The Box, Working in the Theatre and Final Rehearsal Notes

So its january. There is no Rehearsing anymore. Every run is a performance.

We have been running the show over and over and over. i have been taking a lot of notes in these runs because I think its constructive to have my  feedback along side that of the directors just so I know what I need to do, as well as everyone else.

Here is an example of the notes. Im not going to post them all because they are often very small things, however I think its interesting to see how these notes shaped the final piece. of course we will keep having notes until the final show. This just indicates the attention to detail, reoccurring problems and areas where more clarity is needed.

- pressure out at times 

- overall time 1.48 hours 

- act 1 scene 3 BANNERS decide who brings them on? 

- act 1 scene 4 really Hoover 

- act 1 scene 7 mark Alice Jesse, medium spread out

- act 1 scene 11 both mark and Amir voices too small 

- act 1 scene 12 alpha circle too sloppy 

- act 1 scene 13 phoebe get the play back after shit scene ENERGY 

- act 1 scene 15. DEAD

- party scene so dead

- act 2 scene 2 lines throwing away WORK THE LINES 

- josh straight in on line. Closing the gaps 

- act 2 scene 6 , park john hit energy in speech to make it work! ENERGY. park goers to saggy. Play objectives.

- act 2 scene 7 ENERGY ENERGY ENERGY. The pressure needs to be built . Work the words and do not perform average sentences. 

- act 2 scene 11 pressure going out of the whole play. Loads of average acting on stage. RAISE THE PRESSURE. 

- act 3 scene 1 Edith throwing away lines and mark. 

- act 4 scene 1, listen to your words john! 

-  song start needs to be sharper.  Heads down on break down 

These notes indicate that the most important thing we must do it pick up the energ. push it through every line and use it to connect scenes. 

Reminding ourselves....What is good acting?

Listening 

Imagination 

Instinctual choices 

Experimenting/  discovering 

Consistant characterisation 

From constantly running the play we need to remember what good acting is. Its so easy to forget this in a dress or tech but its so vital to keep the scenes different and alive. Will gave us this list and i think its just great to look back at before we go into the theatre and perhaps before each show because it the fluster of the theatre these can often disappear.

Tech

We have entered the theatre and its the friday before opening night. The Box is here. Not completely painted, squeaky and heavy. But its fine because we are staying positive. The  set looks amazing. The two levels indicate a hierarchy as number ten really quite high up and the rest of the scenes happen below. Going up on the platform for the first time was strange because it is so far above the audience and Im slightly concerned about playing that space. However it will look interesting.

You can see here the Box, Number 10 on the balcony and the home area. As you can see the projection is slightly off, this is what made the tech run so slowly. By the end of friday we had only managed to plot the first ten minutes of the play.  The problem was making sure that the box hit the mark so the projection would work. Once the projection did work it looked really good as the box swings on a ration like an airpot door, that is actually specific to act 1 scene 2.

Here you can see a picture of the box in design. It is going to be far more mobile by monday morning, as we finish the tech. The Box turns into the american house, Marks kitchen, the Bank in act 1 scene 3 and the interrogation rooms. In the picture above you can see the mini model of the Box. The flipping door turns into a countertop. In the tech run a number of problems occurred in regard to props, one interesting resolution was to velcro the chopping board to the counter top. This meant it could be left on the inside of the box for the majority of the scenes.

So its monday and above is a quick picture of the Box. Over the weekend the box has been made far lighter and quieter. We all new this was going to happen it was just tricky on friday in terms of moving it. Above Gus as Amir Hamidi is sitting in the box. This is where I feel like the box is most effective as the lighting and props creates cold but intense feel. This box movement is relatively easy in comparison to the others as opening the box is still easier than moving the box. The box movements are being done by the actors onstage and look good at points especially considering how hard it is.

