Costume/ Props Changes

Costume/props Changes-

Before the show it is useful to run through (both physically and mentally) all the props/costume changes and pre-sets so that I am ready and 'on the ball'/ focused when it comes to the performance- as this is very complicated! During the previous show I skipped this step, believing I was confident enough to run through without this check- that was my mistake! Due to this I forgot to pre-set my Blue coat costume (which Amy was able to solve) however it will be easier for both of us if I remember my props/costume journey and pre-set these myself (as she has her own costume changes to complete).

Pre-setting-

• The 'Mindy'/old Lady character has to be set for bingo in the alcove of door five
• My Sparkling 'stripper' costume also has to be set for bingo in the alcove of door five
• my roses have to be pre-set at the bottom of the stairs for the 'I will never leave you transition' into the final suicide
• My Blue Coat costume has to be pre-set behind the foyer stairs, ready for the canteen scene
• I have to pre-set the Hero handbag at the top of the foyer stairs (ready for the suicide scene) - I will also be wearing my Hero dress.

Props/costume used:
Scene one (suicide)-

• I will be wearing my Hero dress with handbag
• After the suicide I change into my pre-set Blue coat costume
• Nicole pre-sets my costume in the canteen behind the counter

Transition into canteen-

• I change from my Blue Coat costume into Hero

Scene two (Canteen)-

• I will be wearing my Hero costume

Transition into Bedroom 1 scene-

• I pre-set my Blue coat costume in the alcove of door five (hub)

Scene three (Bedroom)-

• I will be wearing my Hero Costume

Transition into hub (bingo scene)-

• I pre-set my Hero dress in door one for Nicole to change into
• I change from Hero into the 'sparkling showgirl costume' with the old lady/Mindy over the top

Scene four (Bingo)

• during this scene I change from Mindy to showgirl
• props used- walking sticks
• I then change into the Blue Coat which has been pre-set at door five

Transition into pod (bedroom 2)

• Nicole pre-sets my hero dress in pod 1A
• I will be wearing my Blue coat costume

Scene five (bedroom 2)

• I change into my Hero dress

Transition into Scene six (Claudio's suicide)

• I will be wearing my Hero dress
• I use the roses pre-set at the bottom of the stairs

Scene six (Claudio's suicide)

• I will be wearing my Hero dress
• the suicide note needs to be pre-set in the handbag

21st May Show Preparation

Preparation for the show today:

 

Considering the previous show (on Monday) there are certain things that I need to change/improve in order to ensure this performance reaches the next level- is even better!

Things that went wrong/ could be improved:

·         The beginning suicide scene- before walking onto stage/ down the steps I need to ensure that I am already in character. During Monday’s show I came onto the stage before preparing for my character or ‘getting into Hero’s mind set. This subsequently affected my performance and emotion/ realistically in which I was able to portray the relationship and Hero’s difficult decision to commit suicide. Tonight I will read through the suicide note before entering, and perhaps improvising with Claudio- to realise our relationship (difficult, painful and falling apart).

·         The ‘suicide’- this needs to be re-rehearsed today as there were a few things that went wrong – with improvement this could make the transitions smoother and more effective.

·         My characterisation of the blue coat- I found it difficult going from one character into the next therefore I could use a similar technique backstage (improvisation or thinking in the mind-set of the character). When talking to the audience my voice was weak and didn’t project – considering the large space (foyer) my voice needed to fill a large area to ensure the audience at the back of the group could still hear. Further to this, as I was speaking, I began to walk away towards the door- this would have also affected my voice and made it difficult to be heard. Also, I forgot my note of showing people to their seats- the audience seemed quite confused at this point therefore I need to ensure that I remember to do this tonight!

·         The canteen scene- I need to ensure that I am completely in character and oblivious/unaware of the audience reaction- I can’t let myself get distracted! There was also a costume fault on my behalf- I forgot to take my blue coat downstairs ready for the bingo scene therefore whilst the audience was being taken on the tour, Amy was able to run (unseen) upstairs and set it in the right place for me.

·         The bingo scene- again, I need to work on my characterisation as Mindy! My voice is still weak and too similar to my other characters. I love Amy’s characterisation and physicality – I will use this as an example for my own character. Furthermore, there were costume change difficulties- the time to change is so short, I need to either alter my showgirl outfit so that I can get out of this quicker, or find another character nearby who may be able to help!

·         The bedroom scene (two)- the lighting for this scene malfunctioned (which was not our own fault) however this did effect the timing of the whole piece and therefore was not as good as it could have been! Tonight this shouldn’t be an issue (considering the lighting works) and we will be able to perform as we have done in rehearsal.

Things that went well-

·         Costumes and props- although there was one issue (my blue coat), the majority of props and costume changes went really well! We were all in the right places at the right time and helped each other out backstage during quick changes.

·         The bingo scene was full of energy and exaggeration- this provoked a great audience response! We need to ensure that we match this level of energy tonight otherwise the piece will drag.

·         The technical faults- despite some technical faults, we were able to continue/improvise around this in a professional way. When receiving audience feedback after the show, the lights issue wasn’t noticeable and thought that it was supposed to look how it did (apparently appeared more complex and sophisticated). Furthermore, the music was off cue in the bingo scene- Meg improvised around this well, hitting and stabbing at the buttons- making a joke out of how it was old and not working properly.

Taking all these points into consideration, I will aim to improve the negative and maintain the positive- hoping to improve my performance from the last!

17th May Technical Rehearsal

1 ) What important discoveries were made during the rehearsal?

Today's rehearsal was a tech run. Immediately before starting, we realised what props were still missing- these included the crisps  and drink (for the canteen scene), the Ping pong balls for the bingo table and the bingo daubers! Considering that this was our final tech run, it was important that we had ALL props, not only so that we could rehearse but also so that we could solve any problems (particularly within the canteen scene, problems could have arisen from the food on the table- we all climb onto the tables therefore we don't want to knock water onto any audience members!).
Other discoveries included costume changes- as everyone had all their props today we were able to successfully time each change and where each costume needs to be set! Furthermore, we agreed that I should stay in the short red dress throughout the entire play (when performing as hero) because this gives the audience something to associate/ clarify my character with- it would be confusing if I then changed into the longer red free. Furthermore the length (compared to the maxi dress) has several connotations - innocence, vulnerability, and 'freedom'.
We agreed that we should cut the news report from the piece as this gave too much information - the audience felt as though they were being spoon fed - preferred it before how they had to work out this information and work to piece the plot together.

2 ) What led to those discoveries?

The tech rehearsal helped us to realise (the points mentioned above) and was also useful in helping us understand how the performance will run on the night (timings for costume changes, sound cues etc.). I felt that performing wit he lighting and sound helped us to set the scene/ get into character - setting the atmosphere (this helped to improve my performance, as I got more into character and felt more confident).
When rehearsing the beginning suicide scene, from audience feedback, we realised that Nicole copying my actions towards Claudio pulled focus and looked confusing (we identify her as a character rather than a reflection of my inside voice). From rehearsing the poem following this it is clear that we need to set this to my movement - the lines and movement should correspond so that I commit suicide/ take the jump just after the final line- this then fits in with the train sound effect.

3 ) Towards where do those discoveries lead?

It is now clear which props  and costume we still need to get ready for Monday. It is also clear which scenes we still need to rehearse during the lesson Monday
 - the bingo scene (needs a lot if tidying up, more pace, costume alterations and prop rehearsal)
- the transition from the bingo scene- me and Amy need to reset this outside the hub and work on how to bring the audience outside
- the suicide scene- linking the movement and poem together, setting cues
-Moving the audience to the canteen, practising with drink and food

6 ) Reflect on transformational leadership.  How’s it going?  What actions does this suggest?

I felt that we all took ownership and responsibility for each of our scenes and props/ costume setting. Unlike previous rehearsals there has always been at least one costume out of place however we were all prepared and 'on the ball'!

8 ) What is the most important thing that happened (or didn’t happen) in your recent rehearsal?  Unpack its importance.

The most important thing that needed to happen was rehearsal with the props we hadn't yet rehearsed with! I take responsibility for one of these props and will ensure that I get them prepared and ready for Monday! I was a bit disappointed with this run as I know we can and have done much better! We have to take into consideration that there was lots of stopping and starting therefore the costume changes/ timing weren't completely accurate  and stops during scenes meant that our acting/ characters were interrupted and therefore not performed as well as they could've been!

9 ) What is the most important thing that could happen in your next rehearsal?  How will you shape the rehearsal in order to increase the odds of that “thing” happening?

As mentioned above, the plans for our next rehearsal are to refine the bingo scene, suicide poem, canteen movement and bingo transition. Our main note was to tighten the bingo scene- picking up pace yet taking time introducing our characters. The other scenes include small details which either need setting or rehearsing slowly (piece by piece) e.g the poem linked to the suicide movement.

