Final evaluation of the whole process

I was amazed by what everyone did on the night of the performance and I am proud to say we pulled it off and performed to a higher standard that an hour before I doubted was possible. However, the success of the performance was a culmination of rehearsal technique and final preparations for the show.

Throughout the rehearsal process and the performance I had to make use of performance skills. One of the original skills I used to develop the piece was my script breakdown. This consisted of writing in my objectives and my pauses, marking them to help me approach the script and tackle it head on. Even if my choices weren't firstly right it was a starting block on which I could build and develop, experimenting until I found the correct breath pattern or objective to fit the scene. In rehearsal especially, mistakes were what were needed to help me grow as an actor and as my character. Therefore breaking down the script is the fundamental beginning of approaching a script, so you understand what you are working with and make the first steps to making it work for you and the character you are trying to create.

Another skill I used was connecting my body and voice. In this piece I made very bold physical and vocal choices and to make them natural and effective I needed to connect them to make them one, which ultimately meant my character was believable and true; it was Locaha, not a girl playing Locaha. The body and voice, though separate skill sets, form one instrument. You can't complete a character with one and not the other and have to dedicate the same energy and time to mastering both to make your character effective.

Even if you can present your character to your cast, if the audience does not understand your intentions, the performance will not work. Therefore you must make use of different techniques to effectively do this. I did this by making strong vocal and physical choices. This differentiated my character from the others. Whilst others made more 'normal' vocal choices, that the audience were familiar with, I experimented with my vocal colour and register to create a voice that was clear yet unusual so the audience could immediately identify that my character was not normal. Along with voice, physicality can give you certain status. My body language, though childlike, was very intimidating for both cast and audience which allowed me to balance my powerful, yet childlike status.

I believe my costume also helped, as the dark colours and tribal tattoos stood out from everyone else and allowed the audience to connote my costume with a darker character representing death.

As the piece is ensemble, we all had to contribute to the piece in some way. I think one of the simplest, yet most effective contributions I made to the piece was a positive attitude throughout the rehearsal process and during the performance. The play was unusual and something challenging that, at first, proved hard to tackle as a group. This meant some people immediately approached the play with a negative attitude, putting up obstacles that stopped them from dedicating fully to the piece. However, going into the rehearsal space and the piece with an optimistic outlook allowed me to respond to direction well and let me use my imagination to improve my character and my rehearsal technique. I was able to contribute ideas to the piece, that even when not used, kept my mind and body in the rehearsal and the performance.

This piece has taught me a lot about acting. Above all it has taught me the importance of focus, especially in an ensemble. It is easy to stand out, it is easy to take the lead, but it is not always so easy to sit back and become part of an ensemble whilst another leads, whilst still feeding off their action and emotion. I have learnt that when you are in an ensemble you are always under scrutiny from your peers and the audience. If a cast member looks at you and you are not in the moment giving 100% energy, this will cause them to loose focus. Furthermore if an audience member sees you out of character you will ruin their experience of the whole piece; as you are only as good as the worst person in the cast. As an ensemble you have to work together as you are dependent on everyone in the cast to make the piece complete.

A piece as challenging as this has also taught me a lot about myself. It took me completely out of my comfort zone and the casting shocked me. When I have done evaluations of the type of characters I can play, they are always nice, maternal characters, not dark, deathly characters. Therefore though daunting, the prospect of playing a new type of character excited me, both to prove to others and to myself that I can play darker characters. At times I found it challenging, as I did not believe that others saw me as Locaha, but Olivia trying to be Locaha, but by the end of the performing process, both with how I viewed and the feedback I got, I believe I convincingly played a dark character that scared people, even though they may know me personally. This has broken down a massive barrier for me and has given me a self belief when it comes to playing these types of characters. I enjoyed it and learnt a lot and hope to play a variety of characters in the future.

I believe the actual performance went a lot better than we all expected, teachers and cast alike. I believe the success of the performance was down to the high energy we brought to the play. Whether it is down to the adrenaline of the performance night or the need to finish our two years of studying on high or a collection of the two, the performance never faltered in the energy we gave, both as individuals and as an ensemble. The play was not perfect, but nor is any play, but we all believed in our characters and dedicated fully to them. Our interaction with each other and the relationship we formed with the audience was something we all used to make the performance exciting and unique. For a play that a lot of us lost faith in by the end, it turned out to be a high energy, exciting play, that I am proud to finish on.

WWW: I developed my physicality and vocal technique to compliment my fellow Locahas and to effectively portray my character to the audience.

EBI: I didn't develop the roles aside from Locaha as much as I did Locaha.

