Evaluation of Play: Love and Information

WWW:
What went well for me in during the performance (that I notice from the video) is that kept my energy up, stayed connected to most of my characters and had good articulation throughout most of the performance. All the work I had done came up to this and I have achieved an amount that I wouldn't say is good enough yet but is good for now. I tried so hard this term to make this performance one of my best by doing warm ups, sticking to my research and relying on my acting skills. All this in less than three weeks. I think that I have a long way to go but to come this far is a great honour and I hope to reach higher in the future.

What could have been better:
What I could've done better with my performance is a bit big in my perspective. I mean I think that what I worked on was good but there were points where I could have done more with my acting. For instance the scene Stone (scene time: 45.31 to 46.30) I wasn't at all connected to the character. I could've exaggerated the bullying side of me; made my character more of a villain. I couldn't though and so this a lesson in which I must learn to remember if I want my skills to increase.

Link to video performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea6JkX0joys&list=WL&index=2&t=2s

Love and Information: Rehearsals Evaluation

Date: 04/06/19
REHEARSALS:
For this blog I shall write what happened for the past two weeks and two days before the performance.
For the first week our tutor informed us of our split groups of two and that amongst ourselves we should decide who would perform what scene. After we went into our groups we decided to just read the script for today and see the circumstances that were given to us. As we read through people were already deciding amongst themselves what scenes they wanted and how they wanted it. The next day we were given our scenes by whom we all thought to be a good director, organizer for staging and with lights + sound. Ben Taylor. Ben appointed us our scenes. The ones we wanted and some that needed actors. The scenes I was given was Terminal with Harry as the main character and I the doctor (I don't make an appearance so it seems that Harry is in a separate room). I tell Harry that he may have a chance to live from his severe condition. My second scene was the Child Who Didn't Know Fear. It is a solo scene where I play a story teller who works to tell children stories for kids parties. My third scene is God. Me and my partner Phil perform as if he is my boxing trainer and I the trainee. My final scene was called Stone where my and my last partner Sebastian play as bullies and our victim is Phil. The next two days we decided to focus on remembering our lines so that we can focus on acting once its learnt. Ben then decided that by Wednesday on the second week we should have all our lines learnt.
For the second week Ben helped us to direct the staging. For my first scene with Terminal I am off stage and Harry would be on the stage sitting while in his traumatic state. For my second scene I act as a storyteller but instead of just sitting down reading a book to children I use physical actions to produce the story. As for my character the way he acts is like a clown. My voice sounds ridiculous, I'm very excited, I make jokes and I'm very dramatic. Ben was pleased with how it went and thought it was great as a comedy. At first I was very confused at what I could do to make the scene to make it creative. If it wasn't for one of my peers who gave me the idea. I would be having trouble. As my character my movements would be major and me speech would sound quick and heightened but clear for everyone to understand. I would also exaggerate my movements as the character to make me look funny. I practiced this scene for two days because this was my only solo scene and remembering was difficult. The next day I practiced my third scene God with Phil. We ran through the scene about three times. For this scene as I said before Phil is my Trainer and I his trainee. I didn't really need to go into character for this scene. It was more of just being fit as he gave me exercises to do. For example I would start off with boxing, then go into push ups then finish off with a few star jumps. For this I researched into workout programs because I didn't know how long the scene would take. When practicing I realised it wasn't necessary but it helped with my stamina and performance while running the scenes. On the final day of the second week I practiced my last scene Stone. My partner was Sebastian and we play as school bullies. For this character I had experience playing due to drama class at a company in Camden called Raawlondon. Not only that I still watched a few scenes from movies where teenagers act like this. Here is an example of one of the scenes and when watching start from 1.04 to 2.12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mre3J4JerBk. by this time I had already had all my lines learnt so for me to experiment with scenes was easier.
It was the final week and we only had one day (due to bank holiday Monday) before our show. My group and the second group had to do tech rehearsals on the same day. My group started first so we came early in the morning for it. During the rehearsals we had set all our lights and added all the sounds needed. We then ran through the scenes once more and worked on our exits and entrances. That meant when coming on we had to act while coming on. For example my scene God I had to come on while doing the boxing and then come off while boxing. I had to remember everything if I wanted to make our show spectacular the next day.

