This evaluation is both self-analysis, feedback received by
peers (and audience) and lectures.
Unit 28:
Development of Acting Skills
LO 2.2 – Personally I believe that I used minimal acting skills
in this role, yes I was a character but because I was a narrator I felt I was
simply telling a story at points, I didn’t really have any objectives or subjective
to work with. This is mainly because my character was improvised.
There was no depth to the character more just a facilitator which didn’t leave me room to explore or create anything with her, but helped the flow of the piece. When it came to feedback and watching the performance on video; then I got ideas for an emerging character which could be developed.
There was no depth to the character more just a facilitator which didn’t leave me room to explore or create anything with her, but helped the flow of the piece. When it came to feedback and watching the performance on video; then I got ideas for an emerging character which could be developed.
If there were to be another performance of this play then I
could have made my character The Narrator, an astral projection of “Ziggy”; the
mentioned friend/real person spoken about in The Speakers speech.
After Ziggy’s failed suicide attempt she has been left “brain
dead”, now that I have time to think about her more, I like the thought of her
being a character that wonders off in her mind and manifest out her body trying
to help people like her.
If I had thought of this before then I could have built a
narrator who had the objective to make the audience want to help and get more
involved, I also think I would have created supreme objective of urgency
because she could see what direction was heading in. I think this could have
helped me developed as an actor thinking about factors behind why my character
wants to save others and how she could. And I believe it would have helped the
overall performance because it could have created a more “character driven
narrative”.
Unit 29: Devising
Performance
LO 1.2 A range of techniques used by companies to devise a performances is by producing stimuli for the cohort:
- Artefacts - Photographs, paintings, masks, props, costumes, sculptuers, art objects.
- Music
- Newspaper and magazine articles
- Poetry
- Extract of plays text
- Book extracts
- Films, TV, video stills or clips
- Live theatre performances
LO 1.3 With my group the techniques we used were marking the moment, narration and cross cutting. We marked the moment two times in the piece and both times we did it in a literal way by highlighting the centeral actor/actors on the stage with a stop light, e.g the arguement between Chelsea and Alex: the action was frozen around them the rest of the ensemble blackedout and a spotlight on them for the arguement, we chose to mark this moment because its when his life takes a turn for the worst and we wanted the audience to think is it because of the break-up that leads him to want to take his own life? A second mark the moment in our piece is when Alex (being played by Jon) is cutting his wrist, we used music and the higlight to create tension in the piece which we hoped would play on the audiences emotions so they could empathise with the character; this is because with promenade performances the audience inhabit, not just watch, a space.
LO 4.1 My group was fortunate enough to have two opportunities to have
feedback on our performance. The first time was directly after the performance,
whilst the rest of the ensemble began singing Jon and Sinead gave out balloons,
once the singing had ended they asked our audience “if you thought we have portrayed
our piece in a sensitive and educational light then please pop your balloons”.
At the time every single person popped their balloons, which I think speaks
volumes and we can class that as a success.
We went for that method of evaluation, because it was a
risk; risk being the overall objective of the whole project, and because we
wanted to do something outside the box which wasn’t the generic questionnaire.
LO 4.2 I think one way we could make have made our evaluation
method better is by having put a rolled up brief questionnaire inside the
balloons or if we had had time then we should have set up a web blackboard or a
physical one where people could anonymously post what they thought, how it
affected them and offer more portals for help on suicide prevention in case
anyone in our audience really needs that kind of help/advice.
Another feedback that we got a lot was interest in the ‘Aspirations’
at the start if the play, to us the cast and creators the characters where
facilitators and a means to an ends to symbolise the lack of aspiration dreams
and plan for a future that our protagonist Alex had, over they aroused great curiosity
in the audience and they wish for them to be “explored and developed more”.
If we were to perform this piece again we could work in
making the play more “character driven” and developing those characters briefly
glimpsed at the start. Companies such as Grid Iron who mainly only do sight specific performances adapt their pieces to new sites when touring their work or they adapt it to the stage. Our group had the opportunity to adapt it to the stage but we thought ours definately needed the sight for it to have the same impact, what regret is thats we didn't take the 'risk' and try to adapt it to the stage.
UNIT 73: Voice and
Speech Development and Practice
Once I was assigned the part of narrator and I knew that we
were doing a promenade performance that would take me into a vast space
outdoors I knew my voice would be my biggest tool that I would have to hone
during this performance.
LO 4.2
LO 4.2 Knowing this I explored relaxation methods and did previous
singing exercise I had been thought to retain breath for longer. Such as counting in the air and focusing on
the diaphragm. Doing exercises such as “pulling the purse string” this is where
you focus on the diaphragm and clip it almost taunt whilst pushing air at the
same time.
Other areas I worked on was pitch and tone because I was
speaking for a very long time, it was almost like a scrolling monologue so when
it was appropriate I changed me tone and emotion behind the words. Such as the
walk from point “B to C” when I began shouting “BECAUSE HE WANTED TO SHOW THEM
HE COULD DO SOMETHING RIGHT, SOMETHING ON HIS OWN!”
I had to maintain my volume and clear voice but inflict a
painful and angry tone.
LO 4.2 From the audience stepping back and appearing taken aback
when I did that I think that was successful.
However because my character was emotionally limited I
believed I was also vocally limited when it came the emotional I could inflict
into my voice and tone; that is a failure on my part because this could have
been the time that actually got to explore emotionally.
Bibliography
Web sites used:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/drama/exploring/textsrev1.shtml
http://dramaresource.com/resources/features/devising-theatre
http://www.gridiron.org.uk/CompanyBackground.aspx
http://www.scottisharts.org.uk/1/artsinscotland/drama/features/archive/themepromenade.aspx
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