Acting Technique Workshop Plan: Meisner Technique

Part 1: warm up; engage the actors in a warm up game that will help them utilise their intuition I.e. Mafia or Granmas footsteps. Intuition is an important part of Meisber technique and therefore, it is crucial that the actors can utilise it well. Once the game is over we will then discuss some aspects of Meisners life and the basics of his technique.

Part 2: technique application; here the actors will engage in Meisner technique for around 10 minutes, going up to date 2 of the technique, this being physical movement calls. Once this point has been reached there will be a quick discussion of how the technique has made the actors feel, what they felt was effective and what wasn't, and how they feel it could be used to improve their acting skills.

Part 3: applying the technique to the text; here the actors will split into pairs, with actors that they communicate with during  the play. It is crucial also that they have someone that they have a line either with or about, in order for the exercise to work. Once the pairs have been made the actors will pick a line each to repeat, similar to the basic start point of all Meisner sessions. The only difference here is that the actors will be in character. This will continue until the usual impulses begin to build. At this point the actors are allowed to make physical calls and emotional calls about the other actor, as long as they are still in character. The aim here is to make the character feel synonymous with the actor, which will help them feel more natural whilst moving and reacting onstage in character. It will also benefit the character relationships in the play as well, as by using Meisner technique in character, it creates impulses for the character, not for the actor. This means that all calls should be made about a character, helping the actor better understand the relationship he has with that character onstage, making the reactions feel much more organic and real.

Final performance evaluation

Now that the performances of 6 characters have come and gone I feel that, in a general sense, the three performances that were given were all of a high standard, and I feel that both actors and the technical team alike rose to the occasion and created a great set of pieces for our audience.

In terms of set, lighting and sound choices, the technical team did a phenomenal job creating an authentic feeling 1960's theatre, whilst also incorporating the design choices that were necessary for the play. In particular, the raised platform along with the gantry above it gave the performance a sense of authenticity, as well as a set of levels to keep the action energised and alive. The use of tables, chairs and the set up of the directors chair too, created the atmosphere of a disturbed rehearsal, disturbed by these seemingly ghostly almost metaphysical characters. I feel that the costume design for the play was also extremely well done; every character felt authentic to the time period, from the Technicians overalls to the Director's beret, every single design choice not only accentuated the character from the rest of the cast, but also made it clear that they could still be a part of the same universe. The only design area that I feel could have used improvement was the sound. The sound choices within the play were chosen with great care and precision, and I really feel that they emphasized and accentuated key moments within the piece. The dance between Lil and Danny in particular was incredible, in part due to the choreography and the performances by Lil and Danny, but also the music choice was perfect for the scene. It's almost ballad like quality, with its seedy tone made it fit perfectly with the disturbing yet sickeningly attractive piece. However certain sound choices, I feel, could've been improved. For instance the churning, almost guttural music that played during the set up of the characters tableau, I feel, should have been slightly longer, to really cement the eerie atmosphere. The gunshot, signifying the key moment in the play, was off twice throughout the run of performances, which I feel almost ruined both performances, as it ruined the dramatic atmosphere created by the suspense of the young boy, young girl and the son. Had this been tightened up slightly, the drama would've reached its peak, really displacing the audience from their usual atmosphere whilst in a theatre.

In terms of my performance, I feel that overall, I gave a truthful, rooted performance as The Father, and I feel that I accomplished my task of creating an other-worldly quality to not only my character, but the other Characters onstage with me as well. I feel that vocally, I took on board the direction that I had been given as well as the research that I had done myself; to use a much more clipped, precise and consonant heavy accent. This coupled with my main objective to finish the play my way using deceptive means, gave my voice a gentle yet coldly precise quality to it that, I feel made it clear to te audience what mine and Danny's objectives were. My physicality I feel, was also very effective for the role. I made a subtle choice to stoop slightly, placing my weight in my lower back and my hamstrings, as well as engaging my core slightly to give off a sense of age, guilt and pain. It also helped me root myself to the floor more, giving off a sense of strength to juxtapose the sense of pain. 

I feel that I could have improved on certain aspects of my performance however. Although my tonal quality was good, I feel that I could have accentuated the clipped quality of my words more. I feel that this would have made my speeches much more punchy, efficient and engaging. I also had some pace issues during some parts of my performances and I feel that this impeded on my ability to impact the audience with the speeches I was delivering. I also feel that I could have moved through the space more, as limited as it was. I feel that if I had commanded the space more it would have helped me stay engaged with my speeches, which would have created a stronger more dramatic atmosphere.

