For these two weeks, i wasn't needed that much for my character, due to not being needed for a long period of time within the play. So taking this spare time to my advantage started to annotate my script, highlighting my lines and any words that i didn't understand the meaning of i researched into and wrote down the meaning. I also started to started to research into how women acted during the restoration period, for example their attitudes towards men. As i did some further research into my spare rehearsal time, i found out how women where oppressed during the 17th century. A very strict era from which the families rarely had any rights at all. Always having to obey by society such as the way they acted, got treated and even to the way they dressed up in public. Women's views, opinions and thoughts did not matter as they where thought to be very inferior to men. They worked and mainly focused on all domestic matters, such as family, getting married and looking after their children. Due to barely having any rights, women where discouraged from directly expressing political views. However many women did challenge this society such as Mary Dyer. Who was sentenced to death by a hanging for challenging the Massachusetts law that banished Quakers from the colony. By standing up for her own rights and opinions, of course the society and men overpowered her political veiw and caused choas, leading her to her death sentance. This element of courage and no-fear attitude has a connection to my character i belive.
Linking this to my character Valaria, i started to think of how opressed women would sometimes try to fight and rise above against the men who kept the women under a firm hand. Building on my charcterisation and her background, i started to base her attitudes around men as being very autious and strong headed. For example in the scene where Hellena starts to come to terms with her feelings for Willmore, Valaria tries to talk her out of it by taking the mick. I think she belives that it's either Hellena isn't strong enough to handle a man because she has been a nun all her life before hand or that being with a man would just cause her heart to brake because Valaira being actually a very smart and intellectual character when it comes to situations and helping out with the family knows what the real world is like for women. She knows that most women get took advantage of, convincing of 'love' and getting them into bed. So she is being very portective of her family. However as her cousins starts getting into relationships and go off in couples, Valaria starts to feel left out and desperate so any chance she could get to be with a man she would, which then she ends up with Fredrick. As i read this thorugh which was in the final act of the play, i realised it was her that makes the first move into hinting for them two to be a couple, in the 17th century it was normally the men that makes the move, so this shows her confidence and her feircness courage when it comes to men. She isn't one to be scared.
When practically in rehersal time, we once again tried to strengthen and work on the opening prologue to the show. Making it more fast paced and looking at any problems which could easily be resolved. For example when we all go onstage and pose in our tablues because they are so many of us moving around in getting to our places at the same time, also taking into consideration we have a time limit in which is based on the timing of the classical music which is played in the background throughout the prologue, we sometime bash into eachother, causing us to panic. So tried to plan our trails making it quicker, neater and more proffesional to look at. As i veiwed this from an audience perspective as my double cast took my place in the prologue the first time was very rushed, messy and the actors looks stiff and panicked. As they made their own trails, elxed body but walking with purpose to their spot confidently, it look so much neater and proffesional. The confidence helpes a lot with the resotration characterisations because in the 17th century all posses by men where always head and with confidence and looking down at people who are lower than them. As for the women, they would look up at confidence and use thier fan to emphasise their feminity and use the eyes to show their flirtishius side to 'whoo' the opposite sex.
Saturday, 19 April 2014
Monday, 31 March 2014
Week 2
We started to chronologically block the play 'The rover' as we started blocking Act 1 scene 1, however my character wasn't needed until act 1 scene 2. Even though in that scene my character Valaria doesn't have any speech, it shows clearly her status and family values, showing she is a part of the family relations of Hellena and Florinda. She is both of their cousins but is very close, almost like a third sister in the ways of her always willing to give them both a helping hand. I showed this characteristic of her by laughing and smiling showing that happiness and family connection. However the main scene block with my character was Act 3 scene 1 from which Valaria thinks that Hellena getting with Willmore is a accident waiting to happen. However she jokes and teases her about it. Showing she does kind of have a nasty, sly side to her. Taking the mick out of her cousins feelings:
'Ha, ha, ha-- i laugh to think how thou art fitted with a lover, a fellow that, i warrent, loves every new face he sees'
Showing no remorse or support, this may be out of confusion because Hellena is a nun and having falling in love means that her religion and faith would change which back in this period which was 16-17th century would have been a massive shock. So Valaria takes it as jokes, almost mimicking her.
