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Bibliography

ANON, (2019). [image] Available at: https://www.google.com/search?q=aristotle+defined+the+struggle+to+win&client=firefox-b-d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwitooKMnc3hAhWyUhUIHYfOCqsQ_AUIDygC&biw=1525&bih=730#imgrc=ze3xzQqkX5JoFM: [Accessed 22 March 2019].

CHUBBUCK, I. (2004) The Power Of The Actor. United States: Penguin Random.

ELDRIDGE, D.( 2004) Festen. Script.

FIRESTONE, L. (2013) Benefits of Mindfulness. [Online] Psychology Today. (2013). P.1. Available from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/compassion-matters/201303/benefits-mindfulness

MEISNER, S., LONGWELL, D. and POLLACK, S. (1987) Sanford Meisner On Acting. United States: Random House.

SASSON, R. (2019) The Power of Repeated Words and Thoughts. [Online] Success consciousness.(2001-2019). P.1. Available from: https://www.successconsciousness.com/index_00004b.htm.

YOUTUBE. (2008) One Potato, Two Potato (1957) - extract | BFI National Archive. [Online] Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DrGijdmBqU

[Accessed: 22nd February 2019]

YOUTUBE. (2009) Jeffrey Tambor's Acting Workshop at SXSW Continued | Film 2009 | SXSW. [Online] Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHxLbMKx2I4

[Accessed: 22nd February 2019]

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Rehersal

This morning we focused on the masons song which runs into Paul’s entrance and then at other sections as we didn't have the full cast till the afternoon. In the afternoon we managed to do two full runs with no stopping. Today I feel I had a good day and I was pleased that the bedroom scene had got better and for me It felt a lot better. I have a problem of rushing scenes that I’m not comfortable with and really I should just enjoy the process but again I’m finding that confidence within myself as well as the character. Overall I was thrilled to finish for the Easter break on a good note but most importantly I connected more with the character of Pia and understood her objectives and I feel this showed and even though it’s still not be quite there I’ve still got time in rehearsals to make this right and now for me it’s all about mastering the character of Pia and being comfortable in intimate scenes.

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Inner Objects

Today we looked at a scene between Christian and Kim and looked at some of Kim’s lines ‘ We started school in the same class’ then looking at Kim’s inner object to what he was really saying is ‘We started being abused/attractive to him at the same time’ This shows how differently our lines can be delivered whilst you underline the real meaning behind them and these are your ‘inner objects’. These inner objects take you back to that place that you associate with in multiple scenes Chubbuck, (2004) wrote ‘Our inner object movie plays constantly. Your mind never goes blank. Ever. Every person, place, thing or event you talk about or hear another person talk about must have an INNER OBJECT attached to it.’ Having this in mind this shows us that us as actors when we get a script we need to understand what the character is really saying in order to give a truthful performance.

Moving on from this we then began Act two, scene one and we discussed that the staff need to show normality about what has happened and the audience should see how they are and how the family react to everything because the family seem to just brush over everything. When Kim says ‘tonight's for Christian’  the staff should be together as like ‘all for one and one for all’. After this we then began a full run of the show. The run was very messy and people missed ques due to other peoples volume in the scenes. After this we got notes off our director we discussed to make the walk when I undress to be more of like a ‘catwalk’ then when I close my eyes to kiss to wait longer as this will impact my reaction more of him not wanting to be near me. In the last scene, the breakfast scene we discussed about the emphasis on my ‘yes’ to when Christian asks me to move to Paris because this has been the true love throughout the play and this moment is the happiest moment for both of them as they can finally be together and be themselves in front of others.

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Rehearsal

This morning we discussed are notes that our director had took from previous rehearsals to incorporate into our run today. We discussed to make Pia more playful and on the line “tell me if you want me to go” we said for me to actually go to leave to create distance in order for the next part of the scene to work and then she can slowly undress and try to win her objective. I have struggled with the character of Pia cause along the rehearsal process we have tried multiple ways to play her but for me, I’m just not getting it and it’s never quite right. However for me I am my only obstacle it frustrates me sometimes because I know what to do but its just the fear of doing it. I know that In this process I have been directed a lot but its just because I’m not comfortable in the character which I should be because its not real life but it’s just an insecurity in myself that affects my letting go. I know this could affect me in the future with directors as they don't have time to ‘babysit’ me every step of the way but I know what to do it just a fear. My aim by the end of this process Is to have a new found confidence even if It has took a while to connect with the character of Pia. This process has certainly been a huge learning curve for me and for my future in this profession.