In terms of overall performance, I feel that every singer actor engaged with the play and brought an authentic energy and atmosphere to, really pushing the audiences minds and understanding of the events and the questions the play was raising. In particular I feel that both Eleanor and Lillian gave outstanding performances, as they really played excellent foils to both mine and Danny's Fathers. They're command of the space was excellent and the subject matters they had to deal with were handled with clarity, precision and care. I also feel that Hayden was excellent in maintaining his aloof attitude throughout the play, and gave a truthful performance throughout. I also have to give credit to the actors who played the young boy and girl; Ede and Jack. They both maintained a solid characterisation and kept engaged in the action, reacting immediately and expertly when called upon. The only thing I would say about the overall performance was that some of the actors cues were delayed, which I thin slowed the pace of the piece and dampened the energy of the piece.

Overall, however I feel that this piece was performed brilliantly with actors, technical student and our director, working to their maximum potential to create an effective and thought-provoking performance.

Tech run and running the play repeatedly

Today was the tech run for the show and I feel that overall, it has given me even more food for thought regarding the show as a whole, and my part in it.

Not only did we have the set we also had full costume to work with today, which I feel really help envelop me into the world of the play. In regards to my costume, I really like the addition of the hat, as it adds to the mystery of the entrance of the characters, as well as the other-workdly quality to my line delivering. My costume is accurate to the time period and comfortable to move in, however my only concern is my coat which is heavy and quite thick, meaning tht it will keep me quite heated thoughtout the show.

I also feel that being able to use the stage again was a massive help, as it allowed me to see how much of an improvement I have made on my characterisation. I feel that I moved around the stage much better then I had the last time i was there and I feel that I had improved vocally as well, being able to project more then before. My main issue now, I feel is that I need to find new was to move in the space being as compressed as it is now, with both the characters and the actors taking up quite a bit of it.

It was also interesting having all of the sound cues and pieces of art and props onstage as it allowed a lot of us to try new things and interact with each other in new ways. For example I was given a direction to play with the set more whilst the director is talking to me upon my entrance. I felt that this was a great piece of direction as it allowed me to weight my words in a different more ethereal way and I think that it added to the other-worldly quality to the characters, and in particular, the Father. I also liked the addition of the gantry, and what it opened up for not only ashley, but for Hayden and myself as well. In our confrontation scene Hayden leaves to go up on the gantry, leaving this almost awkward space where he once was that I am now shouting at. In my opinion it adds a level of humanity to the characters that I don't think we had seen up until that point. The fact that there is a visual staging distance between myself and Hayden also gives me the emotional charge that the words need to truly feel alive something that I feel can only make the show better.

After the tech run, we have now begun to almost exclusively run the show constantly from start to finish, to really ingrain our characters into our minds, as well as to allow us the last opportunity to play with the characters that we encounter, and the stage that we inhabit. For me, I feel it is a last chance to iron out any issues that im having with my character, either vocally or physically. I've recently really taken on board jacks direction, and I have really looked at my accent and the clipping of my sounds during speech, and I feel it is coming along very well. I have now finalised a way of living in the space as well, using a slightly tightened stomach and a slightly lowered back to give off a sense of age and the sense of guilt within his being. For the performance I am now currently working on fresh minting the words and speeches every time to make it feel less repetitive and more urgent and necessary. Hopefully this will come across during the performance.

Rehearsing with set and the two younger children

Today was the day we were able to rehearse in the new theatre as well as being able to utilise some components of our set for the first time. We also had one of the young children; Fenton, there to help the character experience what it would be like with one of them on stage.

Rehearsing in the space not only helped me get a feel for it, it also helped me understand some of the notes I had previously received during other rehearsals. For instance, a note I would get quite frequently would be to look at my vocal choices. I had previously researched some typical accents of 1960's Britain and found it to be much softer yet slightly more clipped than a modern london accent. However during rehearsals jack would comment that it wasn't quite there yet, and being in the space, I could see why. The acoustics of the new theatre aren't very forgiving, compressing much of the sound within its walls, therefore making it harder to be heard. I found myself having to project a lot more, and this made it harde for me to maintain my accent. This in turn changed my depiction of the character completely as, it made my voice harsher, which impacted on my physicality, making me seem a lot more menacing rather than someone who is humbled with a sinister undertone.

Rehearsing in the space also gave me a chance to better look at my physicality and and to also understand where my character would move on stage and where he wouldn't, as well as the manner in which he would move. I found myself bobbing quite a bit in between the actors and the characters on stage, which became a bit stagnant as the rehearsal went on. I think that this is something I should tackle early on; funding new and fresh ways to move in between the points where I am not talking. I also need to find ways of delivering the lines in a way that is always fresh by finding new movements each time.

Having Fenton in the rehearsal was interesting, as I could tell it really helped both Elizabeth and Ffion get into their characters a bit more. Having one of their children their not only gave them, I think, a physical presence to work with, I think it also gave them an emotional presence to work with as well, giving them a root to which they can apply their characters emotions to. For me I found it interesting having another character there as it allowed me to focus my speech into another being. It also helped me for when I have lines referring to him or his father as it gave me a visual and therefore emotional link to it making it much more real and believable.

