Week Thirteen - Week Fourteen

Monday 31^st May

 It was a long day, but a productive one. The whole cast is working together rather well, in fact the cockatoos seemed to have to really developed in the last couple of days. Being in the theatre has not only added to a number of actor’s performances, but seeing the acting space has made some of the cast realise the enormity of this event. There are still problems of course, but we should have sorted them out soon.

 The difficulties that occurred today were the result of communication, or more precisely, the lack of it. Two songs were changed today without prior warning. Halfway through, the song either stopped or we were informed it had changed. Without the prior information, it effected our concentration and therefore our confidence in the scene. I know these changes will happen because communication is important, even from the cast.

 While leaving last night, I noticed some cast members walking to their car by themselves. At ten thirty at night, this is not always the best idea. I communicated my concerns with this behaviour, as it is important the production crew not only look after each other on stage but off stage as well. The health and wellbeing of the crew is of the upmost importance; they are not only colleagues but friends as well. It is our job as friends and human beings to look out for each other.

 Today I also took the time to research further into my role. To assist with my character development I looked up the name Ares on the Internet. Unfortunately I found the character of Ares the god and my character the kangaroo have nothing in common. In fact, the two are completely opposite to each other; wherein I believe, lies the joke.

 Ares is the Greek god of war; whose strengths lie in his decisiveness and his fearlessness (http://gogreece.about.com/cs/mythology/a/blmythares.htm). He is the opposite character type to that of the kangaroo however he was said to be ‘a god of action and determination’ (http://messagenet.com/myths/bios/ares.html). Ares is a boxing kangaroo, a fighter, determined to achieve a place in the Olympics. Although the two characters may seem to have nothing in common, it is ironic that their contrasting characteristics make them appear similar.

Tuesday 1^st June

 It is important in rehearsals to think of others in the ensemble and give praise where it is due. One great example of this was the complement Ctace received today for the consistent improvement of his work. After starting in the Nexus, he has improved his input and energy ten-fold. For Ctace, this unit has been one of the most useful ever.

 I met Ctace for the first time last year. He quickly dropped out of the units he was in through a fear of heavy workloads and subject confusion. In Children’s Theatre he informed me he was thinking of dropping out of this unit too, of which I hoped he would reconsider. Ctace did of course stay, but only recently got into the production.

 Ctace’s confidence developed as a result of being part of a group. The ensemble encouraged and nurtured his belief in himself and as he said today, this is the first time he has felt like one of the team. This is also a result of the cockatoo’s huge improvement that has developed as a result of moving to the Nexus Theatre. Being in the correct space has insured the cockatoos and Ctace’s Confidence has developed. Being given clear expectations and regular practice has encouraged this new self-esteem, similar to Ares the kangaroo.

 Ctace rise in confidence can be compared to Ares’ development through the play. Through Ares’ seeing a purpose and aiming for a goal, he achieved it. The support and encouragement of an ensemble is crucial to the success and well being of each actor. For example, ‘Chekhov wanted students to avoid giving destructive criticism’ (Chamberlian, 2004: 115). Positive feedback creates a fantastic and energetic environment.

 Feedback is obviously important and Jenny always gives positive comments for all our work. Anything said by Jenny is encouraging, asking for improvement or simply pointing out great work. As Brien said this evening, Jenny is the director and therefore fully in charge. The play is her concept and she is also the person who is ultimately responsible for the production. Any feedback given is useful for the production as a whole.

Wednesday 2^nd June

Tonight I received three ticks for my work in the rehearsals. Over the last couple of rehearsals I have been reassessing my character, looking at other ways I can develop his look. After re-reading my journal I was reminded of the ‘Lockhart Festival’ video, in particular the stance of the dancer. He was very low to the ground, something I thought I could not do previously.

 In the first week of this unit I walked away from the workshop with strained calves. Not exercising regularly and not being flexible initially made the class painful, yet over time I have eased the strain. Since I adopted a stance for Ares in the fifth week of the semester, consistently having bent knees has slowly become less painful. As a result, I realised I could begin to be closer to the ground quite comfortably.

 By presenting Ares lower to the ground, I can focus more on his fear. This is a quick and easy way to communicate to the audience his anxieties and lack of confidence. By jumping around in a lower position, I can also appear closer to an image of a real kangaroo. This is something I have been developing since I started with the character. ‘Any role that does not include a real characterisation will be poor, not lifelike’ (Stanislavski, 1963: 33). The more I can appear like a kangaroo on stage, the closer I will be to success.

