Unit 12
Candidate Declaration -
I confirm that the attached portfolio is all my own work and does not include any work completed by anyone other than myself
Task 1:
Task 1A:
Production Proposal has been completed and submitted.
Task 1B:
Production Diaries
Task 2:
I have completed my Audition, performing "Someone Saw Me" from A Bronx Tale.
Here is my monologue recorded, alongsidd my headshot and Acting CV:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jt4yYNr7SWMEfjUFbPV4lotz5TBqBVpX/view?usp=drive_link
Task 2.1/3:
Auditioning for a play is an experience that I don't take lightly, each time I go into that room I make sure to come out of it learning something new. My journey of auditioning for our end of year show: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was no different. Through meticulous research and personal reflection, I delved deep into McMurphy's psyche and the narrative of Ken Kesey's masterpiece.
I first heard of OFOTCN from the movie a long time ago in passing. This was due to my still present love of old movies such as The Green Mile, American Psycho, etc. I sadly passed up the opportunity to watch it then and forgot all about it until it was mentioned as a nomination for our end of year show. As I began researching the play itself I remembered that it was a movie and decided to give it a watch. I came out of it with another favourite old movie that I would be happy to list in my top 5, and was extremely excited to perform this on stage. I had chosen who i wished to be right then and there, after reading the script and some of the book, it was confirmed. McMurphy.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, originally a novel by Ken Kesey, was adapted into a play by Dale Wasserman. The story is set in a psychiatric hospital and follows the rebellious Randle P. McMurphy as he challenges the regime of Nurse Ratched. The play is an exploration of individuality, authority, and the fine line between sanity and insanity. Its wonderfully adapted from the book, the movie not coming out until over a decade later. The decision to audition for this play, instead of our other end of year play Radium Girls was driven by my admiration for its narrative and characters, as well as my love for the adaptations that had come about. The role of McMurphy, in particular, resonated with me due to his complexity and defiance. Although the auditions were not for specific roles, my preparation was heavily influenced by my desire to understand and portray McMurphy. This character, with his blend of charm, rebelliousness, and underlying vulnerability, presented a challenging yet intriguing opportunity for me in my ongoing journey as an actor.
This is precisely the reason why I chose my monologue: Someone Saw Me from A Bronx Tale, the monologue portrays a defiant teenager going against his headmaster in the terms of treating him like a human instead of a clog in a machine. I feel this is very reminiscent of the OFOTCCN story, since McMurphy is a defiant individual trying to show his fellow mates to not simply lie down and take the authoritarian treatment of Nurse Ratched. He is a larger-than-life character whose presence disrupts the sterile environment of the psychiatric hospital. To portray McMurphy authentically, it was crucial to understand his background, motivations, and personality traits:
McMurphy is a convict who feigns insanity to escape the drudgery of a prison farm, hoping for an easier time in a mental institution. His criminal record includes assault and statutory rape, painting him as a man who at the very least operates outside societal norms. Some sources even say that he is a Korean War Veteran who was dishonourably discharged for insubordination. This is the crime that lands him in the work farm, with a six month sentence, eventually leading him to spend that time in the mental institution, and beginning the story. McMurphys charm and charisma are his defining traits. He is a natural leader who rallies the other patients against Nurse Ratcheds tyranny. However, beneath his brash exterior lies a complex individual who values freedom and individuality above all else. Delving deep, at the start of the story his primary motivation is self-preservation, but he gradually becomes invested in the well-being of his fellow patients the longer he spends there. His initial acts of rebellion are driven by a desire for personal gain, but they evolve into genuine attempts to restore dignity and autonomy to the oppressed inmates.
To prepare for the audition, I employed a multi-faceted approach to research. I revisited Keseys novel and Wassermann's play script multiple times, paying close attention to McMurphys dialogue and interactions with other characters. This helped me grasp the nuances of his speech patterns and behavioural traits. While focusing on the play, I also watched the 1975 film adaptation directed by Milo's Forman, where Jack Nicholson's portrayal of McMurphy is an iconic role of his. Although I aimed to bring my own interpretation to the role, Nicholson's performance provided valuable insights into the character's physicality and mannerisms that I intended to evolve for my own performance. I also studied various character analyses and critical essays to understand different perspectives on McMurphy, these secondary sources offered deeper psychological insights and interpretations of his actions and their implications within the story.
McMurphy is not a one-dimensional anti-hero. His flaws and criminal past add layers to his character, making him both relatable and controversial. Understanding this complexity was crucial to portraying him authentically. I believe McMurphy is meant to symbolise resistance against dehumanising systems, his actions inspiring others to reclaim their sense of self, highlighting the play's broader themes of autonomy and resistance to oppression. Once again mentioning, McMurphy undergoes a significant transformation throughout the piece Initially self-serving, he becomes a martyr-like figure, sacrificing himself for the greater good. He may be gone, but in the book, play, and film, its expressed how his short time there has had a huge impact on those around him and they will continue to be changed by knowing him.
