Session 6

Reborn 'discoveries' 

In this lesson we started off with an excersie where we were being reborn, discovering our bodies as if we'd been born again. This excersie is about discovery and revealing. Discovering your body parts and how does it feel? How does it work? What is it used for? And mostly pure fascination or curiosity. When we were taking the time to discover and explore I found myself instantly linking rational thoughts. Like maybe I'm here because something bad happend to me and I'm relearning things that usually come second nature to you. And the way how babies are so determined to learn how to move, walk and stand. I think that during this exercise I was thinking too much and not truly allowing myself to be lose and open. I find this extremely hard because everything to my is logically in some way or form. If I didn't think rationally about how I'm there or to to have the mind set of a baby then I'm sure I would become animalistic in some way because it just how I think. I believe it's very hard to just lose your consince thoughts because how do you function. I think as long as you don't let it hinder you and stop you from being expressive then it's not that bad. 

Whole year group piece

Responding to a question 

In this lesson we worked as a whole year group responding to a question that was asked. We had to answer it honestly with our physicality and body language and it was better to discover the answer in other ways than talking or using diogloue. In order for the excersie to work you had to be very disciplined and not let anything distract you, you have to take full responsiblity for your learning and progress. We started by working in pairs then we had to work with another pair and answer different questions physically. After that we then started to work as a whole ensemble. I personally loved this because it gives you the opportunity to truly be honest with yourselfs without having to justify you choices or decisions. It was instructed that we lose conscience thoughts but I couldn't. I was asked a question and I responded truthfully for example one question was "what keeps you up at night?" Which for me is technology like my phone or iPad so I went with my iPad. I noticed that a lot of peoples reactions were typical or generic. I don't know if that was because maybe people weren't completely honest with themselves or sure however they generally may of felt the same but I found that annoying because when people start to copy each other it becomes boring and not very interesting to watch. Also I noticed that a lot of people at first just clumped into the centre of the room which was  disappointing because it makes the space unbalanced and visually unappealing. 

After that the teachers picked out specific people to answer a question and develope their physicality to lead the rest of the class. At first I thought this would be very interesting because you allow one person to find their own truth then they encourages others to do the same but follow. But this is not what happend, instead people just copied the person leading and I found myself getting disengaged with the activity because of the lack of individaulity and authenticity of the piece. I couldn't help but feel like that one persons discovery it's not yours. I don't think that a lot of people fully connected to the activity to fully commitment themselves to the task. Either way I really enjoyed this because it gave me the opportunity to be truly free and expressive with myself in a way that I haven't been before. 

Session 4

WHOLE GROUP PIECE

Creation inspired by Rene Magritte’s – The Lovers

The Lovers René Magritte

(Belgian, 1898–1967)

“My painting is visible images which conceal nothing,” he wrote, “they evoke mystery and, indeed, when one sees one of my pictures, one asks oneself this simple question, ‘What does it mean?’ It does not mean anything, because mystery means nothing either, it is unknowable.”

http://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/rene-magritte-the-lovers-le-perreux-sur-marne-1928

I really like this painting because it shows you that sometimes things aren't how they are presented or perceived to be and that not everything is black or white. It is left up to our imaginations to try and work out what the image is and what it means. The painter said "It does not mean anything, because mystery means nothing either, it is unknowable.” Implying that no ones interpretation is wrong. 

I like this painting being the stimulus of our piece because it allows us to create our own meaning and interptations but to also provoke mystery amongst our audince. 

CREATIVE EXERCISES

Finding "elemental movement"

Embody as ice, water, molten lava, wood, metal

Move/travel as these - ice, water, molten lava, wood, metal transitioning from one to the other.

We had to travel around the space embodying different substances like solides and liquids. This affected our movement because when your walking through water your most likely to walk quite slow but weighted but if you became water your movements would be airy and you'd glide and your weight would also be light and even balanced. Depending on your thought process your Imitation of the substance can vary. You can be very heavy and fast which could indicate dangerouse waves. I think there's no right and wrong to your movements because you can manipulate your movemnets to fit different situations. Water in a cup that is left alone is not going to look the same as water that someone is shaking so when you replicate a substance you automatically link your conscience dissucions to your thoughts and memories. 

Responding to objects that can move

Watching a plastic bag screwed up and unravelling 

In small groups respond and recreate the movement physically without talking discussing.

