Objectives/Obstacles and "I You" activites

Rachel’s objectives and obstacles:

Rachel’s first scene, Act 1 Scene Eight, is the scene which she is phoning the police station, querying about her boyfriend whose just been arrested. John then enters, who has been missing for years, the roller-coaster of emotions of this scene is overwhelming for Rachel which results in slapping John then hugging him.

Rachel’s objectives in the phone call are simply to find out where Amir is. “All I want to know is where he is, and you’re going to find that out for me, now. Yes.” The only way she can find out where he is, is by calling the police station. Her only obstacle during this phone call is the person on the other end of the phone whom from the lines, goes against anything Rachel says/ offers which only makes Rachel more angry.

Then John enters. This throws Rachel completely. The shock of hearing a voice that, she secretly knows is John’s before physically seeing him, changes her emotions into confusion and shock. It then changes to pure hatred towards John because he left them with nothing but the assumption that he has dead. This anger then results in a hug which is given with some force but shows she is pleased to see him. Her objectives in this part of the scene is to show John her emotions because I get the impression that she doesn't particularly like expressing her emotions verbally. Her obstacle is John, who once again throws her life off the rails like he did once before, when he left. The practical outcome of these emotions are the slow motion effect of Rachels thoughts rushing through her head. When John says "Rachel?" Rachel is facing in the opposite direction, a diagonal to the audience. I act this with a confused scowl on my face, eyebrows joint in the center of my forehead. I drop my arms and sweep my hair as though to show that she is calming down. I raise my head and slowly sweep around 90degrees to face John, at the same time as delivering the short and snappy lines. Using long strides I reach John and say my final line then slapping him hard and aggressively. "We thought you were dead?" is delivered stuttered and with pauses, I finish this scene with a tad over-enthusiastic, tight hug fully taking John in as such, I close my eyes to show the relief to have him back after the years he'd disappeared. 

Another scene of Rachel’s is Act Two Scene Eight. In this scene, Rachel comes home from work and Amir is sat watching a video. Her objectives in this scene is to relax from a long day at work. Her obstacle for this is because Amir hasn’t done anything around the house such as “call about the washing machine? Or picked up the shopping?” Which means Rachel will have to do these things.

The practical outcome of this scene is all done with a slight sense of knowing each other well enough to tease one another. Rachel lists the jobs that she knows Amir hasn't done, Bartlett has written this in because it fully represents most couples. The women asking the man to do jobs that we all know he hasn't bothered to do. I deliver these lines by drawing out the syllables and each word as though Rachel is processing the answer before she even asks the question. 

“I                              You.”

In Act Two Scene Eight,

I trap you: Rachel sits down and then puts her feet up on his legs. This way Amir has to answer my questions about doing the work around the house.

I tease you: Rachel responds to John’s question about working hard with “yeah I have” she then teasingly punches Amir because he hasn’t done anything all day. Rachel teases him, showing the audience their close relationship.

I involve you: As John enters, he is taken aback by Rachel having her legs up on Amir. Rachel then involves John in conversation to save him from feeling awkward. This is also I assure you: because Rachel assures him that we still like him and that we don’t want to exclude him.

In Act 1 Scene Five, Police arrest Amir

I defend you: Rachel tries to defend Amir from being arrested by pushing off Police. Her attempt fails and ends with her being kicked.

In Act 1 Scene Fifteen, ‘balancing the plate’ scene

I avoid you: As Rachel starts to talk about how ‘they had a funeral’ for John. Rachel starts to walk around the circle and John catches her up. She avoids him by walking quicker towards Amir.