Meta Theatre and Jean Anouilh
I've wanted to do a little more research on meta theatre because it's such a huge part of Antigone and we've been experimenting with it a lot lately. Even though we haven't been given our parts yet, we are still able to start organising the beginning of the play because it doesn't require any of the characters in the core of Antigone.
Mr. Chipp has come up with the idea to have us enter as actors, with insignificant characters and personalities that we will shed once we are cast by the person playing the Prologue (Harriet in this case). We were all given characters that ring true to life, to create a sense of us entering into a drama studio. The idea is that we will be actors playing actors, and in doing this -it will expose the fact that we are in a play ourselves. In this sense, meta theatre is being exposed. I think that this is an effective way of starting this play because the audience will immediately understand the element of meta theatre as it's made clear from the second the play starts. As soon as the play starts, they are made aware that we are actors. Here is a video we took in today's lesson:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLmucnX1YWE
Meta theatre can be defined as the characters knowing and making it known to the audience that they are in a play. Instead of hiding the mechanics in conventional realism, meta theatre makes them known by often breaking the forth wall and telling the audience straight out that they are in a play and they are playing a part. After reading the Prologue speech through, it seems to make meta theatre it's direct intention, and this made me wonder about the writer, Jean Anouilh. I decided that I needed to learn more about the context in which he wrote Antigone, so I did a bit more research.
As I believe that I've said before, Jean Anouilh wrote his version of Antigone in 1944, in the height of Nazi occupation in France. Before, in the original Greek version of Antigone, that was written by Sophocles, there was no Prologue or Chorus, and no referral to meta theatre. The addition of the chorus, suggests an underlying tone of rebellion from Anouilh, and this therefore, implies his knowledge of the "destinies" of the French during this occupation. He was aware that they were a part of a timeline that seemed to move closer and closer towards death.
Antigone seems to represent the French people and the rebellion that some of them possessed. They know that they have been cast as the victims and the heroes, so there is no point in avoiding their destinies, they run towards them instead. Additionally, Creon is representation of a dictatorship, that rejects culture -not letting Antigone bury her brother- and rules with an all powerful hand. Creon represents Nazi power.
It seems this is why Anouilh's version of Antigone was not banned from the stage during the occupation because although Creon can be seen to have made an irrational decision in not burying Polynices, his decision is eventually revealed to be strictly political. Despite popular opinion, the Nazi reign in Europe, to me, evidences an intellectual power that ruled because they made many decisions that put world domination and conversion at the forefront of their agenda, winning over the German people and others through the promise of an awarding and perfect society. Creon likewise, eliminated any potential foes by creating a false sense of peace where it was not.
Although, at times it seems unfair to compare Antigone with the French people, because she acts so idiotically, I think the point of her idiocy is to reveal that the beliefs of any one individual can crumble an empire in it's entirety. Antigone's sole role is to destroy herself, and in the process destroy the false sense of peace suffocating her as well. This again suggests an underlying rebellion that would have intrigued a Nazi occupied France. Since Antigone is viewed to be in the wrong throughout the play, this would also suggest why it was not banned from being preformed.
In true tragedy fashion, the play sticks with the idea that there is no hope for a happy ending. This is reflected in the cynicism of the Chorus who scoffs at drama in the middle of the play and her constant referral to the destined death of Antigone in the Prologue. So perhaps it's not Antigone who is being idiotic, it is the play within itself and all the characters taking part. It seems that this implies that Anouilh is not only accusing Nazis, but the entirety of WWII itself.
Friday 31 March 2017
Antigone -Chorus/Prologue Speech (learning lines)
19 March 2017
Here I've compiled all of the recordings that I've made over the past few months whilst learning the Prologue monologue in the very front of Antigone, the play I have been studying by Jean Anouilh. I was given the part of the "Chorus", who is basically the narrator of this version of Antigone. I may have referred to this speech throughout my blogs as "the long Chorus speech", "Chorus monologue", or anything of similar wording. Basically, it's just a really long monologue that introduces the cast and the plot of the play.
