Last Tuesday (yes I've been lazy again)
I turned up to drama club today expecting to be able to practise 'Rockaby' with Gracie. I bought in the rocking chair that I will be using, and it has been put in the garage until it is needed for the performance/dress rehearsal. However, Gracie wasn't at drama so instead I helped Dan practise his plays (he is doing part of Endgame) because his partner wasn't there. I played the part of the servant 'Clov', as Dan is going to be performing as 'Hamm', the blind master. I enjoyed rehearsing with Dan, because I hadn't really seen him rehearsing before so it was good to look at the play.
We then all watched Becky, Sam and Ophelia perform 'Mother Figure' which is about two bickering neighbours going to visit the Mother who lives next door. She treats them like children, which causes them to bicker and then make-up in a very childlike way (basically, they become more childlike as the play progresses). It had some very funny moments, and they will be performing it to the public next wednesday (out Beckett pieces are on Thursday). I am starting to feel quite nervous, because we can't really practise until we have the CD.
This Tuesday
Gracie was at the rehearsal today, but we still don't have the CD so we read through each other's lines whilst the other practised rocking in time (quite difficult considering the rocking chair is still in the garage). We found that it wasn't too difficult to get the timing right, but it was more difficult not being able to blink. I need to practise just sitting and not blinking, and also making sure that I am completely focused on one point, because I found that I ot distracted quite a bit. The main problem seems to be that when I deliberately try not to blink, I always seem to end up needing to blink more. I have decided that I won't wear my glasses or my contact lenses during the performance, as doing so enables me to unfocus my eyes, so I dont need to blink as much. And I am allowed to blink when I am rocking backwards (as my face is only in the light when I rock forwards).
I also bought in my costume, so that Gracie has an idea of what the dress needs to look like. Its black velvet and its got a high lacy neck and these glittery bead things. I'm also going to put sequins on it, as that is what is stated on the costume description.
Friday, 6 July 2007
Saturday, 30 June 2007
Arts Award
A long overdue update.
2 Weeks Ago
Not many people turned up for rehearsal today. This resulted in Mr Sibley and the cast of Palach (me included) to come to the decision that we'd have to call off the performance. It's disappointing because I spent the week learning my lines, and I really like the play. However, it makes sense because if people didn't show up today then it is unlikely they will come next week (due to work experience) and the play still needs a lot of work before it's ready to perform. There may always be another opportunity in my life to take part in a performance of Palach, and if that does arise and I am playing the part of the Mum then I will be well prepared!
So, instead of running through Palach, Gracie and I recorded the script for our Beckett performance (we are doing 'Rockaby', which is pretty much entirely recorded). This ended in arm ache, due to the fact that the person who wasn't reading was moving their arm every four seconds to indicate to the other when to speak! I did it wrong the first time, and I forgot to do the voice. But someone (fortunately) interupted the recording so we had to start again. Under most circumstances this would have been annoying, but given my bad performance it made me very relieved.
The recording is not done, and all that needs to be done is to put the pauses and echo effects into it. I am not sure when this will be done.
2 Weeks Ago
Not many people turned up for rehearsal today. This resulted in Mr Sibley and the cast of Palach (me included) to come to the decision that we'd have to call off the performance. It's disappointing because I spent the week learning my lines, and I really like the play. However, it makes sense because if people didn't show up today then it is unlikely they will come next week (due to work experience) and the play still needs a lot of work before it's ready to perform. There may always be another opportunity in my life to take part in a performance of Palach, and if that does arise and I am playing the part of the Mum then I will be well prepared!
So, instead of running through Palach, Gracie and I recorded the script for our Beckett performance (we are doing 'Rockaby', which is pretty much entirely recorded). This ended in arm ache, due to the fact that the person who wasn't reading was moving their arm every four seconds to indicate to the other when to speak! I did it wrong the first time, and I forgot to do the voice. But someone (fortunately) interupted the recording so we had to start again. Under most circumstances this would have been annoying, but given my bad performance it made me very relieved.
The recording is not done, and all that needs to be done is to put the pauses and echo effects into it. I am not sure when this will be done.
