Drama nerd NOT GEEK

Solos are done and bring on the Ensembles! I am in a group with Heather, Jess and Leah and we must create a 10 minute long ensemble (quite short) on a form of technological revolution. We were having difficult coming up with a plot because it must be comic and we were heading into the more dramatic and quite deep performance style. We asked Mr Cash and he gave us an idea that we could take a snippet from each decade of the 20th century and the 2000s of an example of the technological revolution. That was all it took, we are now going to focus on the stereotypes of that era. For example, we figured out an opening scene: 1920s first aeroplane used as transport. Of course, aeoplanes were a MASSIVE technological revolution. Leah will be the flight attendant and she will notify all passengers of the safety procedures. We’ll exaggerate characters throughout the decade that the audience can relate to.

We have four members in our performance, so we will each star in 2-3 skits each. Each skit should be around 30 seconds to a minute. I’ll be looking forward to actually sitting down and writing the script. I love writing scripts and I think it’s my favourite thing about drama. I love the acting too of course

It’s been difficult. Hopefully everything will fall into place.

Solo performances are now officially over. A bit longer than expected but there have been a few missed lessons, SAC preparation and lessons and lessons that we NEEDED for practice.

Jacqui: Another hilarious performance. Your facial expressions were definetly the key to your performance. Every gesture, movement and piece of dialogue was timed perfectly creating the comic effect. Although it was hilarious, it also showed the darker side of ‘new mums’ and how they toil day by day for their children. Well done!

Chloe: Another nerd! Although we chose the same sub-culture, and I did notice a few similar things about our performance, we both interpreted the character different. Which is good! I liked how you focused on the emotional side that a nerd must go through. You had excellent contrast between your primary and secondary characters…The nerd and her sister. Good job!

 We found out that our marks range from a B to a C. I’m happy about this because what’s the point of getting A’s in year 11 if you have nothing to strive and work for? It will just make me work harder in year 12 and I’m sure a lot of the other girls would feel this way too

Looking forward to Ensemble Performance! I much prefer the three smaller groups over the one big Ensemble class group. Easier to work out.

First of all, Top Class on Friday and Saturday morning was amazing! The amount of effort and determination that has gone into all the Top Class performances is something to be commended. After watching Top Class I am only just beginning to realise all the criteria that MUST be included. As it was mentioned, if you leave out something then that’s 11 marks that you have lost for that one point in the assessment criteria. It’s very overwhelming! We must all not overlook our criteria sheet and focus heavily on doing exactly what it says. Of course we have to add our own flair to it But criteria must come first. It’s good for performers who love structure but bad for performers who love creativity. But I’m sure the assessors cater for both types.

Although I am quite sick of the character ‘Mary Mallon’ and ‘Dr Jekl and Mr Hyde’, I am glad that I got to watch each of these portrayls as it shows the different options that a performer may wish to take for their solo. Although each performer based their character on the same criteria sheet each one had a complete different interpretation of their solo. Also, the use of different props and costumes added to the individuality of the performance (while keeping it simple and non-naturalistic).

Genelle was fantastic on the day. She connected with the audience and her focus of steel was outstanding. Even when the audience were clapping mid-way for her hilarious script and gestures she managed to stay in character and not lose her rhythm. I really do hope she will get into Top Acts!

While I was watching the performances I noticed how stylised each gesture, each movement was across the stage. It was perfectly timed to create tension, mood and rhythm throughout the performance. This is why they got into Top Class because they dedicated the hours of practice to get each gesture correct, accent perfect and movement flawless. If you weren’t naturally a focused student it would be difficult to obtain the diligence required for a solo performance.

Okay so now to solo performances last Tuesday…

Tara - I really enjoyed your light-hearted script (haha feeding a kid brussel sprouts instead of maccas) You had excellent facial expressions throughout your performance especially when you were changing characters when you were trying to order the meat and veg meal without the meat. I liked it!

Felicity - Excellent use of stagecraft. You had really good props and costume! Good on you for using a soundtrack too in your performance! When you put the guitar against the rostrum block it was about to fall and I was praying that it wouldn’t! Phew! At the start when you were protesting it was quite moving with the soundtrack in the background. The only problem with the music was the sun-flower part - I couldn’t hear what you were saying! Otherwise well done!

Laura- I loved your character. It showed the loyalty that is present among the people living on the streets. Tension was really good - I felt like yelling: Give the poor street urchin some money! But that might have disrupted your focus Your accent was fantastic too! How did you learn that so fast???

