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Emotional Diary

One session we were asked to write out our emotional diaries. What these entail are related to your overall objective. The diary begins with “I need to be (insert overall objective here)” and ends with “or else I will die.” For my emotional diary of course it will be related to being free or happy, and for me it seriously worked.

In order for it to be successful, you must connect to your overall objective on a personal level, that way you are writing from the heart. You write until you can no longer write and you come to the truth behind the want for your goal. When initially beginning to write, our tutor mentioned that whilst you write without stopping to think so it’s almost a stream of consciousness, you don’t scratch the surface of the truth behind why you want what you want until you come closer to the conclusion.

I wrote until I couldn’t anymore and it broke me. It also completely changed my performance because I was so overwhelmed from emotion. I didn’t stop crying until we had our lunch break, because the reasons behind my want for the overall objective were so real. Therefore when performing it made the character and his struggles much more real and believable.

It was emotionally exhausting and I didn’t leave that mental place until leaving at the end of the day, but it’s something I do want to encourage myself to do more as we come closer to show day and on show day especially, I feel the need to do it then most anyway. Arguably it should be always, and it’s always important to keep in mind what you have learnt as well as just to try your best to achieve your goal, but when we came to it, it really helped me as a person as well as just for the performance. I keep a lot to myself and barely tell anyone anything of any substance, both in a work environment and in general. To have a short release like that, in the long run, was beneficial. 

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To be Free/Happy

In order to not play the plot, we were taught to look for where we find common ground with the character, how we relate to them and their flaws or struggles.

Our character had to coincide with ourselves in our need or want for something. For the character of Christian, the need to be free of the control or burden of his past, his parents and way of being that was taught upon him was something that hit home for myself indeed. And whilst “to be happy” is at face value a simple go-to goal to have, really it’s all any of us would want in life, but the pursuit of happiness has such a vast and ever expanding reach. Point being, as long as one relates to a character’s need on some level, one’s performance can be truly enhanced if you actually believe what the person you are playing is saying.

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Play the Hero

I originally and unintentionally played the character with a constant sense of a morose nature. This was never my intention to do this from the offset, but was what my tutor gathered from my performance. He continued to encourage me to win my objectives, and to not play the victim despite the play’s plot. He said that for us to route for this character, and this goes for every and any character one can play, that he must be shown to win or at least trying to win or strive for something from the other actor. The key is to play the hero, as opposed to playing the victim which is an easy route to take but a less entertaining one. To play the victim is simple but does not show the strength of a character to overcome their obstacles. To show them facing their fears shows the audience someone they can route for.

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Technique

Went over recapping what Scot had to say on the technique of naturalism and the essence of Method Acting.

Told us he in his career, Chris Eccleston, Ian McDiarmid, Felicity Jones, Malcolm McDowell and Tom Hardy to name just a few.

He says that the technique won’t be everyone.

It isn’t for myself but I will indeed give it a good old try.

“What makes you think you can play someone else if can’t be comfortable in your own skin?”

Make the battle to win your objective a personal one. Something we can all relate to in some way. Also helps with finding your character and being more comfortable in their shoes.

Best given advice is to “not play the plot.” Makes you less interesting if you do so.

Listen to your other actor(s) and be moved by what they say and do, “pretending” to feel is prohibited, or at least frowned upon.

I fear I will have to rely on my previous skills to give the best performance I can, as I find the 12 steps* difficult to follow.

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Read Ins and Auditions

Was the first to read for Christian and wasn’t prepared. Still don’t know how to follow the 12 steps* so not fully into the piece.

Made me think twice about the actual role and if I could do it any justice as well as utilize the technique our tutor Scot is teaching us.

I read for Michael and found myself enjoying it. Got a few laughs when performing in front of others also. Made me think that I could do that role, as it was something a little different and more of a dominating role.

When the class were asked to vote for who they would like to play certain characters, the mains being the brothers Christian and Michael, it was decided it was between myself and my peer Liam to play either or.

I felt I could play Christian more-so than Michael because of the element of vulnerability so I was given said role, to which Liam was kindly understanding over.

Briefly went over music to be played in the piece, were asked to learn the “Entered Apprentice Song.” Freemasons related.

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Festen: First Introduction

We were introduced to the piece, “Festen.”

This version of the piece was written by David Eldridge.

It was nicknamed “The Celebration.”

Watched the film made by a Danish company, Dogma which were created in 1995.

The film was released in 1998.

Helped with getting an idea of what was needed from the piece as well as how in essence to approach the characters.

Scot our tutor wanted the class to use Method acting.

Swears by the book “Power of the Actor,” by Ivana Chubbuck.

Swears by the teachings of Sanford Meisner also.

Introduced the “Acting Mantra”

Living truthfully under the imaginary circumstances - the important word being “truthfully.”

What stops us from doing so is being in our own head and not letting go, or even our ego.

To stop this we must put our focus on the other actor, make them do something in order to win our objective.

Read the piece soon after and gave the roles out at random. Swapped over to others after so much time.

I briefly read for the characters Christian, Lars and Grandad.

I liked the look of all 3 that I read for, but wanted to prepare for Lars and Christian.

I was also asked by Scot to read for Michael, to perform a dualog.