Rehearsal- Act 1 Scene 10, 15, 16

Act 1 Scene 10
My entrance to this scene is when Mau says 'I have a plan' and as an ensemble we run in from all sides shouting 'no!' This is a very important part of the scene, as it represents the traditions of the island and allows the audience to immerse themselves in the culture of Polynesia. It is a beer ceremony involving both the men and women, working together and separately all at the same time. At first we stand in two circles, with the men on the inside and the women on the outside. We all chant 'beer beer beer beer' 3 times standing in the circle and then we all embody different elements. Firstly the women are fire and the men are air. Then after the men have spit into the bucket, we swap positions, with the men becoming the outer circle and the women becoming the inner circle. We then become a new element, women as water and men as earth. Then the women spit in the bowl and we expand in to one, bigger circle. The key to this scene is belief and dedication. You have to believe in what you're doing, as if it was a sacred ceremony that meant a lot to you and your people. Without belief in yourself, the audience will never believe you either. With belief, comes dedication. We chose to become elements and chant, meaning we have to dedicate fully to our choices. We must move with all our body and feed off the energy of the whole room to make the scene effective and believable. We all need to work on our spacial awareness. It becomes a problem especially when the girls create the inner circle as we make it too small and people have to push to get in. This will make the transition rough and the energy and meaning of the scene will be lost. We therefore all need to work as an ensemble so as to be aware of those around us. 

The second part of the ceremony is individual group performances. We had to create a movement to accompany the words 'travel far enough you'll meet yourself, travel long enough you'll be home.' We chose to have a rowing action, to fit with the theme of travel. Myself and Eleanor are 'boats' with Kitty and Holly 'travellers' on our backs. Lara leads the way as the sea and waves. When we get to the middle Holly and Kitty dismount and we all join hands and kneel together, in a prayerful position, respectful of the God's we are praying to. We then leave and become part of the outer circle again. We need to work as a group, being aware of the position of our group in the circle so when Holly and Kitty climb on our backs we are not rushing for them to do so, as this would make the transition neither smooth or effective. 

The next part of the scene is when we all become trees. When Mau says 'come.' we all all make unusual shapes with our body, intertwining our hands and legs with others to make a forest that Mau and Daphne have to venture through. I chose to have my position on the floor with my legs stretched and my arms reaching up to form an arch with someone else who is standing. This is an effective use of levels and creates a realistic image and useful space that Mau and Daphne can go through. After this some of the ensemble create a pig and piglets. However I must maintain my position as a tree without twitching as this would ruin the illusion. 

When Mau says 'come on' we slowly come out of our shapes and make our way to the four sides of the stage, where I go to the cafe door. We are now hungry islanders. We have to find that physicality, whether that be holding our stomach, hunched over, head down or supporting someone who is too weak to walk alone. Like during the beer ceremony, whatever physical stance you choose, you have to dedicate to it so the audience believe that people who were just energetic islanders are now weak, starving travellers. As a whole, the scene depends solely on faith from both the cast and the audience. 

Act 1 Scene 15
At the beginning of the scene, as Locaha I beckon my fellow minions into the room as they enter. I patrol the space to maintain a higher status, as if asserting power and authority on all present. This is supported by the ensemble when they freeze when I talk, showing that I have control over them and that I am a symbol of fear. This is also shown when I approach Daphne and Mau as they try to avoid me, as they fear me and the power I have to take their life away. 

The ensemble split into four groups, leaving only Mau, Daphne and all four Locahas in the middle. Then they become dream fish and swim across to the opposite sides of the room. This part of the scene was what I found the hardest. As an ensemble we have to work on our spacial awareness because otherwise we all bump into each other ruining the fluidity of the piece and the illusion we have created in the beginning of the scene. It is all our responsibility to work together to allow each other to reach our destinations.

During the island scene and the funeral scene, I patrol the space, taking pleasure out of people's suffering and maintaining my status and the mannerisms that support this. Even when there is a lot of action on stage, people still need to recognise that overall, I maintain power and control over everyone else without me detracting from the scene. I need to be add subtly to the atmosphere, keeping the audience on edge. 

Act 1 Scene 16
After scene 15 I am sitting on the edge of the stage, watching the scene hoping that I have claimed Mau and Daphne's life. However when they wake up I am horrified and angered as I wished them dead. To express this, I change my mannerism from a laugh to a low growl. I accompany this with a change in body language and facial expression and slowly exit in a silent protest to the resurrection of Mau and Daphne.    