It's an incredibly important part of Antigone because it sets the whole mood for the rest of the play, constantly mentioning the play itself and the fact that there is a cast list being drawn up, and everyone's destiny within the play has been predetermined. It's a brilliant usage of spoken meta theatre, making the intentions of the cast list and the role of the characters within Antigone clear from the very start. Honestly, I think that without this monologue at the very beginning the play would not have the feel that it does now. The obvious meta drama usage makes the play itself, so much more realistic and ritualistic. The idea that I, as the Chorus, have the power to cast -in theory- anyone I please as whomever I please, gives me and the play so much power and advertently makes the audience believe our story more thoroughly.
Our audience will not be able to avoid the reality of meta theatre through the speeches made by the Chorus; I think that's incredibly affective because who can deny that they are going into an existential crisis when watching this go down. It's incredibly philosophical which makes me so very happy - all about destiny and death.
I've tried to put all of these recordings perfectly in order from the beginning of when I started to learn this speech to the most recent recording. I have done this simply to show you my progression throughout learning this speech. Overall, the speech tends to take around 7mins, 30 seconds, but some recordings are only parts of the whole. Enjoy:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2_vk4eoUKnuMUZ1eHZ3eVlOOHc/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2_vk4eoUKnuS0Y1NnJmVm5GMWM/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2_vk4eoUKnuNGhIZGJWQ1BQa1hIc2hvRVk5V2ZiQUtOZ1J3/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2_vk4eoUKnuM1dEeWdCNU1xM3M/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2_vk4eoUKnudVhVblhnQmNwV1k/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2_vk4eoUKnuM253RUdwZWh4X0k/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2_vk4eoUKnua3dWTk1wdWx5VWs/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2_vk4eoUKnuWUJwZlhmMXpFWGs/view?usp=sharing
(I even got my dad to read a bit of this speech out for me and recorded it because I was told to lower my voice) Here's that recording: thanks dad ;)
Here I've compiled all of the recordings that I've made over the past few months whilst learning the Prologue monologue in the very front of Antigone, the play I have been studying by Jean Anouilh. I was given the part of the "Chorus", who is basically the narrator of this version of Antigone. I may have referred to this speech throughout my blogs as "the long Chorus speech", "Chorus monologue", or anything of similar wording. Basically, it's just a really long monologue that introduces the cast and the plot of the play.
It's an incredibly important part of Antigone because it sets the whole mood for the rest of the play, constantly mentioning the play itself and the fact that there is a cast list being drawn up, and everyone's destiny within the play has been predetermined. It's a brilliant usage of spoken meta theatre, making the intentions of the cast list and the role of the characters within Antigone clear from the very start. Honestly, I think that without this monologue at the very beginning the play would not have the feel that it does now. The obvious meta drama usage makes the play itself, so much more realistic and ritualistic. The idea that I, as the Chorus, have the power to cast -in theory- anyone I please as whomever I please, gives me and the play so much power and advertently makes the audience believe our story more thoroughly.
Our audience will not be able to avoid the reality of meta theatre through the speeches made by the Chorus; I think that's incredibly affective because who can deny that they are going into an existential crisis when watching this go down. It's incredibly philosophical which makes me so very happy - all about destiny and death.