 As we are still in the week before the performances, not everyone backstage is completely focused. There are still people talking back stage and lots of noise too. We all need to be respectful of others on stage and ourselves. I stay quiet back stage, yet still joke around and have fun. As we enter the final week it is essential to focus on performing and storing all of our energy for the audience to come next week.

Friday 4^th June

 As we are now in the last couple of rehearsals there is a need to fix problems for good. There have been a number of notes lately asking for clarity in speech and song lyrics. By this time in the production the words have been said so many times that any meaning has been lost. ‘Lines, repeated so often in rehearsals and numerous performances, are parroted’ (Stanislavski, 1963: 131). The problem being is that an audience will be watching us for the first time next week and would like to understand what is being said on stage; selfish audience.

 Today we have worked on the songs, paying particular attention to each word. ‘Every actor must be in possession of excellent diction and pronunciation’ (Stanislavski, 1963: 128). All lines need to be clear and expressive. Each word has to be projected clearly to the audience. If the ensemble cannot communicate to the audience efficiently then the production’s message will be lost.

 Today was also useful as we were able to get used to the properties and costumes. I need to get used to having a tail and eventually develop a way to incorporate it into my characterization. I also have a problem with my kangaroo ears staying on my head. Any time I nod or bow they come off, perhaps bobby pins and a strap may help. The properties also created other problems.

When jumping around on the stage, anything in my pocket falls out. I have always had visions of using my pouch to store properties; this will not be the case. The storing of properties like juggling balls and gloves get in the way when I bring them on and off stage. Understanding some of the problems now allows me to try and find some solutions. By having such a rehearsal, problems become visible and the ensemble can assist in creating a ‘flawless production’. I know flawless seems like a fantasy but animals are speaking in the play, so anything could come true.

Sunday 6^th June

 I have started using my tail quite regularly in the play. Over the last two days I have been thinking of ways to incorporate it more often. The logical answer was to use it to play with and more importantly, further demonstrate Ares’ fear. By holding on to my tail in moments of the production when Ares is scared, the tail acts as a security blanket. As I am only one of two animals in the production that display large tails, I need to use my whole costume to its full potential.

 The current focus of the production is the speed of the show. As schools are on a very tight schedule, the play needs to stay within a certain time frame. Lines need to be delivered promptly and the sets need to be changed quickly. I am not saying we need to rush everything; we just need to be proficient in the presentation of the production. A cleaner and crisper production will translate wonderfully to the audience.

 We were also reminded not to fall out of character and to stay focused at all times. We were asked not to ‘corpse’ on stage; this was a term I had not heard before, yet it was very self-explanatory. If something goes wrong, like the loss of ears or a tail, stay in character and respond in you role. It is important for the success of the scene for each actor to remain consistent in their role, as ‘who ever mars that ensemble is committing a crime’ (Stanislavski, 1963: 57). Mistakes do happen, however the response to each error needs to be realistic to the play.

One consistent problem I am having is in the area of sweating; what a pretty picture that paints. As a result of various exercises and a major circus skills scene, I find I sweat very quickly in the unventilated suits. This creates problems with make-up and my overall appearance on stage. This is an area I am desperately trying to correct as smelling like a skunk is not good or sanitary.

Monday 7^th June

 ‘I saw a play last night and my dad was a kangaroo. He was funny. A cat and the tiger was chasing all the animals but my dad because he was a little ball.

 Sometimes we had to look upwards and once beside us. When the king made the lightening my dad was scared into a little ball.

 The play told me something I already knew. When I play sports I have to have a go. I have to play fair as well.’

 Wow, my first review. I think the critic likes me. This was a review written by my six-year-old son Hayden. As this is a Children’s Theatre unit, I felt it was important for my son to evaluate the first performance. It is not to the standard of a Theatre in Education post-workshop, but nevertheless I guided a number of his responses based on his observations.

 For the first paragraph I asked him what he saw to achieve his overall impression. I then asked him which part of the play he liked the best. The final paragraph was based on the question, what do you think the play may have taught you? What did you learn? This was interesting as the initial answer and what he wrote suggested the play confirmed things he already knew.

