These past two terms we were looking at a script called “East
End Tales” which is a script used to do ensemble pieces. We performed it on a
thrust stage. Which means the audience was placed on three sides of the actors,
the right, left and in front. We used a selection of red stools to symbolised
different places in the East End and used different lighting to create tension
and atmosphere in the scenes. It also helped to explain the stories. We used
all 27 actors on stage to create the feeling that one person is telling a story
but in a creative way. This performance was performed on the Thursday 12th
February 2015 and 5pm and 6:45pm. It was performed in The Brit School in The
Garrett Studio.
I used my research and worked out different ways to
represents certain things in the East End. For example the East End is known
for their pubs and cafes so thinking of a pub setting we thought we should
stack the stools up into a mini bar and act as if it is a pub.In my group in Tale 6 we were stuck for quite a will trying to figure out how to make a creature to represent a line that one of us said so, when it came to performing back to the class we honestly didn’t know what to do, so when the line came we all improvised the creature (and we all surprisingly thought a like). We used levels and hissing sounds to make a creature which became very effective and strong in the scene.
We did different tasks/ activities to explore the tales in the script and used a lot of ideas from the activities and put them in the show. For example we had to use physical theatre to represent atmosphere and tension in a scene (we did this by highlighting lines that represent these words) using this we put it into the scenes and it could show the connections between characters.
I believe that when the whole class is on stage telling a
story it makes the piece very strong and interesting to watch. I think mostly
in scene 3 when we have finished building the bar and we all look into the
centre telling the story; you could feel the energy and see the interesting
things happening in the middle. This intrigued the audience, as well as the
actors their selves.
My favourite moment was when we brought out the white sheet
and Roseby had to lie underneath it and we shone the lights of our phones
underneath it to make a beautiful snow effect because it made the scene look so
extraordinary and magical, as if we are looking back at the characters past.
Looking at the audience, it made them feel as if they are the character we are
describing looking back at his past. Which is what, I guess, we wanted them to
feel. I am sure this was perceived because they were on the edge of the seats
looking in on the story as we did on the stage.
I would like to acknowledge Harmony’s acting skills in
another tale, tale 6. When we created a creature who was noticing something
about the two characters we were describing and we built up a lot of tension
whilst doing this, but when it can to her part she broke that tension making
the audience laugh and making the scene become more light-hearted. What I am
basically trying to say was her characterisation was amazing and it definitely sounded
like someone from the East End.
I think our main weakness was our characterisation because we
were all focused on knowing what to do; how to physicalize the performance and
learning our lines and cues by a certain date that we forgot to actually think
about characterising ourselves and fitting it with how we tell the stories. We overcame
it by looking back on our research and taking sometime to create characters.
For example we used “Role on the Wall” and thought what the narrator of that
tale would be like outside of the scene / story they are telling.I have developed my ensemble skills by finding unique and clever ways to use my body to tell a story without actually saying anything. I have learnt that body language and the way you do things on a stage is very important in acting because it can tell more things about the play/ story than the lines an actor delivers from a script. Hence the saying ‘actions speak louder than words.’
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