Half-term rehearsal 10-4
We wanted everybody in the session to be very focused on what we were doing so that we could get everything blocked today and so we started off the session with a few games like splat, name tag and ninja just to get everybody on the same page. We decided that we would do a focus game of 21 which is where only one person can say a number, consecutively all the way up to 21 but if two people say the same number then you have to start again. We thought that this would be a good focus exercise for the group as we are only a cast of 6 and so they really needed to listen to each other and be in tune with each other for the exercise to work.
We then wanted to see how well the cats had been learning their lines and so we did a full through of section 1 and 2 because we had previously asked them to learn the lines for everything that we block. We previously decided that each director would make notes on the performance and then we would compare the notes at the end. If there was something that we both picked up on, then it was something to be addressed majorly. We did this twice so that the cast could act upon our feedback and then we made some more on their second run through as well.
For around 20 minutes, we focused on Section 3 as one of our cast members wasn't here last week and so we had to fill him in on everything that we had added in. We had asked him to watch the video on Youtube, so that he had a rough idea of what was going on but we would fill him in once he was in the rehearsal. We went over the movements which everyone had seemed to remember and pointed out the fluidity of the lines. We told them that we wanted there to be a continuity between the lines so that when we get to the movements, which are in silence, then it has a bigger effect on the audience and draws them in.
After this, we decided that we would do a run through of sections 1-3 but we took away the cast's scripts for sections 1 and 2 so that we could monitor their progress on learning their lines. We found that we were pleasantly surprised as majority of the group knew their lines and the pace began to pick up and we started to see the beginning of what it would be like in the actual performance. After this run through, we started to become harsher on the cast about their un-choreographed movements as we wanted them to get used to not moving in rehearsal so that when it comes to performance night they are consciously thinking about not moving. We wanted this to be a clear instruction as when they do come to performance, we are anticipating nerves which lead to un-choreographed movements even more.
In the past few weeks, we have been debating over the plank lift in section 2. We have been told that we can't actually hear Peter's line as it is said to the back and we didn't want to change anything drastically as we still wanted the lift to be safe. We had the option of taking Peter out once the lift was stable but we thought that this was very dangerous having only 4 people spin Leah. We then decided that Peter could face the front whilst Leah got up and then turn around and assist with the lift. We tried this and it turned out quite well. https://youtu.be/KTrFD_dcA4Q We had the safety aspect of the lift and we also had the line being delivered clearly out to the front.
We then moved onto a read through of section 4 and added in some movements. Because of the length of section 4, it's the largest one out of the whole script, we added in some more movements than we did for previous sections. At the start of the section, there are multiple lines that address the people on stage directly with statements about their favourite tv shows, favourite book etc. and we wanted each person to have a juxtaposing staging to the position they were in before hand. For example, one of the lines is "We know that J's favourite TV show is Breaking Bad." now at this point Luke, who is named J for this play, is stood in the centre and so when the line is said he sits down. The proceeding line is then "We know that A's favourite game is Cluedo." At this point Peter, who is A, stands up as he was previously sat on a chair. This was the first time doing it and so it was a bit clunky due to the cast having to refer back to their scripts but once they are off script the pace will be faster and therefore the juxtaposing movements will be of a quicker pace and the audience's attention will be regained once again.
As our last thing we decided to attempt a full run through of the whole play to have a rough estimate at how long it would be. We did the same as we did earlier and allowed the cast to have their scripts for sections 3 and 4 but not for the first couple. We were there to prompt but we had a chart of who needed a prompt just as a visual reminder for the cast on how well they knew their lines. We wanted the cast to do a run through in their costume so that they got used to what it was like to do the whole thing in their actual costume. https://youtu.be/S_c8g0ZKjkQ (Sometimes the cast couldn't hear and we couldn't hear the lines as their was another group in the room who were being quite loud)
I think that the cast took on board what we said about staying still as the sections that they didn't have their script they stood perfectly still and we think that these sections are almost up to performance standard. We added in some turns for the rest of the cast when there is a movement going on. So, for example, when Joel and Hannah do their movement the rest of the cast turn to look at them, thus creating more effect on the audience as all attention is on the movement that it happened. I think that this was one of the highlights of the run through as these movements were very snappy and effective.
What we found with the costume was that they were used to it and so some movements crept in when they start fiddling with their costume. This why we had them rehearse in their costume this early on in the rehearsal process as we didn't want it to come to the dress rehearsal and they could have lost all the directions we gave them about remaining still.
After this, we decided that we would do a run through of sections 1-3 but we took away the cast's scripts for sections 1 and 2 so that we could monitor their progress on learning their lines. We found that we were pleasantly surprised as majority of the group knew their lines and the pace began to pick up and we started to see the beginning of what it would be like in the actual performance. After this run through, we started to become harsher on the cast about their un-choreographed movements as we wanted them to get used to not moving in rehearsal so that when it comes to performance night they are consciously thinking about not moving. We wanted this to be a clear instruction as when they do come to performance, we are anticipating nerves which lead to un-choreographed movements even more.
In the past few weeks, we have been debating over the plank lift in section 2. We have been told that we can't actually hear Peter's line as it is said to the back and we didn't want to change anything drastically as we still wanted the lift to be safe. We had the option of taking Peter out once the lift was stable but we thought that this was very dangerous having only 4 people spin Leah. We then decided that Peter could face the front whilst Leah got up and then turn around and assist with the lift. We tried this and it turned out quite well. https://youtu.be/KTrFD_dcA4Q We had the safety aspect of the lift and we also had the line being delivered clearly out to the front.
We then moved onto a read through of section 4 and added in some movements. Because of the length of section 4, it's the largest one out of the whole script, we added in some more movements than we did for previous sections. At the start of the section, there are multiple lines that address the people on stage directly with statements about their favourite tv shows, favourite book etc. and we wanted each person to have a juxtaposing staging to the position they were in before hand. For example, one of the lines is "We know that J's favourite TV show is Breaking Bad." now at this point Luke, who is named J for this play, is stood in the centre and so when the line is said he sits down. The proceeding line is then "We know that A's favourite game is Cluedo." At this point Peter, who is A, stands up as he was previously sat on a chair. This was the first time doing it and so it was a bit clunky due to the cast having to refer back to their scripts but once they are off script the pace will be faster and therefore the juxtaposing movements will be of a quicker pace and the audience's attention will be regained once again.
As our last thing we decided to attempt a full run through of the whole play to have a rough estimate at how long it would be. We did the same as we did earlier and allowed the cast to have their scripts for sections 3 and 4 but not for the first couple. We were there to prompt but we had a chart of who needed a prompt just as a visual reminder for the cast on how well they knew their lines. We wanted the cast to do a run through in their costume so that they got used to what it was like to do the whole thing in their actual costume. https://youtu.be/S_c8g0ZKjkQ (Sometimes the cast couldn't hear and we couldn't hear the lines as their was another group in the room who were being quite loud)
I think that the cast took on board what we said about staying still as the sections that they didn't have their script they stood perfectly still and we think that these sections are almost up to performance standard. We added in some turns for the rest of the cast when there is a movement going on. So, for example, when Joel and Hannah do their movement the rest of the cast turn to look at them, thus creating more effect on the audience as all attention is on the movement that it happened. I think that this was one of the highlights of the run through as these movements were very snappy and effective.
What we found with the costume was that they were used to it and so some movements crept in when they start fiddling with their costume. This why we had them rehearse in their costume this early on in the rehearsal process as we didn't want it to come to the dress rehearsal and they could have lost all the directions we gave them about remaining still.
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