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Demi Hughes and James Springthorpe- American Acting and Actors Performance at Bath Spa University.

Film Reflection: Method or Madness

Method acting is a process formed by Lee Strasberg where actors would undertake serious characterization in their roles. What method acting aimed to achieve was for the actor to become their character as much as possible. Actors would take extreme action to create the perfect embodiment of their character. Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams are two different examples of Method Actors both portraying method acting in different lights.

In ‘My day with Marilyn’, the character Marilyn manipulates men to as she pleases. Regarding the intern within the film she tries to manipulate him however we find that the intern helps her through her issues regarding the pressure that has come with stardom. Michelle Williams successfully plays the character of Marilyn Monroe as she communicates the essence of a woman caught in a whirlwind of stardom. A significant moment during ‘My Day with Marilyn’ was the opening sequence when the audience is introduced to Marilyn. The audience are stunned how Michelle Williams portrays the similarities in appearance and persona with that of Monroe. Williams creates a sense of elegance through her portrayal of Marilyn as she draws together many talented aspects such as vocal recognition and characterization. Williams does however state that she does not feel sexy and Marilyn even though her character is an idol for women worldwide. At the end of filming ‘My Day with Marilyn’, Williams states that she now feels sympathetic towards Marilyn as she struggled to stand up for herself. Michelle Williams portrays Monroe as a strong and powerful woman but the real Marilyn Monroe is anything but. I think Williams portrayed a successful performance of Monroe however she did not become Monroe. Through the use of method acting this has helped Williams create an impressive performance however Monroe’s personality can never be fully captured.

Heath Ledgers performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight was outstanding. Ledger is known to take method acting to a different level as he took his acting process to the extreme. For a three week period leading up to the filming of The Dark Knight, Ledger became a recluse and he locked himself in a hotel room with no social interaction. This is when he found the mannerism such as the licking of his lips between sentences and twitching. These traits became quickly associated with the joker making Ledgers performance of the joker convincing and realistic. It show that the method acting paid off which helped make Ledgers final performance of the Joker to the highest quality emphasizing his skill as an actor.

It is questionable that Williams can be classes as a method actor when you compare her characterization process to Heath Ledgers. However, it may be the death of Ledger that has made his performance even more outstanding. The media has brought huge focus on his characterization in the film, The Dark Knight. Williams does however showcase her acting talents throughout ‘Marilyn’ but maybe not in the same way as Ledger. Ledger portrays the Joker in an astonishing way; his remarkable acting draws the audience in with amazement. With the joker being such a popular iconic villain for years, it’s difficult for another actor to replace ledgers work. Overall, both Ledger and Williams are very talented actors however in the terms of method acting Legers portrayal is more successful.

Bibliography:

David Gritten. 1811. Telegraph. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/8867440/My-Week-with-Marilyn-the-true-story.html.[Accessed 28 May 14].

My Week with Marilyn, 2011. [DVD] Simon Curtis, United Kingdom: Entertainment Film Distributors.

The Dark Knight , 2008. [DVD] Christopher Nolan, United States of America: Warner Bros. Pictures.

White, C. (2013). Inside Heath Ledger’s private diary: Batman star’s heartbroken father shares personal notes from Joker journal Read more:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2334159/Inside-Heath-Ledgers-pr. Available:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2334159/Inside-Heath-Ledgers-private-diary-Batman-stars-heartbroken-father-shares-personal-notes-dark-Joker-role.html. Last accessed 19th May 2014.

Film Reflection: Early American Acting

I chose to compare and discuss Marlon Brando's performance in both A street car named Desire and On the water front as he stars in both of them however,his character is very different in both. I feel that this just shows how talented his acting skills are. Due to the characters being so different it allows Marlon Brando to showcase his range in different genres.

Street Car Named Desire sees Marlon Brando perform as Stanley, Who is an aggressive male love interest who manipulates and abuses Blanche, another character in the film. He is a very arrogant character who believes that men should be in control of a relationship between a man and a women. It is clear that he is till stuck living in the past. I feel that through this performance Brando captures the pure essence of Stanley perfectly as it made me think of Stanley as a vile and crude man and this is the exact response he should have been provoking. He manages to perform a masculine character throughout, which focused on the visions upheld in society in the 1950's. The reason for this was because during that time it was so stereotypical to see the men as big masculine figures. For me personally this completely changed my opinion on the film as i live in the 21st century. I feel it would be difficult for any man to take on the role of an abuser however, Brando does it fantastically. I feel he does this through the way he keeps a professional manner throughout. He embodied the character with respect and ease due to the extreme content and visual imagery which was being created through cinematography and mise-en-scene. For me, the graphical scenes between Stanley and Blanche put me in an emotionally awkward situation as it isn't comfortable to watch! I feel this was the response they wanted from the audience, and they got it. I think that because i was so captivated in the whole story line i enjoyed Brando's perfromance in A Street Car Named Desire more than any i have seen him in before. Through his good use of characterization which lead him to develop a solid personality which represented Stanley i grew respect for Brando as i feel his effort into this role really shows.

On the water Front also stars Marlon Brando but sees him in a completely different perception to Street car Named Desire. Brando’s role of Terry Malloy performs a softer and gentler character that falls into a romantic love story. This American crime drama film presents Brando with different challenges in his acting career, however he reflects back on old techniques such as combat in violent scenes. In this performance Terry is seen as the victim of violence rather than the one causing it as we see in A Street Car Named Desire. The contrast between the two characters is just phenomenal. I feel Brando’s acting skill was presented further in Street Car Named Desire as his character was more compelling and captivating to watch as an audience member. However, it is still important to consider the fact that he did win an Academy Award for best Actor through this performance.