I've tried to put all of these recordings perfectly in order from the beginning of when I started to learn this speech to the most recent recording. I have done this simply to show you my progression throughout learning this speech. Overall, the speech tends to take around 7mins, 30 seconds, but some recordings are only parts of the whole. Enjoy:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2_vk4eoUKnuMUZ1eHZ3eVlOOHc/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2_vk4eoUKnuS0Y1NnJmVm5GMWM/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2_vk4eoUKnuNGhIZGJWQ1BQa1hIc2hvRVk5V2ZiQUtOZ1J3/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2_vk4eoUKnuM1dEeWdCNU1xM3M/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2_vk4eoUKnudVhVblhnQmNwV1k/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2_vk4eoUKnuM253RUdwZWh4X0k/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2_vk4eoUKnua3dWTk1wdWx5VWs/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2_vk4eoUKnuWUJwZlhmMXpFWGs/view?usp=sharing
(I even got my dad to read a bit of this speech out for me and recorded it because I was told to lower my voice) Here's that recording: thanks dad ;)
Antigone Response #5 - Physical Theatre & Frantic Assembly
In our rehearsals this week, since we haven't been assigned parts yet, we've been exploring many different ways of constructing physical theatre. We've been exploring the relationship between Polynices and Eteocles, Antigone's brothers, and creating physical theatre that reflects their anger and tells their story.
We were given the task today to come up with the key points of Antigone, simplifying the story into a summary that could be translated both through physical theatre of some sort, and through a limited amount of spoken word. The main goal of this physical theatre piece was to explain the plot line of Antigone and wrap our heads around the sibling relationships in this story. The only sibling not mentioned in this physical theatre piece is Ismene, which I think is significant, because in the end, she is the only one left alive in her immediate family -Creon, her Uncle, being the only one we know of left in her family at all by the end of the play. Her being left out of this sequence may signify her lack of involvement in the burial of Polynices and her being cast as a character that escapes death.
Overall, I think that this physical theatre piece was decent, it could have been a bit faster, however, it accomplished it's aim of telling the plot of Antigone in a simplistic, yet interesting manner. This is what my group came up with in the end:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYE-3cCkH70
I've talked a little bit about different ways to construct physical theatre in earlier blogs but I wanted to elaborate and do some further research on some physical theatre companies to fill my metaphorical physical theatre bank. This way I can suggest more ways to make suggestions about what we could do when creating physical theatre in the future.
Frantic Assembly
One physical theatre company that Mr. Chipp has told us about is Frantic Assembly; so I've decided to research them a bit further. This company was started in 1994 by Scott Graham, Steven Hogget, and Vicki Middleton.
"We were three students at Swansea University. We were suddenly inspired and then encouraged to form our own theatre company. This reckless and terrifying leap was the best thing we ever did.
We were English Literature and Geography graduates and as such we were untrained in any aspect of theatre or dance but we were willing to learn and devoured any opportunity that came our way. As soon as we learned something we tried to teach it and pass it on.
This simple starting point of encouragement, learning and training has been at the heart of the company ever since."
Scott Graham, Co-Founder & Artistic Director - https://www.franticassembly.co.uk/about
Some of the techniques used by Frantic Assembly are absolutely brilliant. For instance, they do something called chair duets, that I had never heard of before doing a little research on them. This technique is quite simple and only requires two participants. The two actors sit on two chairs (or anything really), side by side, and start with their hands on their knees. From there, the actors are able to create a sequence that motivated by the other participant -if person 1 moves their arm, it must touch person 2, and this will motivate person 2 to move to touch person 1. Whenever, they are done with the sequence, it loops and they return to the start position. Not only does this technique present a well-rounded form of physical theatre, it has simple rules that make it easier to create a sweet little piece of physical theatre.
I think that we'll probably be touching more on physical theatre techniques in future rehearsals and productions, but learning a little bit about it beforehand is quite beneficial for Antigone as well. We've been playing around with a lot of techniques, and although we haven't tried this specific technique in class, it's a good thing to file in the back of my mind. Perhaps we can try it sometime in the future. Here's an example I found on YouTube of a chair duet that Frantic Assembly choreographed for Othello:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLrabSNRHhg
I also watched this video on the Frantic Assembly YouTube page that is essentially a workshop on lifts and making it seem like people are effortlessly floating. Whilst our class is made up of all girls (who perhaps aren't as strong as these men in the video), if you think about it, we may be able to accomplish these lifts nevertheless because our weights will be lighter than the men in this video. It may be harder for us, but perhaps it won't matter? I've got a desire to get lifts and real cool looking physical sequences into Antigone (and any other future performances) because they really create a sense of awe in the audience. I love it when the audience is wowed; there's no point in creating a mediocre performance.
