Evaluation of Performance

My scene had a sense of reflection (one of the themes in the play) which lasted within every character, even when we were not speaking. This is something which if I could re-do the scene I would explore more and play with presence on stage before or after my dialogue is over, because I think when I look at everyday conversations an natural human behaviour, the 'stop-start/ enter-speak-exit' way that we sometimes approach scenes is not accurate at all. So I would just explore the style in more depth.

Specific things that didn't go to plan were minor blocking movements which Ryan and I tried to convey as natural as possible- one small struggle we faced was making our stance seem natural when making sure we were visible to the audience's direction. One other thing was that there seemed to be a little bit of confusion shown through eye contact between Beth and I at our table section of the scene which although didn't result in any mistakes, was a doubt that made us come out of character ever so slightly.

To overcome this next time I would perhaps arrange a signal with group members in case lines were forgotten- otherwise we should trust that we know the lines and we're just holding a pause for dramatic effect.

However, I thought the scene went very well and enjoyed the attention to detail naturalistic acting requires.  

Props & Costume

I chose to use a bag in my scene which I start to pack in slight rage when Jimmy rejects my affection at one point in the scene. I feel this is convincing and a way in which a lot of people deal with things- through actions and or domestic tasks  when feeling discomfort. I also wanted to remain on stage for a short while after my last line (which suggests my exit) because I thought while Helena was remaining on stage it just reinforced the theme of presence that each character has in relation to one another- in some way or another when coupled together all have distresses caused by the third's presence. In Helena's case- she feels her love for Jimmy is disrupted by the love between him and Alison and vice versa.

For costume I decided to wear a casual shirt which reflected the comfort of Helena living in the household at the beginning of the scene, which also highlights the theme of contentment that all characters feel at one point or another throughout the play- in relationship to each other, in society and or in the household itself.

Helena's Epiphany

There is a point in the play, in the last scene that I am doing where Helena suddenly realizes her place in the trio and decides what she wants to do about it- move out. I like this because the epiphany is organically develops on stage. In rehearsals Beth and I practiced creating tat raw emotion and I wanted to portray that Helena's though process was happening on stage in the moment. By doing this, I understood the importance of acting when not saying lines, which could arguably be more important that acting when saying lines. This is something Stanilslanski highlights- that if the actor becomes the character on stage and commits to their thought process, the emotions should reflect outwardly- and even if you appear to be doing nothing on stage that is better than becoming false and trying to represent the emotions through constructing facial expressions through association of what we think we know.

Directors Notes #1 | Speech

Although I was aiming to play Helena's character with an RP/Standard English accent I find myself still struggling with some vowel sounds- particularly 'u'. In one of Helena's monologues the word 'utterly' was something that I was struggling to make sound natural and fluid, and my northern accent would be exposed in every attempt. Despite how small the matter was, I realised that if I consciously begin to train myself to develop my RP accent now (at this stage of my education) it will benefit me profusely.

So instead of dismissing the matter and removing the word from my script completely, I was directed to consciously try to improve it and I found after one rehearsal session at home trying to identify the phonological problem in my speech, I feel I am now able to overcome it. Of course it was a small issue, but the principle of dealing with things is something that I notice helps and can help me overcome others.

Units & Objectives | #2 Standing and Tidying

The second application of units and objectives takes place on page 89 when Helena says ‘That’s why everything seems more wrong and terrible…” I decided that if Helena begins to stand and tidy it will show the internal conflict she is feeling. Channeling this internal conflict by trying to show control of her surroundings and that things (domestic, at least) are in order reinforce her struggle. Also, the proxemics of Helen's character at that point show her moral discomfort and by suddenly removing herself from an intimate chat with Alison, this can reflect her feeling of being disloyal and impure with the friendship she appears to have with Alison. It could also reflect Helena removing herself from not just that small situation but the whole relationship dynamic and household situation that is a much bigger scale.

