Road: Evaluation

‘Road’ ~ By Jim Cartwright:

My interpretation of the text began when we were first introduced to Road, was as the character Valerie [see Blog Post 1] however, a  more relevant approach to my text interpretations would come under the character I played, Louise. Beginning with her first scene, I knew immediately that this brother and sister relationship was odd-he is extremely intimidating towards her, but not just in a ‘brotherly way’.  Reading into this: their parents clearly don’t care to much for their children, ‘where’s mum and dad?’, which lead me to thinking that their father used to abuse ‘brother’. I say this with the knowledge that our childhoods hugely effect who we are now; which can often mean, if someone is aggressive, intimidating and abusive it is often, all down to their childhood. I knew that to master this scene, I had to use my reactioning as well as Jake having to create a really intimidating character. This purely came with practise and feed-back . My second feature in Road, as Louise; is an entrance in Brenda and Carol’s scene. Stupidly enough, my first text interpretations of- ‘my shoulder pads slipped’- was that this was her actual shoulder pad- hear me out! This was a means for her to cover up her entering in a rush, she is a quiet character so any excuse she could use to distract people from her real emotions she would use an petty excuse. After researching more I gathered that this was in relevance to an ‘outfit shoulder pad’. My final scene had a lot of subtle text interpretations I could take from Louise; such as ‘Carol you’re terrible’ which highlights that Louise likes these boys, and is apprehensive that Carol is going to ruin it for her. This also proves that Louise isn't this quiet, tag-along character I had first put name to her.

My engagement during college rehearsals, I think was of a good level. I made the consistent effort to be active especially during the sessions in which I wasn't needed practically. By doing this, I was both helping myself as an actor, as well as helping others. My personal management, I also believe was of a good level, I had my lines learnt early on and I also had a good understanding of Louise from an early stage which helped me with my research as well as keeping on top of my on-line blogging process- which all links into my time management. This project has proven to me, more so, that I work well in a group and so it was nice to be in a group who made it easy for me to put in my ideas and interpretations, due to us all getting on well. With that said, I think we all responded well to our feedback. Personally, I know that I went away and worked on looking back through my feedback and practising these changes at home to bring into proper practise the following college day. And all this definitely resulted in a positive effect both in rehearsals and in the performances themselves.

I fully believe my development through the means of Louise has come a long way this first starting this project. The feedback given to me has been a really, really big part of this as well as the feedback I gave to other characters. I did a lot of experimenting as Louise, starting her off as a quiet character, with no real backstory and just a simple tag-along to Carol. She then turned out to be the opposite of a ‘tag-along’ thanks to a bit of experimentation especially when trying to boost up my performance of the monologue in which I really wanted to make punchy to prove her ‘unseen side.’ The accent was one of the two largest experimentations done, it took me a lot of work/practise to master the accent which included ‘experimenting’ in our rehearsal sessions despite the fact it was still weak in those early days. The second would be the costume designs, which [see Blog 7 onwards] originally became something very much in my comfort zone, and ended up the complete opposite. Risks were taken through the means of slight improvisation which featured through improvised text, reactions and dancing; especially the dancing which was something I found difficult. So was the development of Louise as I knew I didn’t want her to be like me. My interpretations have really developed from those early days in which I was beginning to regret choosing her as a character in fear she was too much like me-quiet, and as a character, probably quite uninteresting. She was the total opposite, she had so many hidden meanings which proved really interesting to uncover as we I developed, such as her ‘difficult’ parents and upbringing.

The two performances were a success, with the evening being even more so than the matinee; personally. I felt I delivered with a lot more energy than the matinee. I felt my consistency of Louise was strong, and this included my accent (however I did lose it once, ‘she’s gone off because she likes you really’) physically I was definitely not myself; I was Louise with my reactions and interactions ensuring even if accidents happened i.e. me and Lewis spilling a drink, I stayed in character ~ This commitment lead me to constantly thinking of ‘how would Louise react’. Especially backstage in which I kept my energy up with pacing in the wings. With past experiences I understand the audience’s position, so my audience engagement meant I knew how to get them to react, for example making my acting as realistic as possibly to make it relatable i.e. the kiss.  I felt confident with Louise in the performances, I felt fully dedicated to her and I also felt my work dedicated towards developing her as character paid off.

My strengths definitely lay in the written process, I love doing the blogs incorporating other character interpretations, as well as my own character, opinions and ideas about Road, extra research as well as feedback notes given by myself or given to me. I thrive off of being able to go away and write my own opinions in the comfort of myself as such, it’s a confidence thing. I enjoyed doing the research I did, as well as those I did for other characters as I felt I really knew Road by the end of it. My weakness would be my confidence. I could've really excelled in questioning directing notes in a positive way, in order to really understand our adaptation of the play. And I know I could've given the rehearsals a lot more, such as the first try of the ‘dancing’ scene.

My targets definitely consist of continuation of confidence work. But to also keep up on my organised blogging as well as my well-planned character work which was heavily practised at home as well as in college; which all paid off.  For my next performance, I need to move even further away from my own characterisation- especially as Louise was a lot closer to home than Rachel (from ‘13’, Mike Bartlett) was. A female version of Bisto… One day!

Character Study: Road, Louise

(A lot of character interpretations of Louise and others, done by me feature in other blog posts also)

Louise
My character Louise, was born in Lancaster on 24th August 1967. Which makes Louise the age of 20, in the play. Louise is a quiet character, she is happy in her own company but not necessarily happy with the life in which she is living. She is surrounded by people, but again, not necessarily people who take care of her, or who like and respect her; 'He puts his hands on her face...smudging make-up and leaving black'. Because of her quietness she has somehow ended up being the tag-along to Carol, a loud and confident but close friend of Louise. But just because she's quiet doesn't mean she doesn't know how to express her thoughts and feelings, dependant on whether she builds up enough confidence to do so. And doesn't she know what she wants in life!! She stores everything up and away from the people in her life, which sort of makes her a wallflower. "You see things. You keep quiet about them. And you understand" ~ Steven Chbosky. Louise knows and observes life as she lives it, but would never dare to speak of the things she see's or secretly knows; she simply understands.

Louise: aesthetically
I originally pictured Louise very differently to what I have now settled with. The left image shows you my first costume idea. It was the more tom-boyish and casual look, which at the time I felt suited her. But honestly it probably suited me more. If it wasn't for the suggestion of me wearing a dress or skirt; I created the costume idea no2, the image on the right. With the two ideas sat next to each other, I automatically see the image on the right as more the 80's/Madonna style that I originally set out to create. So my costume now consists of- my hair being curled and tied up high. It can be messy, with bits hanging down. Large hooped earrings. A light coloured denim jacket (the jacket doesn't have shoulder pads- "me shoulder pads slipped" but instead I just adjust the shoulder facing away from the audience so the tone is set on what I am doing and saying), with a black t shirt underneath. A tartan skirt, with fish net tights. Then heeled black boots which look considerably better than the red converses with this outfit. I've toned down the jewellery and am settling with just the one long silver cross chain, a lacy glove and a few bracelets.

   



















 Most importantly I feel more like Louise in my now chosen costume. I feel very 80's and I know it will hugely help me with my characterisation as Louise. I researched a lot into 80's fashion to ensure I was mastering the look, as such. The 'ra-ra' skirt look was Ra-Ra skirts were inspired by American cheerleaders, and they often came in many different colours with matching tops. They were the all-year-round sort of outfit such as skinny jeans are now, summer they could be worn without tights and just leg warmers etc, with white ankle socks etc. ~ A-Z Of The 80's, Ally Molloy. So I have given Louise a tartan skirt, similar length as the Ra-Ra skirts but without the frill of the tutu like material. I've gone for a non-patterned top half of my outfit with a denim jacket and a big black t-shirt. I am still using all the jewellery that I used for my last costume idea as it still very much looks the 80's part. The lacy/fish net tights, as said in the A-Z book, were a thing whether they were patterned, spotty, lacy, coloured whatever. I don't think the prospect of making your clothes match existed then. Pixie boots and chelsea boots were popular, they were usually suede ankle boots with a cuff at the top- hence my pixie boots look-alikes for Louise. I have made Louise into one of those people, we all know of, whom try hard to fit in with others. This is why it worked that me and Phoebe were wearing fairly similar outfits; which works really well because it is literally Louise copying her outfit in order to fit in. This is how I have perceived Louise as a character; someone whom only floats around Carol one to look cool and two to fit in with the crowd- i.e. the popular crowd that Louise is and has never been a part of. This is where me and Louise are probably quite different, as I am happy to have my own style of fashion, but it suited Louise well, it also highlighted her lack of confidence in herself and around others

Hair and make-up came under the heading of 'power dressing.' Hair was big. It was bat comded and the era of perms with lots of hairspray. Crimping was also very popular. For Louise I will crimp or curl my hair, with it being bat combed and coated in hairspray. This way I can target all the 'in' things that were happening in the 80's. It gave the frizzy look to your hair but at the same time making it look big and alive. Make-up for Louise consists of blue eye-liner, with pink frosted lipstick. She will also be wearing purple eye shadow to incorporate the bright, 80's colour clashing technique which was a very popular look then. I knew I wanted the different colours around the eyes as it made it look 80's; which was the look I was naturally aiming for. I knew I wanted the colour blue for Louise as it is the first colour I picture when talking 80's fashioning. The pink lipstick is really bold and again is something I am incorporating into Louise as a character.

The experimentation of the 80's make up seemed to fit the era perfectly, as well as Louise as again I wanted her to be trying to fit in, so the make-up meant that she was doing this- but because Carol (Phoebe wasn't wearing this style of make-up, it proved that Louise isn't just a tag-along to her, even though she is a bit of sheep to others (such as fashion, trends etc.)

