The warm up to the rehearsal was about connecting together as a cast. The exercises we did were difficult to get into. Particularly when we had to move around the space and feel the energy together in order to stop then carry on moving. The idea was that we all worked as a team to stop moving and no one felt that they had the responsibility on there own. I think the group may have needed a little more patience with engaging in this particular exercise. What I understood from it was that it was not an exercise that is going to have positive results straight away, the group need to settle into it and begin to connect with the exercise and as a group over time.
The counting exercise worked a lot better as we stood in a circle, closed our eyes and counted to ten. If two people went to say the same next number at the same time we had to go back to the beginning. The idea was to get to 20, which we managed to do. We had played this game before as a group, but it seemed to work a lot better in this session as we connected as a team.
We worked on the scene with Bendemann and the ghost.
The way in which we approached the staging was what Juliet normally does with us, we improvised, running the script through and doing whatever feels natural.
This particular way of working is very beneficial as a way of approaching the scene on stage for the first time. The cast are able to take part in presenting ideas to the director as oppose to the direction just being on behalf of Juliet. I can imagine that it is also very useful for Juliet and provides her with more ideas to staging etc.
The thing that was difficult with this particular part to the performance was the fact that the ghost is not technically performed by a one of the cast, as there will be a use of a sort of puppet. As a consequence the setting will be a lot different and the direction of the ghost will be different.
It can be difficult sitting, waiting, watching for your part in the script to arrive but I find it interesting to watch other people work. You can learn so much from watching other people in the process of making, creating, performing and learning. I have noticed that within the company everybody learns differently. Some can learn by being told how something works, other have to see it, whilst there are performers who must experience it in order to understand. What also works in the company is that it is about the whole groups input and suggestions are always welcome.
I feel very lucky to be performing alongside the company, and with a director like Juliet. My learning is expanding in performing, team work, taking direction, connecting to the people around you and understanding the diversity of other peoples learning.
Gina
