Today we spent the lesson focusing on the voice of our characters in our show by filling out a sheet on how confident we are with certain skills, writing down our strengths and targets to improve.
Diction/articulation: 5
I pronounce and hold sentence structures with correct grammar.
I struggle with the pronunciation of bigger words and I also tend to pronounce my "th" as "f".
Tone: 7
I know how to effectively use my tone to help show my emotions.
I want to learn how to use my tone in an ironic way to convey emotion.
Pitch: 7
Naturally I have a high an pitch voice but I can achieve a lower pitch when needed.
I struggle to maintain a lower pitch voice at a consistence's as I naturally prefer a higher pitch.
Projection: 8
I'm very good at projecting my voice over large distances so that I can always be heard.
I start to speak quiet when I struggle with the pronunciation of words.
Accent/Dialect: 4
I have a very small range a accents that I can achieve successfully.
I would like to increase my range of accents I can achieve so I have more verity.
Vocal Control: 7
I have a very strong voice control of being able to hold my voice at the volume it is.
I tend to have voice cracks sometimes when I am immersed in my role.
Breath control: 8
I have very good breath control when I am performing so that I can perform without difficulty.
After a Physical theatre piece I can sometime struggle to regain my breath control straight away after it finishes.
Thursday, 31 March 2016
Sunday, 27 March 2016
First day on site
Well I finally got what I wanted, four walls around me and a bed but I've got to share with God knows how many other freaks. I always wanted a place to sleep at night and now I've got one for free. Haven't been aloud out of my room yet, they have left a tray with pasta on it, no fork or spoon. Guessing they expect me to use my hands, doesn't bother me, food is food no matter how it's eaten. There is also a couple of pills on a tray, I suppose they need me to take them. Those pills will probably make me all relaxed and loopy, so I don't think I will take them. I won't give in to their ways. They'll open the door soon I can step out and look at all those freaks again, I ain't like them, we both need to be here but for different reasons, I just need a place to live but all them are freaks who need help. I can hear them, some of sing at night another person just shouts out every word under the sun. Their is this one guy who just screamed for ages last night, I don't know how long he managed to scream, no clock in this place. I'm not sure if it's light out yet, no Windows in this place. Feels like I have spent weeks in here but I know it hasn't even been a day yet. I feel like I may actually go mad from being in here. Those men I hate them, they threw me in here like I was nothing, they used me and took advantage of me and the got rid of me when I decided I didn't want to their's any more. I'm going to get out of here no matter how long it takes. I can wait, got nothing better to do, I'm going to get out of here and when I do those queer child bashers are going to get what's coming to them... When will they let me out of this room I'm bored. Let me out!
Tuesday, 22 March 2016
Staging and Proximics for Handbag
Over the past couple of lessons we have managed to full stage our whole show. This was at first a simple task as we only have one setting in our show which has a table and 6 chairs spread out around the floor. As we progressed through our rehearsal the idea we have changed a little in how we have the audience, we keep a traditional staging but we have an extra bit on seating on the side of the stage area coming off from the front of the audience. Later on we added the actual stage that was behind our staging area, for the start of the show whenever we enact scenes from "Importance of being earnest" we perform it on the actual stage but for the actual scene we move down to in front of stage. Another staging idea we have stuck with is that each of our characters have a certain chair. from the audience prospective our chair order from left to right goes, Me, Kai, Dan, Toby, Dom and ends with Ellie. Our characters are only aloud to sit in these chairs. We started to look at our characters Proximity's with each other, especially with George and Kinsey as because of their past they try to avoid each other throughout their scenes so we had to always watch them to help make sur ethey move around naturally making it realistic while maintaining their distantace, we also wanted to keep these proximics but not make it obvious that they were avoiding each other during the performance so their movements between each other is subtle. Allan's proximics are easier for me to decide as their isn't anyone Allan doesn't like and would advoid during the show so Allan stays close to most people except when they all start to argue which is when he distance himself from everyone so he can watch with enjoyment.
Tuesday, 15 March 2016
Allan's Monologue
I have decided that I was going to read over my monologue, I perform as Allan and take it apart to analyse in as much detail as I can.
"Julius Caesar. I can't say I ever saw it. And I used to watch a lot of video nasties..."