Dress Run

Ive been really happy with my costume as I sorted it myself, It makes me feel  older and more important as its slightly more formal than anything I would ever wear. Moving on, the first dress run for me was slightly daunting despite being in the space for two days prior it still felt slightly disjointed. I didn't feel like I was listening because I was too worried about projecting. Furthermore the at the end of my second speech I really hurt my hand. This distracted me through out the rest of the performance as I was in a lot of pain.  However seeing the final scene, with everyone singing was truly beautiful. I missed the second dress run  as I was at the hospital, I found myself panicking to get back on time but I had no choice but to be calm and get back. I didn't want to perform on shityourself energy.

Evaluation

Performing '13' has been so great. We created a world and invited our audience into it. I feel as though we took each characters story and intertwined them with great energy which eventually lived through every scene. Our three performances were all very different and there were definitely moments that were testing but I have learnt more than I could have imagined about performing, listening and being present. The audience constantly reminded me of what this play was about and how certain moments impacted the play. I feel as though this applies to every member of the cast as we were always making new discoveries and this is really exciting. 

Opening night was in my opinion the play where I was most present. I think this is because Will said before we went on 'Dont try to be good, just listen.' This really stuck with me and became somewhat of a mantra to me throughout the season. However In this performance it was fresh in my mind. During this performance my favourite moment was when Ruth and Steph have a drink together. Phoebe and I really connected and lived through the scene. She was listening to me and I to her. There was a really nice moment where we weren't even speaking we just both genuinely laughed as our characters  at what I had just said, which felt rooted in our relationship. The audience also lifted us because they were laughing at the lines and I must admit it was so hard not to play it for laughs I had to fight to keep listening as dramatic as that sounds. This is something I know a lot of the cast struggled with, especially Nina as Edith. This is because Edith is such a fantastically eccentric character to play and Nina works so well as her. In every show the audience laughed at almost everyone of her lines.  However I know that Nina was living through that scene  the whole time because when you watch her as Edith she has a lovely dreamy kind of focus which never wavers. 

The second show for me was a test and if Im honest I played it from memory. The time before are performances was limited and from this I realize the importance of a really intense warm up. I read through my scenes before the show but its hard to get back into something that quickly and this all comes down to my own naivety about performing. The section I struggled most with was my speeches. I wasn't present I was in a memory of the show the week before and I wasn't strong in my focus. This was probably because I knew my peers were watching and I was focused on pleasing the audience and not performing. However Jesse as Rachel was not remembering. She was present and listening in every scene and wasn't scared to play and make discoveries. The split scene between Rachel and Amir and Ruth and Dennis was driven by Jesse in this show, Gus needed to listen to what she was saying more because he was slightly frantic, so many kore discoveries could have been found if he just slowed down. 

However in the second show lines seemed to disappear  Myself included. I feel like this is because we didn't look at the play for a whole week, However when performing in a split scene its vital that every line is continuous and in the right order. Josh never managed to say his line in the right place which was frustrating as That was my cue. After the first show I pointed this out but it continued to happen, the scene was apparently very interesting to watch because the focus was constantly changing and a created a climactic moment before the interval.

In every single piece the Beginning of the second wast electric. The whole audience was immersed and it was so exciting to watch. The audience were involved and in my opinion it set up a great energy for the second half. According to members of the audience I spoke to another captivating aspect of the piece was the box. This is something that fueled anxiety backstage but was so effective. Especially In scenes where it posed as the police station. I feel like it added so much to the piece as it shaped the lower section of the set. However it occasionally made noise during scenes and especially in the second show. This was a design fault and didn't take away from the action on stage. Adding to this the lighting in the dream section was really effective, a member of the audience later told me it made them feel uneasy, combined with the itching, searching ringing movement it was really quite strange. This worked really well in each performance, but closing the box in the last section was sometimes tricky as Molly couldn't find the pins. Especially in the last performance. Despite this is still looked interesting.

‘Listen to what you are saying.’ In the last show I really began to think about listening to what I was saying. In the previous performance my lines has got into and rhythm “the iranian regime is simply put brutal” I felt like I was trapped in the same delivery with lines like this. However during the last performance I listened to myself. It worked and especially in the last scene which for me worked so beautifully.  Gavin Phoebe and I listening and talking into one another. This scene evolved through each performance and I feel like all three of us were driving the climax. The play as a whole allowed 13 strong characters to tell a story of failure. the choral singing at the end of the second half   worked so beautifully and  bought the piece to moving end. I have learnt to play a tricky space, understood the importance of listening and began to live in the moment. 

