Hey People, Readers, and fellow Powerade drinkers.
In other words.
Yo.
Hot off my mind, and onto the interweb comes my latest blog installment.
I had an Interesting talk with my niece last night.
Her question to me...
Can you cry on cue?
The discussion then moved onto a twisting journey about life experience and how it correlates to Acting. I told her that:
"Yes, crying on cue could be good, but what's behind it? Where does it come from? Why are you crying?"
Her response told me that we had gone onto two separate topics, So ironically I told her to come back to me with a clearer question based on what she was curious about (usually I'm the unclear one).
This little story leads me to my brief topic today.
Life Experience - Acting.
It's a massive topic, I'm not going to cover it with 200 words nor will I cover it with 1,000,000.
So I'll begin with what I know.
I'm 20 years old. I went to an all boys school. I'm from another country. I've never seen Titanic; been in Love; lost somebody in my immediate family or any of my closest friends (for which I am extremely grateful).
So in many respects my life experience is not that vast. There are many roles that are beyond my life experience. (I mean I don't ever want to know what it's like to get revenge on a villainous organisation for taking all the things dear to me, and end up killing scores of bad guys - that's a bit absurd).
There are things I do know, these things make up my life experience and who I am.
I believe at this point in time that relating these experiences to my acting will help me with the things I do not know.
How do I relate my life experience to a character who has experienced things I have not?
(I'm not talking about method acting - sure, I take my thinking from some of it's principles, however I'm trying to look specifically Life experience in relation to acting).
So where am I going with this?
I guess upon reflection, I recently have experienced and am about to encounter some massive events in my life, and I'm wondering what wider effect it will have on my acting (It probably won't be visible on the outside, but it'll be definitely be internally)?
Nevertheless, I think I need to get a little bit specific and find something Tangible within the topic that I can work on... Possibly I could pick a monologue from a Character who's Life experiences are very very different to my own and go from there?
Comment.
Agree.
Disagree.
Troll me if you want.
Challenge.
Follow.
Rock it, yo.
Kenga.
PS, Engage with me.
Monday, 19 December 2011
Tuesday, 13 December 2011
Encounter with Suzuki Method with Body and Space.
I engaged with some of Tadashi Suzuki's actor training/method techniques and exercises on Tuesday night and got to try out the Stomp I had heard so much about. I also got to revisit some Viewpoints and boy... It hasn't lost it's charm on me at all.
So, I hate to generalize it and simplify it, but I have to.
From what I know, Mr. Suzuki had seen a generation of young actors heavily relying on their faces and facial expressions to act (the world of film), and wanted to bring back an awareness to the body, and the centre (the core from my understanding 3 fingers below the belly button, inside the basin of the pelvis. I guess our voice teacher D'Arcy Smith used to liken it to the image of a pool of bubbles of marbles that hold your impulses and such - if you read this, hope you're rocking it in the US with the Fambam). Basically Actors using the whole tool they have, which is their body to Act, letting the whole body be affected etc etc.
We started with intense as warmups, anarobic stuff to the max, i almost stretched to the splits!!! Anyway, then we moved onto some basic Stomp choreo. It involved using a set number of movements, using the lower body mainly.
(Quick interlude, the Stomp is a lift from the knee and not the foot. and the whole foot must touch the ground at the same time).
The movements were simple to pickup, yet once the next component was added, I just kept forgetting the sequence, I guess I have some work to do to... The impulses to move come from the centre, the torso, essentially the image that worked for me was that it's the first thing the move (I guess the leading centre).
We then moved into a 2:30 minute Stomp with music, "Stay low" "Push through the Crisis point" (When I wanted to quit, too hard - it's all in the mind baby!) All around we moved, through the space. There were moments when we were all in sync, supporting each other to create something.
After the music reached a resolve we moved to one side of the room, fell to the ground safely and smoothly, and rose again when we had our breath under control, and did the slow 10 exercise together (Moving through the whole of the foot on a horizontal plane like a rope was pulling our centre towards the audience - some cushions.)
Then we finished and moved onto some Viewpoints. Sick times this was.
I will explain the viewpoints in the morning, because it's 3 am and I can barely keep my eyes open...
Sleep soundly NZ, Australia (Acknowledge our Cricket effort already...)
the rest of the world that is asleep too.
Everyone awake, have a good day.
Respond, challenge, correct me if you want, I'm not perfect.
I probably got something wrong.
