Author: Stephanie Newell

Although we are relatively early on in our process, our progress has been substantial. Everything has been running smoothly and we have been working together to get this piece of theatre on its feet. In each rehearsal we have been presented with an image that has been chosen by our director Laura, we have then been given the time to create fiction using these images. It has caused us as a group to examine photographs in a new light, looking at them from all different angles and not always viewing them literally. We have begun to notice the emotions, the message, the lies, the small things that go unnoticed at first glance. We have been drawing out short stories from within the images that Laura then watches and adapts. She’s been finding ways to change our intention, changing our angle of approach or the emotion behind it. Our way of working has been playful, experimental and an exploration, we are slowly discovering ways in which we can build up small fragments of a performance.

In our latest rehearsal we used images by graffiti artist Banksy. This rehearsal was led slightly differently to our previous rehearsals, because we were not aware of the image Laura was basing the rehearsal on. She experimented with an idea of control, she took charge and we followed each rule she put in place. During this rehearsal Laura placed an imaginary balloon into an actors’ hand and as expected we all chose to believe this balloon was there, we were told to follow the balloon, wanting it, wishing we had it. “The imagination takes the initiative in the creative process, drawing the actor along behind it” (Stanislavsky and Benedetti, 2008, 63.) Actors are constantly expected to use techniques as such as ‘the magic if’. Laura was testing our ability to believe, she gave us the ‘balloon’, allowed us enough time to attach ourselves to it, so that when she pulled it away she saw a truthful reaction. One of loss. We were working strongly with our imagination, it is important that we attempt to believe the situations we’re put in so that audiences can visualise and believe it too.

 

 

 

 

The image was revealed later in the rehearsal. (See Below) We were working with hope, loss, power and the balloon was the symbol.

 

Works Cited.

Stanislavsky, K. and Benedetti, J. (2008). An actor’s work. London: Routledge

 

In a company of ten, we knew that it would be important for us to develop a particular way of working. For this to happen we firstly needed to understand each personality within the group and the roles that each of us would undertake. This will hopefully help us later on in our process when managing the work we create. It also separates the responsibilities of the company, providing each individual with specific jobs and giving us a basic structure for work. After sharing our past experiences and interests, it was decided that I would take on the roles of performer and prop manager.

As a new and upcoming theatre company we are right at the beginning of our journey, ready to create and piece together our first ever piece of theatre as a collective group. Choosing roles was our first task and once that was sorted, we faced our first real challenge of deciding on the topic for the piece: “Devising begins with the interaction between the members of the group and the starting point or the stimulus chosen” (Oddey, 1994, 24.) What should this performance be about and what should it convey? What do we have to say and what do we want to say? All of our current discussions have revolved around finding this stimulus and a purpose for making theatre. There have been many ideas thrown around but we wanted something specific, we needed to narrow it down so we would lessen the chances of over loading ourselves with a thousand puzzle pieces that did not fit together.

“Choice is a key word when devising theatre” (Oddey, 1994, 26.) Everything we will do within this piece will come down to choice. We need the discipline to decide, to be confident and comfortable to share opinions so that we are creating the piece of theatre we want to make. The stimulus we have decided on is photographs, images of intrigue, iconic images that are known globally. We hope to bring the still image to life, give a voice and a story to the people in the photographs and bring them to a personal level.

 

Works Cited –

Oddey, A. (1994). Devising theatre. London: Routledge