Text-no text-text method

Within rehearsal we have been utilising the Text-no text-Text method, established by Mike Alfreds. The method is, in my opinion, highly effective, however there are some drawbacks to using it. The method itself is fairly straight forward: we read the a scene from the play, usually in chronological order, then repeat the scene without the script in our hands, instead using our memories and our improvisation skills, to re create the scene. We then go back to the text to re-do the scene and the move onto the next one.

I feel that the advantages of this method are that, it helps develop a sense of muscle memory for that particular scene, which gives actors a better sense of their characters physicality; by improvising as them it makes it easier to move as them. I also think that this applies to the memory of the scenes key points as well, again making it easier to remember the venue and the lines, and also making it easier to improvise the scene in case something goes wrong onstage.

The downside to this exercise, however is that some actors may feel that it is more of a memory test than an improvisation, due to the given circumstances being so restricted. This makes the improvisation feel forced and therefore unhelpful. This ultimately, makes the entire exercise useless to the actor and the production.

Therefore, I feel that, although the exercise is extremely useful, this exercise should be used when the actor has fully understood their given circumstances, preferably further into the process but not too late into it.

Family improvisation exercise

A great exercise that we used today was a group improvisation with the just the characters, involving a family meal. Specifically this was the breakfast of the morning they went in search of the Director. 

The improvisation started with the Father (myself) walking into the room to set up the table and take some toast and an apple for himself. Over time the rest of the characters entered one after another, creating various dynamics between each other that I feel, really developed my understanding of the characters I interact with, as well as my own character. 

I found an almost grudging respect for The Sons intelligence in finding the venue we could try first, as well as a sickening attraction to the Steodaughter, which made it hard for my character to reprimand her too often. The dynamic between the Son and the Stepdaughter the was also interesting to watch as well; any little thing the Stepdaughter did would antagonise the Son, perhaps due to his own sickening attraction to her. Additionally the Father and Mother's relationship was also interesting to play out, as he has almost complete control over her in everything they do, the Mother having no real say in whatever was discussed and decided. She would occasionally come out with an outburst (normally regarding the wellbeing of the young children) but would be quickly silenced by the Father again. He only source of defence was from the stepdaughter, who would defend and attempt to reprimand the Father, something that would normally happen due to the Fathers inability to lecture due to their shares past.

I really enjoyed this exercise, as it provided me with crucial character development, as well as a better understanding of the characters I interact with. From his relationship with the Stepdaughter to his dynamic relationship with the Son, there was much to be gleaned from this exercise.

Diary entry 4: The family

It's been a week since they joined me and my son. And about 2 and a half weeks since..... That incident between me and her. My stepdaughter. Why Author why! Why must it be me, that you deem fit to fling this tragedy upon me! Why must my son be so distant from me, my "wife" so beautiful yet too simple to connect with the innermost sections of my soul?! And why... Why did you create this girl, this girl who happens to be my stepdaughter, why did you create her with such an alluring quality, that which no man can escape from. Including myself. 

It was never my intention for events to turn out this way, yet of course that was beyond my control from the start. It was him, our author who decreed it thus. He who created this void in me when my "wife" left me and my son grew cold in his heart. He who made the desire for female flesh, such a necessity for me.. Who led me to Madame Pace and who led me every day to fornicate with these women. I should thank him really. It's a simple transaction; what I want for what they want. And for a while it was satisfactory. Before it became necessity. And once it was necessity it was then that He thought it best to bring her into the shop. My Stepdaughter. I was sickened when I saw her. Sickened by her age compared to mine. Sickened by the fact that she was here, in this room despite the fact she was mourning. But sickened most of all, by my body. By my instinctive attraction to this young girl in a mourning dress. It made it so much more alluring for me. If her mother hadn't arrived at that time I would've..... I can't bare to think of it. But I do. Every night i remember how close we were and my blood begins to burn with the thought that I want to be that close again. This time, however I wish to be closer. 

Her mother arriving at that time saved me and fixed me in that point for all eternity. Because my conscience cannot cope with the way they have been living as of late. In such poverty they have to share a bed between the four of them. Ah yes four. I forgot about her other children; a young boy and girl. Neither of them speak, likely due to the trauma they have experienced at such a young age. The little boy is just like his father, so neek and mild. Although his lack of speech is troubling, it's almost amusing how much it makes him similar to his father. The young girl similarly doesn't speak but had a simplicity not too dissimilar to her mother. My Stepdaughter is entranced with her, always caring and cooing over her, it's incredibly annoying. Yet if I were to confront her for anything at all, she merely goes me a look and I feel that I am transported back to that room with h to and that record player. With the screen barely covering her as he took off he dress. Fixed you see? I cannot escape. And neither can the rest of them from their fate. Our only hope is to seek a new author; one that will perfect our story and not leave us in purgatory for all eternity. I only hope they will come along with me, for if they don't I fear they will keep me trapped in this eternal moment forever.