Proposal: Love and Information

          Proposal: Love and Information

Candidate Name: Lucky Asare
Candidate Number: 1664
Pathway: Level 3 Acting
Project Title: Love & Information
Date: Tuesday 14th May 2019


Section 1 – Rationale (approx. 100 words)
This section provides an opportunity to reflect on, review and summarise your
progress and achievements through the first seven units. It also offers a
chance for you to take stock of the knowledge, skills and understanding you
have acquired, what you know now, compared with what you knew and could
do before you started the course, and how this has influenced your choice of
pathway and your project proposal.

Section 1 – Rationale:
So far, I’ve become more confident in my own abilities in acting. I’ve decided to use Antonin Artaud's Theatre of Cruelty Principles to help with physical theatre and breath control and I also used Stanislavski’s theories on naturalism. In the past I had used these techniques to help with my performance and I shall be developing in this performance. I have used naturalism to perform some of my scenes in a calm manner also to distribute my energy in different areas and the Brecht principle Larger than Life was the most important; I didn't need to go to great extremes but I had to reach a certain peak for my acting. I’ve had the opportunity to work with external companies in Camden (Raawlondon) and have learnt various skills such as physical theatre techniques and tactics to help my performance. Physical theatre will help me as it will allow me to use skills other than my vocals to portray situations and lines. The tactics really help give a meaning to the dialogue and the lines being recited, they start to
give the character an objective, this means that there is more of a reason to say the lines and the audience can interpret the emotions a lot better. I think after working more with theatre
companies I have taken an interest in modern, ancient and new devised theatre. I also am much more interested in Shakespeare after completing Macbeth Something I am really looking forward to is putting this in to practice, and drawing my experience from the year in to my final production. I am also interested in working on a hopefully more modern text this term.


Section 2 – Project concept (approx. 200 words)
This section provides an opportunity for you to clearly explain the concept and
aims of your project. This should include what you anticipate producing, the
research and ideas that will support its development and the levels and types
of resources that you will need to complete and present your project
realisation within the allocated timescale. You should include the names of
anyone you will be collaborating with and/or those who will perform in your
piece.

Section 2 – Project concept:
For our production this term, we are doing Love & Information Caryl Churchill. Caryl Churchill’s Love and Information is a kaleidoscopic play of short scenes addressing contemporary issues about knowledge, technology and communication, and our capacity for love. It was first performed at the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, London, on 6 September 2012. This play will gives us the opportunity to release our creativity into the performance. From the given circumstances of the script we were given, there are some basic scenes that we can just put out and everyone would understand. For example there is one scene called Secret and from what I can tell person A has a really big secret and doesn't want to tell person B. Though person A then changes his/her mind because the argument escalated and then tells person B. Person B then realises how bad this is and they both exit. now from what I've said it sounds vague and so that then gives the chance to change the perspective. this whole conversation could be happening while someone is giving birth, while someone is doing a surgery, while someone is taking drugs. That's how much we can explore with the script and that is exactly why I feel so excited about practicing it.


Section 3 -­ Evaluation (approx. 50 words)
This section provides an opportunity for you to explain how you will reflect on
and self-­ evaluate your work, as both an on-going activity and at the
conclusion of the project.
You should describe how you intend to record your decision-­making and how
you will document developments as the project progresses. This evaluation
should reference your stated aims and be reflective and analytical rather than
a description of actions completed.

Section 3 -­ Evaluation:
For my evaluation of this unit, I am going to show my work through blogs and notes. I will be doing a summary of the rehearsals for there will be only 3 weeks of rehearsals including the week we perform.  I will make notes of what we have changed and decided to do for the scenes. I am also going to use peer feedback to get opinions on things that I may not be able to notice myself. Getting other people’s opinions will allow me to see what aspects I need to keep and what aspects of my performance are not as strong. I will continue doing my normal warm ups to get me prepared for the performance.

