Unit 320 (2.1) WEEKLY Blog Posts

25/9/17 - 29/9/17
The Archers

General research:
The Archers is the world's longest-running radio soap opera. The British production, which has aired over 18,400 episodes, is broadcast on Radio 4, the BBC's main spoken-word channel. Originally billed as "an everyday story of country folk", it is now described as "contemporary drama in a rural setting". Five pilot episodes were aired in 1950 and the first episode was broadcast nationally on 1 January 1951. A significant show in British popular culture and with over five million listeners, it is Radio 4's most listened-to non-news programme.

Lynda Snell

The sight of Lynda Snell approaching on her trusty bicycle has sent many a villager scurrying for cover as they wonder what project she's about to cajole them into.

Fact title
Fact data
Played by:
Carole Boyd
Born:
29 May 1947
Status:
Married to Robert Snell
Occupation:
Hotel receptionist (also does B&B at her home)
Lives at:
Ambridge Hall
Works at:
Grey Gables

Love her or hate her, she certainly gets things done. If you need a piece of land protecting or a building saving, Lynda's your woman. She will grasp a campaign and pursue it like a terrier until all around her wilt under the pressure.

She shows a similar tenacity with her amateur dramatic productions, beating people into submission with her school ma'am tones and sniffy attitude.
She has a softer side though, reserved for husband Robert and Llamas Constanza and Salieri, and those with a genuine need, including over the years some of Ambridge's teenagers.

Likes - Dramas, llamas, wildlife
Dislikes - Pollen (she a hayfever-sufferer), poor timekeeping
Highs - The birth of llama Salieri
Lows - Not being able to have children, Robert's computer business failing
Immediate family

Robert Snell (Husband)
Coriander Snell (Step-daughter)
Leonie Snell (Step-daughter)

Key relationships

Elizabeth Pargetter (Friend) - fellow guerilla gardener
Lilian Bellamy (Friend) - step-daughter Leonie is the partner of Lilian's son James
Eddie Grundy (Friend/Foe) - continually frustrated by Eddie's schemes
Justin Elliott (Foe) - his big business ideas go against her passion to preserve the countryside
Lawrence Lovell (Foe) - rival producer and luvvie

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/2SBf17mJq4P9jsvHgJlZLlS/lynda-snell

Hope springs audition and analysis


Evaluation:
To prepare for the audition we were given the script and then I looked at the synopsis of the play. In this i found out the backstory to the play and got a basic idea of what the play entails. I looked at who i would like to audition for and made some vocal decisions based on what i had figured out from the synopsis and character descriptions. In this I chose to have clarity and diction but to fluctuate my volume and pitch to show the emphasis on certain words that need to be compelled more to the audience. I decided when doing Sam's monologue to move around and use my arms but i realise that i didnt do as much as planned so feel like I could improve on my spacial awareness and move more when we get into doing the play as i feel like im stationary for a while. When i repeated the monologue i used levels as at the end i addressed the rocks which i decided to do from time to time in the second time i did it with some direction. When i was questioned about sam i described him as an outsider and that he was left out which could have been the reason for him to supposedly commit suicide. After doing this i was asked to read another part and i chose to do the Principal. However looking back on my audition i find that i was very self critical of myself but when i read a bit of the principal i delivered it with a strong and stern voice and used clear articulationto show the so called power that the principal has.

Hope springs part 1

Act 1 scene 1-4

In this rehearsal we blocked Act 1 Scenes 1-4, I think that I need to work on characterization, I need to make sure that I create a clear difference vocally as i play two pupils and an island voice. I need to focus on creating the correct reactions to certain lines. At the beginning of the play, Pupil 3 is on the verge of being on board with the ringleader. But while reading the play I realized that my pupil knows where the staff are however i believe that she was persuaded into it as i see her as impressionable.

6/11/17

On the open day, we ran through the piece and reblocked some of the last scenes as Rachel wanted to change some of the parts in the play. I inputted ideas in how we could change certain scenes of our play. We had blocked the penultimate scenes and in this day I had to be updated.

13/11/17

In this week we revisited the parent scene and created a movement phrase to go with what is said in Act 1 Scene 7. In the movement phrase we used round by through and manipulation. To express our characters we were either a pupil, nice parent or bad parent. We each choreographed our own. Mine was a duet with august but we decided to cut them as it looked out of place. We then had to learn everyone elses which i found difficult as a 2 because we had to keep switching between parent and pupil. we were using the stage well as the front of the stage was in full use. What worked was doing everyones movement phrase although it was dificult it looks better with everyone doing it in unison. We looked as two pieces of music and i prefered the heartbeat as it carried a rythmn and the pace better. We also thought about what we want to communicate to the audience: Anger, Frustration, Uncertainty and Emotional conflict, The uneasy politics in families and the struggle for power and status. The movement works with the voice at the end of the scene as it shows the unity of certain parents views, and is symbolic to how the parents feel about their children.

4/12/17

In the week of HOPE SPRINGS we ran through the play and did the technical aspects. We looked at what we plan to do with our voice in the performances. I was struggling with the cue lines in act 2 scene 4 when we talk about what supposedly happened to sam a consequence of this was my voice becoming quieteras i was less aware of my lines. In the Island voice sections i plan to project more and use more diction. As I don't think I have much clarity. When i am a pupil i want to communicate more with the audience, and project especially when im at the back and need to say a line. In act 1 scene 3 i think i should use more diction especially but generally when ever i am on stage saying a line. On the day of our first performance we got notes.  the ones that were affecting me were emphasising "NAZI'S" in my monologue, when being projected on to have my feet together and linger at the end as i have one of the last pupil lines. But generally we needed to react in the parent scene when we were pushed down and strain to see the boat the inspector and assistant arrive on as we weren't looking hard enough. Once we had done our first performance we got a few notes which were to look straight when we were projected on, Be louder in the sections where we talk about sam and when the principal is found. Also to be more passionate in my monologue.

Below is the course of the play, what happens through out and the timings we decided on.





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