Characterisation
I am not changing Louise hugely; by that I mean I am not changing her walk or posture as I feel that would make her a lot more un-naturalistic and that's not the look I am going for. My walk will be changed a lot because I am in heels, so I won't be walking as Issie. Nor will I be sitting like me, as I will be in a skirt. Her posture I don't think needs to change, however she wouldn't sit up straight with confidence, so making herself look smaller and shorter will suit her better. Being tallmakes her look awkward which coincidentally suits her character.In Jane Horrocks version of Louise, she often has her walking around quickly in her heels making her look really awkward in them. I've tried to take this into my entrance in Brenda and Carol's scene, the more clumsily and rushed I enter; the more comedic it will make this burst in- during quite a tense scene. Horrocks always seems to have her hands in her pockets, which again shows the lack of confidence Louise has. I have also tried to incorporate this into my characterisation of Louise; as I think it well suits her awkwardness as a character. I do this, especially in the entrance of her and Carol in the boys 'flat'. Louise is probably really excited but really nervous at the same time; so it's nice that we enter with linked arms as though supporting one another- not that Carol needs supporting. My other hand, delved deep into 'her' denim jacket. Reading into this body language a bit more, opened up a few more meanings: "According to body language when someone becomes unsatisfied with his self image he will put his hands in his pocket" And to my surprise this fits Louise well, although it isn't directly how I wanted to portray Louise in the opening of the end scene, it suits her characterisation in which I have created for her perfectly. As soon as she feels awkward, her hands will fall into her pockets; so like someone, 'unsatisfied' with their 'self image', which technically is a sign of lack of confidence, Louise feels awkward in the scene. Which is nicely backed up from, http://www.2knowmyself.com/Reading_body_language_hands_in_pocket, and its quote: "if someone always puts their hands in their pockets then this person might be lacking self confidence because he always feels uncomfortable around other people." This came as a nice reassurance to me as it mean't I hadn't branched away from Horrocks characterisation, which would've meant I'd have branched away from Cartwrights original interpretations- seeing as he directed these actors in the tv series. It also proves to me that I am nearing the grading criteria of 'playing a consistent' character, because even the subtlest of actions I do, always link back to my creation of Louise and my characterisation of her.
        Vocally Louise is very different to other characters I have played and I was really excited to dive straight into experimentation with the Northern accent. I knew that I wanted to work hard on it, as I have been closely following the grading criteria given to me that reads " Perform a role, communicating meaning to an audience with consistent focus, showing imagination, flair and commitment to the work". From this I knew that I really wanted to become Louise and I knew the majority of doing this would be due to the accent. In various blog posts I have published, there is evidence of the accent work I experimented with in order to really improve the accent. The few books I loaned out came as really useful to me; one of the books had an audio CD that I made the effort to listen too and make notes on every now and then. The most help was the phone app- it targeted the northern accent in different ways. So there was an audio reading, a piece of text that you could read and record in the accent; there was also the different sounds of the accent listed. A huge ongoing thing for me is voice projection, I naturally have a quiet voice and this never seems to change when it comes to the stage. As the accent work was improving I knew that I needed to be heard; in order for that 'commitment to the work/focus' as Louise would really shine. This entire process of learning an accent has been new to me and my expectations of doing it lived up to the real thing; I really enjoyed going away and teaching myself even more to really master it and looking back on it now, I can really see how far I've come with it.

Other characterisations of the role
Nearing the start of the assignment I linked Louise with Charlie from The Perks Of Being  A Wallflower, understanding that he is a male character, and Louise a female, I went on... he is a quiet character and simply observes life as it goes past. However he has things in life that he wants, one for his aunty to come back and to have friends. These 'dreams' are a running theme in the book/film. The end of the story, see's Charlie improving, as the secret of his aunty is revealed so I would like to say that his life after the story begins to improve and he gets all the dreams that he wants. Like Louise, I hope this happens to her. She starts to get really passionate and this is built up in the final scene where her confidence starts to build as well. It is all then released in her monologue and she says it quickly; listing off everything and anything she's ever wanted- done quickly, as though she is doing it before someone can stop her! The earlier reference to Louise being a 'wallflower' fits well to how I have created her. Like Charlie, Louise knows a lot but never speaks a word of it. Louise knows very early on, even in the pub (an un-seen scene, but mentioned) that Carol quite likes the boys. Louise knows not to mention this infront of the boys, seeing as it would completely ruin this persona Carol has built up for herself. So as soon as the boys exit, Louise: "you fancied them when you saw them!" Louise knows she is in the safety of, just the two as company and also knows that Carol does like them, "she likes you really' so its probably quite brave of her to announce this to Brink; but Louise isn't dumb- she most probably says this in order to get Eddie.
    In terms of characterisation I have copied Charlie in different situations, in a party scene of the film; he is surrounded by girls, looking really quiet awkward. This situation doesn't happen in Road, however I tried to take from it Charlie's quietness, politeness as well as his awkwardness. He doesn't really know how to cope with all the girls attention so whenever Eddie makes an effort with Louise, I try to make it as awkward but at the same time make it obvious that she likes it. It's just never really happened to her before now, so its all a little bit new to her. This comes across in the kiss, as Eddie goes to kiss her, he pulls her back into a sitting position- this is all done slowly and as though Eddie knows exactly what he's doing; but they sort of go to kiss whilst still standing; and this really highlights that awkwardness radiating off of Louise. It feels awkward when doing it, which should hopefully show, making it more natural. Again this is very similar to Charlie when he kisses Sam; he really portrays his awkwardness as a character which is what I tried to do with Louise. In both characters, the hint of confidence shines through in the kiss- Louise goes for it, and it really shows that she would be much better off without Carol.

Other characterisations of Louise have been done by a very well liked actress of mine, Jane Horrocks. She played Louise in 1987, as well as playing her in the TV series. She was born in a part of Lancashire, so her accent is spot on for the play. In the tv series, to me she comes across a lot more confident than I have portrayed, for example her first line in the tv remake is delivered loudly, and directly at her brother, "can I get ta mirror?". She then says "I cant stand it" and puts a lot of emphasis on 'stand'. Again this is aimed at her brother, and said by Horrocks with a harsh and angry tone- which again shows a more confident side to Louise than what I have portrayed. She returns to the level of confidence I have given her, when in the tv series 'brother' harasses her and wipes the oil over her. She becomes this helpless girl. Then as soon as Horrocks enters in Brenda and Carol's scene she becomes the quiet character in which I have created. This remains the same for the following scenes, but again it is clear to see the build up in confidence when she goes to speak her monologue. However in this version, Horrocks says it a lot slower than I do, which I personally don't think suits the meaning of the monologue itself. I speed up the last few sentences of the monologue to really show that she's getting the hang of "letting out, out" and speaking her mind for once in her life: "I want magic and miracles and Jesus to come along and change things again, and show the invisible and not keep forgetting, forge-netting everything and kicking everyone" all that quote is said quickly, in one breath- but hopefully understandable. By doing this I am hopefully showing how much this means to Louise for really letting everything she's ever kept from everyone, out.
    I had gathered a lot of my own impressions on Louise before seeing these televised versions so our two characterisations of the character seem to be quite different. But this is what I wanted, I wanted to create Louise as my own character- building on what I wanted to do for her as character and making her to exactly how I first interpreted her. We have our similarities in the two versions of Louise, but I have created mine a lot quieter, which I personally think makes a nicer balance in the characters in the final scene. Brink and Louise being the quieter ones, Eddie would be the leader if Carol wasn't so dominant but these different levels in characters make us, as a four, more realistic as such. We all know a group of friends, that have that one or two quieter members; these members are typically the outcasts and tag-alongs to the group but often just quieter, we then have the one or two dominant ones (Carol and Eddie)

Eddie, Louise and Carol: another 'Road'

Louise has a lot of moments out of the lime light, especially in the final scene with myself, Eddie, Brink and Carol. Carol is most definitely the leader of this scene, so Louise is very much taking the back seat. So this means there are a lot of moments in which Louise is doing not a lot; but reacting to minor or large things the other characters are doing or saying. So even though we have done this scene endless times and Louise is sat there doing nothing the majority of the time I really try to be doing something. Carol has a lot of lime light moments in which she is stood and confronting the boys about their flat etc; "how long have you lived here then? Well its certainly a... slagheap". All I can do as Louise is really react to this, by this I make sure I come into contact with Eddie in a flirty way, I also do a nervous laugh as though she's really not sure if she should be laughing to be on Carol's side or if she should be laughing in the hope that the boys are laughing also. Constantly throughout this scene Louise is in the middle of the two groups, Carol or the boys side so the laughter, giggling, playfulness between the other characters that Louise leads has to show this slight awkwardness on where she 'sits' in the two groups. With a bit of persuasion of our lecturers, Lewis (as Eddie) made a lot more of an effort with trying to flirt with Louise for example placing his hand on my knee; which meant I could react to this. However like I said above, this would all be new to her so I can react as awkward as need be to master Louise as a character and her characteristics that I have merged into her as a character. I knew I wanted to keep up the consistency of Louise, so even when I don't do a lot in the final scene, I am always reacting and being Louise wherever I can possibly react or make eye contact- or any sort of slight action or movement to be as Louise would.

