Majority of this week consisted in meeting our new teachers and relaying ground rules etc...
We were first asked the question "What should theatre be?" and my response to this was: letting you forget the real world, and this is my aim for this devising project.
We began our devising process with a stalking activity. We were all instructed to walk around the room, avoiding all eye contact. Secondly we were instructed to either avoid or react to eye contact and so on. We were then told to choose a person in the room and subtly watch them and follow them. After this we were told to get closer and closer to them. The sensation of doing this exercise was really bizarre; because half way through the activity we all knew that someone was watching/following us. As we had to get nearer to our stalker the atmosphere in the room heightened and the noise level dropped completely; as though we were all focussing entirely on our 'prey'. The effect of a shadow was formed, as each time I moved I could tell there were others moving, like my shadow. behind me.
This whole activity set me in a weird mood. Some people described it immediately to being obsessive and even competitive in ways; but for me it purely felt unnerving on my behalf and odd to be trying to follow Luke without him sensing/knowing.
We were then told to sit down and write about how it made us feel. This was called an automatic writing task because it was nailing down the feelings, emotions etc of this activity before other thoughts take over. They were only meant to brief, and as we read through each others we had to 'get rid of' different lines and all conjunctives until we were left with three words. My three words had a powerful effect on me because they represented the stalking and my feelings in just three, short words- Uncomfortable, Sensation and People.
From these three words, we had to create a short movement sequence with noises. My first word was simple as I just needed to show that I was closing my body off and I frantically looked around to show this also. Sensation: came as a harder words to portray in movement but I linked it to atmosphere so I waved my hands in a semi-circle around hip height and gently whistled; all to show a tense atmosphere approaching. However, my third word was the hardest as to define 'people' in one simple movement would be near impossible. I settled with flashing my hands in different directions to, for those with a creative mind, represent people appearing all around me.
The writing task was really beneficial for me because although it was brief, I could come out of the lesson and have something that will jog my memory for future projects to spark some ideas. It also allowed me to remember the feelings and emotions I felt there and then; which is key for writing about it in the near future.
To start off our next workshop (the Wednesday of this week) we blew up balloons, tied them around our ankles and the aim was to pop everyone else's and keeps your safe. I have only mentioned this because as soon as we had finished; each and everyone of us were a lot more energetic after written work. So I can see us perhaps using this when we are at a stand-still in our devising process; and not only does it get our minds more active, we have fun!
After the fun warm-up we were put in pairs and told to create a short sequence as dance-like or dramatic as we so wish; to have one person always trying to rest their head on the others shoulder, whilst the other 'rejects' this. I was partnered with Jake and ours turned out to be someone perhaps lonely or depressed who just wanted or maybe even needed someone to 'rest their head on.' And the situation didn't help itself as Jake had to reject this.
The second round of this I was partnered with Frankie and for this one had to try and hug the other, and again it would be rejected. Ours ended in me sat on the floor with my arms crossed tightly around Frankie's legs and her patting my head as a sort of acceptance to me.
This exercise really let some of us express their more dance side and others like me who it just got us thinking more imaginative and focussed on making the movements more subtly than they could be in Drama. My main interest in this activity was watching the other groups because we all had the same 'stimulus' as such but the outcomes were all completely different.
Also this week, we heard our stimulus song for our devising project for the first time: Ode To Billy Joe by Bobbie Gentry. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDHpkYI5_FY (Link for the song on YouTube.) The two images, one of the lyrics and the other my notes. My first impression was that it reminded me of 'Of Mice and Men'. I got this from the western American accent and also from odd lyrics such as "choppin' cotton" and "balin' hay." The lyrics are quite simple so Gentry may have had some influences from the Steinbeck play, linking it with Lennie. A rather simple-in-the-mind, easy going guy who does whatever his carer George does. So perhaps Billy Joe jumped off because someone he knew loved him did too, once? "Third of June" is the date the song is about and Gentry stresses that it was just a normal day; which represents bad news is right around the corner. Although I, and most others, got the impression that the parents of the song weren't affected by this news- mixing the bad with the casual "pass the biscuits please." The parents could also be blaming this news on that 'Billy Joe didn't have a lick of sense' which could be read into them trying to big up their own children, and how they have sense and would never do anything as daft as Billy Joe.
