Session 3

The objective for this session was to create the opening "office party" sequence for the play. The vision was to go beyond the text and employ physical theatre techniques in order to make a party atmosphere to frame the scene.

The exercise we used to build this sequence was called "push hands" and comes from Frantic Assembly's approach to devising theatre. It's all about finding the pressure between you and your partners hands and using it to guide you through the space. At first the movement was a little disjointed but once we found the balance in the room it started to look and feel a lot more fluid. We then added in layers playing around with dynamic and spatial relationships. This was a step in the right direction as it added more interesting body shapes and started to tell the story. However we were still only at about tier one when it came to communicating the story. We needed more elements in order to make the sequence more clear. We achieved this adding intentions behind the movements; this allowed the movements to become superficial and actually add depth to the atmosphere we were creating. However I fear once we add in props (the glasses) it could cause problems. This is because unfamiliarity with an object can cause an actor feel unfamiliar with themselves within a situation. To combat this we need to add the props as soon as possible and allow us to not only use them but build them into the character we are portraying in the scene. This will not only make the sequence smoother but also will make us as performers more rooted to the action.

Fastow's relationship to the rest of the ensemble is really important. When he enters he frantically tries to become part of the group, this juxtaposes the smooth controlled movement of the ensemble and aids in setting him up as a character. This simple action already makes the audience identify Fastow as an outsider and will help story-telling of the overall show. On the other hand when Lay and Claudia enter the group respond in a different way. They all lightly touch them and they respond by flicking them of sharply. They walk through the crowd like goddesses among men. I think this a brilliant way of introducing these characters. When I watch theatre and don't enjoy it it's usually because from the start I feel disconnected to the characters I am being presented with (especially in plays with a large ensembles). I believe by having a strong character establishment from the get-go the audience will by into the story quicker and want to go on a journey with these unique and interesting people.

In this session our focus was strong and we really started to work together as a unit. There was a good sense of support and people were able to take lifts. Overall the energy and commitment to today's session was a good harbinger for a strong rehearsal process ahead of us. I'm excited to see where this takes us.