Emotional Memory

The technique of emotional memory is something that I think could genuinely help evoke real emotions in my scene. There are certain points in my scene where, when first beginning to rehearse I noticed myself creating more of a representation of emotion- what we associate with that type of emotion, for example when Helena shouts at Jimmy and when she shows sympathy for Alison I had to refrain from creating a false representation of the emotions. Instead I thought of how I would feel in those situations and have felt before in my own life however serious or mundane the emotions are. After practicing this more in rehearsal I found that it just seemed more natural and the emotions were more genuine because of it.

Applying Units & Objectives | #1 Cup of Tea

The first unit and objective that I have decided to incorporated into my character's stage directions takes place on page 88 when Alison tries to show affection when saying “Oh, Helena, don’t bring out the book of rules” by placing her hand on Helena’s, Beth and I decided that I as Helena should tense up and clench the mug in a nervous state of discomfort (which I think is a theme that rund through the play in many degrees). This could reflect Helena feeling discomfort with her position in the house, and the realisation of this results in her distancing herself from Alison- not wanting to show affection at that moment. Also, the cup of tea here could be a symbol of the comfort in the domestic position Helena has in the house at this point in the play, by her clenching it tightly it shows how she has been and still is holding onto that comfort. Because this is shortly after Helena decides to announce her departure this reflects the internal conflict and the fact that throughout that scene Helena didn't finish that cup of tea with enjoyment mirrors how she also abandoned the comfort that her role in the house once brought to her as well.

Characterisation #2

Something that Stanislavski's Naturalism is renowned for is the meticulous process he required actors endure- intense research and analysis when preparing for a character role of Stanislavski's style.

When practicing my scene with Ryan and Beth I find that it is a constant process of analysing how I am trying to convey emotions rather than really feeling them and being committed to the character's personality. To overcome this we tried to repeat the scene over and over again so that I could become familiar with it first, then focus on the consumption of the acting rather than panicking about blocking, timing and lines.

I mentioned that after we all feel very comfortable with our lines we should be assured with each other that we all know them- that way any pauses or silences for affect of the character won't be interrupted by one another trying to help each other out with remembering them. I feel like this really requires trust in the people we work with.

Thoughts After Reading

From what I have noticed about plays, novels and even films (since a lot of the time they're inspired by texts) they often signify a lot more than the dramas involved in that one family or setting or group of characters. Similarly, I feel Look Back in Anger stands for a lot, socially at the same time as just being a story about love, struggle and relationships.

I enjoy reading plays that are almost stripped of a glamorous exterior and this being one of the first 'kitchen sink dramas' in the history of British playwriting, I would imagine it somewhat forces the audience to consume themselves in the personal lives of the characters. The play's drama seems to come from the characters inwardly rather than outwardly- I feel the setting is very intimate with the house, the shop and it is about what happen to the characters internally in their relationships to each other rather than on a grand scale of society.

Characterisation #1

In terms of characterisation I knew that playing either Jimmy, Alison, Helena or Cliff would all require deep analysis of their complex personalities; each of them have their own story, feelings and concerns. I realise that to portray a truthful representation of these personas, I need to  always be aware of the motivations behind the dialogue and actions of my own character particularly.

Casting

Beth, Ryan and I decided we would work well together because we seemed to have a similar ambition for our performance and characterisation; we all wanted to seriously try to convey a naturalistic scene that challenged us and put us under constant self-assessment to overall improve our understanding and application of Stanislavski's Naturalism. Also, the three of us shared the opinion that we did not want our scene to reflect the style of a soap opera; no part of us seen this style as 'the familiar style that we've known since playing 'house' as children' and we definitely didn't want it to be 'GCSE'. So it was satisfying to know that we were all on the same 'wave-length' about our performance.

The most obvious decision was to choose the last scene of the play which included one male role  Jimmy) and two female roles (Helena and Alison) but we also thought that scene provided a good balance of light-hearted dialogue and passionate monologues for each character.

Jimmy- Ryan
Beth- Alison
Myself- Helena

I personally preferred to have the character of Helena because I liked that she was quite feisty, strong-minded (more so in our chosen scene) and the fact that she acted upon her principles eventually. I knew that Helena's character has a lot of qualities that I can relate to and I found myself understanding her monologues on a more personal level.