Adriana- Your solo length was the same as mine last year It’s hard to contain so much information in a time limit that is so small isn’t it? I loved your gesture movements! So like a band geek - fidgety, picking at this and that, making sure everything is perfect. Your one-man band rocked too Albert might join it if that’s okay? He likes making new friends.

Looking forward to seeing Jacqui and Chloe’s solo performances on Friday!

Half the class performed the solo performances today that we have been working on for over the past six to seven weeks. The standard was excellent!

Jess P - The brave one who went first! I think if a herd of elephants stomped into the room it wouldn’t have broken your focus of steel. It was funny while adding the deep and meaningful element into your performance. Fantastic!

Box - Light-hearted and comedic Your character is very frustrating and I really think she needs to sort out some of her priorities majorly! But you have amazing facial expressions! Especially when you were dancing!

Nadia - It was obvious from your performance that you had thoroughly researched ‘Greasers’ as your solo accurately portrayed their style, thoughts and how they were different and persecuted in society for being that. I really enjoyed it!!

Leah - Haha I think your best performance that I had seen was during that lesson! It was smooth, hilarious and well timed. You didn’t lose focus and made improvising a few scenes look stylised and meant to happen (the locker scene :P) I liked it!

Jess M - Wow you must have had a sore voice afterwards! Even though you used your ‘bogan’ accent your diction and projection was fantastic. I loved your script and your sense of timing to gain comedy elements in scenes was fantastic.

Heather - Another actress with focus of steel! Seriously, no one or nothing could break that! Your slick character changes and the projection of your voice created a complex yet deep performance.

 As for me, I lost focus. I need to work on that. Usually I am okay with focus (i.e last year) but this year I was all over the place! Albert-tizzle mucked me up big time. My character transitions weren’t as good as I had practiced and I said ‘theatrical’ instead of ‘quadratic’ damn it! But I am happy it’s over!

Luckily, Cashy agreed to give us a few extra days rather than perform our solo on the first day of school. We explained that we could not possibly mark well on ‘use of space’ as we were not used to practicing in the drama rooms. (I could perform it in my bedroom :)) We had prepared for our solos as much as possible and it wasn’t a case of coming to class ‘unprepared’. We all knew our solos, we were just not comfortable in our environment.

So that lesson was fantastic for our confidence in our solo. We formed a group of four (Jess B, Leah, Heather and I) and performed our solo for each other. I volunteered to go first and it was quite nerve-racking as I had not shown anyone yet! I knew that I understood my solo but maybe others would not. It was great to hear some feedback and ideas. Thankfully, they understood it!

So performance is tomorrow! Hopefully I can get first period (just a study) off and practice my solo for a further 80 minutes tomorrow morning. That would definetly help my confidence even further! I’m not as nervous as I was on Monday. If that’s a good or bad thing, we’ll have to find out!

Three days till performance. I am hoping that Cashy will give us a few run throughs first before we perform because at the moment I am accustomed to performing in my bedroom and not in our Drama classroom! I have my costume (stagecraft element 1) which consists of multicoloured suspenders (they have an elephant on them), blue shorts pulled to the waist and a tee shirt! And of course my number one accessory, calcy!

My solo is also too long. It’s hard parting with certain areas of the script. Tomorrow hopefully I will do a full dress rehersal and time my performance. Five minutes is so hard! I’m still not happy with the tension in the performance. It’s too short and too quick. But I guess tension is supposed to be temporary…As for Albert’s decision on whether he will choose the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Course or the party on Saturday I still am not entirely certain on which choice he will make I am partial to one of those choice’s though and you will have to find out when you watch it!

I’ve taken a whole week off! Now this week is going to be all about drama drama drama. I’m feeling very relaxed but nervous about our upcoming solo performance first week back. I am facing a few problems though as I have just realised after doing three or four run throughs in my solo. Lack of tension and a very very long solo!

Tension? What tension? My solo has none! I am actually getting quite anxious about it…My mind is going over drive trying to figure some ways of including it into the plot but I hate just plonking something in the middle of it. Yes, I am a perfectionist unfortunately. A quick run through of my plot…basically Albert (my character) gets a phone call of his acceptance into a chemical and biomolecular engineering course. Albert begins to change and he starts realising the taunts of other people. He is invited to a party that everyone who is anyone is going to which is at the same time as the chemical and biomolecular engineering course induction. If he doesn’t go to this induction he loses his place. If he doesn’t go to this party he loses his place in society. Ooh bit of contrast there Any ideas anyone? Please! Need tension!