Louise: Characterisation//star sign
Being born in the end of August means that her star sign is Virgo. "When a Virgo is confident within themselves they are the most successful, structured and creative of all the signs" Virgo: Star sign this sums up Louise perfectly; when she finally builds up her confidence, in the end scene, she lets go of everything she has cooped up, all her feelings of the world, of Road and the people around her. This confidence shines through really strong, in this ending monologue as she lists everything she has planned to want in life, " I want magic and miracles, and a Jesus to come along and change things again and show the invisible. And not keep forgetting, forge-netting everything and kicking everyone." This is her releasing everything she has kept from everyone in her life, and now that she has the confidence she speeds through this list; before someone can stop her and make her turn inwards again. 'A kind heartedness' is amidst of this star sign and it is often 'played upon by others, for their advantage' and perhaps this is what Carol is doing. Carol refuses to admit to the boys (Eddie and Brink) that she quite likes them, but later admits to Louise, "you fancied them when you saw them? C: Maybe I did, maybe I did!" So it makes me wonder that perhaps Carol is using Louise to get the boys. In the bar, an un-seen scene in the play, Louise perhaps clearly shows her likeness to the boys and Carol also (but without expressing this physically or verbally.) So she used Louise as a reason to go back to the boys house, knowing full well that this is definitely what Louise wanted seeing as she really does like them. "Shy, they are happy to allow others to take center stage" Louise is more than happy to let Carol run the 'scene', if you like, Carol changes up the scene whenever she wants, such as there is a glimmer of a nice conversation between Louise and Eddie: "er nice place this really" "you think so?" "yeah I mean underneath it all, if it were tidied up" Carol the reverts the scene back to her at this point, ruining the slight hope us as the audience have started to build; the hope that Louise and Eddie get a proper chance to talk. Carol is, on some occasions leading the boys on, such as Brink: "hey so when are you gonna make the first move, when should we expect the first move then lads?" Other examples of her leading the scene, is her ordering Louise to leave.And that hint of a 'tag along' which I have debated on putting to her name, is shown here as she Louise just follow's suit, "C: Come on then Louise" 'Louise, gets up, grabs her bag'. I made sure to make this exit more hesitant from Louise, so when Brink gets up to stop us, he reaches Carol whom has made it nearer the door; so the stage balance ends up as me looking at Brink and Carol, and me and Eddie on the other split of the stage.
Carol, in her drunken state, get's up to express her feelings about boys, and how she wanted 'something else to happen for a change'; Louise lets her do so, as it perhaps takes the attention off of Louise and Eddie who earlier on in the scene, got 'together.' "A Virgo exists in the mind" Virgo: Star sign And again, this is Louise summed up. She keeps everything in her mind, to herself and it is rare that in 'Road' (the play, by Jim Cartwright) she says anything that has real meaning to her and is something from deep down- excluding her monologue of course.

Parents//upbringing
I have previously said how she isn't fond of her parents, as they have never really taken the time to properly look after her or her older brother (un-named.) Her mother and father both had jobs, but the unemployment 'tsunami' across the UK meant that they are both unemployed now (in the year of 87.) Both her mum and dad worked in banks, her father did a bit of travelling, to various different bank stores and her mum did a lot less but it was important that they were both bringing in money for the family. Louise isn't very fond of any of her family members, they have never really taken much of an interest in their children, but more so of her brother if they ever had a favourite child. Her parents parents never took much of an interest in Louise and 'brother' and so when they died, even that didn't have an effect on Louise and her upbringing; as you might expect to hear if say they'd been really close to their grand-children. This, I believe, has had a huge effect on who she is now. She is quiet because her brother and father were so dominant. Knowing full well she would never have more attention than her brother, she kept herself to herself, all her thoughts/dreams/passions included. Her confidence has been low because of the little amount of care given to her in her childhood, and this hasn't changed and probably won't as our childhoods have a massive effect on who we are today.

Childhood//school//friendships
Both her and her brother attended school, which is where Louise met Carol. Carol and Louise are a sort of odd couple. Carol is so loud and you wouldn't place someone like her, next to someone like Louise. They have a close friendship but I am still adamant that Louise is purely Carol's tag along and that after the show finishes- after Louise's monologue- Louise spreads her wings a bit, and escapes 'Road' and goes to live a life, away from her childhood which means she leaves Carol behind. Although I have no doubt Carol is just as keen to escape also; "anyway Iam leaving soon and all that so".
This sudden and random confidence spurt, on behalf of Louise, opens a new door for her and I believe that she keeps this new persona up; and gets friends whom don't take advantage of her, and like her for who she is, and also actually include her as a friend; instead of what Carol does which is just letting her be the tag-along. But this doesn't bother Carol, and why should it? It is a confidence boost for her (Carol I mean) not that she needs it, but it proves to everyone else that Carol is someone of a popular popularity; with someone always floating about her- that being Louise.
       At school Louise wasn't the 'weird out-cast' she had her friends (Carol, and a few others) but she was never the 'popular' girl which so happens to also be Carol. So her (Louise) social status wasn't the lowest of lows, she was liked by various people but because she's so quiet, "I'm a quiet person me" she's never had the confidence to go off and find new friends- which has lead to her being stuck with Carol. The integrated quote is something quite brave for Louise to admit. Some people find it hard to admit they are loud and overly confident, so in opposition; it must be hard for her to admit that she's quiet; but also mature of her to acknowledge that 'people think I'm deaf and dumb', which must be hard to deal with when, perhaps she just wants to get away from Carol but people don't see her as a person- whenever she is without Carol. Her social status at home is even lower than it was at home, she is not liked by her brother, mum or dad and fortunately she doesn't like them either. She very much keeps herself to herself, happy in her own company and thoughts which is where I have made Louise conjure up all these thoughts about wanting "magic and miracles, and a Jesus..." and a better life.

Social skills
Louise's social skills don't shine as brightly as Carol's do when we first meet her but she does have her skills. Firstly she has kept a close-ish friend for a fair few years and at that school age friendships tend to change dramatically; usually quite a few times before you reach that maturer age in which you have found that close set of friends (friend in Louise's case.) This close friendship is shown, through Carol knowing that Louise really likes Eddie, so in the dancing Carol pushes Louise into him.
Louise manages to 'get' both of the boys, Eddie and Brink, just half way through the scene. At first I thought that it was just her playing easy, but because she's so quiet; this is really out of character for her. A strong sense of likeness towards Eddie and Brink must have happened in order for her to 'let go' and 'go for it' as such. Carol shows this sort of affection but it is a lot more dominant, and of course lead by Carol and not the boys. Whereas it is Eddie whom brings Louise into him; with Louise not protesting which tells us that she feels something strongly about him otherwise she would've put up a fight, or been too shy to make a move. This scene, to me, is completely out of my character interpretations of Louise. I could never see her feeling that confident to kiss Eddie and Brink back but she does. But I think this is all her building herself up for when she explodes in her monologue. So this is her sort of getting back at Carol, in the most politest and subtle way possible. Carol would be really, really cross- Louise has pulled a guy, and she hasn't. And this is most probably never happened before, it's probably always the other way round. So really, Louise's social skills must be good, or her 'boy' skills being good.
Louise  comes across as a friendly character, more so than Carol does which must work in her favour. People like other people who listen, observe, and often have nothing much to say in return: we don't have many people like so in our world so people like Louise are people magnets; because she comes across really quiet, friendly, she can have a good laugh and she knows when and what to say- she really is just a nice character. And that's why she is so contrasting to others on 'Road'. I couldn't pin point any other character in the play, that genuinely comes across as nice. The Professor is a genuine guy but he's had a hard life, so he either sticks up for himself in every and any situation or he lets people trample all over him. Brenda is a loner, but a fiery one just like her daughter. Scullery is good fun, but a bit loud to ever be compared to Louise. Jerry is far too stuck in war times.Clare is probably the most well suited for Louise, but that's a bit hypocritical seeing as Clare doesn't last even to the end of the play. So even from these brief character descriptions; I still think Louise is the only nice character, and someone I would honestly quite like as a friend.
       She is not hugely out casted on 'Road' and this is shown where the meeting of Carol, Louise and Scullery takes place. She is known by others on 'Road' such as Brenda and Scullery. But apart from that there is no mention of her via other characters. However I think that Dor and Lane could easily become friends with Carol and Louise. Or perhaps when Louise goes off, and 'escapes' 'Road' Carol will be left with noone, but soon discovers Dor and Lane, two more feisty characters whom wouldn't just follow Carol which will teach her a few lessons, but two characters who would make good friends.

Politics
I believe fully that where Louise lives and the things she has lived through has hugely created who she is now, in the play itself. Politics were huge in this era, "J: 19--87 this" Margaret Thatcher at the time was the leading Prime Minister under the party-Conservatives. She was a very un-liked Prime Minister but a lot of people expected her to be really successful seeing as she was to be the first female Prime Minister. I believe that Louise would've been one of these people; hoping that Thatcher would come into power bringing in some new and refreshing terms that would hopefully change the way in which they were living, on 'Road'. This was the complete opposite, Thatcher enforced some rules that either directly lead to huge unemployment or some would say that it wasn't her fault at all, but at the time of 'Road' this is what was occurring and it really did ruin people, especially the people like those we meet on 'Road'. Unemployment is something really hard to deal with but those on 'Road' don't have much any ways, so this cannot of helped them. This is why I think that Cartwright has written in the poorness of these people so well, and so realistically true to what was happening at the time that it's realateable to us as audience members.