16th May Lesson evaluation

1 ) What important discoveries were made during the rehearsal?

Within today's rehearsal, our aims were to complete a full run through- in particular re-rehearsing the first suicide scene (as we need to ensure that both me and George felt comfortable and safe/ rehearsed enough with the lifting and fall). We also needed to specifically focus on the bingo scene as this completely fell apart during the last rehearsal (the singing was out of the time and there was confusion with the movement e.g where to place the cards).

Alongside the performance aspects, we also had to take into consideration the technical aspects involved e.g sound and lighting effects. There was also the issues with costumes and props- we had to make back up plans and arrangements incase our orders didn't arrive in time for Monday!

2 ) What led to those discoveries?

When rehearsing through the suicide scene, we realised there may be difficulties with costume- I have to climb over the railing whilst wearing a maxi dress! To solve this issue we decided that I would wear a shorter version of the dress ( which enables me to move easily over the barrier) whilst Nicole wears the longer version - to represent that she is the 'voice inside my head' whilst she reads the suicide poem. There is a section straight after where neither if us is needed - which gives us the chance to change dresses.

The run was also helpful in clarifying complications in the bingo scene. The bingo scene represents the 'bargaining (five stages of grief)- here we use the idea of bingo cards to symbolise the 'magic' bringing Hero back to life. Previously we had practised just miming the cards (alongside various other props e.g. The walking sticks, fans etc.) therefore it was useful to walk this through slowly so that we could work out transitions and clearly understand where we are placing each prop.

3 ) Towards where do those discoveries lead?

Now that we have re-rehearsed these specific scenes and re-allocated responsibilities for buying props/ costume, we are ready and prepared for our technical rehearsal tomorrow.

4 ) Consider questions No. 1-3 except focus on important roadblocks/dead ends.

The roadblocks/dead ends would be turning up tomorrow unprepared (without learning script or looking back through the notes for our complicated backstage stories - where we should be between scenes and when!). It would also hold us back if we were to forget our lighting/ sound effects (and cues) as we may not be able to create the exact look we wanted otherwise!

5 ) Reflect on dramatic action and conflict.  How’s it going?  What actions does this suggest?

Within the suicide scene I discovered that moments of silence, pause, and heavy breath are much more effective- it shows the difficulty in Hero's decision (and strength it takes) to kill herself- and also her pain/ this is her last resort. I have been reading through suicide notes I have found online which I will use as an internal monologue- helping me to understand her thoughts and feelings before the suicide- what are her worries/ fears? How does she feel about leaving Claudio?
Some quotes include:

“Its so hard to talk when you want to kill yourself. That's above and beyond everything else, and it's not a mental complaint-it's a physical thing, like it's physically hard to open your mouth and make the words come out. They don't come out smooth and in conjunction with your brain the way normal people's words do; they come out in chunks as if from a crushed-ice dispenser; you stumble on them as they gather behind your lower lip. So you just keep quiet.”

The last fading emotion I felt before I lost consciousness was an overwhelming sense of euphoria. Just the thought that everything was fading away made me feel peaceful and melancholic.
(This reminds me of the stillness/ breath and throw back of arms just before sliding down the barrier- as if I'm finally happy of the release, and to be falling away from the life that made me unhappy).

Alongside these quotes, I am able to react to the poem being read, channelling the words into my own emotions and thoughts.

14th May Lesson Evaluaition- full run!

1 ) What important discoveries were made during the rehearsal?

Within today's rehearsal, we completed a run. The feedback we received for this included the following:
- rather than taking our time with the acting and introducing characters, we were 'playing for laughs'. The first run through we performed,we  were unaware of how funny if was (or the response we would get from the audience! This was particularly evident within the bingo scene- I know that I could have slowed down my lines, exaggerated the characteristics of my character less and perhaps portrayed this more truthfully/ realistically.
- there were some scenes that were too slow, whereas some were too fast! The bingo scene in particular dragged whereas the suicide scene was too fast - some audience members even missed the suicide happening! We need to find a good balance- being aware of when we need to pick up the pace or slow down!
- as some people completely missed the suicide ( and it seemed funny as it was done badly!), Rose suggested that we could climb over the barrier instead so that the death takes place in front of the audience. We will experiment with this tomorrow- although making sure we put safety first e.g. Spotting, being aware of each other's abilities etc. here we could have a 'titanic moment' as though Claudio doesn't want to leg Hero go, yet she falls from his grasp.
- when we swap at the end of the play- Claudio dies instead of Hero, Claudio could just jump, as he is led to death by Hero ( and realistically, we're all to small to safely catch him!). This ties in well at the end where we can lay the roses on him, rather than just placing them on the floor.
- there was a moment where I appeared at the end of the bingo scene in my hero costume (rather than blue coat) and continuing the tour. This confused the audience as they expected the character of hero- not the blue coat! I need to re look at this transition, making sure I am able to bring my blue coat down stairs in time, ready for the change.

This run definitely wasn't as successful as the last- we need to consider what it was that went wrong and how we can bring it back to the standard that it was before.

2 ) What led to those discoveries?

The run and rehearsal- marking through with props and costume. Perhaps one of the reasons this run seemed more rushed was because it was the first time running through with props and costume. Although we had marked through this (walked through each of our journeys), physically putting in the costumes and performing was trickier and involved more preparation and planning than we had initially thought! It would be useful to run over this again slowly- perhaps changing to perform the first and last sections of scenes so that we can move through the run quickly!

3 ) Towards where do those discoveries lead?

Tomorrow's rehearsal we will go through the suicide scene, working out the practicability of  using the front barrier for the suicide instead (climbing over the railing and falling into the crowd (being caught by the rest of the group. We also need to run through the canteen scene, considering new entrances and exits. Rose suggested that instead of having Beatrice and Bernadette walk through the crowd ( where they can't be heard very well), they should walk in through the opposite entrance, which would draw the audience attention/ focus- they instantly have something to concentrate on and watch- this is because when running this transition some of the audience completely missed this section of text/ argument which therefore didn't make sense in context.

4 ) Consider questions No. 1-3 except focus on important roadblocks/dead ends.

The roadblocks here are similar to last rehearsal- we can't become too 'comfortable' in knowing that we have finished the play. Today's run reiterated the fact that we still have lots to refine and practise! There were certain scenes that still need changing and 'tightening' - which is really important we get completed soon considering our tech is on Saturday-  and the final performance on Monday!!

5 ) Reflect on dramatic action and conflict.  How’s it going?  What actions does this suggest?

Need to remember our characters and tone of the piece- not play for laughs. Ensure that we keep the comedy in the bingo scene whilst maintaining a serious tone.

7 ) Reflect on the journey of one or both of the actors with whom you are working.  How’s it going?  What needs to happen next?

I love Jessie's commitment to her character in the bingo scene, she doesn't hold back (which helps to add to the surrealistic nature of the piece!). I also admire Nicole's organisation- she know exactly where to place her props/ costume and what she needs to do for the next scene! I also loved the script Amy wrote for the bingo transition- her writing is very humorous and captures the personality/ characteristics of both our characters really well! She is clearly very talented at script writing and understands this from both audience and actor perspective!

8 ) What is the most important thing that happened (or didn’t happen) in your recent rehearsal?  Unpack its importance.

The run with costume was important as we now understand how this should run and what we need to do to ensure it runs smoothly next time e.g. Slowing the whole piece (including transitions) down!

15th May Lesson Evaluation

1 ) What important discoveries were made during the rehearsal?

Within today's rehearsal we worked through the notes given yesterday- mainly focusing on reworking the suicide scene! Yesterday some of the audience couldn't see the suicide taking place ( and therefore missed the main aspect of our play- the rest wouldn't have made sense without this knowledge!). Furthermore, the way in which me and George act out the death seemed humorous to the audience - although we were acting seriously, it looked funny from where they were standing!
To change this, we experimented with the idea of climbing over the barrier and falling from the front. This worked much better visually and we were able to create a more emotional, creative/ effective death.
To start with, I climbed over the barrier, whilst Nicole read out the poem. We held moments of stillness in order to portray emotion and the difficulty of decision hero was about to make. George/ Claudio held onto me from behind (partly for health and safety- to stop me from falling) and partly to show his resistance in letting me go - wants to try and stop me.
I was worried about how this looked visually- I case it seemed as though George was helping me to commit suicide however from watching this back on video it still looked as though it was me controlling my actions.
Once I was over the barrier, we needed to work out a way of falling (safely!). Whilst still holding onto George, the rest of the group supported my back (enabling me to let go) as they lowered me to the floor. Here I suggested that George could hold the petals in his hand - once he lets me go he could throw the petals over me.
Once I am on the floor the rest of the group turn away and gasp to further clarify that I have committed suicide - and the reaction to all the blood!

2 ) What led to those discoveries?