First Rehearsal

Today we worked on the prologue and the first two scenes:

Prologue 
Our setting for this play is in Stanley Halls which is a theatre built in the Victorian era. Therefore we decided to open our play as a group of teenagers breaking in to an abandoned building. This introduces a sense of exploration even before we take on the roles of our other characters based on the island. Exploration is a massive theme in the whole play whether it be Mau discovering he can lead the Nation or Twinkle realising the realistic prospects of life by the end of the play. We all came from different side of the stage (I came from the cafe door) and we need to interact with each other to express to the audience our excitement on discovery of this new, enthralling setting.

Then when Mau enters and strikes the floor with an axe, we turn into birds; birds of paradise. We were asked to pick a bird and look at its movement. This was the bird we found and decided to replicate:

Its hopping action synchronised with its wing action made it an easy move to replicate and an unusual yet practical way of transporting myself across the stage to my exit.

Scene 1
In this scene I am a drowning sailor. I have to mime the actions of a sailor, for example, pulling ropes, being seasick or praying before death. I varied between these actions to create an intense, high energy atmosphere for both the cast and audience to appreciate. We then become the drowned bodies of the sailors, swirling around the space, with the girls ending up on the floor whilst Mau is lifted by the boys. This shows detachment from Mau and all the dead and justifies how alone he is; one boy amongst so many dead. It adds to the eerie tension of the scene.

Scene 2
In this scene we are zombie like creatures who come back to life, to create a gothic atmosphere on the entrance my my character, Locaha. We begin my drumming to the beat of the 'Imo' song. We were not strong vocally or lyrically, but as it is our first rehearsal, we still have time to learn the lines and perfect our timing and strength as an ensemble. When we rip of our masks (which we will be making at a later stage) Locaha stands and the zombies crawl to the side and stand, twitching subtly, maintaining their zombie like stature. When I deliver my lines I am on stage left and walk down the space brushing lightly against the people stood there and they start to do a Mexican wave, representing their loyalty and synchronisation with me as they are meant to be my minions.

Approaching the Script

What people say about me and what I say about myself?

Father- You dare not name me. The fear freezes the word on your tongue.

Mau- You feel strange, will I see you again.

Daphne- Horrible thing like death, I'm going to fight Locaha, why is death so blind.

Ataba- Locaha makes him into a dolphin.

Pilu- Dangerous.

Marisgala- Locaha we challenge you, send the girl down to fight Locaha, only the strongest and bravest women return from the land of Locaha.

Raiders- I promise you flesh, I bring death here, worship me well and you will live forever, he has seen Locaha we cannot fight him.

Cox- she how she calls you to die, not their painted God.                                                                                                                                                        
Who am I?
I am Locaha, the embodiment of death. I am from the underworld known as 'The Land of Locaha' were people go when they die. The islanders fear me and believe anyone who has seen me is invincible. Cox and the raiders sees me as their God. My ultimate goal is to convince Mau to leave the mortal world and come with me.

What is the present situation?
I originally take over Mau's father and use him to taunt Mau and get close to him. I try and convince him that after all the disaster the wave has caused it is better to join the so many dead then stay with the few living. I then take Daphne in the water and try and drown her, again to show Mau how many people he has witnessed die and it would be better to join them. I then come to Mau when he drowns in the water, believing that he is dead and that he is mine. Then when Mau and Daphne journey to the underworld, I try to convince Daphne to leave Mau and that they cannot hide from me forever. In the final scene it is my final attempt to convince Mau to journey to paradise now that he is a hero.

Where am I?
I am a figure based on the island as one of their Gods. I journey to and from the underworld, coming to the land of the living to tempt people to come with me.

Costume
I wore a long black maxi skirt, a black top with black eye make-up and henna style tattoos on my face. This gave both a dark and gothic theme and a tribal element to my costume.

Class Activities and Warm Ups

To develop your knowledge of the play you need to work off script, working in depth and detail to achieve confidence on stage.

In Act 1 Scene 1 we are all drowning sailors on a ship. The majority of the ensemble in the main space have no lines and can only convey the emotions and chaos of the sailors through their actions. Therefore we needed strong physical actions to make this clear to the audience without using words and supporting not hindering the performance on the balcony. We were asked to come up with 5 actions that a sailor would perform and do these in a sequence, experimenting with speed and levels. My 5 actions were:

• Putting on my boots
• Scrubbing the deck
• Being seasick 
• Climbing the rigging
• Turning the wheel

I chose these because they have varied heights and energy levels. Putting on my boots is in a sitting position and I chose to do it slowly (though it is also effective fast) contrasting to climbing the rigging which is reaching up with my hands and climbing fast. These actions complement each other whilst still contrasting, making the sequence interesting to watch. It will give the audience a lot to look at and create a hectic atmosphere. By experimenting in this way I have ideas and choice that I can make decisions on from failing and succeeding in rehearsals and apply the successful ideas to the final piece.

