the space

Week 10

Lesson 10 - 3rd April

In this weeks lesson we completed blocking act 1, so the next weeks will be for cleaning up.

I think this weeks lesson was successfully because:

• I feel i was concentrated and focused 
• I new most of my lines and ran through once without a script 
• Everyone remained focused

I learnt that knowing my lines really helped me get to grips with the blocking more because it forced me to actually know what scene and line is coming next, in comparison to relying on my script. I learnt how to keep an audience engaged by keeping up the energy using my face and body.

Things i'm going to do for next week:

• Learning my lines fully, so i am confident 
• Continue to keep energy up
• Help and encourage the other chorus members to do the same 
• Work more with Willa (pip) so it is clear to the audience that the chorus are the same 

Week 6- 13th February

In this weeks lesson we introduced Miss Havisham and Estella and began working on the scene where Pip visits Miss Havisham's house for the first time. This brought new challenges as we had to work out a way in which we could bring Pip and the chorus into the house and then to have them interesting placed in the scenes

In this lesson we also were given sheets where we had to pick one person and asses there rehearsal level and characterization. Me and Leanne worked together. I watched her throughout rehearsals and could see that she was focused, learning her lines and adding detail to her character. My feedback was also positive however next week i look to improve my characterization and work with different voices and physicality. Doing this task helped us to see what we were doing well and what areas we needed to improve on, this was successful as i now know what i need to do in order to gain a distinction in the rehearsal process. 

Week 9

Lesson 9 - 31st March

This Monday we had an extra two hour rehearsal to help us along with our play.

From this lesson i learnt that communicating with the others alongside you is key in making sure you are all on track and can be fast with moving on with the play. Being part of the chorus, i have learnt that talking to one another about what were doing, where were placed on stage, what our lines mean etc. makes us unite more as one chorus, allows other people to understand what were doing and ultimately makes us better on a whole. 

On reflection from this rehearsal i also think that added rehearsals for characters and in particular chorus are needed in order for us to be confident and comfortable with our lines.

In general i have also learnt (about myself) that i enjoy helping and directing people which is a positive as i could go on to develop this skill later on.

Cush Jumbo - What I learned

Getting to read Cush Jumbos' play was really fun and exciting(as well as teaching me a lot). I loved how the play endorsed and presented the concept of value being in the man hours worked. I also felt that it was a great opportunity and example of the real theatre world/casting world.

For next lesson I know that I should not only know my lines, but find the intentions/objectives within my scenes. I am also going to put reminders in my script of exits and staging i must remember.

Week 8

Performing our show in a thrust layout has brought new challenges to all actors. Chorus in particular have to not only be a part of the performance and copy Pips actions but we also have to tell the story to the audience and keep them engaged. 

Having the audience in this layout has made me more spatially aware so that's:

• what the audience can see
• what the audience can hear 
• what the audience can feel (the context of the line, how this may may make Pip feel, followed by how the audience would feel)

I also leanrt that the main characters in the play- when they push their characters, make bold choices,speak up and dominate the stage more  the performance is made 100 times better.Seeing this helped me to realize that i need to push my voice, my physicality and my expressions.

Week 7

We began the lesson by refreshing our memory of our characters and begun to get focussed by walking around the space and doing small warm up exercises.

We then went on to run scenes we had already done in previous weeks, perfecting them and cleaning them. I personally think that although this was needed to be done on the day, it could have been prevented (with ten pages left to block) by all of us working a little harder whilst in rehearsals to remember and perfect our moments on stage. 

In order to be better next week we filled out seld assessment sheets in order to know what we had to do. I said that I had to make 100% sure that I remembered all my cue's and lines whilst on stage. 

A benefit of this rehearsal however is that I feel as if the Christmas Scene is quite strong. I think next week we need to push on and do better/get more done 100%.

Week 5- 6th February

This weeks lesson began with walking around the room and we would say one line/noise in which our character either says in the play or we think would say. This was a good warm up because it allowed us to work on the projection, clarity, diction and characterisation of our voices. I also learnt that pushing yourself  further vocally in Great Expectations' is needed due to the fact that it is a minimalistic, and the audience do not have any other language aid but your acting. Vocal decisions also provokes a enhanced effort in your body language/body characterisation.

We started off at the battery scene and started work on the Gargery parlour scene. It was made clear in these scenes how important smooth changes and transitions between the scene was going to be in this show. They are important because their cannot be any 'dead' or 'dry' areas where the audience is allowed to drift off. I also began thinking and listing the props which are completely necessary, as this is my job role and I had some time off of stage.

Week 4

Rehearsal Three

What I need to do for next lesson?

Learn my lines up to page 12 so I can move forward physically with my character.

How was the rehearsal? 

I think that the rehearsal went well because everyone progressed in a specific area. For example I think that we worked well as an ensemble to block the first 15-16 pages. I also feel that the relationship between my character and Claudia's (Mrs Joe) is really starting to blossom as the rehearsal process continues. I also think that similarly the same level or relationship is being built between Chem and Willa. I think its equally important to begin building an on stage relationship between Pip(Willa) and my character because this a vocal and clear indication in the script.

We also finished our work on the battery scene. This was the most challenging scene so far because we had to think of ways in which to create the battery without props (just our bodies). This was good because actors involved in the scene clearly managed to develop their skills in firstly imagination, and secondly in physical theatre. I think this is a clever way to keep our minimalistic piece entertaining and consistent.