The Best Day of My Life
I thought I'd blog about the best day of my life, which was the Thirsday just gone.
I went with one of my friends (Dan) and my drama teacher to collect a school award. We went it my drama teacher's car and it was the best thing I've ever done. On the way there I was sitting in the front naviating, and Dan was listeneing to is music in the back so me and my drama teacher just talked. We talked about Brecht, and then I told him about Jenny (my companion) and he seemed to understand, which is weird because I've never told anyone about Jenny before today (she lives far away). What was even more surprising was the fact that he seemed to understand, and we beleived that similar things were real. And we listened to some music but there wasn't but good stuff on the radio. We talked about how nice it would be to do a parachute jump. It was the best conversation I've ever had. (He even told me that Noddy the cartoon character is asexual!)
We got to the venue early, so he bought us a coffee. I told him it was my first coffee and he laughed and then him and Dan talked whilst I just drank. Then Dan went to the loo and I smiled at my drama teacher and said that this was my first coffee and that it was like a rite of passage. He just looked at me and told me that he was glad it was a rite of passage that he was taking me on.
The actual award thing was boring, nothing happened.
he journey back was amaazing. I was in the back because Dan was navigating but he got us lost so we were cruising through Brighton with the windows down listeneing to Sugar Babes 'push the button' really loudly. It was so funny. Then it turned out he also had 'Fuck It (I don't want you back)' on his ipod so we listened to that (its a british song, if you haven't heard it search it on yahoo or something) and we were all singing along really loudly and it was the best moment of my life.
Now I can't stop drinking coffee (I didn't get to sleep until three in the morning last night) and I have set the Eamon song as my myspace music. I've also changed all the music on my ipod, a lot of it is now songs we listened to that day.
Since then I have started a book thing. Its not like a diary really, but in many ways it holds the emotions that many people's diaries hold. Its just quotes, things that people say and some things that I say. Here's some of the stuff from that day:
In Costa: "How do I drink it? Do I just pick it up?" (Me- about my coffee)
"Yes." (Dan and drama teacher)
"What? All of it?" (me)
In the car on the way back: "This is perfect, I wish we could drive like this and listen to music forever" (me)
"You'd get bored" (drama teacher)
"I swear I wouldn't!" (me)
In the foyer at the award place: "They took Noddy of air." (Dan)
"Why?" (Me)
"Because it was racist" (drama teacher)
"I could have sworn it was because Noddy slept with Big-Ears!"(Dan)
I went with one of my friends (Dan) and my drama teacher to collect a school award. We went it my drama teacher's car and it was the best thing I've ever done. On the way there I was sitting in the front naviating, and Dan was listeneing to is music in the back so me and my drama teacher just talked. We talked about Brecht, and then I told him about Jenny (my companion) and he seemed to understand, which is weird because I've never told anyone about Jenny before today (she lives far away). What was even more surprising was the fact that he seemed to understand, and we beleived that similar things were real. And we listened to some music but there wasn't but good stuff on the radio. We talked about how nice it would be to do a parachute jump. It was the best conversation I've ever had. (He even told me that Noddy the cartoon character is asexual!)
We got to the venue early, so he bought us a coffee. I told him it was my first coffee and he laughed and then him and Dan talked whilst I just drank. Then Dan went to the loo and I smiled at my drama teacher and said that this was my first coffee and that it was like a rite of passage. He just looked at me and told me that he was glad it was a rite of passage that he was taking me on.
The actual award thing was boring, nothing happened.
he journey back was amaazing. I was in the back because Dan was navigating but he got us lost so we were cruising through Brighton with the windows down listeneing to Sugar Babes 'push the button' really loudly. It was so funny. Then it turned out he also had 'Fuck It (I don't want you back)' on his ipod so we listened to that (its a british song, if you haven't heard it search it on yahoo or something) and we were all singing along really loudly and it was the best moment of my life.
Now I can't stop drinking coffee (I didn't get to sleep until three in the morning last night) and I have set the Eamon song as my myspace music. I've also changed all the music on my ipod, a lot of it is now songs we listened to that day.
