These couple of exercises where to get us to focus on how change around other people? What do we add or take away from our personalities? How do we change our voices? It was making us grow more aware of ourselves, and that attention and focus of ourselves will make us that have that same inquisitiveness and attention to details with characters.
So analyzing myself in different situations went as follows:
At work: Extremely attentive, upbeat, keeping stress under wraps, chatty to colleagues, checking politeness constantly, trying to be efficient with the jobs expected of me
In lesson: listening, inquisitive, open, light-heartedness, focused
With parents: not afraid to moan, quite sarcastic, making or asking for tea, colloquial
Leading a youth club: trying to be funny, conscious of how I talk to others/setting an example, good at helping out, upbeat and lively, attempting to act older, give out instructions, teacher-esque formality when running games
Out walking: on a mission, don't wander, in my own world, probably would appear unapproachable, purposeful
Dancing with friends: bubbly with learning movements then snap straight into focused dancing mode when the music starts, happily seek help with steps, don't leave until I have mastered something, perfectionist, determined to perform, easier and more tempted to spot rooms for improvement and holes within routines
We then had to imagine 3 conversations and comment on how our voices and physicality changed, so we looked at how we change in places then to people.
Boss: Have to stand still to make sure I hear every word, always polite, try to always be helpful and asking lots of questions to double check information, better use of language and pronunciation and always sign of with politeness marker 'thank you'.
Sister: Go into higher intonations, quite over dramatic and elongate words or reactions, use gestures a lot and quite happily multi task whilst talking
Boyfriend: Voice goes softer, giggle a lot, ask lots of questions, usually talk late at night so I'll be wrapped in my duvet, happily relaxed whilst talking, not afraid of pauses in conversations
This raising awareness of how we act around people in our lives we can take into how characters we will play change and alter their behavior and voices according to who they are with on stage, or talking about, or the settings they are in. In makes characters 3D people, not everyone acts the same in every situation and with everybody, so being able to alter their characters according to that is a real craft of acting and takes it to that more mature level.
Wednesday, 18 February 2015
Storytelling Exercise
This exercise began by splitting into groups of three or four. We then had to tell our group a story of something that had happened to us. After listening to each, we would pick one and if it wasn't ours, memorize the key events and try and tell the story as if it were ours.
The aim of the exercise was to re tell the same story, three different versions, to the whole group, if you were lying, you had to make the story appear as if it was yours and if you owned the story, make it appear less truthful than the others. The whole class would then vote on who they thought the story belonged to.
My story was chosen of when I was chased by a giraffe whilst quad biking in South Africa, there were many parts to the story, lots of little details that I chose to leave out to appear as if I was making it up or choose different details to the others so the story seemed different. I couldn't help but laugh whilst telling the story because the memory is so amusing!
Throughout the exercise, we learnt that we automatically link things to our lives in some way so we can relate, with characters, events that we have to act out we may link an emotion we've had with our own memory to trigger that emotional response on stage etc. We learnt that we should embrace what we have experienced and our personalities and take them to characters, we will never be able to not bring parts of ourselves to characters, so to find ways to utilize that and use in ways that will be beneficial.
I also learnt to relax when telling the story, to not fret about the details you want to add in, the more you relax, the easier those details will be included because you do them naturally.
It also got me to focus on details, even though I was trying to appear as if the story was a lie for me, adding particular details to enrich the story makes it far more exciting to listen to as an audience member. When watching other people, it was the details, a nickname, a reaction, a particular phrase that made it so much more engaging to listen to!
The aim of the exercise was to re tell the same story, three different versions, to the whole group, if you were lying, you had to make the story appear as if it was yours and if you owned the story, make it appear less truthful than the others. The whole class would then vote on who they thought the story belonged to.
My story was chosen of when I was chased by a giraffe whilst quad biking in South Africa, there were many parts to the story, lots of little details that I chose to leave out to appear as if I was making it up or choose different details to the others so the story seemed different. I couldn't help but laugh whilst telling the story because the memory is so amusing!