During this first line when I perform it I just start to drift off into my own world as referring to "Julius Caesar" as a video "nastie" it triggers a state of mind for Allan where all he can do is talk about is traumatic past. I believe and have interpreted that Allan has trigger words and phrases that bring up his memories from his abusive past. this links back to near start when he talking about 'Oscar Wilde' being gay and how Allan became increasingly annoyed when Rose tried to have a go at him for saying "Queer".
"I used to watch them all the time. When I was a kid. I lived down the road from my local Blockbuster and the manager took a shine to me. He used to take me into the back room to show me these dirty films... not that you get very dirty films at Blockbuster. Smutty more like, though still capable of affecting an impressionable mind."
This is the first time anyone has heard about Allan's past out side of the institute and we learn that it wasn't a very good life. We start of learning that Allan from a young age has been subjected to pornographic images that in his words were "Capable of affecting an impressionable mind." I have also interpreted from these lines that in my opinion that Allan as well as being shown pornographic images was also taken advantage of by the shop owner.
"I preferred the action films. Die Hard. Scream Two. Little did I know that they might one day furnish me with the title of my own autobiography. But the best news was when Blockbuster started renting computer games. Now I could enjoy the violence in the privacy of my room."
From these set of lines we learn that Allan was very sadistic child as he enjoyed the idea of controlling violence through video games. Allan also talks about how he was impression by the violent action films. He says that these film "furnish me with the title of my own autobiography" which is quite a twisted line suggesting his life could be like an violent action film where he'd go out and kill people based on his tragic child hood.
"I preferred Doom and Laura Croft. They were great. I mean, the graphics were really in your face. Only my step-dad... he was dead against them. He used to go on about them. All the shooting. All the killing. People getting mauled by lion and sliced up by monsters..."
We see more of Allan's twisted soul emerge as he talks about the violence in the games with such a passionate and personal attachment to the violence. Allan gives a impression that all he wants to do is play violent games where he could kill and mane the characters to his hearts content. After analysing this section of Allan's monologue I have come up with my own interpretation that Allan isn't actually talking about video games. Allan is really talking about animal abuse, the effects he was talking about are actually the blood splatter from small animals he had been torturing. What makes me believe this is when Allan talks about the graphics in the games make them seem like they're so realistic when in fact the games from the 1st generation of PlayStation were actually didn't have the best graphics because technology had been developed that much in graphics yet. So this lead me to believe that Allan was actually committing gruesome animal cruelty. Alternatively the Graphics are only realistic to Allan because he can actually visualise committing the murders.
"My step-dad used to say that one thing would only lead to another. The blood splatter and the sound effects. They made it more realistic until in the end it almost felt like the real thing and who could blame until in the end it almost felt like the real thing and who could blame you if you decided that you wanted... you know... if you wouldn't actually prefer the real thing. it was one small step."
In this we see the last part of Allan's innocents die as he finally appears to enter a absolute mind of a killer but at the same time at this moment we sympathise with Allan because this is the moment we understand the Allan the most as we have had in the whole show as we have had look into his past to see how tragic it has been for one child. This part raises the question of whether Allan is responsible for his actions he has done because he is clearly now presented as a very damaged individual but should that be a excuse for the crime Allan committed later in his life.
"No. I'm not saying that. My step-dad didn't want me to play violent games. he used to search me every time I came back from school. I had a PlayStation but he personally chose all the software. Civilisation. The Sims. Stuff like that. He'd search my room... he was worried about my long-term development. Anyway, one night he came in unexpectedly and caught me red-handed, I'd just managed to get my hands on Grand Theft Auto and there I was blasting away, left right and
centre. And there he was, standing at the door."
In this ending paragraph we see the last part of Allan's childhood with his parents before he ran away which is where his step-dad beat him up. This paragraph connects to my theory about Allan being involved with animal cruelty. When Allan was search on his way home for games he was actually being search for weapons Allan tried to sneak home and when his stepdad caught him paying the game it was that he actually was caught torturing an animal.
"Julius Caesar. I can't say I ever saw it. And I used to watch a lot of video nasties..."
