Getting ready for School Tour

This Thursday the 5th was the first day when we were working in groups, getting ready for own own performance in secondary schools. I was in the same group with Katie, Divina, Toya, Carlos, Sam, Matthew. We are responsible for the whole performance, writing schools and asking if we could lead a small workshop including games and 20 mins performance. The performance theme is about `model student`. We thought a lot what could be a model student in nowadays and came up with an idea of comparing A-levels and BTEC student as most people think


that BTEC is nothing comparing to hard workers A-levels but it is not true. We ended up with this idea because secondary school students` will soon has to choose what to study and we want to give them an opinion on both fields. Katie have done A-levels so she will be the main character as an A-level student and Sam will represent BTEC student. What`s waiting for them next, after college? Is it possible that they both get into university? Do they have equal knowledge? We are trying to answer these question by further developing our performance and improvising.

To create a performance is quite a big responsibility so we allocated each other a section to be responsible for:

• Scripts. We decided that the performance will be about 20 mins long and the games will be for about extra 15-20 mins. So it is too much work for one person to write the whole book of scripts. We all agreed that we will come up with particular script section whilst improvising and then each one of us will write a section of scripts giving the performance different attitude as every person has its own writing style. 
• Costume and Sound. I will be responsible for organizing costumes and sound. 
• Administrator.  Carlos 

We have decided we will go to Toyo`s and Divina`s school as they went to the same school and Carlos school in Islington. Besides, we made an `event line` by then things has to be done. For example, by the next week, there has to be some framework of scripts and one devised scene. 

Bertolt Brecht and Mother Courage

Early life 

Bertolt Brecht

Bertolt Brecht was born in the very end of 19th century, 1989, in Augsburg, Germany, died 1956, just after the World War 2, and is known as a talented theatre practitioner, director and poet. He started to write when he was very young and the main subject he was writing about was political and social issues. His writing was affected by the terrible period of WW1 and WW2. Then, he belonged to anti-war group of people and he got expelled from school for writing anti-war poems, moreover when Nazis came to power in Germany he gave up on his native German citizenship and was not recognised as a citizen of any country. He had enough of serving as medical orderly in the WW1 and seeing the cruelty of the war and started his career in theatre back in Berlin.


Brecht couldn`t stay any longer in the country full of sorrows and moved to America, and after some time was announced as an American citizen. However, home will always stay home, in 1947, he returned to Europe and established  Berliner Ensemble. Theatre meant a lot to him. It was a place where he had an opportunity to express his political views and opinion about society at that time.

He died in 1956, at age 54. Interesting fact: he requested to be buried with a stiletto heel in his heart.

Theories and Epic Theatre

Inquisitive Brecht was interested in many different things. Mainly his beliefs was based on Karl Marx`s theories about socialism and Chinese theatre. Marx`s theories were all about social justice. Although he never joined the Party, he was not against the communism.  Literally, it was about who`s got the power and money,and who does not, and why is that happening. How does industrialisation affects people, their lives and jobs, and the way they label themselves who is who. Obviously, who`s got a higher position is better than the ones who does all the poor work. But better job does not make a better person. This is just all the consequences of the war. It is like a survival between animals. Stays alive only those who can adapt themselves in the environment. In that case, most of his poems and plays are called theatre of war.

Brecht was not afraid just go for it and fail. Basically his theories started from `this might
work this might not` but this is how you find what you are looking for by rejecting things and theories that wasn`t working for you. That`s how he designed his own theories and is known as one of the greatest practitioners ever.

Epic Theatre was founded by Brecht during the years when realism, naturalism and melodrama were global favoured theatre forms. Naturalism is all about convincing the audience to believe that what happens on stage is real. It is more like recreating a real life on stage referring to what was actually happening in real life during this time. Using realism and naturalism forms of theatre he engaged people and tried to send them a message. Brecht wanted the audience to forget, escape from their minds, just stop thinking for a moment. Basically, Bertolt Brecht didn`t want people to enjoy his theatre he wanted them to think about it and question them so they could start thinking about really important things, why is there a war, is it necessary, what people fight for, He wanted to open the spectators eyes and realize how cruel war actually is as some people seem not to understand that.

