February 16th
It's funny what comes out of the rehearsal process, and when I say this I am talking about matters that will not be evident when we get onto the stage. If any of these other matters, do happen to appear on our performance nights, I can safely say that they will more likely be found to be sitting in the audience.
I'm sorry I don't mean to be so cryptic, but I am trying to introduce such subjects as friendship, memories from the past, and perhaps I may even touch open all the discoveries I have made in the last week that I genuinely believe have helped me adding a deeper layer to the character of "the Playwright" in Exits and Entrances.
Friendship, to a degree is what you will see in our production it's after all a story that involves a friendship. A friendship of many levels and the way in which that friendship changes in a period over five years. Well needless to say, by working on such topics one soon thinks of one's own personal friendships and relationships. I think of my wife, my parents, my brother, my Grandparents both of blood and adoptive, of friends I've made over the years, the ones I've met whislt working as an actor, my army mates, old school friends and of course my childhood friends. I think of my close friendships, ones that have lasted over the years, and the brief but happy friendships over my rugby years, as well as the close ones made. You end up considering all the valuable lessons and experiences you gained in the company of others and the heartbreak and anger when friendships have ended.
We humans are a funny animal species, most of us thrive in being able to be in the company of others, we can't or at least I can't be happy in my own company for any considerable length of time. It's as though we are only complete by a relationship with others, and sometimes we find it in a spiritual format but we also need the actual physical presence of someone to at least share a chat and a bit of laughter.
So you see there has been quite alot of thinking going on, which is a somewhat differant experience from my last outing at New Rep, where my main concern was blowing my brains out on the right line! No seriously, I loved working on The Lieutenant of Inishmore, which by the way congratulations to Colin, Karl and Lynn for their 2008 IRNE nominations, where was I, ah yes, no I seriously enjoyed that mad comedy but the nature of Exits and Entrances stirs up a multitude of deep feelings.
Sometimes it's not even the script, at times it's just pure accident, for example the girls, Amy and Candice (our lovely stage management team) had to put some wax on a particular tough draw. In doing so the smell of the wax threw me back to to my childhood home and the smell of a polished hall floor and thoughts of a lady crying in our cloakroom, and my dog, and my sliced chin involving 'Superman' slippers, and Ireland rugby jersey and a carpet divider! You see all through some wax.
So you see, it's not just the joy of hard work and creative muscle flexing that I am getting out of these intense rehearsals, but a whole range of emmotions and feelings that could be really be gone into deeper detail if it wasn't for the fact that I have to go and do some rugby coaching.
So I guess new revelations found in week two of rehearsals will have to wait.
Hope you have all had a marvelous 'Presidents Day'.
All the best,
Ross
Monday, February 16, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
How everything is so interlinked, even from your early days of training.
February 12th
There have been a lot of books over the years written about the 'art of acting.’ Theories, methods, and lets face it many schools/academies/conservatoires/colleges of drama have been founded on the base of one style or another.
People/actors/artists have lived and died (in more ways than one) by what's the best approach to working as an actor. In fact, I remember working on a play on the London fringe with a chap who'd quit his day job and embarked on the life as an actor. He had no training whatsoever, and instead believed that he could do it all by reading books by Ugen, Stanislavsky, and all the forms that were in fashion in 1998. I don't think he ever for once thought about the joy of acting, and entertaining the audience.
Anyway I digress, which is what I do, by nature anyway. The point, or rather the original point was to introduce my subject for this particular blog's discourse. Which was, how everything is so interlinked right from your early days of training, to your first professional production on now to what must be the thirtieth! Thank goodness all that money I spent on drama school wasn't for nothing.
We are now right amidst the 'snot en trane' of our preparation, and although every day is still a joy, it is also hard work. It's what acting is all about, finding the 'right notes', the 'light and shade,' etc. You work at finding all the levels, running with the emotions, which for both Will and I, there are quite a lot to deal with, as well as the detailing, the fine tuning, and on top of all that, remembering the lines.
The funny thing everyday we find new ways too deal with a speech, a line, a reaction, sometimes I find it easy to make the change, sometimes it's a matter of finding the right intonation, sometimes a thought of 'what would it feel like if that happened to me', sometimes it's picturing what I say as I say it, sometimes it's the 'super objective', sometimes it's 'I wonder how he would pour the drink at this moment'.