We had to watch and recreat the movement of a plastic bag. This was very interesting to observe and try to replicate with your group because your tying to copy the properties of an item. I instantly thought about how to link what the bag was doing to what a human does which I discovered was breathing. Altough the bag cannot physically breath it moved as though it had a pulse like it was breathing. I watched the bag go back and fourth and I wanted to show that. It was fascinating to me that we could take a item to inspire us and creat art. This to me is abstarct work because if someone didn't know what we were doing I doubt they'd of thought we were trying to embody a plastic bag. There was no need to speak to your group because of the level of concentration and commitment was evident. Without talking about how we felt or what we thought the bag was doing or how it was moving we just started working toghter and naturally developed an understanding of our movement. Which was slight, slow and flowing we also huddled closely together which symbolised to me the tight properties(atoms) that make a plastic bag. 

Ensemble

Flocking/shoaling - moving as an ensemble

Build the ensemble - "Yes Lets"

Develop the ensemble moving, speaking, travelling as a group

With the ensemble work I found that it helped us as a class to work well collectivly. In order for the activity to work everyone had to give their full commitment and dedication. I found myself fully focused and open and I think by doing activities like this it helps you to connect to the rest of the actors In the class and builds a respectable relationship with people. Although I believe this is beneficial but for me I find it quite hard to concentrate and process the fast changes like who's leading then who's changed the direction in which the rest of us are following. However I do enjoy 'Yes Let's' because it gets you out of your comfort zone and really warms you up. I think these excersises are really helpful because they helped you to understand how our ensemble piece was going to work and develope. 

Scratch Performance

Every group shares their work with the rest of the group who give feedback and suggestions.

Me, Jasper and Ellis used one mirror that was slightly damaged and we sat in front of the mirror and one by one showed how we felt about ourselves. I was prideful, Ellis was envyous and jasper was insecure. We done our physicality and emotions in stages (scale 1-3).   

What will you do next?

Work on timing 

Getting all the props we need 

Clearer structure that we can keep repeating 

What useful advice/suggestions were made?

Have no diogloue because it's more powerful and intriguing 

Separate mirror so it more personal 

What costume, props do you need to gather/find?

Comfortable causal nighties 

A makeup bag with makeup and money in it 

Three long mirrors 

What are you trying to communicate?

We are trying to communicate that no matter who we are and where we are in life we can't necessarily hide from ourselves. We constantly try to cover up or not acknowledge the things we dislike about ourselves because we are some what ashamed but the smallest things about ourselves the good, the bad and the ugly make us who we are. I think our piece is relatable to people because everyone's believes they have flaws that some try to hide and other don't. I think by using props like  money in a makeup bag full of markup I think I makes an audince question the media themselves and the girl (me) why is she doing this. I think by wearing nighties shows how even when your at home and you should be comfortable and relaxed you can be your own worst critic. Our question is simply why do we put ourselves down and try to live up to perfection and is there a such thing? 

Biography

Antonin Artaud

Playwrite, poet, actor and theatre director 

French
Born 1898-1948

Atonin was originally part of the surrealism movement in Paris during the 1920s. He was deeply effected by world war 1 and the events that happened and the damaged caused, he was curios as to how these sort of global warfare happen. 

He suffered from bad health, at the early age of four he developed Mengitus
He lived in mental asylums for most of his adult life
started life as visual artist then moved towards theatre and film.

 

He was a theorist. Artaud had no system or techniques like other practioners. The theatre and his double was his first and only play ever produce that showcased his theatrical devices and techniques, this reflected the theatre of cruelty. A new way of theatre with the use of imagination brought to life, music, pictures, sound. He wanted his work to provoke and disturb his audience. He didn't like the use of over dramatic language etc. The theatre of cruelty breaks traditional western theatre styles. 

Other practioners where influenced by Antonin such as Jean Genet, Jerzy Grotowski and Peter Brook. Peter Brook used symbolic guesters, violent sounds  and to shock people into thinking and feeling ( theatre of cruelty).

Art From Tate Modern

By a lot of the images you will see you will notice that I really like pictures especially the ones by Henry Wessel because his images are so different and intriguing. Every image is beautifully done leaving you to question and creat stories based off of the photos. I would say he leaves it up to you to crest meaning and I like that because nothing is clearly presented to you. 

Artist

Henry Wessel born 1942

Title

Incidents 027

From Incidents

Date2012

Themes of the piece:

Assault, violence, sexual exploitation or sexual libration, embarrassment, secrets. 

 

Why it inspires you:

I like the mystery of the picture I think by the not showing the persons face that your left with many ideas and thoughts behind the picture. 