Global issues
Other less dominant things were also happening in the mid-80's that I do believe had an influence on Cartwright writing of 'Road' as well as the characters on 'Road'. For example the U.S bombs that happened in Libya in 1986 as well as the famine in Ethiopia which happened in 1985. As you know drinking (of the alcohol substance) is a huge theme in 'Road' and I have previously said how this is to do with them trying to drown out and rebel against the things happening around them so I can now link this to the bombings. As far as I know this must've come as a very big thing then seeing as all these new and powerful bombing equipment were starting to 'improve'. So people at the time, especially those on 'Road', whom had no power towards any political or global decisions, used alcohol as 'ear plugs' to escape from the world in which they are living in. Bombings are scary. And so it is a very easy way to drown this out with alcohol and putting on such a front that they love their lives and where they live- and this is done only by Scullery, but maybe he is so proud of his way of living because he can appreciate their luck as a 'community' that they are safe; so he see's it as though they are lucky to have Thatcher against having bombings instead.
    Very much like a previous character I played, being Rachel from '13'~ Mike Bartlett, I think that Louise is very political but only through her parents enforcements as I have acknowledged that they have both been made redundant. Meaning that they would have very little belief in Thatcher/the conservatives. This would naturally become a large thing in their family and depending on the parents parties voting choices; they were either hugely against Thatcher and her 'fault' for their unemployment or they were for Thatcher and believed other ways. Saying this, I think that all on 'Road' are against Thatcher and the Tories as it did massively effect them and that is shown by Cartwright through many characters but mainly through the means of them hating their lives and  not being able to 'get over the past' and how they wanted different things in their life such as 'magic and miracles', but also how life is like 'fat hard hands in bed' - it is always something that is on each and every characters minds, and so is escaping. Which makes the 'somehow a somehow might escape' a lot clearer to me now; than it originally was made out to me in the beginning. We all want to escape, 'somehow' and it's all a bit like a game, it is not decided who will escape, being the second 'somehow' . 'Might' is stating the little possibility that it might happen or the little motivation that they all have to believe that they 'might' actually 'escape'. 

Occupation:
Louise has no occupation however I don't see her leaving school with no ambition in life, because she is different to the other characters on Road. She knows what she wants, "A Jesus to come along and change things, and show the invisible... all the gold and jewels out on the pavements"  She wouldn't have aspired after her parents, bank workers, I think she would've gone for something more. Perhaps a teacher? Someone who sets out to do good in the younger generations? Louise wouldn't ever want any child living her childhood; she was that unhappy, so if she sets out to teach these children properly-good Maths, English, good life skills etc then they could 'escape, this trough'. Secretly I can see Louise being much, much smarter than Carol but is never mentioned as it would dampen down Carol's great reputation she has built for herself. So Louise could breeze herself through teacher training and go onto be really quite successful; but if she were to be a teacher I don't see her moving away from 'Road'. It would be important for her to bring up 'Road's' next generation better than hers, so she would teach in 'Road's' local school to make sure this wish is brought to life. Although this contradicts what she, on the surface, is saying in her monologue, looking deeper its not just that: "When that man on the record sings, you put the flags up"  this isn't just her appreciating the music, it's her showing her respect for the singer. The words perhaps, are hugely relatable for Louise and she really respects him as a singer. This in itself is a huge contrast to the other characters on 'Road'; as the little things they do have, they take for granted such as alcohol. As well as most others on 'Road' do have a passion for a better future but none of them have the motivation to do so, even Clare knows, "I did a honey quiz, and got full marks! But where do I drive this?" that she could be successful but there is nowhere for her to 'drive it.' 

Religion:
Louise has belief in religion but it's nothing strongly drawn to her. She has been brought up; very much against religion which doesn't surprise me seeing as they live on 'Road'. But like I said, she does have belief in it, "I want a Jesus to come along". The use of 'a' Jesus' tells me she isn't hugely religious because the 'person' in which she is talking in. But there is definitely some belief there, which makes her believe/understand that 'Jesus' is the one to come and save her from this life, and 'change things'. Religion is a very rare theme in 'Road', so I think it interesting that Cartwright was written this into Louise, but like me he must know that she is the different character on 'Road', more like the "fucking nutter", and so he knows that she has different 'wishes' in life, and all the things she lists in the monologue such as, the questioning; "why's the world so tough?" "I want my life all shined up." Again in her monologue, she talks about "he reminds you of all them feelings you keep forgetting" and I understand, that on the surface, this is about the singer on the record. But could it be a religious reference? This 'he' reminds Louise of the real meanings of life such as 'feelings, the ones you keep forgetting' and she also says how she 'puts the flags up' when 'he' sings; singing being Jesus/God speaking their words of wisdom and religion to all those in belief of 'him'. The 'flags' being a method of Louise and others showing their belief to 'him'.

'Road'
Talking in terms of 'Road' and Louise in 'Road' now, I want to talk about the first scene in which you meet Louise and her brother. This scene is quite tense, and probably quite awkward for Louise although she is more than familiar with her brothers antics. The scene takes place with just her and her brother, and it is her getting ready to meet Carol as they go to "every pub in site, including the Molokos" . The brother is doing nothing. I like how Cartwright has written in the 'brother' character with no name; it really highlights how little the brother means to Louise.
Before this scene, I reckon that nothing much has happened, as the tense and exciting bit is being slowly built up as soon as the scene starts and you can sense that Louise is frustrating brother every time she questions him- so the atmosphere is growing ever stronger until it explodes with "lets dance" onwards. If it wasn't for Louise provoking him he would've easily gone off to his bath and that be that. So it really was all Louise's fault for pushing him- and you would think she'd have learnt his ways and what not too do, as we all have learnt to do with siblings. But most of us do it purely just to annoy them so was Louise doing it on purpose? If so she has no need to react intimidated so instead of delivering her line, "you cant dance with your brother?!" she would instead reply in a more of a dead tone, as though brushing off the brothers actioning. But instead I have made her reacts as though it's all a surprise to her, but it clearly shows to me that the brother never fails to be as intimidating as he was the first time he did it; that is his personality and Louise both knows how to provoke it and also avoid it.
This is another thing she keeps from others, the fact that her brother is extremely threatening and intimidating towards her; she keeps this to herself and even when Carol asks "what's up with you" Louise brushes this with an excuse that her 'shoulder pads slipped'. I reckon this is just a cover up for Louise leaving her house and entering Carol's on a high energy rush, after just experiencing her brother being so abusive. All of this just makes it more apparent to me that although she (Louise) is a quiet character, she still has a lot of issues in her life but we, as audience members, aren't aware of this verbally like we are with other characters such as Curt: "it's where things slide to but don't drop off" meaning that his life and where he lives is purely just the place for the poor whom have nothing and it's then a place where these types of people just stick and never seem to leave. Carol also hints to us that she 'wants something different for a change' and Louise even says how 'every things been made ordinary in our eyes' so Cartwright has very much written in negativity into the play and so even the quiet characters such as Louise have issues, as we all do, but it's only when looking deeper that these are discovered and understood.


To conclude, Louise has been such a great character for me to play. I have really enjoyed playing her, and I really feel as though I became her in the performances. In the past, I have felt that my acting as a character hasn't been persistent so I tried hard to ensure Louise was. The little things like when backstage, I tried to keep moving; whether it was just walking up and down backstage, dancing to Bisto's music etc- this all kept my energy levels up which I so needed for the final scene, so I knew if I sat down and simply just waited, my energy would've dropped significantly. I practised at home, walking, sitting etc in my outfit to get a feel for the skirt and heels. As well as feeling more confident with having my hair tied up, with the lashings of lovely coloured/clashing make-up. I practised entering my bedroom, as though entering Brenda and Carol's scene, faffing around with my outfit to represent having just rushed out from the scene beforehand. My family at home must be sick with my accent work as I really did try to practise as much as I could; which meant home conversations were done in the accent. All these little elements to Louise helped me become her more and more, the more I did them. I am most pleased with the accent work as I was, extremely apprehensive about mastering it as I knew how very weak it was in those first weeks of 'Road'.
Louise will definitely go onto to do bigger things in her life, now that the play is finished. Perhaps like Cartwright himself, she will 'escape' and go onto be successful- as a teacher I hope. Helping others to break the circle of the 'Road's' way of living, giving the children the education needed to break this circle and for them to go on and be successful just as she did. ..."somehow a somehow might escape X4..." 

Road: Week 8

SHOW WEEK is here!!!
This blog post is fairly brief but summarising the smaller things I did in order of preparation to the performances as well as feedback I was given and work upon.

Louise...What a great character she has been to play. She was my nomination of a character when we could suggest a preferable character. And I fully believe that I have really improved with her. Our first 'Road' blocking session started with me and Jake playing our two characters for the first time and it was so awkward and like I have said before now it would've been interesting to compare that session to our final performance of this scene as it has come a really long way. My entrance in Brenda and Carol's scene has always felt quite awkward for me, but then this suits Louise as a character because she makes quite an entrance, bursting into a scene with a really tense atmosphere in which is created by Hannah and Phoebe as Brenda and Carol. I had learnt my lines well, quite early on but I never had the chance to properly show this but that's just me and my confidence issue. Our ending scene has taken a lot of work on it, as we really worked on balancing the characters such as Carol's leading role, Eddie's swag, Brink's quiet but quite cheeky character and Louise just being Louise but also building her up to her monologue. Any awkwardness in this scene between me and Lewis (Eddie) was erased really early on in the blocking process and even when we were told this little sequence looked awful we managed to improve it. The dancing scene I found ridiculously hard when we first practised it but I felt that I managed to forget this and just go for it in the performance nights. I would like to think that I have moved Louise away from my first impressions of her which was that she was a fairly mundane character, a tag along to Carol and that was it. But over these past 8 weeks I have really seen a different Louise to what you just see on the surface when reading 'Road'. Despite the fact I asked for Louise I think that Deborah gave her to me knowing that it will gently push me out of myself and my confidence zone. Some drama teachers I have had really try to mix up my characters- whereas Deborah did this a lot more subtly which I must thank her for because for all I know she could've put me in the deep end and got me to play Brenda- a loud, fiery and boisterous character who lives in the desperate thought of wanting to be young again. Louise is a quiet character, but she's not at the same time; because when she gets to her monologue it is revealed to us all that she has so many things that she wants in life and it proves to everyone that she does have a voice, and a bit like what Cartwright did in his life; she will go onto be successful.
I think Louise was an extremely well suited character for me and I really did love playing her as I have managed to pull out a lot of extra information from her than what meets the eye- she is most definitely a lot more than this quiet, tag along character that I had first put to her.