As mentioned above the feedback from the run gave us direction and indication as to what we should be rehearsing or changing within our next rehearsal. When performing, we were aware of the things that weren't working so well- particularly the suicide scene! When jumping I felt as though there wasn't enough impact- it wouldn't shock the audience or create a great effect (especially as I was only able to jump from the bottom step!). Now that we have incorporated movement, breath, stillness/ freeze frames, and a clearly visible suicide- the scene has become more emotive, shocking (particularly as it is quite risky!), and will help the audience to understand Claudio more- his reactions are clearer and the separation is shown in slow motion - gives us both a chance to express emotion and struggle and show each characters intentions.

3 ) Towards where do those discoveries lead?

I feel much more confident now that we have developed and improved this scene - I was worried initially that our scene before (undeveloped) wouldn't provide enough background story between Claudio and hero, show their relationship or even translate clearly- especially without the train sound effects it wasn't clear that this was a suicide! Moving on from this scene, we were able to start developing the canteen scene, working on entrances / exits.
Within our next rehearsal we still need to figure out and develop how we move as Hero - currently we all march in whilst saying the poem however it has been suggested that we use the objects around us to fall on and use/ creep or climb around (which would increase our stage presence and power as hero, considering there is only three of us).

Furthermore we need to prescribe and re-devise the scene with blue coat and Consuela - getting the audience involved with the salsa. Using the hub for this would make more sense and be easier for the audience to see (currently it's near the toilets) however during the run we had to wait a while for them all to come out - not all of them could see and this wasted time for those come out first!

4 ) Consider questions No. 1-3 except focus on important roadblocks/dead ends.

The possible roadblocks here would be to use our time tomorrow in an unproductive way- becoming too content with what we already have and choosing not to rehearse! There are still small aspects of the performance that need tidying such as costume placement, music, lighting, sound effects, singing/ timing etc. although it's tedious and may include lots if discussion and repetition, it could be the difference between a good performance and a great performance.

5 ) Reflect on dramatic action and conflict.  How’s it going?  What actions does this suggest?

Before working on the first suicide scene, the only dramatic action was the bingo scene (this is the main climax point). Now that we have developed and improved the suicide scene, there is more dramatic action (particularly as we are able to hook 'hit' the audience straight away) and get them engaged - especially as we now have more clarity, the audience is able to follow from the beginning!


8 ) What is the most important thing that happened (or didn’t happen) in your recent rehearsal?  Unpack its importance.

The most important thing within this rehearsal was firstly the suicide scene (as mentioned above) and secondly the read through of our script 'Line bashing'. This helps us to remember and learn our cues - we also tried reading in other characters lines (other than our own). It helped to hear how someone else would read the same line - as we can improve or change our own interpretation (might prefer it the way someone else says the line or copy a way in which they do this).

13th May Lesson Evaluation

1) What important discoveries were made during the rehearsal?
Within today’s rehearsal, our aims were to complete the final suicide scene and block through the transitions. This was Nicole’s scene and she chose to repeat the beginning scene – however swapping over the roles of Claudio and Hero (Hero is now the one pushing Claudio away).  So that the audience are clear Hero is still inside Claudio’s head (she’s not physically there with him), Hero walks up the stairs, from the train tracks- as through she’s coming back from the dead- makes it clear she’s a ghost.
The movement we have kept simple, which show clearly the reverse of roles (the audience will remember the movement from the beginning, as it is basic + distinguishable). Our only difficulties were showing Claudio where the suicide note was. Suggestions for this included pointing, Hero giving the suicide note to Claudio, and Hero taking the bag from Claudio. However, after trying a number of different ideas, we agreed that a simple look towards Claudio and then the bag was enough to signal that he should read the note.
Whilst Claudio says this to Hero, I stand still facing front – with a smug expression. I suggested here that Hero could be repeating the motif however we agreed that by this point, Claudio (and Hero) have reached the final stage ‘acceptance’ (of the five stages of guilt) and therefore is no longer necessary to represent this journey.

Furthermore, we also ran through each of the transitions, ensuring that we each knew what we were doing.
• For the first transition, Beatrice and Benedict argue into the canteen whilst I guide the audience towards them – ready for lunch
• Second transition, Nicole leads the audience on a tour as Manager of the hotel. Becca the maid is present and we use the different spaces – doors of hub to create comedy
• Third transition- Nicole leads the audience again into the bingo hall
• Fourth transition- Me and Amy lead the audience in a salsa class – trying to involve them in dancing
• Fifth transition- all the Hero’s shout ‘I will never leave you’ to Claudio, and I leave roses on the stairs – which the Hero’s use to lead the audience back to the foyer.

2 ) What led to those discoveries?
From our previous rehearsal we were aware of everything we still needed to complete and planned what we would be doing today. This helped us to achieve everything quickly in the rehearsal – with no time was wasted

3 ) Towards where do those discoveries lead?

Now that the performance is completed, we can focus on the use of props/ costume and refining the acting/ movement. Now that we are confident, have learnt lines, and know the general structure (due to our map of costume, prop and scene outline) we can aim to improve the quality of our acting- I now need to specifically focus on my characterisation and accents!

4 ) Consider questions No. 1-3 except focus on important roadblocks/dead ends.

The dead ends at this point would be to get 'too comfortable' - confident that we have completed the performance and therefore not needing to rehearse or being very productive in lessons. As mentioned above, we still need to keep rehearsing in order to refine and perfect our acting/ movement. Furthermore, considering we only devised the final scene and transitions today, these will still need lots of practise and development!

6 ) Reflect on transformational leadership.  How’s it going?  What actions does this suggest?

I really liked Nicole's ideas for the final scene, she directed me and George well with help/ input from the rest of the group. Her ideas fitted in well with the rest of the play- clearly showed the change in attitude/ values - journey in which Claudio and hero take within the play, and acts as a good contrast/ twist.

12th May Lesson Evaluation

1) What important discoveries were made during the rehearsal? 


Within today's rehearsal, our aims were to complete the final scene and transitions. These scenes evolve around the character of Claudio (who was away) therefore we had to work around this, making sure that we used our time beneficially and productively.

We considered the scenes that needed most work or improvement- in this case we ran over the bingo scene a couple of times, focusing on lines (making sure they were learnt), perfecting harmonies, practising with the new props (fans) and linking this to the transition. Alongside the bingo scene, we ran through the bedroom scene twice, ensuring that we were aware of the timing and that the group section was perfecting (all movements in the same direction).

As it was difficult to rehearse these scenes without Claudio (as he is the main character!), we discussed possible lighting techniques which we could use e.g. Amy suggested that we have a single spotlight on Nicole (during the bingo scene) which would project her shadow/outline onto the floor in front of Claudio- this would create a ghostly effect!

There weren’t many other acting scenes that we could rehearse physically without Claudio so we used the second half of the hour to list all the music cues needed- tonight I will research train/ train station sound effects! We also considered how we would use the TV news report- Jess has done lots of research and found a news report on TV which would suit our piece and could also apply to Hero. We were discussing whether to use the TV’s already provided in the foyer or the white board. We agreed that the white board would be easier to access – and we would have freedom to place it wherever we want! Considering our assessment is on Wednesday, it would be simpler and easier to use the white board (as this is one of the minor issues we are currently trying to solve and either way, won’t have a great impact on the rest of the performance).

2) What led to those discoveries?

Towards the beginning of the rehearsal we accepted our situation and planned out what would be the best use of our time- in this case we agreed to run over and perfect any scenes that needed improvement, and secondly, to discuss technical issues including music, lighting, sound effects, costume, and props (catching up Jessy with our costume and props map made last rehearsal).

Certain discoveries were made during the bingo scene e.g. we realised that there were complications with the fans and Hero cards- it was hard to find the time to pick up our fans whilst displaying the cards at the same time. To resolve this we changed some of the movement and worked around the timing- changing our acting/performance to fit with the music.

3) Towards where do those discoveries lead? 


Now that we generally feel confident with the technical aspects of the performance, our next goal will be to complete the final scene and transitions! Without the transitions, our piece will fall apart and won’t make sense. There are still four transitions to devise (the tour- with the manager, the bedroom to bingo scene, the bingo to bedroom 2 – continued tour with blue coat and salsa dancer,  bedroom 2 to final scene- leading Claudio to his death). Even if we split these transitions between us – so that they get devised quicker, it would be better than leaving them altogether (we need something to hold the piece together otherwise it won’t be ready to be shown!).

4 ) Consider questions No. 1-3 except focus on important roadblocks/dead ends.


We were worried today that we might have to step in for certain characters on Wednesday if there are still issues with attendance. We are at the point now where we know the play well and could cover each other parts of work our way around problems if needed. It’s unlikely that this will be the case however we need to be prepared in advance and aware of the things that could go wrong (generally) e.g. at this stage costumes and props! And be ready to work around or improvise through issues that may occur.

7 ) Reflect on the journey of one or both of the actors with whom you are working.  How’s it going?  What needs to happen next?