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Tuesday

This morning as we didn't have the full cast in so we looked at the bedroom scenes first. As we ran through the scene and we worked on previous notes that were given to us for example we experimented with me going to give christian a kiss with my eyes closed and him not being anywhere near me when I opened my eyes. This was to make me feel insecure as id built up the courage to undress showing him my best underwear and he completely rejects me. This for me then would be my instinct to get dressed as he has knocked my confidence with his lack of interest with me believing I’m not good enough. Moving on from this we then focused on scenes that benefited the people who were in. We looked at the eating scene with Hugo which leads into the free mason song, these connecting scenes are so important because collectively if someone isn’t joining in it makes everyone else in the scene look bad. For instance when they all eat and then have to engage and react to the speeches and the rest of the guests at the table. If not everybody joins in it looks armature and that is not what we want to portray. We also looked at the last scene which is the breakfast scene where christian asks Pia to come to Paris, we looked at Pia’s objective and this is where she wins and is now not worried about being the maid to the house but to be Christians love.

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Monday Rehearsal

This morning we discussed Meisner technique of the pinch and ouch which is about each actor working on there instincts. Meisner wrote “My approach is based on bringing the actor back to his emotional impulses and to acting that is firmly rooted in the instinctive. It is based on the fact that all good acting comes from the heart, as it were, and that there’s no mentality in it.” (Meisner, 1987 p.37) So today this is what we wanted to incorporate into our full run of the show. Firstly when we ran the play we stop and started for notes within each scene. This morning we had no Christian and it was hard acting with another actor who was on script. After lunch we done another full run but this time with no stopping in between scenes which felt better because you was able to live more in the moment with your character even though some bits didn't run smoothly we got through the full run without stopping and we also had our christian so this was a big help also. At the end of the run we discussed to change my line round with Michael's in Act three, scene two. It didn't feel natural to wait for my line,as christian collapses in the scene for me it would be instinctive to get him to his bed away from the trouble.

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Tuesday

This morning we looked at the bedroom scenes as we decided yesterday to have them as separate scenes so we looked at Michael and Mette’s scene first and spoke about how they had to make there relationship more playful which worked well for the scene. We then came to Pia’s and Christians scene, at first we discussed our objectives, for me I was struggling with making Pia sexy and I was overthinking the ‘seduce’. Having discussed this I decided to make Pia funny and energetic and this I felt a lot more comfortable as I couldn't relate to Pia in the beginning especially in this scene. My aim is to lose my inhibitions but I’m on my way I will LET IT GO! From this we discussed the notes giving back from the bedroom scenes and that we need to find the truth within the scenes. After this we ran through the rest of the other parts that we felt needed the most work. When we got to my next scene in act two, scene one I felt a lot better with this scene as I have been in my head and acting in the previous rehearsals but today I felt the truth within the scene with focusing and thinking about my inner monologue which helped me to believe more in the scene. Pia is on the stage mostly throughout the play and she is reacting to what is happening in each of the scenes, for me this I enjoy because listening within the scenes makes you feel in the moment and lets you believe the truth within each scene.

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Monday

Today we worked from the begging of the play. When we got to my first scene act one, scene two we looked at my entrance as this is the first time Pia has seen Christian in a while, so she is overjoyed to see him but can’t be her normal self around Helge, Christians father with being staff but helge seems to sense the relationship between them. When he leaves both Pia and christian both run to each other and hug distinguishing that they have had a relationship in the past and them feeling still stand. In this scene Pia is very child like in this scene as she is excited to him but also getting the keys to his room so they can be more intimate. Having worked on this scene i feel we established there relationship more so the audience can also. I did feel in my head today especially in the bedroom scene I was overthinking everything and was not focused on my objective. I feel that the stop and start of the process didn't help with me being in my head. After the run with the bedroom scenes we felt that they didn't work all together as we kept losing ques so the scenes didn't flow together, so we decided to try them as separate scenes. I did leave the rehearsal today feeling deflated as I'm still struggling with this scene but it’s just hard trying to overcome myself as well as the character which I'm finding hard to just let myself go.

