Morning' and will continue to talk until Mau charges towards here. Mau and Daphne will then run between the audience into the see. Daphne will use an umbrella from a member of the audience in order to represent the gun. They will continue to talk here until Daphne exists (shown on the Diagram).

Finally the |Grandfathers will be based in the orchestra pit and as they talk the audience will only see their hands to show they are spirits and are no longer living.

Sources

Source One
The British Museum
18/01/15
http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/cultures/oceania/polynesia.aspx

Source Two
Wikipedia
18/01/15
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polynesians

Lesson One

My First Impressions

After reading the play with the rest of the class I noticed the play had a very religious and spiritual significance throughout. I also thought it was interesting how it incorporates both religion and science and suggest how some religious beliefs are formed around the knowledge of science, for example the drink that is poison unless you spit in it and wait for the chemical reaction to take place so that it neutralises the poison. This shows religion and science colliding and working as one. A group said they see the play as a mixture of Tarzan and Eldorado which gives us an idea of the story line and a clearer picture of how it should look.

Furthermore there are a lot of scene changes, therefore we need to be able to have props in the play to show where we are and change the setting, so the space needs to be flexible.Luckily we have found a Victorian building which fits the concept of the play brilliantly and will allow us to adapt the space. Some fun aspects of the play are the songs, chants and dances because I believe we can really make them our own and they will be parts of the play that all of us can join in and do together as the nation. One of the more difficult tasks will be the animal interaction areas with the sharks and dolphins because we will want to make it as believable as possible.

Overall the whole play is centred around nature and we see this is a story that is being passed on to children at the end of the play. I can see how the nature has power over the people and because of the great wave we see their survival instincts taking over. In the play we will be exploring the contrast of cultures by costume, speech and the difference between Victorian England and islanders from Polynesia. Other issues such as colonisation are explored and we see through Daphne that she is an influential character because even though she is a woman she can think for herself, understands science, adapts to island life and is able to fall in love by herself. These things would not be common for women in the Victorian period.

There are some areas of the play that are going to be difficult to show, for example the language barrier might be difficult and the supernatural elements that Terry Pratchet has included like the fight scene on water. In order to achieve a believable performance we will need to make the space come alive and keep the transitions and energy high and fast moving.

Polynesia

The islands of the eastern Pacific are known as Polynesia, from the Greek for ‘many islands’. They lie across a vast stretch of ocean from Hawaii in the north, to New Zealand in the south and Easter Island in the east. The western Polynesian islands of Fiji and Tonga were settled approximately 3,000 years ago, whilst New Zealand was settled as recently as AD1200.

In the past, Polynesians were skilled navigators and canoe builders, creating double-hulled vessels capable of travelling great distances. Their societies were hierarchical, with the highest ranking people tracing their descent directly from the gods. These gods were all powerful and present in the world. Images of them were created in wood, feathers, fibre and stone. (Source One)

The Polynesian people consists of various ethnic groups that speak Polynesian languages, a branch of the Oceanic languages, and inhabit Polynesia. (Source Two)

Staging Idea - Magic Moment

My group had an idea for the beginning of the play when Mau is talking to his father. While they are talking we thought the nation could be forming a circle around the father and son wearing masks. When Mau tells them to remove their masks they will be facing outwards towards the audience and one by one they would remove their masks and fall to the floor creating a domino affect. When falling they would be distorted and screaming making it scary and interesting for the audience to watch.