Sunshine, New People, and Decisions

Second Drama Day at the Hayes.  I walked in a little late due to unavoidable circumstances and saw only two of the people from last week (3 including the writer), and 4 new faces.  I also had 2 new faces with me, so at the beginning of the day it felt a bit like we had to start over again.  However it wasn't a problem.  The new people soon got into the swing of things, and all were chatting away like firm friends.  

Nice place for a rehearsal

 The read through was a bit quicker this time, and we didn't discuss it for so long after, because a lot of  changes have been agreed since the last rehearsal, which is good because that three way relationship between actors, writer and director is very very important, and negotiations sometimes have to take place away from the rehearsal space so that during the rehearsal we can get on with the important task of rehearsing.

Make the most of those scripts, they'll be gone soon.

 Once again I impressed on the actors the importance of working without script.  One of the most fundamental things that separates amateur from professional productions, to my thinking, is how long people spend with scripts in their hands: "Professional actors", I said - insinuating more inside knowledge than I actually had - "Don't go to rehearsals with scripts.  They learn their lines before rehearsals start.  It is not possible rehearsing with script in hand."  One of the group likened the experience of putting down the script to learning to swim.  I agreed.  Gripping onto the script is like gripping onto the side of the pool, you are never going to swim like that.  Letting go of the side, and your whole body, and focus of awareness is on the water and how you are in it, how you respond to it and it to you.  Finally you have freed up your body and mind enough to enter the experience of swimming.  And it is so much more fun than gripping onto the side!

Those prompting  have a lot to do in these early stages, and often learn the script as well as the actors.  Over a relatively short period of time, however, they become redundant, and finally get a chance to learn their own lines.

All of the group are involved in the action, not just those currently rehearsing.  Comments, ideas, promps, encouragement are all given generously by fellow members.  This is all part of the shared dramatic experience, and the all important building of relationships between group members.  As people that have known each other for 1 or 2 weeks, they are acting parts of people who have been intimately related for years, sometimes a lifetime.  A sense of familiarity and trust is essential for a convincing and comfortable performance.

Musicians make very good actors I have realised.  Not just in this, but in other projects.  Perhaps because they don't try to 'act', they 'perform', 'entertain' and the acting bit just happens.  It's a theory.  I'll work on it.

I may look like I'm having a cuppa, but I'm really working very hard.

Each drama day involves lots of performances, not just rehearsals - this enables the actors to experience gradually the nerves and exhilaration of the actual "on the night" performance.  The more they learn to perform with the nerves, not just despite them, the better they will perform and the more they will enjoy the experience of performing.

The actors worked collaboratively to find a shared drama that they all felt comfortable with.

Letting the Actors Lead
No it isn't lazy directing.  What it is, is that I believe that the actors, to give their best performance, should find their own way with a character and a script, and if I come in with too many of my own ideas, and try to force them on the actors, I'm more likely to prevent artistic expression by denying the freedom of the actor to experiment with their own ideas and creativity, and also I'm likely to annoy people.  So I try to avoid that.  Maybe the odd strategic suggestion here and there, and reminding people that they are here to enjoy themselves, as well as to learn their lines as soon as they get home (yes I am obsessed on this one).

Actors hadn't met before today,  managed within half an hour to give a performance of a couple who have known each other intimately for over 15 years.  Not bad going.

The difficult task of choosing Rachel

The most difficult part of the day had to be to choose who would play the part of Rachel.  With two very capable actresses wanting the part, the decision had to be made at the end of this session.  The decision I eventually made was based on the maternal-ness of the actress concerned.  I was not surprised after to learn that the actress who was chosen is a mother herself.  There is a quality of motherhood that is very distinctive.  The character of Rachel is not just mother to her daughter Vicky, but matriarch to the whole household.  She has a calm authority, a loving strength, the ability to soothe, and the ability to be in control when all around her threatens to descend into chaos.  The response of Vicky to her mother is also very important, and there was a tangible stage rapport between the two actresses who are playing these parts.

Minor changes to the script were accompanied by some experimenting with different actions, in order to bring about a purpose and a logic to chains of events that will be (hopefully!) very clear to the audience.  It is important at this stage to be able to ask actors to try something completely differently to how they have been doing it.  Sometimes the change won't make sense, and the actor will revert back to the original interpretation, other times, things fall into place and suddenly something that has felt that it doesn't quite fit, just seems to chrystalise.

Fabulous weather and a bit of a chance to relax after rehearsals