Whatever way we go, I find the joy and disappointment of trying numerous other ways to try the speech, before we (Chris, and I) think that it's now going in the right direction. Or indeed it's even more fulfilling that we are going through a scene and we try it angry, jesting, pitying, hating, with love or just getting on and saying the lines, and then we ( Chris, Will and I) make a few changes and then it's like, 'oh yes, that's the way, wasn't that so simple'.
Of course it's probably me that's making it too bloody complicated, and I can't help but apologize to Chris and Will for my awful Hugh Grant apologizing antics, 'sorry, so sorry, that was, well awful, do you think we could try that again?'
Then on top of all that it's the ability to say the line, help put a toga on Will, while, bless him, there he is standing in his underwear as I witter on about dreams and Oedipus. Now before I go too far and reveal the story, I hope you get the idea that this play is a lot of bloody good fun! In fact, sometimes I am proudest that I can pour a drink, fold a pair of trousers, hold a prop script and say a line, all at the same time, now that's acting!
My thanks as always to Will, Chris, Danielle, Amy and Candice for their constant help and support everyday.
Also I am going to take advantage and say, Alison MacDonald, Happy Valentine's wifey, I Love You.
Cleo and Devon, (the cats) stop messing about!
Yours Aye,
Ross
There have been a lot of books over the years written about the 'art of acting.’ Theories, methods, and lets face it many schools/academies/conservatoires/colleges of drama have been founded on the base of one style or another.
People/actors/artists have lived and died (in more ways than one) by what's the best approach to working as an actor. In fact, I remember working on a play on the London fringe with a chap who'd quit his day job and embarked on the life as an actor. He had no training whatsoever, and instead believed that he could do it all by reading books by Ugen, Stanislavsky, and all the forms that were in fashion in 1998. I don't think he ever for once thought about the joy of acting, and entertaining the audience.
Anyway I digress, which is what I do, by nature anyway. The point, or rather the original point was to introduce my subject for this particular blog's discourse. Which was, how everything is so interlinked right from your early days of training, to your first professional production on now to what must be the thirtieth! Thank goodness all that money I spent on drama school wasn't for nothing.
We are now right amidst the 'snot en trane' of our preparation, and although every day is still a joy, it is also hard work. It's what acting is all about, finding the 'right notes', the 'light and shade,' etc. You work at finding all the levels, running with the emotions, which for both Will and I, there are quite a lot to deal with, as well as the detailing, the fine tuning, and on top of all that, remembering the lines.
The funny thing everyday we find new ways too deal with a speech, a line, a reaction, sometimes I find it easy to make the change, sometimes it's a matter of finding the right intonation, sometimes a thought of 'what would it feel like if that happened to me', sometimes it's picturing what I say as I say it, sometimes it's the 'super objective', sometimes it's 'I wonder how he would pour the drink at this moment'.
Whatever way we go, I find the joy and disappointment of trying numerous other ways to try the speech, before we (Chris, and I) think that it's now going in the right direction. Or indeed it's even more fulfilling that we are going through a scene and we try it angry, jesting, pitying, hating, with love or just getting on and saying the lines, and then we ( Chris, Will and I) make a few changes and then it's like, 'oh yes, that's the way, wasn't that so simple'.
Of course it's probably me that's making it too bloody complicated, and I can't help but apologize to Chris and Will for my awful Hugh Grant apologizing antics, 'sorry, so sorry, that was, well awful, do you think we could try that again?'
Then on top of all that it's the ability to say the line, help put a toga on Will, while, bless him, there he is standing in his underwear as I witter on about dreams and Oedipus. Now before I go too far and reveal the story, I hope you get the idea that this play is a lot of bloody good fun! In fact, sometimes I am proudest that I can pour a drink, fold a pair of trousers, hold a prop script and say a line, all at the same time, now that's acting!
My thanks as always to Will, Chris, Danielle, Amy and Candice for their constant help and support everyday.
Also I am going to take advantage and say, Alison MacDonald, Happy Valentine's wifey, I Love You.