Street Car Named Desire and On the Water Front showcase Marlon Brando’s diverse range of acting skills which suggests the reasoning behind his great success as an early American actor. For me personally these films are not something i would choose to watch however, i am so grateful for the opportunity as they have opened up my eyes to a whole new level of acting. I fully respect the talent that Brando has in both performances. Brando moves from around different genres to gain a wider fan base and respect from film critics. He was an actor under high demand and from Street Car Named Desire and On the Water Front clearly demonstrate this.

Bibliography:

A Street Car Named Desire, 1951. [DVD] Elia Kazan, United States of America : Warner Bros.

IMDb. 1951. A Street Car Named Desire. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044081/. [Accessed 21 May 14].

IMDb. 1954. On the Water Front. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047296/. [Accessed 21 May 14].

On The Water Front, 1954. [DVD] Elia Kazan, United States of America : Columbia Pictures.

Film Reflection: Biographical Acting

From my research into Biographical acting i understood that it must be performed to the highest of standard. Taking into consideration the pressure on the lead roles within a performance to be able to give of a human life resemblance. Two actresses who i feel give a real life and captive performance for an audience are Angela Basset and Angelina Jolie. I feel that the effort that is put into these two character research and development is phenomenal and this clearly shows through their performances.

In 1998, during Gia, Jolie stars as a fashion model and reflects on both her good and bad experiences with the industry. The story looks at a young girls life before she ends up passing away due to Aid's. I feel that Jolie represents an emotional replica of the story of Gia Maria Carangi and for me it is one of the best performances i have seen her give.

I feel that what she does beautifully is captures the reality of a youth from Philadelphia whilst maintaining her own personal characteristics. The character of Gia is quite a rebellious one however, this all seems to change when she is thrown into the modelling industry as she gets caught up in drugs and general misbehaving. Another reason i feel this is one of Jolie's best performances is because of the way she is able to develop her acting ability but at the same time staying respectful to these traits. For me this film takes Jolie's commitment to acting to a completely different level as for me she successfully captured me from the start as she re lives this story about a young women loosing her battle with Aid's. In all honesty Gia is not a film i would have chosen to watch myself however, i am fully grateful for the opportunity to watch it through this course as it has made me see her in a completely different way. Gia is not a typical genre of film I would choose to watch but I thoroughly enjoyed it as i really feel she resembled Gia in a heart breaking way.

In What's Love Got To Do With It, we see Angela Basset perform in 1993 as the famous singer Tina Turner.It looks at Tina Turner's life story and her involvement in the music industry and abuse from her father. I can imagine this story was hard for Basset to portray as Tuner is such a big icon in the world. However, i feel personally that she did it justice. Not only just she successfully impersonate Tina Turner's performances through time but she also manages to tell a complex and detailed story too. I feel that all of the cast in this gave great performances as they were able to find emotional attachments to their character however, for me Basset was on a complete different level. I feel that her performance was captivating for the audience with the way she gave a pure and emotional performance especially the story about her abusive father. I personally feel that What's Love Got To Do With It showed the actors approach to characterization process for a biographical character in a complex way. From this performance it is clear how talented Basset is and i feel her performance could have won many awards especially one for best actress.

In conclusion i feel that both actresses portrayed their biographical characters in a detailed and precise way and this shown in their performance. In both Whats Love Got To Do With It and Gia, the story lines are touching to the audience and the content is very deep however, i feel that both Jolie and Basset manage to successfully create a believable performance, I feel that it was believable that they were the original characters they were portraying.I believe that the acknowledgments given to these actors are well deserved as they took time and consideration when finding the correct characterization for their roles.

Word count: 661

Bibliography:

IMDb. 1998. Gia. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0123865/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1. [Accessed 28 May 14].

IMDb. 1993. What’s Love Got To Do With It. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108551/. [Accessed 28 May 14].

UClipz. (1998). Gia (1998) Full Movie (Angelina Jolie) [HD720p]. [Online Video]. 31 March. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgDp2UaeUvo. [Accessed: 28 May 2014].

ZenzoFilm. (1993). What’s Love Got to Do with It 1993 Full Movie. [Online Video]. 09 August. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zbx42agewz8. [Accessed: 28 May 2014].

Post performance

When we first arrived in the space i was terrified. Yesterday when we only had to perform to Rebecca and a few others i was fine it was the best we had ever done it however, today seeing the space i started to panic. As everyone started to perform i could feel myself getting more and more nervous i started sweating, and couldn't stop shaking. I am always bad with my nerves but i hadn't been this bad since my final A-level performance. I kept going outside for air and eventually ended up crying. Then i told myself why i am here and brought myself back up, after a quick line run with James i felt as ready as i could be.

When i first got up on that stage my heart was pounding it was so scary being on that stage on my own. I feel that this showed to the audience. However, when James came on stage i felt i found myself, my nerves went and i started to fully get into the performance. After working on all the exercises we had done during the rehearsal process i tried to incorporate them into our piece and i feel i successfully did this more than i thought i would be able to. I built up my anger and patience so much that when i ran on stage to push James i completely shoved him over, this wasn't meant to happen but during the performance i had been trying to build up my rage inside. I feel i successfully achieved this. This performance for me was the best one i have done during my time at University, as i feel it couldn't have gone any better. I feel that the reason my performance was of a different standard to my previous ones was because of all the effort i put into my character research and actually trying to become my character. Although very skeptical of Method acting at the start of the module i am now in favor of it as i have witnessed for myself the benefits this can have on a performance. I found this final performance and the module itself very satisfying as it allowed me to achieve what i am hear for; to find methods of acting that suit me as a performer and teach me the skills i need to better myself as an actor.

First Performance to Rebecca

This was the best the performance had ever gone in my opinion. I felt that we really showed our relationship development on stage and we successfully created different levels of tension throughout. The response we got from the audience afterwards was incredible i was so happy. They commented on how realistic the physical parts were and how convincing the relationship itself was especially during the more closer moments. This was a huge relief as these were my biggest concerns with the piece. Rebecca said that over all she was pleased with our piece and we did have some good moments in their however, we needed to really feel it. She said that we need to fully feel comfortable with the scene itself as this would change the dynamics of it. I understood what she was saying completely and i agreed with her. She also mentioned that James needed to focus on his tone of voice for in the theatre as it could have huge impact on the scene. She also commented on my diction and pronunciation of words which is something i already had been trying to work on as i knew this would be a problem.

