'ROAD' - Post 07

What makes this play an intriguing story?

Wednesday 6^th and Thursday 7^th May 2015

The supporting characters

     With our final rehearsal week pre-performance week, I wanted to spend this time wisely and really explore the anatomy of ‘ROAD’.  I took it upon myself to explore the characters and storyline in detail to answer the question, what makes this play an intriguing story?

     My initial response to the script was sceptical.  I couldn’t initially see a storyline, or plot structure.  Although once we proceeded with the blocking and rehearsal process it became apparent to all us cast members that there is a beginning and an end and a journey from A to Z.  But what confused us was the majority of characters and no particular stand out protagonist.  It was only half way through the blocking process that it became clear to me that this play was ‘Scullery’s’ story, vision, and shared journey (he breaks the forth wall and interacts with the audience) of the road.  But with that clarity set in my mind, why was I still sceptical about the play?  This is because of the supporting characters.

     Now that we’re at an essential point in the assignment’s process I beginning to recollect a quote and another famous storyline that I feel strongly reflect the characters of ‘ROAD’.  The quote reads: “These characters have no particular pattern.” – by Steven Berkoff, from ‘Shakespeare’s Villains’ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py9CMN3TYyM&spfreload=10).  This quote in particular fascinates me.  When I pictured these characters one this that constantly ran through my mind is that they all share a tragic origins.  Although in this rehearsal week I recollected on that particular thought.  Yes, all these characters share, either an obvious or mysterious, origins story but their motivations and objectives are all varied in twisted pattern that makes each character standout and bring a different sense of entertainment. 

     For example, my character ‘Jerry’ brings a tragedy entertainment, as his monologue is extremely tragic, especially when his reminisces his past, but its told in a way that the audience do not feel complete sorrow for the character and are more concerned for his current actions.  Another character that has the opposite response would be ‘Bisto’, this “foul mouthed DJ” brings so much energy and comic relief entertainment that it makes me strongly ponder, is his comical actions an act?  Which is why the performer who will be bringing ‘Bisto’ to life in our interpretation of ‘ROAD’ doesn’t disappoint by bringing the pitch perfect amount of energy into the character, but at select moments he either brings a pause or lowers his vocalisation and in my eyes there is a potential hint that this character had a tragedy in his past as well.  His all the more makes ‘ROAD’ a compelling, intriguing and entertaining story. 

     With all these intriguing characters and origin stories, this recollects me with another famous storyline which brings many compelling, intriguing and entertaining characters and story arcs.  George R. R. Martins hit novel and television series ‘Games of Thrones’ explores a fictional world filled with hundreds of characters all set in the same basis with one another.  Unlike the Steven Berkoff quote concerning characters with no pattern, the characters in ‘Game of Thrones’ all have unique character traits and objectives, but I see a pattern in all of them, because each character has a purpose in the storyline.  This also has an impact on the storyline because the novels and the TV show series’, because each character action can have a positive or negative effect on the future of the story.  While in ‘ROAD’ not ever character interacts with one another, therefore each character actions can’t have that much of a devastating effect on the future of the story.  But with ‘Scullery’ being the eyes and ears for the audience, the characters actions give something for interpretation.  This gives multiple possibilities for an unknown/incomplete future for Jim Cartwright’s ‘ROAD’.       

My character

     Continuing with the rehearsals into my character, is there anything in particular that I’ve altered to make the character a step further in the intriguing factor?  While I have learnt all there is to know about my character, I still feel there is a select few performance elements that I need to improve upon before the main performance.  When receiving observational feedback I did see a few similarities:

·         Improve upon the accent.

·         Focus particularly on these words: “though”, “there”, and “girls”.

·         Use the stage space more wisely.

·         Really act out the moments when ‘Jerry’ recollects his past.

·         and Give meaningful gestures particularly on lines like: “I don’t know”.

     So with these near final observational feedback bullet points taken into account I have continued to strongly focus on two key performance areas. 

     Firstly my vocal work.  I have taken this Northern Accent sheet which extracts selected words and teaches how to project them in the Northern Accent.  My plan of action is to repetitively say these words aloud, until I embrace the Northern projection.  Then my next vocal task would be to add a deeper vocal tone to bring ‘Jerry’s’ speech pattern to life.  Finally I would simply re-track my monologue, using these vocal techniques and bring ‘Jerry’ to life how I intended.

     Secondly I personally found a negative in my physicality of the character.  Recently when moving in time with the speech, and mentally exploring what ‘Jerry’ would be thinking in this scene I began my movements but I instantly felt “this is not how ‘Jerry’ would move”.  Therefore I feel it particularly essential for me to develop my physicality of ‘Jerry’.  Thereby giving more meaning to the speech and physically bring him to life, making myself happy with the performance, and entertain the audience.  One particular performance inspiration I found was with ‘Grand Meister Pycelle’ from HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones’.  I said in my character study that I would strongly reference this performance with sharing his slow and weary vocal delivery, but I now feel that I can also reference him through his equally slow and weary physical actions and movements.  All in all to bring ‘Jerry’s’ elderly and damaged to life physically.  (Here is an video clip extracted from ‘Game of Thrones’ showing an example of ‘Pycelle’s’ vocalisation and physicality: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m89_YU5v6XU).

The main performance to come

     With all these observational feedback notes taken in and with a clear goal with my improvement plan, I believe this performance will be a success.  Not only that but I also believe we will bring Shakespeare’s famous quote to life: “the whole world’s a stage”.  In that we won’t bring ‘ROAD’ to life physically and vocally as performers.  We would have transported the audience to the road, and shown them a dark depiction of life.  All the while providing entertainment and intriguing to the characters and story development.