Voice 

Voice is one of the actors most important tools. It can covey and support the emotion shown through your body and the thoughts and feelings intended from the writing of the script. It is important, like any muscle to train it through warm ups and exercises. We did some of these in lessons to help with our vocal work. Some of these activities were:

Voiced and voiceless fricatives- the voiced fricatives are the v and z sound and the voiceless fricatives are the f and s sound. These help us with introducing partial sound to breath stamina and help us develop an understanding of what is required to create sounds clearly with your voice.

Tongue Twisters- an example of a tongue twister would be:

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers 

A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked 

If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers

Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked

This helps with diction as you have to pronunciate the p sound clearly so the words are individually clarified and you don't stumble over the similar words.

Breath

Breath is key as it will help you maintain a speech without having to interrupt to pause for breath unnecessarily. Doing breath control exercises helps improve you breath stamina and control. An example of an exercise we did is:

Invisible feather- You imagine you have an imaginary feather on your lips. You then blow the feather according to the height you want it to reach. If you want to rise and fall, you do short breaths and if you want to maintain it at a height you have to do a softer, prolonged breath. This exercise leaves you in control of your breath and fully concentrates you on the extent of your breath. 

Objectives

When working with any script  working out your objectives is the first thing you need to do, even if your first attempt doesn't work. Objectives guarantee you a purpose on stage and give your character a direction. Therefore for every scene, even if your not speaking, you must work out your objectives.
Act 1

Prologue
I have broken into an abandoned building with my friends and am exploring the space. My objectives in this scene are:
To notice- look at things around the room, noticing everything and anything. I also have to notice Mau when he enters the room.
To comment- when I see things I need to comment on them, sharing them with my friends. I also comment on Mau's action at the end of the scene.

Scene 1
I am a drowning sailor who is praying when faced with death. My objectives are:
To pray- I am kneeling on the floor silently mouthing a prayer.
To sway- the movement in my body is a swaying reflecting what it would be like to be on a ship. When I drown I also sway but moving across the room, not just in one place.

Scene 2
In this scene I am a zombie and I am also Locaha. My objectives are:
To build- I put my body 'back together' sharply twitching.
To drum- I drum and say 'Imo made the fish, Imo made sea.'
To glare- I am looking around, with an evil and zombie persona.
To laugh- as one of mannerisms for Locaha is a high pitched laugh, any scene I am in when I play Locaha, I will laugh.
To follow- I follow Mau around the stage taunting him.
To touch- whilst following Mau I reach out and touch, another way I taunt him because I know he fears me and take pleasure in that.

Scene 6
In this scene I am a wave and I am also Locaha. My objectives are:
To sway- using my legs, neck, arms and spine I move low to the floor recreating the movement of a wave.
To laugh- when I become Locaha to signify the change.
To circle- I circle around Mau trying to overpower him.
To growl- when Daphne wakes up, this angers me and therefore, to contrast to my normal laughing I growl.

Scene 9
In this scene I create the woman's place where Cahle gives birth. My objectives are:
To whisper- I whisper a sort of enchantment as part of the ritual.
To enclose- I stand and raise my arms above Cahle to create a shelter around her.
To chase- I chase after Daphne when she leaves to go to the beach.

Scene 10
In this scene I perform the beer ceremony, become a forest and a hungry islander. My objectives are:
To chant- I chant 'beer beer beer beer' as part of the ceremony.
I dance- dancing is part of the ceremony and I dance reflecting the characteristics of fire and air.
To crouch- I crouch in a circle waiting to taste the beer, excited and attentive,
To reach- as a tree I have to extend my arms and legs to form a tree-like shape.
To hunch- when I am hungry my body has to physically represent this and therefore I hunch over to show how weak my body has become.
To sing- when the islanders are allowed onto the island and are told they will be fed they sing in celebration. The song needs to express their emotion and share their story with the audience.

Scene 13
In this scene I talk to Mau as Locaha in the lagoon. My objectives are:
To process- I walk slowly from stage right to downstage.
To follow- wherever Mau goes I have to keep getting closer to him, as if I am closing in on him.
To lift- I lift Mau up and turn him as though he is floating, drowned in the water.
To laugh- to maintain my characters mannerism.

Scene 14
In this scene I sit on the steps watching hopefully as Mau lays dead and Daphne travels to the land of the dead. My objectives are:
To watch- I need to constantly watch everything that happens in the scene.
To notice- if someone gets upset I need to notice this and react accordingly.
To laugh- to maintain my characters mannerism.
Scene 15
In this scene Mau and Daphne have come to the underworld and I am trying to make them stay. My objectives are:
To herd- I bring all the other Locaha's into the space, beckoning them in.
To follow- I follow both Daphne and Mau around the space so everywhere they turn, Locaha is present.
To observe- in both the city and funeral scene.
To restrain- I hold Mau back during the funeral scene.
To laugh- to maintain my characters mannerism.