Potential ideas for theatrical work:

- I think you can explore sexuality and identification through the piece

- violence/ abuse inflicted on the person and how it may of happened this can tie into sexual themes also 

 

Artist

Henry Wessel born 1942

Title

Incidents 005

From Incidents

Date2012

Themes of the piece:

New beginnings, running away, never look back (which they are, si it can show their unhappy about moving forward) 

 

Why it inspires you:

This picture inspires me because i think it's relatable to a lot of people, we've all faced times were we have to move on or we feel the need to run or escape from things or situations that aren't good for us. I think exploing the stories and reasons behind the dicisions we make are interesting because we don't usually look back at our life and think how things affect our dicisions in the long run. 

Potential ideas for theatrical work:

Showing different stages of ones life that shows the reasons behind their life choices and how it affects the situations their in. 

Artist

Henry Wessel born 1942

Title

Incidents 024

From Incidents

Date2012

Themes of the piece:

Relationships; friendship, partnership, love 

 

Why it inspires you:

The angle of the picture is almost I'd say a bird eye view shot but the image looks like someone is peering through looking at them. I instantly felt that people are nosy about thier relationship and there not playing anyone no mind so their faces are turn and they have quite neutral body language that doesn't make you assume anything negative.  

Potential ideas for theatrical work:

Showing a relationship between two people that never talk but having dialogue from people around them to show how some people are so concerned in other peoples business. 

Artist

Henry Wessel born 1942

Title

Incidents 001

From Incidents

Date2012

Themes of the piece:

Mystery, freedom, love, spirituality, adventure, lost

 

Why it inspires you:

The picture looks like the people are going on a journey following each other awaiting what's ahead. 

Potential ideas for theatrical work:

Having a group of people going on a journey together and having and revealing their own stories and situations. 

Artist

Don McCullin born 1935

Title

Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin

Date1961

Themes of the piece:

Violence, war, beauty, young hearted 

 

Why it inspires you:

No matter what difficult times you face your always trying to do what you know best.  I'd say people in the picture are just being themselves, the little girl doesn't no anything else so although around her is a bag situation or time she remains cute, young and innocent. 

Potential ideas for theatrical work:

Living life in a bubble and ignoring or noticing what around you. 

Our chosen piece 

The sitting nude 

Themes of the piece:

Reflective, naked, vulnerable 

Why it inspires you:

This artwork inspires me because it makes you stop and question who you are and how do you identify yourself the good, the bad and the ugly. 

Potential ideas for theatrical work:

Showing different scales of human emotions such as happiness,sadness envy etc.

We didn't chose the other artwork because we felt that they weren't pieces that we could develop and make personal and meaningful. We agree that we wanted to do something that encourage people to question society and the expectations put on people and the way how we chose to treat ourselves when we should love and appricate ourselves and one another. I think body image and how you identify and carry yourself is very important to help people think and do better because people can be discructive when constantly being put down or made to feel nothing but worthless.     

Session 1

Tuesday 6th January 

In today's session we were discussing what any piece of theatre needs, to be able to exist and wether all forms of art and performance work have to have meaning or not. We were discussing who has responbility? Does an actor have a responsility to their audince, their director or writer. Does a writer or director have a responsility to their consumer and workers? And I think enviably yes but in what way because you can't please everyone. When creativing a piece of performance it can be driven by a narrative with a clear structure but on the other hand sometimes work can be completely abstarct with no true meaning but as a observer you'd most likely come up with your own thoughts and feeling towards a performance because maybe you can relate to the narrative or it brings up memories and emotions that resonates with us. 

I think as long as the actor is doing what they are told wether the performance has a meaning or not and they stict to the intentions of the piece then they are sticking to the true intentions of the writer and director there should be no confusion or negative backlash. 

If I was asked before hand what I thought a theatres responsibility is, I would of said something along the lines of all theatre should be a source of entertainment, learning about new things, experiencing different styles of theatre and performance from around the world, being provoke or challenge. But now I would say that theatre has no true obligation to any of those things and every theatre will be slightly different in what they believe in. As long as you've got a performance space, actors, audince and an objective it's up to the creator what their intentions are. 

Experimental theatre 

The presentation of innovative works and the development of new concepts and techniques in stage production.  - dictionary.reference.com 

'The alphabet box'

We performed this excersie to the rest of the class. The point was to use movement and different variations of speed to spell out our name. We weren't meant to have our thoughts and emotions influence our pieces. However when we had our class discussion it was clear that a lot of us got caught up in our own thought and feelings. The music I believe gave our pieces an atmosphere and a direction. For a lot of people the work coincided with the music. When watching others perform I could come up with my own stories to their performances and relate to people different emotions and facial expressions. For instance I saw Robin perform and her movements were quite slow and she looked sad so I instantly felt sympathic towards her. Without realising it I completely over thought everything. We were just meant to spell our name with different movements and I got did that but added meaning. I learnt that not everything has to have meaning and our initial intentions could be viewd differently by another person.