6/12/14- First rehearsal

So this Thursday's lesson we began bringing the script to life and directing the first three tales: the prologue, tale 1 and tale 2.

Staging we are using for the performance

The advantages of using this stage space are:

• You can connect more with the audience because the stage is 'thrust' towards everyone
• You have to use your imagination more because scenery will get in the way so it's more effective with just raw acting
• The audience has a '3-D' effect when watching the play as the actors don't just walk side-to-side

The disadvantages of using this space stage are:

• The audience will see every actor at a different angle which could possibly ruin the effect of the performance for some viewers
• If you're not careful when acting, you could end up having your back facing a large amount of the audience for an extended period of time which is unprofessional

As an actor, I think that the challenges that I will have to face when being directed in this space is to make sure my back isn't facing the audience for a long time and that everyone can see my facial expressions as best as they can. I also will have to make my movement bigger and bolder so everyone knows what I am doing even if my back is facing them.

I will need to learn these off by heart, it will come in handy!

For the prologue (the taxi driver scene) we have staged it so there are 7 'taxis' scattered around the stage, facing every way so that the audience can see at least one taxi properly while we perform. I find this very effective because it makes everything more stylized and the use of the torches makes it look very unique. 

After working on the prologue, I was grouped with all the other girls and we all worked together to create tale 1. My role in the tale (as all the others) is a normal girl who is describing what the east-end would be like if it was her friend. The lines are being said in a different ways, so either as a text or as a phone call. 
It has been staged by everyone starting off sat down and then to create effect, everyone walks off in different directions at different times using different routes, like to show that we are all separate people, and then finally we all turn around and speak at the same time like we are all one person. These choices have been made because it combines the dialogue with a lot of physical movement which includes lots of levels and techniques. 

The strengths of this piece so far is that when all the lines are spoken fluent, it sounds very smooth and very organized and snappy which suits the context of tale 1. Finally, the developments that need to happen during this rehearsal is pace and timing as sometimes some of us don't get to the right place in time or one of us will read a line too fast or too slow.