Scene 16
Similarly to scene 14, I watch intrigued as Daphne and Mau lay dead. My objectives are:
To watch- I need to constantly watch everything that happens in the scene.
To notice- if someone gets upset I need to notice this and react accordingly.
To laugh- to maintain my characters mannerism.
To growl- like scene 6, I am angry when I do not claim Mau and Daphne.

Act 2

Scene 1
In this scene I celebrate Twinkles birth and discover more about the meaning of the God Anchors. My objectives are:
To interact- as we want a communal feeling I have to interact with others to create that atmosphere and make it genuine.
To stare- I stare at the gods as they walk past and I stare at the watch when it is presented to Twinkle.
To protect- when Mau gets angry I protect myself and I also protect those around me.

Scene 2
In this scene I am a islander scared by the opening of the cave and also one of the grandfather statues. My objectives are:
To kneel- I kneel before the cave out of respect.
To shield- I shield my eyes from fear of the cave and I shield those around me.
To move- I subtly move my body from my spine as I lay like the grandfather statues.

Scene 3
In this scene I am an aristocrat trying to listen in to the conversation on stage. My objectives are:
To frown- as I am an aristocrat, I have a judgemental attitude about everything around me.
To cry out- when something 'tragic' happens, for comedic effect I dramatically cry out.


Scene 4
In this scene I am an islander curious to find out who has come to the island. My objectives are:
To observe- I am curious as to who has come to the island and want to see.
To protect- when I realise they are threatening me I want to protect myself. Also when they take Daphne I have a protective instinct towards her too.
To scream- when Ataba dies the shock and pain of it is expressed through screaming.
To kneel- out respect and emotion I kneel by Ataba's body.

Scene 5
In this scene we perform a ritual over Ataba's dead body. My objectives are:
To kneel- out of respect we all kneel around Ataba.
To reach- I reach up, down and across with my hands creating a sign as part of the ceremony.
To chant-  we chant 'Imo watches over here, Imo demands peace.'

Scene 7
In this scene I start on the balcony watching the battle and then try and tempt Mau to enter paradise. My objectives are:
To observe- I watch from the balcony excited and attentive to the fight taking pleasure in it.
To laugh- to maintain my characters mannerism.

To circle- I move around Mau, making him listen to me and to try and push him towards paradise.

Floor Plan

 

This floor plan of the space is what I follow throughout the performance. It is a basic label of all the entrances and exits and I will use and I filled out my scene by scene placements accordingly. 

The Space

When performing, you must have an understanding of the space to be able to understand how to play your character. Placement on stage is key, both for character development as you need to know what is plausible in the space and therefore instead of having to limit yourself because of a lack of understanding of the space, you can adjust your placement according to the space. A space can develop a whole character, inspiring and supporting your character choices. Stanley Halls, the space we are performing in, is a Victorian building with intricate detail in its structure and design befitting of its time. It supports my character choices in many ways. For example the use of the balcony (which I make use of in Act 2 Scene 7, a crucial and dramatic climax in the performance) will heighten the sense of authority and power over everyone else that Locaha possesses.

A key part of the building that is an inspiring centre piece of the performance is the arch over the stage reading Justice, Liberty, Science. These themes are key in our play; justice, when people die and justice is needed to avenge them, liberty, the freedom of the island and science, the islanders knowing that they discovered the basis of science that for so long others were credited for. I think having this in the building will constantly remind the cast of their purpose on stage and in a hectic performance, will guide the audience when watching.

Locaha- Developing My Character Through Costume

Locaha, as the 'living' representation of death, is very gothic and so as an exception to the other characters and cast, we will be wearing very dark clothing. It is even more effective because we are the only ones because it will make us look even more out of place and therefore will support the idea that we are abstract and not necessarily from the same world as Mau and Daphne. I will be wearing:

 Black make-up- we chose to make this part of Locaha's make-up as the facial make-up can have a relevance to the characters emotions and therefore their personality. As dark make-up is often associated with 'goths' we decided that we could use that identity when we are playing teenagers in the first scene and carry on that costume and make-up when we become Locaha. Eyes can convey a lot of emotion and the intentions of a character. Therefore having  dark make-up shows a deeper sense of my characters make-up as a person.