Taking on Rebecca's feedback we then went on to speed run, line run and run the scene properly for over 5 hours as we really wanted to achieve that sense of belief in our piece. We worked on the relationship and feeling comfortable with our characters but more importantly with one another. I feel that this had huge impact on our piece as i was more considerate of James as well as myself now. I also went home and spent some time working on my diction. For the rest of that evening every time i spoke to my house mates i made sure i pronounced all of my words correctly as this is something i don't often do. I always spent some time working with the exercise where you go through the months of the year pronouncing them correctly as focusing on each letter. I then started running through my lines when i was shouting using this and i could already hear the difference.

Additional Exercises

We decided that we needed to work on the violent part of the scene as it was very physical and we weren't really focusing on the words as much which i felt took away from the moment. So we decided to line run but just sitting down not moving. Although this was difficult to start with i soon found it beneficial as it allowed me to focus more on the way in which i said the words rather than my physical actions, as all i can do during this part is hold my hair trying to get free from his grip. So i felt i needed to work on the expression of my words to portray the fear she is feeling at this moment.

We then decided to work with some exercises that would help us find the right balance between shouting that was effective and just screaming as i had noticed during previous rehearsals that i was starting to just scream my lines when i really got into the role. So we decided to sit back to back saying our lines with no movement and then slowly work our way out, further apart. This allowed me to work on how loud my voice needed to actually be to still get the same response. We then repeated this exercise but starting further apart working our way in facing each other. What i felt this part of the exercise allowed us to do was work on our facial expressions and the impact they can have on the way we say things. I found all of the above exercises very beneficial to my character development especially the relationship between the two.

Rehearsal Evaluation: Mid way through..

We are now well past our mid way stage during the rehearsal process and i feel we have come so far. For me the scene is well on its way and we have managed to successfully create the right combination of tension and show this heighten and drop throughout. I feel that in terms of my character development i have come very far. I really am starting to feel like Kate. I have started to note down when i have really lost my patience or my temper has been tested and i have then been looking back at them and thinking about how i felt during the time and what it was that was actually testing my patience. I feel that this was very beneficial in helping me play Kate as these are two things i feel she portrays in this scene. We have spent many hours so far rehearsing and we continue to do so until we feel we are fully ready for our performance as i feel with this module you have to 100 percent throw yourself into your character else you will not benefit from this process at all. Last night we had an interesting rehearsal as we were running through the scene and working on our voice levels using different exercises when James said the police were at my window. The police had been called due to all the screaming and shouting coming from us and they had broken into my garden and were leaning through the window. In the end we had to show them the script in order for them to believe us. Although this was quite embarrassing it was quite satisfying too as it must have sounded real for the police to actually come out, especially in the world we live in now. The main exercises i aim to work on for the final part of the rehearsal process are ones that will allow me to work on my diction as i feel this is something i need to do. During the scenes where i am shouting which is quite often, i found that i am not fully pronouncing my words so i need to work on this in the up coming rehearsals. My main concern too is lines as i feel i know them just not well enough yet so we have decided to start doing run through but just saying the lines at different speeds to try and help them sink in better. Although we are over half way i still feel we have a long way to go.

Character research continued..

Due to this relationship being based on domestic violence but from Kate rather than Ben i felt it would be a good idea to do some further research into this as it was something i hadn't really come across before. I soon found out through the NHS website that during 2010 over a quarter of reported domestic violence cases were from women to men. This came as a chock to me as i didn't think it would be this high. I then went on to read about the symptoms of an abusive relationship and it stated things such as:

belittle you, or put you down

blame you for the abuse or for arguments

deny that abuse is happening, or play it down

These three stood out for me the most as i recognized these within Kate's behavior towards Ben as she always puts him down and blames him for everything she is feeling when actually it isn't his fault.

I then watched a few videos on domestic abuse but from women towards men and i found one that was very interesting. It outlined the difference in peoples responses when the abuse is a man to a women in comparison to it being the other way round. I could see how people were not as bothered when it was the women towards the men but when it was the other way round so many people stepped in to help. This allowed me to think about the response i could try and get out of the audience through my scene as it involves me being violent to Ben and him back to me.

References:

Driscoll, Brogan. (2014). ManKind's Domestic Violence Video Shows The Double Standards Between Male And Female Victims. Available: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/05/27/mankind-men-domestic-violence-video-abuse_n_5396154.html. Last accessed 20th May 2013.

NHS. (2013). Domestic violence against men. Available: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/abuse/Pages/domestic-violence-against-men.aspx. Last accessed 20th May 2013.

Character research

Sense Memory: I chose to try and focus sense memory at the start of the scene as i feel this was a good place to start as i could try and use my memories to build up the anger inside just as Kate does on stage.

Sight: I can see my laptop in front of me, i am surrounded by paper work in my daunting kitchen. The fact the laptop is not working is testing my patience and looking at all the work i still have to do is making me angrier.

The memory i used to try and bring these similar emotions was when i was 18 trying to revise for my A-level exams. It was similar circumstances it was hot and i was sat in my bedroom which at the time felt very daunting i was using my sisters laptop as mine had broken and it was so slow it kept freezing.This really tested my patience and i could feel the rage building up inside. Being surrounded by paper that i hadn't even worked on yet was making me more and more angry.

Taste:

I have no taste in my mouth all i can taste is my own saliva, it is a dehydrated kind of taste.

The memory i used to try and feel this taste was when i was 19 working at the Cafe in the summer, it was so hot and their was so many customers i hadn't stopped for hours, so i hadn't been able to have a drink. My mouth tasted like cardboard so dry and thick, i felt so dehydrated it was awful.

