A Christmas Carol
Charles Dickens (1812-1870) wrote 5 Christmas books, including the Christmas Carol. In 1843 it was written and it has a big influence on how we collectively percieve christmas time to be li
ke in old fashioned England. The book was partly inspired by enjoyable childhood memories and by the bible, with the spirits who appear. Through his childhood and early life he was quite poor and one thing that set him apart from other authors was that he empathised with the poor as he was once in that position and that is reflected in his writing as Scrooge is quite poor.
Advice on performance:
Make research on what people owned, their lives and life styles and also diseases people may have contracted.
In the Victorian times diseases such as small pox, tuberculosis, cholera, chicken pox, and whooping cough had no vaccines and because my character Fred was living in poverty he must have suffered or is suffering from one of these, therefore when playing as him I will try to cough or shiver sometimes to represent the time he lived in, making his character more convincing thus making me act more truthfully.
I have visited the Charles Dickens museum which contained many items which aided me in understanding the world at which Fred and Scrooge live in which can help me to understand our characters and maybe the hand gestures or their state of health they lived with so I could portray my character with my more accuracy to the time. Some interesting things I learnt was that they owned Commodes which were generally to their bed sides which they would use to excrete. Horses were also a very popular means of travel at the time so Victoria England was a very stinky place that according to the tour guide, many of us today could simply not cope with without being extremely sick. Bath tubs were also much smaller without taps, so you would have to fill up buckets of water and empty it out into a bath tub, which back then resembled a hollow trapezium which was formed like a chair.
King size beds were also smaller, irons were made just of metal and you needed to make a fire to heat up the iron rather than relying on electricity as we do now, though irons have interestingly retained its original shape. Pianos did exist and desks were quite similar to how they are now. Using this information and my understanding of Dickens which is that he was middle class I could visualise that because Fred comes from a poor family, his house may have some of these items but much cheaper and smaller than Charles Dickens. Using this information I believe that scenes such as the one where Fred is having a party that everyone should be closer together and more cramped to symbolise that poor social status he has. By doing this, though it is not obvious to the audience, it would also improve the understanding that everyone has of Fred and his family so that we could act more truthfully. This also teaches me that Fred must have had barely any belongings and must have lived in a much smaller house than Dickens so I can deduct that he really valued love over money and in the worst of circumstances he can still cope, showing true strength in his character and I will try to portray this by giving him quite erect, straight posture and by making sure he always smiles as he speaks.
First Week
We have been told that this term we are working on a Christmas Carol which everyone was quite excited about, from prior experience I have seen the hardships of working with unenthusiastic people and how it can be a struggle, and the root of that problem was because they didn't understand/take a liking to the play. We had watched 'Scrooge' - 1951 and it was quite a refreshing experience not only to re-watch a Christmas Carol film but also to see an older version. It made me think about how much film has changed and it was interesting to see what sort of humour the people of that time could get away with. Which also lead us to begin thinking about what approach we wanted to take in terms of based on modern times or based in the 1800's, because that will effect how we would do scenes like the party scene and the style of dance and the music. This will also be a refreshing experience because we are doing a musical version of the play, which is something I am new to in terms of acting.
We proceeded onto working on creating a timeline for the events that had happened in the play to make sure that all our class mates also had an equal understanding to those in the know. We also discussed prevalent themes which were Loss, Reflection, and change. Using a theme of choice we had to create a freeze frame in our groups representing it. We decided to have us standing in a line, the person at the back in slanted quite a bit with their palms on the floor like an ape also with a moody face, and the person at the end is erect full of energy and happiness, and in-between were the ape slowly turning into that human. This was to represent Scrooge and his change through the play as his character goes from an arrogant selfish person to a happy, respectful and honorable man. We were then asked to write down the events of the play in chronological order but make sure it was a summary. We then worked on a piece lasting 5 minutes that went through the whole play in chronological order using help from the mind map. This exercise was almost a reminder to the fact that using mind maps at any point in your acting career can prove to be very helpful. We decided on putting a spin on the piece and by making it based off of dungeons and Dragons where the game master would role a dice and if scrooge wanted to get away from a spirit he would have to role a certain number. I really liked how the group decided on making this spin off and it was an enjoyable process. This also aided me in further understanding the play. It was also quite interesting seeing the other groups piece as they turned it into a musical which summarised the play which included dancing and singing and that was quite a refreshing experience.