Since then I have started a book thing. Its not like a diary really, but in many ways it holds the emotions that many people's diaries hold. Its just quotes, things that people say and some things that I say. Here's some of the stuff from that day:
In Costa: "How do I drink it? Do I just pick it up?" (Me- about my coffee)
"Yes." (Dan and drama teacher)
"What? All of it?" (me)
In the car on the way back: "This is perfect, I wish we could drive like this and listen to music forever" (me)
"You'd get bored" (drama teacher)
"I swear I wouldn't!" (me)
In the foyer at the award place: "They took Noddy of air." (Dan)
"Why?" (Me)
"Because it was racist" (drama teacher)
"I could have sworn it was because Noddy slept with Big-Ears!"(Dan)
Sunday, 17 June 2007
Life Realisation
I want to travel, I don't want to be in any one place for too long.
Nowhere is home
I belong to the world
Nowhere is home
I belong to the world
Saturday, 16 June 2007
ArtsAward and Shores of California
Arts Award Diary Update for Tuesday 12th June
Tonight Joe and Pete weren't at drama club, so we couldn't really do a proper rehearsal as we have done previously. Instead, Tom D played the part of Dad and Tashi the part of the Priest. It was quite strange doing some of the Mum/Dad scenes with Tom, as I've become accustomed to doin them with Pete, but it did give me a good chance to practise my lines (I had been learning quite a lot of them over the week)and it also meant that Mr Sibley could teach me 'The White Cliffs of Dover' (I'm obviousley completely uncultured, not knowing that song), which I need to sing in one song.
It's only two more rehearsals before the performance now! It seems like no time, and I'm still not entirely sure what kind of costume I need to wear, I suppose it can't be too complex otherwise we would have been told already, hopefully it won't take too much effort.
The first thing tat we did at rehearsal was watch Tom M and Rebecca practise their opening 'Romeo and Juliet' scene, with added gushingness, and that took quite a while to run through, and then we turned to my monologue, which I've pretty much learnt, though when I learnt them I didn't have someone singing 'We'll Meet Again' right behind me, which proved to be slightly distracting.
Hopefully next week Joe and Pete will be at rehearsals, its really fun doing the improvisations with Pete, especially as I've never really done any scenes with him before this.
May have to consult Gracie about make-up and hair for the performance.
On A Non-ArtsAward note, much has been going on these past few days. I watched the Dresden Dolls 'Shores of California' video, which is brilliant. I've also brought a copy of 'Lollita' which I have been inspired to read after finshing 'The End of Alice', and I have also ordered a copy of 'A Photographer's Life' by Annie Leibovitz, which I've wanted since it came out but have only just earned enough money for. I can't wait till it arrives in a weeks time! I love Annie Leibovitz, and I'm desperate to see all the amazing photographs of Susan Sontag.
Tonight Joe and Pete weren't at drama club, so we couldn't really do a proper rehearsal as we have done previously. Instead, Tom D played the part of Dad and Tashi the part of the Priest. It was quite strange doing some of the Mum/Dad scenes with Tom, as I've become accustomed to doin them with Pete, but it did give me a good chance to practise my lines (I had been learning quite a lot of them over the week)and it also meant that Mr Sibley could teach me 'The White Cliffs of Dover' (I'm obviousley completely uncultured, not knowing that song), which I need to sing in one song.
It's only two more rehearsals before the performance now! It seems like no time, and I'm still not entirely sure what kind of costume I need to wear, I suppose it can't be too complex otherwise we would have been told already, hopefully it won't take too much effort.
The first thing tat we did at rehearsal was watch Tom M and Rebecca practise their opening 'Romeo and Juliet' scene, with added gushingness, and that took quite a while to run through, and then we turned to my monologue, which I've pretty much learnt, though when I learnt them I didn't have someone singing 'We'll Meet Again' right behind me, which proved to be slightly distracting.
Hopefully next week Joe and Pete will be at rehearsals, its really fun doing the improvisations with Pete, especially as I've never really done any scenes with him before this.
May have to consult Gracie about make-up and hair for the performance.