During this first line when I perform it I just start to drift off into my own world as referring to "Julius Caesar" as a video "nastie" it triggers a state of mind for Allan where all he can do is talk about is traumatic past. I believe and have interpreted that Allan has trigger words and phrases that bring up his memories from his abusive past. this links back to near start when he talking about 'Oscar Wilde' being gay and how Allan became increasingly annoyed when Rose tried to have a go at him for saying "Queer".
"I used to watch them all the time. When I was a kid. I lived down the road from my local Blockbuster and the manager took a shine to me. He used to take me into the back room to show me these dirty films... not that you get very dirty films at Blockbuster. Smutty more like, though still capable of affecting an impressionable mind."
This is the first time anyone has heard about Allan's past out side of the institute and we learn that it wasn't a very good life. We start of learning that Allan from a young age has been subjected to pornographic images that in his words were "Capable of affecting an impressionable mind." I have also interpreted from these lines that in my opinion that Allan as well as being shown pornographic images was also taken advantage of by the shop owner.
"I preferred the action films. Die Hard. Scream Two. Little did I know that they might one day furnish me with the title of my own autobiography. But the best news was when Blockbuster started renting computer games. Now I could enjoy the violence in the privacy of my room."
From these set of lines we learn that Allan was very sadistic child as he enjoyed the idea of controlling violence through video games. Allan also talks about how he was impression by the violent action films. He says that these film "furnish me with the title of my own autobiography" which is quite a twisted line suggesting his life could be like an violent action film where he'd go out and kill people based on his tragic child hood.
"I preferred Doom and Laura Croft. They were great. I mean, the graphics were really in your face. Only my step-dad... he was dead against them. He used to go on about them. All the shooting. All the killing. People getting mauled by lion and sliced up by monsters..."
We see more of Allan's twisted soul emerge as he talks about the violence in the games with such a passionate and personal attachment to the violence. Allan gives a impression that all he wants to do is play violent games where he could kill and mane the characters to his hearts content. After analysing this section of Allan's monologue I have come up with my own interpretation that Allan isn't actually talking about video games. Allan is really talking about animal abuse, the effects he was talking about are actually the blood splatter from small animals he had been torturing. What makes me believe this is when Allan talks about the graphics in the games make them seem like they're so realistic when in fact the games from the 1st generation of PlayStation were actually didn't have the best graphics because technology had been developed that much in graphics yet. So this lead me to believe that Allan was actually committing gruesome animal cruelty. Alternatively the Graphics are only realistic to Allan because he can actually visualise committing the murders.
"My step-dad used to say that one thing would only lead to another. The blood splatter and the sound effects. They made it more realistic until in the end it almost felt like the real thing and who could blame until in the end it almost felt like the real thing and who could blame you if you decided that you wanted... you know... if you wouldn't actually prefer the real thing. it was one small step."
In this we see the last part of Allan's innocents die as he finally appears to enter a absolute mind of a killer but at the same time at this moment we sympathise with Allan because this is the moment we understand the Allan the most as we have had in the whole show as we have had look into his past to see how tragic it has been for one child. This part raises the question of whether Allan is responsible for his actions he has done because he is clearly now presented as a very damaged individual but should that be a excuse for the crime Allan committed later in his life.
"No. I'm not saying that. My step-dad didn't want me to play violent games. he used to search me every time I came back from school. I had a PlayStation but he personally chose all the software. Civilisation. The Sims. Stuff like that. He'd search my room... he was worried about my long-term development. Anyway, one night he came in unexpectedly and caught me red-handed, I'd just managed to get my hands on Grand Theft Auto and there I was blasting away, left right and
centre. And there he was, standing at the door."
In this ending paragraph we see the last part of Allan's childhood with his parents before he ran away which is where his step-dad beat him up. This paragraph connects to my theory about Allan being involved with animal cruelty. When Allan was search on his way home for games he was actually being search for weapons Allan tried to sneak home and when his stepdad caught him paying the game it was that he actually was caught torturing an animal.
Friday, 11 March 2016
Character Profile
Real name: unknown
Name: Allan
Character he plays: Algernon Moncrieff
Age: 18
How long in institute: 4 Months
Age he left home: 12
Family:
Dad: Dead, died when Allan was 6.
Mum: After his Dad died, the mum became very neglectful of Allan especially when she met his Step-Dad.
Siblings: No brothers or Sisters.
Step-Dad: Physically abuses Allan for 5 years forcing him to run away.
