Evaluation

In this is I will be evaluating not only the end result of our rehearsal process of the performance and my own performance but also the rehearsal process as a whole and the work that I did in the process of creating our final performance.

I think that the rehearsal process as a whole was not only a really focused and well driven one but only was conducted in a very professional manner reflecting, as closely as it could, the industry. As a result of our play; “Our Country’s Good” being set in such a vastly different context and society than the one that we live in now I think that the way we initially approached connecting and understanding the piece was really effective and important for us to be able to get into the world of the play. We started with exercises such as exploring being on the convict ship and exploring the class difference and the type of characters that were prominent in that society. I found that this was really helpful as it allowed us to engage and create the world for ourselves and then put the text in a world that we had created rather than feeling separate from that world. I think that it was important that we did this rather than going straight into the text and into blocking the play as it allowed us time to understand the language that was used and the world that we were having to create. We also did a lot of background research into the piece so that we could understand the politics and the norms of the society that we were creating as they are very different to how we think morally and politically. For me personally I found that this was useful as I was playing a character that was mentally very different from me in how he politically thought and approached life so being able to understand how he would fit into his society allowed me to be able to justify and understand his opinions.

I found that all this character development and research into the background and culture of the play meant that when we came to blocking our scenes and putting detail into them we were able to connect to them and bring the scenes alive. This came through understanding the piece and the context and consequently having the confidence to make our own choices with our characters that are appropriate to the situation that they are in. For example through understanding the class system of the time it allowed us to explore physically as well as vocally how the Officers and convicts would interact with each other. I feel that this level of understanding of the play allowed us to explore and develop the characters and situations more as we could know what would be appropriate to do and what would be out of context.

Overall I feel that we had a really productive rehearsal process, although there were moments of focus lost that would have allowed us to push the scenes further, I feel that we made the most of the time limit that we had. I feel that we were able to explore and develop the scenes and characters to put on a really effective and engaging performance with strong acting, bringing the audience into the world of the play and the story that we were telling.

I feel that my contribution and work throughout the rehearsal and creating process was dedicated and hard working allowing me to be able to explore and push myself. In the start of the rehearsal process I was a bit taken back by my character as it was unlike anything that I had played before and was completely the opposite to me. However I found that this actually challenged me a lot as an actor and allowed me to develop my own skills of characterisation and acting as a whole. I found that during the rehearsal process I worked hard on my characterisation and being able to connect to my character and that this actually helped me to develop my characterisation skills as I found new ways that helped me to get into my character and to drive my choices. For example I found that exaggerating the masculine physicality really allowed me to locate where the energy was coming from and where my character was leading form. It also allowed me to highlight the differences between my physicality and my characters so that I could easily get into my character and out of my body. I found that physically my characterisation skills were developed and explored as I learnt about the importance of embodying a character and making it different from myself.

Overall I feel that the performances were really effective and that each actor was really dedicated and emotionally invested in the performance and their characters and really understood the world of the play that allowed us to pull the audiences in and for them to engage emotionally with the story that we were telling. My performance as a whole I think was quite good as I really felt that I connected with my character and after a lot of work was able to physically and mentally engage with my character. I think that this allowed me to give a strong confident performance as I engaged my performance and drove through scenes with my vocal work and my character choices. However I think in some scenes, especially the first scenes, my energy could have been stronger as the scenes on stage sometimes felt under energised and that the scenes and lines didn’t have some of the power and drive in them that would have allowed the scene to be more engaging. The language in these scenes were really important and listening to each other was crucial to keep the scene rolling but furthermore to keep the audience engaged and actively listening to what we were saying. I think that in these scenes I could have actively engaged with the other actors more to create a stronger bounce vocally between us. I think this would have also furthered the characters relationships making them come alive more on stage; this would have supported the energy.

2nd Show

Going into our second performance of “Our Country’s Good” a week later I felt that there was a very different energy amongst the company. I feel that this was a result of it being untouched for a week since the last performance, so it felt old and not worked and fresh. I think this made me worried that mistakes would be made and that we wouldn’t be as in the moment of the situations and the characters. Also we didn’t have the adrenaline of going into the first public performance with the big run up to the show and all the rehearsals and preparation for it. As an actor I feel that this pushed me further into working out how I personally get into a character and how I sustain the energy outside of rehearsals. I think this is important because it teaches us how in the industry we can continue to work on our characters and to make each performance new and fresh without the need for constant rehearsals in between shows.

