My first thoughts on this scene were ‘How are we going to learn our lines’ as Sir Toby, Viola, and especially Malvolio had an incredible amount of lines. Though we soon solved this by agreeing to perform the beginning, cut out the middle and explain it briefly to the audience and then perform the ending. That way everyone was happy.
Our group got on well, at the beginning, though there were a few moans, as people wanted to be certain characters. But in the end everyone got to be who they wanted to be and everyone was happy. Though on several of our rehearsals, another member of the group and I got rather frustrated as other group members would not settle down and rehearse and acted stupid. As the time went on and they carried on like this we decided we could not nag them any more and decided we would rehearse and learn our bits and if they didn’t want to work then it would be them who suffered. I think form this I have learnt to not in future work with some of these people. I have also learnt if they will not listen and get on with their work I and others will and they will be the ones whom suffer.
We developed our ideas through problems and their solutions. We decided to cut out the middle and replace it with a brief explanation as the scene was too long and we found the middle rather boring. We also got many ideas how to set our scene and develop our characters by watching the video of ‘Twelfth Night’
At first when I rehearsed my lines I was actually reading my lines with the wrong voice expression. I was expressing with an angry and serious tone. But from watching the video I benefited a lot, as I know what voice
expression to put in and in what context I was speaking. I knew what situation was and how the actor performed it well. From this I created my own role of ‘Olivia’ based upon the video with a few of my own ideas put in.
I now knew how to play my part. At first I act curious and I then later become concerned/happy towards the end of scene. I also learnt from the video when I appear again for a second time I’m acting serious yet happy as I’m expressing my love towards ‘Viola’
The video not only helped me express my character but also gave me a vague idea on the costuming which a member of the group helped me with. Also as I am Olivia, Lady of the house I have learnt but studying ladies of that time and watching the video that their posture was very upright and that their were very well spoken. I learnt how to sit stand and walk like a high class lady, and I loved playing the part as I felt so important and respectful as everyone was below me. If we were to perform it infront of a larger audience or choose it for our GCSE I would really love to try and get a costume for that era as I would absolutely love to wear a big Elizabethan dress as they are so elaborate and spectacular.
We thought the idea of Malvolio clinging on to Olivia's waist really good, which we saw in the video, though as those two characters were played by two girls we decided we would have Malvolio holding Olivia’s hand.
I would wish to later develop this scene a little bit more, putting more movement ion to make it flow.
We have performed the first scene, though it was only a rehearsal not the real performance and I have already started to try and improve where I thought I went wrong. I thought the performance went well though we do need to improve a little. I think we need to improve on our movement and make it more flowing and I believe I need to put just a little bit more voice expression and make my tone different in certain points.
I thought that everyone else enjoyed it though I believe it wasn’t the most gripping performance as its very hard to enjoy something that a majority of the audience do not understand word to word. Though by our gestures and voice expression they get the gist of the story line and I believe, from what I heard they enjoyed it.
I really enjoyed my character especially as she was so high up in the hierarchy. She was an elaborate beautiful character, and I enjoyed be so well spoken and innocent! The language was hard to get around though I am a very quick learner and within in no time I had learnt my words, I just seemed to get tongue tied in certain points but I can always improve on that.
We still yet are to perform our second scene but from what we have done already I have thoroughly enjoyed acting my character and wish to adapt it even more.