I admire Amy’s constant commitment to the characterisation and diversity of characters. She uses her voice and body in a creative way that is different/unique to all the roles she has to play. I would like to be able to perform my own characters in this way – at the moment all my characters are too similar (and I struggle to change/use my voice in a different way).

8 ) What is the most important thing that happened (or didn’t happen) in your recent rehearsal?  Unpack its importance.
Also -What is the most important thing that could happen in your next rehearsal?  How will you shape the rehearsal in order to increase the odds of that “thing” happening?


As mentioned above, the most important thing that should have happened was to at least start and devise the final scene + transitions! In the circumstances this was difficult however we could have practised individual transitions e.g. Nicole’s tour (as manager) and my tour (as blue coat).

We haven’t yet completed a full run including the transitions (or attempting). It would be useful to use extra rehearsal time tomorrow to complete the final scene and try linking the ending ad beginning of scenes to transitions- these need the most work! 

Symbolism of the Veil

We are considering using a veil within the final scene to represent/ symbolise a new beginning- Claudio leaves to join Hero in death. I have researched into the meanings and history of the veil I case there are any different or more relevant meanings.

'There are many stories of the origin of a bride’s veil. Some say that the veil was introduced in ancient Rome. People of that era believed that evil spirits would be attracted to the bride, so they covered her face with a veil in order to conceal her features and confuse them. The definition of veil is to “obscure, shroud, mask or cover, so perhaps that is how the bridal “veil” got its name.
It’s also said the in medieval times, the veil was used to protect her from “the evil eye” and was a symbol of purity, chastity, and modesty.
Others say the the origin of the bridal veil was due to the circumstances of an arranged marriage. In days past, men bargained with an eligible young lady’s father for their hand in marriage. AFTER the ceremony, the veil was lifted to reveal the brides features. This was to keep a groom from backing out of the deal if he didn’t like what he saw.
Some say that the veil was used in days past as a symbol of a bride’s submission and willingness to obey her husband.'

From this research perhaps it could symbolise Hero's innocence- she never cheated on Claudio, perhaps she was buying a Rose for him or it was given in innocence ( the Rose given to hero could be yellow- a symbol of friendship). Perhaps the veil at the end could represent her willingness to obey and accept Claudio's decision of death - perhaps she wants to start a new beginning with him?

Symbolisation of Roses

Rather than using paint for the bedroom scene, we decided to use Rose petals ( as this links back to the beginning suicide scene - handing of the Rose and Hero death). Originally when using the paint idea, each of us were going to have a different colour paint to symbolise a different emotion or aspect of the relationship e.g. Love, hate, anger, disappointment, betrayal etc. however, for ease and clarity we decided to use 5 love Hero's (red) and one death hero (black/dead petals).

For the final scene we had the idea of each hero passing Claudio a Rose, as he passes them (we will each be placed on a different step).  This is as though Hero is leading him to his death (roses are often placed on graves at funerals) Perhaps here we could use colour to symbolise the different emotions?

Research- colour meanings

Red Rose
Scottish poet Robert Burns didn’t compare his love to a red, red rose for nothing. Long associated with beauty and perfection, red roses are a time-honored way to say “I love you.” Whether it’s for a birthday, Valentine’s Day or just to express appreciation on any old day, there’s no better way than a bouquet of red roses to express your feelings.
Read More – Meaning of Red Roses

Pink Rose
right and beautiful to behold, but pink roses are also fabulously versatile when you have something important to say. A classic symbol of grace and elegance, the pink rose is often given as a token of admiration and appreciation. Whether they’re for your best friend, fiancée or ever-dependable cubicle mate, a pink rose bouquet will create a bright spot in a special someone’s day.
Read More – Meaning of Pink Roses

White Rose
White roses are traditionally associated with marriages and new beginnings, but their quiet beauty has also made them a gesture of remembrance. When the occasion calls for reverence, whether stately or somber, a bouquet of white rose is a perfect way to say, “I’m thinking of you.”
Read More – Meaning of White Roses

Orange Rose
With their blazing energy, orange roses are the wild child of the rose family. Whatever feelings you might be bubbling over with—enthusiasm, passion, gratitude—orange roses will get the message across with both oomph and elegance.
Read More – Meaning of Orange Roses

Yellow Rose
When it comes to sending a joyful message, yellow roses are your best friend. In fact, yellow roses are a traditional symbol of friendship, so there you go. With their warm, sunny disposition, a bouquet of yellow roses tends to light up the room, making them a perfect way to say thanks, get well, congratulations or just, “Hey, thanks for being you.”
Read More – Meaning of Yellow Roses

-Red (Dark) Unconscious beauty

-Red (Single)"I Love You"

-Deep Burgundy Unconscious Beauty

-White Purity, Innocence, Silence, Secrecy, Reverence, Humility, Youthfulness,
"I am worthy of you", Heavenly

-White (Bridal) Happy love

-Pink Appreciation, "Thank you", Grace, Perfect Happiness, Admiration, Gentleness, "Please Believe Me"

- Dark Pink Appreciation, Gratitude, "Thank You"

-Light Pink Admiration, Sympathy, Gentleness, Grace, Gladness, Joy, Sweetness

-Yellow Joy, Gladness, Friendship, Delight, Promise of a new beginning, Welcome Back, Remember Me,  Jealousy,
"I care"

-Yellow with Red Tip Friendship, Falling in Love

-Orange Desire, Enthusiasm

-Red and White Given together, these signify unity

-Red and Yellow Jovial and Happy Feelings

-Peach Appreciation, Closing the deal, Let's get together, Sincerity, Gratitude

-Pale Peach Modesty

-Coral Desire

-Lavender Love at first sight, Enchantment

-Orange Enthusiasm, Desire, Fascination

-Black * Death, Farewell

-Blue * The unattainable, the impossible

-Single - any color Simplicity, Gratitude

-Red Rosebud Symbolic of purity and loveliness

-White Rosebud Symbolic of girlhood

-Thorn-less Rose "Love at first sight"

-Roses by the Numbers

A single rose of any color depicts utmost devotion
Two roses entwined together communicate "Marry me"
Six Roses signify a need to be loved or cherished
Eleven roses assure the recipient they are truly and deeply loved
Thirteen roses indicate a secret admirer

From looking at this chart we could use black roses (to symbolise death/farewell). Also the fact that 6 roses 'signify a need to be loved or cherished' suggests why hero is leading him to death- wants to be with him again. Or could suggest how the opposite- this love is non existent.

Characterisation for Blue coat

From the run through I was not happy with my character of blue coat - I realised that I didn't completely understand this character or knew how to portray her. Also her relationship with the manager (Nicole's character) is still unclear. Initially me and Nicole had agreed the following about our characters:
- the manager would be bossy and ordering the blue coat around
- the blue coat finds the manager annoying as she is so controlling and is often told off for slacking/ lazing around when the manager is not around

Despite these ideas, I still didn't know how my Character would respond to the audience/ guests of the hotel. Therefore I have researched into possible character parallels we could use.

Firstly I tried to link to characters from the source text 'much ado about nothing', here the characters of the watchmen have similar relationships- one bossy leader (dogberry) with passive followers - verges and other watchmen. In the globe theatre version of the play, these characters are ridiculed and made fun of ( there was a particular scene which poked fun at the size/ weight) of the characters. The leader, Dogberry, gets annoyed and fed up with the men when they fool around (although he is portrayed as dumb himself). This relationship could relate back to mine and Nicole's characters (manager as Dogberry and blue coat as verges/ watchmen). For a transition we could even include some of the text from this section?

Secondly, and more appropriately, I thought we could link our characters to 'Mean Girls' - Karen and Regina. Regina is the leader if the group (manager), fake and 'overly nice' to people, yet bitches behind their backs. This is similar to Nicole's character- nice to the guests (tries to get into everyone's good books) yet finds them annoying and difficult! Karen is more a follower of the group (doesn't have much power) and is really dumb! The dumb element of this character is appropriate for the tour I give to the guests in a transition, I make up lots of irrelevant facts e.g. Pointing out fire exits and commenting on wallpaper.

I could take the passive 'follower' of the group from the watchman, and the dumbness of Karen from 'mean girls'.

8th May Lesson Evaluation

1 ) What important discoveries were made during the rehearsal?

