READ THROUGH
What is key within a read through:
Cultural tie in using context and prior research
Throughout the read through, invision what could happen within the play – let creativity flow
Add in certain characterisation choices made through the lines and character research
Don’t be afraid to fail in choices made with characterisation and the pronunciation of words you don’t yet know
Note down questions you have during the read through to discuss afterwards
Stretch your casting spectrum. Play a character with added vulnerability if it is not something you are used to
Responses to the read through:
The play is shorter than I realised
The way the lines are said can be manipulated in order to indicate different thoughts while saying the line. For example, scheming could be said with pauses as to indicate another branch within a cunning plan.
The character’s motives became clearer, and the way the Shakespearean characters linked to their Russian counterparts suddenly had a much more explicit reasoning. Case in point, Julius Caesar is a man that is beloved by many within the play of the same name. Within the time of the Russian Revolution, Lenin too was beloved, leaving behind “Lenin’s Legacy” of him being an idealist. His writings were seen by the Soviet Union as philosophical genius, due to his tireless energy, unconquerable will, and his political genius. Caesar possesses these qualities, too.
THE FORMING OF THE PRE-PROLOGUE/PROLOGUE
The opening sequence of our show is representative of the struggle faced within the Gulags, and yet the togetherness that formed between the prisoners. They worked for up to 14 hours a day. Prisoners would chop down trees with hand saws and axes or dig at frozen ground with the most basic of pickaxes. Others mined coal or copper by hand, and would often die from inhalation of dust and subsequent lung diseases. Furthermore, they were fed just enough to keep them going while working, and those who died – from the numerous causes amongst them – were replaced, as prisoners were seen as next to nothing by guards. Therefore, our movements reflected this. We scurried for food, we rested on each other, we got knocked down many, many times: but we did it as a unit.
Our movements are quite mechanical within this opening section because we are working within a smelting factory within a Gulag. There was a lot of community within the smelting factory, hence our similar uniforms (tbc), yet we will be working with metal and machinery, albeit immensely basic machinery. One of the things used was a crucible, a massive metal pot where molten metal would be poured in and out of. The sheer size of it shows just how much heavy lifting by numerous men would have to be done in order to get the job done.
Ceramic Industry Gulag museum at Perm 36
Some parts of this piece I enjoy doing, as it plays to my main strength within physical theatre of lifting people safely. Additionally, in one part we are both choking each other and being choked within a massive circle of choking – which Rasputin was quite fond of – and I realised that I can look like I’m getting choked as well as choke someone safely very convincingly. Prior expertise of this could help me add further naturalism into a play rife with experimental movements.
However, some parts are more of a challenge for me. First of all, I tend to not like exploring physically: I’ve tended to prefer a more naturalistic approach. Nevertheless, I will give 100% towards the project and I hope that I will broaden my abilities and enjoyment towards the exploration and devising of work. I will use my ensemble to work through anything which is a struggle. Also, I am not able to squat very efficiently, due to pain within my knees. This was a challenge as I was not doing the unison movement as smoothly as others within the group. I worked through this challenge, although, by making that struggle a part of my character. I made it so it seems even getting up and down is a challenge due to the fatigue I have and pain the Gulag has put me through. I have tailored a weakness to become a strength.
On the lesson on the 25th of March, we continued to work on our opening piece. Within doing this, I have been adding further characterisation within my character within the Gulag. I have decided to widen by casting spectrum and go against my normal instincts by making myself an immensely vulnerable character. For instance, when we make a wedge within the corner, I have made myself amongst the most vulnerable, positioning myself lying on the floor. Furthermore, I am pleading for effectively the entirety of the piece, be it for help, for God, or for food. This has been one of the most challenging things yet for me in terms of characterisation, as I am used to being within my comfort zone of always being a well off, opinionated person. My character in this is not allowed to have an opinion. In order to work through this particular challenge, I am calling upon previous things I have learned throughout the other seven units of this year, namely naturalism. I use Stanislavski’s method of “the magic if” whenever making a character choice. The magic if is used to put yourself in the character’s shoes. I use this whenever we are told a movement. I ask myself “What if I was forced to scurry around for any scraps of food I could get my hands on?”. From this, I gain that extra bit of instinct about my performance: forcing myself to be the first person to get food, or trying harder than anyone to grasp at the person in front of me. I inject more emotion in my performance to show the audience why I feel a certain way.
In addition, I have realised I have grown as an actor in certain aspects. Prior to the training I have received within these last seven units, I would have been slightly uncomfortable in both getting touched and touching someone during a piece. Although now, during this piece, I found myself not only comfortable with being grabbed, but taking it on and responding to the action. Moreover, when calling upon help, I will be the one to initiate touch, in order to receive comfort. This has proven to me that, though I of course have lots of improving to do, I am becoming a more skilled and accomplished actor through these units of work.