 Theatre in Education presents the audience with concepts they may already know, yet in foreign situations. As observers, the audience sees how the characters interact and respond to given problems. There is not always one answer to every problem; in fact many solutions can be useful to encourage generalisation. Children can observe the use of skills they already have and discover ways to improve upon them. In addition, the simple presentation of any skill is often not enough. Through the post-workshops and student-teacher interaction, certain skills can be developed.

 For our first night, the production went well. Everyone was extremely professional and worked to their capacity, both cast and crew. Actors remained focused on stage, even when Digby yelled an ‘ooohh, my ears’ when he collided with Mel in their first scene. The focus everyone showed was great and the result was an exceptional performance.

Tuesday 8^th June

 One great thing I didn’t think of is the fun of the children’s interaction with the play. The audience today yelled out many times to characters and situations, like a big ‘wow’ when the primary school set is revealed. Children have ideas and thoughts they feel a need to share with everyone. As I have said before, a child’s concept of the theatre is only just being established. They have not yet created parameters and rules for theatre.

As actors on stage, we have to be prepared for any comments that the children may say. Just like faulty properties and forgotten lines, the audience can also create problems in the production. The children can and will interact with us; we have to be prepared to remain focused and stay in character. Losing focus at any moment while on stage detracts from the play.

Today Fiona’s ears continued to fall off, yet she remained in focus. Like Digby’s ears yesterday, by staying in character the audience could view the incident as part of the play. Like both of these actors and the rest of the production, the high energy levels are present every time they go on stage. Full focus is important as it creates a high-energy that is entertaining to view. If we look like we are having fun, hopefully the audience will enjoy it too.

Wednesday 9^th June

 Today presented a great example of the recurring phrase, be prepared. In the boat scene at the end of the first act, Amy was delayed upon entering the stage. This left a pause of dialogue, which needed to be filled. Through quick thinking, the Australian animals were able to improvise dialogue while allowing time for Amy to make it on stage.

Realising Amy was delayed; I asked everyone ‘What should we do now?’ The rest of the group suggested we should talk to Miss Quoll and then we all started calling out for her. By doing this we allowed her time to get on to the stage and allow the play to continue. The quick thinking of the group insured a number of crucial things.

 Most importantly we all stayed in character and remained focused. We assessed the problem swiftly and were able to call out for her, in a similar way to children calling out in the playground. It was crucial the audience did not see that anything had gone wrong, to them, the scene just continued normally. As an ensemble and friends, we were able to work together to smoothly solve what could have been a very visible problem.

 The cast and crew consistently work together backstage to boost morale. The energy levels for such a performance are draining, yet consistently each day everybody creates the necessary energy. The whole group is committed to producing the very best we can. Through encouragement, positive feedback and support, our energy is consistently strong.

Thursday 10^th June

 After so many performances of the same play, a good feeling still remains on stage. Everyone maintains a positive attitude while conducting themselves in a professional manner. Keeping a high level of energy is important to the success of this production. There are of course some problems still arising.

 At the end of the Oracle scene, the curtain has been getting later and later. The Australian animals normally freeze in position, the stage blacks out and the curtain drops. Today the curtain didn’t drop and we were all left standing on stage. As a result, I improvised the line ‘come on guys, lets get out of here’ in order to get us off stage.

The problem being that the curtain relies on many cues in order to drop. Zeus laughs, Miss Quoll and Aeschylus run across the stage, the sound of thunder occurs, lights drop and eventually cueing the curtain. The exclusion of any of these factors result in the delay of the curtain dropping, and it therefore takes away from the actors’ focus and looks sloppy on stage.

There is probably a need for a smoother communication between both the cast and crew in this area. Running off such a convoluted list of cues has not been working. Perhaps simpler cues are necessary or maybe fewer combinations of departments. Sloppy scenes break the actors’ concentration and focus and look simply unprofessional.

Friday 11^th June

Our last school performances were held today. Backstage were all excited yet lacking in energy. The repetition of scenes and songs is starting to show some cracks in the eyes of other actors. As part an ensemble it is essential to build up the morale of everyone to help create an exceptional performance.  That’s where the dynamics of a smaller group is really important.

 Being part of a smaller group such as the Australian Animals is useful to create additional energy. Each person is positive and friendly, and creates an opportunity to get feedback and present ideas. We normally stand backstage and encourage each other to produce a performance better than the previous ones. As we are normally on stage all at the same time, we use each other to work off and also to help support us. This positive environment brings out the best in our characters and ourselves.

