28 November. I completed a peer assessment on Becka for her character in Stanislavski:

What I find interesting about her physical performance: I think Becka's dancing in the scene really sets the mood. Her posture and walk and is really suitable for the situation.

How she could experiment more with her movement: She could interact more with the other dancers. She could use more gestures to show her agression towards Jason She could also use more facial expressions to show if she is scared/angry/annoyed of Jason.

What was good: She made great eye contact when she was talking to Conner, this showed her feelings towards him and told the audience what was coming. She widened her use of space and walked around the stage, this made the space feel larger - more like a club. Her pace and rythm was smooth, it seemed like this is what she did regurally.

How she could improve: She could have walked up and down the stairs to show that there are more unseen things going on in this scene.

What I find interesting about her vocal performance: When she is trying to speek English, I like how she uses defferent tones and pitch to show that it is not a language she knows. I like how she slows her pace down when she is trying to talk English, becasue that also shows that it is not her native language.

How she could experiment more with her voice: When she is shouting to Jason, she could emphisese words so the audience can get a better feel for what she is saying (because she talks in Rwandan).

What was good: Her shouting back at Jason was really good - she matched his volume and brought out the aggression in her voice. The souting was a good contrast to the seductive tone she had moments before. Her diction is very good and I could understand her clearly.

Is it an appropriate portrayal of the characters voice: Yes, it was obvious who she was, and the way she spoke to Conner is realistic to how it would most likely happen.

28 November. I have reviewed and assessed my performance as the Market Woman and the Tutsi waiter.

What I find interesting about my physical performance: My physicality for the market woman is good - I lean over, stretching out my arms and lifting my head, it fits the character. As the waiter, My posture makes me look like a professional waitress.

How I could experiment with my movement: I could make larger gestures with my hands as the market woman to show my desperation.

What was good: As the market woman I liked my facial expressions as they showed my emotions - it was quite clear that I couldn't understand the language, and it showed my objective. I kept my head down as the waiter to show that I was of lower class.

How I could improve: I could project my voice as the waiter more, and play on the subtext, becasue it has quite a strong meaning. When I come on stage again as the waiter, I could stand further forward to get the audience attention, and also to draw them in even more.

Is it an appropriate portrayal of the character: I think as the waiter I showed that I knew my place in society - that I was lower/working class. I think I portrayed the Market Woman correctly: I showed that I couldn't understand the language through facial expressions, and showed that I was trying to relate to Linda through saying "London" in an overly friendly way, I also showed that I was trying to get around the language barrier through gesturing the cabbage towards Linda. I think the market woman sounds older, it is suitable to her age. She also sounded quite uneducated, which gives the audience an idea of her background and therefore her current living situation.

Do I believe in my performance: I believe in my Market Womans performance because I showed how desperate I was to sell the cabbage, and at the end I truely looked upset that Linda didn't buy it. I could also tell that I was worrying about something.

What I found interesting about my vocal performance: As the waiter my french sounded fluent and make it appear that it was my native language. My diction was clear as the market woman even though I was putting on an accent when I said "London". When I spoke Rwandan I still made it clear.

How they could experiment with their voice: I could start out just saying the word "London" normally, then as the scene went on and I realise that she isn't going to buy my cabbage, and as I realise the market man is distracting her, I could grow louder and more persistant.

What was good: As a waiter I spoke my line in a manner which is conversational, but I still know who I am and that I am working/lower class.

I completed a peer assessment on Claire Mullen, who plays The Doctor, in the Doctor Scene, I looked and her physical and vocal performance, how it suited her character, and how she could improve her performance:

  What I find interesting about her physical performance: I liked very much how she uses a clip board and laptop, it makes her posture rise, and look more professional. The movement of the walk to the door, just looks like someone who is trying to get someone out, which gets the audience asking why?

  How she could experiment more with her movement: By making sure her posture is always straight up, until maybe when Jack mentions Joseph, then we could see the slight change, and then straight back, so we know that she is hiding something

  What was good: I really liked her facial expressions when Jack mentions Joseph, you can see on her face that she knows the name Joseph Gasana, and that she then lies and says she doesn’t. This makes the audience wonder why.

  How she could improve: At points she loses her accent, I think to maintain it, she needs to be in character before she goes on stage, so that the minute the lights are up she’s already in character.

What I find interesting about her vocal performance: When She had her accent there, it was very good. It seems as if she did a lot of research on how to find the accent. I also liked that almost 100% of the time her projection was very good, there was just moments, when she became a bit quiet.

  How she could experiment more with her voice: Get her diction correct for each word and with that, the projection should come naturally.

  What was good: I liked when she spoke about the hotel Jack was staying at, because it sounded as if she had great concern for him and wanted him to be safe.

Is it an appropriate portrayal of the Doctor’s voice: Yes. Once the accent is maintain, and the projection clearer, it will be perfect

I completed a peer assessment on Holly Lomas, who plays The Market Woman, in the Market scene, I looked and her physical and vocal performance, how it suited her character, and how she could improve her performance:

  What I find interesting about her physical performance: Her physical Performance was very good. I liked that even though throughout the scene she is called a ‘filthy tutsi whore’ she is always smiling. Like she’s living each day as it comes. Her posture was very good. She bent her back a little, making us question whether she was an old market woman.

