Day Twenty FourHump Week

CLASSES:
Movement: We did our scenes, which were a hell of a lot of fun. The feedback was to use stillnesses to punctuate and define the physical actions. To have only one thing going on. More than one person can be moving, but it must be for the same cause. Otherwise it gets muddled.

Speech: We started work with the Detail Model, which we will learn in lieu of the old traditional standard english. The idea is to be able to fully enunciate, not necessarily in the 'pretty' way. That is the way you pronounce schwa or s on important with regards to the articulation and placement of the sound. There is a second component which differentiates it from the archaic standard american. The amount of detail is variable. In the park you need much more linguistic detail than in a film. Too much linguistic detail in film and the direct will go nuts because you can't get out of classic theatre mode, and it will drive the audience crazy if it goes that far. However if you are in the park using linguistic detail more appropriate to film, nobody will understand you.

We started working on drill for linguistic detail. I suspect I'll need to do these downstairs to avoid driving my roommate nuts.

Voice: We had class in the smallest space, Walt. Kate was very upset, and vented. I thought the venting a little inappropriate, but certainly understandable. We worked tremors with partners and it made for a very good class. I was startled to find a new depth in my voice, which sounded very strange and felt very open. Like it was simply flowing through my throat. I hope it is a beginning and not an anomaly. It seems a little early from what I've heard for this kind of work to start paying off in this way...

Acting: We worked the Pinter scenes for the last time, with John. I'll miss it, and hope to do some Pinter later. The rest of this year will consist of Goldoni for the remainder of this term, and the next two terms will be Shakespeare.

John stressed again, that actions are very simple and incredibly difficult. It will take lots of time and work, then it won't be quite as hard. : )

OBSERVATIONS/CLICKS:
I'm surprised the pre-class jitters seem to be a thing of the past. Oh I can get myself worked up if I really try, but it doesn't last. I enjoy and learn in every class. I have trouble writing it all down, but luckily this kind of training is more focused on doing the notating. It is still a hard thing for me to adjust to. I wasn't a very good note taker in technical pursuits, because I didn't need to be. Now, notes are of questionable value. I suspect reading, continuing with classes and workshops will be my way of reviewing and building.

There is a new feeling growing. I don't know if it is limited to the classes or not. It would be great if it transferred to working outside of class. A newfound confidence of things I can do to create and bring a unique life to a character, which I have thought were beyond my reach. Things I can work on to achieve for various roles. Not a feeling of "I'm there!" A feeling of "I've a good idea of how to get there."

Eight weeks completed already. We're officially beyond the half way point for the first term. It still seems like it is going by quickly, even though we've been together doing this for a zillion years.