 Today was interesting as the children in the audience still surprised us with behaviour we didn’t expect. While Aeschylus was running through the audience, some children grabbed onto his tail. He yelled out ‘oohh my tail’ which only caused more children to grab hold. For the actors on stage it was very difficult not to lose focus watching this happen.

 To avoid laughing, I realised I had to responded in character. I started yelling ‘leave him alone’. By responding this way it insured I wouldn’t laugh and I was able to stay true to my role.  It also helped to keep the others on stage focused. Sam dealt with the situation extremely well, staying true to his character. To give him the same respect, it was vital everyone one stage did the same thing.

Saturday 12^th June

This has been an extremely positive semester for me. My confidence in my work and myself has grown. I may appear confident, yet the evaluation of myself has always been much lower. For the first time in ages, the confidence I appear to have and the evaluation of myself is almost equal. The progression of Ares’ confidence and self-opinion throughout the play is similar to my journey this semester.

 Ares shows to the audience, how belief in yourself and your abilities is very important. He develops from a shy and unconfident individual to a character who is proud and can see his self-worth. This is something that I have spoken to Jenny about, especially of my concerns with the character’s portrayal. As Ares represents the children in the audience, by acting shy and scared all the time I feared I could have offended them. By offending the children, the message of the play may not be received.

Today I received the most positive feedback I could ever have wished for. Some of the school children who came to see the play drew some pictures. The children said ‘I liked the kangaroo because he was funny and he was nice’ and ‘I like the kangaroo getting a medal’. There were two drawings, which stood out and confirmed that my characterisation inspired children rather than offended them.

 The first was a child with cerebral palsy and verbal expressive difficulties (dyspraxia). Jenny informed me the child who drew this, Emma, utterly identified with the character and loved Ares.  A boy with severe motor control difficulties (Motor Neurone Disease) drew the second picture. I could not be more proud and humbled from this feedback and I am literally holding back the tears as I write this. The purpose and reason of Children’s Theatre is to enable children to understand and develop skills to use in the world. This is the reason I took part in this unit, to inspire and develop confidence in children and myself.

 Unit Objectives

 -         To develop performance skills. Through this unit I have been able to enhance my acting skills. Assisted by ENG 212 Acting, I have been able to introduce a practical use of theory. This unit has allowed me to improve my confidence on stage through rehearsals and a great production. I am more confident in my singing capability and my strength to learn lines, which I believed I could not do. I have also developed some circus skills and in particular, juggling.

-         To develop an understanding of collaborative/ ensemble work in the theatre. This unit clearly demonstrates the need for an ensemble to work together. Without working as a team player, no one would be successful in this unit. Every member of the cast and crew are essential to the totality of the production. This unit has shown me how everyone’s ideas are important and useful to the group. Developing concepts and working together ensures the end result will be brilliant. Everyone has played an important role in the success of this production.

 -         To develop a critical awareness of the tenets of T.I.E. (Theatre in Education). Thought the readings and extended research, I have developed my understanding of T.I.E. One of my goals in the middle of semester was to expand upon the knowledge and ideas associated with this type of Children’s Theatre. By doing this, I have received various perspectives of this production. It places the production in a different light; the play can be viewed as a community service. Our play provides the audience with the means to develop and enhance many important life-long skills important in society. It also helps that the production is entertaining.

 -         To develop an awareness of the demands of a professional theatre company for efficiency, responsibility and commitment in theatre practice. This area I am most proud of, as I have consistently put lots of effort into this play. I never missed a single rehearsal and attempted to contribute lots of energy and fun to the production. Personally, I spent a large amount of time developing my character. I think it is important to invest a lot of effort into creating firm characteristics and stage presence. By consistently thinking and reviewing my approach to the role, I developed a character of which I am sincerely proud. As a result of this unit, I have developed an even stronger respect for the theatre profession.

 The reflective feedback I could offer the unit would be to use communication more effectively. There should be at least two production meetings, which all actors should sit in on as I found the experience quite useful. One or two rehearsals should be seen by the production team to develop a better understanding of the play. I found the guidance and information of the unit extremely helpful. Feedback was consistently positive and was used to improve not only personal performances but also the production as a whole.