On A Non-ArtsAward note, much has been going on these past few days. I watched the Dresden Dolls 'Shores of California' video, which is brilliant. I've also brought a copy of 'Lollita' which I have been inspired to read after finshing 'The End of Alice', and I have also ordered a copy of 'A Photographer's Life' by Annie Leibovitz, which I've wanted since it came out but have only just earned enough money for. I can't wait till it arrives in a weeks time! I love Annie Leibovitz, and I'm desperate to see all the amazing photographs of Susan Sontag.
Wednesday, 6 June 2007
A Blog in the Absence of Anything Good on TV.
Its been a busy month, and also a stressful month. I've had so much coursework to do, and just before the half-term holiday I completed a twenty-page Shakespeare essay, only to be told today that it's not right! I'm probably going to find myself redoing it, ontop of revising for my Maths GCSE, learning a German essay by heart, revisin for my final Chemistry GCSE, learning two scripts for my drama As assessment, writing 6 essays on Prohibition for my History coursework, and an English Language essay for coursework. And all of this is due in less than a month. I really feel like I'm going to have a breakdown. When my English Literature teacher told me it was no good, I really just felt like bursting into tears. My self-restraint saved me a lot of embarassment. I can't believe that a few weeks ago I was considering doing English Literature at college, I reckon it would just about kill me. So that's a definite no-no! School is really getting me down at the moment, especially the pressure of everything being piled on me at the end of the year. I've always been sceptical about people taking gap-years before going to university, but I have to admit the idea is looking increasingly appealing. There's so many places I want to go, like Boston (and whilst I'm in the USA, I'd like to see Eric's band play) and Jerusalem and I would also like to go back to Amsterdam.
Although this is three years away, it is providing me with a lot of comfort, not to mention nice day-dreams during English Lit!
On JUne 28th, I am going to collect a performing arts award for me school, which involves spending an hour with my drama teacher in his car whilst we drive up north. Its a scary prospect, I didn't know him at the beginning of the year, but over the past few months have found myself falling increasingly in love with him (and let me tell you, it's very scary to feel attracted to a distant, bald, middle-aged man!!!!!!!!!!). Obviousley, I know its just 'teenage-hormones' and no WAY am I planning on humiliating myself or my ego by trying anything I would regret at a later date. Still, the day itself should be good, and definitely exciting.
I've put a photo of me in my profile (the guy in the picture is my new friend-from-Surrey called David) but I'm considering taking it down. I like the internet because you can judge on who someone really is, not wat they look like.I'll leave it up for a few days, and then decide what to do. It may seem like a big fuss over a photo, but it's significance does me a lot to me.
Anyway, I'm going for a walk and then I'm going to do another History essay, before retreating to my room to listen to 'Girl Anachronism' whilst I wallow in the fact that I am an academic FAILURE!
Good times!
Although this is three years away, it is providing me with a lot of comfort, not to mention nice day-dreams during English Lit!
On JUne 28th, I am going to collect a performing arts award for me school, which involves spending an hour with my drama teacher in his car whilst we drive up north. Its a scary prospect, I didn't know him at the beginning of the year, but over the past few months have found myself falling increasingly in love with him (and let me tell you, it's very scary to feel attracted to a distant, bald, middle-aged man!!!!!!!!!!). Obviousley, I know its just 'teenage-hormones' and no WAY am I planning on humiliating myself or my ego by trying anything I would regret at a later date. Still, the day itself should be good, and definitely exciting.
I've put a photo of me in my profile (the guy in the picture is my new friend-from-Surrey called David) but I'm considering taking it down. I like the internet because you can judge on who someone really is, not wat they look like.I'll leave it up for a few days, and then decide what to do. It may seem like a big fuss over a photo, but it's significance does me a lot to me.
Anyway, I'm going for a walk and then I'm going to do another History essay, before retreating to my room to listen to 'Girl Anachronism' whilst I wallow in the fact that I am an academic FAILURE!
Good times!
Arts Award Update
Two week update coming up. Because I've been lazy and haven't updated in ages.
