We were told our performance was going to be held in Stanley Halls, a large space allowing the audience to have their eyes on everything at all times. When rehearsals began in January we read the script and made as much sense of it as possible. To further my understanding of the play I began researching tribe rituals and celebrations. We began forming ideas scene by scene to produce a basis on what we wanted to work from. To allow our ideas to work successfully it was vital this was all noted down.
On the lead up to running through the play we also shared ideas about props, costumes, puppeteers, lighting and actions used by the ensemble. This was useful as we were able to take into consideration and put into action other peoples thoughts.
To gain focus, insight and imagination into the process of forming the play we each carried out our own activities such as character research. Upon my research I was able to find out tribes, rituals and language of the Victorian era. Costume was a large part of my findings as many colours and symbols were used to represent ideas. For example much like today we see black as an evil deathly colour this could be used as a representation of Locaha. Futhermore bright colours and patterns are a representation of groups of people living the same norms and values, this could have been a way to represent people of the Nation.
To focus on the play successfully it was vital our own research happened outside of the rehearsal space. I found this was useful as we could all bring ideas to the table to form a great subversive piece. When reading the play it was good to pick out key themes such as Liberty, justice and science. These three words were written in the performance space which amazingly cooperated with our production.
The play allowed us to explore our youthful imaginations and put this into practice. When deciding how we wanted our production to look our imagination had to explore lighting, props, characteristics, costume and much more. Imagination was vital as without it we wouldn't of been able to convey two diverse worlds coming together and forming a Nation.
To focus on our performance we had to do activities that would further our learning both creatively and intellectually. Activities included vocal exercises to have the same vocal colour as tribes people. Call and responses to chants were interesting as it gave warmth and gesture to parts of the play. In our performance we furthered this activity by chanting 'Bound for south Australia'.
Rehearsals kicked into place and characters were chosen where I was given the character Cahle. Cahle is a young women of the nation who gives birth and relies on the help and support of Daphne throughout the duration of the play. Furthermore the play explores Cahles growing relationship with both her son Twinkle and Daphne. To adapt my character to its best potential it was vital to do strong character research for key moments I am in. This included tribal births, mother and son relationships and solicitors speech. I was able to make relationships with my character and other characters by doing activities such as speaking in languages nobody understood however forming gestures to make sense of our speech. Similarly in the performance gestures were used to convey language and understanding one another.
However due to the intensity of this play our characters weren't the only people to focus on. A large part of the performance involves an strong ensemble. Having little experience on such a dependant ensemble piece it was vital that correct research and rehearsals came into place. I research ensemble acting groups and how their work is performed at such a sophisticated level. Furthermore during rehearsals we had to show confident, competent and sustained focus throughout in order to know what we were doing.
The difficulty of choosing such a long play to do was remembering every thing we had previously learned in rehearsals weeks in advance. So to avoid this from happening I made stage direction sheets where every scene clearly showed the layout of Stanley halls and my specific roles and character choices at that moment. This was clear and easy to follow during moments where I was off stage and needed prompts. This was particularly useful for such a site specific play. To understand each section of the play in detail we broke each rehearsal session up into scheduled parts where we could focus on key moments and piece each part together to form the final piece.
The lead up to the final performance needed sustained hard work which I was able to bring consistently throughout. Right until the very last rehearsals final adjustments were put in place. Despite having learned our characters and the relationship with others it was still vital we lead our own individual practise and preparation. For me, this was noting stage directions and props. Furthermore rehearsing lines with those in my scenes to build confidence and relationships to understanding.
So the day of the final performance arrived, where we met the space and understood exits and entrances. We had a full run through prior to our audience arriving where nobody thought we would be able to pull off this piece. Our full run through took us seven hours to complete, at this point we were all extremely worried. People had missed their queues, forgot their lines, didn't remember how to balance the space and project their voices. However after sustaining full focus we were able to support one another in putting the final pieces together. This included props such as waves, knowing entrances and exits and listening our for queues backstage.
Due to a disappointing run through, during the break the class had come together to practise lines, note where props should be and support one another in clearing up any mistakes in the run through. This allowed our final run through to breeze through.
It was our final technical and dress rehearsal which had finally gone as planned. Prior to our audience coming it was vital to understand where to stand in cooperation with lighting and audience to avoid blocking. The dress rehearsal was important to me as I could practise taking out my baby and giving birth to it unknown to the audience that it wasn't real. We were given a prep talk on final things to happen during the show that we hadn't done so well in the run through. A major part of improvement was energy and sustained focus. It was vital to stay focussed and silent back stage to allow what was happening on stage to be clear and be known to others when to enter for their scenes.
After a full on day of rehearsals our audience arrived sitting on either side of the central hall. Not knowing that there eyes were going to be all across the space. Lights dimmed and curtains were opened. Our performance started with a group of teenagers breaking into the space exploring the atmospherics the space naturally bought to us. Powdered paint was thrown amongst the space to highlight our youth and set the tone of the performance. The colour black was a representation of Locaha. Moreover bright colours represented people of the nation.
As the scenes swiftly went on and the lighting adapted based on the scenarios of the scene everybody acted to their best potentials. The world of the nation had truly come alive. Lines were delivered perfectly, clear and concise throughout. The ensemble work for me was what had made the play live up to a high standard and keep the attention of the audience. From swirling to the floor as dead bodies to chanting merrily whilst cleaning the ship wreck, the ensemble supported each other and bought to life unimaginable things. We controlled performance skills to allow our audience to see a realistic side to our performance.
Cahles opening scene had began where I gave birth to my baby Twinkle. Despite the challenge on maintaining a cow like scream in a squatting position giving birth the scene was made beautiful and grasped the audiences attention. Particularly to maternal figures of the audience.
This sophisticated production relied on full concentration and commitment which I believe every body gave during the performance. It was vital we knew entrances, exits, queues, costume changes and props to keep the play alive. Throughout the ensemble work and diverse scenes focus was to be maintained throughout. I ensured that bold character choices were made and my lines were delivered clearly to ease the struggle of understanding some scenes (as some were).
Following the interval the same level of focus and acting pulled through again. A beautiful ending was established and the audiences hearts were warmed from within. I believe the performance on a whole worked entirely well and credit should be taken by those who researched, refined and performed consistently throughout much like myself. Although this adaptation wasn't a clear nor an easy one to follow, the members of Nation had made this a deeply mesmerising performance.
Our heart warming exit approached as the audience yelled with enthusiasm, never the less forgetting the standing ovation we received. Such a beautiful end to a highly sophisticated, hard working, full on journey. Well done to every last one of the actors of Nation. As a unison our audience were shocked at just how well a bunch of teenagers breaking into a hall in South Norwood could really do!
I learned that I can take risks with my acting and be confident on being loud and enthusiastic. I learned that it is vital to work well with one another to produce an unforgettable piece that relied so much on the relationship with others. Furthermore pushing our limitations with physical theatre, being more flexible and vocal with everything we did contributes to an atmospheric piece.
My confident, competent, focussed insight to the project allowed my character and ensemble work to be of a sophisticated sustained level. Rehearsals had ensured the work was put in where it was needed and our own lead learning was contributed and shared with others. For the future I have learned to sustain faith in the performance and have the knowing that it will go to plan in the end. Having the audiences eyes on stage at all times made the energy better and more alive which we should learn to bring to all rehearsals.
Nation has been an unforgettable, learning success. Despite having to take a strepsil after screaming giving birth to my child. I would long to do it all over again.
Nation.
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