Character Development
According
to Stanislavsky (1968, p251), the “passion of a performance lies in the
acquisition of all sides of the creative process.” In an effort to create a
character that is as lifelike as I can make it, I need to break it down and look
at the different characteristics that make it that it is. In an effort to begin,
I have written a letter from the point of view of Chloe the Crab, followed by a
short analysis of what my character is about. I have done this as a method to
try to “become” my character. Again, this is highly important, as if we
don’t merge with the character, the audience will have a hard time believing
who they are. I think this is a critical step in character development, as once
you know your character; you can start to move and speak like that character.
Dear Mum,
It
has been quite some time since I have seen you last, although with all these
nasty animals wandering around, I am sure that you have become crab pate. It’s
really, really nice here on Rottnest Island. You would really like it because it
is sunny and happy and there is lots of sand to burrow down into. I have made
lots of friends who take dance classes with me, although we have lots and lots
of trouble moving forward. My friend’s names are Caprice, Cordelia and
Calypso. Our teacher, Ms Severity (who is a lobster), says we are doing well but
I think she is really annoyed that all we do is move left and right. It isn’t
my fault I was born to move like that.
All
this adventure led to an amazing story from this weird looking creature,
although it was quite scary listening to it. We had to go underwater mum. You
know how I hate the water with all the nasty seaweed and sharks and other things
that could eat us. I was very brave, especially when the Sea Witch came, because
she is really, really scary.
Lots of Love
Chloe
CHARACTER ANALYSIS
My
character Chloe is a young crab, part of a group of four. The image that I have
got of her based on the script so far is that she is a very scared young crab,
afraid of most things, mainly getting eaten. In this sense, she would be hiding
behind her pincers most of the time, except when something exciting but not
dangerous comes along (such as a scavenger hunt), or when she is talking. Her
voice would probably be childlike, but with a sense of fear mixed in.
She
looks up to her teacher, Ms Severity, as a means of protection from creatures
bigger and scarier than herself. She also looks to her other crab friends as a
means of support and courage, yet they are in the same situation as her. Chloe,
along with the other crabs, gets quite worked up at little things, especially if
she thinks she is going to be eaten. She also cannot walk in a straight line and
as a result, gets quite upset, especially during her lessons with Ms Severity.
Story of a young crab (Based on the
play “Captain Quokka’s Adventures on the High Seas by Jenny De Reuk)
Once
upon a time in a little burrow on the shores of Rottnest Island lived a little
crab by the name of Chloe. Chloe was a funny character in the sense that she was
scared of most things that came her way. Many people who did not know her saw
her as a timid, shy young thing. What they did not realize was that deep down;
she knew that if she had to, she could be strong and courageous.
Chloe
was unlike most other crabs of her size and age. Rather than the usual brown
that sand crabs are, she had the most beautiful, reddish color shell and pincers
that went on forever. This, however, was not unique to just Chloe. Caprice,
Cordelia and Calypso, Chloe’s best friends, also had these particular
characteristics. Many people often wondered whether they were related to each
other. They looked the same, they said, and they also spent most of their time
together, hunting and scrimmaging for tasty food morsels.
One
day after dance classes, a great cloud washed over the shores of Rottnest
Island. It wasn’t because the crabs were having great troubles with their
forwards movements. Danger was lurking around, and none of the crabs liked it.
Miss Severity, their movement coach, urged the girls to stand up for themselves
like real crabs, but the girls wanted nothing of it. What could this great
danger be they said to themselves?
Later
in the day, the girls came across an unusual looking creature lying in the sand,
obviously washed up on the shore. The girls did not like this one bit; what were
they going to do? They tried moving him up shore, but like most little crabs
trying to move something a lot bigger than them, it was an impossible task.
Instead, they decided to return home to try and find help.
By
the time that they returned, the sense of danger was building. It has something
to do with the thing that washed up on shore, thought Chloe to herself. Luckily
for the crabs, Captain Quokka had returned from his voyages at sea. Getting
quite excited, the young crabs decided that he was the man to help them find out
what was going on at Rottnest. They led him to the body, which was starting to
move, frightening the girls.
After
telling them his story, it was discovered that the creature did indeed have
something to do with the lurking danger. It was not, however, the way that the
crabs had seen it. Rather than trying to hurt them or eat them, the creature
would try to help them defeat this evil danger.
The
evil Captain Bluebeard had captured his great love, the creature (who went by
the name of Jan Pierwiet) told. They had also sunk a very powerful Dutchman’s
ship, sinking his treasure to the bottom of the ocean. Chloe shivered,
frightened, as she knew that down their lurked the menacing sea witch, Octavia.
The
creatures, led by Theresa the Turtle, descended to the bottom of the ocean. They
traveled great distances through sea weed forests and caves where sharks hung
out. The crabs did not like this journey one bit. It frightened and scared them,
yet they knew they had to be brave because the worst was not over yet. Octavia
told them that they were the creatures that had been chosen to defeat the evil
Bluebeard and that Theresa would train them in a very different way to ensure
that good triumphed over evil. The creatures trained in the ancient marshal
arts, and, started the journey back to Rottnest Island, where they were to
encounter their greatest fear, Bluebeard the evil pirate. The poor crabs not
only had to deal with this, but also the fact that the powerful Dutchman along
with Bluebeard wanted to turn them into crusty crab pies and eat them. After
all, what are cats supposed to do when tasty morsels jump into his lap?
A
great battle erupted, with the land creatures taking on Bluebeard and his
villainous crew. Swords were drawn, ninja poses taken and pincer movements
prepared as the two groups came face to face. The crabs were shaking in their
little crab booties. They couldn’t move forward, no matter how hard they
tried, and this was not going to help the others defeat these evil villains.
Fortunately for them, just after their attempted attack went sideways, Bluebeard
was defeated. The villains reformed rather than risking a plank walking and the
creatures lived happily ever after.
The End
View other Your Work entries...
Val's Journal... Week One - Week Six Week Seven - Week Eleven Week Twelve - Week Fourteen
Jodie's Journal... Part One Part Two Character Development
...or view the... 2005 Ed Pack
Go to Children's Theatre: My Journal History Notice Board Your Work
Contact Andrew @ thechaseison@optusnet.com.au
This page last updated: 17th February 2006