Second Week
We began working on group still images of Scrooge's journey and in our groups of 4-5 we made tableaux. In our one we had Scrooge and his dad sitting opposite each other, Scrooge's dad staring at Scrooge and Scrooge staring at him getting married with a sad face. This was representing Scrooge's dad hate for Scrooge and Scrooge sad that the times of him and his girlfriend were a long time ago. We then implemented everyone's tableaux into ours and we created one large frame taking up the whole space which summarised and symbolised the play. We felt that using this near the beginning would be great idea. Ideally before Scrooge walks in to set the scene.
We then went into other small groups and made party scenes like the first one in the play. The teachers decided to teach some students how to dance and plan on teaching everyone to dance together which will be quite exciting to learn. In the dance scene I decided to make part of the background and sit at a table eating as I have learnt that it is important for minor roles to do extra actions in the background to give the scene more life. We then put all the small groups into one big group creating a large party scene which looked not just lively but also very well formulated. We decided that we would input this scene into the production at the point where the party begins in the present.
We had made a timetable as it is always important to document our progress throughout the term and to know where we are going next.
Third week:
I was told which character I would act as, which was Fred. So first thing I had to do was some simple background research on him to learn what his backstory is. He turned out to be Scrooge's nephew, and Scrooge's sisters (fan) child. Scrooge dislikes him because his birth was what killed his mother and because of his contrasting personality. Fred is optimistic, celebrates Christmas and is empathetic, whereas his counterpart Scrooge is depressed, stubborn, and has a general hatred to the world as if that was the source for all his problems. In the film, Scrooge was of a higher status to Fred as Fred is always pleading him and showing him the respect that would be given to the elderly. He has a high moral compass as when Scrooge almost bullies him 'You're poor enough' he is still being pleasant.
We began working on the first 15 pages and blocked, organised, and clarified where people stood in respect to other and where and when they walk in and out of the stage space. In the scene when Fred begs Scrooge to come and celebrate Christmas with him and his family. Using prior experience I attempted to embody Fred and to really beg Scrooge and experiment with different emotions to try and see what works and what didn't and the person playing Scrooge played off of my lines very well by giving back the same energy and emotion. This helped to understand not only my character but to understand Scrooge as a character in a deeper sense. That will ultimately make my performance better and those around us. In order to further aid my understanding of my character I will be looking in more depth at Fred's lines and to also react to what Scrooge is saying, as reacting to what other actors are saying is one of my key weaknesses. The scene at the beginning when the narrator comes on and eventually a few of us greet each other by wishing one another a merry Christmas is a strong scene as when Scrooge comes in and says "BAH, HUMBUG" we scatter. This gives emphasis that Scrooge is a scary and dominating character and gives the audience a better idea of what he is perceived as.
As an ensemble we worked on a dance scene which the music to the scene was 'a hard not life'. Learning how to dance with a group of other actors was a new experience and it was quite fun. It was interesting to see how much work goes into choreography and that films like high school musical must have had so much work put into it. This gave me a new understanding and respect for musical theatre. This was also good as we had to work together to get the timing right for everyone and that built on our teamwork and communication skills.
Fourth Week
We began this lesson by lying down and attempting to embody our characters by acting out what they would be doing throughout their day. For Fred I acted out him waking up, going to work, then having a coffee, going to a meeting, then go back home to have a meal with a family and proceeded to go to bed. Doing this exercise aided in my understanding of Fred and how to successfully embody a character rather than thinking that they have no depth and personality and can easily be played by reading script. We were then asked to do a hot seating exercise wherein you would sit on a chair in front of everyone and pretend to be their character as everyone asks them questions. This exercise not only tests your understanding of your character but also helps you to make up answers so that you can view your character with more depth like an actual person, rather than just limiting your understanding of the character to the little information the script will inform you on them. Questions such as 'What is your favourite colour?' and 'Are you married' gave me time to really think about Fred and how he is like anyone else and isn't just a character on paper but a real person with perspectives on politics and whatnot.
We did some rehearsals this week and a scene that was quite powerful was when Fred with his family and friends are playing Yes and No whilst Scrooge and the ghost are watching them. The was the actors and I played this scene made is so that it felt like a family gathering of a sort and everyone had really high energy, and when in an atmosphere like that in acting it feels very good like an adrenaline rush.
Fifth Week
We spent the lesson discussing how we want to capture and keep the audiences attention. One idea was the make the whole play altogether more serious and scary rather than quite jokey as it gives a different perspective on the play. One idea was to remove the hard not life dance from the play as that song is quite upbeat and doesn't match the genre that some of the students wanted. Ideas such as lighting and sounds to emphasis the scariness of the ghosts, and to make the audience go through what Scrooge is going through was a very interesting idea. We had said in the end that the technicians have a lot of power and that the way we can communicate these several themes in the play really depend on them.