Brecht believed that each scene in a play has to have its story and even though it is the same play the scenes should be worked on separately as it was a different story in each scene. In that case, every scene becomes interesting itself and after watching couples of scenes the audience don`t know what to expect next. It also leads to alienation effect.

So how did he woo the audience to his side? Brecht used the alienation effects (Verfremdungseeffekt). The alienation effect was used to distract the audience to something new. To do something what spectators would not expect to happen. When the natural rhythm of the story is interrupted and it does not follow the regular criteria what people are willing to see or have been predicting what`s going to happen. In that case, it makes them start thinking and questioning. Make them use their brains. It is like ice bucket challenge. It wakes people up and spreads around. The idea of alienation effects was to remind the audience that they were in a theatre, watching a play, and that people on stage are actors, not real people, playing their characters, communicating ideas to us the audience. However, the effects typically include:

• In order to audience member to be aware of each other house lights were on during the plays.
• All actors performed in black instead of fancy costumes. 
• Very often scenes were sung. 
• Posters were used to display the information for the audience. 

According to Brecht actors should not approach their character psychologically and mentally. he did not require to play the character realistically, which is completely opposite to Stanislavski`s technique. Brecht techniques were unrealistic and not believable.

The following are his techniques for actors:

• Exchange roles with other actors. 
• Breaking the fourth wall. Perform directly to the audience. 
• Use mismatched emotions, for instance play sad in a comedy scene. 
• Robotic, dreamlike movements. 
• Speak as like quoting someone else rather than speaking yourself. 
• Not matching voice and movement. 
• Keep physically and emotionally detached from the other actors. 
• Gestus. Presentation of an emotion through gesture. 
• Didacticism. Teaching of a moral lesson

We should all thank him as he made a big revolutions in theatre and `turned it into a tool for looking at the big issues that affects us all.` He achieved what he wanted, he made it possible to happen and changed the history of theatre forever.

Mother Courage

The play Mother Courage and Her Children is a narrative story about how war destructed many families and changed people lives forever. The main character is Anna Fierling that was a real protagonist through a play, although everyone calls her `Mother Courage`. She is a brave and valiant woman, despite the fact she loves her children one by one. She plays a `tragic figure` in a play. That means she causes sad, pitiful feeling to the readers and audience through her suffering. She is a victim due to social state of affairs, faced the cruelty of war and lost the most important people in her life and according to the government it was her fault. The audience likes her because she tries to stay strong and shows her endurance through out the play. However `Mother Courage` has two sides positive and negative which is called `a heroic anti-hero`. In one part of the play she is even compared to a hyena the animal. Despite the death of her 3 children she stays around the same battle field. The audience should criticize her for not caring too much about her children but at the same time it makes them think why would she do that, if I was her what would I do, would I stay. And this is what Brecht wished to achieve in a theatre. People thinking about what`s going around and not just watching. Brecht tried to send a message to a people about what problems the war causes to people through Mother Courage`s character. The war harms not only beauty of the earth but also the beauty of human beings.

From left to right: Eilif, Kattrin, Mother Courage, Swiss Cheese

Mother Courage and Her Children known as theatre of war play and was performed in USA starring Meryl Streep, knowing as one of the best american actress and in London, National Theatre starring Fiona which showed a spectacular performance and left everyone speechless. Mother Courage has moments that was not expected to happen and that makes it shocking and exiting at the same time.

Differences between Stanislavski and Brecht Techniques 

They both are world wide known theatre practitioners but their techniques are completely different. According to Stanislavski actor should be acting realistic so the audience should be involved in the story and think of it as it is real. He used methods such as `Magic If`, Objectives, Actions which they are all give psychological approach to the character. The actor needs to believe that everything whats happening is real and be drowned in the life of the role. One of his most known method is `memory recall`. The actor sits down on the chair totally relaxed and uses memories to recall feelings. For example, if the character in a play just made a delicious dinner, the actors needs to remember a time when he/she ate something really nice and tasty, recall the smell, taste, was it hot or cold and how he/she felt about it, and use these feelings to get under the character`s skin.