Auditioning for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was an enriching experience that deepened my understanding of both the play and the art of acting. I believe my focused research on McMurphy allowed me to bring a different interpretation to the audition, and while the audition process was demanding, it was ultimately rewarding, offering invaluable lessons in character analysis and performance. The journey of preparing for and auditioning for roles will always reinforce my passion for theatre and my commitment to continually honing my craft. Whether or not I secure the role, the experience itself is always enriching and helps me take a step up as an actor.
Task 2.2:
The production of any play involves a multitude of roles and responsibilities beyond acting. My involvement of our production of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest extended to being an accent coach and initially working on the soundtrack. Collaborating with Noah and Charlie, the others in our team as accent coaches, we dedicated our time and efforts outside of acting to helping the cast achieve their respective authentic accents, enhancing the overall quality of the performances.
As an accent coach, my primary responsibility was to assist the cast in mastering the specific accents required for their characters. This involved identifying the accent needs of each character based on their background and dialogue, as well as conducting individual with group and 1 to 1 coaching sessions to teach and refine accent. I then provided constructive feedback during rehearsals to ensure consistency and accuracy.
Working alongside Noah and Charlie, our goal was to create a cohesive and believable soundscape that reflected the diverse backgrounds of the characters and the locations the plays were both set. Some of our exercises included Using recordings of native speakers for people to listen to and mimic. This method was particularly useful for capturing the natural rhythm and intonation of the accent. I, myself used this technique when learning the American accent, in fact, when teaching someone said accent, i always refer them to the award winning film "The Gentlemen". The reason for this is due to its unique circumstance of having 1 American accent surrounded by British accents, this allows people to single it out and helps with mimicking it. We also helped people practice their lines repeatedly, focusing on maintaining the accent throughout their dialogue.
A significant part of my role involves pulling actors aside for one-on-one coaching. These personalised sessions allow me to address specific challenges and provide tailored feedback. Key aspects included assessing each actor's current proficiency with their accent and identified areas for improvement. Based on the assessment, I developed exercises that targeted the actor's weaknesses, such as vowel shifts, consonant emphasis, or rhythm and intonation patterns. I'm also scheduling regular check-ins with each actor to monitor their progress and adjust the coaching plan as needed.
At the start of the production, I was also responsible for developing the soundtrack for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I decided to take this challenge of having two production roles in stride and continue on. As I am a main part, I had to think of music outside of my rehearsals and use the knowledge I would get of scenes during them to pick the most appropriate music. Doing this, I was able to get a confident playlist of my own that spanned over half the play. As the production progressed, the demands of accent coaching required my full attention. To ensure the soundtrack was completed efficient and finalised, I handed over my initial playlist to Connor, who unbeknown to me, was also making a playlist for cuckoos nest. We ended up collaborating with our playlists.
My involvement in the production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest as an accent coach and initially as a soundtrack developer was both challenging and rewarding. Working closely with Noah and Charlie, we were able to help provide the cast with the tools and guidance necessary to master their accents, thereby enriching the authenticity and depth of their performances.
Here is my production powerpoint:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1MFN2GoxOepD3voOo-fOmtdqFqM87txKiZxAw3dpAdEE/edit?usp=sharing
Task 4/1:
For this task, I cite my blog post where I have talked about my journey Directing the piece Hunt.
Task 6/1:
So here we are, the end of the year, the end of two years. The end. Of an era. But the beginning of a new chapter in the long long journey of my acting career.
Before coming to Stockton Riverside, I was originally enrolled in Bede College about a year before in the course 'Public Services'. As ive mentioned before earlier in my year, and in my Personal Statement it was not something I wanted to do necessarily, yet it was the foundations for a 'stable career'. This was in my sights for a long time, and yet, I was unhappy, aimless and was unsure about my future. Then I came across this course, a chance to do what ive always wanted, a chance to change my future and chase a dream that was always a part of me.
As I've stated many times before, I had no acting experience when i came here, I didn't even know if I wanted to pursue acting as a career. But after this time spent here at college, I can say with 100% certainty that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. Each day I spend around my friends and tutors I become more and more sure that this path i'm on is the right one for me.
Given my initial lack of experience in acting as a whole, it was a surprise even to myself when i decided to go for the main part in my first production. I decided to learn how to act by following the old "throw them in the pool so they can learn how to swim" technique, and so, I dove straight into the role of 'Charles Lewis' in our production of 'The Ghost Light Tours 2022'. Being in my first production, there was a level of fear that id never felt before, the fear of disappointment, failure, and letting down my peers. I worked hard to do something id never had to do before: Learn lines, blocking, and getting into character.