The aim of today's rehearsal was to prepare for our full run - showing to the rest of the group. Through doing so we were able to discover the following:
- what still needs to be done, where the gaps are ( any problems that we need to resolve and change)
- linking scenes together. It is clear that the transitions are the main missing aspects! Without the transitions, it was difficult for the audience to know when and where to move (also some of the audience were confused as to the connection between scenes- the transitions could clear this up!)
-beginning/opening scene. As we were only given the script for this today, it is clear we need to make lots of improvement/ alterations. We also need to clarify that Claudio has booked a room with Hero otherwise this becomes confusing in the canteen scene when he only refers to his 'wife'.
- the bedroom scene with all five Hero's is confusing - the audience were questioning why there are suddenly five (considering that I have been the only one portrayed as Hero so far). We need to find a way of making this clear- communicating our idea of surrealism to the audience. I suggested that we could write words on the dresses however this may be too obvious.
- within the canteen scene there is nowhere for the manager and blue coat to hide/ or change. We will have to consider transitions and 'backstage' next rehearsal.
- from feedback I learnt that the depression scene ( with hero and Claudio) doesn't quite work. Instead of Hero being in the bedroom before Claudio arrives, Claudio should start off on his own- which makes it look as though he's talking to someone who's not there (and further reinforces the fact that this is all in his head- he's having a mental breakdown!). I can then enter when he talks about 'needing me there with him' where we show our separation using hand placement either side of the door.
- lines and cues were a problem! The full potential of our acting was masked by scripts and also the cues were messy- however the transition will help to fix this problem.
- small issues with the bingo scene, we need to re rehearse the song! thinking about timing and accuracy of harmonies.
- I personally need to research my character of blue coat ( as I felt I gave a really weak performance as this character!)

2 ) What led to those discoveries?

The full run was essential to the discovery (of the above). Without this, it would have been difficult to expose the possible issues and problems - now that we have made and experienced these mistakes/ problems, we can begin working towards fixing them

3 ) Towards where do those discoveries lead?

We now need to consider the prop and costume changes, during the run we only mentioned and mimed where these would be - however we need to put this into action to discover how this will work (if we need to make any changes, alterations, solve complications etc.) we have made a props/ costume list of everything we need to buy - this will be the first thing we do next rehearsal!
The feedback given way really helpful, we can now take on board these comments and apply them to our performance. In particular I will focus on my bedroom scene and what I can change or include to make if clear why there are suddenly five Hero's alongside me. Someone had the idea of using a Rose as a symbol - which could tie into the final scene when Claudio is left to his death.
Considering the final scene, we need to plan the ending- what do we want to happen? How will it finish? Where do we want to stage this? etc.
it is important that we keep re rehearsing in order to improve quality and standard of acting, costume changes, and confidence of lines.

4 ) Consider questions No. 1-3 except focus on important roadblocks/dead ends.

As mentioned with the props/costume, we have a tendency for saying '(prop/costume change) Will happen here' rather than physically doing it. If we get in the habit of performing this way, the same will happen on the night of rehearsal!

5 ) Reflect on dramatic action and conflict.  How’s it going?  What actions does this suggest?

From audience response it is very clear where the dramatic tension is within the scenes- we provoked a good contrast in responses - crying with laughter to seriousness.

7 ) Reflect on the journey of one or both of the actors with whom you are working.  How’s it going?  What needs to happen next?

I was really impressed with the level of organisation from Nicole, Jessie and Meg. Furthermore the initiative Jessie and Meg had to separately rehearse the Beatrice and Benedict scene  (in their own time) really helped to improve and develop our performance- this section acted as a transition which was much better than the one I had originally devised. I also loved the characterisation of Claudio which George chose- it makes sense with his actions and also adds to the comic effect.

8 ) What is the most important thing that happened (or didn’t happen) in your recent rehearsal?  Unpack its importance.

The run though was the most important thing to happen in rehearsal as it has helped us to Realise where we are at 'in the grand scheme of rehearsals' and set the agenda/ criteria goals for the upcoming rehearsals.

9 ) What is the most important thing that could happen in your next rehearsal?  How will you shape the rehearsal in order to increase the odds of that “thing” happening?

All of us agree that we need to plot/ plan out all the costume and prop changes- the run helped us to realise how complex this would be!

9th May Lesson Evaluation

1 ) What important discoveries were made during the rehearsal?

Within today's rehearsal,our main aim was to plot the costume and prop changes. Our performance is very reliant on the different characters, however, to introduce most of these characters, we each have to multirole. Therefore there are lots of significant costume changes -which help to make it clear to the audience the different characters (makes each one easily distinguishable). Alongside planning the different costume changes we also had to agree and place our order on costumes to ensure they are delivered in time for the show.

2 ) What led to those discoveries?

We realised in the previous rehearsal how important it would be to start rehearsing with costume/props as we are currently just miming- we need to rehearse with the physical props/ costume to make sure that we are able to use them,we know where to place them backstage and that any complications can be solved e.g. Helping to move each other's costumes into the right places.

3 ) Towards where do those discoveries lead?

Within the rehearsal Megan drew out a map of the hub whilst we all made 'paper cut outs' of ourselves to be plotted onto the map. We then drew a table, charting each scene and each character. Firstly for costume, We went through each individual within the scenes marking off each character and the costumes that would be needed at each point (considering where and how we would place them). Whilst we checked through each scene, we blocked this physically using the paper and drawn map- this helped us to visualise as well as just writing a list. To further help us understand and test wether our costume plan worked, we wrote each item of clothing/ costume on a piece of paper- pre-setting them around the college. We then walked through each scene together, holding up one of the pieces of paper to represent our current costume whilst placing the other ps in the correct spaces. Through doing this we were able to discover any issues that we'd missed and also understand physically how it will work during the performance.

Considering how well this plan worked, we used the same method for planning the props- however we are yet to walk this through physically.

4 ) Consider questions No. 1-3 except focus on important roadblocks/dead ends.

The roadblocks/ dead ends that could occur as a result of this is if we 'switch off' during the performance or don't learn the order of costume placing- if one of the costumes is in the wrong place, it could ruin/ effect the whole piece. As mentioned before, our piece is very character driven- relies on each character ( each character has a major role and specific purpose!)

6 ) Reflect on transformational leadership.  How’s it going?  What actions does this suggest?

Although Meg took charge with plotting out map/ table (which was a brilliant and very useful idea!), we all contributed towards this, offering alternate solutions, listing all the different costumes needed. This activity needed a leader to hold it together otherwise it would have got very confusing and taken too much time!

7 ) Reflect on the journey of one or both of the actors with whom you are working.  How’s it going?  What needs to happen next?

Now that we have got the props and costume sorted, our next plan of action is to complete the play ready for the run next Wednesday! We had also previously set a deadline for learning scripts ( which was Wednesday) however now this has changed to Monday- this gives us time to practise a couple of full runs (with costume and props) without having to worry about lines- this will also give us an indication as to timing and enable us to act freely (focus in the acting and quality rather than lines).

8 ) What is the most important thing that happened (or didn’t happen) in your recent rehearsal?  Unpack its importance.

It was so useful to plan the costume/ props and the backstage logistics (where each person needs to be at what time and where). This has helped me to feel more confident- I am now able to relax knowing exactly what I'm doing and when - I can now focus on the acting and line learning!

7th May Lesson Evaluation

1 ) What important discoveries were made during the rehearsal?

The aim of today's rehearsal was as follows:









Considering that we had to show our performances within the lesson today, we discussed what was necessary/ essential to be rehearsed/devised and decided what would be the best use of our time.
We were able to achieve lots within the rehearsal and decided to use extra rehearsal time (over break and lesson two) in order to complete the bingo scene. Both and Amy and Meg were able to extend the scripts (before and after both songs) which helps to clarify/ explain what has happened within each scene as beforehand it was too short -  May have been confusing for the audience to follow!

2 ) What led to those discoveries?

Yesterday's production meeting and run helped us to realise what was still needed to be done and how we could shape our rehearsals in order to achieve completing these scenes. Furthermore, all of us came to rehearsals today focused and ready to work - Meg organised a time table for the lesson with clear aims (as shown in the picture above) which we were mostly able to stick to and complete.

3 ) Towards where do those discoveries lead?

Realising what we have/don't have, has helped us to plan our rehearsals- we know what still needs to be done and have made decisions on how to work around this. One particular example- one of our cast is ill and therefore cannot make rehearsals (or block/ provide the script for their scene) therefore we have begun to write/ plan a back up script that we can have ready in case it comes to the worst- if that person is no longer able to rejoin us!
Furthermore, I also now knows personally what I need to do in order to make sure these scenes are completed e.g. Learn scripts, practise harmonys, research into suicide, bring necessary props, brainstorm ideas for the final scene etc.

4 ) Consider questions No. 1-3 except focus on important roadblocks/dead ends.

At the end of our rehearsal we were able to watch each other's performances - these were all really good however very different from ours! We need to not be put off or distracted by this yet accept that ours is a different style/ theme/ genre/ play etc. and have confidence within our own choices and decisions.
Also today some of us were worried about our input and abilities within the group - we need to be really encouraging each other (especially as we've nearly reached the end performance!) and supporting each other's roles. Further to this, we also need to ensure that we accept everyone's ideas, listening and trying them out even if we don't end up using them!

6 ) Reflect on transformational leadership.  How’s it going?  What actions does this suggest?