As the main part of the play is staged on an exotic island we felt that we needed to include a more tribal element in the play that fitted the setting. Therefore we decided to include black henna in our costume. We have planned to have it extending for our eyes, across our cheeks, across our lips, down our necks and down one arm. This gives us tribal element and makes us stand out, adding to the gothic theme.

For our actual clothing we decided to wear a long black skirt. Although Locaha is scary, there is also an elegant element to our characters. We have a constant presence and confidence in the space and a skirt allows us to move with conviction and grace. Plus, as all of us are female, a skirt gives a feminine hint that allows us to interact with the characters in a certain way; even if it as a strong female character or a childlike girl like my character.

The second part of my Locaha costume is a black crop top. This fits the theme of the play being set on an exotic island and it also supports the underlying femininity of the character. 

As it is an ensemble piece, I am playing other characters throughout the play. The other character I am going to be playing is an islander on the island. I need something I can efficiently put on that fits my character. I thought a floral headband would look effective both as a character and will be efficient to put on and take off. It wont take too much time to take off my make-up and re-apply it every time I change character, so the headscarf will draw attention away to the dark make-up and counteract it.

Costume is very important when developing a character. When you put on a costume it is like putting on the skin of your character. It is the final layer of your character and it helps you get into character. Like my costume, when it is different to your everyday clothes it allows you to defy normality and become your character completely.

To test the effect of my costume, I put on the costume and make-up and showed it to my family. They were very shocked and they were uncomfortable seeing me in such a gothic outfit. They commented of how scary it was, proving that if people who know me very well are effected by a costume, proves the effect it really has. For them to now longer see me as Olivia but as Locaha is exactly the effect any costume should have. Moreover because they found me scary means this costume was fulfilling its objective for this particular performance, which was to scare.

Song and Dance

We are using song and dance in our play to make the play more interesting to both perform and to watch. For example, during the birth scene, Daphne sings 'Twinkle Twinkle' a song everyone knows. However we incorporated more than one verse, as the lyrics we know are not necessarily the most effective ones. The full song is as follows:

Twinkle, twinkle, little star, 
How I wonder what you are. 
Up above the world so high, 
Like a diamond in the sky. 

When the blazing sun is gone, 
When he nothing shines upon, 
Then you show your little light, 
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night. 

Then the traveller in the dark, 
Thanks you for your tiny spark, 
He could not see which way to go, 
If you did not twinkle so. 

In the dark blue sky you keep, 
And often through my curtains peep, 
For you never shut your eye, 
Till the sun is in the sky. 

As your bright and tiny spark, 
Lights the traveller in the dark. 
Though I know not what you are, 
Twinkle, twinkle, little star. 

Twinkle, twinkle, little star. 
How I wonder what you are. 
Up above the world so high, 
Like a diamond in the sky. 

Twinkle, twinkle, little star. 
How I wonder what you are. 
How I wonder what you are. 

Adding the extra verses in makes the song more meaningful. There is a massive element of journey and maturing in the play especially with characters like Daphne and Mau. Therefore we added the extra verses to give context to our performance. Plus there is also a theme of stars as the islanders are both fascinated by them and worship them. The new lyrics allow us to express underlying story lines and themes in a new way that the audience are initially familiar with but then are immersed in a sense of discovery through the lyrics that they may not be as familiar with. 
We also included a sea shanty 'South Australia.' 
In South Australia I was born, heave away, haul away
In South Australia, 'round Cape Horn, we're bound for South Australia

Haul away your rolling king, heave away, haul away
Haul away, you'll hear me sing, we're bound for South Australia

In South Australia I was born, heave away, haul away
In South Australia, 'round Cape Horn, we're bound for South Australia 

This song is used to express a happiness when travelling refugees from 'the great wave' realise they will be provided with food and shelter. As there is a language barrier between Daphne and the islanders, in a ensemble moment of celebration using the medium of song is effective as music is a multicultural language that everyone can share in. Music and singing adds another layer to the performance for the audience to indulge in and understand the performance through.

Another multicultural 'language' that we use to express different elements of the play is dance. We use it to celebrate a birthday and mourn someones death. Both scenes peak a certain emotion proving how effective dance can be in expressing emotion when done properly. If someone doesn't commit to the performance it then looks strange and out of place, loosing its purpose completely. However when done well it can set the scene for the audience and transports them further into the world of our play.  

The all blacks rugby team haka is a dance inspired by a Maori tradition celebrating the child of the God of the Sun and his wife the Summer maid. The child was named Tane-rore who represents the trembling of the air on a hot day which is represented by the shaking of their hands in the dance. The men normally are at the forefront dancing and the women are at the rear supporting with vocals. The haka commonly seen today is the haka taparahi which is the haka without weapons. The dance is an important part of the Maori culture that expresses passion and identity of the race. It is used to welcome and entertain visitors. Tribal reputation was based on your ability to perform the dance.