I was introduced to a whole new world, one I had only seen on a screen or stage, one i had dreamed of being a part of since I was young. The year itself felt so surreal, some points it flew by quicker than a speeding car, other times it slowed down, giving me time to appreciate how much I enjoyed the process of our shows. With each one I chose a new challenge, as i said, id never acted before, so I wanted to get the most out of college. It wasn't just about getting a main role because its the "Main Role", I wanted to learn and become someone who I have always dreamed of being.
This followed throughout the year, and with each production I chose a role that I knew would challenge me in a new way.
The Wizard of Oz:
I saw the potential of playing a character which changes personality halfway through the play, going from the royal Historian to the Wizard. I knew this would be a great next step to my debut in The Ghost Light Tours, and would improve my confidence for the coming shows.
We ended up performing the show 3 times for each cast, and it improved greatly with each one! My confidence, volume, and characterisation was becoming more and more prevalent and without a doubt our performance was an amazing first time on stage experience! One I shall never forget.
Connections 2023:
By this time, I was much more confident in my skills and we had been told about the connections project that our course takes part in every year. After looking through our script which was 'Old Times', it took me a while to properly choose which character I wanted to audition for. However, after a few readthroughs and my own research, I found Zafer to be the most interesting, portraying a sick young man who didn't have long left to live was the challenge I took on with this role. Having to constantly remember that I was sick and to show that in my physical performance was a great challenge but an incredibly enjoyable one.
The first time we had moved away from college for a production brought more pressure yet more inspiration and devotion to impress. When performing in the York Theatre, it seemed everything had clicked and all the work we had put in had payed off.
More about our connections show can be found here:
Little Women:
The biggest show we had done yet, and oh boy it was worrisome. At this point my acting journey was on a roll, my portfolio and CV growing with every production. I wondered how I could improve next, and realised I was starting to get a big head. Laurie was another main part but I decided to return to my roots with this play.
Before I joined college, there was one main worry I had about my acting ability. I had no idea if I was capable of acting in general, however, the main thing that scared me was learning lines. I've always had an annoyance in the past with my memory when it comes to small things, which often gave me a worry about my ability to learn lines. After looking at the script, I saw this was not only the biggest part I had taken on yet, but had the most lines to learn that id ever had before. I thought for sure that if I used my previously mentioned technique and dive in, it would incredibly improve my progress.
Our production was that of a truly impeccable performance, alongside Aiden and Henry, I absolutely had the bar set high for me to reach. I strove to do my best to reach it and exceed it tenfold, I believe I gave the performance of Laurie in a way that wasn't portrayed previously and made my peers and tutors proud.
This comes to the end of our year 1 productions, a more detailed analysis of each role can be found here:
Peter Pan:
One thing i have never done not only in my time in acting, but in my time at college was a musical. We share our rooms alongside the musical theatre course and support each other as so, we have seen them perform and though I love musicals and have always wanted to do them, I was not expecting to do so on this course. Naturally I was nervous, firstly i had never sang before on stage, we hadn't had coordinated dances, everything else a musical requires other than acting we hadn't touched before. Though the nerves were present, I cannot in good faith lie and say that I wasn't incredibly excited also!
Not only was this my first time performing a musical, I ended up have a dual character performance with Mr Darling and Smee. Being thrown into so many new challenges was incredibly exciting as I love learning while performing. I prepared by separating the two characters and deciding how i was going to perform each one, Mr Darling being a stuck up refined person while Smee being a bumbling idiot who just seeks approval from his captain.
The performance itself was impeccable, I learned the opening song that Mr Darling sang and belted it out with all the confidence of a refined 20th century gentlemen. Alongside this, we also choreographed movements for the songs which had to be perfected in order for everything to run smoothly. So many different aspects of this production challenged me in ways i didnt even realise and Peter Pan will always hold a special place in my heart.
I have talked extensively about our productions of Peter Pan here:
Directing Hunt:
My experience, ups and downs and rights and lefts have been extensively spoken about here:
This set the foundations for my next two years of performing, and I never thought it would lead me here. As of writing this I have performed in 10 different stage shows and 3 films, I have build up my CV to be impressively eye catching and I feel confident going forward in using it to build upon a great list of productions.
I feel now is an appropriate time to mention the quote I often live by, it's the one that this blog is named after, and one I keep in my mind often.
"Be Loyal to What Matters, and Dont Look Back"
I often get people confused about this quote and they say "Well why wouldnt you want to look back at all youve accomplished", however this quote doesn't relate to that. Be Loyal to What Matters is the notion of choosing where your loyalties lie instead of having them chosen for you. It's the action of making that choice, and not turning back to remember the bad times, but looking forward to the new ones on the horizon.