Brecht theories are completely opposite comparing to Stannislavski. His theories are more about the audience not enjoying the show but thinking and questioning about it. His theories doesn`t require to be realistic, although it should be more dramatic, dreamlike. As mentioned above Brecht wanted to wake the audience up and send a message to the world by using theatre, plays and actors than Stanislavski aimed to make the play more believable.

My character Kattrin

I got to be a dumb daughter of mother courage who is not able to speak. She is considered as the most affected character by war. She is not able to save both her brothers, Eilif and Swiss Cheese, because of her disabilities. She`s been pitying throughout the whole play. Mother Courage keeps highlighting that Kattrin is a whore and is afraid that one day she may be raped and never get married.

Evaluation of Performance

Today`s performance went very well. Everyone prove their ability to act under Brecht`s technique. That means: exaggerated movements, involving audience and making them be a part of the performance even though the audience was quite rude and wasn`t listening. That might be because they are not used to that kind of theatre style and knowing that the audience members were mostly teenagers, felt the situation that they had been asked, they started chatting. I really liked how Klaudian involved the audience by making pauses between sentences and facing the audience members which gave the opinion that he`s waiting for their answer. It is important to mention that everyone on stage were relaxed as the performance wasn`t supposed to be believable. I think that the most shocking thing was that we were allowed to use scripts on stage, it supposed to be weird for audience as they are not used to it.


http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/mothercourage/

http://www.shmoop.com/mother-courage-and-her-children/kattrin.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0l7Yb49x7A

http://www.slideshare.net/Crooked49/bertolt-brecht-epic-theatre

Acting Auditions

Classical Monologue

It was such hard decision to choose the right monologue. I had been thinking a lot about it and after long hours of research I was 100% sure I will go for Shakespeare as there is a saying `if the actor can act Shakespeare he/she can act anything`. And I totally agree with it after experiencing performming Caliban from The Tempest which was a huge challenge for me. It`s not that I did not understand what I was reading at first, the character itself has got completely different manners than all other characters I performed before. So my classic monologue is from Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare. Since last year I had an eye on this play. It is very romantic as well as challenging. I have chosen Portia as she was the best typo that I was looking for. Pleasant, inspiring, lovely Portia. A young princess looking for a husband. But everything is not as simple as it looks like. Her dead father made an order for his daughter to marry the man who will be smart enough to answer the question hiding in three different baskets. And after a long, unsuccessful search for the one here he comes, stunning Basanio, ready to conquer Portia`s heart. Portia fells in love with him at first sight. She wishes he will answer all question and they could live happily ever after.

PORTIA

(to BASSANIO) I pray you, tarry. Pause a day or two

Before you hazard, for in choosing wrong

I lose your company. Therefore forbear awhile.

There’s something tells me—but it is not love—

I would not lose you, and you know yourself

Hate counsels not in such a quality.

But lest you should not understand me well—

And yet a maiden hath no tongue but thought—

I would detain you here some month or two

Before you venture for me. I could teach you

How to choose right, but I am then forsworn.

So will I never be. So may you miss me.

But if you do, you’ll make me wish a sin,

That I had been forsworn. Beshrew your eyes,

They have o'erlooked me and divided me.

One half of me is yours, the other half yours—

Mine own, I would say. But if mine, then yours,

And so all yours. Oh, these naughty times

Put bars between the owners and their rights!

And so, though yours, not yours. Prove it so.

Let Fortune go to hell for it, not I.

The look of innocent Portia.  

I speak too long, but ’tis to peize the time,

To eke it and to draw it out in length,

To stay you from election.

It was really hard to understand the meaning of nearly every line so I googled it and ended up analysing it at NoFearShakespeare.sparknotes.co.uk which was very helpful. Basically, it is translated to a modern language which makes it easy to understand to nowadays people. For instance, no one says `I pray you tarry, pause a day or two,` in modern language it sounds as simple as `Please wait a bit` or `don`t rush`. Nevertheless, Shakespeare is Shakespeare and you cannot change anything about it. He is just fabulous as well as makes you sweat really hard for it which is not a bad thing. I believe, if it challenges it makes you go forward.