  How she could experiment more with her movement: She still has to work with the basket she will use in the performance so I think once she’s done this, she will have more opportunities to fit her posture around the basket. I think that will look good.

  What was good: I really liked that when she walked, it was more of a scurry than a march. Her feet sort of dragged on the floor making us wonder again how old she was what has happened in her lifetime.

  How she could improve: Maybe she and the other market woman could have this evil look towards the end once Linda runs off.

What I find interesting about her vocal performance: Well first and for most her projection was very good, she did not need to shout to be heard. I also like the way she repeats “London” because I doesn’t sound like a constant drone, but it sounds like she gets more and more excited everytime!

  How she could experiment more with her voice: Maybe just using a variation of pitches to put across her excitement even more.

  What was good: The movement of the cabbage every time she says “London”, I like it because it’s almost as if she’s named Linda London, and she’s saying “London? Cabbage?” it’s very effective and again her projection was perfect.

  Is it an appropriate portrayal of the Market Woman’s voice: Yes! We first see the market woman scurrying on stage with a smile on her face so you automatically think that her voice is going to be really happy.

 28th November 2012

In the Party Scene, I play Buisson.

Characterisation – As Buisson is a very well educated high class woman, I need to make sure my posture is stood up straight and that my nose is up, looking down on people. Doing research and observing rich Politicians I think will pay off. They usually speak with a very posh dialect and they are always held up straight. I have decided on a Black and white cocktail dress, I thought wearing this, would make me look posh, so therefore It would be easier to then find my character.

Vocal Skills

What was interesting: I have to speak with an accent which is funny. I have watched a few videos on the French accent and I think that mine is not completely there yet, but it is getting better each week.

How I could experiment more: Using the drunken idea, maybe I could have acted as if I was drunk, then when it came to ask the questions, be drunk but pretend not to be and ask them. This could ass humor to it.

What was good: I think I got across the boredom of my character through the lines of speech, for example on my line, “and this book you are writing, it is about these sort of people” I make sure I do not go up on the end, because it makes me sound like I am interested.  

How I could improve: Maybe I could pull faces after Linda has offended me to show that I’m really no longer interested.

Movement

What was interesting: I practiced walking around the party scene today and it is not more powerful than if I just stand still. Jack being the only one that’s walking around makes it a lot more intriguingas to why nobody else is.

How I could experiment more: I could make more interactions with Leah, the Rwandan Politician and Kelly, Mizinga.

What was good: I liked that I played around with my glass on ‘wine’ to show I was rather bored, this could also show the kind of state she’s in.

How I could improve: I can improve by interacting with the Rwandan Politician more. Make sure my feet are stuck to the ground and I don’t sway. And remember to make my gestures quite sloppy.

Overall

I think there are some improvements I can make to this character, such as making sure I stand still, that I don’t forget to interact with the Rwandan Politician and that I should have more drinks than everyone.

4th December 2012

In the Party Scene, I play Buisson.

Characterisation – As Buisson is a very well educated high class woman, I need to make sure my posture is stood up straight and that my nose is up, looking down on people. Doing research and observing rich Politicians I think will pay off. They usually speak with a very posh dialect and they are always held up straight. I have decided on a Black and white cocktail dress, I thought wearing this, would make me look posh, so therefore It would be easier to then find my character.

Vocal Skills

What was interesting: I had to speak with an accent which was fun, it was different to everyone else’s because I am French but , I think it sound quite posh when I speak in the accent which shows that I’m higher clas.

How I could experiment more: I could have said my times with different attitudes. For me one was bored and then offended, but I could have altered my ton of voice, my volume of my voice or the way I say the line.

What was good: I think I played the bored Politician well. I made sure I looked around the room a lot, and that I didn’t sway. I was strong confident person, with my feet fixed onto the ground. I also think my Projection was well because I didn’t have to shout to be heard.

How I could improve: I Think I need to gain a bit more confidence because throughout  I was wondering whether the audience would know I was playing a bored character or would have just thought I was in the scene bored.

Movement

What was interesting: I didn’t really walk around the room in the party scene, but I don’t think I needed to. As I said before, I thought that my Posture was good. The were times when Jack is talking that I look forward and pull faces like I’m mocking him. This is to show that I’m bored and I might’ve had a bit too much to drink.

How I could experiment more: I could make more interactions with Leah, the Rwandan Politician and Kelly, Mizinga.

What was good: I think that my gestures when speaking to Jack and Linda made up for not moving around the space. My hands were quite floppy, to make it look like I was a little drunk, and also disinterested. I played around with my glass on ‘wine’ to show my fidgeting state.

How I could improve: I can in prove by making more eye contact with the Rwandan Politician. This will make it show that I am on his side, and I have a reason to be in that scene.

Overall

13) Emotion Memory.

When I am Jean-Claude Buisson, For the beginning I am going to think back to a memory when I felt very bored, because that is how She is in the beginning of the scene. Then I will think of a time that I was very offended, so that when Linda interrupts me I become very offended. For someone lower in class that I am, I would not be happy about this.