Unit 68 Theatre Directing/Unit 44 Outreach Drama

16 November 2014

DETERMINATION
Newspaper Project

Credited: Goggle Images

I enjoyed working on the newspaper project this week because, I felt that the pressure of
having to show it on Thursday helped us as directors to push the work forward and get
things done. As directors we assigned ourselves roles for example, Sam wanted to write
the script and Alex and I wanted to work on the choreography and physicality of the
piece. After reevaluating certain transitions and scenes that we had previously created,
we realised that we had great dialogue but we were lacking physicality. Therefore, Alex
and I created a stage combat scene with 4 actors. The hardest part about this
choreography was teaching the actors how to make it look realistic. To begin with I
explained all the safety rule and then I began by showing and teaching them the basics
like sight lines, naps and reactions. These are the 3 key elements that I showed them but
due to lack of time and space in rehearsals this week it was actually more dicult than I
anticipated. It wasn't as crisp as I would have liked it to have been but it is supposed to
be messy and scrappy. Therefore, I believe we made a good attempt but it is defiantly
something that we need to work on next week. The turn down for what scene was the
more fun and energetic scene. As directors we also incorporated a slow mode dance for
more of a comic feel. However, we switch it up by turned it into a maze which really
creates an environment contrast and a feel of panic. This is a chase between the bullies
Amber-Lily Foxon

Unit 68 Theatre Directing/Unit 44 Outreach Drama

16 November 2014

and the victim. The maze is supposed to create physical tension. I wanted to create an
emotional traumatic experience that isolated this one person, in order to show people
how horrible it must feel to be dierent and to be excluded from everyone else. Once we
finally got the whole piece together as a director, I ran it through and then gave directors
notes. For instances, in the Angels and Demons scene we have on the right side a
good conscious and on the left a bad conscious standing over Sam (Natalie) the victim.
This is to represent the little voices that we all have in our heads, that sometimes try to
help us or in other cases steer you down the wrong path.

The piece we have created is about sexual discrimination and it is all about making
people view things dierently. We want people to be expressing their true feelings, rather
than hiding who they are and telling lies because they feel as though they have to. The
idea came from the pressures of society in terms of what you should be and what you
shouldn't be. But surely isn't that a choice that we should be making ourselves, not
society? This is indirect question that I hope the piece provokes to the audience
because I want people to be more aware of these issues.

Credited: Goggle Images

I feel this weeks monologue workshop with Innes has helped me build confidence and it
has helped me understand more about what you can do with monologues. I liked how
we worked in small groups and took a slow approach into doing it. I personally feel like
Im still not ready to perform a monologue. I don't feel comfortable or confident and that
is one of my biggest weaknesses. Throughout, these next few weeks I really want to
focus and work on a my monologues. The problem is I don't actually know what Im
looking for in a monologue. I know that I should be interested in it and that I should feel
like I can relate to it in some way but Im finding it dicult. The approach Innes used by
starting slow and just getting us to read the speech out loud was a big step for me. We
then gradually built up the characteristics of this character. Doing this allowed me to
focus on small details and think about what it is Im doing physically as well as vocally.

Amber-Lily Foxon

Unit 68 Theatre Directing/Unit 44 Outreach Drama

16 November 2014

I think being thrown into the dept end can sometimes have a positive eect but not in
this case. I know that it isnt something that is going to happen over night. I really need
to work on this because have a good monologue for auditions is such a vital part of an
actors career.

As a company we were set a task to create a scene of a live TV talk show, based on 2
special guests the 'Sidney theatre company' and the 'Attic theatre company'. The aim of
the scene was to get to know each other and create a sense of rivalry between each
company. We created two groups, half of us would play the 'Sidney theatre company'
and the other half would be the 'Attic theatre company'. We also had hosts which were
Lewis and charlie. Their role was to lead the show, ask us questions based on facts
about each company but they also had to create tension between the groups. I was
apart of The Attic theatre company with Julia, Daniella and Levi. I really enjoyed working
with them and they were easy to communicate ideas with. We didn't have time for
disagreements so we all just went with each others ideas. Most of what we did was
improvised and didn't always have a relevance but somehow it worked and it was really
fun. I liked doing the research together as a group because it was quicker but also I
noticed that every one of us picked up on dierent things. The research task as a group
help me understand and discover new ways in how to approach research. Doing
research can be really interesting and helpful but I find it hard to absorb. However, by
creating this short performance which is a dierent approach to the work, made me
enjoy it so much more which meant I took more information in. I had fun making
mistakes and creating something physical because I feel like I actually learnt something
new. This is some of the research that we used in our performance. I learnt that the 'Attic
theatre company' was formed in London in 1994. This company has been very success
it even won a stage award. This was a quote that I found and that we decided to use in
our performance to describe what it was that we do.

'Attic engages people in the arts by commissioning and producing theatre that
challenges and excites Audiences, and empowers the communities we work with in
Merton, across London and on tour.'This helped me understand Attic as a theatre
company. The quiz had to involve 3 parts:

Interview Questions:

What is an outreach company?

What is community theatre ?

Amber-Lily Foxon

Unit 68 Theatre Directing/Unit 44 Outreach Drama

16 November 2014

Is there links between the two?

How does it eect people?

Do we do workshops with the local theatre company?

Note - Based everything on facts and don't make thing up

The Game Show with buzzers:

Name 3 things that you might gain in taking part in outreach ?

- Networking

- Connecting with new people

- Gain confidence and understanding of the arts

- Divise and create work

- Better understanding of a specific company

- Create a social impact

As a theatre company name 3 reasons for leading a workshop?

- To empower the people we work with

- Learning from each other and solving problems together as a team

- Create theatre

Name 3 groups of people that might participate?

- Children

- Actors

- The community

- Disable people

- Older people

- Refugees

- Asylum seeks

Games
King Chairs: This game is about working
as a company against the middle person.
Spare Chair: This game is about figuring
out that it's the furthest persons job to
move and sit on the spare chair. It is also
important to stay calm and work as a
company.
Sardines: Hide and seek small places.
Guessing Voices: Close your eyes and
guess whos voice it is, in the opposite
team.

Amber-Lily Foxon

Unit 68 Theatre Directing/Unit 44 Outreach Drama

16 November 2014

My strengths this week:

- In Innes workshop I picking a monologue that I didn't know and experimenting with it.

- Stepping up and having more of an input into the piece for the Newspaper Project

- Getting organised and making sure I was up to date with all my work

My weaknesses this week:

- My punctuality

- I started to feel overtimed with all the work. I need to priorities my time better in order
to stay on top of everything.

- I have no confidence when doing monologues

The companys strengths:

- Working together as a company when playing spare chair

- Given each others groups good feedback in the Newspaper Project process

- Believing and being supportive in each others decisions when directing

The companys weaknesses:

- The negative

- The energy

- The lack of commitment sometimes

These are all things that we need to work on individual but also together as a company
in order to progress and move forward.

Amber-Lily Foxon