Personality:
Allan is a very strong individual type when we meet him in the play who sees everything as a bit of joke constantly making quick comments about anything he can. Very early on it becomes clear that Allan is a bit of a homophobia making it clear that he doesn't like gay people but the reason he doesn't like them isn't clear till later in the play. It is made clear that Allan has his own opinion and only this refusing to except any other alternative belief than what he himself knows.
Home life:
Allan's home life was a nice life until he reached the age of 6 which is when his dad died. After his dad died his mum became very distant to Allan causing Allan to become a victim of Neglect from his mum. A year later Allan's mum married a man who became Allan's step-dad, Allan clearly becomes a victim of abuse from his step-dad causing Allan to avoid his home as much as possible which is when he started to go to blockbuster where he met the owner who started to take sexual advantage of him after showing him "video nasties". Eventually Allan managed to find enjoyment in playing video games before his step-dad stopped him playing the games by putting him in the hospital. Another idea about Allan's childhood we had as a group that Allan was into torturing animals and him playing his video games is a code word for the animal abuse, so when he was searched each day after getting home from school his step-dad searching for weapons not games, when Allan talks about the graphics of the game being realistic he is actually reliving his past experiences of torturing the animals. When his step-dad caught him playing games he was actually in the middle of torturing an animal. Eventually at the age of 12 Allan ran away from home.
Life in London:
After running away, Allan went to London for years staying on the streets avoiding the police who tried to kick him off the streets. Allan found refuge with a group of homeless people for the first year who helped show him how to steal a meal and live on the streets. Eventually Allan found refuge in Victoria station in which he was taken by a man who tried to turn Allan into a sex salve where he was raped by many older men in the cloakrooms of Victoria station. After having this done we discussed that Allan ended up in the institute for one of these two reasons: 1. after years of being a sex slave, in fear and anger he attacked one of his clients killing him which ended up putting him in the institute due to his tragic life. 2. Allan eventually refused one his Clients who was high up in power and hit him when the client tried to assault Allan, this lead to the Client filling a police report making out that Allan is a dangerous youth and should be sent away.
Character relationships:
These are the relationship between our characters we wrote about together as a group.
Allan:
Name: Allan
Character he plays: Algernon Moncrieff
Age: 18
How long in institute: 4 Months
Age he left home: 12
Family:
Dad: Dead, died when Allan was 6.
Mum: After his Dad died, the mum became very neglectful of Allan especially when she met his Step-Dad.
Siblings: No brothers or Sisters.
Step-Dad: Physically abuses Allan for 5 years forcing him to run away.
Personality:
Allan is a very strong individual type when we meet him in the play who sees everything as a bit of joke constantly making quick comments about anything he can. Very early on it becomes clear that Allan is a bit of a homophobia making it clear that he doesn't like gay people but the reason he doesn't like them isn't clear till later in the play. It is made clear that Allan has his own opinion and only this refusing to except any other alternative belief than what he himself knows.
Home life:
Allan's home life was a nice life until he reached the age of 6 which is when his dad died. After his dad died his mum became very distant to Allan causing Allan to become a victim of Neglect from his mum. A year later Allan's mum married a man who became Allan's step-dad, Allan clearly becomes a victim of abuse from his step-dad causing Allan to avoid his home as much as possible which is when he started to go to blockbuster where he met the owner who started to take sexual advantage of him after showing him "video nasties". Eventually Allan managed to find enjoyment in playing video games before his step-dad stopped him playing the games by putting him in the hospital. Another idea about Allan's childhood we had as a group that Allan was into torturing animals and him playing his video games is a code word for the animal abuse, so when he was searched each day after getting home from school his step-dad searching for weapons not games, when Allan talks about the graphics of the game being realistic he is actually reliving his past experiences of torturing the animals. When his step-dad caught him playing games he was actually in the middle of torturing an animal. Eventually at the age of 12 Allan ran away from home.