Touch:

All i can feel is the sweat dropping down from forehead onto my nose because it is so hot in this kitchen.

The memory i used to try and feel this way was at the Cafe last year when i was 19. It was the middle of summer so it was boiling hot and i was so busy running around i was covered in sweat. The fact we had to wear a uniform was making it worse as they were so tight, all i can remember feeling was the sweat trickling down my face as i was trying to work.

Smell:

All i can smell is dog food, which is making me more and more angry as i hate that bloody dog, its not even mine its Ben's.

I used the memory of when i was at my grandmothers house when i was a child around 9 years old. I hated her dog as it was so small and really nasty and at the time really scared me. All i ever used to smell when i went into her house was dog food and it made me feel physically sick so i couldn't even eat there, this made me hate the dog more and more.

Sound:

All i can hear is that stupid dog barking and all of those kid's screeching, how am i ever going to be able to concentrate! This is making me more and more angry i cant cope much longer.

The memory i used was when i was 18 revising for my exams. I had purposely gone out of the way up the road to my Nan's house as i wanted some peace and quiet. All of a sudden all i can hear is screaming outside, it goes on for a while then when i look out the window i see my sister and mum coming into the house. As they continued to argue i got more and more angry until i had to walk out as they had ruined my chances of concentrating.

Uniting of group scene

Unit 1: Start of scene to page 33, line: Ben 'Chinatown'

This is the opening scene where the audience see Kate for the first time. They are able to see what she is like and this sets up the rest of the scene. She is sat in her living room looking at her laptop surrounded by paper work. During this unit Kate is seen losing her temper with Kate and the dog that keeps barking. Each time the dog barks Kate is loosing her temper more and more until she eventually snaps and kicks the dog. Her objective in this unit is to finish her work undisturbed. I feel that during this unit her primary emotion would be anger caused by the hot weather, the dog and her laptop not working. However, i feel her parallel emotion would be stress as you can clearly see she wants to finish her work and the fact that this is all going on is stopping her from doing so, making her more stressed. The physical action i would use to help portray this would be me putting my head in my hands as the dog barks to show the anger levels building.

Unit 2: Page 33, Ben says 'Chinatown' - page 36, Ben says 'Ok, control the impulse'

During this unit the audience are introduced to Ben for the first time, they also get to witness their relationship and the tension between the two. Their is unease between the two and this shows. The audience soon gets to see Kate's real side as she uses Ben to blame for the reason she is so stressed and angry, by bringing up the fact that he had used her bath stuff, which is completely irrelevant. You start to see the anger and how bad her temper is as she lashes out at the laptop as it keeps crashing on her. I feel that her objective in this unit is to have a row with Ben pushing all the blame on him. I feel that her primary emotion during this unit would be Anger, this is a mixture of the anger she feels towards Ben, the laptop and the dog. I feel that although similar, her secondary emotion would be rage as this is something that is slowly building upside. The physical action i would use to try and demonstrate this would be me punching the laptop as i feel this would start to show her inner rage to the audience.

Unit 3: Page 36 Kate says 'I didn't sleep..' - Page 38 Kate says 'you'

During this unit the tension changes again and i feel this should be made clear to the audience. The two talk and Kate is trying to explain herself in reference to the way she has been acting. However, this soon turns back to the blame on Ben. Kate stabs a hot spoon on Ben's arm as she speaks to him, which i feel she does to feel that sense of power and know that it is still in place. Her objective in this unit is to try and explain herself as to why she is so angry and why she is acting the way she is. With this in mind i still feel that in this unit her primary emotion would be guilt because deep down she does feel bad for just lashing out at Ben for no reason and that is what she is trying to explain. Her parallel anger in this unit would be anger as i feel this is something that builds up inside of Kate constantly. The physical action i would use to try and demonstrate this would be her stabbing him with the hot spoon, as i feel this shows her built up anger whereas, the dialogue more so shows her trying to explain her behavior.

Unit 4: Page 38 Kate Says 'you', - Page 40 Kate says 'Fuck you!'

Their is a complete change of tension in this unit as the audience finally gets to see that Kate is a real person and she does have emotion. When Ben takes his top of and Kate sees the bruises she does feel guilt. When Ben tries to kiss her but she refuses him as the dog for stinks, their is a nice moment between the two. I feel that her objective in this unit is to try and show Ben she's sorry without actually saying it as she is too stubborn. I feel her primary emotion during this unit would be guilt as she really does feel bad for her actions and when she sees the bruises from last it does hit home. Her parallel emotion during this scene would be embarrassment at her behavior and the fact that she cant remember what even caused it. The physical action i would use to demonstrate this would be me holding my hands up to my face as i talk almost hiding my face from him as i feel this shows the embarrassment.

Unit 5: Page 40, Kate says ' Fuck you' - page 41,Kate says 'Hold me'

Again the tension changes in this unit, it is heightened as once again she looses her temper with Ben as he mentions the dead body. I feel that Kate knows deep down this is the reason shes so angry but she would prefer to blame Ben. As she starts to explain how she felt when she found the body the audience can clearly see how self centered she is; she is only worried about how this has ruined her plans, rather than the dead girl and her family. Her objective in this unit i feel is to try and explain the details of that day to Ben to try and use it as an excuse for her behavior. Her primary emotion would be anger, this is towards Ben for mentioning the dead body and her parallel emotion would be annoyance at him and the fact that all of this has ultimately ruined her day. The physical action i would use to try and portray this would be the look of disgust on my face as i explain the story of finding the body as i feel this shows her remorse to the dead girl and her anger at finding her.