Contemporary Monologue 

I admit, I struggled with that one even more than with the classical one. It was really hard to choose the right monologue that I really like. I had started looking for modern monologue since early summer. I orderer a few modern plays from amazon and wasn`t really happy with them. One is called Bunny another Chapel Street. Actually, I expected something slightly different because both stories and main characters are similar. The story type is very narrative and reminds of a girl`s diary where she explain how everything happened not giving the right clue if it`s happening right now or it already happened in the past. That is because past and present simple is mixed together. However, I decided to go for a Chapel Street one. According the language they use the action takes place in Liverpool. The play is about an English teenage girl name Kirsty and the problems she faces. Kirsty is an opposite version of Portia. She is ignorant, rude, impolite, floozy girls. But at the same time she`s quite lost in her feeling and thoughts as a normal teenage girl. Furthermore, Kirsty has indecent fantasies of her best friend Gemma`s dad which is 30 years older. She feels he is mature enough for her compare to these street boys who act like 3 year olds in kinder garden.

Kirsty and her friend are going out and need to get some drinks. So they walk over the one of these small shops near her friend`s house. They don`t have ID on them as they are only 16 so they decide that Kirsty has to go inside because she looks older and so she does.

So Gemma hides behind the corner and I`m gettin sweaty as I walk inside
The shelves all seem really high and the guy behind the counter looks at me.
He`s a little Pakistani Or Uzbekistani or something astani boy
With beady eyes and dirty hair. I freeze.
I don`t know what the fuck to do after about 5 seconds of freezing
So I give him a quick, awkward smile and slink off behind the shelves.
Fuck, I`m nervous. The list on the palm on my hand was blurred. My sweat
Was like blurring my writing. I shit one and just grab a six-pack of Carling
and a half bottle of Jack Daniels. I walked over the counter all-slow,
like proper slow and confident like Deborah Meaden on Dragons` Don
and I put it all on the table. I don`t want to look at him. Fuck it. I think
I`ve got to be confident or I`ll give it away so I look him right in the eye
and he`s not even looking at me he`s just staring. Just staring right

The look of wild Kirsty. 

at my tits.
`How much?` I ask him and I like use a little wink to make him think I`m game,
so it`s more like `How much?` (with an over-exaggerated wink) Yano? He`s just like
`£12.55, anything else?` And I`m like `No.` And we`are away into the ninght with
six-pack of Carling and half a bottle of Jack Daniels!



I researched about Deborah Meaden because I ha dno clue who she is. Deborah is famous as she runs multimillion family holiday company as well as embodies the dragon in the Dragons` Den which is shown on BBC TWO TV program. It is important to note that she is the only female dragon on the show which makes her look even more fascinating. Peter Jones, Theo Pahitis and Meaden are the biggest business investors on the show.

Drama Schools, Pros and cons of university/drama school

PROS

Location

University life can be tough as well as adventurous, however it is definitely a life experience. Many factors of going university may affect your life during the years of studying. One of them is location. It is very important to choose the right location. For example London is very crowded, multi cultural and expensive city to live and study in. The travel in here is very expensive, comparing to other cities. It`s a good thing that being a student you are entitled to get 30% off the normal travelling price, which is a fortune when you are a student as travelling in London is extremely expensive. But it is important not to forget that there are way more opportunities than in other cities in the UK. On the other hand choosing to live in smaller city, such as Brighton, Bristol, Bournemouth, you won`t pay millions for your travel and especially rent. For example, new, or refurnished 1 bed room flats in Bournemouth costs as much as double room in London zones 1-3. And the price reaches around £650-700 per month. For student it is huge money to pay if you are on a part time job.