Particularly today, we relied on Megan's leadership skills to guide us through the rehearsals. Without a structure or organisation to our rehearsal time, the group would have fallen apart and nothing productive would have been made. I found the timetable useful as we included a variety of different tasks - meaning that we were able to achieve more than just one goal and that these goals wouldn't become tedious (we wouldn't get bored or tired of doing the same scene- we could put our energy into lots of different scenes instead).

7 ) Reflect on the journey of one or both of the actors with whom you are working.  How’s it going?  What needs to happen next?

Although we all need some encouragement, Jess needs to be aware of how much we value her in our group and all the contributions she's made! She's done some really good research into suicide news reports and I love her idea of using a 'background'/green screen to record the news reporter. I also thought that George was really focused today and we were able to move through each scene quickly without distractions!

8 ) What is the most important thing that happened (or didn’t happen) in your recent rehearsal?  Unpack its importance.

It's really helped me to watch back the other groups performances! Alongside enjoying what they've created, it's helped me to realise where I need to be in comparison- scripts need to be learnt and the movement needs to be more fluid! In future rehearsals I will aim to be more focused as I know how much we still need to complete and the potential we have within this time - we have the potential to create some really good acting/ movement.
The Macbeth group inspired me through their use of physical theatre and props - I loved how they used suitcases to show characterisation and the variety of movements - beyond simple, they had created moves 'outside of the box', using contact work and use of levels.

9 ) What is the most important thing that could happen in your next rehearsal?  How will you shape the rehearsal in order to increase the odds of that “thing” happening?

As mentioned above, the most important thing that could happen in our next rehearsal is to make progress with either the beginning or last scene, transitions, and performing with lots of energy/ characterisation when performing to the rest of the class!

10 ) Consider where you’re at in the grand scheme of all rehearsals.  How’s it going?  What actions does this suggest?
The run through (and performance tomorrow) will hopefully enable us to discover exactly what needs to be done and how we can approach this in future rehearsals ( the feedback here will be particularly useful!). Comparing to other groups I feel we are in a similar position however we need to ensure that we perform with full energy and characterisation otherwise the play appears dull and is like a 'struggle'. The piece is heavily based on the portrayal of characters in order to successfully replicate a comedic style.

Lesson notes

1 ) What important discoveries were made during the rehearsal?

The aim of today's lesson was to develop the bedroom (depression) scene. Originally this scene had been performed with Amy as Hero however due to the context of the piece 'you were selfish to jump' made more sense as having the death hero, therefore I shadowed Amy to learn her part.

As this scene takes place in the bedroom, we decided to keep the same layout (as the bedroom dance) where the audience view the performance through the 'window' of the white pod- watching through the separated doors. During the bedroom scene, most of the performance happens upstage and central on the bed, therefore, we decided to experiment with different levels- using downstage as well as the other space.
Through this exploration of space we discovered that it was effective to have Claudio downstage (leaning against a door panel) whilst hero reacts to his speech further behind- as though the bedroom is inside his head and we're looking in through a window to his mind, seeing Hero as he sees her.

Taking the idea of using the panels, we tried mirroring each other e.g Claudio would put one hand against the panel, leaning towards it, whilst hero mirrors him exactly the other side. This clearly shows their separation yet reflects how close they were- intensifies the loss and pain. We devised a short piece of movement based around this idea of mirroring, using lines from Claudio's monologue as the cues.

2 ) What led to those discoveries?

As the performers, we couldn't tell what looked good from the audience perspective due to the layout (doors) therefore we had to rely on the direction of the rest of the company. Me and George would try different things that felt natural or that we thought could look good, and then received feedback on whether this worked or not.

3 ) Towards where do those discoveries lead?

In order for this scene to work, I have to rely in certain cues from George's monologue (especially the mirroring section- as it wouldn't look right out of sync). Therefore it is important that I also learn the monologue. Not only would this help with my accuracy of cues (making sure we are exactly in time) but would also help with my responses to the monologue- I can prepare how to react, the emotions/feelings Hero may have, what this leads to etc.

6th May Lesson Evaluation

1 ) What important discoveries were made during the rehearsal?

The aim of today's lesson was to discuss props/ costume (assigning items), rehearsing the bingo scene with script, and marking through the entire play (so far) ready to show to the rest of the groups next lesson.
As we are nearing the performance date for our show it is important that we order any necessary props/ costume now so that they can arrive in time (and so that we have time to return if needed). When discussing the props list it turns out that most of the props we already have or can be made! Although there are lots needed, our play is generally low cost/ low budget.
I need to buy ping pong balls and hero chocolates for the bingo scene!

2 ) What led to those discoveries?

We thought that it would be important to have a 'production meeting' to establish what props and costume we needed to order and also to discuss what would be the best use of our time e.g. Either researching the costumes, preparing scenes for tomorrow, rehearsing the new script etc.

3 ) Towards where do those discoveries lead?

Through doing a full run through of the show so far not only helped us to prepare for tomorrow (remembering certain scenes), but also helped us to realise where we are at in rehearsals so dark and what we still need to achieve! Although the majority of the scenes are there, there are still aspects such as scripts and staging that still need work! Furthermore, without the transitions, there is nothing holding the play together or linking scenes (currently all seem seep rate and out of place!). Once Becca's scene and the final suicide scene are complete (the last two major scenes) we will be able to start working on the transitions which should pull the scenes together.
Running through all the scenes today was a confidence boost as we are starting to see how all the scenes fit together (general shape of the play) and the potential we have- once we have learnt lines, using props/ costume, different rooms etc. we will be able to create the play how we originally envisioned!

4 ) Consider questions No. 1-3 except focus on important roadblocks/dead ends.

Reflecting on the run through during this rehearsal, I think the roadblocks would be leaving the scenes (that we have already devised) as they are and not re-rehearsing. I noticed for particular scenes e.g. The opening suicide scene, we had forgotten the movement and small details ( as we hadn't rehearsed this scene for a while!). Therefor we need to ensure that we keep rehearsing and adapting/ developing scenes each lesson- otherwise we will prepare to perform without remembering or fully rehearsing the beginning/ ending etc.

7 ) Reflect on the journey of one or both of the actors with whom you are working.  How’s it going?  What needs to happen next?

I loved the script that Meg wrote for the bingo scene, it includes lots of relevant humour (which also helps to establish the characters and references to hero!). Not only has she thought about characters but also the people playing each character - she has given us parts/ lines that we are capable of performing and portraying (and also thought about casting- what we would each be suited to).

2nd May Lesson Evaluation

2nd May

1 ) What important discoveries were made during the rehearsal?

Within today's rehearsal, our aims were to re-rehearse the bingo scene, establishing characters and linking in Jessie's character to what we had already devised. We had envisioned Jessie as the main 'medium', controlling the powers and bringing hero back to life. Here we used the props- moving staircase (as this physically gave her more power- higher levels) and the table. Taking the idea of the mask from our previous play 'George's marvellous medicine' where we used the mask to extend out to George, intimidating and pushing him to the ground. Similarly Jessie climbs onto the table, pointing at George- as though she's reaching out. We thought that we could use powder paint or glitter ( that she could blow towards him) as though it's 'magical dust'.

Furthermore, we also continued with the bedroom (Dance scene), asking Rose for feedback and advice. We were able to clear up some of the duets e.g making sure the audience could see both Claudio and Hero from the same angle. We were also able to complete the ending duet section. Initially we were having trouble trying to create the movement however Rose reminded us that with simple gestures we could still create meaningful movement as opposed to what we were trying to do with big lifts etc. there were some lifts that we tried that didn't work physically so we had to find ways to problem solve around this, ensuring that they maintained the emotions/ ideas we are trying to convey. Further to this, Rose suggested an alternate to the use of paint- as it wouldn't be clear to the audience what this meant! We also needed a physical way of communicating to the audience that each different dancer was still hero. We decided that instead we would use a dead Rose - each time the Hero changes, she passes on the Rose - pulling off just one petal. This follows the idea of 'he loves me, he loves me not'. Taking this symbol, we decided that we could use this throughout e.g. At the beginning of the play, hero could arrive late to the station with a single Rose in hand. Claudio is also holding a bunch of roses ready to give to her when she arrives. He sees her single Rose and then pushes her away ( he knows who she's been with 'she knows the heat of a luxurious bed').

At the end of the bedroom scene Claudio is alone on the bed, doing the Hero motifs this shows his 'acceptance' stage, he's ready to accept death.

2 ) What led to those discoveries?

The bingo scene worked as a result of good preparation-  Megan came prepared to the lesson with the script and ideas for movement which meant we were able to begin rehearsing straight away with the material offered- rather than trying to create this as we went along.
The bedroom scene worked as a result of taking risks, experimenting and accepting all ideas. Although I came to rehearsals with an initial idea, we all contributed to help improve, shape and develop the scene in a way that benefited everyone.