Throughout the exercise, we learnt that we automatically link things to our lives in some way so we can relate, with characters, events that we have to act out we may link an emotion we've had with our own memory to trigger that emotional response on stage etc. We learnt that we should embrace what we have experienced and our personalities and take them to characters, we will never be able to not bring parts of ourselves to characters, so to find ways to utilize that and use in ways that will be beneficial.
I also learnt to relax when telling the story, to not fret about the details you want to add in, the more you relax, the easier those details will be included because you do them naturally.
It also got me to focus on details, even though I was trying to appear as if the story was a lie for me, adding particular details to enrich the story makes it far more exciting to listen to as an audience member. When watching other people, it was the details, a nickname, a reaction, a particular phrase that made it so much more engaging to listen to!
No and Yes Exercise
This exercise was to experience the difficulties and challenges that come when actors block and the potential when yes is a constant answer.
The exercise consisted of working in pairs, one person making suggestions like 'let's jump up and down!' and the only answer the other could give was 'no'. Working with someone who constantly blocks becomes repetitive, monotonous and you are always hitting a barrier, which also takes the creativeness and energy out of you.
We then switched the exercise up, so one person made suggestions and the other had to say 'yes' to everything.
When being the person who gave all the commands, it allowed you to be playful with silly suggestions and kept the space fun and lively, there was a lot more excitement. But when being the person who had to say 'yes' to everything, you did feel vulnerable, the fear of how you will look and you had to trust that the person commanding. That constant 'yes' attitude does get you out of that conscious, timid place and the more you do it you do grow in confidence with taking risks, I know I certainly did!
The last part of the exercise was where someone would give a suggestion, the other said 'yes' and brought another suggestion to the table. Here, you were both in the same boat and the same level, both being playful and we all turned childlike. People were rolling around the floor, bundling on each other, some were galloping round the space, others being dinosaurs, anyone would think we were mad. Yet we got rid of all our insecurities and that childlike nature really sparks your imagination, which is what you need when you're in the creative process! The fear of saying yes is slightly there all the time, but it was important that we created an environment where you are comfortable to go out of your comfort zone, and knowing there is no judging of what ideas and creation you bring to the table. When we were both bringing suggestions to the table, there was an equal sense of power and understanding, where you would only ask the person to do something you would be happy to do yourself, that added a sense of security to me and accepting people's ideas were taken just as much in a serious manner than an imaginative one. The exercise of having to bring suggestions quickly got us to be instinctive, no matter how random they were, give it a go, you don't know where it could take you!
The exercise consisted of working in pairs, one person making suggestions like 'let's jump up and down!' and the only answer the other could give was 'no'. Working with someone who constantly blocks becomes repetitive, monotonous and you are always hitting a barrier, which also takes the creativeness and energy out of you.
We then switched the exercise up, so one person made suggestions and the other had to say 'yes' to everything.
When being the person who gave all the commands, it allowed you to be playful with silly suggestions and kept the space fun and lively, there was a lot more excitement. But when being the person who had to say 'yes' to everything, you did feel vulnerable, the fear of how you will look and you had to trust that the person commanding. That constant 'yes' attitude does get you out of that conscious, timid place and the more you do it you do grow in confidence with taking risks, I know I certainly did!
The last part of the exercise was where someone would give a suggestion, the other said 'yes' and brought another suggestion to the table. Here, you were both in the same boat and the same level, both being playful and we all turned childlike. People were rolling around the floor, bundling on each other, some were galloping round the space, others being dinosaurs, anyone would think we were mad. Yet we got rid of all our insecurities and that childlike nature really sparks your imagination, which is what you need when you're in the creative process! The fear of saying yes is slightly there all the time, but it was important that we created an environment where you are comfortable to go out of your comfort zone, and knowing there is no judging of what ideas and creation you bring to the table. When we were both bringing suggestions to the table, there was an equal sense of power and understanding, where you would only ask the person to do something you would be happy to do yourself, that added a sense of security to me and accepting people's ideas were taken just as much in a serious manner than an imaginative one. The exercise of having to bring suggestions quickly got us to be instinctive, no matter how random they were, give it a go, you don't know where it could take you!
You are enough
Before the beginning of 'Paper Minds' we had a couple of weeks where we focused on basic acting principals, stripping back all use of dialogue, emotion, everything to the bare minimum.