And it began with receiving our feedback from Thursdays session:

• Be careful how you are sat, this will come to me as soon as I am in my full costume of a skirt and heels etc
• Loosen up with Eddie, so that the kiss isn't unexpected, as such. More touching, flirting etc
• Emphasise 'you' and not 'really' in my line: 'She likes YOU really'
• Create a bit of chatter when the boys are shifting the scene before the dancing
• Laugh but don't talk in the dancing scene
• Say the monologue out to the audience more, and really build up that one long sentence I say without a pause

I am pleased with my feedback and I know they are all things I have and will be working on. The positioning of me sat down will automatically change when I am in my costume due to being in a skirt and basically more girly clothes. Loosening up with Eddie will now be easy as we both have practised the kiss enough times to feel comfortable doing it; so when we did a run later on in the day I made the effort to interact with him more i.e. laughing, nudging, playfully slapping him etc. The emphasis on 'you' I can now see that I do, and it's a bit odd; so that's just something I need to remind myself when saying the line-perhaps even signal towards the 'toilet' where Carol has just left to help me to emphasise. Creating a bit more noise and chatter will add more to the scene both when the boys are moving the sofa and when we are dancing- I find it awkward if it's dead quiet in the dancing any ways so the laughing and giggling and slight mumbles of words works for me. I still need to work on the monologue; and I really need to practise in our full run which we didn't get round to doing today- Wednesday we are all hopefully doing a costume run so this will really boost my characterisation of Louise which will help me. 

After giving out the feedback we all presented our costumes to the class and our lecturers, I presented the outfit chosen in Blog post 7: the tartan skirt, black tshirt, denim jacket, fish net tights and red converses. I think the outfit was liked apart from the shoes, so I now need to wear heels or black heeled boots. Deborah also wants my hair up in a high ponytail and for me to wear big hooped earrings. This threw me a bit, as those who know me this is the complete opposite to my style...But no doubt this is why Deborah's requesting this of me. 

It was then time to spend our next couple of hours running various scenes- and I think it is a good sign that I wasn't asked to run my scenes :) To start I ran through my monologue lines, and then I moved onto making notes and actually sharing them in class which is something. 

All the feedback has been dished out, again, to those specified. My hand written notes feature in the images below; however I don't think it beneficial for me to explain them to you via here: [please see images below] 

Dor, Lane, Professor, Bisto and SkinLad feedback notes

Clare and Joey feedback notes:

SkinLad feedback notes

I was pleased with the feedback I gave out and I really do hope those it was sent to appreciate it also, as I know I would appreciate it if I were to receive it from my peers- but coincidentally I don't. Throughout this entire project I feel like I have helped out a lot of different characters with minor things, and I think that my confidence has improved now as I express my thoughts and give out feedback in class. Those I am giving the feedback too seem to appreciate it but I sometimes feel I am showing myself off a bit; which seems daft as that is the whole process of a lesson and being taught, and its also contributing in lesson- but we have a lot of 'different energies' in our class; so that consists of me and a few others dishing out feedback and making constructive notes or being productive when running others scenes, and then we have others who are just happy to watch the scenes and not put much into the lesson. So I find it hard to identify when it's best to put in my feedback knowing it will be fully appreciated and accepted by the whole class.

It was now time to set up our stage, and wow it looks amazing! I've never performed on a stage with so much set surrounding us! I sketched a really brief (and awful) drawing of our staging layout: 

The stage is really full and it fits with our interpretation of Road perfectly. So at the back wall we have a brick wall used by various characters such as Scullery, Brenda, Dor and Lane. We have 'our' (myself, Lewis, Milo and Phoebe) sofa in the far right of the stage. Opposite to us sits Scullery's tower and rubbish bin bags. Joey and Clare's bed is pushed back in the far left corner. In line with 'our' sofa sits a spare sofa which is purely there to fill the stage even more. We then placed our props on stage, such as the wine bottles and glasses that are scattered around our scene. Me, Phoebe and a handful of others screwed up the newspapers to fill the bin bags with, and I gave out the props I brought in: such as Joe's glasses and tape, Jerry's tie, Bisto's records (which I now think will have more a role in the play, if they were in our scene on top of the record player Eddie uses.) 

 

So after setting the stage up, with all the props ad ‘furniture’ such as the sofa’s etc we began a full run of the play. This was really just for us to get the feel of performing in the space.  As you, would hopefully now expect, this started with the pre-show which we were later told that needed a lot more ENERGY!! This flowed really nicely in our proper staging layout, however it did feel too long but this will hopefully change when we pick up the pacing and energy. This flowed straight into mine and Brother’s scene. I felt that this went really well. It was good to have the stage to rehearse in and also the props such as the mirror as I really needed to know where this would be placed. The other following scenes for me again went smoothly and all in all I felt that this entire beginning went well for me. Skipping to my end scenes; again these went well. However as a group we muddled and missed out a lot of lines, and it was definitely the worst we’ve ever done it. It felt really static and it involved me and Phoebe trying to improvise interactions when waiting for the next line. It wasn't the ‘end of the world’ because we did cover and recover from it but it still threw us all a bit. Secondly I can honestly say I was ashamed of my acting when I drop the wine glass. When it came to the line in which I drop it, I froze knowing full well that I had to drop the glass for the scene to continue running. To make do I just let it slip out of my hand. But it was horrendous. I am annoyed with myself because this was something I had been earlier told to work on; but I hadn’t got round to doing so which lead to the full run being awful.  I also think that we desperately need to practise this with liquids and proper props to allow us to really get the feel for the scene.

I felt that today was really successful despite the fact that I didn’t get round to doing much. I felt that it was still productive with the feedback that I gave out. The scenes that I did do were again successful and I feel like I have really progressed with ‘Road’ and the character, Louise.

So tonight when I got home I really explored my characters costume: As said in blog post 7, I have gone for the tartan skirt, fish net tights, red converses, a black top and a denim jacket. But today I was pushed towards wearing heels, hooped earrings and my hair up in a high pony tail. Anyone who knows me knows that this isn’t me at all but that’s probably why Deborah has done it! I dug out some pixie heeled boots that go really well with the outfit.
I also experimented with Louise's make-up and hair. I've gone for some frosted pink lipstick with some nice clashing blue eye liner drawn on the bottom lip of my eye. Then with purple eye shadow, with lashings mascara. The make-up looks bad but good for the 80's, it suits Louise so well and it adds some clashing colours into her outfit which was a thing back then. For my hair I have two options: no1 being half of it down and the rest of it in a spider clip. No2's option would be for my whole hair in a high ponytail with my fringe bat combed back. The second hair option is probably my favourite as it just really suits the costume and it also shows the hooped earrings more so than hair option 1. Another extra accessory to my costume is the big hooped silver earrings which are the perfect Madonna look I was originally going for in my very first costume design. This entire costume is very much out of my comfort zone with my hair up, heels, skirt etc which is why I know that I need to practise in the full costume as much as I can possibly can. 

Wednesday began with receiving some of our feedback from the run which we did on Monday. My feedback was just for the beginning of the play and it consisted of:

• Everyone's feedback was to pick up the energy in the pre-show! This still applies for me even though I have no lines or anything to react to- but the quicker we react to the professor comes over the more energy that will come into the scene.
• The pre show was also changed around a bit so it ends with Bisto going off last, so its like he is turning off the music to represent the ending of the pre show.
• To my surprise my accent was apparently really good and strong but I just need to be careful with my line "don't put the immersion on" as I said it too quickly so the accent was lost
• My last bit of feedback given to me this morning is to make a noise reaction when Brother wipes the oil on my face

My later feedback consisted of:

• Pub recall needs to be even more excitable
• Carol to knock my drink out of my hand
• Create more between me and Lewis
• Use our bags!
• More giggling and reactions in the dancing

I am really pleased with all the feedback given today and I see it as: because I am getting less and less notes that I am improving on the things they are giving me which overall is improving Louise and my acting in 'Road'. All the notes we have been given since Monday have been little things to add to our characters and acting so they are definitely a lot easier to improve on in the time we now have to improve on them. 

Today we had a good hour or so for individual rehearsing which came as much needed for me as I could refresh myself on all the little feedback notes I have been given throughout this assignment. So I spent this time going through all my feedback and this was really helpful for me as it really did refresh my memory of everything I knew I needed to include and improve on; as I am aiming high for my two performances tomorrow. 

This afternoon we did a run of lighting and lighting cues etc. This was annoyingly out of costume as I really wanted to have a chance before show day to practise in costumes and with the liquids needed for our ending scene- however we did have the coal for mine and brother's scene. Practising this for the first time was really successful. Jake had mastered when he needs to rub it on his hands, in the pre show, which meant that the scene ran just as it should and as smoothly as it should. I think today was one of the best we've ever done this scene and it felt really good to have practised with the coal as it also gave me some practise in having to wipe it off before I came back on stage for Carol and Brenda's scene (with thanks to Donna!)

Our final scene was a lot more successful than it was on Monday which I am very pleased about as I was apprehensive because we didn't get round to rehearsing this scene in our individual rehearsing time dedicated to us today- which I think we would've really benefited from but if one of us wants to do the scene and the others don't the majority wins. 

Thursday = SHOW DAY!

I am feeling really really ready for this show!