Learn with me,
Follow,
Comment.
Rock it.
Kenga
So, I hate to generalize it and simplify it, but I have to.
From what I know, Mr. Suzuki had seen a generation of young actors heavily relying on their faces and facial expressions to act (the world of film), and wanted to bring back an awareness to the body, and the centre (the core from my understanding 3 fingers below the belly button, inside the basin of the pelvis. I guess our voice teacher D'Arcy Smith used to liken it to the image of a pool of bubbles of marbles that hold your impulses and such - if you read this, hope you're rocking it in the US with the Fambam). Basically Actors using the whole tool they have, which is their body to Act, letting the whole body be affected etc etc.
We started with intense as warmups, anarobic stuff to the max, i almost stretched to the splits!!! Anyway, then we moved onto some basic Stomp choreo. It involved using a set number of movements, using the lower body mainly.
(Quick interlude, the Stomp is a lift from the knee and not the foot. and the whole foot must touch the ground at the same time).
The movements were simple to pickup, yet once the next component was added, I just kept forgetting the sequence, I guess I have some work to do to... The impulses to move come from the centre, the torso, essentially the image that worked for me was that it's the first thing the move (I guess the leading centre).
We then moved into a 2:30 minute Stomp with music, "Stay low" "Push through the Crisis point" (When I wanted to quit, too hard - it's all in the mind baby!) All around we moved, through the space. There were moments when we were all in sync, supporting each other to create something.
After the music reached a resolve we moved to one side of the room, fell to the ground safely and smoothly, and rose again when we had our breath under control, and did the slow 10 exercise together (Moving through the whole of the foot on a horizontal plane like a rope was pulling our centre towards the audience - some cushions.)
Then we finished and moved onto some Viewpoints. Sick times this was.
I will explain the viewpoints in the morning, because it's 3 am and I can barely keep my eyes open...
Sleep soundly NZ, Australia (Acknowledge our Cricket effort already...)
the rest of the world that is asleep too.
Everyone awake, have a good day.
Respond, challenge, correct me if you want, I'm not perfect.
I probably got something wrong.
Learn with me,
Follow,
Comment.
Rock it.
Kenga
Monday, 12 December 2011
So I got the book back, just page turning through it now. Thinking what to put down first...
Here we go!
I began the first page with how I approach my work with puppets.
So Tom McCrory, the English movement tutor at Toi left this nugget to me.
1)
Me
So there's me, the Actor, the performer.
Have what you will.
In this instance... I AM THE FOCUS.
2)
The Object
Puppet, Object, whatever it is, a prop if you like.
In this instance... THE OBJECT IS THE FOCUS.
3)
The Object and Me.
Both the Object and myself are sharing the focus, we're working together if you like.
In the instance... I just said it... BOTH THE OBJECT AND I ARE THE FOCUS.
When I have worked with Puppets I subconsciously find myself asking the Object/Puppet...
What do you want to do?
Where do you want to go?
I feel more connected with the object when I do this I find.
It may seem crazy, me talking to an Object, in reality I'm just talking to myself I guess.
However, the best do it.
And if I'm bringing it to life, I'm going to interact with it. It's only fair.
At the moment this is my approach, my framework.
It will probably change.
Comment with your thoughts/challenges/disagreements.
Rock it.
Kenga
Here we go!
I began the first page with how I approach my work with puppets.
So Tom McCrory, the English movement tutor at Toi left this nugget to me.
1)
Me
So there's me, the Actor, the performer.
Have what you will.
In this instance... I AM THE FOCUS.
2)
The Object
Puppet, Object, whatever it is, a prop if you like.
In this instance... THE OBJECT IS THE FOCUS.
3)
The Object and Me.
Both the Object and myself are sharing the focus, we're working together if you like.
In the instance... I just said it... BOTH THE OBJECT AND I ARE THE FOCUS.
When I have worked with Puppets I subconsciously find myself asking the Object/Puppet...
What do you want to do?
Where do you want to go?
I feel more connected with the object when I do this I find.
It may seem crazy, me talking to an Object, in reality I'm just talking to myself I guess.
However, the best do it.
And if I'm bringing it to life, I'm going to interact with it. It's only fair.
At the moment this is my approach, my framework.
It will probably change.
Comment with your thoughts/challenges/disagreements.
Rock it.