Later on, we are told that Billy Joe and a girl who 'looks like' the daughter in the song are throwing something off the Tallahatchie Bridge. This could range from something dangerous or just a secret between them, or even simply just flowers or pennies (to make a wish.)
The virus that killed "papa" was much more significant as this time it emotionally effected the characters in the song, but the girl (the daughter) who we've identified as very fond of this Billy Joe as the lyrics are reverted back to the subject of Billy Joe and how she throws flowers into 'muddy water'. There are a lot of opposites in the song, and by that I mean how Gentry starts off by saying she throws flowers, in memory of Billy Joe but then she turns it round by adding the more negative "into the muddy water." - This is something I really want to try and create in our piece because it stood out as a key part of the song to me.
My first and brief interpretation of the song is: I really liked it. I liked how clear the story was told and how easy the lyrics were to hear and understand. And I also look forward to creating a piece that was influenced by this song and to see what the other groups create also.
Later on, we are told that Billy Joe and a girl who 'looks like' the daughter in the song are throwing something off the Tallahatchie Bridge. This could range from something dangerous or just a secret between them, or even simply just flowers or pennies (to make a wish.)
The virus that killed "papa" was much more significant as this time it emotionally effected the characters in the song, but the girl (the daughter) who we've identified as very fond of this Billy Joe as the lyrics are reverted back to the subject of Billy Joe and how she throws flowers into 'muddy water'. There are a lot of opposites in the song, and by that I mean how Gentry starts off by saying she throws flowers, in memory of Billy Joe but then she turns it round by adding the more negative "into the muddy water." - This is something I really want to try and create in our piece because it stood out as a key part of the song to me.
My first and brief interpretation of the song is: I really liked it. I liked how clear the story was told and how easy the lyrics were to hear and understand. And I also look forward to creating a piece that was influenced by this song and to see what the other groups create also.
My group members consist of Sophie A, Hannah, Frank, Matt and Nyakeh. And I'm really pleased with my group. I can already identify that we are going to a fair few disagreements with two of the boys and between us all as a group, because we are all very creative and are always coming up with new ideas; but this will be a good lesson for me because I have to learn to balance this as does everyone else. Hannah is imaginative and Sophie often has some really good ideas in which we can all ladder-up etc. The same for Frank; so I do think I have a good group and I feel comfortable with them, and I also know that I will be heard and listened too. As a collective, and a bit of practise I think we will become a really good group and be able to agree and extend on ideas and be adult enough to decline ideas at the same time- as that is also important. We shall see...
Our first few ideas as a group would be to focus on characters struggling with their sexuality; similar to the Physical Theatre group DV8 who's common theme in performances is society, and acceptance of peoples sexual orientation (DV8-To Be Straight With You.)
After a bit of research on the song itself, I found a great source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ode_to_Billie_Joe. As I earlier pointed out the contrasting between casual and death has also been mentioned on this webpage. Gentry, in a past interview, had been asked many times "what was Billy Joe throwing off the bridge with his (now confirmed) girlfriend?" And of course leaving us to our suspense she kept it a secrect but listed a few to which set the people of the 70's imagination wild: a letter, pills, aborted baby, wedding ring. She also leaves us with the knowledge that whatever it was, it was motivation for Billy Joe to jump...The source has really helped me understand Gentry's intentions with the song; which means that I can now understand the lyrics more which leads me onto be able to change it up more and edge away from the real storyline.
Our first few ideas as a group would be to focus on characters struggling with their sexuality; similar to the Physical Theatre group DV8 who's common theme in performances is society, and acceptance of peoples sexual orientation (DV8-To Be Straight With You.)
After a bit of research on the song itself, I found a great source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ode_to_Billie_Joe. As I earlier pointed out the contrasting between casual and death has also been mentioned on this webpage. Gentry, in a past interview, had been asked many times "what was Billy Joe throwing off the bridge with his (now confirmed) girlfriend?" And of course leaving us to our suspense she kept it a secrect but listed a few to which set the people of the 70's imagination wild: a letter, pills, aborted baby, wedding ring. She also leaves us with the knowledge that whatever it was, it was motivation for Billy Joe to jump...The source has really helped me understand Gentry's intentions with the song; which means that I can now understand the lyrics more which leads me onto be able to change it up more and edge away from the real storyline.
No comments:
Post a Comment