Sunday, 25 November 2012

Costume & Set Presentation - 13th November



Today was the first opportunity for the company to see the design of the set. We had explored the atmosphere of the piece and had ensured that the piles of rubble were represented by clusters of chairs, but the students would now be able to envisage their performance space.



MODEL OF THE SET - EXCITING TIMES


As well as the set design, the comapny was also shown the design of the costumes. Although the actors were constantly reminded to consider their characters physicality and how they would move within the space, knowing what their character would be wearing would help them even more.



MEGEARA

   .






ANTIGONE

PRINCE TYDEUS


EURYDICE


THESEUS


HAEMON


TALTHYBIA   

On Language, Learning and Annotation

Whilst reading, rehearsing and learning the text there are a few things which must be remembered!!




  1. Always acknowledge the interruptions [/] - they have been placed there for a reason. It is an indication as to when the next Character begins their line. eg. Using the text above, Pargeia begins to say "He used you as……." after "he" during Eurydice's line: "The ground where he / lies" This is a heated discussion between the two characters and it requires this over-lap. 
  2. These interruptions must remain when you are off-book. The text should be learned taking into account the location of [/] as you cue. 
  3. Annotating and learning with punctuation: following Moira Buffini's note at the beginning of the play - "To explain why I don't put all the full stops in." - the actor must decide where they need punctuation, to aid them in their understanding of the structure of the text. Annotate accordingly, when considering what your character says. Once this has been done, you should learn the text with the amendments. 

From the Beginning with Detail - 6th & 9th November

Today was the first week back. The students had been asked to focus on learning their lines over the half term. The intention was to go back to the beginning of the script and rehearse/ block in more detail.

  • Being off book frees up the actor. The less dependant the actor is on their script, the more able they are to explore the space, their physicality and how they exist within the space with the other characters. 

We rehearsed:

  • up to page 32 on the Tuesday: Act Two, Sc i
  • up to page 59 on the Friday: (Towards the end of) Act Two Sc ii


Some of the things discovered through rehearsals were:

  • The opening scene between Miletus, Scud and Megeara is key in the setting up of the energy of the play - the actors really need to set the pace….
  • Following Megaera's "Welcome to Thebes" (and the Chorus' echoes of the same), the ensemble will enter into the space - exploring the debris and whispering/ repeating "Welcome to Thebes". It is at this stage that we first hear the helicopter. Quiet at first, but you get the sense of a looming threat - an outsider approaching. (Think the "streetcar" from A Streetcar Named Desire). The company focus their attention to the sky......…
  • The chorus will be part of Eurydice's "getting ready". The chorus will be present at the base of the podium and they will hand up the scarf, the watch and the handbag as they're referred to by Ismene (page 14). 
  • Need to really find the pace during "breathe frenzy" moment on page 52-53. The energy/ tension needs to build to the climactic moment where Polykleitos goes to pull trigger. 
  • Place Polykleitos in entrance 'B' on page 54 when Talthybia talks about the "Theban guy…" - "who dismantles guns and weapons……" Polykleitos needs to find the passion in what he is saying there and then - it's a flash back/ a re-visiting to what was said. 

Thursday, 22 November 2012

Looking at Statuses within Politics - 20th November

Looking at Statuses within Politics.

To be political in itself, suggests a certain physical and vocal type. Politicians are used to addressing people and interacting in soicial situations.

Below are the political roles within the play (note that a mechanic and a student exist in within the politics of Thebes):

  • President
  • Leader of the Opposition
  • Senator
  • Son of the President
  • Sisters of the President
  • A Mechanic
  • Foreign Secretary
  • Minister of Justice
  • A student
  • Minister of Trade and Industry
  • Minister of Agriculture
  • Minister of Education
  • Chief of Police
  • First Citizen
  • An Aide to the First Citizen
  • A diplomat
  • Head of Security
The company considered what these roles meant and how they would inform their physical and vocal portrayal. They also considered how they might respond to others in the play. Some of the questions posed were:
  • If you were related to Eurydice, how would that impact your life. What is it like to be the niece of/ the son of.....?
  • If your character is not actively political, how do you relate to the world of politics. Polykleitos the Mechanic - what are his views?
  • Consider the Public/ Private aspects of a politician. Do they behave differently when addressing a congregation, to when they are having a private conversation?
  • Consider gesticulation. How do politicians use their hands and arms to engage with an audience?