We were split in half, the second half repeating the exercise afterwards.
We had to stand against the back wall and one by one walk forwards and just stand.
The first time I did it, I'd walk forwards and immediately feel like I needed to be doing something, trying to convey some sort of message or do a gesture like play with my hands or brush my hair, because that feeling that the audience are expecting something, standing will be boring, was hard to ignore.
When we were asked why we did particular gestures, what their intentions were, none of us could really vouch for them, I had no reason or purpose, so they were forced actions.
We repeated it again, stopping ourselves from doing anything that came to our heads, if we felt we should shift weight, don't do it, to try and get truthful reactions from us. For example, there was a point when Lee laughed, but it wasn't forced, it happened spontaneously, and you could tell the reaction was genuine, it had a truthfulness to it, which when watching, had a different effect on you, it also made you laugh because you could tell it was truthful.
I did find it complicated to understand at first, but the more we did it the easier it became and the more we understood. It got us to just be ourselves on a stage, stopped us from over thinking whilst on stage, not trying to evoke a reaction from the audience, so when the forced movements or gestures were replaced by just truthful ones, the acting became real, and from an audience point of view, you do forget that your watching something, and just drawn into the space.
It also put us all in a pretty vulnerable place, where you are just standing with a number of people in front of you, if it were a piece of theatre, you're standing in front of people you don't know who can draw judgments or thoughts about you, you do feel very vulnerable. But this exercise did give a confidence boost that just standing as you are, no dialogue, no set character, no setting or emotion to play, you are still enough to hold an audience, you don't need to strive to provoke reactions or emotions unless you have a purpose to do so. It stops reactions being artificial, and gets them from a place of truthfulness.
We were split in half, the second half repeating the exercise afterwards.
We had to stand against the back wall and one by one walk forwards and just stand.
The first time I did it, I'd walk forwards and immediately feel like I needed to be doing something, trying to convey some sort of message or do a gesture like play with my hands or brush my hair, because that feeling that the audience are expecting something, standing will be boring, was hard to ignore.
When we were asked why we did particular gestures, what their intentions were, none of us could really vouch for them, I had no reason or purpose, so they were forced actions.
We repeated it again, stopping ourselves from doing anything that came to our heads, if we felt we should shift weight, don't do it, to try and get truthful reactions from us. For example, there was a point when Lee laughed, but it wasn't forced, it happened spontaneously, and you could tell the reaction was genuine, it had a truthfulness to it, which when watching, had a different effect on you, it also made you laugh because you could tell it was truthful.
I did find it complicated to understand at first, but the more we did it the easier it became and the more we understood. It got us to just be ourselves on a stage, stopped us from over thinking whilst on stage, not trying to evoke a reaction from the audience, so when the forced movements or gestures were replaced by just truthful ones, the acting became real, and from an audience point of view, you do forget that your watching something, and just drawn into the space.
It also put us all in a pretty vulnerable place, where you are just standing with a number of people in front of you, if it were a piece of theatre, you're standing in front of people you don't know who can draw judgments or thoughts about you, you do feel very vulnerable. But this exercise did give a confidence boost that just standing as you are, no dialogue, no set character, no setting or emotion to play, you are still enough to hold an audience, you don't need to strive to provoke reactions or emotions unless you have a purpose to do so. It stops reactions being artificial, and gets them from a place of truthfulness.
Personal evaluation of dress rehearsal (from video)
I evaluated this for both an individual and company purpose, I split it into the separate scenes.