Discounts

There are special apps where you can apply and get discounts in lots of shops including Top Shop, Curries PC World, Apple an many more. I researched that using UniDays app a student can get even £300 off a new Apple MacBook and up to 40% off any new computer. And it would be a shame not to mention night life and clubs in London. Most students are young people and love going out but going out costs million, especially if you choose to go to the best clubs in London, the entry price normally swings between £15 to £20, however if you show your student card on the door there is a chance to get into the club for as low as £5 or £10. If you like to go out every weekend it saves you from bankrupt. Of course there is always a way to get a discount if you are not a student but most places ask for a membership card which costs even more money than a discount you can get.

More Job Opportunities

According to a resent scientific research of finding a job with and without a university degree, there are more possibilities to find a well paid job with a degree. However, not all the time. It actually depends on gained experience and ambitions. How disposed you are about your desires and dreams. Degree is only a paper that shows you have finished three years of sitting in lectures and listening to professionals but it may be equal to three years of looking for a job in the industry, meeting people, doing workshops or apprenticeships and intern-ships. To sum up, it depends on person`s personality and character, in which environment he/she can learn more.

Unforgettable Life Experience 

Probably that is one of the best reasons to go university. Making friends, meeting new people, campus parties, games, helping each other, libraries full of books, sleepless nights and just being all together with your friends for 3 or 4 years makes it an absolutely amazing memory of your life.

Exchange Program 

There is a chance to travel to any of the world country for free. Sounds likeable, isn`t it? At the beginning of second year in university you can choose whether you want go abroad or not. It is important to look up for universities that offers the same course as yours. For example, if you do drama-acting you can search for universities in Los Angeles, USA and live there for 6 months. The university should cover all studying and living costs but you have to earn money for food and other facilities which may be little bit difficult. But there is nothing impossible.

CONS

Huge Debt 

Normally, a price of studies are very expensive. In the UK it costs £9,000 a year. So the total amount after three years is £27,000. Plus the government released a new law that students who used to get non refundable £4,000 now has to repay everything back to a single penny. Good thing is, that you can start repaying back after graduation and just when you earn more than £21,000. But hey, you went to university to get a well paid job so expect to get a job that salary is even bigger than that.

Long Distance 

If you originated from a small town you are tend to move to a bigger city and study there. That may cause homesickness, feeling lonely, missing family and old friends. However, don`t forget that a lot of people feel the same way so the best option is to gather together and stay strong,

3 Years of Unemployment

Of course some places offer a part time job but mostly it`s just a typical bar, cafe or restaurant job. It is just a way to earn some extra money. However, it is less chance that you will be spotted by casting director or agency during these year as studies require a lot of time and commitment. But not forgetting that actors agencies come to watch the final major project after 3 years of studying and it might be that you will be lucky enough and they will spot you.

Masks as a performance instrument

Greek Theatre 

Greek Theatre mask

The use of masks in Greek theatre was mainly used to worship Dionysus at Athens during various rituals and celebrations. There is not much evidence left how they actually used it, everything what remains are only a few paintings on a vase which shows actors getting ready for satyr play. This is because the masks were made of organic material, for temporary use, which has disintegrated very quick.
Mainly the masks were designed in honour of Dionysus and left near his altar after performances. However, the masks have been used since the times of Aeschylus who lived in 5th century BC and is considered as one of the symbols of traditional Greek theatre.

People who made the masks used to be called skeuopoios. Normally, the masks were size of a helmet which took over the face and head leaving just few holes for eyes and mouth.
 Also there was a small hole to put on a wig if needed. The masks were light weight and usually made of stiffened linen, leather, wood or cork with a wig of human or animal hair.

The main function of masks in Greek theatre was to bring the face closer to the audience due to the large size of Greek theatres. The face emotions on the masks were over exaggerated so the audience could easier what`s going on, especially those people who were seating at the back of a theatre.

Noh Theatre

Believed, before the masks became popular to use in theatre there were only about 60 styles of them. However nowadays there are over 200. The origins of the Noh masks started during the Muromachi period (1392-1573). Before the Muromachi period the masks had stronger religious meaning. Nevertheless, the religious side of it began to fade when the Muromachi period came. People started to think about using the masks in yugen (mysterious beauty), they thought it would be better to hide the ugly part of their faces and to show more beauty of Noh masks.

