Day 2: Hot Seating and Character Development
With everyone a bit more settled in, we've been able to get our teeth in to some great improvisation work. We are developing some nice layers to the characters and beginning to build a vocabulary for the camera work as well as introducing a set of rules for colour and set.
In one exercise we explored the relationship between the Lover and the Ghost Child. Debbie Korley who plays Ghost Child is a seasoned improviser through her work with Told by an Idiot and Kneehigh. In this role Debbie is responding on a deeply intuitive level which seems poignant for a character who represents a collective memory. Whilst in the forum-style 'hot seat' Debbie discovered a poetic dimension to her character.
The hot-seating also proved useful for our writer, Emma Passmore who is developing some interesting poetic lines, whilst thinking about the possibilities of dialogue, narration and voice over.
We also found another way-in for developing character, camera and music simultaneously, through working with the set. We filmed short portraits of each character interacting with their associated space in the theatre. For example, we filmed the Lover building her house and the Gate Keeper interacting with her watchtower. Filmed in one improvised take with live music, this exercise helped the actors engage with their role as well as find a connection with both theatre and film space.
Powerful musical themes are emerging for each character. Today we were joined by Jo Gibson and her her tuba which provided some raw, gutteral sounds as well as a soothing atmosphere to work in! Jo grew up over-looking the Thames so also brought a strong sense of the London river with her.
Also, thanks to Duarte Cardoso who joined us on piano in the afternoon. Together, Tash, Jo, Duarte and Francis created a great musical theme for the Gate Keeper.
We've come a long way in only two days!
