Warm - Ups

Warm Ups

At the beginning of our lessons we practise some Warm - Ups to help us become more alert and to test our multi tasking skills.

Kaos

This game has 3 layers (almost like levels making the game more difficult). To begin this game you stand in a circle and have an object that is safe to throw (preferably a soft ball). For the first layer of this game you have to say a persons name and remember who's name that you said, you can practise more and more to see how fast you are able to go. For the second layer of the game use the object and throw it in a different pattern, to a different person and remember who you threw to however don't say their name. Afterwards you can combine the two layers together and say the persons name for the first layer whilst throwing the ball at the person you threw it to in the second layer. Layer 3 is a mystery.

This game is very interesting as doing two completely different things at once can be very difficult and really confusing. The hardest thing about the game is that when someone drops the ball it is not a negative and that you have to accept the ball dropping and move on. Even though you are probably used to thinking of this in a negative way you have to resist the urge and move on.

Hand Raise Fall

This game contains a lot of layers and each becoming more difficult as they progress. To begin this game you will need a group of people who you think that you can trust because this game will not work without trust. Layer one consists of a protagonist showing how to start the game. They will explain that when the protagonist says 'me' and raises their hand they then should have the courage to fall back and everyone in the class should be keeping the protagonist from falling. When keeping the protagonist from falling it is crucial to support their back and not to hurt them then you have to give them a gentle push back up. Layer two was when ayone had the power to say 'me' and raise your hand and as a result of this their shoul have been many supporters. If two people said 'me' at the same time neither of you were abke to go. Layer three consists of 'mes' and 'yous' instaed of just saying me you also had the power to say you and point at someone whilst doing this because they needed to be noticed. When this happened you are supposed to fall even if you didnt say me becuase they said ' you' and that has the power to now make you fall. Once again if two people said ' you neither would go or you would wait to see if one person had decided not to fall and instead only you would fall.

Catch A Clap

Catch a clap is a game about spacial awareness, you start a beat with your feet that throughout the game no matter what is going on you cannot lose the beat with your feet as it will disrupt the flow of the claps. Throughout the game

Milling

Milling consists of 5 levels (1 - 5) . 1 is the lowest and 5 is the highest, the game is very complicated and for it to work you have to fill the space completely using not just your bodies but also using peripheral vision and collective responsibility. This game consists of constantly moving around the space always having spacial awareness and not bumping into people , when moving you don't have to walk you can also run,jog,swerve etc. 

1= Very slow but not slow motion

2= Depressing but not emotional

3= Neutral

4= Frantic getting faster

5= Controlled chaos

Jacque Lecoq

Fishers 

Coral movement, consists of following the leader and using your peripheral vision whilst simultaneously following the leader. Make sure that you never loose sight of the leader and if you do make sure you are always able to see someone as you will be unable to follow the leader if you are not aware of them, copy the movement at the exact pace not changing anything just imitating.

The plays Themes And Issues

Blackout is a true story based on a 15 year old Young boy charged with attempted murder. He doesn't remember how he got to the secure care unit he finds himself in however he tries to piece together the events leading up to...that night. This is a very serious play and has to be portrayed correctly to the audience and not out of context.
The play itself tackles a lot of serious issues in society today such as : Domestic violence, Bullying, Deep depression, and I think the way they are put out there makes it even more effective. The play is very sharp, shocking and it has a edginess that is hard to let go of however you can't stop reading. Therefore the main issues of the play was the Bullying I think not just towards him but towards his mother and how this effected him from a young age and caused him to have anger problems and to hang around with the wrong crowd.

Fascism

A Fascist is someone who believes that the most powerful people in society has the 'Right To Rule' they believe that no matter what the most powerful person does or say it is their authority and they have the power to do what they want. They support a fascist government.

 A good example of this is Adolf Hitler and the Nazi's.

Ideas For Theatrical Configurations

Theatrical Configurations:

1. Proscenium stage - A stage where the audience sits on one side only is called a proscenium stage. The audience faces one side of the stage directly, and normally sits at a lower height.
2.  In-the-round stage - An in-the-round stage is positioned at the centre of the audience and there is audience around the whole stage. This type of stage creates quite an intimate atmosphere, and is good for drama that needs audience involvement.
3. Traverse stage - A stage where the audience sits on two sides is called a traverse stage. Again, this type of stage is good for creating an intimate atmosphere.
4. Thrust - A theatre in which the stage is extended so that the audience surrounds it on three sides. The thrust stage may be backed by an enclosed proscenium stage, providing a place for background scenery, but audience views into the proscenium opening are usually limited.
5. Studio Theatre - A flexible theatre with one or more audience galleries on three or four sides of a rectangular room.
6. End Stage - A Thrust stage extended wall to wall, like a thrust stage with audience on just one side, i.e. the front. "Backstage" is behind the background wall. There is no real wingspace to the sides, although there may be entrances located there. An example of a modern end stage is a music hall, where the background walls surround the playing space on three sides. 
7. Flexible Theatre - Sometimes called a "Black Box" theatre, these stages are often big empty boxes painted black inside. Stage and seating not fixed. Instead, each can be altered to suit the needs of the play or the whim of the director.
8. Profile Theatres - Often used in "found space" theatres, i.e. theatres made by converted from other spaces. The Audience is often placed on risers to either side of the playing space, with little or no audience on either end of the "stage". Actors are staged in profile to the audience.
   

I think that if I was directing the performance I would direct the performers to start of in the audience and during the performance they could emerge and become visible. The seating of the audience would be in a traverse or In-the-round-stage because the audience would be close. Also because as the play is almost like a stream of consciousness and a long monologue it would be as if he we were really talking to the audience and they were really there experiencing the trauma with him (James). It would be more effective and I think that the audience would be more effected this ways and really feel for the character.

Source 1
Blog reference
Author	Mick Alderson
Title	Theatre Spaces
Web Address	http://www.ia470.com/primer/theatres.htm
Date Found	29/11/13

First Impressions Of Blackout

My first impression of the play (Blackout) is that it is very upsetting, the life of the young boy (James is very sad, emotional and very tragic. The play had a very strong effect on me and made me feel sympathetic towards the character. The play is very detailed and not one one piece of information is missing - at no point during the play was I lost, I always seemed to understand what the character was thinking and feeling throughout. At first seeing the play I saw that the structure was very unusual and I thought that this might negatively impact on the play and how I would perceive it however I found myself drawn to read more and I was increasingly fascinated and intrigued by the play. The play used adjectives to describe constantly how the character was feeling and I thought that this was effective. Throughout the play there was an atmospehere filled with tension and suspense so when it said the word Imagine...I found I let my imagination lose control.