Kenga
Sunday, 11 December 2011
Some questions (Things I'm working on, thinking about)
So kinda some things that are driving me at the moment are questions I have in relation to my Acting, how I make/write material.
1)
How can I deepen my understanding of qualities (lightness, clarity of focus, connection to scene partner and audience) I engage with when working with object manipulation and puppetry into other mediums of performance? (Naturalism, screenwork - things that aren't puppetry basically).
2)
I have a question that isn't fully formed. It's kinda...
What kinda work do I like making?
What do I naturally make?
What do I care about?
What do I want to make?
If anyone can distill that, I'll buy you a coffee at Zumo.
3)
How can I make offers that use what I have that make me unique to further a piece of work?
4)
last one for the moment is a biggie I thought of today while playing at the santa parade.
Something about relationships in puppetry.
Audience to Puppet.
Puppet to Audience.
Puppeteer to Puppet
Puppeteer to Audience
Puppeteer to Puppeteer (when there's more than one)
How can I begin to understand these relationships? What are the qualities/feelings of them? In the role of Audience and Puppet.
I reckon if I can understand that complicated mess of relationships I think I can really start working on the translation of the qualities of the first question.
Share your thoughts, and your confusions.
I'd love to discuss this with people, only so much thinking I can do by myself.
Comment, follow.
I'll upload more stuff tomorrow.
Rock it.
Kenga.
1)
How can I deepen my understanding of qualities (lightness, clarity of focus, connection to scene partner and audience) I engage with when working with object manipulation and puppetry into other mediums of performance? (Naturalism, screenwork - things that aren't puppetry basically).
2)
I have a question that isn't fully formed. It's kinda...
What kinda work do I like making?
What do I naturally make?
What do I care about?
What do I want to make?
If anyone can distill that, I'll buy you a coffee at Zumo.
3)
How can I make offers that use what I have that make me unique to further a piece of work?
4)
last one for the moment is a biggie I thought of today while playing at the santa parade.
Something about relationships in puppetry.
Audience to Puppet.
Puppet to Audience.
Puppeteer to Puppet
Puppeteer to Audience
Puppeteer to Puppeteer (when there's more than one)
How can I begin to understand these relationships? What are the qualities/feelings of them? In the role of Audience and Puppet.
I reckon if I can understand that complicated mess of relationships I think I can really start working on the translation of the qualities of the first question.
Share your thoughts, and your confusions.
I'd love to discuss this with people, only so much thinking I can do by myself.
Comment, follow.
I'll upload more stuff tomorrow.
Rock it.
Kenga.
I promised this Blog, It will become a place of thought, and learning... I hope.
So yeah... I have this nice book with all these notes I've written while at Capital E and beyond with all my thoughts and stuff. I left it at my sisters... So, I'm gonna hack and slash at this and see what comes out.
First.
I spent 2 - 3 weeks at Capital E observing, feeding into a Creative Development of a new show, called Magnolia St which opens next year at Downstage (July?)
Second.
Frank Newman, an Australian Director (also the Artistic Director of Terrapin Puppet Theatre) was over from Hobart working on this piece.
Third.
I got to work one on one with him with Frog-man (not sure what to name him).
Fourth.
I just did my first day of Radio Promotion stuff at the Santa Parade today, I got to hold up a giant inflatable Pirate with a Broom, I worked the crowd a bit and eventually used the broom to move his hands.
Fifth.
Luke Walton and I are going to worskshop a piece he's written in January over about 2 or 3 weeks.
I'm excited.
Second post soon with questions and possibly some photos?
(When I figure out how to put them on)
Chur/Peace/See you soon wigglyfeet.
Kenga.
First.
I spent 2 - 3 weeks at Capital E observing, feeding into a Creative Development of a new show, called Magnolia St which opens next year at Downstage (July?)
Second.
Frank Newman, an Australian Director (also the Artistic Director of Terrapin Puppet Theatre) was over from Hobart working on this piece.
Third.
I got to work one on one with him with Frog-man (not sure what to name him).
Fourth.
I just did my first day of Radio Promotion stuff at the Santa Parade today, I got to hold up a giant inflatable Pirate with a Broom, I worked the crowd a bit and eventually used the broom to move his hands.
Fifth.
Luke Walton and I are going to worskshop a piece he's written in January over about 2 or 3 weeks.
I'm excited.
Second post soon with questions and possibly some photos?
(When I figure out how to put them on)
Chur/Peace/See you soon wigglyfeet.
Kenga.
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