I think this would be appropriate for our performance as Mau is part of a tribe and throughout the play he is trying to prove himself to the elders and others in the tribe, which is what this dance is used for. It is a dance for all occasions and as dance is used in our performance under many different circumstances it would be appropriate to use.

Ideas For Locaha

Locaha is a very abstract character representing everything supernatural and gothic within the play. Therefore the physicality and vocal characteristics of Locaha are not going to be the same as other 'human' characters. Therefore it is very important to work on her physicality and vocal qualities to make the character unique and recognisable for both the other actors and the audience.

Voice is a very important element of a character as it can expresses a deeper emotional layer to your character compared with just saying your lines in the same tone you always use. When experimenting with voice you have to think about the connotations and effect the voice has on the audience and make a decision on whether the voice suits the character and if it has the desired effect. When experimenting with the vocal qualities of Locaha I had to think about the effect I wanted it to create. I needed it to be scary without necessarily being loud and intimidating. I instead strived to find a voice that was understated, yet still chilling. As a group we decided to all choose voices based around gothic/horror stereotypes. Then individually we were able to make choices as to what voice to work with. I decided to work with a high pitched, almost childlike voice. I think this voice, if applied in the right way, will unnerve the audience, as it is unnatural to mix a sinister voice with that of a child. I think this will keep the audience on edge and will achieve the effect I originally wanted.

We developed our voices as a group by brining all the voices  together as an ensemble. This creates a powerful atmosphere that highlights the dominance of our character. As all of our vocal choices are very distinctive, they can be heard in the ensemble whilst complimenting each other as individual voices, a compatibility we have been looking for in every aspect of our character. We made choices as a group when to say the lines together and when to split them up, allowing us time to work as an ensemble and individually. I believe the arrangements we decided on has worked very well as it allows us to showcase all of our skills.

We also looked at Locaha's physicality. Physicality is just important as voice; if not more so, as all text depends on the physical elements of the piece- the text rides on the action. With physicality being important anyway, the addition of Locaha's supernatural qualities meant we really had to think hard about a specific way she moved, both individually and as an ensemble, maintaining the gothic aspect to the performance whilst making her graceful, a combination I found hard to master. I was able to work around this by taking inspiration from the voice I had chosen. I decided to adopt a childlike stance, with raised shoulders, arms hanging low and meeting when hands join and moving, leading with my shoulders. I thought this allowed me to compliment my voice, making it more shocking to the audience by also adopting the physicality of a child. In addition leading with my shoulders allows me to move gracefully, yet practically.

We brought our physicality to life as a group, similarly to our voice work, by finding a way to move together that complimented us a both an ensemble and as individuals. We allowed ourselves to do this by keeping our individual stances but moving us a group. For example, we would us different heights, but move round someone in a circle together. I think this allowed as the stability of an ensemble whilst still letting us be creative as individuals.

Act 2 Scene 8 Ideas

Even though on appearance Act 2 Scene 8 is very short and not extremely complexed, my group and I have found many different opportunities for theatrical devices to be used effectively varying from physical theatre to multimedia techniques.

In this scene there is a stream, that is at first cloudy and then becomes clear. We thought we could use strips of material, firstly grey and then blue. The grey material would stretch from the bottom of the stage to the main doors, through the audience area. People would be kneeling, crouching and standing, slowly moving with the material. When it becomes unclogged then another group of people with the blue material would run in through the main doors. The way the transition would work would be, when the people with the blue material ran into the building, the people with the grey material would kneel on the grey material and make way for the others to move above and to the side of them. We thought this would help set the scene for the audience and make the piece more interesting and to make a short scene very detailed in an effective, professional way. 

During the scene Twinkle and Mau and referring to a lot of elements of past scenes: Twinkle singing 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' and Mau talking about killing Cox. We thought we could use the river almost as a portal back to the past scenes. For example all the people involved in the scene of killing Cox would 'come back to life' briefly and create a flashback. To make it smooth and effective, I would have these actors operating the grey material so they would be kneeling underneath the blue material. Then when they created the flashback the people with the blue material would drop so the people kneeling could get up and re-enact the scene Mau is referring to. Furthermore, their exit would be accompanied by Twinkle singing 'Twinkle Twinkle,' with them joining in as they walked out. I think this would work very well with the mood of the scene and reflect Mau's reminiscent, almost sombre mood. 