Unit 6: Page 41, Kate says 'Hold me' - Page 44 Ben says 'Hang up'

Again the audience see a change in tension during this unit it is now very low although it is still their slowly building back up. Their is a nice moment between the two where they kiss and resemble a real relationship. This is the first time the audience has seen them like this and i think it changes the whole scene. Her objective in this unit is to show Ben she is sorry for how angry she always gets at him and deep down she does love him, she just as a funny way of showing this. Her primary emotion would be guilt as she feels bad for the way she has treated him. However, i feel her parallel emotion would be happiness, as for once they have a nice moment together and that is what she wants she just ruins it with her temper. I feel that the hug itself is enough to portray this as it shows how close she does want to be to him, so this is the physical action i would use.

Unit 7: Page 44, Ben says 'Hang up' -Page 46, Kate says 'this is fucking..'

This unit completely changes the tension as it reaches its highest point. I feel the reason for this is because it is so unexpected. Ben is seen to be in control and the one lashing out, and this is a shock to the audience as he has been portrayed as such a timid character before this but is now showing rage for the first time as he lunges at her, pulling her off her chair. I feel that Kate's objective in this unit is to try and deny what she has done to the dog as i feel deep down she is in shock herself. Her primary emotion is embarrassment at the fat that she has been caught out and finally has to face the consequences of her actions. Her parallel emotion would be anger, this is at the fact Ben is now in control and she doesn't like it. I would stare at the floor during this unit to show the embarrassment within Kate.

Unit 8: Page 46, Kate says ' This is fucking...' - Page 48 Ben says 'Your a fucking bitch but i love you'

The tension during this unit is still high as they continue to argue however, the control is now back with Kate. She rips the plaster of his face as another way to hurt him, letting her anger out. I then feel that the tension reaches its highest point as they get physically violent as Ben pulls her by her hair so hard. Finally the audience see Ben blow. I feel that Kate's objective in this unit is to gain control again, although this fails. Her primary emotion would be fear as i feel that she hasn't seen Ben like this before. Her parallel emotion would be Anger as she hates the fact that she is in control and she is finally getting a taste of her own medicine. I would portray how scared she is through my physical actions such as me grabbing my hair trying to desperately get free from his grip.

Unit 9: Page 48, Ben says 'Your a fucking bitch but i love you' - End.

The tension has now completely dropped as Ben has let go of Kate, why she lies on the floor getting her breath back. Kate knows that she has pushed him too far this time but when he mentions the dog again asking her to apologize she looses it completely, pushing him over and walking out. I feel that her objective in this unit is to have one last attempt at gaining control because although she knows she has pushed him too far, she knows that she will always have power in this relationship, or at least she thinks she will. Her primary emotion would be fear after what has just happened she is still in shock, however her parallel emotion would be pure rage as she looses it with. Shoving him to the floor would be the physical action i would use to demonstrate this.

I feel that uniting this scene has been really beneficial to me as it has allowed me to not only develop my character but also to work on changing the tension of the scene completely through the physicality and tone of my character. It has allowed me to work more on my character development in ways i haven't before as once i could work out Kate's emotions and objectives i could then use emotional recall to think of a time i had felt similar. After uniting this scene i feel as an actor this is something i will use again as it was very beneficial.

Group Scene work

I decided for this part of the module i would work with James as this would help me with nerves and forgetting my lines during our performance as he is a close friend of mine. We have decided to work on Scene 3 from Breathing Corpses. What stands out for me within this scene is the highs and lows and how they are in constant contrast with one another. I feel the the tension is constantly building throughout and this is clear to the audience. Breathing corpses is a play which involves many different scenes and it looks at the impact death has on different people and how they all deal with it differently. Scene 3 the one we have chosen to work on looks at Ben and Kate a fairly young couple who are involved in an abusive relationship but on Kate's behalf. Kate is abusive towards Ben and this is shown through the dialogue alone, you can see how she has broken him down into a timid mess. With the fact she has just found a dead body in the park when walking his dog which she hates more than she hates Ben i feel, tensions are running high in this scene and the audience is just waiting for her to blow. What i enjoy most about this scene however, is when the anger switches from Kate to Ben and she gets a taste of her own medicine as such.

Due to this being a method acting course i feel that for me to try and become Kate as much as i possible can this will be easier for me due to the fact i feel that i am quite similar to Kate with her low patience and her short temper as these are two qualities i have too. I feel through using the skills and exercises we have learnt so far i can put all of this to the test for our final performance and this excites me.

Monologue Evaluation

I really enjoyed this part of the module as it was the first time we were able to put the skills we have learnt before hand into practice. For me the exercise that benefited me most was the uniting of the monologue as this allowed me to break it up and work out what were her intentions in each part and how i could portray them physically and emotionally on stage. I feel that after uniting the monologue i found the process got easier for me as i could become the character much more easily now i could clearly see what she wanted and what exactly she was saying in each unit. Adding the physical action to each unit was beneficial too as for me this allowed me to know when each unit was making me remember my lines which is something i tend to struggle with. I feel that the sense memory exercise was the least beneficial to me in my rehearsal process as i didn't really see the point. I understand from class how looking at the five senses can be beneficial and how these can find an emotion within you which can then be used to portray the same emotion your character is feeling, however, for me personally this didn't help me when performing my monologue.

Uniting of monologue

The monologue i have chosen is Simone's monologue from Been So Long. With this course being focused on method acting and the idea of becoming the character rather than just acting as them i felt it would be beneficial to chose a monologue i could relate to. This monologue takes place in a bar, this is a run down bar that isn't very popular at all. The play looks at how men and women relate to each other and how you have to be tough in order to survive. Simone who is beautiful and scary at the same time has met Raymond who she has fell in love with but like any other man he is sleeping with lots of women as well as her and cannot commit to her the way she wants. This monologue takes place when she bumps into Raymond where she reveals she isn't as tough as she makes out and that she can't trust him because she believes no man can be faithful. I feel i can relate to this monologue and Simone's character as i feel exactly the same about men due to my Ex boyfriend, and i put on this front with men of being tough and not caring when deep down all i want is to be treated how i feel i deserve.

