WEEK 5

Sophie:

It is fantastic to have finally finished blocking Sophie’s memory because I have been reluctant to learn lines before all  the blocking was complete. When you read lines without knowing the story behind them you create your own interperation an memorise them with that meaning. After blocking and understanding the point in time, history and other characters influence I have more of an understanding of the meaning behind the dialogue. A perfect example of this is in Sophie’s last memory. When we first read through the script Sophie’s third memory the company was completely bambozzelled. It is now after finding out about her history that we know what it means. We see at the very beginning of the script that Sophie has died from a neurological condition; “i have a cut… here.” we then find that Sohpie has had a brief experience in the afterlife; “i’ve been her before.” Her second memory, of her boring recurring lifestyle and success driven attitude show us the kind of life she leads. So this is where you out two and two together. This third memory is so unexpected and random that we know it cannot possible be true, but she is re-living it so therefore it must have happened. Perhaps in a dream where the barriers with which she has imprisoned herself no-longer exist. Then we are reminded of how she died and perhaps this state of unconsiousness where the memory took place is in fact a coma. And now it all makes sense.

I am enjoying acting this end of Sophie’s stage time more than the first. She is less reserved and becomes more comfortable and open which allows me to be more expessive and play someone who is less reserved. I also think that I am becoming more confident with being on the stage as well as my ability to play Sophie which is adding to my enjoyment. The memories are both fun and easy because they allow me to flip between re-inacting and retrospect which creates an interesting effect. I say they are easy because they don’t require as much depth as playing Sophie in the void. Their meaning a lot of the time is not as complex and is easy to descipher.  

Lighting:

Over the last two weeks I have been collecting magazine clippings of ideas for lighting as well as my character. I find this a great way to get started because magazines are filled with so many advertisements. These adds, designed to grab the reader’s attention do so by using lots of different colours, settings and angles of light. They can also be quite abstract which is part of what we are aiming for with ‘100′. Now that I have ideas of colour and light I will go about making my sketches and plans for each scene. To start with I will begin blocking the stage from a bird’s eye view. From this the lights needed on each lighting bar can be determined. Once the basic plan is together I can attempt to do sketches of what exactly the scene will look like from the front.

This is just one of the pictures of Ketu from a  school production. Interesting. www.suttongrammar.sutton.sch.uk/new/curriculum/drama/main6.htm

Pilot.