7.14.2005
Week Five: Polishing
This is very important to the process. We must keep repeating the acts over and over. During the process of running scens and acts, the actors become confident about the play and their part. This is especially important to Black Comedy because it is very physical. Each part or actor's performance hinges on another's. Especially the scene where Brindsley is moving all the furniture from his aprtment to Harold's. There is a lot of action that must be timed. Plenty of tining involved in the jokes and lots of "business" that neds to be discovered. As a director you can tell exactly where the cast is unsure of themselves. It is very easy to tell where things need to be worked. Notes are very easy in this period.
At the same time, it is a bit overwhelming because you must make sure that the actors understand that a lot of work is left, but give them the confidence to know that it will be achievable.
This week, we ran the acts and the shows. We paid particular attention to scene six (the moving scene) which I dubbed "What you don't see won't hurt you" to impress the blindness aspect on the actors. Black Comedy depends on audience supension of disbelief. Even though they know that the stage is full of actors that can see each other, it is important that they suspend that "truth" and allow themselves to believe that it truly is pitch black and that Brindsley is getting away with moving furniture from his apartment to Harold's apartment right under the noses of everyone. It truly is a lot of fun.
Notes were extensive and they are several actors that are struggling with lines. I truly don't know what to do about actors and lines. I understand that learning lines is a difficult process. It isn't made easier by work and family cluttering the actor's mind. Still, memorization is part of the process. Everyone knows it before rehearsals begin. SO there should be no excuses. But I am put in a touchy situation. If I complain about the lines too much, I risk spoiling a working relationship by turning it into a employee/employer relationship. At the same time, I am alienating the actors who do know their lines. They are concerned that they won't get their preceding lines correctly and then it will make them look bad.
This is nothing new in community theatre. I just wish I knew how it could be solved.
At the same time, it is a bit overwhelming because you must make sure that the actors understand that a lot of work is left, but give them the confidence to know that it will be achievable.
This week, we ran the acts and the shows. We paid particular attention to scene six (the moving scene) which I dubbed "What you don't see won't hurt you" to impress the blindness aspect on the actors. Black Comedy depends on audience supension of disbelief. Even though they know that the stage is full of actors that can see each other, it is important that they suspend that "truth" and allow themselves to believe that it truly is pitch black and that Brindsley is getting away with moving furniture from his apartment to Harold's apartment right under the noses of everyone. It truly is a lot of fun.
Notes were extensive and they are several actors that are struggling with lines. I truly don't know what to do about actors and lines. I understand that learning lines is a difficult process. It isn't made easier by work and family cluttering the actor's mind. Still, memorization is part of the process. Everyone knows it before rehearsals begin. SO there should be no excuses. But I am put in a touchy situation. If I complain about the lines too much, I risk spoiling a working relationship by turning it into a employee/employer relationship. At the same time, I am alienating the actors who do know their lines. They are concerned that they won't get their preceding lines correctly and then it will make them look bad.
This is nothing new in community theatre. I just wish I knew how it could be solved.