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Another day another rehearsal.

Today we looked at the transphobic song with the full cast and with the song being about Kai who is transgender, both him and Helene do not find this amusing along with the staff but every other family member does and joins in on the ‘skit song’ towards Kai. We worked on how revoking this song has to be that even if the audience laugh and find the song amusing that they would feel bad for laughing because of how awful and offensive the song is.

From this we discussed how your substitution doesn’t have to be now it could of been from when you were a child as long as it still sparks the same emotion to what you need in the scene. We also looked over some of the scene objectives we felt most fitted to our character and to ourselves.

Having these scene objectives in mind the one that was right for you, we looked at the Christian and Kim scene and doings in the scene so for Kim to be doing something for example smoking or drinking. Also the volume was quite low in the scene so they worked on this as well as Christian was being played a victim and we discussed to never play the victim to play the hero’s as this is what is as an audience root for.

The bedroom scenes we’re our next focus as they just aren’t coming together yet as a whole so for us felt needed the most work. We tried the scenes with chairs instead of lying on the floor to see if this would help the dynamic of the scene in anyway for myself and the other actors. We discussed my scene as for me this is one I’m still struggling with because I have never been in a situation in what Pia is in, trying to seduce somebody. This is why I am in my head and the scene isn’t working because I can’t connect to her. We also looked at each scenes merge for instance when Michael and Mette are having sex in the next room and I as Pis hear this and you can see from an audience perspective how devastated Pia is because all she wanted is to be loved but it didn’t happen on this occasion.

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Emotional diary's

Today we looked at the technique of emotional diary and how this contributes to a truthful performance. In order to do this you needed to have your overall objective which I decided that my previous was not working for me to I tried ‘to be noticed’.

Overall Objective: To be noticed

Dear ..... I need you to notice me because ..... or else I’ll die.

This is how your emotional diary would start and finish ^^^ so with this you had to choose a substitution that relates to this overall objective and you would have to write free hand with no stopping, if you stopped you had to start again because your not aloud to think of what your writing you have to just write. This I tried and for me it only sparked a bit of emotion but compared to other people in the class it really touched them on a level. I don't feel this may have been the right substitution but while writing I went into ‘to be loved’, so for me I am going to use this in rehearsal to see if this is the right overall objective for me.

From the emotional diary's we went straight to an emotive scene which was act two, scene one between Christian and his father Helge. Both characters began with saying their emotional diary's allowed then went straight into the scene. This for me enhanced each of their performances because they were so focused on their objectives.

Moving on through our rehearsals we then looked at act three, scene one which is the fight scene between Christian, Michael and Helmet. We ran the scene and found that it was too busy from an audience perspective and became quite comedic from some of the characters because they were acting and it was all a bit chaotic so we decided to choreograph some of it so it didn't look clumpy on stage. This worked as it was a lot more clearer for the audience to see what was going on and it helped the scene to breathe more instead of the fight being over and done with. This scene then led into Pia’s entrance of  ‘Jesus’ I struggled with the delivery of this line as I felt I was acting and was in my own head again and the stop and start of the scene didn't help me but I felt I wasn’t getting enough of the other actor at first because he has basically lost his mind in this scene as he’s seen his dead sister and he was saying his delivery quite low and I just wasn't emoting me to do anything. As we picked the scene apart we were given notes and from this me and my partner in the scene started to emote each other which shown through the performance becoming more truthful. After this we then went back to the top of the play and ran what we had done, after today I feel that myself and the class felt more confident in the play as a whole.

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Substitution

Today we began with Act one, scene three, we ran the full scene then looked at each scene in detail. This scene is the most complicated because its three scenes in one, so we looked at each scene in detail of how they merge into each other, looking at which scene needs to breathe before someone in the other scene speaks. After this we discussed are substitutions and for me it was who I feel most comfortable around. With this in mind we ran what we had done yesterday and today's work with no stopping as-if it was the show. We then got given feedback and I was pleased with the feedback I was giving as I had followed the notes that I had been given in previous rehearsals but some of what I needed to work on was what I’m doing in between scenes both me and my partner in the scene because we cant freeze in a pose between each scene we need to keep it alive in silence while other scenes are on. We also discussed for me to find a doing for Pia so I suggested a lollipop as I feel this would work for Pia’s character.