I like what the Artistic Director, Scott Graham, had to say about lifts : you want to make them look effortless, and "hide the work". Here's a link to this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7R_V2iCZoY
Overall, I think that Frantic Assembly is a great example of the potential physical theatre has to create a dynamic piece of drama. I think that I can definitely use their example to create more abstract pieces of theatre in the future.
We were given the task today to come up with the key points of Antigone, simplifying the story into a summary that could be translated both through physical theatre of some sort, and through a limited amount of spoken word. The main goal of this physical theatre piece was to explain the plot line of Antigone and wrap our heads around the sibling relationships in this story. The only sibling not mentioned in this physical theatre piece is Ismene, which I think is significant, because in the end, she is the only one left alive in her immediate family -Creon, her Uncle, being the only one we know of left in her family at all by the end of the play. Her being left out of this sequence may signify her lack of involvement in the burial of Polynices and her being cast as a character that escapes death.
Overall, I think that this physical theatre piece was decent, it could have been a bit faster, however, it accomplished it's aim of telling the plot of Antigone in a simplistic, yet interesting manner. This is what my group came up with in the end:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYE-3cCkH70
I've talked a little bit about different ways to construct physical theatre in earlier blogs but I wanted to elaborate and do some further research on some physical theatre companies to fill my metaphorical physical theatre bank. This way I can suggest more ways to make suggestions about what we could do when creating physical theatre in the future.
Frantic Assembly
One physical theatre company that Mr. Chipp has told us about is Frantic Assembly; so I've decided to research them a bit further. This company was started in 1994 by Scott Graham, Steven Hogget, and Vicki Middleton.
"We were three students at Swansea University. We were suddenly inspired and then encouraged to form our own theatre company. This reckless and terrifying leap was the best thing we ever did.
We were English Literature and Geography graduates and as such we were untrained in any aspect of theatre or dance but we were willing to learn and devoured any opportunity that came our way. As soon as we learned something we tried to teach it and pass it on.
This simple starting point of encouragement, learning and training has been at the heart of the company ever since."
Scott Graham, Co-Founder & Artistic Director - https://www.franticassembly.co.uk/about
Some of the techniques used by Frantic Assembly are absolutely brilliant. For instance, they do something called chair duets, that I had never heard of before doing a little research on them. This technique is quite simple and only requires two participants. The two actors sit on two chairs (or anything really), side by side, and start with their hands on their knees. From there, the actors are able to create a sequence that motivated by the other participant -if person 1 moves their arm, it must touch person 2, and this will motivate person 2 to move to touch person 1. Whenever, they are done with the sequence, it loops and they return to the start position. Not only does this technique present a well-rounded form of physical theatre, it has simple rules that make it easier to create a sweet little piece of physical theatre.
I think that we'll probably be touching more on physical theatre techniques in future rehearsals and productions, but learning a little bit about it beforehand is quite beneficial for Antigone as well. We've been playing around with a lot of techniques, and although we haven't tried this specific technique in class, it's a good thing to file in the back of my mind. Perhaps we can try it sometime in the future. Here's an example I found on YouTube of a chair duet that Frantic Assembly choreographed for Othello:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLrabSNRHhg
I also watched this video on the Frantic Assembly YouTube page that is essentially a workshop on lifts and making it seem like people are effortlessly floating. Whilst our class is made up of all girls (who perhaps aren't as strong as these men in the video), if you think about it, we may be able to accomplish these lifts nevertheless because our weights will be lighter than the men in this video. It may be harder for us, but perhaps it won't matter? I've got a desire to get lifts and real cool looking physical sequences into Antigone (and any other future performances) because they really create a sense of awe in the audience. I love it when the audience is wowed; there's no point in creating a mediocre performance.
