Unit 11

Task 1:

Devising

Devising a piece can take many forms, its less about the product and more about the journey along the way. Currently i am in a state of constant devising with my directing work. Throughout each process i am constantly thinking of what to put in place for things like: Costume, Set, Lighting, Direction, etc. This, i believe shows a clear understanding of devising, it is a very important part of theatre and will be a constant for anyone who is undertaking the task of being someone behind a piece of Theatre or Film. I believe i have confidently explained more about this in my blog post here: Directing Hunt. Where i explain in detail the ways i am thinking about my piece Hunt.

Improvisation

Improvisation or 'improv' as fundamental, i believe i am very familiar and skilled with. I have participated in many lessons that require improv and have even used it when running out of time when performing a scene during class. It is not a skill i often have to rely on, but make sure to keep it in tip top shape just in case. Outside of college, I actively participate in online classes of improv and roleplay, which helps keep my improvisational skills refined and prime, this has been a miracle for me when using improv and will continue to help me in my acting journey. In a way, improvisation is used all the time in acting, if you are given a character that doesn't have a set personality and you have to come up with one, improv is a big part of that process to find out what works, what doesn't, and what you can take from your improvisation sessions and put into the actual character. A physical example of a recorded improv experience of mine can be found here: Audition - Jack The Ripper | TGLT2. Where i come up with the entirety of my character Jack the Ripper through a monologue that i wrote myself.

Stagecraft

Stagecraft refers to the practice of making sure you are present and not blocking within your scene on the stage. With each production I have been a part of onstage, stagecraft is something that needs to be thought about constantly. It was most prevalently used in recent memory in the production of Little Women with our biggest set to date. We always thought of our positions on stage and how that would change when moving, as well as others to make sure we weren't blocking each other. We also used this when certain parts of the stage needed to be the centre of attention, whether  that being letting the set have some space, or grouping up together to show a tense scene. The biggest example during that production however, was the dance scene. We all learned a dance with each other privately before the show and as the set changed we needed to perform the dance in the space during the 'Ball' scene. Here is my evaluation on our Little Women production: Unit 8. Where i go into further detail of the show itself in Task 4.1 & 4.2.

Directing

Until recently, directing as a whole was not something i was hand on familiar with. I have never directed before myself, but, being an actor, have worked with and alongside directors for the entire time i have been in college. However, Hunt is my first actual time in the directors seat! From running auditions, to casting the show, to rehearsals! Im doing everything ive done before but from the other angle and im loving every second of it! The truth of directing is that it is hard, i would say a lot harder than acting, but the challenge is one i chose and i am excited to add another skill to my list! It is an exhilarating experience Once again i can direct to my post: Directing Hunt. Where i talk about my journey of becoming a director and how i have taken each step towards it!

Writing

In the first year of college, i joined a writing group! We were instructed to write our own official script within a time frame of a few months to be entered into a competition! The competition itself related to how the script may be one of the hundreds submitted to be performed in the national theatre itself as its own official play! This was an extremely exciting opportunity. Before this had even been brought to my attention, I had ideas in my head for a story that i had been coming up with new details for a while, and a chance to not only put the ideas on paper, but to have it entered into a competition! Needless to say it lined up perfectly for me! I decided to write a script about a young man who made the wrong people mad and ended up being tricked into joining the mafia, which i later changer to a gang to avoid political issues. Having just finished 'The Sopranos' series in which depicts a family in the mafia, the idea was fresh in my mind and its safe to say i took some inspiration. The script i wrote is called Family Business, and can be read here: Family Business.

Monologues

Even before i started looking for universities and drama schools, i had already dabbled quite a bit in monologues, even writing my own to perform in Little Women! I saw a lot of people auditioning for Laurie give a monologue on love and/or the general idea of the play itself. I decided to stand out against this by writing a monologue thats said very casually, yet gives a reason for him to be talking alone. I put Laurie in the set of one of Jos plays, having him read a script and some lines in a playful way. This, i believe showed a more realistic look into Laurie and Jos relationship, painting them as very close friends and showing a little bit of Laurie's desperate nature to receive Jos feelings. The monologue i wrote can be read here: Laurie's Monologue. Moving away from this! I have recently been pursuing monologues for universities! Finding one that fit right for me was definitely a challenge, but one i dove head first into! I ended up choosing both my classical and contemporary piece, but have not yet gotten the opportunity to perform them! More about my monologues can be read about here: Unit 10 I have also picked out a monologue for our end of year show! I cant wait to perform them!

Duologues

Duologues are another aspect of acting that was prominently performed in our production of Little Women. There is a specific scene (Which was also our audition scene) in which Laurie finally confesses his feelings towards Jo. After an entire play of build up towards these two characters, it all comes out in a heartwarming duologue of confession. Of course since this was our audition scene, we practised this a lot and got very familiar with it. I believe duologues are an important part of any production as well as acting in general. Monologues are all well and good to learn but with those you dont necessarily have to convey emotion to another person and bounce off their emotion. Its always a good practice to be able to match someones emotion when performing a duologue. This allows each person to essentially perform their lines to another and gives the impression of a full scene within a play. More about our production, performance and backstage of Little Women can be found here: Unit 8.  More about the duologue we performed can be found here: Audition | Theodore Lawrence

Voice Over Work

Voice over work is something that i have always had a deep interest in, and was my biggest drive for acting at the start. Seeing someones work within the voice booth only to see them be reflected into an animated character was truly remarkable. In many ways, voice acting is a lot harder than acting in person, as an in person actor has many tools to convey emotion: Expression, hand movement, body movement, etc. While a voice actor only has one, their voice! To show the little fluctuations in emotion and movement of a character with simple vocal talent takes great skill and can only be convincingly portrayed by some of the most expert actors. I have not written about my out of college voice work on blogger, however, I have my own demo reel and have performed in a few different digital productions using voice acting.

