Monday 27 August 2012

Agenda:

1. Collect Shakespeare handout/reflection. Go over handout on the origins of theatre. You will have assigned reading this week. You will also need to bring some objects to class.
2. Warm Up. Use exercises 3.35 and 3.36 in Swados book.
3. Character biographies. Introduce your character to the class with some background.
4. Improvisation skill building.
5. Improvisation using characters and situations:
   a) In character (using the assigned picture) enter the scene and meet and greet the others you see there. You will be assigned a profession and a pathological hatred. Each of you has to figure out what the other does and what the phobias are. You are only able to give hints but never directly ask or tell. This is an exercise in "show don't tell".
   b) You are in a jail cell with the other characters. In character, try to convey the crime you have been accused of without directly telling. You also have a pathological hatred. Try to guess the other characters' crimes and phobias, without directly asking.
   c) Status improvisation. You are in character and must choose a status appropriate for your character. Now you are at a party and must mingle with the other characters. Topics that you might want to discuss may be politics, religion, the food and drink available at the party or things like music, culture, travel, etc. 
6. De-brief improvisation. Plan for Tuesday and Thursday, where you will research and perform a piece based on a ritual.
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Seventh Day of IB Theatre:

Improvisation with our characters was a lot of fun. We got to make up further stories about the characters as we were placed in the various situations. Whether we were sitting out or participating, it was inquiring to find out who had what profession, who committed which crime, and who was what status.  Participating in the activity, you could only focus on a 1 - on - 1 interrogation usually which limited the intake of information about other people in the center. Even watching, we were limited to the intake of information since we could only observe one conversation at a time and not all. It was especially tricky trying to guess at the crimes and not to give mine away. It showed that control of words is important and taking notice of your environment and people's attitudes around you is crucial as well.