We performed the whole play once again today and I was given some new directions. In the first scene when Scrooge and Fred communicate with one another, it seemed like as he talked to me I waited for my turn to talk rather than reacting. This flaw in my act was a recurring theme in the past but something that was only just highlighted, it was as if at times I was in a different world or track of thought rather than sticking to the thought processes of Fred. After being given direction I was acting much better. I was also told to think more about the beats in my characters speech and to make sure that it's not all one tempo. I decided that to work on this I would have to go through my lines with my understanding of Fred in mind and to highlight different parts and to label them with a different thought process each time.
Sixth Week
We began working on two dance scenes that occur throughout the play, the first one was for Cratchit's party and the second for Fred's. We learnt a range of different dance moves to do as we performing these scenes which require good timing and co-ordination. Using prior skills in martial arts I felt quite confident in memory and co-ordination but dancing is a very different art and it was interesting to learn how to do it. I did not take part in the Cratchit's dance scene, however I still learnt from watching others perform it in how eye contact and co-ordination are key aspects to making sure a dance routine goes well when doing ensemble work.
We finally have polished and finished working on the several dance scenes that will be in the play I will only be in the Fred party and from the end of the ‘tis the seasons to be jolly’ track when the music is fading I will initiate the scene by laughing which is a very smooth transition which worked very well. This ensures that the audience don’t get bored waiting for the next scene to start. In the scene at Fred’s party, his wife and him both discuss Scrooge and how his meanness is unfortunate and that it will effect his destiny is a negative way, and Fred is also convinced that he his changing his uncle for the better through care and goodness. This is evidence that Fred has a great spirit and is very optimistic in most situations in life and this is why he is so successful with love and well being. I decided that as Fred is being presented as a kind character that he isn’t going talk about Scrooge in an upset or downbeat way, but by laughing and not taking everything so seriously. I feel like I can really capture the essence of Fred as a character like this. When playing the role in this way I felt like being upbeat and joyful really flowed well and was a great contrast to Scrooge who is generally angry and has low energy.
Seventh Week
We are spending every day polishing the several scenes in the play and aiding different actors to portray a character as truthfully as possible. Advice for the narrator was that the character should be talking to the audience and trying to involve them as much as possible in the story, rather than just reciting what would be happening next. I was told to over emphasise the word keep it when telling Scrooge "Keep it? But you don't keep it", as he is trying to make sense of Scrooge being so negative towards Christmas. I was also reminded of how I shouldn't be too over the top and make it realistic, but rather than showing my enthusiasm about Christmas through words I need to take it into my body more. For example opening my hands as Fred proclaims "A merry Christmas Uncle, God save you!". Using the advice in the lesson helped in creating a more truthful Fred rather than a forced/over the top one. I will use this direction in a lot of the text more in future. The actor for Scrooge was informed to talk with a sarcastic tone to their voice to make a clearer impression on the audience that he has no manners and is trying to provoke a negative reaction from the people around him.
We began constructing a final dance scene which happens right after Tiny Tim says the final lines. It required us to all hold hands together and do a series of coordinated movements to Merry Christmas Slade. This ending is a very suitable way to end the production as it's very upbeat and it represents Scrooge's mood at the end of the play. It was quite challenging learning this dance because some people were unclear on what to do, but the efforts were worth it in the end as overtime more people understood the direction. When a situation like that happens, it is very important to keep open minded and to try to aid the people who don't understand what to do, and to be patient as that is the best way for someone to learn from others.
Evaluation
Over the course of the performance week, we spent a lot of time crafting the stage and making edits to props that we would use for example the big white cubes that were used for sitting on were being used in more scenes. Throughout our rehearsals I was feeling quite ill as I had caught the flu so I had to make extra sure that I was being attentive enough, and that I got all my cues right rather than letting the flu over come me and cause me to be lazy and drained I had to keep telling myself that having the flu meant nothing, and it shouldn't get in my way of doing my part to the best of my abilities. I learnt that keeping a positive mindset like this even when you're at the brink of collapsing really does help an actor push through previous boundaries and opens up possibility of improving. Notes that I had received from the directors was to be more like Fred in the party scenes rather than falling back into me. I had to move like Fred who would have been around 30 so I needed to move around like a man of his age in his time. One other note was to not say okay as that wasn't a word used in that time. For the first performance I felt no anxiety at all when coming on to stage which is a first for me. To me, this means that I have become quite confident over the year and that my time on this course has changed me so much in a positive way. One of my goals was to lose the anxiety that I always had on the day of a performance and to just go and do it without any negative thoughts. One other goal I achieved is being present in my role, as in the past I used to worry about forgetting my lines. Now I can really embody the character and interact with my surrounding like my character is really in his house party. I suddenly saw a correlation between my acting skills and my confidence and that when I have more confidence I look like a better actor as I can be more flexible. Our performances went very well, apart from one technical difficulty which lead one to a halt for about 5 minutes. The way the cast handled it was very well as everyone remained calm and collected and it has just shown me how much people have grown up and changed over our time together. There didn't seem to be too many mistakes made by actors on stage and if there were then other actors just skipped their line and said theirs. If I could change how I played my role, I would like to have made him more sarcastic and rude and see how that would have looked like to the audience and see if it would have worked. I always thought of Fred as a character with a good heart but is also quite immature.