I like what the Artistic Director, Scott Graham, had to say about lifts : you want to make them look effortless, and "hide the work". Here's a link to this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7R_V2iCZoY
Overall, I think that Frantic Assembly is a great example of the potential physical theatre has to create a dynamic piece of drama. I think that I can definitely use their example to create more abstract pieces of theatre in the future.
Friday 17 March 2017
Antigone Rehearsal 05/12/16 & Metatheatre
05/12/16
This Monday lesson, we looked at the prologue/chorus speech at the beginning of the play. As I have been given the part of the prologue and main chorus member, I get to learn this gigantic monologue. It's a good thing that we've gone over it a little bit before Christmas break because I can go home and study it over the next few weeks. I've also recorded this monologue to start listening to it in my free time and whilst I'm doing other homework.
Whilst I've been receiving direction on my voice mainly, the rest of the cast has been working together to create some physical sequences to act out what I'm saying. Although I'm not a part of these sequences, I have to be aware of them because I have to pause sometimes to make sure that they're in position before I continue with the monologue.
Here's what we've come up with today:
I think that it's really effective to have the sequences going on in the background of my monologue but I feel that I somehow need to make my "character", who is quite plain, more dynamic and involved. Not exactly sure how I will do this, but I think that the more I acknowledge metatheatre -or suspend the audiences' disbelief, yet still entice them into the story, the more interesting my monologue will become. I did a little more research on metadrama, in my spare time, just to understand it a bit further, because it's part of my character's job to acknowledge this fact -that we are performers in a play.
https://courses.cit.cornell.edu/engl3270/327.meta.html says:
"Metatheatre" is a convenient name for the quality or force in a play which challenges theatre's claim to be simply realistic -- to be nothing but a mirror in which we view the actions and sufferings of characters like ourselves, suspending our disbelief in their reality. Metatheatre begins by sharpening our awareness of the unlikeness of life to dramatic art; it may end by making us aware of life's uncanny likeness to art or illusion. By calling attention to the strangeness, artificiality, illusoriness, or arbitrariness -- in short, the theatricality -- of the life we live, it marks those frames and boundaries that conventional dramatic realism would hide.
Basically, it's saying that metatheatre is even closer to realism than conventional realism because it acknowledges that what we are taking part in is actually a play and not real life. That's what I've come to love about metatheatre, because it just seems so real compared to the play itself, even though, in reality, it is just a part of the play. It's slightly disconcerting to think about but once you get it into your head, it seems easier to understand. I think that in acknowledging that the play is a play more by emphasising words like "play" and "cast" in my speech may help it to be more entertaining and add a level of depth that the audience may have noticed, but in me making it more obvious, would actually consider.
This Monday lesson, we looked at the prologue/chorus speech at the beginning of the play. As I have been given the part of the prologue and main chorus member, I get to learn this gigantic monologue. It's a good thing that we've gone over it a little bit before Christmas break because I can go home and study it over the next few weeks. I've also recorded this monologue to start listening to it in my free time and whilst I'm doing other homework.
Whilst I've been receiving direction on my voice mainly, the rest of the cast has been working together to create some physical sequences to act out what I'm saying. Although I'm not a part of these sequences, I have to be aware of them because I have to pause sometimes to make sure that they're in position before I continue with the monologue.
Here's what we've come up with today:
I think that it's really effective to have the sequences going on in the background of my monologue but I feel that I somehow need to make my "character", who is quite plain, more dynamic and involved. Not exactly sure how I will do this, but I think that the more I acknowledge metatheatre -or suspend the audiences' disbelief, yet still entice them into the story, the more interesting my monologue will become. I did a little more research on metadrama, in my spare time, just to understand it a bit further, because it's part of my character's job to acknowledge this fact -that we are performers in a play.
https://courses.cit.cornell.edu/engl3270/327.meta.html says:
"Metatheatre" is a convenient name for the quality or force in a play which challenges theatre's claim to be simply realistic -- to be nothing but a mirror in which we view the actions and sufferings of characters like ourselves, suspending our disbelief in their reality. Metatheatre begins by sharpening our awareness of the unlikeness of life to dramatic art; it may end by making us aware of life's uncanny likeness to art or illusion. By calling attention to the strangeness, artificiality, illusoriness, or arbitrariness -- in short, the theatricality -- of the life we live, it marks those frames and boundaries that conventional dramatic realism would hide.