Librarian opening:
- The dialogue is a lot more clear and concise which sets the audience with the message to take throughout the play, sets the scene for what they will witness so it's understandable
- Good pace and change of dynamic when they directly challenge the audience
Diaries:
- Physicality has to portray age as they are young, reinforces their characters age
- Can see the librarians trying to open the diary behind Alfie and Evie, it was timed really well and can be seen by the audience
- Perhaps needing some expression of Alfie signalling he's at home, so set takes the persona of their home where they are familiar and comfortable
First Encounters Part 1
- Acknowledging of younger selves is a lot clearer
- With snaps, exaggerate so it is clear that the librarians can stop time
- Pace and spacing was better for the couples, we were able to cut in just after each other so the dialogue has momentum
Rhythm
- There needs to be that sudden change of vocals and rush of noise
- Everyone needs to stop when the clicking ends, even if you're not in the right place, stop and pose then dart to your place otherwise the effect doesn't work
- Work on spacing! In venues if the space is really different quickly set them so people are confident
- With the fast grapevine people need to either straighten their arms or add tension, floppy arms doesn't look great
- In the improvisation section, 2 x 8 counts, everyone needs to be cheering/chatting to fill the gap, it makes the unison sequence after more effective and again adds another layer to just a routine, brings life to it with characterization
First Encounters Part 2 and Crazy
- Librarians have great reactions, especially Karl's to 'nice bottom'
- Need that awkward pause before 'youth is wasted on the young' otherwise the line doesn't make sense
- Don't be looking at Nick till the 3rd click, then suddenly both looking at each other properly
- Change stance, don't always keep head close to chest because it brings all the gestures in and makes them smaller which is harder to recognize
- Hold the pina lift, it's the first time they are practically nose to nose, the first time their heads are that close together
- Vocal dialogue from Rose and Norman as they pull the dance apart
- Nice character relationships, looks like genuine friendships
Walk home/tree lovin'
- Sort out pathway to bookcase, was a bit random
- Stand in relation to lighting so not cast in shadow, light awareness
- Work on the bookcase transition, practice moving it round so its fluent
- Don't take the jacket off till Elsa or Karl come to get it
- Keep chatting underneath the tree to fit with Evie's dialogue
- Vocals always up!
- Make the necklace bit more uplifted, keep the pace, no pre-empting
Lovesong
- News reel spoken factually, no adding of emotion to get impact
- Placing of singing great behind Liv
- Add more tensions into the hugs, especially the final one, the last time you could ever hug each other, you wouldn't want to let go
- Take frustration of being powerless into physicality, push Nick away with force, need to see that growing as it progresses, needs to escalate or it doesn't really work
- Have a moment to compose yourself before walking up the steps, lets the audience notice the book steps properly
Love letters
- Felt a lot more comfortable, getting used to speaking it fluently
- Moving made it less static, could add more feeling to it to stay away from monotone
Hospital
- Practice in the dress regularly for practicality reasons!
- Need to work on timing for the end, not letting the audience think the play has finished
Seasons
- Could perhaps increase the speed of it slightly
- Constant reactions from the sides really lifts it
- Anniversary, everyone needs again to stop at the same time and the energy level needs to mirror that of the first dance
- Don't drop the movements to half-hearted or it looks a bit dull and messy
- After the first section it goes straight to the older couple, so everyone must STOP dancing!
Duet
- Still a bit shapeless
- Need to give ourselves a setting, a motive otherwise it is just a routine
- Can add layering without adding sentimental gestures, adding subtleties, so how you move and how you look at the other etc
- Still not convinced by the Damien Rice music, it's too dramatic, not capturing the essence behind the duet as another piece of music could
These notes we all shared the day after the run!
Librarian opening:
- The dialogue is a lot more clear and concise which sets the audience with the message to take throughout the play, sets the scene for what they will witness so it's understandable
- Good pace and change of dynamic when they directly challenge the audience
Diaries:
- Physicality has to portray age as they are young, reinforces their characters age
- Can see the librarians trying to open the diary behind Alfie and Evie, it was timed really well and can be seen by the audience
- Perhaps needing some expression of Alfie signalling he's at home, so set takes the persona of their home where they are familiar and comfortable
First Encounters Part 1
- Acknowledging of younger selves is a lot clearer
- With snaps, exaggerate so it is clear that the librarians can stop time
- Pace and spacing was better for the couples, we were able to cut in just after each other so the dialogue has momentum
Rhythm
- There needs to be that sudden change of vocals and rush of noise
- Everyone needs to stop when the clicking ends, even if you're not in the right place, stop and pose then dart to your place otherwise the effect doesn't work
- Work on spacing! In venues if the space is really different quickly set them so people are confident
- With the fast grapevine people need to either straighten their arms or add tension, floppy arms doesn't look great
- In the improvisation section, 2 x 8 counts, everyone needs to be cheering/chatting to fill the gap, it makes the unison sequence after more effective and again adds another layer to just a routine, brings life to it with characterization
First Encounters Part 2 and Crazy
- Librarians have great reactions, especially Karl's to 'nice bottom'
- Need that awkward pause before 'youth is wasted on the young' otherwise the line doesn't make sense
- Don't be looking at Nick till the 3rd click, then suddenly both looking at each other properly
- Change stance, don't always keep head close to chest because it brings all the gestures in and makes them smaller which is harder to recognize
- Hold the pina lift, it's the first time they are practically nose to nose, the first time their heads are that close together
- Vocal dialogue from Rose and Norman as they pull the dance apart
- Nice character relationships, looks like genuine friendships
Walk home/tree lovin'
- Sort out pathway to bookcase, was a bit random
- Stand in relation to lighting so not cast in shadow, light awareness
- Work on the bookcase transition, practice moving it round so its fluent
- Don't take the jacket off till Elsa or Karl come to get it
- Keep chatting underneath the tree to fit with Evie's dialogue
- Vocals always up!
