SCHEME OF WORK provided by Kerry Mason (The Performing Zone)

Stanislavski

Relaxation

Introduce Stanislavski work through a series of relaxation techniques; (Mitchell Technique and visualisation (on a beach, or on a cloud.)

This is linked to Stanislavskis IMAGINATION from Stans ‘method’. This could be an extension of the relaxation involving the picturing of images or smells for SENSE MEMORY or the recalling of an emotion or memory for SENSE MEMORY. In this instance, students were asked to think of something they didn’t like and were told to visualise this down to the last detail; (smell, taste, touch, fear factor, where it is, what it is doing etc). A few pupils are then asked to describe this to the class, who with their eyes closed are asked to picture each detail and then say what it was the person was describing.

What If?

A volunteer is to act as though they are walking down the street. The other students then ask... “What if...” and make a suggestion to the volunteer to act out a situation. This may be, “What if you were attacked by an old lady”. It may be appropriate that the other student becomes the old lady. The reactions to WHAT IF need to be spontaneous and need to be as realistic and naturalistic as possible. Examples include; “What if you were hit by a bus?”, then “What if you found out you had broken your leg?” These are rather extreme examples so if you were rehearsing a scene from the Cherry Orchard, a WHAT IF may be something like; What if Ranyevskaya had savings that she had kept a secret or What if Lopakhin only wanted to marry Varya to have a stronghold within the family and for his own gain.

Given Circumstances

The GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES are circumstances that an actor is given by a director in order to carry out a scene. I.e; You are at a doctors surgery in a waiting room. At this stage the actor does not know any more information, so finds it difficult to create a character. The director then gives more circumstances, such as you are 5 years old. Other characters can then be brought in to see how they interact with one another and to give the scene direction.

Circle of Attention

Listen to the sounds inside the room, then sounds outside the room, then sounds next to or near you, then focus on the sounds you make or inside you. These sounds show your CIRCLE OF ATTENTION, whether it is focused or distanced.

This can be used with the GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES.

Scene; One girl waiting at a bus stop. (Watch this for 2 mins.)

What do we notice about the character?
Where is their circle of attention?
Does it change if she looks down the imaginary road for the bus or when she is
looking at her watch? How?
Another character is given a circumstance (in secret). This is to stand behind the girl, but distanced and to stare at her.
How does the person at the bus stop change in their movements and gestures?
Where is the focus or CIRCLE OF ATTENTION now?

This is all a form of EMOTION MEMORY, the way the character reacts, body language, nerves, it has all been recalled from previous experiences when you play this scene. It also shows the characters TEMPO/RHYTHM within the action and gesture, showing the internal character rhythm of fidgeting and impatience, leading to fear or anger.

Cherry Orchard Extract

The extract involving Lopakhin and Varya is read as a class (see next sheet) and is discussed – talk about SUB TEXT
Practice scenes, in threes, one director. Concentrate on the characters and scenes INTENTION.
PERFORM TO THE CLASS
Then get individual groups to perform it in different ways. I.e; With only movement,
With no movement, without hand gestures, without expression, saying only “I love you.”
How does each group portray things differently?
What is each groups INTENTION for their characters?
What works well, what doesn’t?

(Notes compiled by K.Mason from a workshop by the National Touring Theatre on ‘Practioners Unplugged)