Rehearsal Two

I think that rehearsal two was very successful because we managed to use our bodies to make various objects that we are going to need in the play. I think that through a short warm up and small tasks like the one below, I feel as if the class/company has managed to really bond and there is clear chemistry and hard work shared between us all.

Kim showed a deffinate distinction level in this rehearsal as although it was not her scene, she was always contributing ideas to the staging of the show and possible ideas for props and costume. I also think she managed to show a positive attitude to all of the work set i.e. physical animalistic/object work. (to the right).

I think that Chem did very well to cope with the constant movement involved within his character. He also noted all of his staging on his script for future weeks; he also realised that he needed to highlight his lines in order to have an even better rehearsal next week. (Below).


I think that Euan, George, Daniel and Cameron worked very well together considering they have never been in a company/ group before. I also think they utilised their bodies very well in order to make the battery look as realistically possible with bodies as they could. (Above Left & Right).

Highlighting Lines and Rehearsal

After the first rehearsal I highlighted all of my lines and read through all of the section that I would be in thoroughly. I did this because I felt it would make my second rehearsal a lot easier! I also thought it would allow me to actually makes steps in the rehearsal, as appose to having to worry about where I was on the script. I enjoyed rehearsal two because we managed to block the entire section as well as my opening scene. I love the staging during my first scene as the clear different between Pip, Joe and Mrs Joe takes place; with Joe and Pip either side of the table, with Mrs Joe positioned in the centre. I think this is important because it allows the audience to instantly see the control and power Mrs.Joe seems to have over Joe. 

Words I did not understand from first read

Words in first read-through I did not understand

Larks ("What Larks?"):

• Something done for fun, especially something mischievous or daring; an amusing adventure or escapade. 
• Dickens' use of "larks" in this instance means to have a carefree, relaxed & fun time, or the opportunity to do so. 
• Other uses along the same lines include phrases like, "having a lark", or "larking about".

"On the rampage, off the rampage":

• to rush about in an angry, violent, or agitated fashion
• A course of violent, frenzied behaviour or action.

Blocking

Blocking is extremely important as it indicates queues, lines and helps you remember where you are in what section.

As chorus, blocking is key because we not only have a lot of queues but also have a lot of lines that carry on from one another. In addition the chorus are on stage a lot of the time which makes it key to know queues.

During this weeks session I wrote down my blocking and highlighted my lines. This helped me when going over my lines.

Character: Joe Gargery (What I learnt from first read and analysis)

Character: Joe 

I am very please with my character as I believe I will be able to make clear choices in order to make him as believable and as bold as he should be.

He is not the boldest of characters and is often shut down by Mrs Joe, the real 'man' in the relationship. Joe lives a very simple life, as a Blacksmith, he is depicted as the nice guy; through his relationship with Pip.

The relationship and kindness/care he shows towards Pip throughout the play shows how good his heart is and how much of a lovely man he is. 'Common' is the best word to describe Joe in some cases; in terms of his class, accent, job, however he is not 'common' in his traits and personalities. He is a caring, affectionate and lovely man that does not ever expect anything greater than what he has earned for himself.

I think the difficulties I will have to overcome is the fact that Joe is an older man and should therefore be perceived as one whilst he is on stage. I will have to experiment with accents in order to be able to find the right one for him. I will also have to find ways to make myself look like an old fashioned blacksmith as much as possible by making myself look more dirty, aged and like a manual worker.

First Impression of the Play

First Impression of the Play

My first impression of the play is in summary, good.

I think that although the language is more challenging and complex, in comparison to the daily modern language that we are used to studying; this will defiantly enable us to prepare and improve in time for the Shakespearean unit in post-16.

The storyline overall is a good. I like how the character of Pip takes the audience on a journey of the time period, including interesting and bold characters along the way such as; Magwich, Mrs Joe, Joe and Jaggers.

Watching the film version of the play managed to give certain types of imagery before we even begun to read the play itself. I personally love the story and concept of someone being taken from the 'common' working class and being made into a Gentlemen.

In addition, the one thing I feel we could find hard is the staging. The play consists of many quick cuts/short changes between scenery and therefore will need to be creatively done without set.

Furthermore it manages to show a certain degree of complexity in providing the audience with the themes of happiness and prosperity; and how they go together or part. Finally I think the idea of being able to perform this in an outside theatre will manage to push us and make us work harder in order to fill a larger space and a different audience layout/scenery.

Lesson One- 9th January

Our first lesson began by watching part 1 of BBC's version of Great Expectation. This managed to instantly give me an idea of the different environments that were in the play and the types of characters which I would like to play. It also told us the simple essentials like names, roles, era and storyline. I think essentially the film allowed the aid of a visual before we actually read the play because this may not of been provoked from the play by itself, due to some of the old english language.

After this we split into two different groups.

With Miss Goodall we looked at some of the key points of Frantic Assemblies work. Physicality work, e.g. heavy or light characters, random or controlled behaviour, their pace or freeness and the part of the body they lead from.

We also walked around the room as different types of characters to explore how the key points could effect a scene or a character, by having different types of characters interact with each other. This allowed me to realise and learn how circumstance as well as key attributes to a persons movement can have a direct link to the energy of a scene or piece.

This also provoked me to think of what some of these attributes were and how they could be related to possible characters I would like to play in the play.

• Joe- Large slow movements. Possibly slightly hunched. Heavy. A little slow in all aspects.
• OldPip- Medium pace, leads from chest/head is positioned up and beginning to be proud.
• Young pip- lots of energy, admires objects, leads with hands, shuffles feet.
• Jaggers- Slow, large steps.Quite heavy and very controlled behaviour.