In this show, us the company, found that we had to work extra hard to create the energy on stage and to be able to drive the performance. To do this we had a really intense warm up not only to engage our bodies technically and to get into our characters and the given circumstances of the play. It was really important for us to vocally and physically warm up because our play is centred on words and the acting. By doing a detailed warm up we allowed ourselves to be ready to be able to tell the story clearly and to vocally connect to our characters. It was also crucial that we had time to reengage with our characters and to get to know them physically not just generally but to pick up and explore all the details again.

As a result of our show being at a different time than last week it had a different audience which made the feeling of the performance difference, not a worst or better but different. I feel that this is because each audience member is different and takes something different away from  the piece, consequently the audience as whole will connect to different moments for example will laugh in different sections. This showed me that each performance can be changed and made different not only by the actors but by the audience as well and that it is important to listen and connect to the audience as well as the other actors to be able to create a fresh performance, constantly making new discoveries.

Tech and Dress

Our tech and dress rehearsals were really important because I feel that they teach you a lot about working in a professional theatre with a company and putting on a production. Being in a technical rehearsal was really useful for me as it teaches you how to equip yourself in this environment, for example it makes actors realise and that they aren’t always the centre of attention and that the technical team, although rarely seen have an as important job as we do. I think it teaches you a lot about working in a collaborative effort and appreciating everyone’s involvement. It also has a massive impact performing the show on the real stage as it allows you to see how you have to project your voice and feel the stage and the space that you have to fill. I found that in our dress rehearsal it was really important for us to experience the stage with all the technical set and lighting to see how that brings the show to life and adds the final layer. Also I think that it is important because it helps and hinders in the same way, as you have the set sometimes it can make you feel more like you are in the place and time that your play is set allowing you to connect more to the piece. However I also find that with the lighting and everything it can make you feel even more that you are doing a performance and on a stage and as your character you have to work harder to give a real performance.  

 

1^st Show

I found that the performance in the dress run was really interesting to do as it had everything that it needed for the performance with the acting and the technical side all coming together and working to create a really excellent performance. However there was something that I felt was missing slightly and for me that final piece clicked to make our performance as good as it was when we performed our first show. With our piece I think that all of us actors had underestimated the strength of it, from the acting to the humour to the characters and the storyline. When we had an audience I felt that it really brought the play alive and it made us realise the power of our piece. For example there were a lot of times where the audience laughed throughout the first act and I don’t think we had fully realised the humour in it. This really drew the audience into our piece and connecting to the characters and the story that we are telling. Then I feel in the second act after being lulled into a sense of security through the humour, the audience are hit with the reality of the situation and the pain that is caused. I think that this really pulled at our audience’s heart strings and made them truly connect to the characters.

I personally found that the first show, with the adrenaline and everything, brought about small changes in my character. I found that I was pushing my characterisation further and developing small personal actions and movements that made me feel more connected and into my character. For example the pre-set brought about small actions such as rubbing my fingertips together to get rid of the dust; these actions made me get into my character and to start to explore him more. This was really helpful as I think that acting should be about constant experimentation and being present and living on stage, these small changes and developments made me present on stage and in my character.

Warm Up

Throughout this whole process I have found that the majority of my scenes have been the ones that could be the most challenging to keep the audience engaged because of the complex, legal language. These scenes are ones full of debate and the characters are holding heavy decisions in their words, as a result of this I have found that the energy in these scenes have to be pushed even further for the audiences to want to be engaged in the characters and the story that they are telling. However in the rehearsal process myself and the others who are acting in these scenes have found it hard to bring the words and language to life to make them interesting and engaging the audience. I think one of the problems that we have found it hard to overcome was listening to each other and understanding the importance of what we are saying. I think that this could bring the life of the words out of the page and if we as actors believe in the importance of the words I think that it will make the audiences want to listen and to believe in the importance of the decisions that the characters are making as well.