As well as finding out new characteristic and family values of Valaria i started to understand the language more, reading through the script over and over, each time i get a better understanding of their speech and how they spoke in that period. Almost making it a second nature to speak allowed from the script to the stage. It''s almost poetical how they spoke, very contrasting to some characters who were filthy men only after women, which i think makes it easier for it being a restoration comedy. For example when Willmore tries to hit on a random women on a street he says:
'Pray where do these roses grow? i would fain plant some of 'em in a bed of mine'- saying that he wants to sleep with her, to be put very bluntly. As he is a very blunt and straight forward character. Yet uses very poetical language to try and flirt and win over the women, just to get them into bed, which very funnily works like a charm almost every single time.
Body language and stance was a main focus point in this week as well, once again making sure that body posture was very womanly, getting away from my habit of a slouched over back and hands on hips. Also whenever on stage, i always have my fan, getting use to the prop, making sure i use it correctly. This is because in that century for a secret language that only women could understand they would use their fans in many different movements for speech. For example when a women drops a fan in front of the man, that means that they want to sleep with them. Also when placing the fan to the left and right means 'yes' and 'no'. Using these techniques and codes in the performance would not only look more realistic to how they were used in this period but also gives Valaria a chance to show what she actually thinks of certain characters by this secret code, for example she doesn't like Willmore at all for trying to get with Hellena, so would always use negative actions with her fan such as when he arrives on scene, fold her fan up immediately to show that she doesn't approve.
Improvements for next week would be to build on my character even more, asking more questions about her:
-Why is she acting differently while Fredrick is in the same room as her?
- Why is there so much hatred towards wilmore? could she be character based on feminity?
- How strong of a relationship does she have with her two cousins Hellena and Florinda?
- What kind of personaility traits does she carry?
'Ha, ha, ha-- i laugh to think how thou art fitted with a lover, a fellow that, i warrent, loves every new face he sees'
Showing no remorse or support, this may be out of confusion because Hellena is a nun and having falling in love means that her religion and faith would change which back in this period which was 16-17th century would have been a massive shock. So Valaria takes it as jokes, almost mimicking her.
As well as finding out new characteristic and family values of Valaria i started to understand the language more, reading through the script over and over, each time i get a better understanding of their speech and how they spoke in that period. Almost making it a second nature to speak allowed from the script to the stage. It''s almost poetical how they spoke, very contrasting to some characters who were filthy men only after women, which i think makes it easier for it being a restoration comedy. For example when Willmore tries to hit on a random women on a street he says:
'Pray where do these roses grow? i would fain plant some of 'em in a bed of mine'- saying that he wants to sleep with her, to be put very bluntly. As he is a very blunt and straight forward character. Yet uses very poetical language to try and flirt and win over the women, just to get them into bed, which very funnily works like a charm almost every single time.
Body language and stance was a main focus point in this week as well, once again making sure that body posture was very womanly, getting away from my habit of a slouched over back and hands on hips. Also whenever on stage, i always have my fan, getting use to the prop, making sure i use it correctly. This is because in that century for a secret language that only women could understand they would use their fans in many different movements for speech. For example when a women drops a fan in front of the man, that means that they want to sleep with them. Also when placing the fan to the left and right means 'yes' and 'no'. Using these techniques and codes in the performance would not only look more realistic to how they were used in this period but also gives Valaria a chance to show what she actually thinks of certain characters by this secret code, for example she doesn't like Willmore at all for trying to get with Hellena, so would always use negative actions with her fan such as when he arrives on scene, fold her fan up immediately to show that she doesn't approve.
Improvements for next week would be to build on my character even more, asking more questions about her:
-Why is she acting differently while Fredrick is in the same room as her?
- Why is there so much hatred towards wilmore? could she be character based on feminity?
- How strong of a relationship does she have with her two cousins Hellena and Florinda?
- What kind of personaility traits does she carry?
