And we did … with passion, care and joy. It works.
In less than 24 hours, we’ll be in front of the final, missing ingredient … the audience. Bring them on!
More on that ‘moment’ we’re supposed to be in …
I’ve written before about one of those phrases tossed round by acting folk: being in the moment. I recall the brilliant Dawn French using it in that sweet comedy series The Vicar of Dibley. ‘Geraldine’ was directing the parish’s nativity play. She’d dropped her vicarly garb, and was dressed in requisite directorial kit. All was not going well, so she asked the cast to ‘take a moment to take a moment’ to get into character. Not sure how many general public would have got the nuances of the jargon …
But, being in the moment extends to more than just the actor as character in performance, something that ‘Geraldine’ understood, and which much acting training tends sometimes to over-emphasise. I’m reminded as I noted in that earlier post of how the moment is also filled by the actor’s constant scoping of what’s happening on stage … in the auditorium, drifting in and out of a character’s consciousness … those lovely, fleeting but deeply felt moments of ‘being a character.’ If you could run a video of the actor’s awareness it would most probably screen as a sequence of random, abstracted images with a camera’s point of view of the action; the soundtrack would consist of dialogue and probably the silent sub-text and interior monologues … those of the character and those of the actor as s/he preps a moment of action.
And of course that moment extends during the final dress rehearsals and performance season to the actor’s daily life … off stage. Fleeting, random snatches of moments, lines, notes to self , images flit through the consciousness. These can be distracting but they need to be accepted and seen in the context of the whole creative process.
And speaking of moments and creative process … I’m splitting my attention this week as I work for a few hours each day on another production with my students. It’s a first, major public production for them, and part of my job is to assist them to make the transition from acting studio to rehearsal room, and then the stage … to learn how to put their developing skills to work on the job. It’s a project I relish, and yes it is distracting me from that other mind-chatter that is demanding my attention … work on role in a production that opens this week … tomorrow in fact!
Playing notes: Dress 2
Tonight was a night of fix-ups all round for the Cabaret kinder; there are always final tweaks as the creative team finesse the show: lights, sound, cues, costume. We spent 20 mins or so pre-show reworking the blocking for a couple of exits. There were also acting notes from last night’s run. There are also more costume pieces appearing in the dressing room; still don’t have my slippers or glasses though. Need these for tomorrow night; it’s not a good idea to use a prop for the first time on opening night, though it’s been done before!
Personally I scored half a page of acting notes from the director. I had let it rip last night in terms of playing the ‘arc’ of the story for my character from whoa to go; it felt generally pretty good … not indulgent in any sense, and I had a sense that ‘she’ had arrived. The relationships between my character and others in the play have also developed well I think; the songs are working fine … but of course, the director or the ideal audience of one sees what I can’t see, and is there precisely to help me to craft my role in the service of the play.
Apparently during last night’s run, the emotional tone of some of my scenes had veered away from the intensity the director wants me to play. In a sense, Fraulein Schneider is one of the moral barometers of the narrative and a driver of the descent into chaos which is Act 2. It’s critical that her persona, her story and her energy fit the overall story at the right time, and in the right way.
So tonight’s run for me was about reworking a couple of scenes in particular on the fly, changing energy levels, and getting the good Fraulein back on track. With this concentration on the director’s notes, I was a beat ahead or behind myself all night long … observing, adjusting. Had a ghastly slip up in the final big solo song which was being taken at a faster pace. I leaped into the wrong lyrics, and got myself tangled up. I was rescued by the brilliant conductor of course, but it was a scare nonetheless. Guess I won’t make that one again!
Playing notes, whilst vital to the health of the show, can be a distraction, an irritation, and an unsatisfying experience for the actor. Tonight was one of those for me; it’s far nicer to be ‘on song’ and just playing, but of course, that can’t happen until the tiny pieces that make up the production are all in the right place.
And the verdict at night’s end from the director? Our overall performance was ‘good but uneven.’ Aha! Notes tomorrow evening before the final dress rehearsal. 2 days to go!
Watching from the wings: Dress 1
Watching from the wings is one of those special perspectives only granted to the inner circle of a production. I’ve often thought audiences would be fascinated by what goes on ‘out there.’ You could sell tickets maybe! As an actor, I’ve been lurking a bit in the wings, soaking up the energy on stage and trying to absorb the events in the narrative to assist the scenes in which I appear; this is part of my prep. It is the production as a whole which occupies everyone’s mind right now … individual performances by actors, crew and musicians are geared toward the ensemble, and we draw energy and inspiration from one another. This is a thrilling time as we work towards the entrance of the audience.
And tonight? A great feeling at night’s end. Our energy is up, and the ensemble is clicking. To bed … adrenaline rush gone … tired but elated. The lines continue to run in the head … but the page has gone, replaced by faces, colours, movement. We have a play!
Entering the stage world
Today begins the final part of the journey as we enter technical and dress rehearsal time. We’ll work through two days of technical rehearsals where lighting, sound and media are integrated into the live action and become part of the story-telling, and of the mise-en-scene of the production. Tech rehearsals can be a trying time for all involved; cues need to be finalised, scene changes and quick costume changes smoothed, and calling by the stage-manager (in the corner) timed to perfection. The actors generally do not wear costume or makeup, although shoes are required for safety reasons. In this production, a musical, the principals and some of the chorus are radio-miked and the voice/orchestra balance is EQ’d by the sound engineer. Continue reading “Entering the stage world”