Setting our Scene

With literary works such as this one, motifs, themes and symbols always seem to be creative ways of reinforcing the real essence of the story and characters. However in the process of adapting a text into a theatrical performance we have to rely on other things;

Props
Costume
Set
Music
Sound Effects
Proxemics
Physicality
Vocalization

These are all things that can be representative in a way that can compensate for the same affects that are given linguistically and poetically through texts. The same principle applies to film- camera angles, visuals, time frames etc.

Solitude in Public & Spiritual Meditation

After reading 'Concentration of Attention' from Stanislavski's 'An Actor Prepares' I came across an extract which relates to my post on 'crossing the threshold';

"Solitude in Public...you are in public because we are all here. It is solitude because you are divided from us by a small circle of attention. During a performance before an audience of thousands, you can always enclose yourself in this circle like a snail in its shell."

This explanation of the 'circles of attention' introduces the method from which an actor can grasp a conscious state being selectively aware of their surroundings to enable their performance to become rich- by doing this they are not confronted or overthrown by the awareness of their audience judging them. They are able to switch off the over-active mind of the actor and be amerced in the mind and being of the character.

It also came to my attention that when practising this exercise which is spoken about in the book, that to really get into this state of being aware and limiting that awareness,a form of meditation is required. No amount of longing to gain that state of being can bring it into action. I feel it is something that relates well to the teachings of some spiritual teachers; true acting is a state of release from our identities and before we can further apply other identities and characteristics, we need to purify and enrich our 'Being'.

The spiritual teacher, Eckhart Tolle explores this concept  with the reference of being in a state of consciousness or 'no-mind' and 'watching the thinker' which essentially cleanses the mind of identity (the identity thinks themselves an actor and not the character- when acting we basically have to create another identity but not before cleansing our own). Tolle states;

"Instead of "watching the thinker" you can also create a gap in the mind stream simply by directing the focus of your attentions into the Now. Just become intensely conscious of the present moment...You draw consciousness away from the mind activity and create a gap of no-mind in which you are highly alert and aware but not thinking. This in the essence of meditation."

Mind Activity is not a bad thing but in the context of this topic, the 'mind activity' comes in the form of the actor worrying about the audience, lines etc. and focussing his attention on distractions that will prevent the actor from adopting the correct circle of attention, from condensing their perception of limited reality and from fully amercing into the character. Mind activity when acting needs to take the form of the character's mind activity and not the actors.

I think this an effective way into "getting into character" and I want to practice this when creating any naturalistic scene and or character, but as the character of Helena in Look Back In Anger in particular I feel it will help me portray the internal conflict of her character because I feel that she is someone who is analysing the people around her that matter and reflecting on the situation she is in (her living situation, morals, actions etc.) To me personally, its this "mind activity" and thought process that I want to portray in my performance which I feel I can only achieve through practising these methods that I have mentioned.

Three Faces

I once came across a quote that I recently realized can be related to naturalism. 

"The Japanese say you have three faces. The first face you show to the world.

The second face, you show to your close friends, and to your family.

The third face, you never show anyone.

It is the truest reflection of who you are."

I feel that the second and third face is what actors and directors aim to capture for a naturalistic performance- these are the faces that may only be surfaced when at home and considering the setting of my chosen scene in Look Back in Anger (being the final scene) this concept became something I wanted to explore with more depth throughout my rehearsal process as the character on Helena. 

The characters in the play despite some complexities do all have the types of relationships in which they can relax and live intimately with each others presents and it's with these types of close relationships that enable characters to let go and be free from their over-animated and over-enthusiastic personas. That may be more commonly found in the 'first face'.

Adequately put, Mia from Pulp Fiction.

