Thursday, 25 May 2017

Physical Theatre questions

How have you used physical theatre skills in ANY performance that you have done this year(use of voice/movement/facial expression gestures//interaction with other characters) to explore text for performance?

Media piece
With the use of voice, we synced our dialogue from the Malcolm X quote with gestures we performed to reflect the key words. For example, for "And that is power", we stamped our feet once together and looked sharply ahead on the word "power", to emphasise the keyword and demonstrate the tension in it, and how it carries through the piece.

With movement phrases and motifs, we wanted to show the act of passing secrets around and how easily they spread despite knowing of their factuality. A gesture that is seen throughout the piece is when someone bends towards another and with both hands, whispers into their ear. In one motif there is a knock-on effect where the gesture is repeated down a line of people.

For facial expressions, our faces remained serious in all sections of the dance. I think this takes away from any emotions that could be present, to symbolise how conditioned people are into thinking and acting a certain way.

 Reappearing gestures include covering the mouth and the "shh" gesture where one finger is on the lips. These again reinforce keeping secrets. We used a lot of interaction between each other such as when we drag more and more people into the space, and repeat a certain motif over and over whilst the amount of dancers increase. This is performed in unison. This shows the build up of population being controlled.

WWRY

The movement in Seven Seas Of Rye's dynamics are rough and erratic, such as when we enter the stage running and jumping in random directions. This is also seen when we are performing motifs in unison, they are messy to show  the confusion and chaos of the scene. With facial expressions, the characters go from being scared, panicking and trying to escape, to becoming brainwashed and conditioned which leads to woozy and loose dynamics. This can link to the media piece in the sense that the population that was once filled with a variety of opinions and individuality, all get manipulated and controlled by the highest power. Our gestures involve reaching and grasping in various directions, to suggest the characters are desperate to escape and find help as they are dragged into the seven seas. The interactions between other characters in duos which involve lifts, rolls, dodges and ducks show that they're fighting even with each other to stay awake and aware (in the sense that their mind is being taken over).

In Another One Bites the Dust, our facial expressions are 'expressionless', to portray the yuppies as nothing more than machines designed to protect and serve Killer Queen. The interaction involves the yuppies supporting killer queen, performing for her to make her look as significant as possible. For example, in the song 'Killer Queen', the dance involves gestures that represent words and sentences in the lyrics. E.g "Caviar and cigarettes", the dancers perform a gesture of smoking and feeding. This is all done in unison which exhibits their clone-like quality.


 What were your ideas from reading the text or script or lines?

Media
Using the Malcolm X quote describing the ways of the media, I got ideas of a piece that shows gradual manipulation and control over the population, which can be shown through a descension from high levels to low levels, combined with a mix of different dynamics to show a difference of opinions and perspective,s which slowly diminish into performing similar movement.

WWRY
Physical theatre for the yuppies, I thought they should be robotic, with no facial expression whilst the gagas have 'fixed smiles' (from script - director). This highlights how they are programmed to be happy to represent the Globalsoft community as the best place ever.


 How did you explore the text/script/lines 

 Media
I separated the lines of the quote and made suggestions on how to interpret this into physical theatre. The first sentence about the media describes it as "the most powerful entity on earth". This suggests the significance in the power, control and impact the media has on others, that they are on top of the hierarchy. I thought of possibly linking this to roles of a puppet and the puppeteer, manipulating the movements.
"they control the minds of the masses". From this I had an idea of creating a motif which shows a build up of performers in the space mimicking each others' movement in synchronisation

WWRY
In 'It's A Kind Of Magic', the chorus line which is the title, I thought of the action of spinning around with jazz hands, which gives off a sparkly, 'magical' effect. In 'Killer Queen', the lyrics "gunpowder, gelatine" we stretch up wide reaching above to reflect an explosion of gunpowder, to waving down our bodies to the floor to reflect the motion of gelatine.

How have you developed your role/character? What were your ideas?

 For my character as Scaramouche, I developed her in 2 different stages. In the 1st stage she is insecure and isolated, so her movement was restricted and less free and held herself close. Whereas in the second stage when she transforms into a bohemian, she is dancy, energetic and bold in her movement. 

How did your ideas help show the meaning of the scene or show? 

 My ideas for the robotic state of the yuppies in scenes that involve them, reinforces the manipulation and control, as they are used as slaves to the killer queen particularly in her songs. where the yuppies are automatically programmed to perform and react under her command. 

 The yuppies and gagas movements heavily contrast the style of the bohemians. This communicates the meaning of conflict between the societal norm, and deviation from that.

 Evaluate the final performance/s 

 Media piece

I think our media piece in the dance show was 'powerful', and we communicated the message derived from the Malcolm X quote, portraying the influence and effect the media has upon the general population. All movement was performed with high yet controlled energy which matches the fast rhythmic accompaniment, to display the act of messages and secrets spreading through a crowd. 

 Due to a costume issue, I was slightly late onto stage, however I entered the stage walking with purpose but subtlety as Holly was performing her solo in silence. I am glad I didn't rush on as this would disturb the atmosphere of the performance.

WWRY

 Seven Seas of Rye
Seven seas went really well. We all stayed in time as much as we could, and maintained the high chaotic energy throughout, to when we become entranced and slow the pace right down. We reacted well to the accompaniment and were very facially expressive, giving off the traumatic experience the bohemians were suffering to the audience.

A Kind Of Magic
issue with band synchronising Jordy and Bryleah singing. feel we needed more rehearsals to resolve this, showing there was more commitment to the process as the band are also are part of the ensemble, to help support us. All parts of performance are needed to be successful.
however we adapted to this and changed our movement timing and also recognizing if there were lyrics skipped, meaning we had to communicate with each other using subtle eye contact. as we all were on the same page, we adjusted well in the performance, and made it more free moving. The second show went better as we learned from our improvisation techniques and what now to do to be more in sync.

Another One Bites the Dust
Another one bites the dust's performance in our second show I believe was the strongest. I feel this was due to Bryleah's fully built confidence as Killer Queen, which supported us in our performance. Her interactions with us such as taunting, and diverting her anger to us yuppies at times instead of Khashoggi, involved us more with her, testing our acting skills in maintaining characterisation of the robot-type being of the yuppies. The dance phrase was well time and we weaved in and out of each other well at the end, using the entire space. We also adjusted to the smaller sizing of the space and certain positions that restricted some audience views.

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