3 ) Towards where do those discoveries lead?

We are approaching the stage in rehearsals where all the main scenes are almost finished ( just need a few final changes and decisions). Particularly within our rehearsal today, we were able to focus more on the transitions between scenes rather than devising the scenes already ( as these are mostly set in place). Once we have finalised each major scene, we can begin piecing the play together through the transitions.

5 ) Reflect on dramatic action and conflict.  How’s it going?  What actions does this
suggest?

Particularly within the bingo scene, Jessie's character creates the main dramatic action. I love her portrayal of the character- although she felt as though she was being too 'over the top' it really suited her character send gave the scene dynamic - rather than just dance and singing, there is now drama and a central evil character. Furthermore, we began devising the transition linking into the bedroom scene. Here Amy ( who is a salsa teacher) and Jessie have an argument over the space. This provides some comic relief just before the intensity of the bedroom scene.

6 ) Reflect on transformational leadership.  How’s it going?  What actions does this suggest?

We are all taking ownership of our own scenes, therefore the 'leadership' is still spread equally.

8 ) What is the most important thing that happened (or didn’t happen) in your recent rehearsal?  Unpack its importance.

The most important thing that happened within today's rehearsal was finishing the bedroom scene. We were having difficulty with the ending in previous lessons which was preventing us from moving on to other scenes and making progress! Now that this scene is finished, we can start working towards the final suicide scene.

Lesson evaluation 30th April

Pa evaluation –
1)what important discoveries were made during the rehearsal?
Within todays lesson our aims were to re-rehearse and finish my scene (the bedroom scene).  We also had to teach this to Jess as she had missed the previous rehearsal. The duets were flowing much quicker and easier (linking into one another) unlike last rehearsal when there were pauses/gaps in-between and long pauses. Originally I had found a poem for Claudio to say (two lines to each Hero) within the duets however we all agreed that these words were spoken best through the movement – the passion and love portrayed within the duets was enough to convey the ideas and feelings of the poem.
The task was then trying to devise the ending duet- I wasn’t sure how I wanted to portray this . I needed to show the separation and pain that Claudio and this Hero went through- how their relationship suffered. Megan suggested that we could use the red ribbons again, where I would manipulate and control Claudio.  

This proved really difficult and didn’t really make sense- why would Claudio try to reach out to the death Hero when he has already shamed the love Hero? Instead I will cut this section, as I love the ending of the ‘love Hero’s’ section- separated with their backs to Claudio (arms wrapped around themselves). As the death Hero I will run towards Claudio, pulling him up from the bed by his arm – trailing black paint. Claudio will be left lying on the bed vulnerable and weak. This then gives my character a proper intention – its as though I’m reaching out to Claudio and leading him/ persuading him to follow me (commit suicide). Whilst this happens, the love Hero’s will still be surrounding Claudio after I leave, leaving Claudio to question and consider his next actions.

2)what led to those discoveries?
Although we had originally decided to work through Georges depression scene alongside the bedroom scene, we thought it would be better to complete a scene (so that we can rehearse it without stops/gaps and with ‘full performance’). Through doing so and putting the time into this, we were able to discover what works and what we need to change e.g. the final duet. We had to also take into consideration the time limit – how long we had until the performance (this gave us an indication as to how we should be using our time- using as much time as possible to get the piece complete).

3)towards where do these discoveries lead?
Now that we have essentially finished this scene, me and Nicole started looking into the props and costumes that would be needed. This included dresses (for the Hero’s) -where we could get the cheapest/most efficient/most practical dresses (within our production budget).  We also started researching into powder paints (that are non-toxic) and will wash out the dresses, ready for the next performance.

4) consider questions No. 1-3 except focus on important roadblocks/dead ends
particularly within todays rehearsal, we need to ensure in future that we come to rehearsals focused and ready (prepared) to work straight away. Our attitude towards rehearsals at the moment is too laid back considering that our performance is in less than 3 weeks! Although it seems as though we’ve got a lot done e.g. have at least a piece of movement or dialogue for each major scene. There is still so much that we haven’t filled in e.g. the transitions, main speeches/ pieces of dialogue etc. that needs to be devised in order for our piece to link together and start coming together as a whole piece.  

5)reflect on dramatic action and conflict. How’s it going? What action does this suggest?
Within my scene there are two conflicting emotions- love and anger. Through the music, the dancers are led on a journey- building to a climax point towards the end where the second emotion is introduced. The performance begins with more positive/hopeful emotions e.g. Claudio believing in the chance that Hero could come back to him and reminiscing of the happiness within their relationship. These emotions completely flip when Claudio sees the death Hero- he suddenly snaps out of this love illusion and starts blaming all the love Hero’s ‘she knows the heat of a luxurious bed’.

7) reflect on the journey of one or both of the actors with whom your working. How’s it going? What needs to happen next?
I feel that Meg was really focused today, she seems to be leading our group and understands the importance of rehearsals! We have very little time left to complete our show – yet we have so much more still to devise! We all need to be focused in rehearsals and each pull our weight (contribute as much as we can!).

8) what was the most important thing that happened (or didn’t happen) in your recent rehearsal? Unpack its importance.
Although we had lots of potential rehearsal time, I wasn’t happy with the little work that was produced as a result. Its great that we have now finished the bedroom scene however there is still lots to do e.g. the transitions into and out of the scene, rehearsing in the actual performance space, use of powder paint, use of props – the bed! Etc. it worries me how much we still have to do!

9)what is the most important thing that could happen in your next rehearsal? How will you shape the rehearsal in order to increase the odds of that ‘thing’ happening?
As mentioned before, the most important thing that could happen in our next rehearsal will be to come ready for rehearsals ‘focused attitude’. We need to move on from the bedroom scenes now and start devising or re-capping the major scenes. Once we have these main scenes done and completed we can work on the transitions- linking together (this should come last).

28th April Lesson Evaluation

1 ) What important discoveries were made during the rehearsal?

Within today's rehearsal, our aims were to begin rehearsing Jessie's scene and re-rehearse Amy's scene (linking the two together).  I loved Jessie's ideas for the suicide scene! She took the hand replace technique (from frantic assembly) and used this to show the relationship between Claudio and hero- falling apart and difficult. Alongside a soundtrack, this helped both me and George to portray the emotions and struggle each character was having. Furthermore, we also experimented with pace, gradually getting faster each time- this helped to build to the climax point of the suicide.
Alongside the movement, Jess found a poem about suicide/death which she wanted hero to say whilst walking down the steps. Throughout the whole play Hero is a silent character therefore I suggested that instead all other characters (Hero's) could whisper the poem whilst off stage and unseen- this would create the illusion of Hero's thoughts- as though the audience can hear the out loud.

2 ) What led to those discoveries?

Although Jessie was the main director of this scene, the rest of the group helped to direct and input any suggestions or feedback to help us improve. Initially Jessie presented us with her idea, and then let us interpret her ideas ourselves. Whilst using improv and experimenting with these ideas, the rest of the group gave us feedback- positive and negative which helped us improve each time!

3 ) Towards where do those discoveries lead?

Once we had finished learning the suicide scene, we put it into context (using he foyer stairs - as we will be during the final performance). Here we were able to visualise the practicalities of performing in this setting or making any necessary changes, there were also moments when we had to problem solve e.g. How we would use both set of stairs or where I would face ( as the front of the train station).

4 ) Consider questions No. 1-3 except focus on important roadblocks/dead ends.

I think the roadblocks at the moment will be worrying about time and finding time to commit to after college rehearsals- especially as we're getting close to the deadline, we should start putting more hours into our work if we are to produce a good performance.


7 ) Reflect on the journey of one or both of the actors with whom you are working.  How’s it going?  What needs to happen next?

I loved all of Jessie's ideas for the opening- she used both me and George's performance skills/ abilities in a way that would best compliment the storyline and characters and offered ideas from a different perspective that I hadn't considered.

Furthermore, as a group we were all productive and collaborative- staying focused and on task. This level of focus has been within most rehearsals and therefore is enabling us to produce lots of work, think creatively, and hopeful moves us towards finishing by the deadline!

25th April Lesson Evaluation

1 ) What important discoveries were made during the rehearsal?

Within today's rehearsal we spent the beginning half of the rehearsal devising the opening scene (Becca) and the second part of the lesson devising my scene, the bedroom scene.

Although we didn't have a script, We were talked through Beccas ideas for her scene and put these ideas into practices through improvisation. Through this improvisation we were able to problem solve e.g fixing parts of the storyline (that didn't make sense before or have changed due to the devising on other scenes). Furthermore, we were able to re-rehearse our opening dance, changing this so that all the characters are introduced-, rather than just showing one set of characters, each of us changes from our first into our second characters. This way, all the characters are introduced.