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Mindfulness

Today we began the morning with mindfulness exercises to focus ourselves for the day of rehearsals ahead. This for our cast helps us as the play is quite an emotional heavy piece, so its important to focus and not let our emotions get the better of us but to use these to connect with ourselves and the fellow actors in the scene. Psychology today (2019) believes that ‘Mindfulness is an incredible tool to help people understand, tolerate, and deal with their emotions in healthy ways. It helps us to alter our habitual responses by taking pause and choosing how we act. When we are mindful, we experience our life as we live it.’ This shows us that mindfulness is important for any rehearsal process or performance as it helps us with the truth of the scene of being able to live in the moment but also being able to control and use your emotions to enhance it.

From this we got into a circle and read through the play without scripts in hand and when it was your scene you would stand up  within the circle and act out your scene. After this we then went on to discuss our objectives and if any of us had changed them. I feel I have struggled to find the right objective for me especially to relate to myself, so as a class we discussed for me to pick a celebrity that I like and my objective would be ‘to get you to desire me’ so in order for me to do this I would have to do what I would do in order to win my objective. Moving on from this we ran the opening to act one scene two, when we got to my first scene I feel I struggled because again I was to self conscious. However the more we ran the scene I started to feel more comfortable as the rehearsal went on because I had to put myself out of my comfort zone but even though I may have not been to my full capacity, I did feel more confident to the end as the scene got better. I know what I need to do within the scene its just doing it this is what I struggle with letting myself go.

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Today we discussed Ivanna Chubbuck technique and about how important it is to win a scene and she quotes the above image. With this in mind we rewatched the film of Festen to watch how each individual character won each of their objectives both scene and overall. Pia in the film is very excitable and fun character and you can just tell by her body language and how she acts that she adores Christian and all she wants him to do is ask her move with him to Paris. In the film I feel she is a physical ditsy character and this brings out her innocence of being sexy without her knowing she is.

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After our scene rehearsals we discussed each of the above. Our aim for next week was to make sure that each of our cast had these in our script so we are able to refer back to in rehearsals.

Overall Objective- ‘What your character wants over the course of the script.’ (Chubbuck, 2004 p.7)

Scene Objective- ‘What your character wants over the course of the entire scene.’ (Chubbuck, 2004 p.21)

Inner Objectives- ‘The images and pictures you see in your mind when speaking or hearing about a person, place, thing or event’ (Chubbuck, 2004 p.77) 

Inner Monologues- ‘The dialogue inside your head that you don't speak out loud.’ (Chubbuck, 2004 p.172)

Beats and Actions- ‘A BEAT is a thought change. ACTIONS are mini-OBJECTIVES attached to each BEAT. BEATS and ACTIONS are various approaches one takes to achieve the SCENE OBJECTIVE.’ (Chubbuck, 2004 p.100)

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Beats and Actions

Today we worked on beats and actions for multiple scenes one of which was from act two, scene one with the chef Kim and Christian. This scene is just after Christian first speech. We ran the scene a couple of times then went back to look at the text. We looked at each beat and action. The beat is the thought and the action is a mini- objective that works alongside the beat to make the other person in the scene to do something. The most important goal was to change the other actor in the scene. After we done this Mikey who plays the character of Kim, his performance changed an became more real and made us as and audience want to engage.

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Today we discussed Pia's overall objectives, scene objectives and obstacles. Pia’s obstacles are things that get in the way of her winning her objectives and shes got to do anything to win the scene ‘life and death’ situation. Emotional obstacles for Pia would be the history of Christian’s brother Michael making a pass at Pia that was out of her control.  We also discussed her appearance and how in the script she mentions being to skinny ‘Do you think I'm too skinny?’ (Eldridge, 2004) Pia's age also become an obstacle as christian is older and also her social status compared to Christians, with her being the maid of the house to which Christians wealthy family live. Another is Christians lack of attraction and libido towards Pia but this is because his mind is to focused on revealing what kind of person his father really is.