Cleo and Devon, (the cats) stop messing about!
Yours Aye,
Ross
Monday, February 09, 2009
A Bit of Publicity
February 7th
So last night we ended the day with a bit of publicity, which like everything else was alot of fun. I must be a bad influence on my colleagues as an air of naughty schoolboy glee filled the room. Except when Chris (Jorie) had to impose some self-control and played the teacher and had me leave the room whilst he was being interviewed for the viral video promotion, to be fair he had Will leave the room as well, as a sign of equality and to spare me any offense, or so he claimed, I think Will would have taken up the mantle if I had been solely banished from our improvised studio.
Today we rehearsed in the Black Box, which was a change, thankfully it didn't cause that much of a differance to our work, although it did add to a sense of performance by being in the Studio. It's a lovely space and just a reminder of how spoilt one is working at New Rep, especially when some theatre companies struggle to have one decent rehearsal space and here we are with two.
Our work was in the same vein as the last few days, building on the layers, shaping our characters, processing our characters thoughts into the direction of our steps towards performance, going through the play, covering scenes that need elements of more formal 'blocking', discussing the direction we are taking, reviewing the work, then going back working through both tender and heated moments, finding the 'reality' and the 'art', getting to grips with the 'political' without becoming heavy handed and becoming flat tuned.
Right time to go, as you should know by now, wife and cats are waiting.
Cheers,
Ross
So last night we ended the day with a bit of publicity, which like everything else was alot of fun. I must be a bad influence on my colleagues as an air of naughty schoolboy glee filled the room. Except when Chris (Jorie) had to impose some self-control and played the teacher and had me leave the room whilst he was being interviewed for the viral video promotion, to be fair he had Will leave the room as well, as a sign of equality and to spare me any offense, or so he claimed, I think Will would have taken up the mantle if I had been solely banished from our improvised studio.
Today we rehearsed in the Black Box, which was a change, thankfully it didn't cause that much of a differance to our work, although it did add to a sense of performance by being in the Studio. It's a lovely space and just a reminder of how spoilt one is working at New Rep, especially when some theatre companies struggle to have one decent rehearsal space and here we are with two.
Our work was in the same vein as the last few days, building on the layers, shaping our characters, processing our characters thoughts into the direction of our steps towards performance, going through the play, covering scenes that need elements of more formal 'blocking', discussing the direction we are taking, reviewing the work, then going back working through both tender and heated moments, finding the 'reality' and the 'art', getting to grips with the 'political' without becoming heavy handed and becoming flat tuned.
Right time to go, as you should know by now, wife and cats are waiting.
Cheers,
Ross
Truly Entering the Rehearsal Process
February 4, 5, and 6th
Before this starts resembling my journal with only a couple of pages a month, I thought it best to add to my recent contribution. After all if I don't, they'll be at least two unhappy people, the lovely ladies who asked me to be this production's blogger!
We are now well and truly into the rehearsal process, and it is an experience where each day is another step not only to opening night, but more importantly it's a day of discovery and discussion, about the characters, the relationships that exist between them, the world that surrounds the characters, and the world that we the actors live in. It's a luxury (in the best sense of the word), each day is a luxury in the 'process' of rehearsal, a luxury in the work of an actor to explore thoughts, feelings, and relationships of the character that this play allows us to inhabit. It's a luxury in observation and reaction, a luxury to be on stage or at this present time, to be in the rehearsal room and watch Mr. Lyman at work or to be guided Mr. Jorie in finding ways to allow me to find the character of 'The Playwright'.
I wish I could be more detailed in these early days of rehearsals, but it's almost as if my attention is focused on the work that needs to take place in the rehearsal room rather than to be able to document it all down clearly. Then again, I know that sounds like an excuse, which to be fair it's a rather good one, but in all seriousness alot of what we discuss is part of the development of the character. Then again, once my day off comes round on Monday, I can put it all in perspective and bore all three readers that I have with a long detailed report of the 'story so far'. Or maybe at the moment I am running shy of reporting the day to day goings on, in fear that my charismatic 'Playwright' is turned into an avid reporter, which is fine if I was in Frost/Nixon but it's no good in Exits and Entrances. Mind you I've never been one for the method, but I am not going to run the risk.