It is important to note that you cannot actually tell what are the feeling of Noh mask. It looks like it could have different emotions depending on the text that is said. The best would be to say it has a neutral emotion. The technique that is usually used by actors to highligh the emotion is to slightly tilt the mask up or down. There two main expression Teru and Kumoru. When the actor tilts the mask upwards the emotion is called Terasu because it looks like the mask is smiling or even laughing, to sum up it`s all happy, meanwhile if it`s more downwards the emotion is called Kumorasu. With Kumorasu the expression on the mask appears to be sad.

The material meaning of Noh masks is completely different to Greek theatre masks. Noh masks is made of a strong material and can stay nice for ages. It is quite small and does not cover the whole actors face, most of the time some part of jaw or chin pops out. The eye`s holes are very small therefore the performer has a limited vision view.

There are quite few types of Noh masks:

• Okina (Old man masks) 
• Jo (elders masks) 
• Onna-men (woman mask) 
• Otoko-men (man mask) 
• Kishin (demons)
• Onryo (ghosts and spirits) 

Carnival 

As my chosen area of performance masks I decided to do Carnival masks because it is the most beautiful and memorable masks of all. Once I went to a masquerade ball wearing dark blue, sparkly mask it was unforgettable experience. I have always had a passion for carnival masks. If I entered into a shop and there were carnival masks it would have always brought my attention to it.

The origins of carnival masks started in Venice, Italy. Moreover, known as the world`s biggest carnival The Carnival of Venice, where all people dress up like in 18th century and cover their faces with masks. The word carnival itself has a very interesting meaning. Translated from Latin carne + valle means `farewell to meat` which was originated from Roman Catholic festival of Lent. That means, the season of sorrowful absence of fruit, eggs, meat and dairy products. The first mentioning of masks is found in about 13th century of masked-men throwing eggs at ladies. However, the wear of masks are actually started in 18th century. Nowadays, carnival happens to be organized in February.

The use of carnival vary from hiding the face/identity/social status to celebrating the carnival of Venice. It let the wearer act more easily in social situations without giving away their identity where he or she wanted. For instance, hiding the identity could be closely related with criminals, personal stuff or romantic secrets that not everyone should know about.

The Venetian masks revolutioned from Commedia dell`arte as those were are perfect and beautiful way to hide the identity during the carnival. The carnival masks themselves are very beautiful and eye-catching. It is decorated with dominant colours such as silver or gold and has got baroque style in it. They are made of an application of gesso, a white paint mixture, and gold leaf. Most of the times they are hand-made and hand-painted. In addition, masks makers add some feathers or sparkles to make the mask stand out.

Bauta 

There are two main types of masks but over the time people invented more types of carnival masks:

• Bauta. This is one of the first Venetian masks. Features of this mask is very simple it is always white. Agreed, that it should be worn with the black hat. I believe this mask is used in well known West End shows Phantom of the Opera. Also back then, women would be not allowed to go to a theatre without wearing bauta.
  
  
  



Moretta

• Moretta (meaning servant mute lady). Believed, the origins of this mask started in France but it was quickly adopted by Venetians, especially women as it highlighted their ladylike traits. However, it was mainly worn by women attending convents to keep themselves quite as there was a special space to clench their teeth.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Volto. Also known as a larva mask. Translated from Latin means `ghost`. It is a plain, white mask. It is very similar to Bauta but it does not have very sharp features such as square jaw line or no mouth. It is easy to wear and allowed the wearer to drink and eat easily.
  

  

  Volto

• Culmbina. Also known as a traditional Venetian mask. This mask covers only half a face and the story how it was discovered is very fascinating. As mentioned above Venetian masks were taken from Commedia Dell`arte so one famous actress decided that her face was to beautiful
  to be fully covered with a mask so she asked to make a mash that covers only half a face. People fell in love with it instantly and it became popular within days. Most of times it is decorated with silver, gold, feathers and crystals, To make it more attractive people have to options to wear it either tied back with laces or held up to the face by a baton. 