Week 1
This week we started blocking the play for the first time, so obviously the starting point would be the prologue to the play. However the different is even though this is a part of the play and the opening and setting of the scene to the audience, we are not our characters in this scene, but People from the restoration period. The Prologue is one large speech which talks about life and setting the scene of the period and storyline.
To make the prologue more interesting we decided to split the lines into sections for each person on stage, making sure that we understood what we were saying as well as keeping a fast yet steady pace in cannon so the prologue doesn't drag out for too long, making the audience loose interest. As it's the opening it should open with an 'explosion' on stage so to speak. Over exaggerating the speak, talking overly posh and dirct to the audience with so much energy and excitement. As if where we giving them gossip and hints to what is going to happen in the play later on. For my lines i had to research their meanings to understand what i am saying the audience:
'To who are not of their own cabal' - to who are not of their own group/ class
'Are not so perfect but themselves may ere'- Are not perfect now but may have been before
'As for the writer of this coming play' - the writer of this play your about to watch
As i was speaking the prologue with the rest of the group getting use to the quickening pace, i realized actually how hard and poetical the restoration language is. I do have some difficulties with understand some specific words and speech but when researched i note it down in my script and helps improves my speech massively.
After blocking out the speech and how it was to be said, we started on how to position our self for the prologue. As all women would be wearing ankle length dresses and the men in frilly, Lacey suits with belts and swords, we have to get used to having a specific body posture because otherwise when in costume it wouldn't look believable if the female didn't have the body postures such as a tucked in bum, chest pushed out and feet together whenever they are standing up. Before the positioning of each person, we had to understand how we would have the set, knowing our entrance and exits and what space can be used:
As shown from the rough sketch of what the set is planned be placed like, it will be in thrust staging, with a balcony backstage center. As for the main staging on the floor it will be on a revolving spinner, so it can change the scene from the streets to inside of a restoration house. There are four entrances in all with the staging which are names 'A' 'B' 'C' and 'D'. For the opening prologue i come on from point 'C' and come off to their as well. As sharp and quick as possible with a fast moving pace, keeping a high energy because restoration theatre is very high energy and to keep alive its comical humor that energy has to always be kept otherwise the audience loose interest.
To make the prologue more interesting we decided to split the lines into sections for each person on stage, making sure that we understood what we were saying as well as keeping a fast yet steady pace in cannon so the prologue doesn't drag out for too long, making the audience loose interest. As it's the opening it should open with an 'explosion' on stage so to speak. Over exaggerating the speak, talking overly posh and dirct to the audience with so much energy and excitement. As if where we giving them gossip and hints to what is going to happen in the play later on. For my lines i had to research their meanings to understand what i am saying the audience:
'To who are not of their own cabal' - to who are not of their own group/ class
'Are not so perfect but themselves may ere'- Are not perfect now but may have been before
'As for the writer of this coming play' - the writer of this play your about to watch
As i was speaking the prologue with the rest of the group getting use to the quickening pace, i realized actually how hard and poetical the restoration language is. I do have some difficulties with understand some specific words and speech but when researched i note it down in my script and helps improves my speech massively.
After blocking out the speech and how it was to be said, we started on how to position our self for the prologue. As all women would be wearing ankle length dresses and the men in frilly, Lacey suits with belts and swords, we have to get used to having a specific body posture because otherwise when in costume it wouldn't look believable if the female didn't have the body postures such as a tucked in bum, chest pushed out and feet together whenever they are standing up. Before the positioning of each person, we had to understand how we would have the set, knowing our entrance and exits and what space can be used:
As shown from the rough sketch of what the set is planned be placed like, it will be in thrust staging, with a balcony backstage center. As for the main staging on the floor it will be on a revolving spinner, so it can change the scene from the streets to inside of a restoration house. There are four entrances in all with the staging which are names 'A' 'B' 'C' and 'D'. For the opening prologue i come on from point 'C' and come off to their as well. As sharp and quick as possible with a fast moving pace, keeping a high energy because restoration theatre is very high energy and to keep alive its comical humor that energy has to always be kept otherwise the audience loose interest.
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