In the flashback scene the lighting would change when the flashback occurred. The lighting would grow dark with the light mainly on the stream and/or the river. This would make the atmosphere reflect the darkness of the scene and the almost gothic nature as it is reminding us of all the characters who have died.

When there is a long list of all the people who have died: victims of the Russian Influenza, sailors on the Sweet Judy, Captain Roberts and Daphne's mother and brother, I would have them operating the blue material and slowly one by one, or in groups drop so the stream is just flat. I think this will give some perspective on what Mau is talking about and give people time to reflect on past scenes.

Ideas for Act 1 Scene 8

In groups, we were given a scene to break down and start devising ideas for. This was the first time in the rehearsal process that we were able to really put forward our ideas and have them developed and improved by others in my group. I think putting our ideas into the play will make the process more personal and more creative as everyone will have unique ways of seeing the play and by using all the input we can make a well made play that has been built by every member of the cast.

In this scene, Daphne is showing Mau the planets. We would have them sitting on the edge of the stage looking up to the balcony on which the planets would be projected. The lights would be turned off so the only light would be a spotlight on Daphne and Mau and the light coming from the projection. This would make the audience feel involved and the scene would feel more meaningful to the audience. However we took into consideration that we may not be able to project, so we came up with two other options that may work, producing the same effect as the projection. The first, to have a sheet dropped from the balcony with the planets on it, the second, to have models of the planets on strings and have people dangle from the balcony. To create the effect of the stars, we could have electric candles along the balcony, as they are easy to set up, take away and pose no hazard.

Our second idea was how we were going to create the tree tops of the island, something that will look effective when trying to create the scene of a tropical island. We were going to have green umbrellas held by some of the cast up on the balcony and in the aisle behind the audience at different levels. This would also be a good way to keep Milton on stage and moving as he can pop up in between the tree tops. This will keep the scene active and alive. The good thing about this idea is that an umbrella would be something found in an abandoned building.

Like the umbrellas, piping or cardboard would be something found in a derelict building. Therefore materials like these would be something that we could use as props. For example in this scene we need a telescope and a piece of pipe or cardboard tube would be a perfect substitute for a telescope.

In terms of staging, to give the audience a sense of perspective, when Ataba arrives on the boat she would enter from the back door so the audience can see the journey.

My First Impression

After reading 'Nation' for the first time, my first impression was that there was a lot of potential for creating an unique exciting play. It is clearly a multimedia performance and a lot of physicality will be required to bring this play to life. For example to create certain props, like dolphins and sharks, you will need to make them using your body. To link both the physical theatre and multimedia elements of the play, we could involve some dance or use lighting to emphasise certain scenes. For example, for the scenes when Daphne travels to the underworld, dark lighting with scarcely any lights and people doing movement on the floor curling up and moving as if in pain, will create an intense atmosphere that reflects the location.

There are many different scenes within the play with many different props, character and locations. Due to the fact that we will be using a old Victorian building to create an exotic island it will take a lot of imagination from both cast and audience to help the play come to life fully. We will be using the materials that we find in the building as the basis for building our play. For example planks of wood will create a canoe and an old umbrella will create the tree tops of the jungle. This means that we as a cast will have to be independent when creating ideas and making props. I am looking forward to creating a performance that is heavily created by the imagination of both cast and crew. I will be able to put forward my ideas and see them developed and used in the final piece. I believe this will be  very rewarding

I can see that there will be a lot of physicality in the piece. A lot of the characters, especially the animals and the characters that are influenced by the characteristics of animals, will bring their characters alive by using their physicality. For example, the grandfather birds will need to be brought to life by someones physicality, making it as meaningful to the audience as it would be to Mau. I think this will be very interesting to work with as I will be able to bring my knowledge from other plays I have done (Blackout) to be able to make my physicality believable and meaningful. There are many different ways of interpreting the movement, so I think it will be interesting yet challenging to experiment with different movements, pushing myself to create a physicality out of my comfort zone.

Another element that is at the forefront of the play is puppetry. I like the idea that physicality and props will come together to make characters come to life and give them many dimensions. For example we discussed the idea of having Milton as a puppet. We will have to find a way of transforming him in to a lifelike bird using only the materials we find in the building and also a way of transporting him throughout the space effectively during the performance.  I think this will make the play interactive and visually interesting, bringing the world of 'Nation' to life for the audience and the cast. This is important to make both the audience and cast believe in the world they have created, consequently making the play more believable.

Overall, my first impression of the play is very positive because of the pieces ability to take ideas from the cast and crew, but to also inspire. The writer has given us inspiration to fuel our ideas and the play is also adaptable enough to allow our own individual creativeness to be represented through the play. I am looking forward to rehearsing, developing, researching and performing 'Nation.'