    

Approaching the Scripts and Rehearsal Notes

Act 1 Scene 6:

In todays rehearsal I was able to Meisner my speech. My speech is performed almost as a lecture at a london university. For some reason when I entered the space I got really nervous. Nerves have always been something I struggled with but its odd to happen in a rehearsal. 

Who am I?

Stephanie Crossley.  Doctor of theology and atheist theorist. Single. 52. white British. high status.

What is the present situation?

Giving a lecture . Its the morning and Im speaking about God. Im teaching. People are listening and want to hear what I have to say.

Where am I?

 London University. Potentially UCL. SOAS.

Where was I before this began? 

On the tube. coming from Notting Hilll Tube station. I live in Notting Hill. 

Feedback:

- Listen to everthing thats going on inside and outside the room. This will allow you to be in the moment. 

- Use the people, If people aren't listening get there attention. Make eye contact with people. This will allow you to be instinctual. 

- Carry the information in the consonants and the emotion in the vowels. You are delivering information. You are teaching.  

What did I learn: 

From this rehearsal I learn that using the audience is vital. for me to be in the moment I have to listen to peoples reaction of what Im saying because its the only reaction I have. I can be so much better if I learn my lines inside out. i always know my lines for a rehearsal but I need to know them so well that I could do them in my sleep. Furthermore I need to work on my articulation to carry information within my speech. I mist say I don't feel as though I have my character at all. I feel like once I establish this I will feel more comfortable with the speech. 

Blocks: 

 I dont know how to use my physicality when speaking. 

How will I get through this block? 

By experimenting with physical opportunities and experimenting with character physically. 

 Omniscience: having complete or unlimited knowledge, awareness, orunderstanding; perceiving all things.

Omnipotence: Having unlimited or universal power, authority, or force; all-powerful.

Act 1 Scene 17:

Who am I?

Stephanie Crossley

What is the present situation?

Having a drink with an old friend. Ruth, the current prime minister of britain. Friends since university. 

Where am I?

At number 10 downing street. London. In Ruth’s office. 

Where was I before this?

Before this I was in a cab, on my journey from UCL. Where I had been lecturing. 

Feedback:

• This scene needs to show a change in gear from both Ruth and Steph. 
• Close the gaps. Its really important for the conversation to grow. 
• Work on Steph Ruth’s Relationship. Its not clear at the moment.
• Meisner the scene. Listen to one another. 

What have I learnt/ what do I feel?

This scene needs to be playful. phoebe and I need to make more offers to another. Seeing as this is the first time we have looked at the scene we were both focussing on our lines and phoebe was using a script which really restricted physically. However we are going to Meisner the scene in our own time and hopefully begin to establish a relationship. 

Revisiting the scene:

Phoebe and I have had a session where we worked independently meisnering the scene. We both need to speak into one another more and its really hard not to find conflict within the repetition exercise because its so easy to find conflict. Using  imagination to create our back story in this scene is interesting. We looked at the lines ‘you danced so hard you nearly knocked the rectors teeth out.’ ‘He got in my way.’ we played with the context of line being that Ruth had always denied this story and Steph just winding her up. It was a nice moment because We both felt a slight connection. 

I feel like Im comfortable enough in this scene to really play now So next time we run Im definitely going to try and find deeper connections and simply rely on my instincts, listen and see what comes out of it. if its rubbish then its rubbish. 

Vox Popull vox dei: The voice of the people is the voice of god. 

Act 2 Scene 17:

Who am I?

Stephanie Crossley

What is the present situation?

I have seen John for the first time. I don’t like John. I mock john because I think he’s a joke. I once tought him at university. We have contrasting ideologies in terms of religion and Im angry because he left my good friend with no explenation of her sons death.  I am on my way home.

Where am I?