 My last point would suggest the need to be more interactive with children, even though I am not sure how this could be done. As this is Children’s Theatre, I feel there is a need to include some children’s opinions along the way. Possibly a school visit to the workshop or a class excursion to a school would be useful. I also feel a visit from willing participants to post-production school workshops would be invaluable.

 Organising one or two actors to assist in presenting workshops in schools would be extremely beneficial. This would create a great discussion for school students, enabling them to talk directly to a character from the play. This would also be a great opportunity for educational students to develop their personal skills and learn. The purpose of this unit is the discovery of knowledge and skills not only for the audience but also the cast and crew. I am extremly proud to have been part of such an important production.

Finally to end my journal, I would like to include my final review. This time it is written by small friend of mine named Thomas. He is the same age as my son and I believe he enjoyed the kangaroo as much too. As this is Children’s Theatre, I feel it only fitting that a child writes the last words.

‘On Saturday I saw a play. I liked the emu, kangaroo and possum. They singed and dance. The bad guys were trying to get the school kids to sign a note. I learnt that it is not how you win or lose it is how you play the game. Friends can stop people breaking up. It was a very good play a fun play. Andrew was funny. This is Andrew as a kangaroo’.  

Production:

 Athena Emu at the Olympics by Dr Jenny de Reuck.

References:

 Brown, J.R. (ed) (1971) Drama and the Theatre, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

 Chamberlian, F. (2004) Michael Chekhov, London; New York. Routledge.

 Fotheringham, R. (1987) Community Theatre in Australia, Australia: Methuen Australia.

 Green, M. (1993) The Art of Coarse Acting, New York: Limelight.

 Hodge, A. (ed) (2000) Twentieth Century Actor Training, London: Routledge.

 Jackson, T. (ed) (1993) Learning Through Theatre: New Perspectives on Theatre in Education, New York: Routledge.

 McCaslin, N. (1996) Creative Drama in the Classroom and Beyond, USA: Longman.

 McInerney, D.M. and McInerney, V. (2002) Educational Psychology: Constructing Learning, Sydney: Prentice Hall.

 Neelands, J. (1992) Learning Through Imagined Experience: The Role of Drama in the National Curriculum, London: Hodder and Stoughton.

 O’Toole, J. (1976) Theatre in Education, Great Britain: Hodder and Stoughton.

 Stanislavski, C. (1963) An Actor’s Handbook: an alphabetical arrangement of concise statements on aspects of acting, New York: Theatre Arts Books.

 Stoddart, H. (2000) Rings of Desire, Manchester: Manchester University Press.

Williams, R. (1968) Drama in Performance, Harmondsworth: Penguin.

Internet references:

 http://gogreece.about.com/cs/mythology/a/blmythares.htm

 http://messagenet.com/myths/bios/ares.html

http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/ares.html

Visual Reference:

 Lockhart Festival. Director: Curtis Levy. Made for the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies. Published – Canberra: The Institute, 1974.

Shakespeare at Sea by Jenny de Reuck (2003). Hush Performing Arts Library. South Fremantle, Western Australia.

Additional Material:

 Hayden Kessner-McMullian, drawing of ‘My Dad as a Kangaroo’

 ‘Chasing the White Rabbit’ Creative Spaces with Andrew Nicholls, in Shout: Fashion, Arts and Entertainment, Issue 22: April 13- May 15 2004, p. 14.

 The costume design of Ares the Kangaroo.

 ‘New Olympic Hopeful’ in Melville Times Community Newspaper, June 1 – 7 2004, p. 14.

 Hayden Kessner-McMullian, review of ‘Athena Emu at the Olympics’.

 Two images of Ares the kangaroo, drawn by a girl named Emma and the other by an unknown artist, School unknown.

 Thomas Wendt, review of ‘Athena Emu at the Olympics’.

 Ares by Ryan Tuccinardi, http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/ares.html

 ‘Athena Emu at the Olympics’ by Nick Choo.  

View other 'Children's Theatre' journal entries...

Week One - Week Five          Week Six - Study Break Two

Week Eight - Week Twelve         Week Thirteen - Week Fourteen

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Semiotics and Performance: The role of the Actor (2005)     Performing Shakespeare in the Classroom (2005)

Drama and The Curriculum (Summer, 2005)     Children's Theatre (2004)     Acting (2004)

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