Today started as early as ever, with feedback from yesterdays run through:

• Keep Brother scene loud (projection) The louder I am, it will boost Jake's voice and vice versa
• More aggression when wiping the coal on my face Think 'this is vile!!!'
• Stand the other side of the mirror in B+C's scene Go to even look in the mirror? As I am still trying to get ready due to leaving home in such a rush
• Actually spill liquid Fill them up before hand! 
• Have spare rags to bring on just incase
• All four of us to be more spacially aware of drinks/bottles/glasses etc
• React to Lewis more- more between us two Nudge him and laugh with him more in reaction to Carol such as 'nooo slagheap'
• 'It were good though weren't it' EXCITED Try linking this to me and Phoebe when talking about the boys we like? 
• Keep reacting to Lewis More flirty, laughs, nudges, missed glances
• Keep the awkward and shocked look after the kiss- as it looked natural Basically be me after the kiss! 
• Me and Lewis to slow dance 
• Give it more in the dance! GO ALL OUT ISSIE! Just go for it! It will look 10 times better if I just go for it than look like an idiot and look awkward
• More emotion on 'magic and miracles' 
• More surprised and proud on 'I've never spoke such as speech' This is a bloomin' proud moment for her,
• Look at the entire audience in the monologue Address it as though doing a class presentation! Louise wants everyone to know 

The feedback given was done by both Deborah and Kirsty and a lot of it was just general things that as a four we needed to work on to help make the scene. The little adjustments to my character/acting were again small things I knew I could work on before this afternoons matinee. During our break I ran through all the feedback above and noted down how I could work on them. The writing in italics is what I did during my break so I had ways in improving on the things instructed to do so this morning. Excuse the casualness of the notes but these are literally what I've written in order to help me to improve. I find it easier linking it to real life happenings so I can steal that sense of emotion so on many past occasions me and Phoebe discuss boys etc so I took that sense of excitement and 'banter' from these conversations and included them into this scene. Me and Lewis are really close friends and have been for years now; so I know it won't be hard to play up the flirting more. 

I can't tell you how pleased I am with our first proper run  through today! I felt that it went so so well, the energy felt high throughout the entire thing. Our final scene felt a lot quicker and my first scene felt a lot more uncomfortable which is the aim. I can easily say it is the best I've/we have ever done it!!!
Our second round of feedback included voice notes Sarah made from yesterdays run, but I assume because I didn't receive any that mine was strong- I hope!

• They could hear our scene-YES
• Even MORE uncomfortable on the face rub Think how horrible this really is, it is not Jake. This is some really horrid brother being more than the typical brother! Think Sam or dad doing this to you....??? But not in a joking way?
• 'It was good, but I could still make more of it' Go all out your reactions Issie
• DRINKS- Actual liquids
• Slap Carol on 'I never' Banter with Phoebe but with Carol instead- easy when you think of it like that
• 'The kiss and the after reaction was so so good' Keep it natural as it made it much more realistic
• 'The sort of hesitation you did when you were being instructed to leave by Carol was good' 'I would much rather stay....'
• 'The slow dance was also good- just keep it going for longer' 

Again this was combined feedback from Kirsty and Deborah; and I had no accent notes so I presume this was good/strong which I am so pleased about because it was only a few Monday's back that I had been told that I was loosing it a bit but I made sure I worked just as hard on it again. The italics again are some extra notes I made to myself to really help me to improve on these things- hence the personal motivational talking. 

I was so so annoyed with how I felt I did in the matinee- its a personal thing but it really knocked my confidence- but at the same time it boosted me to do so much better for the evening show. The matinee is the first time we have ever had an audience so maybe that's what really blocked me doing my best- but I am not sure which frustrates me even more. But as I have said on here before, things that knock my confidence help me to come back even better, so I would like to say that this will massively help me to improve for the matinee.
The matinee feedback was:

• Overall we all needed more ENERGY! Starting from the pre show, walk off stage with confidence Issie
• Our end scene was slow Punch in each line and reaction I know I have
• It needed so much more energy ''
• Carol to enter with a lot more confidence/loudness and boldness to pick up this energy, to allow it to rub off on me 
• Be more giggly and girly Think back to conversations had with Phoebe-laughing, 'banter', playfulness 
• Slow dance for longer with Lewis
• Don't emphasise 'you' instead emphasise on 'really' 'Really' as though proving that she actually likes them just doesn't on 
• ... forget the audience easier said than done, but the quicker the scenes pace the less aware of the audience I will be

I felt that the evening show was back at the top level that we've ever done it! Linking it to the matinee's feedback I felt that the pre show's energy had picked up considerably and it felt less predictable for the audience. We got all our lines in the right order which I felt massively helped to pick up the final scenes energy. However I felt that just the one of my lines fell out of this quick pace which was "err nice place this really" as I knew I wanted to be said as though the atmosphere between the four of us had fallen awkward but it slowed down the scene. I felt that the atmosphere that Carol usually gives off wasn't as strong as we've had it previously but again much stronger than it was in the matinee. Lewis made sure he was in contact with me a lot more so I could react to this a lot better. The only thing that stands out to me that I messed up on was the line "she's gone off because she likes you really" just as I was saying I remembered that I needed to emphasise the word 'really' I know that I said the beginning part ok-ish, but then when it came to 'really' I dropped the accent completely and probably couldn't have said any more southern if I tried. This is only a really subtle part but it meant that my accent wasn't consistent or I certainly felt that it wasn't which annoyed me as I know I've worked a lot on it. And it also proves to me that I fell out of character for that mili-second as I was focussing on having to emphasise 'really' and not 'you' but still managed to say it wrong. Apart from that I honestly do feel that it was a really successful show [read more about our performances and its process in my evaluation.] 

A huge, huge thank you to our lecturers who did a fabulous job and put so much time and effort into the show- all credit to them in terms of creating such a great 'Road' and credit to all the other cast members for taking up the role of pulling off such as well directed play!! I have loved every last second of this play, and what a shame it is that its finishing with only having shown it professionally to two audiences when it would've been nice to have shown it off a few more times!!! 

Road: Week 7

So it is now down to the last two days of rehearsals until we are into our show week....

Today began with a speed run of the play, specifically to highlight any props or set use that we need to use. A lot of it can be provided by the college itself and is being made from there also. However a few smaller things were requested of us, if we knew we owned it. I am to bring in some records for Bisto's dj desk to bulk it out as such. I will be providing the professor with some glasses also. There was also some brief mentions of brown paper bags for characters such as Scullery who are always seen with a bottle of alcohol. We were all asked to see if any of us owned some old bed sheets for Joey and Clare too. In general, we were all asked to provide hair and make-up equipment; so plenty of red lipstick and hair wavers to get the 80's look, not forgetting the hairspray. As Louise is busy getting ready in the opening scene she could be applying lipstick and spraying hairspray on.

I gave out feedback to most characters today as we went from pages 17 onwards (a continuation of Laura's lesson last Thursday.) This began with Frankie playing Clare (and unfortunately without a Joey)
[All the feedback notes that I noted down today, have been sent to all those whom it applies too, with a bit of luck it should be published on their blog's also.]

• Frankie: Voice projection. Gain some more emotion into your voice. Pause: they add some easy effect. 'Honey quiz' be genuinely pleased! Re-fresh yourself with your lines. When you stand up, make it look more natural not as though you know you have to stand on that particular line. 'Mom' not 'mam' (however I am in a predicament with this, as later on today I was told to say 'mam' not 'mom' but I feel as though 'mam' isn't quite Road accent but more 'Mrs Browns Boys' it will be something I look into.) Make the 'I love you, my man' more genuine.
• Nyakeh: Try not to over-emphasis each time you say 'chips' otherwise it gets a bit same'y'. Re-fresh yourself on your lines. Be a lot more persuasive- these chips are your life and you want everyone to know it etc etc. Curt: When talking about how vile Road is, take in your surroundings of Road, look around, observe how vile it really is. 
• Donna: Careful on your lines as they start to blur into one at times. This will allow the accent to appear more strongly also. Be less Donna so change Dor's posture and walk perhaps? More confidence as Dor!
• Brandon: Voice projection! Still needs more emphasis on the headlines you speak- honestly these headlines are your life and the reason why you are starving so give them some 'omph'. Don't lose your accent when you begin shouting '...devil...'. And you can afford to be more girl friend and boy friend'y'.
• Bauld: Your posture needs to change as it is too Jake (as well as your devising character) it will make you more intimidating as both Blowpipe, and Brother too. Do be up for helping her much more as soon as you know there is a bottle opener in it for you; this will make it comedic too.

I feel, that throughout this entire project, I have succeeded in contributing my feedback and ideas to various characters as the rehearsal process developed. I know that physical (either a image or given to me on paper) feedback notes work best for me; as I then have the exact wording and thought process of the audience member whom would've been watching my performance and then taken notes from it. Off-the-top-of-your-head type notes make them much more true and often a lot more honest. So if I were to say I didn't like a line it would be simply noted down as 'change this line, it didn't work.' 

The feedback I received I, of course, noted down in order to really work on these in time for Monday and preferable show day itself:

•  A lot of work needs to be done where I spill the drink!! Preferably it needs to be done with glasses and liquid as it is something that we all need to know how to work. I need to practise actually dropping it. Lewis needs to practise mopping it up. We need to know how much liquid should be in the glass as we don't want to flood the stage. Basically this is just a very big section we need to carefully run through so we become familiar with it. 
• In the dance scene, me and Lewis accidentally both went into a spin, which proved something Deborah wants us to keep in. As well as Phoebe falling over, drunk, and myself and Lewis (Eddie) to help her back up on her feet. This is then the 'signal' for Carol to really let herself go. 
• MORE DRINKS! Fairly self-explanatory.
• Lines specifically 'what for' and 'oh'
• More emphasis on 'it's hard' and 'big wishes'
• Speed through the list more, as though listing these things off before someone tells her she can't

All of this feedback are definitely things I can work on, as we near the show itself. It is all down to practise now and I fear that our drinking section needs to really be done physically with actual glasses and liquids so we can properly gage how much we go through and just balance it overall. This is something we can only do when we have the correct props and this will hopefully be done on Monday. This will also give me chance to work on me spilling my drink also. 