Memorisation

Memorisation is something that all actors have to do in any kind of production. No matter what kind of actor you are or what kind of production you're in, you always have a script to memorise, or in the very rare case of improv scenes or actors, you always have a scenario or theme that you need to keep in mind. Memorisation, i believe, is one of the fundamental aspects of being an actor, and is something that should be worked on constantly in order to be successful. In stage plays (To which i have performed in 5 since my time at college) memorisation is a core element, its basically the entirety of the play. You must memorise lines, movement, emotion, stagecraft, everything! Some film & Stage actors spend days memorising the full script in order to give them the best possibly outcome when performing. 

Singing

I have always been interested in singing as a whole, and have especially been fond of it being used in acting. To be frank, musicals were my first introduction to stage plays. I've always been a huge fan of musicals and have often imagined myself as someone who would possibly play in one given the chance. My experience with singing can best be shown in our performance of Peter Pan The Musical. As i mentioned, i originally auditioned for smee, who didn't have a singing role, however, with the dual role, i was able to sing as Mr Darling and this was incredibly exciting for me. I spent a lot of time singing the song over and over to hit the notes, as well as attend Toms singing classes in order to prepare myself previdently for the role and its requirements. I go over more about my role and the singing along with it in: Peter Pan the Musical.

Stage Combat

Stage Combat is another skill that was used prominently while in the production and rehearsals of Peter Pan the Musical. Since i was in a unique position, having my brother in the year above me, when Year 2 did a lesson on stage combat, i was able to sit in and join them. This meant i had a leg up when we used it in our production. However, i made sure to hone this skill in other ways, helping one of the captain hooks to choreograph his fight with peter at the end! This ended up getting used in every cast and was a real amazement to the eye when performed flawlessly, which it was! Stage Combat is a middle ground of real movement and fake punches, it should always be at the back of the mind on how to correctly perform certain moves while engaging in Stage Combat to make sure no one is injured or hurt in any way. I point once more to my blogger evaluation of Peter Pan the Musical.

Physical Theatre

Physical Theatre is a piece of theatre that relies heavily on movement as a whole, we use Physical Theatre in every production one way or another. However, a more heavily movement based piece that i have performed in that i would feel comfortable calling prominently Physical Theatre would be 'Camp Phoenix'. We performed 'Camp Phoenix' while working with Zest Theatre, in the play, we learned different dances and choreographs that were used frequently throughout the play. I talk more about my experience with Zest Theatre as a whole and Camp Phoenix here: Working with Zest Theatre.

Understanding Practitioners

Since beginning my first year, my understanding of acting practitioners has grown significantly. I've delved into the techniques and philosophies of renowned figures like Konstantin Stanislavski, whose pioneering work emphasized emotional truth and psychological realism in performance. Learning about Sanford Meisner's emphasis on truthful reactions and living "moment to moment" has honed my ability to connect authentically with fellow actors on stage. Additionally, exploring Bertolt Brecht's concept of alienation and the distancing effect has broadened my understanding of how theater can provoke critical thought and social commentary. Delving into the methodologies of these practitioners has not only expanded my knowledge of the art of acting but has also enriched my own approach to performance, enabling me to integrate their insights into my own creative process.

Acting for Camera

Acting for Camera is something i have not done as much as acting on stage. However, i enjoy it just as much! I certainly hope to be able to do more film acting on my journey as an actor, but as of right now i have performed in film productions such as: 'Jager', 'Turnips, Tweeds & Tractors', 'The Weight of the World' and more. I have described my experience in film here: Filming at Whitby Abbey. Where i talk more about my first time truly acting in front of a camera, as well as travelling there and back and the experience that entailed.

Method Acting

As an actor, my understanding of method acting has deepened significantly, particularly through studying its principles and observing its application in film. Method acting involves immersing oneself deeply into a character's psyche, drawing from personal experiences and emotions to portray authenticity on screen. One notable example of method acting can be seen in Daniel Day-Lewis's incredible performance in "There Will Be Blood," where he fully inhabited the complex character of Daniel Plainview, undergoing rigorous preparation and staying in character even off-camera to maintain the intensity of his portrayal. Another instance is Heath Ledger's iconic role as the Joker in "The Dark Knight," where his immersion into the character's madness and unpredictability resulted in a chilling and unforgettable performance. These examples illustrate the power of method acting to create compelling and emotionally resonant characters that leave a lasting impact on audiences.

Set Design/Building

I have a regular amount of experience in set design and building. The most prominent use of it i believe was in our production of "The Wizard of Oz", I actively participated in the set construction process, contributing to the realisation of the 'over the rainbow' feel. We painted the yellow brick road, made a tree and added other details to truly create an immersive environment. Through our collaborative efforts with my peers, I gained valuable insights into the technical aspects of set design, such as spatial awareness, structural stability, and colour coordination (especially in munchkin land). Each yellow sponge applied and each piece assembled not only enhanced the visual aesthetic of the production but also deepened my appreciation for the artistry and craftsmanship inherent in set design. I talk more about this experience in: The Wizard of Oz.

Task 2 - Devised Question: