Warm Up
Our preparations for this session was the same as usual! General mobility and stretching procedures to begin, followed by SOVT exercises and melodic arpeggios to ensure we were warmed and ready for the following activities!
Characterisation Work
Once we broke away into our respective groups, we began a small character-based task. This was primarily targeted towards the new chorus members who would be participating in the scene, but I will always take an opportunity to continue my own personal development!
The task was carried out very similarly, however, to one of our activities in the first acting session: participants would walk around the space as their normal selves, before altering their manner to suit that of their characters. This time i found this much easier to slip into, as I had previously mapped out each of Vivienne's tendencies, thus meaning that my rehearsal has displayed ample progress for my fluidity and confidence in character!
Main Rehearsal
There were two distinguishable halves to our main chunk of rehearsal:
-Recap
-New Content
Recap
Before we moved onto new content, we spent considerable time consolidating our previous learning by rerunning The Harvard Variations - with both song and blocking simultaneously - several times. This was actually very useful for my progress, because I was already familiar with the technical details, and as such could develop the scene by adding more characterised details, rather than just ''going through the motions'' of the scene, so to speak.
New Content
The next section we blocked was the subsequent song, Blood in the Water. Having already learned the vocals in a previous session, this was the final stage of solidifying this number, before I could admit the same confirmatory treatment that The Harvard Variations received.
Although my counterpart began the blocking process, this was ultimately more useful for me, as I was able to take notes on each motion I was given, and begin to establish character before I attempted the blocking! Therefore, the later process of adding in the characterised elements would be swifter, because I could plan them as the scene was unfolding, without any disruption to my focus!
In terms of movement, my main activity is a series of four freeze-frames (thinking, writing, toying with clothing, listening intently), as well as a few leaning motions and nods at specific moments. Aside from this, I am somewhat restricted; I remain in a chair for the entirety of the song (as we are in a lecture room), although I am on the front row which gives me some freedom of changing my seating position comfortably (e.g. crossing one leg over the other.)
Plenary/Next Steps
Due to all of these aforementioned factors, my priority for independent coverage will be regarding my facial expressions and upper body movements. I need to ensure I appear engaged for the full scene, and am always reacting to the situations unfolding, without drawing attention away from the dialogue and vocals of the other characters.
In this scene, Vivienne is generally content, in her own reserved, cold way. She is excited, certainly: it is her first day at the prestigious Harvard Law, and she is partaking in a lesson with an equally infamous professor, where she has front row seats! This, accompanied with Elle being thrown out of the class after admitting to not completing the assigned reading prior to starting, fills her with a great sense of justice and satisfaction, as she believes at the time that these things are all positive (she does not know Elle personally at this given time.)
Therefore, I will need to display as much of these things as I can without the use of voice or the lower half of my body (for the most part), and as such I will also lean into my interactions with other characters beside me.
No comments:
Post a Comment