- Make the necklace bit more uplifted, keep the pace, no pre-empting
Lovesong
- News reel spoken factually, no adding of emotion to get impact
- Placing of singing great behind Liv
- Add more tensions into the hugs, especially the final one, the last time you could ever hug each other, you wouldn't want to let go
- Take frustration of being powerless into physicality, push Nick away with force, need to see that growing as it progresses, needs to escalate or it doesn't really work
- Have a moment to compose yourself before walking up the steps, lets the audience notice the book steps properly
Love letters
- Felt a lot more comfortable, getting used to speaking it fluently
- Moving made it less static, could add more feeling to it to stay away from monotone
Hospital
- Practice in the dress regularly for practicality reasons!
- Need to work on timing for the end, not letting the audience think the play has finished
Seasons
- Could perhaps increase the speed of it slightly
- Constant reactions from the sides really lifts it
- Anniversary, everyone needs again to stop at the same time and the energy level needs to mirror that of the first dance
- Don't drop the movements to half-hearted or it looks a bit dull and messy
- After the first section it goes straight to the older couple, so everyone must STOP dancing!
Duet
- Still a bit shapeless
- Need to give ourselves a setting, a motive otherwise it is just a routine
- Can add layering without adding sentimental gestures, adding subtleties, so how you move and how you look at the other etc
- Still not convinced by the Damien Rice music, it's too dramatic, not capturing the essence behind the duet as another piece of music could
These notes we all shared the day after the run!
Full run through dress rehearsal
Here we had done the technical rehearsal and had the chance to do a run in the Hub with both casts with full costume if we had it and set.
Alex was able to come in and watch one of the performances, which happened to be cast A, so there was lots of pressure as we hadn't done many full rehearsals!
His notes were:
- We need to start performing in costumes, for those that didn't wear it, you won't know how movement sections will change and what you need to adapt until you put your costume on. It also can inspire you and give you new ideas on how you can add character quirks and details
- Make the librarian snaps really clear and precise, need to make them obvious to get the effect
- In 'brief encounters' couples stand closer together so the audience can see both at the same time as they'll be in close proximity, and you get to bounce off the energy from the other couple being closer
- Integrate lovesong singing and movement
- Lift your eye line in monologues so the audience can see your faces
- Make a big moment of being reunited! It's one of the biggest moments in the play don't waste it
- No fluffy entrances in the explosion, go with direction and commitment
Rose's notes:
- Get the shoes you will be wearing in the piece
- Keep lifting voice and projection as many voices were lost
- To combat the spacing in 'Brief Encounters' aim for the inside edges of the side bookcases
- Work on the shaping and phrasing of movement duet so it's not a showcase
- Add more integration into love letters, getting up and moving round the space during monologues, librarians keep moving with the letters
- Don't forget the hair pull between old and young Evie before the duet, reinforces same character
Jonathan's notes:
- Bring the whole space in, gets that intimacy with the audience again
- All vocals up
- Listen to the people before your lines, getting those truthful reactions and playing the moment
- Need to look at the table transition from the explosion to the hospital scene
- Reacting and responding to the 'seasons' section need to be heightened and increase in number
The next run cast A got to do was the following morning, therefore the notes on transitions that needed to be altered would have to wait, but taking on the notes of pace, reactions and listening, and use of voice I could take on and improve in the next run. Lifting vocals and adding more range and colouring to my dialogue was a target, becoming too used to one pitch or tone gets pretty boring after a while!