To put this into practice I firstly made a conscious awareness of myself and my close friends and family whom I act so 'naturally' around. The thing that stood out to me most was the lack of fluidity in natural behaviour;

Pacing of Actions: there is a common habit with actors that is sometimes nothing to do with inexperience but we (us in training particularly) struggle to comfortably let a line just linger for a while; its difficult stop our 'inner monologue' from panicking "its your line, they think you've forgotten! Just say it... say it now!" Because we are still being schooled in the profession, tutors, classmates and even ourselves don't trust that we've got the whole 'line-learning' thing completely covered, and understandably so. Most of the time it's never perfect, but this can actually sometimes ruin a scene, when one wants to just create a moment for their character, take time with a reaction or explore an emotion it is often misinterpreted as a forgotten line so after a classmate has whispered or covered the line for you that moment has gone.

 After all, when we're given a script our job is to speak the words, but for me it's a hindrance to the performance process when those words are written all over our faces until we've said them. Sometimes when I have been watching actors, myself included I can predict from their physicality, facial expression and speech who has the next line or who hasn't yet finished a monologue etc. and so when comparing this false portrayal of our nature with how natural realistic conversation happens the latter has a quality of spontaneity and organic reaction that I want to practice for my performance in this project and definitely others in the future. Taking time to live with the thought process of the character is a skill I wish to develop because I just feel the emotions are more raw and relate to Stanislavski's intention.

Comparing Stanilslavski & Brecht | 'Crossing the Threshold'

Transitioning from Brecht's Epic Theatre to Stanislavski's Naturalism and comparing the two is something that I think will benefit me throughout the rehearsal process for this production. I think it's interesting differentiating the two styles because we learn what their overall motivations were and what effects they wanted their plays to have on audiences. We were introduced to the way in which Stanislavski may have trained his actors; by envisioning a circle around performance space and committing to a that focus no distractions surrounding it (like audience reactions) should interfere with that performance. Unlike Stanislavski, in Brechtian performances actors would instinctively improvise (if not directed to already) react to spontaneous endeavours from a live audience. Considering this made me come up with a diagram that I feel represents the difference in 'thresholds' with these two practitioners' styles.

The red outline here signifies the area in which the actor’s character shows a conscious awareness of their surroundings as their reality. Naturalistic actors will be trained to dismiss and ignore anything going on outside their perception of their limited reality- and to not cross that threshold. This distances the audience by effectively separating their versions of reality at the moment of performance. Whereas, Brecht constantly reminds the audience that they are watching a performance. Actors practising Brecht's style would probably be given the freedom to react to real life events from the audience who are constantly reminded that this is a play, and they are in a theatre being directly spoken to by actors playing characters.

Stanislavski Naturalism Introduction | £10 Note Exercise

Before reading the script for Look Back in Anger, the class had a workshop which introduced Stanislavski's style of theatre. Naturalism- Something that we (and particularly drama students) would assume we are most comfortable and familiar with, both watching and performing. Being directed to ‘act naturally’ can seem the simplest way to perform for a drama student; creating a household scene of real life that they probably can relate to and or have gone through. For some it’s viewed as a style that requires the least application of effort and ‘comes natural’ but after this workshop I realised it is almost the complete opposite. The exercise involved in the workshop simply directed Beth to hide a £10 note, then exit and re-enter the room improvising a short scene of them looking for it, eventually finding it- in a naturalistic style. Subconsciously, we seemed to think that gestures like a confused frown or a subtle head scratch is the key to portraying what is happening in a situation, and we soon learnt that Naturalism is not about shrinking these gestures so much that it becomes a depiction of ‘real-life’. Stanilsavski reffers to this idea as 'mechanical acting' and over-acting' in his 'An Actor Prepares. I noticed and discussed with the group though how naturally in life, we do mimic things. It is interesting to notice how elements of Brechtian and slapstick gestures are something that we do. We were then introduced to the ‘threshold’ in which may have helped our performance with this exercise. A second time, Beth was then directed to exit the room again, but this time the note will be hidden for her resulting in her having to genuinely search for the note which would evoke genuine reaction. Having being told that she could only keep her borrowed money unless she found it in the short time frame, the conscious decision to perform this routine were gone and after watching this, the difference in what we think naturalism is and what it actually aims to be became clear. I decided in order to apply this to my own performance, I would maybe have to reproach my actions and the delivery of each line and really question whether that is genuinely how I would act in that situation.