Columbina

Plague Doctor 

• Medico Della Paste (Plague Doctor). This mask has a very strong meaning as ,originally, it was discovered in France in 17th century by physician Charles De Lorme and was special made for plague doctors to protect them from breathing in dangerous diseases. It`s got a quite shocking shape which reminds of long beaked bird. 

Rehearsals for Mother Courage and Her Children

This play is very dramatic and sad. Brecht lived during the war and served for military hospital where he saw more than enough of war cruelty. He started with writing anti-war poems at schools which led him to dropping out school. But it didn`t stop him from writing poems and plays based on his experience of war. 

In the middle standing Mother Courage, next to her sitting her
daughter Kattrin and two sons.

My role Kattrin is a daughter of  the main character Mother Courage which is a strong woman. Mother Courage faced the savage of war and stands for herself and her family (dumb daughter and two sons). She doesn`t want her sons go to the army as she thinks that everyone who serves in the army has bigger chance of death that those who don`t. She protects her daughter from filthy man as for them her daughter looks very innocent and quiet but the truth is she can`t speak. In addition, two world famous actresses, Meryl Streep and Fiona Shaw that starred at National Theatre by the way, has starred as Mother Courage in Mother Courage and Her Children. 

Kattrin was born with disability, she wasn`t able to speak and is slightly dumb. All she does just mumbles strange noises and acts little bit weird. She doesn`t have any lines, however she stays on stage at nearly every scene. But it is important to remember that the life on stage goes on even though I do not have any lines. A feedback from Rob was that I still need to be engaged with my character and listen to others. react to everything that`s happening around me. Also Rob suggested me and Shadey think of what happened before, why Kattrin is not able to speak, why she is dumb. Is it the result of war? 

As a general feedback to us all was remember our favourite comedian and think of his/hers acting styles. My favourite comedian is Jim Carey. I noticed that he exaggerated everything and that`s what it makes so funny. He uses his face expressions to inflate the emotion. however, I am not sure I can adapt his techniques to Kattrin as her personality is very quite and shy. Not forgetting that she is a girl surviving brutality of war. She is afraid of everything that is happening around. But on the other hand her confidence and life experience is grown up during the years of travelling with her family. 

Here is a video of National Theatre cast and Fiona Shaw getting ready for the Mother Courage and Her Children. Starting with the warm up, ending with last minutes before going on stage. 

Ideas for Performing with Masks

Today everyone was writing an evaluation about yesterday`s performance with masks. I didn`t have a chance to perform yesterday as I wasn`t ready for it because of my absence in college due to championship and illness(sinusitis). However, today, me, Ria and Matthew discussed what we could do for our performance with masks, as they neither didn`t perform yesterday. 

We wrote down a long list what we should include in our performance. 

• Sound effects
• Lifts/weight taking
• Very physical 
• Put on/off mask facing the wall, not the audience!!! 
• Do not touch the mask
• Slow motion 
• Props (fan, maybe torch, necklace, chairs)
• Different levels 
• The use of projector for images

I came up with an idea of us creating a time machine and travelling through times. So we are all students sitting in the classroom. Ria`s character comes in late and sits down all messy. She`s very bored so she stands up and goes behind us. She starts to create a time machine. Her movements are over exaggerated so the audience can have an idea she creates something really dangerous. At the same time she puts 3 chairs in a row and the huge clock in the middle. We all sit down, put hands on the clock and start shaking. Once we stop there is a note on the wall (going from projector) `Welcome to roaring 1920s`. We decided that we can use the music from that time and do some dancing or partying as 20s was the times of cakes and ale. We go back to time machine and we are in 40s. We got in full swing of second World War. After firefight we go back to time machine and travel to 80s where bright colours and rock`n`roll took over the world. After some fun time in 80s we are on our way to the future where robots controlling the world. We haven`t decided how we going to finish it but thought of going back to nowadays and just freeze. 

Ria came up with idea of using a giant clock as the symbol of time machine. She also suggested using props that symbolizes different times. For example, tutu skirts symbolizes 80s, fans were used in roaring 20s. 

Matthew suggested that we could use the music as background of each  years.