Jonathan's notes for the following run were:
- Spacing was a lot better and improvement
- Monologues better, remember to keep playing with them, proper joyful when speaking them!
- Need to act more playfully with the snoring comments, to show that ability to poke fun at each other when you know someone well, but that its loving and cheeky, again a relationship development
- Walk onto the stage as Nick exits the stage so Liv can clock me before she leaves, seeing younger self
- The Ed Sheeran duet has more acting in it and far less dancing orientated, less is always more
- Pace a lot better
- You had taken on the notes well done!
Alex was able to come in and watch one of the performances, which happened to be cast A, so there was lots of pressure as we hadn't done many full rehearsals!
His notes were:
- We need to start performing in costumes, for those that didn't wear it, you won't know how movement sections will change and what you need to adapt until you put your costume on. It also can inspire you and give you new ideas on how you can add character quirks and details
- Make the librarian snaps really clear and precise, need to make them obvious to get the effect
- In 'brief encounters' couples stand closer together so the audience can see both at the same time as they'll be in close proximity, and you get to bounce off the energy from the other couple being closer
- Integrate lovesong singing and movement
- Lift your eye line in monologues so the audience can see your faces
- Make a big moment of being reunited! It's one of the biggest moments in the play don't waste it
- No fluffy entrances in the explosion, go with direction and commitment
Rose's notes:
- Get the shoes you will be wearing in the piece
- Keep lifting voice and projection as many voices were lost
- To combat the spacing in 'Brief Encounters' aim for the inside edges of the side bookcases
- Work on the shaping and phrasing of movement duet so it's not a showcase
- Add more integration into love letters, getting up and moving round the space during monologues, librarians keep moving with the letters
- Don't forget the hair pull between old and young Evie before the duet, reinforces same character
Jonathan's notes:
- Bring the whole space in, gets that intimacy with the audience again
- All vocals up
- Listen to the people before your lines, getting those truthful reactions and playing the moment
- Need to look at the table transition from the explosion to the hospital scene
- Reacting and responding to the 'seasons' section need to be heightened and increase in number
The next run cast A got to do was the following morning, therefore the notes on transitions that needed to be altered would have to wait, but taking on the notes of pace, reactions and listening, and use of voice I could take on and improve in the next run. Lifting vocals and adding more range and colouring to my dialogue was a target, becoming too used to one pitch or tone gets pretty boring after a while!
Jonathan's notes for the following run were:
- Spacing was a lot better and improvement
- Monologues better, remember to keep playing with them, proper joyful when speaking them!
- Need to act more playfully with the snoring comments, to show that ability to poke fun at each other when you know someone well, but that its loving and cheeky, again a relationship development
- Walk onto the stage as Nick exits the stage so Liv can clock me before she leaves, seeing younger self
- The Ed Sheeran duet has more acting in it and far less dancing orientated, less is always more
- Pace a lot better
- You had taken on the notes well done!
End Scene
There were discussions about what the ending of the piece should be, the second half now consisted of 'seasons or married life' followed by Evie's dropping of her books and Alfie's monologue to the duet.
Lee and I had written the dialogue of 'when people ask us' that is firstly spoken at the very beginning, I decided to write it into 'tree lovin' where the younger couple speak it and it's where they first created their 'story' and we thought it would be great for it to appear at the end, with all four of them speaking it.
After the duet between O.Alfie and Y.Evie, it was devised that O.Evie would appear stage right, given a book, and as she opens it, Y.Alfie appears opposite her. She walks towards him, and is able to touch his face which she hasn't been able to do throughout the whole piece. Then then walk centre stage together and O.Alfie and Y.Evie follow.
Old Evie Old Alfie
Young Evie Young Alfie
Here you see the four of them on stage in a way you haven't before, they have interacted with their younger and older selves, and finally come together as the two generations for the last time.