Basically, it's saying that metatheatre is even closer to realism than conventional realism because it acknowledges that what we are taking part in is actually a play and not real life. That's what I've come to love about metatheatre, because it just seems so real compared to the play itself, even though, in reality, it is just a part of the play. It's slightly disconcerting to think about but once you get it into your head, it seems easier to understand. I think that in acknowledging that the play is a play more by emphasising words like "play" and "cast" in my speech may help it to be more entertaining and add a level of depth that the audience may have noticed, but in me making it more obvious, would actually consider.
Antigone Rehearsal 04/01/17
4 January 2017- Monday, hour lesson
Today in drama we experimented with creating puppets that could possibly represent Antigone's brothers in a movement or something of that sort. Mr. Chipp gave us the task of creating people out of tattered clothes and pieces of plastic, that we could manipulate to perhaps, act out bits of this play. It's uncertain yet where we would put these puppets but it's certainly something to think about.
I personally think that puppeteering would be an excellent addition to our play. I'm not sure about physically building the characters of Eteocles and Policies and whether that would be too cheesy. However, if they were generic characters, such as just people in the army then I think it could work.
We looked at a few examples of what we could do with just clothes on YouTube that I really liked and think that we could elaborate on and make more harsh to look like two people were fighting rather than falling in love. The thing that I enjoy about these videos is that a) it doesn't take more that one person to create the image -therefore creating a sense of loneliness, but also, makes it loads easier to carry out, and b) it's purely physical and all about that person's body language.
Check out this video we looked at with Tape Face, a silent comedian, who used a only jacket to create the sense that he was with a woman (go to about 4mins:11s to see what we looked at):
Antigone Rehearsal 13/02/17 & 15/02/17
13/02/17- Monday, hour lesson
Today, we reviewed and added to a scene that we had already visited before in earlier rehearsals. In this scene, I am a member of the greater chorus and become a guard that mocks Antigone.
I think that this particular scene- getting it right- is important because it requires the complete focus of everyone in the scene, or else we may seriously hurt someone. Antigone especially, has to remember to step forward then swing the machete, rather than just swing randomly. This sequence seems to be working, it's simple and allows enough time for the chorus members to get out of the way, so no one should get hurt.
Although the machetes are not sharp anymore, Mr. Chipp, sanded down the edges, the points of the machetes are still quite sharp and could definitely hurt someone if it hit their eye or throat. It worries me a little bit because I would prefer not to have anyone killed, and the wild waving of the sword by Antigone seems dangerous because of the nature that she's swinging it in. But this is also a good thing because we want the audience to be tuned into this scene and a little bit shocked at what is going on. I'm certain we'll get a few gasps from the audience when it happens.
We worked a little bit today on hiding the mechanics of how Antigone withdraws (steals) the machete from the guard's side because it seems that the audience would be even more surprised by her getting the machete if they didn't see how it was done, it just happened. How we solved this problem was by having Antigone face her back to the audience when she goes to withdraw it, hiding the machete with her body until it is out of it's sheath. I think that this will work effectively in this movement because it makes it seem more sudden that she suddenly has gotten hold of the machete.
I think that this particular scene- getting it right- is important because it requires the complete focus of everyone in the scene, or else we may seriously hurt someone. Antigone especially, has to remember to step forward then swing the machete, rather than just swing randomly. This sequence seems to be working, it's simple and allows enough time for the chorus members to get out of the way, so no one should get hurt.