Proposed research sources and bibliography
Record your intended research sources, both primary (from your own first- hand experience e.g practical studio research) and secondary (from other sources), in this section. Sources of research should be as wide as possible and may include: libraries, museums and galleries, books, film, magazines, TV, radio programmes, websites etc. Where appropriate you should use the Harvard system of referencing. The bibliography should be continuously updated as the project progresses.

Proposed research sources and bibliography:
Caryl Churchill Research: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Caryl-Churchill
Love and Information Rsearch: https://www.dramaonlinelibrary.com/plays/love-and-information-iid-153277


Project action plan and timetable:
Outline your planning and organisation over a period of weeks and the activities you will need
to carry out in order to successful complete your project within the agreed timeframe. It is
important that your proposed output is realistic so ensure you consider ambition and time when
completing this section. Make sure you include what you are going to do, how you will do it and
by when. The more time and thought you give to planning your project the more successful it is
likely to be. Remember to include time taken to visit sources, sourcing materials,
questionnaires, access to workshops, tutorial and peer group feedback opportunities, as well
as when you will incorporate independent study.


Week 1:
Activity / What you are intending to do (including independent study) - Read through our scripts and look at given circumstances. Begin to fine tune our ideas from the process and work through chronologically as well as making sure our lines are being learnt. we will soon try to focus on scenes that need work and get up to speed with everything.

Resources / What you will need to do it (including access to workshops) - We will need the script and a full cast for our groups.

Week 2:
Activity / What you are intending to do (including independent study) -Begin to reach the end of the script with basic ideas and discuss the lighting and sound. Run through the play as many times as possible and have no script.
Resources / What you will need to do it (including access to workshops) - we will need someone to have a list to record sound and lighting while practicing. Plus any other equipment needed for the stage. We will watch each other and need a full group, a prompt and if there are any problems with some scenes we will give feed back to work on them until we watch each other again.

Week 3:
Activity / What you are intending to do (including independent study) - Finish adding ideas and have a tech run, as well as perform our play.

Resources / What you will need to do it (including access to workshops) - We will need a full group, lighting and sound decks and the theatre space to rehearse and perform.

Week 4:
Activity / What you are intending to do (including independent study) - we will evaluate our performance and work. The video of our performance will contribute to this for notes and complete our evaluation.

Resources / What you will need to do it (including access to workshops) - the recording of the performance will be needed.

Caryl Churchill

              Caryl Churchill: Research

Caryl Churchill, (born September 3, 1938, London, England), British playwright whose work frequently dealt with feminist issues, the abuses of power, and sexual politics.

When Churchill was 10, she immigrated with her family to Canada. She went to Lady Margaret Hall, a women’s college of the University of Oxford, and remained in England after receiving a B.A. in 1960.

Her three earliest plays, Downstairs (produced 1958), Having a Wonderful Time (produced 1960), and Easy Death (produced 1962), were performed by Oxford-based theatrical ensembles (involving no individual star but several actors whose roles are of equal importance: ensemble).

During the 1960s and ’70s, while raising a family, Churchill wrote radio dramas and then television plays for British television. Owners, a two-act, 14-scene play about obsession from power, was her first major theatrical endeavour and was shown in London in 1972. During her tenure as resident dramatist at London’s Royal Court Theatre, Churchill wrote Objections to Sex and Violence (1974), which, though it wasn't reviewed well, led to her successful association with David Hare and Max Stafford-Clark’s Joint Stock Company and with Monstrous Regiment, a feminist group.

Cloud 9 (1979), a farce about sexual politics, was successful in the United States as well as in Britain, winning an Obie Award in 1982 for playwriting. The next year she won another Obie with Top Girls (1982), which deals with women’s losing their humanity in order to attain power in a male controlled environment. Softcops (produced 1984), a surreal play set in 19th-century France about government attempts to depoliticize illegal acts, was produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company. Serious Money (1987) is a comedy about excesses in the financial world, and Icecream (1989) investigates Anglo-American stereotypes.

The former received an Obie for best new American play.