DNA - Staging and a strange run through of scene 1 complete

We began by observing our performance space and deciding on where to move the scenes and audience throughout the play. We ran through the scenes we set last lesson to show Mr Webb and he was happy with our staging. However only one aspect was altered. The part where Richard, Cathy and Brian enter has changed to a different place so they have a longer walk to the scene so the audience can acknowledge they are there.

After we discussed further staging, we read through scene 1 but all of us were spread around the field to work on our projection. Whilst we were running through the scenes before hand, we were told our projection was poor and we desperately needed to work on it because outside, the sound is taken very easily. When we read through it on the field, it was very comical but at the same time it was very beneficial. We were able to explore levels and volumes and somehow we were able explore our tones within ourselves and specific tones we have with other characters. For example, when i say "Shut up, Cathy." Mr Webb said that we done that bit very well and it resembled the relationship Danny and Cathy have so much better this particular time, though he didn't specify what it was that was different.

We were reminded of how each actor works well with their counter part and how they wouldn't work with other combinations of people. For example Mark and Jan, as mentioned before the chemistry between them is great, but Mark and Jan wouldn't have worked for Will and Chloe, or Tyler and Taylor.

Whilst rehearsing this scene, I took it upon myself to consider my character's objective in this particular scene and I then applied this to my performance. I think Danny is just trying to find a way to cope with this overwhelming stress and anxiety that has suddenly come upon him, and he is struggling to deal with it and thus driving him a little bit crazy and extremely worried. He is, in his head, frantically trying to find a way around the situation that would not put his future dental career in jeopardy. The application of this objective in my performance really helped to get further in to my character, and I was then able to apply method acting and think back to a time when I had this or a similar objective. This really helped my performance become more realistic, and it fitted into the naturalistic piece very well. For further lessons, I will consider my character's objectives for each scene and undergo the same process and apply method acting to make my performance more realistic.