I split the dialogue up between the four of them, the two boys speaking various lines together like 'Of how I danced' and the girls 'of how WE danced' again to strengthen that great visual that they are the same characters.
It was important that this scene was joyful, a time when the four of them are all content. The previous scene, Alfie gets frustrated that Evie can't remember him, so there needed to be a point where Evie was beginning to remember before the end line 'Thank you Alfie'. It was also reinforcing the message that people suffering with dementia can still remember their past and their loved ones, it's not all doom and gloom, there is happiness even if the situation seems grey.
This scene was set in a simple way, just the four characters talking to the audience, there was no movement, just speaking the dialogue, because for me it's really moving, because the audience have already heard this twice before, but it holds that much more meaning when all four of them are telling their story. Adding movement or use of props wasn't necessary, and could take away the impact it already has.
It ended with the two generations going back to their other halves, and on the line 'that night, we sat underneath the beautiful oak tree' we all move to stage left, where 'tree lovin' is set, the place where they spent their first evening together. Which again is a really beautiful image.
Younger Alfie and Evie then have one last look at their older selves before exiting stage right together, leaving the older couple standing by the tree. The ending librarians speech was written by them, which is reinforcing our underlying message of listening to the elderly, that they do have the most incredible stories, and the audience have witnessed two first hand. Its challenging, and leaves with the message fresh in their minds as they leave. To end, the beginning tea scene is repeated, with Evie remembering how she takes her tea 'two sugars and a splash of milk' before thanking Alfie by name, and the play finishes. That one line of Evie's for us tied up the piece so nicely, she remembered her husband at the very end, and it's not dramatically done, she says it as if she says it everyday, and it ends the play on an encouraging note, not a sad one.
Lee and I had written the dialogue of 'when people ask us' that is firstly spoken at the very beginning, I decided to write it into 'tree lovin' where the younger couple speak it and it's where they first created their 'story' and we thought it would be great for it to appear at the end, with all four of them speaking it.
After the duet between O.Alfie and Y.Evie, it was devised that O.Evie would appear stage right, given a book, and as she opens it, Y.Alfie appears opposite her. She walks towards him, and is able to touch his face which she hasn't been able to do throughout the whole piece. Then then walk centre stage together and O.Alfie and Y.Evie follow.
Old Evie Old Alfie
Young Evie Young Alfie
Here you see the four of them on stage in a way you haven't before, they have interacted with their younger and older selves, and finally come together as the two generations for the last time.
I split the dialogue up between the four of them, the two boys speaking various lines together like 'Of how I danced' and the girls 'of how WE danced' again to strengthen that great visual that they are the same characters.
It was important that this scene was joyful, a time when the four of them are all content. The previous scene, Alfie gets frustrated that Evie can't remember him, so there needed to be a point where Evie was beginning to remember before the end line 'Thank you Alfie'. It was also reinforcing the message that people suffering with dementia can still remember their past and their loved ones, it's not all doom and gloom, there is happiness even if the situation seems grey.
This scene was set in a simple way, just the four characters talking to the audience, there was no movement, just speaking the dialogue, because for me it's really moving, because the audience have already heard this twice before, but it holds that much more meaning when all four of them are telling their story. Adding movement or use of props wasn't necessary, and could take away the impact it already has.
It ended with the two generations going back to their other halves, and on the line 'that night, we sat underneath the beautiful oak tree' we all move to stage left, where 'tree lovin' is set, the place where they spent their first evening together. Which again is a really beautiful image.
Younger Alfie and Evie then have one last look at their older selves before exiting stage right together, leaving the older couple standing by the tree. The ending librarians speech was written by them, which is reinforcing our underlying message of listening to the elderly, that they do have the most incredible stories, and the audience have witnessed two first hand. Its challenging, and leaves with the message fresh in their minds as they leave. To end, the beginning tea scene is repeated, with Evie remembering how she takes her tea 'two sugars and a splash of milk' before thanking Alfie by name, and the play finishes. That one line of Evie's for us tied up the piece so nicely, she remembered her husband at the very end, and it's not dramatically done, she says it as if she says it everyday, and it ends the play on an encouraging note, not a sad one.
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