I seem to be getting my lines more and more now, despite the fact that I have learnt them and do know them; but this is boosting my confidence more when I know I get the monologue right- which is giving me the freedom to put the right emotion and feeling into it. 

Continuing our Road work, my second lot of feedback today, consisted of:

• Go all out on the reactions to 'shagging'
• Reply quicker on 'is they?'
• Change around the face wipe (so it is now more than it was, and aimed at smudging the lipstick I will have just applied
• In B+C scene: enter in much more of a hurry "a shamble"

Being prompted to respond with 'is they' quicker, considerably helps me with reacting to the 'shagging' line. In my family situation, there is no chance (at all) that I could relate to Louise and the thought of her mum and dad 'at it'. Which theoretically should prompt me to react more violently relating it to my life. But the more I react the more comedic it is as most people will be able to relate to this fully. Making me enter in more of a hurry links my first and second scene a lot better as that's how I end the scene with brother so it just makes more sense. It will also highlight the tension that has slowly built between Brenda and Carol- so when I enter the atmosphere is rife between the two of them and there's little Louise, awkward as ever. 

After running all of my beginning scenes, me and Jake went off and rehearsed our brother scene. It is now looking a lot stronger than what it was when we first tried it. It would've been interesting to have recorded our first blocking of the scene and then to compare with it now, at the standard it is. The tension is built to a much higher level and Jakes level of intimidation has also risen considerably. 

Me and Milo then went through our monologues together. His request was to work specifically on the accent. So we came up with a good method: he would recite a line of his monologue, I would then repeat it, in my accent; emphasis on certain accented words. We did this for his entire monologue; and then he recited it fully afterwards, including everything I had prompted him to do so. The accent was a lot stronger and more importantly it was heard more in his odd words. I am definitely no expert on the accent but the little things I could input did really help him. And I think that if he took it all in, and kept practising it the way we did it today he will really improve. 

Briefly I was talking to Luke and he gave me two important drunk motives: Number one being to walk sober. And secondly to talk sober. So the drunkenness shines through more when you are trying to act as sober as you can. This doesn't hugely apply to Louise, as it's not how I have nor want to portray her but I gather from these motives that in her monologue, she takes her time thinking about what she's about to say next. As though everything has slowed down in her life, due to both being drunk and it being her big lead up to letting everything out. From a very recent experience (including some other cast members... you don't want to know!) I mentally noted that some people go really quite quiet when drunk. Often happy amusing themselves. This applies more so to Louise as the drunkenness needs to show when others are doing their monologues. So I will get Louise to be 'happy drunk'. She is still aware of what the others are doing, but there would be times that she would laugh to herself perhaps getting excited as she knows this is her chance to speak. This is almost like she is drunk but at the same time more than happy in her own company and thoughts (pretty much her sober life) but these subtle drunkenness actions will make her more realistic and also relatable.

Today I got some peer feedback in which I was very grateful to recieve, as I feel like I offer my feedback out a lot freer than I recieve it: The feedback was from both Jake and Joe:

• Jake noted: Have more confidence on your lines, however the accent work is good. Short and sweet but also a good reminder for me to continue the confidence work but making sure I keep it in mind throughout my entire scene and not just my big moments such as the monologue.
• Joe noted: Confidence on your lines, refresh yourself with them as you do know them. Lovely timing (not sure what for however) but I need to make sure I make good use of my props. 

It's nice to have feedback given to me from my peers as it shows that they are taking notice of me as much as I am them. I also believe there is no possible way in which I can improve if I don't know what to improve on, and sometimes its better receiving this off of peers, my age, than my lecturers as our audience will be college students so it's got to be appealing to them as much as it needs to for adults. 

Accent notes I made, for others

Voice work again was successful; with me giving out feedback that I noted down on accent work. My feedback was to come in with 'late, late again' much much stronger. It's the very first line in the play, so I need to grab the audiences attention with this line. And my only other bit of feedback was to say 'mam' instead of 'mom'. I'm in a bit of a disagreement however, and like I was saying under Frankie's sub-heading when I try saying it as 'mam' to me it sounds way too Irish, whereas 'mom' is that re-occurring 'oh' sound and 'o' shaped mouth that we have been following the rules of since day one. I have full trust in my accent teacher but from what I have been previously been told it seems really abnormal for me saying it like 'mam.' 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/lancashire/content/articles/2008/04/09/dialect_az_feature.shtml This website link, takes you to a really useful Lancashire accent page. Once on the website you can select letters that you want read out to you, so I can copy the sounds of these and learn the accent more and more this way. I tried this out with the letters of 'mam' and 'mom'. To me, using this website, the 'mom' version still sounded better suited but it's going to have be something I bring towards Matt (the Northern expert) this way I will get the perfect way of saying it. 

Thursday: Our last ever rehearsal before show week. And a first for a full run, no prompts, scripts and in the mind set that we were performing to a proper audience. 

Personally I thought that I did well in the full run. There were no real big mess ups on my behalf which I was pleased about and I felt that I targeted the areas that I needed too such as 'shagging' entering in B+C's scene, and then playing that slightly quieter, tag-along character but then building this persona and really letting go in the dancing and the monologue. 

After completing the entire run in a good hour and 26 minutes we were given feedback, from both Laura and Kirsty: 

• Pause for longer when Brother throws the fag on the floor. It'll help build tension and the relationship as most people would react immediately with a more angry tone whereas changing it and slowing it down will change this brother and sister relationship. 
• To react more to Carol and Scullery's dialogue, preferably on Carol's side. 

Unfortunately we didn't get to finish the feedback so this is all I was given today, which is annoying because I wanted a big list of things to work on for Monday. But that is our rehearsal process done for Road! I think the improvements in everyone has been massive. I also think that my improvement has been at large. To start off with I really struggled with the accent, and I would like to say now that it is very much improved and a lot lot stronger than what it was when I began with it. I can honestly say it took a lot of work as I did find it hard to master but hopefully the improvement. I have gained a lot more ideas to Louise and developed her greatly also. I stuck to my first opinion of her being this quiet, tag-along character but I see clearly now that there is so much more to her. It is now clear for me that Louise is a character in hiding. She has these 'big wishes' and throughout her life she has been 'wanting to say' these things, but never had the opportunity because she is quiet. She is also a lot like me, I often find myself thinking if I had said that; for example in rehearsals I wish I had put across all my initial ideas or feedback. Sometimes I would rather keep quiet, like Louise does often because we are both surrounded by big, loud, confident and bravado characters/people. But Louise proves that she can do it and it is definitely for the better. So it is a really nice way to end the show with Louise finally coming out her shell but it is almost a disappointment we end it on her; as I feel like we could get a lot more out of her in her drunken/confident state.
After our previous project (devising: Ode to Billy Joe) I had a slight apprehensiveness about working in groups again, but Road has proved that majority of times group work is precisely what you need as an actor; especially if your'e quiet. Working with Milo, Phoebe and Lewis has been a treat; they are all very talented and the help we have given one another has been really beneficial for me and it's been sealing the disastrous devising project experience I earlier gained. This has also been our first time being properly directed by Deborah and Kirsty: and all credit goes to them. The work they have both put into this show is brilliant and I presume teachers get the same thrill after performing a good show as us actors do (but just from the audience pit instead!) This project has pushed me further towards my teaching route passion, and that can only be thanks to my lecturers; despite the fact that it has re-lit my ultimate passion in performing which might have been lost temporarily for devising.

Road:
   A story of "impoverished lives, full of regrets for the past and dreams for the future" ~Sunday Telegraph is probably the best and the only way to describe Road. It is the story of everyone whom lives there. It was first published in 1986 by Jim Cartwright. Cartwright has since done other pieces such as 'I licked a slag's deodorant' 'Hard fruit' and the 'The rise and fall of Little Voice.' Picking 'I licked a slag's deodorant' as it is definitely the one that caught your attention: "A crack-addicted street-walker and a vulnerable, broken man" sounds familiar? It sounds as though it very much focusses on the vulnerability of this character and perhaps his downfall, and like Road you audience members simply watch this happen around you- but it is all so real. "Away from harsh ugly streets" could well be a line from Road as Curt, Louise Dor and Lane all use imagery to describe the road to us and they are all pulled to the more negative side of opinions.

On first recieving a script I read through it and wrote some small notes that I thought might become important as we progressed into the rehearsal. These have yet to become important but it made me wonder why Cartwright included them: such as in the pre-show briefing (The Bloomsbury script: Road Jim Cartwright) there is mention of a music box, this is requested upon our directing later on also; but we have taken the decision to not use it. But I didn't quite get the significance of it. It's clearly owned by Scullery as it only appears with him, so could it be a precious possession of Scullery? Or did he steal it, typical Scullery? I have a feeling that it's more than Scullery stealing it because Cartwright mentions it a few times; as though it should/could be important to Scullery's characterisation?