 As usual, like my last solo, it is fairly lengthy. But this time I am actually going to try and reach the time limit of five minutes. FIVE MINUTES IS NOTHING! My solo would have to be ten minutes long at least…

Best be off. Lots of soloing practice to do. Oh and another problem…need to figure out my costume. I’m borrowing some of my friend’s suspenders (no she does not own them…they are her dads) and I am thinking of getting an old t-shirt and writing ‘Chewbacca’s Pal’ on the front (Chewbacca from Star Wars) and tuck it into some shorts. If anyone owns glasses could you please let me know?

In drama class today, it was quite an eye-opener to actually see the amount of thought and consideration that had gone into a ‘top class’ solo performance on the dramatic element of Symbol and the Expressive Skills of Gesture and Movement. Each movement and gesture that portrayed the character had to be stylised and over exaggerated but had to (to a point) look spontaneous. Spontaneous meaning that the movement and the gestures of the characters should not look choreographed and forced but should look as naturalistic as possible. It all comes down to the timing of the movement in effect with the context of the solo performance.

A common theme amongst all of the ‘top class’ performers of 2006 were that they all incorporated symbol and found ways to make that symbol believable amongst the audience. Roses used to symbolise love and romance that were contrasted against their portrayl of being her lover’s blood. In my solo, I will be using a graphics calculator for my symbol. It is a symbol of how the world views ‘nerds’…Smart, emotionless and a loner. It also is a symbol for the character as its best friend.

Mr Cash also discussed that character transitions were an important part in the solo and that we should keep it as naturalistic and believable as possible. Although character transitions are a non-naturalistic convention our aim is to make the audience believe in our character and our secondary characters. I liked the idea that Mr Cash brought forward about our these character transitions that maybe we could incorporate just one sentance (that made sense of course) and have one word spoken by our main character and secondary characters. My secondary characters are some ‘Americanised teenage girls’ who finally bring Albert down to earth. Maybe instead of them saying, “Look at Albert, he is such a freak…he is such a loner! Look how he holds that calculator. That’s the most disgusting t-shirt I’ve ever seen…” etc. (By the way Albert hears this conversation) I’ll say instead: ‘Look at Albert…freak’ Albert then says: ‘Mis-understood’ ‘loner’ ‘lonely’ ‘totally sad’ ’scared’ ‘disgusting’ When Albert hears that he leaves. The benefits of this version is that the audience can understand the feelings of Albert in accord to the comments of the girls.

Have a good holiday everyone! Formal tomorrow

After the previous Drama lesson on Friday when I worked in a group of three showing small scenes to the other two I found it didn’t work as well as I expected. So today (Tuesday) I decided to practice by myself on my solo and found that it worked much better. Instead of feeling self-concious I was able to do complete run throughs many times with no interruptions.

I’m happy with the way my solo is going. I have written a script but I have ended up improvising a few scenes or changing a few lines here and there but the idea is still evident.

I’m really enjoying play Albert! Albert is a combination of a bit of me and a bit of a couple of people I know (who I better not mention) and a bit of made up characteristics. Well I can mention one person, thanks to Mrs Nichols, Albert’s best friend is now his graphics calculator (named calcy). Thanks Mrs Nichols! I’m very comfortable with this solo…Whether that is a good or bad thing will soon be known…

Today’s activity was fantastic in discovering who our character actually is! We started off by going through some notes and mentally noting down certain characteristics and then we had to stand in our own space in the room and close our eyes…focus! We had to then walk, speak, be happy, be sad, be angry, sit and be in an imaginery scene. I think everyone thought that this activity was vital for us to understand who the character we had created actually was in reality, not just on paper.

After we mimicked the actions of our solo characters we began to break from our solidarity and introduce ourselves to the other ’sub-cultures’ in the room. It was fantastic improvisation practice for our character and everyone had to try hard to stay in focus. I struggled with that at first when Boxy started talking to me but I managed to settle. I also managed to figure out a name for my character during this time! I didn’t have one before this exercise and when other character were telling me their name it just came out….Hi! My name’s Albert! So that’s my character’s name! FINALLY! I was finding it difficult to choose the name that most suited the personality of my character….IT’S ALBERT NOW!

I also managed to figure out that my Albert’s best friend’s name is Victor Tran, I like Star Wars, I won the math’s competition and my mum thinks I’m cool. Yay!