In a london park. Near Notting Hill 

Where was I before this?

At a meeting in central london. 

Feedback:

- Dont close the space off, play three sides and listen to everything thats going on. 

- Enter from D and exit on C. 

- React to the rain. Play the Given Circumstance. 

- Talk into each other. 

Blocks: 

1. 

I dont know how to react to Holly and Johns conversation. 

How will get through this block?

I feel like I need to really look at the lines they are saying and have an opinion. I need to establish a relationship with John. 

2.

I dont know where to put myself when speaking. It doesn't feel real.

How will i get through this block?

Breath into the stomach. Become present. Listen, react and use the head and chest opposition technique to play three sides. 

What did I learn?/ What do I feel?

This scene is really hard for me. Im not feeling a connection and it needs to be much faster. I feel like Pip and Leah need to interrupt more quickly and bring a bit more energy into it. Also I feel really awkward when Im in the space. This is something that is really annoying me because I don't feel like Im physically present as Stephanie. This is something I need to work on by I feel like mine and Gavin's character's need to Figure out a more interesting dynamic. 

Revisiting the Scene (1):

So in our run through of the first half This scene seemed slightly better. However the energy still wasn't quite there, pip and Liyah need to be even faster on there ques because those pauses are where the energy dipped. I feel like Im more able to become frustrated with Gavin's messiah like characterisation, because his reactions were vague. Despite this I still felt slightly unsure, perhaps this is my insecurity mixed with a lack of characterisation. 



Revisiting the scene (2):

In our most recent run of the play as a whole I found I was least energetic about this scene. Above is a picture of scene (Im on the other side of Gavin) I realise that in this scene I feel almost like Im speaking to know one. This is because the piece is directed on three sides meaning and the group of park goers (the girls and the brolly) are giving the right bank something to watch and I am doing the same for the left. I need to stop feeling lost and play the space.  What else really helped was that I actually remembered to bring in my satchel. I never thought it would make much different but the props (bag, notepad, pen) gave me loads more objectives on stage and I felt like I had more purpose.

Getting Organised and creating a clear journey with objectives in the world we have created

Above is one page of the chart I made. It establishes every scene I am in, why Im in it and my purpose, Objectives and Props. Will told us to do this because it shows clearly where we need to be when. I feel like this will be really beneficial to all of us because it leaves no room for confusion and in  a play which is so incredibly fast and building in tension theres not even any room for confusion.

Half Way mini Evaluation

  

So we are halfway! I feel ;like the play is in a positive place and things will really start to come together once we have the BOX. When running the piece my main note would be that transitions cant kill the pressure building in the play!

Talk about Iran aka Act 3 Scene 5 

This is my second monologue of the play. With my first I actually struggled quite a bit to connect with one I was saying because I felt there wasn’t much substance. However over time the speech developed and become more honest. I hope the same happens with this one. 

What I need to do to make it effective?

        CARRY INFORMATION IN THE CONSONANTS    
    

+

CARRY EMOTION IN THE VOWELS 

I am delivering an explanation for why Britain should invade Iran. Other than that of a Nuclear crisis.I am clearly informing the audience of the oppressive nature of the regime. Its so important that I convey this clearly because it raises the steaks and adds perspective to the piece. 

Feedback:

• Be passionate. Speak with purpose and realize the steaks more.  
• Be more decisive in the movement, at the moment Im moving unnecessarily. 
• speak to people listen to the room and play off of that. 

Revisiting the scene:

IM JUST REPEATING THE SCENE. I did this scene in todays run and Im just repeating, Will pointed this out to  me and I new it myself already. This is something I already new. I then did the speech again with everyone listening. This made all the difference as everyone was listening I was able to speak into people, change my emphasis and just play. People giving me there attention was great because Ive felt like my scenes are often talked through as they don't seem to be as 'interesting' as other peoples.


Act 4 scene 8:

This is my final scene. its really line heavy and I must say Im quite nervous about it. I don't know how to play my illness and be clear about whats going on at the same time.

What is the present situation?