We were asked to unit our monologues and look at the way the character changes and to identify what they want in each unit. We were then to add an emotion followed by an emotion parallel and a physical action to go with this.

Unit 1 [ No. No, i'm sorry Raymond, but your'e the type a geezer should come with a warning written on you. Your a child Raymond.]

This is the start of the monologue where the audience gets to see Simone for the first time and understand the situation she is in. In this unit she wants to come across as a strong independent women to Raymond. Her objective is to show him she wont put up with his crap anymore as she knows what hes like. I think at this point her emotion would be that she is feeling very nervous because although she is trying to put on a front of being strong, she's in love with him and everything about him. Her parallel emotion would be sadness because although she wants to tell him straight that she deserves better she is petrified at the thought of loosing him. I haven't been able to choose one physical action for this unit but rather a set of them. I have chose to use my hands more to show the confidence she initially starts with, but then to make no eye contact with him what so ever to show her inner emotions of nervousness and sadness.

Unit 2 [You'll cut me up again, Your a charmer and you did reach me, but this is not real, I don't trust it, your running around town fucking this girl and that, and already i'm hurt and were not even together]

I feel that in this unit the audience should see a clear change in Simone. She is trying to do the whole confident act but she can't and this is where you see this. During this unit she starts to tell him how she really feels. This is a definite change in Simone's character and i feel her objective is to let him know how she really feels and to make him realise what he has done to her. The first and strongest emotion in this unit i feel would be fear as deep down she is so scared of telling him what she really thinks in case she looses him for good, The parallel emotion would be anger because although she is scared to tell him she is so angry with the way he has treated her and she wont stand for it. In this unit i want the audience to see a clear change between Simone's emotions of fear and anger so i will try to do this by using the physical action of her shaking her head as she speaks to him and gaining more eye contact now as the anger pushes through.

Unit 3: [And i feel rejected and ugly and i'm thinking bout her and if you think she's nicer than me, and better than me, and that's all i'm fucking thinking about since I've heard]

I feel again that in this unit you should see a clear change in Simone and her behavior. She has gone from being scared to telling him how she feels to then feeling anger towards him. Throughout the monologue Simone goes on a journey of emotions and i want the audience to be able to see this clearly in each unit. Her objective in this unit although she has been trying to hide it is to tell him how much he has really hurt her and what this is doing to her and her mind. Simone's initial emotion i feel would be sadness and she is discussing how he has made her feel, but the parallel emotion would be happiness because although right now she hates him for what he has done she knows deep down its because how happy he has made her during the time they've spent together. The physical action i will use in this unit will be downing the glass of wine on the table as i will use this as a symbol throughout the monologue. It is to show that she is trying to wash out of her mind the silly thoughts of the happiness he brought her but to also give her more confidence to go back to telling him how much he has hurt her and how she wont stand for it.

Unit 4 [And i can't stop wanting you and hearin you, and i resent them things, i resent it because i'm a proper big women Raymond, you understand me, i'm not fifteen, you understand me, am i'm subjugated already by wanting you so much]

In this unit you can see another clear change in Simone and her emotions She has slipped right back into his spell and starting to tell him how much she likes him and wants him. I feel her emotion right now would be desperation as the alcohol is kicking in her emotions are running wild and she is now trying every option she can with Raymond but she can not hide from the fact she is in love with him. I feel that the parallel emotion to this would be sadness again because as much as she likes him telling him is not going to make him change the type of man he is. I feel that the physical action to go with these emotions would be her putting her hand on her head to hide her face as she starts to tell him how she really likes him but at the same time to show the anger and frustration this situation is causing her.

Unit 5 [And yeah, you say you'll change but this is what you are, this is your meat and drink picking up birds and fucking with their heads just like this, i know all about this Raymond.]

Another change in Simone's behavior is seen in this unit. She has now gone back to finding her confidence and telling him she knows exactly what he has been doing, she isn't stupid. (this is probably due to all the wine she has downed kicking in) Her emotion right now, although a mixture the strongest would be anger as she is telling him about how she knows about all the women hes been sleeping with as well as her! I feel that the parallel emotion to this would be sadness as she knows by telling him this she has caught him out and he will no longer want her and although he treats her bad deep down she doesn't want to loose him. I'm going to use the physical action of her downing her wine again as i feel this is a good symbol of her getting her confidence back and letting her anger out on him.

Unit 6: [ You get us hooked up into your orbit and then you shit all over us, and I've been through this, this torture so many fucking times i swore i would never ask a man to give me pain again and i know from one good look at you that you cant stop hurting women, and it cuts me because there really is something about you, darling]

I feel that this unit is very similar to the previous one in terms of Simone and her behavior. Her objective in this unit is to let him know how this isn't the first time she's been through this. I feel the anger she initially feels in this unit is the strongest as this is not only the anger she feels to Raymond but the anger she feels towards all the other men who have put her through the same thing. I feel the parallel emotion to this would be happiness as she thinks back to everything she has been through with men, and she knows that she is finally standing up for herself. Which is stopping her from allowing her self to be treated like this. The physical action i would use for this unit would be her smiling for once, as she shows her confidence within herself, by this point she will also be making a lot more eye contact with him.

Unit 7: [ Something I've seen and i really do think that i could love it, and i know it's the damage that locks you into doing all this bad stuff, i know that, but you scare me and i gotta go Raymond]

This is the unit i feel you most see a physical and emotional change in Simone. She is now sad but not because of him but because i feel this is the part where her objective is to tell him how she understands why he is the way he is, which is something that not many girls would do. So its almost his loss not hers. I feel the parallel emotion would be happiness as she knows deep down it is his loss and one day whenever that may be he will realise that and that makes her happy because by then it will be too late for him. The physical action i will use for this unit will be me standing up placing both hands on the table and looking down at him to symbolise she is better than this and him.