The very beginning of the play, there is a short introduction provided by Cartwright and here I noted that half of the sign was missing. 'The name part had been ripped off' which can only mean that Road isn't called Road!!! It has a real road name but it's been ripped off... So we shall never know but it's an interesting thought to think that perhaps Cartwright had something in mind but wanted it kept a secret or it could be a boring and simple solution in that he simply couldn't think of a suitable road name. 'Scullery: Its been broken' Scullery is written to not care that its broken, so it leaves it open to the fact that we were those slang Northerners whom only called it Road because one it didn't deserve much more and two because we were cool, lazy, hip whatever you call it!
Later on [page 57, Bloomsbury script] Scullery has a little moment and a few lines where he is fully involved with his alcohol: 'ah my saviour'. On the surface it could be seen as comedic as we all know someone who messes around with alcohol and they use it as an excuse to their 'saviour' but like Blowpipe feeling so strongly about finding the bottle opener, it's quite sad really. Scullery lives by alcohol. It is almost like what everyone on Road fell back onto when they were made unemployed by Margaret Thatcher and perhaps they used drink as a rebellion act towards her? Throughout the show, I think Scullery puts on a front for the audience, because deep down I reckon he is an incredibly lonely character, hence why he is constantly asking for a life, a drink, happy to do Prof's interview and intrigued to where us youngsters were going out for the night. So the 'saviour' line is the real Scullery. Drink is his only friend and it something he is never without, a bit like Louise without Carol and Dor without Lane (friends).

The politics that surrounded them at the time, was written as though it didn't bother them and that they had their story to tell. "Here are people with almost no decent economic prospects living in a soon to be ghost town yet most have enough spirit to resist becoming ghosts themselves" http://www.markedbyteachers.com/as-and-a-level/drama/road-by-jim-cartwright-notes-on-the-plot-and-subject-matter-of-the-play.html They tried to push away what was happening in the real world and they take themselves to this more fantasy version. But at times there are very obvious escapees whom see life beyond Road and whom see Road for what it really is, ' a place where all the crap comes but doesn't drop off.' In the website link it states how 'even Joey and Clare have been dragged into all this, but again with a sort of positive attitude, 'a tender dance of death.'

 Did you imagine Brink and Eddie as brothers...? This website states that they are brothers...?

The script cover is of a bright red colour with its contrasting black as its background. Straight away this tells you that it isn't a play about 'unicorns, or flowers' whereas it is a little bit darker; and nothing more is let on from the cover. It's Cartwright himself on the front cover, made out of slightly digitalised pixel red cubes (see cover, and you'll catch my drift.) And if you are old enough, this was a little bit like what TV used to look like, the days where you could only get channels 1 to 4. So was the cover that closely thought through? It is clear that the setting of this play is important to Cartwright as it is one of the first things you look at on the cover, because it is so much smaller than the other text. It is set in the time of: 'tonight' so the dark background most probably signifies that but at the same time a negativity about the road itself.



Friday afternoon I (not just me, with help from my sister) did some hot-seating. So some of the questions asked were:

1. How old are you? Age is nothing really, is it? Haha sorry, I am 20. Young and free, well I should be the latter but that's a different story now eh?
2. What is your relationship like with your brother? He's the older one of the two of us. And don't we all know it. Eh, he think's he can pick on me cos I'm quiet. He's quite intimidating at times, but I think I've learnt to live with it now, ya'know? I just look forward to getting away from him really. He's a typical big brother. 
3. How did  meet Carol? It were through school when we were younger. We sorta stuck together ever since. So we're probably quite good friends. She loud though int' she. Good fun all the same.
4. Do your parents work? Take a guess. Thatcher is a clue. They both lost their jobs earlier this year so were scav'ving like our neighbours and their neighbours. That's why I wan' get outta here. It's a trough. One day I'll be outta here and living life how I wanna. Nought to the rules of me brother or parents. Not that they give a shit about me though, eh?
5. Do you like your mum|| dad? I hate me dad. Then not that fond of me mom either. We're just sorta there for them, something they have to deal with or feed. Nothing more. Suppose' they ain't got the money to care for us like some of the others kids in this werld, but nor have. That's life though, for ya, int' it.
6. Where do you see yourself in the future? Outta here. Simple. It's not that I don't hate it but ya'know I'm young and I can get outta here before I turn out like me mom and dad. If you don't like the look of something there's not much point sticking around and experiencing it is there?

This exercise was only really brief with fairly surfaced questions but it still opened up Louise a bit more for me, especially as I am currently focussing on my character study. I tried to make my answers as detailed as possible and I liked (if I can even like what I've said) how she thinks that her brother is a normal relationship. But it's all she knows. She knows no different so this is normal for her. But for us audience members it is far from normal. I wanted her to have a good reason as to why she is quiet and her brother seems a very valid one, but also her parents can be one. I've said that perhaps they aren't fond of their children and not much is cared about them so Louise and brother have been brought up to fend for themselves. So we should really be seeing some sort of closer bonding between Louise and her brother but perhaps the brother is more desperate for the love of his parents? I think if I were to ask her where would she be in the future, in the last bit of the end scene she would respond with something similar to no.6 but if you asked her in her first scene it would probably be less passionate. She would know that she wants to live this place, but the hope doesn't exist whereas we see it later in the monologue sections.
        As I said the hot seating was only a brief task but I did find it really beneficial especially now we are on our last stretch towards show day: I can refresh myself on my real thoughts and feelings that I am experiencing when playing Louise and the real life thoughts and feelings Louise is experiencing, there and then. 

Ra-Ra skirt

I originally had an entire outfit set out for Louise but it was then decided that she should wear a dress. But I've gone for the skirt look; as I can justify that dresses were all that popular and it was more the 'ra ra skirts' that were in at the time, especially for the age range I have placed Louise (20's). Ra-Ra skirts were inspired by American cheerleaders, and they often came in many different colours with matching tops. They were the all-year-round sort of outfit such as skinny jeans are now, summer they could be worn without tights and just leg warmers etc, with white ankle socks etc. ~ A-Z Of The 80's, Ally Molloy. So I have given Louise a tartan skirt, similar length as the Ra-Ra skirts but without the frill of the tutu like material.
I've gone for a non-patterned top half of my outfit with a denim jacket and a big black t-shirt. I am still using all the jewellery that I used for my last costume idea as it still very much looks the 80's part. The lacy/fish net tights, as said in the A-Z book, were a thing whether they were patterned, spotty, lacy, coloured whatever. I don't think the prospect of making your clothes match existed then. Pixie boots and chelsea boots were popular, they were usually suede ankle boots with a cuff at the top. For Louise I've gone for the red converses, but they still give off the pixie boot look as they come up to my ankles, and are also flats.

Crimped and batcombed hair

Hair and make-up came under the heading of 'power dressing.' Hair was big. It was batcomded and the era of perms with lots of hairspray. Crimping was also very popular. For Louise I think I will crimp my hair, with it being batcombed and coated in hairspray. This way I can target all the 'in' things that were happening in the 80's. It gave the frizzy look to your hair but at the same time making it look big and alive.
Make-up was just as awful, rocking the blue eyeliner which is what Louise will be wearing, also pink lipstick which she can be applying in her first scene so brother can smudge this. Blue mascara was popular as well as pink frosted lipstick (which is the similar effect to the lipstick I am using for Louise). A night out would consist of decorated faces with glitter, silvers and gold. I don't want to go all out on face decoration for Louise as I am still wanting to bring in the diy/poor look to her outfit, as such. So I will be just giving her the blue eye-liner and the pink frosting lipstick.

Excuse the bad photo but this is Louise's entire outfit: Excluding my full make-up and hair ideas. The denim jacket is covering the 'faded denim look' (A-Z book), the stone-wash look were massively popular as were the ripped jeans look that seem to becoming popular again. A large, baggy black tshirt which is to be tucked into the skirt. The skirt is similar to the Ra-Ra skirt design, and I am pleased with how similar it looks as it is clear that's the look I've gone for. The fish net tights look really good and go well with the entire outfit (I'm not brave enough to wear completely non-matching clothes ha!) I've stuck with the red converses, as they go well with the skirt, and also look funky with the tights as they reach my ankle. I personally think the outfit is most definitely the 80's style! The jewellery consists of the lacy glove, dark and chunky bracelets and one long, silver cross as a necklace. I could use a lot more necklaces but I think just the one looks the best, as its large and long it fills the space needed.


I much prefer this outfit to my original one, as this suits Louise a lot more. It's that bit more girly but also very much more 80's with more research into the Ra-Ra skirts and the pixie boots I have come to the conclusion that this outfit is definitely the best of the two.


For Monday we have to bring in a lot of different stuff, ready for a run through in costume etc. We were asked to bring in some old newspapers to fill the bin bags with, and to my advantage we have a load left over from my sisters paper round. I am still brining in the records, which together are looking really cool, with the mixes of sizes and colours. From my nan, I have got some brown paper to wrap Scullery's and others bottles in. I have also asked Donna to bring in our empty drink bottles, as they are the perfect brown colour for Scullery. I am providing a tape for Prof and glasses also. I am also bringing in spare clothing ideas for anyone else in need such as the black trouser braces, that Clare might use, fish nets and spare bracelets and necklaces which fit the era. I've also found two spare, fitted bed sheets that was requested of us, for Joey and Clare's scene. There is a pale blue one which I think would be best but I am bringing in both just in case. I am also bringing in some funky looking ties if any of the male characters are in need such as Jerry. I am bringing in some blue eye-liner and purple eye shadow for me and the other female characters, preferably only Dor and Lane as I can't really see the other characters such as Clare and Valerie wearing it. I am also bringing in red lipstick, but I am hopefully going to use Donna's pink lipstick as it's perfect. I can also bring in some empty wine bottles which will hopefully bulk out the messy-look we are aiming for in Eddie and Brink's house. I feel as though I am contributing to Road as much as I possibly can.