Ruth has asked me to come in and participate with the talks she is going to have with john. Ruth is about an hour away from making her decision on Iran. John is trying to hold her back and Steph (I) is trying to encourage her.


Where am I?

Number 10 Downing street. Ruth's office.


Where was I before this?

At home in NottingHill

Above is a diagram of what our blocking tends to look like. I feel like its a bit stiff and don't really agree with exact blocking. However all three of us do need to be seen by the audience. its an important scene which builds and could be exciting. We have made some really big cuts to the scene because its incredibly long and wordy and in my opinion a bit rigid and dull.

Feedback: 

- 'it hurts to be so passionate.' use that passion when speaking, bring it out from the character.

- What are you trying to do to the other character? You must always being think about your Objective.

- Listen to each other. This will help you realise the steaks.

How I feel?

I feel as though Im talking to Ruth and john but nothing is going in. I need to listen to what Im saying and establish what I want to do to change the other two characters emotional landscapes. This will be achieved through finding strong objectives. Furthermore I don't know how to carry the illness through this scene and still being clear. What I am doing in this scene is giving another perspective so its important I am able to be understood but at the same time I have to become incredibly ill. Lastly I feel as though this scene must be 'meisnered'.  We need to find ways of listening through long sections of dialogue.


'Meisnering' the scene:

Today Phoebe, Gav and I had an independent rehearsal in the hut. It was really nice to work with just us in the room because we could focus purely on this tricky scene. We meisnered the scene about 5 or 6 times and I think It made a difference as we made a lot of discoveries through playing.

Discoveries:

- Steph mocks John. 'But by all acounts the muslim brotherhood are pretty tech savy John!' This line is one of many examples that I found myself delivery with a mocking tone.

- Steph can over power Ruth. Ruth is tired of this.

- John breaks. This calm exterior is in some ways a facade. Hes passionate like Steph but in a more aggressive way.

-Both John and Steph want Ruth to agree with them. Its a battle.

Revisiting the Scene:

In todays run of act two this scene was far better than any time we have done it before. I think this could be down to the fact we all new our lines perfectly whereas before Gavin and Phoebe weren't 100% because of they had so much to do. However I also think that we realised the energy needed to rocket instead of plummet and we were all putting everything into the scene. I feel like Im starting to find my illness a bit more and im using my core to feel passion and frustration (as strange as that sounds).


Revisiting the scene (2):

In todays dress rehearsal I watched as Ruth found her Gumption. 'I know.' The line came out of ruth and Hit John. Phoebe was commanding the action between herself and john in  the second half of the scene and it was so engaging to watch because even though I have seen this play out twenty times, the dynamic was different, fresh and worked.

Dreams Dreams Dreams……

The shared dreaming is a really important factor of the piece because its essentially what links all the characters together. This is my research into dreaming. I feel like its important not to know exactly what the dream is. some of us were discussing what the dream was but its very rare that people remember there exact dreaming experience, its often patchy and vague.




Rehearsing the dream Sequence:

Today we began rehearsing the dream sequence. we were in groups of three and looked at different words which relate to the dream. For example mine was entrapment.

Movement:

The movement is a searching. It began with hips, and elbows. We just moved to a sound clip searching in those motions. It was nice to move around and experiment. I feel like it was particularly engaging watching Phoebe because she just doesn't care what she looks like. She frees herself.

Once we had this movement down, we looked at incorporating our words as stimuli. As I mentioned before my word is entrapment. I used this literally at first restricting  my movement. I then experimented closing my eyes and holding my breath with my aim to entrap myself like a bad dream (arty I know). This made me move like I was trying to escape. Josh vocally expressed his anguish with deep screams. aurally this was interesting but I don't feel like he was physically pushing himself.



The Sound:

We are using a sound clip by a conceptual artist named 'Scanner' Ive been watching a video of him speaking on the impact of sound. The sound we are using is brown noise I will put a vague example of i down below but not the exact one as I cant find it. I think this impact the audience in a really interesting way as it targets them not visually but aurally. Its purpose is to build tension and discreetly make the audience anxious and uncomfortable.