Unit 8 [I'm sorry but now i really must dust because looking at you makes me fifteen again, and i'm getting dazzled in my belly, so this is where i get off, i'm sorry Raymond because your beautiful, and i'm going to walk away now Raymond]

In the final unit i don't feel as if there is much of a physical change in Simone as she is already stood up looking down at him. Her objective in this unit i feel is to just say goodbye and let him know this is it, its done. Her first emotion would be happiness as she has finally done it, stood up to a man and told them she deserves better. Her parallel would be sadness because deep down she really loves this man but knows she has to walk away. The physical action i will use in this unit is the symbolism of the wine again, as she downs the rest of the bottle its almost to symbolise its done just like them two are. As she walks away i feel she should turn around and take one last look at him before she goes, to show the mixture of the two emotions.

This task has really helped me to develop my character. Instead of just looking at the initial emotion and using this it has allowed me to look at the parallel and how effective it can be to use both to show the journey of emotions Simone goes on during this monologue. I feel like i can really become this character now instead of just acting as i have a clear idea of her emotions for each section and the physical actions to go with this.

Sense Memory

This was the next task we had been given and we were trying to connect memories to our senses. This would help us to work out how we were feeling at the time by connecting our instant memories to the senses.

Taste.

Age: 19

Where: Georgia's House- Reading in the living room sat round the dining table.

I had gone to my best friends house for the first time for a night out and then the next day her parents had prepared and cooked a Sunday dinner for us, There was sauces on the table and everybody seemed to be putting it on their plate, so i thought it would be polite to do the same. I had never tried horse radish before so i covered my plate in it like everyone else had. I started to eat my dinner and then boom the taste hit me it was the worst taste i have ever tasted in my whole entire life! I can't even describe what it tasted like it was just horrible. It made my eyes water and made me feel like i was going to be sick. It was all over my plate now and i didn't want to look rude and not eat my dinner so i had to do my best to scrape it all to one side and try and eat my dinner. The first emotion i relate to this memory is disgust at the pure taste of the Horse radish, however, the secondary emotion is happiness and laughter as every time i look back at this memory i laugh at how silly i was.

Smell

Age: 7 years old

Where: My Grandmother's kitchen, Ibstock.

This is the earliest memory i have although i know it started way before this. My nan's dinners are the bets by far i know everyone says this about their grandparents but mine definitely is. Her Sunday dinners are to die for! We have everything from the meat to sausages, to mash, roasts and Yorkshire puddings. We all used to go to my Grandparents every Sunday, the whole family there together. I remember playing with my sister and cousin in the living room and all i could smell was the dinner cooking in the other room. It was the bets smell I've ever smelt in my whole life, it was mouth watering. The first emotion that links to this memory is a happy one as i think back to all the family together, laughing and joking round. The secondary emotion is sadness as i now look back and think about how much has changed. We've all grown up now, I'm miles away at university and don't get to have my nan's Sunday dinners for at least 6 weeks.

Sound

Age:11

Where: My Grandparents house

When my parents split up my mum then met her new partner who she is still with now, he didn't have any children so they started to try for one. After years of trying and 8 miscarriages the whole family had given up on this pregnancy. Although everything seemed to be going well nobody wanted to get their hopes up so didn't by any clothes or decorate the room, but i had this gut feeling this was it this was the time little Owen James would push through. I was at school when i got a notice saying i had to meet my little sister and that our Nan was picking us up from school. I instantly knew what this meant however, i was so nervous and scared in case it all went wrong at the last minute. Sitting at my Nan's house the anticipation was killing me and then i heard it, the most beautiful sound i had ever heard the crying and screaming of my new born little brother Owen James. When i think back to this memory the emotion i link with the sound of his voice is relief, i felt like i could finally breathe and relax. The secondary emotion that follows this would be happiness and joy as i think back to all the memories we've had as hes grew up and the beautiful and smart little man that he has become today!

Sight.

Age: 17

Where: Ibstock High School

It was the date of my sisters prom and me and my little sister hadn't really got on at all as we were growing up. She went through a very long rough patch which caused all the family a lot of problems. My sister was more of a tom boy and would prefer rolling around in mud to putting on make up any day of the week. I wasn't able to be at home while she was getting ready but i was at the school gates pushing people out of the way so i could get lots of good pictures. As her limo pulled up and she got out i had never felt so proud. She was wearing a purple princess dress with her hair curled and make up on. She looked beautiful and i was so proud of the women she was growing up to be. The first emotion that i feel when i think of this memory is happiness as it was the first time i had ever seen her like that and i felt so proud. The secondary emotion is sadness as with this memory i then start to think about all the stuff she did and put our family through.

Touch:

Age: 14-18.5

Where: My ex boyfriends room

i was with my ex boyfriend for four and half years and he was the love of my life. We had grew up together and gone through so much that he was not only my boyfriend but my best friend. His bed had feather quilts and pillows and i had never seen these before but they were the softest thing i had ever felt, so comfortable. I can remember lying in his bed wrapped up in his arms with the touch of the pillows on my face. This was my favourite place in the world, it was the only place i felt safe and at peace. The first emotion i feel when i think back to this memory of touch is one of pure happiness as like i said this was my favourite place in the world. However, the secondary one is one filled with anger and rage as i think back to how he threw it all away after just one day of freshers by going with someone else and then never looking back. He didn't even have the guts to tell me that's what hurts the most the fact that he destroyed everything we had, our lives together, broke my heart but couldn't even tell me.

This exercise has been very beneficial for me in terms of the journey i'm taking on this course. I feel like my confidence is growing and i am slowly starting to be able to open up and find the deeper emotions inside. I feel that this exercise would definitely benefit me when working on my monologue as it will allow me to think of ever aspect not just the way they feel but there senses and what emotions these lead to.