Truth is, I am tired, it's late and the wife and cats are calling.
Cheers,
Ross
Before this starts resembling my journal with only a couple of pages a month, I thought it best to add to my recent contribution. After all if I don't, they'll be at least two unhappy people, the lovely ladies who asked me to be this production's blogger!
We are now well and truly into the rehearsal process, and it is an experience where each day is another step not only to opening night, but more importantly it's a day of discovery and discussion, about the characters, the relationships that exist between them, the world that surrounds the characters, and the world that we the actors live in. It's a luxury (in the best sense of the word), each day is a luxury in the 'process' of rehearsal, a luxury in the work of an actor to explore thoughts, feelings, and relationships of the character that this play allows us to inhabit. It's a luxury in observation and reaction, a luxury to be on stage or at this present time, to be in the rehearsal room and watch Mr. Lyman at work or to be guided Mr. Jorie in finding ways to allow me to find the character of 'The Playwright'.
I wish I could be more detailed in these early days of rehearsals, but it's almost as if my attention is focused on the work that needs to take place in the rehearsal room rather than to be able to document it all down clearly. Then again, I know that sounds like an excuse, which to be fair it's a rather good one, but in all seriousness alot of what we discuss is part of the development of the character. Then again, once my day off comes round on Monday, I can put it all in perspective and bore all three readers that I have with a long detailed report of the 'story so far'. Or maybe at the moment I am running shy of reporting the day to day goings on, in fear that my charismatic 'Playwright' is turned into an avid reporter, which is fine if I was in Frost/Nixon but it's no good in Exits and Entrances. Mind you I've never been one for the method, but I am not going to run the risk.
Truth is, I am tired, it's late and the wife and cats are calling.
Cheers,
Ross
First Day of Rehearsals...
February 3, 2009
It’s been a long time since I can say that today was a special first day of rehearsals. Not that I want to offend all the lovely people I have worked with so far in Boston, but I can’t remember a first day like this since my first job after drama school. Back then a lot of it came down to the fact that I actually had got an acting job! But this time, well I suppose the reasons are a bit like the play we are embarking on, there are both obvious and complex ones.
There is of course the fact that the people I am working with are all pretty special. (I don’t want to wax too lyrical about the team as they will all start to think I am being an awful brown-noser.) There is also the theatre and of course there is the small matter of the script. It’s not the first time I’ve worked on a ‘modern classic’, but this play is special, as Chris Jorie (Director) said, ‘each time you read it, there’s something else’ and it’s true. It certainly helps to work alongside such a powerhouse in Will Lyman. (Oops there’s the brown nosing!) But the fact is now that you begin to work off a living breathing Andre, there are two characters in the play, Andre (Mr Lyman) and the Playwright (yours truly), then there is already more and more surprises occurring on every page, or should I say in every moment.
I would love to say more but to be honest I better get on, my wife and I haven’t had a moment, and then of course there are the cats!
Cheers,
Ross
It’s been a long time since I can say that today was a special first day of rehearsals. Not that I want to offend all the lovely people I have worked with so far in Boston, but I can’t remember a first day like this since my first job after drama school. Back then a lot of it came down to the fact that I actually had got an acting job! But this time, well I suppose the reasons are a bit like the play we are embarking on, there are both obvious and complex ones.
There is of course the fact that the people I am working with are all pretty special. (I don’t want to wax too lyrical about the team as they will all start to think I am being an awful brown-noser.) There is also the theatre and of course there is the small matter of the script. It’s not the first time I’ve worked on a ‘modern classic’, but this play is special, as Chris Jorie (Director) said, ‘each time you read it, there’s something else’ and it’s true. It certainly helps to work alongside such a powerhouse in Will Lyman. (Oops there’s the brown nosing!) But the fact is now that you begin to work off a living breathing Andre, there are two characters in the play, Andre (Mr Lyman) and the Playwright (yours truly), then there is already more and more surprises occurring on every page, or should I say in every moment.
I would love to say more but to be honest I better get on, my wife and I haven’t had a moment, and then of course there are the cats!
Cheers,
Ross
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