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.