Another explorative strategy used was thoughts aloud. After we had blocked some scenes, we would pick a scene where motions were running high and perform it. Someone who wasn’t in the scene would say, “stop,” when they thought the scene climaxed. The characters then took it in turns to speak their thoughts aloud. This allowed us to deepen our understanding of both our characters, the text, and how our characters fitted into the text. We learned our characters feeling from their thoughts, we learned the meaning of the text by combining everyone thoughts aloud and analysing everyone mood. By doing this we could see patterns as to who was happy, and who wasn’t and why. E.g. if the majority of the poor children in the play were unhappy in their thoughts aloud due t feeling let down by the authorities (i.e. not offering enough services in their community) then we can earn that the play may have political roots, and that the message is that many poor people aren’t cared about and the children of less well off areas are left to rot. Combining people’s thoughts aloud and comparing them, linking them and analysing them can glean many other things. We could also learn the role of our character. For example, my character’s thoughts aloud was something along the lines of: “These children need discipline, look at them they haven’t even been out of the boundaries of their city.” This shows where my character stands in the sub-text message of the play. It shows that he does not understand their predicament, and feels that the children are totally at fault for their circumstances.
Evaluative Phase
I feel that I have learnt a lot from this unit, especially in relation converting a message, or an emotion into a piece of theatre. I feel that I will be able to take the new skills I have acquired and use them effectively in the future.
The most important new skill I have learnt is how to plan a piece of theatre. I have learnt that it is essential to have a clear idea of what it is you are trying to communicate to the audience before evening thinking of how to block. Once you recognise this message, then you can start to think of how best to convey this message, so that the audience understands what you aimed for them to understand. If you do not formulate in your mind what you want the audience to feel, how you want them to react, and how you want them to think about other characters prior to blocking, then you run the risk of not knowing exactly what you are aiming for in blocking, and therefore creating an ineffective piece of drama.
I also learnt that when blocking it is important to keep in mind drama media and elements so that your piece of theatre has a lot to offer. It would be wrong however, to include something e.g., a change of voice pace, simply because you feel that you should add a drama medium or element if it is not necessary. I learnt, from watching my group perform a part of the piece that if the drama is too static then it can bore the audience. It is important to use your acting space well so that you are not constantly in the same place. It is also important to vary the pace of the play, and to add climax and anti-climax. If this is not done, then the piece shall become boring, and monotonous, even if the content of the piece is good. Climaxes, anti-climaxes and pace changes, all alter the emotions of the audience, which is probably the most key aspect of communicating to the audience. To cause the audience to feel many emotions, to be excited saddened, shocked and happy will be proof that one has created a good piece of theatre. This unit has helped me understand all of these things.
I feel that my team skills have improved due to working with this unit. I have learnt to compromise wit others where as before studying this unit, I may have been more pressing with my views. I have also learnt how it is best to formulate ideas. I have learnt that it is vital to understand each member of your group’s opinions, and respect and explore their ideas while at the same time ensuring your views are heard. Group brainstorming is also something I have improved upon.
I have learnt how to develop my character by using explorative strategies other than Hot Seating (although I also used this to affect.) I have learnt most using role-playing combined with thoughts aloud. This is because it helps you reacts in role to spontaneous improvisation, which enables you to take on your character in a better way, and helps you cope in a situation where improvisation may be needed.
The main reason I have learnt a lot from this unite, is because of the way it challenges you to respond to a stimulus. It provides a lot of freedom and you can play on the many emotions provided by the stimulus. The fact that the piece is topical too also helped me, as one can convey this controversy by using bias towards your opinion, or by letting the audience make up their own mind.