I mention this now as this is precisely the reason I chose to come to this college in the first place. As mentioned, my family wished for me to enlist in the Navy, but wasn't my wish, or my dream. I have been loyal to what I want to do with my life and will never look back at the times I was worried for what this will bring. Because worry brings nothing but more worry, I only hope to keep this mindset for the foreseeable future and make decisions that are the best for me and those around me.
However, we have mentioned the beginning and now, as all good things do, we must come to the end show of my time here at Stockton riverside, and what a show it was.
Task 6/2:
One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest
Truly, I believe that this is not only a defining moment in my career as an actor, but as a person. I love OFOTCN as a film, as a book and now as a play, the experience i have from performing this masterpiece will stay with me for the rest of my life. The story of the play follows closely to the book, with each scene taking a preformative stance on the actions portrayed by the characters. I spent a considerable amount of time working on the in depth characterisations and inner workings of my character R.P McMurphy.
We went through the different depictions of the production including other performances that showed us the other ways characters had been portrayed on stage. I took some inspiration from both Jack Nicholsons portrayal in the movie variant, and multiple performances of different stage styles, when performing myself, i made sure to incorporate both of these into my acting. This combination made it so my character was completely original, but still payed homage to those that came before me.
We spent time setting up the set, myself and other painted the floors and walls of the theatre White in order to give the feeling of a hospital. We made sure to only use the chairs of the blue plastic veraity, thier simplistic nature gave the feeling of a lack of individuality, a theme that is common and thoroughly explored throughout the play.
Costumes also kept this in mind, I had control over my own costume but with everyone else, the theme was white shirt and grey joggers, some characters had certain items of clothing that made them stand out from thier counterparts, giving them the separation from the cronics, those who were truly too far gone. However, with the them of individuality, for my character McMurphy, I decided to wear something extreme, while also sticking closely to his character and keeping in with his southern heratige. I went with a leather jacket over a denim shirt with a black tank top underneath, alongside jeans and brown boots, a grey cap on top.
This was perfect in my eyes, and was great to transition into act 2, since I loved the movie I saw that Jack Nicholson had also wore a denim shirt for his role, giving me the idea to take great inspiration of that outfit for the second act of the play.
The personality of McMurphy was one I haven't played before, the rebellious nature of a character has been explored by myself in my performance as Laurie from Little Women, the rebellious son who goes against the status quo. However this was completely different, McMurphy lives and breathes rebellion, not only does he not have respect for the rules of the institution, but as said by his past he had no respect for the rules of the outside world either.
I spent a lot of time compiling these facts alongside me research, every time i practiced my lines i made sure to perform them in a way i thought the character would. I tried different movements of walking, running and decided on a more free flowing way of walking, allowing my arms to flow freely with confident swaying shoulders. I made sure to stand up straight with shoulders back showing his attempted dominance of the situation. I believe this showed his eggaderated carefree nature and was a good fit for the character.
There was some parts of the character that got cut from my final performance, during rehearsals there was points I decided to express anger in parts that I later decided that would be more emotionally delivered. An example would be when McMuprhy fails to lift the electrical box, in the script it mentions tears of frustration, at the start I interpreted that as fury. However, delving deeper into the character I realised it wasn't straight anger, but sorrow. He was ashamed of himself, embarrassed and frustrated with his ability or rather lack there of, and therefor expresses all those emotions at once when shouting back at Hardin with his comeback: "But i tried, goddammit. I tried!".
That particular line caused me some trouble, and like many lines in the script, I spent a lot of time in front of the script with a pencil delving into how to deliver it. The end of all of those expressed themselves in my performance and I truly think that this is an essential part of any performance, I've never been so prepared for a performance before and I really believe that it helped me immensely on stage.
The character mcmurphy is an incredibly complicated one, there is more he isn't saying than he is and that is a real challenge to convey. To constantly have the thoughts of a character in the back of your mind "what is he thinking of right now", "hes smiling and laughing but is it genuine or is he trying to not let the mask slip?" Etc. All of these things are constantly present in my mind when performing any character but none been so complex and detailed as the character R.P McMurphy.
Here are some examples of my costume references, as well as some images from my performance:
Every single part of this production will stay and live in my heart forever, ive never been more prouf of not only myself, but my peers. While i have been on my own journey, they have too, and to see them now based on where they started and watch us all grow throughout the years, ive never been more prideful. This will be one to beat but one i fully intend to. Thank you One Flew Over for the amazing time, thank you Kelly Fairhurst, Kane, Tom and Abby for making who I am today. Thank you to my peers, who I couldnt have done this without.
I intend to keep making you and myself proud with my long and bright future.
"Be Loyal to What Matters, and Dont Look Back"
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