During my half of the rehearsal, I felt as though I was able to convey my idea well ( I was worried that I wouldn't be able to explain it in a way that made sense!). We were able to begin experimenting with the lifts and idea of manipulation- using red ribbons tied round George's wrists. Where moves or lifts didn't work, we had to problem solve around this taking into consideration each of our abilities. I originally had aimed towards just completing all the duets however we were able to progress beyond this and into the group dance (just before the end with Claudio and the death Hero.

2 ) What led to those discoveries?

Within Beccas scene, especially re-rehearsing the dance, helped us to make new discoveries e.g. Introducing more than just our first characters. Through coming back to pieces we have already devised, such as the dance, we are able to develop/ improve things that we hadn't thought of before.
Furthermore, within my scene, we took Inspiration from other dances and performances to help create our piece. For example, we took the idea of red ribbons ( manipulating George) from Megan and Ellie's physical theatre piece, and also the use of powder paint from pinks live performance of 'try'. Through borrowing ideas, we were able to create a relevant piece of movement with all the aspects we needed to portray our stage of grief. 'Its not about re-inventing the wheel, use what you've already got and develop/ adapt it'- quote from Jonathan.

3 ) Towards where do those discoveries lead?

Although we spent an hour each on these scenes, we haven't finished them yet and still have lots of ideas to try and add. For example, Becca needs to write a script for the opening and stage it- show us where to say what when, order of events etc. It will also be useful to try linking this scene onto the canteen scene ( as this is nearly completed).

I still need to finish my bedroom scene, there is a duet at the end of the piece which I am yet to choreograph and there are small changes that need to be made during the duets. These include timing- making sure the duets flow into one another (also saving a slot for Jess) and end in time for the final duet. The dialogue needs to be added alongside the use of powder paint- which would be useful to experiment with at least once before the final performance! I also have ideas for the transition linking into this scene- bingo through till the bedroom scene. As I wanted all the Hero's to start from underneath Claudio's bed ( and somehow creep/crawl out in time for their duet), the Hero's will all have to quickly get changed and be in position ready. As I am the last Hero and have lots of time to get dressed, I can hold the audience in the hub/ bingo scene, giving a short speech or 'trying' to organise things- yet clearly panicking! This could provide some comedy before the intensity of the bedroom scene!

4 ) Consider questions No. 1-3 except focus on important roadblocks/dead ends.

The roadblocks that we have to be aware of at the moment is our attitude towards unfinished scenes. By his meaning, saying and discussing how something will happen yet putting this off so we never get to try it. I know that I made this mistake today through saying  about the powder paint and dialogue. We didn't practise with these two things therefore will need to ensure that this happens otherwise we will reach the performance not knowing exactly what we're doing. Similarly in Beccas scene we have agreed and discussed that there will be dialogue ( and have now left the scene and moved on) we need to re- rehearse and ensure that we set a script otherwise the piece will evolve around Improv in the final performance .

5 ) Reflect on dramatic action and conflict.  How’s it going?  What actions does this suggest?

Within my scene I the music I have chosen ' time' by Hans Zimmer is very emotional - which builds to a huge climax point. With Claudio crying out over the top of this, outnumbered by a powerful force/ presence of Hero's creates great dramatic action and conflict. Furthermore the contrast between the Hero's at the beginning of the piece and the death hero at the end portray the conflicting battle within Claudio's mind- he is still in love and desires the sweet innocent Hero yet he is trying to fend off the guilt and pain that her suicide choice has left him with.

6 ) Reflect on transformational leadership.  How’s it going?  What actions does this suggest?

Now that we have split the scenes into sections and divided them between us, we each have a voice. I am aware that I didn't have much input at the beginning of the devising process ( and was perhaps difficult/ a problem for the others to work with), I am now able to voice my opinions through this scene and make a useful contribution which will benefit the other performers rather than being an issue to work around or hold them back.

8 ) What is the most important thing that happened (or didn’t happen) in your recent rehearsal?  Unpack its importance.

At the beginning of the rehearsal we were made aware of the importance to push forwards with our devising- rather than sitting around discussing what needs to be done! We have three weeks before our final performance. In response to this we started devising as soon as possible, being creative and working through the little time we had to rehearse with. We split this time efficiently - spending an hour on Beccas and an hour on mine so that we could get as much done as possible! Although these scenes aren't finished, it gives us a start and contributes to the 'skeleton' of our piece. So far we have little pieces of performances from different scenes. Soon we will be able to piece these these sections together, giving us a bigger picture of our performance and help us acknowledge what still needs to be done.

9 ) What is the most important thing that could happen in your next rehearsal?  How will you shape the rehearsal in order to increase the odds of that “thing” happening?

To continue working as we are. As a group this approach to devising works for us and has enabled us to work through the scenes much quicker than anticipated! Unlike George's marvellous medicine, we are working through the material much quicker and there is less sitting around discussing ideas.

23rd April Lesson Evaluation

1)    What important discoveries were made during the rehearsal? 


During a previous rehearsal we planned out all the rehearsal dates we still had, and assigned each rehearsal to a different scene (so that each person has an equal amount of time to work on their individual scenes). The requirements for each rehearsal and individual scene is that they come prepared to the lesson with a script, ideas for movement and general plan of how they want to structure the rehearsal. Today we were working on Amy’s scene, the canteen. She had written a script including the characters of Beatrice, Benedict, Claudio, Hero, and the extra character of a dinner lady. The script she had written was appropriate to the style of the piece and was very funny- based the script around individuals ensuring that she it supported our strengths/performance skill and characteristics (of each character). Alongside writing a script, Amy also found a poem/ Shakespearian rhyme for the Hero’s to chant at Claudio.

Most of this scene is based around the dialogue, however as we were missing quite a few people (main characters!). Therefore we decided to work on the sections of the scene that we could all be involved in – considering that this would be the best use of our time. We had Claudio and three Hero’s therefore we started to work on the poem, using movement and exploring how we could use the tables in the canteen.

2)    What led to those discoveries? 


To begin with, we read through the poem a couple of times in order to familiarise ourselves with the text and clarify any words that we were unsure of. We then considered our intention for the poem, what are we trying to make Claudio feel? We agreed that this would include intimidation and guilt (the words suggest we are blaming Claudio for our death). Using Alex Packers approach to devising (starting with something simple and basic which can then be developed) we read the poem aloud whilst circling Claudio. The effect of this was to isolate Claudio and make him feel vulnerable- as though we are crowding his head (everywhere with no escape). Developing this, we experimented with the pace of walking- running, slow walking etc. which then developed gestures. To finish the first section of the poem, our circle got tighter until we were touching distance from Claudio (making him feel claustrophobic) - I remember how Elsa played Clara in the visit- reaching out to Ill and exaggerating her movements and expressions to create a patronising and spiteful character. I used this as inspiration for my own character of Hero in this scene.

Taking inspiration from Hofesh, Claudio clambers to the table performing Hofesh based movement (as though he is in pain and desperately trying to escape from Hero). The Hero’s then creep towards him, crawling from the other end of the table- trapping him in the centre. We loved the Macbeths group version of ‘the tiger who came to tea’ where they staged the audience around a table whilst ‘the tiger’ climbed and sat on the table as though it were a stage. We will be adopting this idea of staging for our own performance.

Although the poem sounded good with intonation, pace and expression, we felt as though there was something missing (as though it needed an undertone). We began to experiment with a ‘round’ where each Hero speaks a line whilst the repeated line ‘Heavily, heavily’ created the beat. With the extra Hero’s this would further increase the volume. Watching this back on video, the sound produced as a result of the round was much stronger compared to unison- it gave us as Hero a greater power and presence in comparison to Claudio.

3)    Towards where do those discoveries lead?

Now that we have the foundations of the scene, we can continue to develop- perhaps next lesson finishing the poem (continuing in a round). It will also be helpful to link the two sections together- both movement and acting. Furthermore, we had thoughts about the lighting for the movement section- George suggested that we create two walls of light at either end of the table which traps Claudio. I love this idea however it will be difficult to create with no blackout in the canteen. Rose suggested that we could use a single light underneath the table; this would create a ghostly and creepy effect- only illuminating outlines and shadows.  


 

4)    Consider questions No. 1-3 except focus on important roadblocks/dead ends.

Unlike other rehearsals we understood that although we have set a routine for this scene, it doesn’t necessarily mean that its finished and we can move on- there is still so much we could change, develop, add etc. we need to keep coming back to the scenes we have ‘completed’ (alongside devising new scenes) in order to use them as potential for improvement.

8) What is the most important thing that happened (or didn’t happen) in your recent rehearsal?  Unpack its importance.


I think the most important thing that happened in our rehearsal was our ability to follow the timetable and come prepared to lesson. Before we had this structure in place, some rehearsals seemed pointless as no one had prepared or thought about what we could do to improve or devise next. We each know when our rehearsal time is and therefore are ready for the rehearsal- as a result we produce lots of work and make significant progress! We need to continue in this way in order to finish our performance by the deadline.