Drama Log.

Lilleth Booth

Drama Log

Tuesday, 24th September ‘02

On this day we decided who would go in a group with whom. We then chose our favourite scene, Act II scene V, the box hedge scene when Malvolio discovers the letter. After we had decided on this scene we decided that the whole scene was too long for four so we cut it down, starting at Line 21 when Malvolio enters and finishing when Malvolio opens the letter from Maria. The casting was decided upon; Vicky was to play Malvolio as we agreed that she was the best actress among us and was the main character in this scene and probably the hardest character to play too; Katy played Sir Andrew as he was her first choice; Cate was to play Fabian as she thought he had the smallest part and she does not enjoy acting; and I was to play Sir Toby as nobody else wanted too and I did not mind! When we had given out the parts we read through the scene a few times. Apart from this we did not really discuss anything more to do with how we might act the scene or anything of this nature however we may have discussed how we might speak our parts.

Wednesday, 25th September ‘02

Today we rehearsed our scene – on the stage as it were. We rehearsed in the upstairs area of the centenary building, i.e. outside the dance studio on the landing. This may not have been the most ideal and suitable place as there were two groups downstairs in the two lobby/foyer areas and so it was quite loud and so was often quite hard to hear each other’s lines and concentrate on what we were doing. We made decisions about who stood where, and we also changed around two parts. I switched roles with Katy to play Sir Andrew as we found that I wasn’t suitable for the part of Sir Toby because I didn’t get annoyed enough with Malvolio and I also could not put on a suitable voice to play Sir Toby either, also Katy was willing to play Sir Toby instead as she enjoyed acting his character. I would say that Vicky probably was our director in the scene as she had the most ideas and suggestions about how we may act the scene and stage it but we all had our own suggests and input to make to how the whole scene might run.

For Prep

For prep, I shall probably have a read through with my group to improve our scene and I shall also read through my part myself. I will also come up to date with my Drama Log for prep.

Friday, 27th September ‘02

This is a preview of the whole essay

For Prep

For prep, I shall probably have a read through with my group to improve our scene and I shall also read through my part myself. I will also come up to date with my Drama Log for prep.

Friday, 27th September ‘02

Today we performed our scenes. At the beginning of the lesson we agreed upon where we would perform our scenes, our group decided to perform in the lobby area outside the chapel using the bar (-where the hymn books are kept) as our box hedge, the group performing the scene in which Olivia takes Sebastian away to marry him also used the area around the bar, the group doing the drunken scene with Sir Andrew and Sir Toby used the foyer in the entrance to the new building as their stage, and the other two groups doing the introduction of Viola and the scene where we are informed of or shown Viola’s love for Orsino performed outside the English classroom.

Our group practised twice on the landing outside the drama studio and then we practised a third time where would be performing – using the bar. After we had all practised our scenes we met where the first group would be performing at a set time, on the steps outside the English classroom between there and the dining hall. This was the earliest scene in the play – out of the scenes, which the groups had chosen to perform. This group was Belle and Jenny. They performed Act I Scene ii, the scene in which we are introduced to Viola and are also told of her twin brother who she thinks is lost at sea and assumes is dead. Viola is told about the island of Illyria by the Captain and therefore resolves to dress as a boy and offer her services to Orsino, a rich noble of the island. Jenny played Viola and Belle played the Captain. The way in which the two of them performed the scene was light and very amusing and I thought it was done really well.

I also really liked the way that Jenny and Belle used the levels of the steps and the slope next to the slope in the height as this scene is set on a ship.

Next to perform their scene were Virginia and Sarah, they performed an extract from Act I Scene iv, the scene in which we are shown Viola’s hidden passion for Orsino and Orsino’s self involved love for Olivia. This scene is really a very sad scene as Viola portrays her love for Orsino in the way that she gazes at him longingly and yet Orsino is so unaware of any such admiration and chatters on about his love for Olivia and how he would like Viola to woe Olivia on his behalf. Virginia and Sarah both played this scene really well I thought because of the way that Virginia gazed at Sarah in a love sick manner and then managed to automatically snap out of it to answer or respond to something that Sarah said, I also thought that Sarah was really good because she managed to completely appear unaware of the way that Virginia was looking at her. This scene was performed directly outside the English classrooms with two chairs, which they used a couple of times to sit on but mostly they wandered back and forth in front of the audience aimlessly.

After this sad, “lovey – dovey” scene the drunken knight scene was performed which made a funny contrast to the scene previous to it. This is the scene which Maria plots revenge against Malvolio after he threatens to report her to his mistress i.e. she plans to write the letter which is discovered in the box hedge scene. The casting of this scene was: Hetta as Malvolio, Emma (B.) as Maria, Charlie as Sir Andrew and Georgie as Sir Toby. This was a really funny scene which was played in the entrance to the Centenary building. Charlie and Georgie performed well acting drunk! Emma was really good as well in the way that she fussed over the two knights and yet she still scolded them like bad children, Hetta also played her role well as a strict, boring Malvolio.

Next came our scene! I was quite nervous before the scene began as I imagine most people were but as soon as we started the scene it was fine. Which went well except that at the one point I peeked around the pillar it was my line and so I was late coming into my line, but luckily I don’t think that many people noticed, we could have used the “box hedge” better by popping up when we read our lines and popping up more often from behind the bar. Vicky played really well as Malvolio as she appeared to not hear us say our lines at all in her acting and looked really wistful for Olivia too. I also thought that Katy was funny as Sir Toby as she portrayed his annoyance at Malvolio well.

After our scene Emma (W.), Beth, Issie, Sophie and Rose performed their scene. They did the scene where Olivia drags Sebastian off to marry her and intervenes, as Toby is about to strike out at him. Rose played Sebastian and I think that she pulled off his confusion and how stunned Sebastian would have been really well too. Sophie played Olivia, Issie – Sir Andrew, Emma (W.) – Feste and Beth played Sir Toby.

After each scene was performed we said what we thought of how each group and acted it and interpreted it and after we had all performed our scenes we went back to the classroom and spoke about what we thought of each scene and what we enjoyed about each of them etc and suggested ways that we could have made them better.