Presentation

For our next task we were asked in our groups to choose a play and look into the social, political and historical context not only of the play but of the characters within the play. This was so that the rest of the group could understand the play and start to see the characters as they may want to choose them for their monologue work. I feel that this task learnt me the importance of researching into the character i am playing and the background of the play as it gives you a real insight into why they are the way they are in the play which will help in this module as we are not meant to act as this character but rather become them.

My group decided to give our presentation on Our Country's Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker. This is a play i am familiar with as i looked at it during my A-levels. This play not only looks at 'the story of how the first transported convicts came to produce a play, Our Country's good also relates personal stories and individual histories which broaden the plays dialectic and enrich its meaning' - Timberlake Wertenbaker (1987). Our Countrys Good. London: The serpentine publishing company. 23.

My part of the presentation was to look at the character Liz Morden and the historical and social context behind her character. I feel that with the character of Liz Morden in order for the actor to be able to really understand Liz and why she is the way she is in this play they must understand her social and historical background. I feel this is what determines the women she is.

In the mid seventeenth century there was a fear within the middle and upper classes of the raising crime rate, largely due to an increasing population and high unemployment figures. The chosen solution to this problem was the transportation of English convicts to Australia, where they could be used as slaves to build a naval outpost.

She wrote the play after she had read up on the history of the transportation of convicts from England to Australia. To do so she used resources such as the novel The Playmaker by Thomas Keneally, and journals of marines sent to Australia. Through these journals she could get a useful insight into what life for a convict was really like.

Max Stafford-Clark. (). Our Countrys Good. Available: http://www.outofjoint.co.uk/c/our-countrys-good. Last accessed 6th Jan 2014.

The play focuses on the criminal class. This is important to remember when looking into the character of Liz Morden as it explains why she is the way she is. Liz is a rough and tough kind of women who has never had a chance from the word go. I personally feel Liz's story is timeless. She was born into extreme poverty, with a broken home life and no formal education. She has had a lack of positive role models and has been showed no love or affection. Liz has had to grow up very quickly. She has been betrayed and abandoned by her family which leads her into a life of crime and she is sentenced to imprisonment.

During the play the convicts decide to put on a play called the recruitment officer. I feel that this is where u start to see Liz Morden n that women she is. She snatches the play and say's she'll let them know her decision of character, she is very blunt. Then you start to see an aggressive side of Liz during the rehearsals when she gets very snappy and aggressive with other members of the play. However, what the other cast members and the audience don't know yet is that Liz is only acting this way because she cannot read due to her lack of education which goes against her just as everything in her life has.

I feel that the best way to show the social and historical context of Liz Morden and the way i would play her is through her monologue. This takes place just before she is about to go in for hanging. Food has been stolen on board and Liz has instantly got the blame, there's no proof but she gets the blame and is sentenced to death by hanging. She is sat outside the waiting room waiting for her fate to be decided as she gives her monologue. This is the first time Liz opens up and we are all able to see what she has been through making her the way she is today.

We learn that shes never had any luck in life as she says-'lack, dunno the word shifts its bob when i comes near'

Her mum left her when she was young leaving her with her dad and five brothers

In av overpopulated time, where people in Liz's class had no money or food to survive, you have to do what is necessary.

Her own father is caught stealing and blames her-'I was stripped, beaten in the street, everybody watching' You can see how this betrayal of her father would have lead to her bottling up emotions of fear and rage as well as low self esteem.

She tries to kill her father and then goes to her older brother 'don't ask you to be a swell molisher sister, men want Mrs Laycock they don't wannma look at your ugly mug!' this shows the relationship between her and her family and it really isn't a good one!

She then begins to sell her 'mother of all saints' meaning that she goes into prostitution. She meets a guy who becomes her pimp and tells her to 'spice' things up and follow her fathers footsteps by becoming a thief.

She does so but one time gets caught 'the snoozies here and i'm nibbed' I'm not saying that everyone is Liz's situation would turn to crime but i feel its easy to see how it could happen.

'but na Ross don't like my mug i'm nibbed again and its up the ladder to rest for good'

I feel this monologue gives you the best idea of why Liz is the way she is which would help you best become this character. All her life she has been blamed for things she hasn't done and once again she has and its all because Ross doesn't like her!

Having a life where everyone doubts you explains why Liz is so rough and tough i believe. An interesting thing to remember when playing the character of Liz is that yes she has had a tough life, but its made her the strong women she is today and she really doesn't care what anyone thinks of her. It's almost as if her whole life has built up to this one moment.

Max Stafford-Clark. (). Our Countrys Good. Available: http://www.outofjoint.co.uk/c/our-countrys-good. Last accessed 6th Jan 2014.

Timberlake Wertenbaker (1987). Our Countrys Good. London: The serpentine publishing company. p53.

#rough #ging.

My response to my basic object exercise

Today it was my turn to get up and re live my two minutes. I had never been so scared, it was not the re living part that was worrying me but rather the questions that will come after and how i will have to expose myself to a room full of people i barely know names of. As i started i tried to think of the answers to my questions in my head but really struggled as this is the problem i had throughout the weeks of practice. I found my self over thinking it too much which lead to me acting it rather than re living it. As i got into it though, i slowly started to find the true emotions behind what i was saying and doing and i was re living those two minutes. It did go very quickly and i know i rushed it compared to other people but this is a problem i have every time i have to preform due to my nerves. When it came to reading out my answers this is when i felt most nervous i knew that i was about to expose myself to all these people i don't even know. The fact that i had 3 of my best friends in the room and Rebecca who i have worked with for the past year slightly eased me. In the end it wasn't as bad as i thought because i don't think i went quite as deep as other people so the discussion after wasn't as long. I think this exercise has been very beneficial not only for myself in terms of giving me that confidence to let myself go and try and find my true self, but in terms of my monologue that is coming up. It has showed me how using these questions for my character would really help me to become them. Usually i try to relate to the character as much as possible but i feel this is a platform for me to literally become this character the best i can.

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