Life in London:
After running away, Allan went to London for years staying on the streets avoiding the police who tried to kick him off the streets. Allan found refuge with a group of homeless people for the first year who helped show him how to steal a meal and live on the streets. Eventually Allan found refuge in Victoria station in which he was taken by a man who tried to turn Allan into a sex salve where he was raped by many older men in the cloakrooms of Victoria station. After having this done we discussed that Allan ended up in the institute for one of these two reasons: 1. after years of being a sex slave, in fear and anger he attacked one of his clients killing him which ended up putting him in the institute due to his tragic life. 2. Allan eventually refused one his Clients who was high up in power and hit him when the client tried to assault Allan, this lead to the Client filling a police report making out that Allan is a dangerous youth and should be sent away.
Character relationships:
These are the relationship between our characters we wrote about together as a group.
Allan:
- George: George doesn't dislike Allen, he just gets annoyed at him. Wants Allan to just do as is told. Gets angry at Allan a lot.
- Kinsey: Thinks he's a bit strange. Video games. Sympathetic due to his past. Thinks he shouldn't be there.
- Milo: Doesn't really know much about Allan so doesn't tend to get angry or pick holes in Allan. Probably dislikes Allan. Probably jealous Allan has a better part then him.
- Rose: Rose misunderstands Allan and doesn't get why he reacts to her in a negative way. Wants Allan not to be rude. Thinks Allan has stupid opinions.
- Specs: Gets ignored by Allan. Allan doesn't like Specs because he prompts him.
- Allan: Allan irrates George easily. As people they don't mind each other. They only fight about the play. Very sarcastic towards each other.
- Kinsey: Blames Kinsey for ending up in the institution. Kinsey wants to move from the past. Kinsey feels rejected.
- Milo: Milo wants authority and control over George. Milo hates George for being in charge. George is patient so the complete opposite to Milo.
- Rose: Understands Rose and talks in a way she will understand. Knows when Rose needs help. Feels safe in his presence. Looks out for her.
- Specs: No respect for Specs. Very condescending. Know he controls Specs
- Allan: Mutual respect. Jealous of relationship between Allan and George. Doesn't mind Allan. Doesn't want to be enemies.
- George: Friends before. Committed a crime together. George blames Kinsey. Disjointed relationship. Kinsey takes control.
- Milo: Love/Hate relationship with Milo. Kinsey likes Milo and thinks they are friends. Milo still hates Kinsey and everyone else. They can put up with each other.
- Rose: Thinks Rose is dumb. Misunderstands why drugs are used. Gets annoyed with Rose because how she is with drugs.
- Specs: Specs is the only person he doesn't know anything about. Doesn't want to know anything.
- Allan: Has no problem with Milo. Never had a conflicting issue. Both have strong personality. Share similar. Both don't like the play.
- George: Feels slightly intimidated by Milo. Anxious about Milo's anger. Backs down when confronted by Milo.
- Kinsey: Tolerates his anger. Banter. Follows his behaviour. Influenced by him. Finds him funny. Friends?
- Rose: Doesn't understand Milo's anger. Try's to joke about Milo but doesn't realise how he'll react. Thinks they're friends. Wants Milo to understand her.
- Specs: Don't speak. Don't acknowledge each other.
- Allan: Separated in opinion. Allan has a simple understanding of Rose. Is very blunt with her. Rose sometimes miss understands Allan's intentions which cause conflict.
- George: George likes Rose but thinks she is stupid. Doesn't understand why she is the way she is. But George can be sympathetic to Rose. Defends her.
- Kinsey: Thinks Rose is dumb. Misunderstands her. Gets annoyed with her. Undermines her.
- Milo: Milo constantly gets frustrated with Rose's stupidity. Angry and annoyed when she speaks. Rulebook annoys him.
- Specs: Doesn't like Specs but is sympathetic towards him. Specs likes her because she doesn't bully him.
- Allan: Doesn't like Specs. Is very harsh and quick to raise his temper at Specs. Doesn't like being told what to do by the prompter(Specs). Avoids interaction with Specs when possible.
- George: Treats Specs with no respect. Takes Spec for granted. Bullies him. Gets frustrated with his stutter.
- Kinsey: Sees Spec as the most innocent one. Thinks he's harmless. 'Walking the streets'. Thinks he shouldn't be there.
- Milo: Doesn't care about Specs. Never notices Specs. Thinks he's weird.
- Rose: Does actually like Specs but says she doesn't to fit in. She sympathises for Specs as everyone bullies him. Thinks he needs looking after. Specs seeks friendship in Rose.
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