Although the machetes are not sharp anymore, Mr. Chipp, sanded down the edges, the points of the machetes are still quite sharp and could definitely hurt someone if it hit their eye or throat. It worries me a little bit because I would prefer not to have anyone killed, and the wild waving of the sword by Antigone seems dangerous because of the nature that she's swinging it in. But this is also a good thing because we want the audience to be tuned into this scene and a little bit shocked at what is going on. I'm certain we'll get a few gasps from the audience when it happens.
We worked a little bit today on hiding the mechanics of how Antigone withdraws (steals) the machete from the guard's side because it seems that the audience would be even more surprised by her getting the machete if they didn't see how it was done, it just happened. How we solved this problem was by having Antigone face her back to the audience when she goes to withdraw it, hiding the machete with her body until it is out of it's sheath. I think that this will work effectively in this movement because it makes it seem more sudden that she suddenly has gotten hold of the machete.
15/02/17- Wednesday
Today, I worked a bit more on my chorus speech at the beginning of the play. Since I have learnt the whole thing by heart, it's all about making it my own now. It's the longest speech in the play, but that definitely means it is not the most boring. I need to work on how I preform this speech so that I will engage the audience for the full seven and half mins that it is. It's not just about saying the lines, it about feeling and thinking them, acting them.
Today, I worked a bit more on my chorus speech at the beginning of the play. Since I have learnt the whole thing by heart, it's all about making it my own now. It's the longest speech in the play, but that definitely means it is not the most boring. I need to work on how I preform this speech so that I will engage the audience for the full seven and half mins that it is. It's not just about saying the lines, it about feeling and thinking them, acting them.
Things I was told I need to work on still with this speech:
-need to get out of the habit of talking quite slow and putting too much emphasis on everything. I need to pick and choose what I emphasise.
-I need to pick up the pace. Yesterday, I started writing out my speech from memory, and I finished it in class today. The phrases that I've underlined are phrases that I think I need to speed up.
-I need to pick out the words that are the most important, so I can emphasize upon them more. The highlighted words are words I think I should emphasize more than the others. I talked a little bit about which words would be most important with Miss. Starbuck and we decided that any words that have to do with this being a play, or the characters playing their parts, should have more weight.
We also looked at the "thousand arms" sequence, otherwise known as "The Tumbril", where Ismene is trying to convince Antigone not to bury their brother Polynices and to choose life over death. She is scared of the consequences of what burying Polynices and desperate not to be left alone in her decision, she wants her sister to live because she cares for her.
Every time I watch "Ismene" and "Antigone" react to each other, I think of my own sisters and some of the fights that we have. Many of them are pointless, no where near as important; regardless, I would still try and prove my point no matter what...because I want to be right. And if the argument did involve death, I know that I would be right. So my argumentative nature would turn from sarcasm and selfishness, to pure desperation. Since Antigone and Ismene, were having a sister bonding moment beforehand, I wouldn't be surprised that Antigone refuses to listen to Ismene -as Antigone is still very much a child and will still be selfish and sarcastic in her ambitions. She will not back down, simply because she wants to be right: she believes it is her destiny to die.
We also looked at the "thousand arms" sequence, otherwise known as "The Tumbril", where Ismene is trying to convince Antigone not to bury their brother Polynices and to choose life over death. She is scared of the consequences of what burying Polynices and desperate not to be left alone in her decision, she wants her sister to live because she cares for her.
Every time I watch "Ismene" and "Antigone" react to each other, I think of my own sisters and some of the fights that we have. Many of them are pointless, no where near as important; regardless, I would still try and prove my point no matter what...because I want to be right. And if the argument did involve death, I know that I would be right. So my argumentative nature would turn from sarcasm and selfishness, to pure desperation. Since Antigone and Ismene, were having a sister bonding moment beforehand, I wouldn't be surprised that Antigone refuses to listen to Ismene -as Antigone is still very much a child and will still be selfish and sarcastic in her ambitions. She will not back down, simply because she wants to be right: she believes it is her destiny to die.
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