Evaluation of my Performance

To start with, I would like to take time out to say well done to everyone who performed yesterday and a special well done to Sarah Niven's group who came through many things to come out well and for things to go well!
The first feedback from other groups was that during the performance each individual was being active in charcater even if they weren't centre of attention and this made it clear that when each person came on stage it clearly showed the change in emotion even though all the males were the same character and same with the females. The Brechterian features used in our performance was also noticed by many of the audience, realising that each character was stereotypically approached and the use of narration throughout the play made it clear to the audience that it was a play that they're watching, not a real life sitcom that they could get emotionally attached to. Also, the feeling throughout the play of it being funny but having that seriousness in it too with the storyline of buying dead babies. The use of juxtaposition is used clearly in this piece which personally I loved.
Last but not least, the energy started on quite a low in my opinion, then it gradually rose and kept getting higher then towards the end with the dancing and everyone singing I felt that it lacked commitment and energy. This mainly being because some people weren't focused on what their objectives was and they were thinking about what others or the audience would think. I know next time I would be able to tell everyone and also I hope everyone can tell me what I can do to do better because I know for a fact I had faults too.

Sarah Goodall's group was really interesting and in my opinion they tackled the Political term the most with all their use of significant people in the world of Politics and how they 'make a difference' and how people can be easily brainwashed by looks or words. They used 'gestus' really well with all of their gestures showing who their character was and what their persosonality was like. And what I saw and what really grabbed my attention was the moody objects instead of miming. The angry table when Mr President was being stupid and much more. Overall, I really enjoyed that performance.

Lastly, Will Rennison's group really did a great job in their performance especially in those cold conditions! The intensity between each side was really clear and I saw differences in power and also bravery in between characters. The fact that they were acting outside showed the feature of Brechterian theatre that anything can happen and when the groups said lines together the lines were much more effective and always stuck in your head.

What I found fascinating in each group was their choice and understanding fully of breaking the fourth wall, Brechterian style having all the cast visible instead of having people coming off stage which I felt was very effective and correct in terms of Brechterian style and work.

Today's rehearsal notes!

Today's lesson consisted of a rehearsal period and also a little run through of our scenes. We located and used some of Brecht's methods and how this would benefit our performance to a style of Brecht's own.
His features we included in our play was the choice of play, the stage directions telling us the what is happening and with what Brecht wanted, making the audience ask questions like 'why are they doing this and what is it for?'. Another was the naming of characters, the political sense of people's voices not being heard and everyone almost being the same. The male being called 'Man' and the woman being 'Woman'. I learnt that by doing this, Brecht wanted to put it out there that if people's views weren't being heard and action wasn't done towards those voices, everyone was basically the same with no personality difference whatsoever.

Furthermore, the singing from the girls and boys in rehearsals was also another feature of Brech's Theatre. The singing, to me, is symbolic to the way commentary was used throughout Brecht's work and how the narrating was a key part in the story telling. I also realised that this was part of the V Effect, alienating the audience from the play, also having things being strange especially with the teenage boys in diapers being babies. This definitely would have the audience questioning why.

The acting while having the whole cast on stage was almost breaking the fourth wall in terms of letting the audience see everything, not things happening behind stage. Another way that we realised would be good to break the fourth wall with the audience was to have taxing tickets and give them to the audience members as they come in, knowing they're taxed for watching the performance as well as just walking into the room. This giving off the view that everything we do and everything in life costs money.

Lastly, the main reason for us to create this piece we have with this play is because we want our voices to be heard not only vocally but physically too. Just like in Brecht's work he wanted his characters to be physically bold as well as vocally bold. This way, the audience can realise and have a true sight of the story and most importantly the meaning.

Response to play 'The Price' by Lena Kitopoulou

Personal response to ‘The Price’ by Lena Kitsopoulou

My personal response to ‘The Price’ is that it’s a very weird play. I feel this mainly because in the main body of the play the action of selling and buying babies in my opinion is just puzzling and wrong.

To continue, the beginning of the play to me was quite steady, it looked like the family had a good and calm life then eventually the life the couple actually lived started to unravel, knowing that they struggle to pay the electricity bills and can hardly afford the woman to get her hair done. Their life living in squalor makes me imagine what it would be like if I was in that position and made me question what would I do. The end of the play was in my opinion quite rushed and confusing with the Man having a little monologue, raging at the checkout girl. However from this piece of characterisation and naming within the play I feel that for myself to have a chance to act as one of them, I could have many interpretations of their living and what gestus’ they give on stage.