(This one is from before the half-term holiday)
This evening I found out that I will dfinitely be playing the part of Mum in 'Palach'. I'm quite pleased, as I managed to learn quite a lot of the lines when running through that part last week. Everyone is going to be playing the same roles as they were last week.
We were practising in the hall, with the other two groups practising in the drama studio. We ran through a scene in which several conversations are taking place at the same time. Mum is talking to Boy about someone setting fire to themselves, to Girl about washing her hair and dates, to the Priest about leaving children in a burning building, and occassionally to Dad about random things like 'What brand of biscuits should I buy?'. Its very confusing, but hopefully it will work.
Tom will be playing Boy, who has the most lines to learn, but he wasn't at drama club this evening so Mr Sibley read through his lines when we were practising the scenes.
Dan, Tom D, Tashi and Jo are playing many parts in Palach, and today they put together part of the play, which is like a news bulletin, only it is about different wars in History (for example, Dan reading 'We Shall Fight on the Beaches' bu Winston Churchill). We then ran them one after the other, and it seemed to be working.
Hopefully Tom will be here next time.
Drama clubs have now changed from 6-8 to 5:30-7.
(This update is for yesterday- 5th June)
Drama started at 5:30 today, and as Tom was here this week we went straight into rehearsing. This week we were all in the drama studio, which meant we had to practise on the stages in room 106, which resulted in having much less space than we did last week. But we managed to sort it out and run through the same scene as we did last week, only this time with Tom reading Boy. Because the rest of us knew the scene quite well, we were able to un through it fairly quickly, and then me and Pete (who is playing Dad) had to practise a scene in which we both talk about our childhoods and how we met at the same time. Its difficult because Pete's monologue is much longer, but we have to finish them at the same time.
Then Me, Rebecca, Pete, Tom and Jo P (Mum, Girl, Dad, Boy and the Priest) had to practise the final, which is also similtanious speeches. All I can say is it needs a lot of work, so I've decided that's the main thing I'm going to practise before next Tuesday (apart from trying to learn lines in general)
I have found out that the date of the performance is July 3rd, which is not long away!
(This one is from before the half-term holiday)
This evening I found out that I will dfinitely be playing the part of Mum in 'Palach'. I'm quite pleased, as I managed to learn quite a lot of the lines when running through that part last week. Everyone is going to be playing the same roles as they were last week.
We were practising in the hall, with the other two groups practising in the drama studio. We ran through a scene in which several conversations are taking place at the same time. Mum is talking to Boy about someone setting fire to themselves, to Girl about washing her hair and dates, to the Priest about leaving children in a burning building, and occassionally to Dad about random things like 'What brand of biscuits should I buy?'. Its very confusing, but hopefully it will work.
Tom will be playing Boy, who has the most lines to learn, but he wasn't at drama club this evening so Mr Sibley read through his lines when we were practising the scenes.
Dan, Tom D, Tashi and Jo are playing many parts in Palach, and today they put together part of the play, which is like a news bulletin, only it is about different wars in History (for example, Dan reading 'We Shall Fight on the Beaches' bu Winston Churchill). We then ran them one after the other, and it seemed to be working.
Hopefully Tom will be here next time.
Drama clubs have now changed from 6-8 to 5:30-7.
(This update is for yesterday- 5th June)
Drama started at 5:30 today, and as Tom was here this week we went straight into rehearsing. This week we were all in the drama studio, which meant we had to practise on the stages in room 106, which resulted in having much less space than we did last week. But we managed to sort it out and run through the same scene as we did last week, only this time with Tom reading Boy. Because the rest of us knew the scene quite well, we were able to un through it fairly quickly, and then me and Pete (who is playing Dad) had to practise a scene in which we both talk about our childhoods and how we met at the same time. Its difficult because Pete's monologue is much longer, but we have to finish them at the same time.
Then Me, Rebecca, Pete, Tom and Jo P (Mum, Girl, Dad, Boy and the Priest) had to practise the final, which is also similtanious speeches. All I can say is it needs a lot of work, so I've decided that's the main thing I'm going to practise before next Tuesday (apart from trying to learn lines in general)
I have found out that the date of the performance is July 3rd, which is not long away!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)