In one our sessions we had a really effective and useful warm up that I felt personally and as a company really helped to bring the scene to life. In this warm up we looked at exaggerating our characters to the extreme, in their voices and physicality and characterisation, and pushing it and us in our decisions that we have made for our characters. I felt that it made my subtle character choice a lot clearer to me and bringing really brought out the personalities of them. In my characterisation I felt that this exercise brought a new energy to my character and that it brought a real life to him. We then ran our first scene and for the first time it felt alive and that the characters had a real energy within them and this drove the scene.

Debate

In today's session we did an exercise where we explored the debates and the views that are most commonly expressed by the guards in the play regarding punishment. I found this exercise really useful as it allowed me to tap into the mental side of my character by connecting to his political views. It also helped to create the atmosphere of debates and how people act within one. This is was really important as the debate scene in the play is long and coukd disengage the audience because of the tehnical and political language. This exercise allowed me as an actor to experience the exciting and engaging energy that can be created in a debate, this has allowed me to understand the energy that needs to be recreated in our scene to drive it and to make it exciting to watch.

For my character I always assumed that he just supported Phillips in his opinions and that redemption was the way forward. However this showed me that my character actually supports hanging as it acts as a demonstration for the other prisoners, as a threat as to what could happen to them. I found that this added a darker side to my character and that he is less modern in thought than Phillips and believed in punishment. I feel that this reflects the society that my charatcer has been socialised into. Consequently this had made me think about my how my character acts in certain scenes an to other characters, for example in my first scene when we are debating how the prisoners should be punished, I feel that the stakes would be higher as I wouldn't immediately agree and support Philips in his ideas of redemption. As a result of this I found that the tension and conflict to get my point across would be higher, driving the scene forward.

RUN THROUGH IN THEATRE

In today’s session we had our first run through on the sage where we will be performing Our Country’s Good.  This was a really valuable experience to have as actors and for the show in general. It allowed us to experience space in full and to work out the proximities for the characters and the situations as a whole. I felt that it gave the director and us on stage the opportunity to see it as a show, it opened up gaps that are in it such as transitions and scenes that need more drive but also it allowed us to experience the scenes that really worked and started to bring the play to life.

As an actor I thought that this was a really good experience to have before the dress and tech because the tech isn’t focused on the actors and is about the technical side and the dress should be a full finished run. Therefore this run through was really valuable to get to know the space and how to act and work the space. Vocally I found that it showed me that I have to work harder and control and use my voice to project. I also felt that this was supported by my RP accent as I have to work harder on my clarity in such a large space.

I also found that the space made me think about the proximities between the characters in scenes and how this related to their relationships.  I found that in my first scene when the guards are out shooting that I had more space to explore and be my character by him. Also I found that with all the space my character wanted to gravitate towards Phillips, I feel because I am supporting his opinion that as my character I wanted to show my support physically as well as vocally.

I think one of the main problems that came up in this run was as actors being able to fill the place with our characterisation, physicality and voices. I think that this is something that all the actors in our show need to work because it is such a hard place to work and to fill and I think that this experience was very helpful and useful to show us this and to highlight what needs to be worked on and what is working already.

Accents

Today we had a professional accent coach come in as in Our Country’s Good there is a variety of characters from all around the world. Our Country’s Good doesn’t have extravagant set and is highly focused around the strength of the actors acting. As a result of this I think that it was important to have these accent master classes to not only work on our voices but to also connect to the character more.

For my character I had to work on my RP accent as I am playing a high ranking officer. Although the accent was one that I was most comfortable with we found that making small changes to our mouths had a large effect on our voices. For example we did an exercise where we said all our lines with our lips rounded, although the sound became a very stereotypical RP it allowed us to get the sound at the front of our mouths. This was really useful as with RP the sounds had to come from the front of the mouth so that it is sharper and more articulate. We also found that certain letters were pronounced differently, for example when saying plurals the “s” turns to a “z”. Small changes like this seemed to make a huge difference to my characters accent and it really highlighted the status of the character.

 
I found the accent work really useful for my character work as it emphasised the status of my character. The accent shows that my character has been highly educated which contextually is a sign of wealth. This is supported as my characters profession is legal and is very book smart, I feel that the accent emphasises his intelligence and his power and status.