Reference links:
https://dickensmuseum.com
Charles Dickens (1812-1870) wrote 5 Christmas books, including the Christmas Carol. In 1843 it was written and it has a big influence on how we collectively percieve christmas time to be li
ke in old fashioned England. The book was partly inspired by enjoyable childhood memories and by the bible, with the spirits who appear. Through his childhood and early life he was quite poor and one thing that set him apart from other authors was that he empathised with the poor as he was once in that position and that is reflected in his writing as Scrooge is quite poor.
Advice on performance:
Make research on what people owned, their lives and life styles and also diseases people may have contracted.
In the Victorian times diseases such as small pox, tuberculosis, cholera, chicken pox, and whooping cough had no vaccines and because my character Fred was living in poverty he must have suffered or is suffering from one of these, therefore when playing as him I will try to cough or shiver sometimes to represent the time he lived in, making his character more convincing thus making me act more truthfully.
I have visited the Charles Dickens museum which contained many items which aided me in understanding the world at which Fred and Scrooge live in which can help me to understand our characters and maybe the hand gestures or their state of health they lived with so I could portray my character with my more accuracy to the time. Some interesting things I learnt was that they owned Commodes which were generally to their bed sides which they would use to excrete. Horses were also a very popular means of travel at the time so Victoria England was a very stinky place that according to the tour guide, many of us today could simply not cope with without being extremely sick. Bath tubs were also much smaller without taps, so you would have to fill up buckets of water and empty it out into a bath tub, which back then resembled a hollow trapezium which was formed like a chair.
King size beds were also smaller, irons were made just of metal and you needed to make a fire to heat up the iron rather than relying on electricity as we do now, though irons have interestingly retained its original shape. Pianos did exist and desks were quite similar to how they are now. Using this information and my understanding of Dickens which is that he was middle class I could visualise that because Fred comes from a poor family, his house may have some of these items but much cheaper and smaller than Charles Dickens. Using this information I believe that scenes such as the one where Fred is having a party that everyone should be closer together and more cramped to symbolise that poor social status he has. By doing this, though it is not obvious to the audience, it would also improve the understanding that everyone has of Fred and his family so that we could act more truthfully. This also teaches me that Fred must have had barely any belongings and must have lived in a much smaller house than Dickens so I can deduct that he really valued love over money and in the worst of circumstances he can still cope, showing true strength in his character and I will try to portray this by giving him quite erect, straight posture and by making sure he always smiles as he speaks.
We have been told that this term we are working on a Christmas Carol which everyone was quite excited about, from prior experience I have seen the hardships of working with unenthusiastic people and how it can be a struggle, and the root of that problem was because they didn't understand/take a liking to the play. We had watched 'Scrooge' - 1951 and it was quite a refreshing experience not only to re-watch a Christmas Carol film but also to see an older version. It made me think about how much film has changed and it was interesting to see what sort of humour the people of that time could get away with. Which also lead us to begin thinking about what approach we wanted to take in terms of based on modern times or based in the 1800's, because that will effect how we would do scenes like the party scene and the style of dance and the music. This will also be a refreshing experience because we are doing a musical version of the play, which is something I am new to in terms of acting.
We proceeded onto working on creating a timeline for the events that had happened in the play to make sure that all our class mates also had an equal understanding to those in the know. We also discussed prevalent themes which were Loss, Reflection, and change. Using a theme of choice we had to create a freeze frame in our groups representing it. We decided to have us standing in a line, the person at the back in slanted quite a bit with their palms on the floor like an ape also with a moody face, and the person at the end is erect full of energy and happiness, and in-between were the ape slowly turning into that human. This was to represent Scrooge and his change through the play as his character goes from an arrogant selfish person to a happy, respectful and honorable man. We were then asked to write down the events of the play in chronological order but make sure it was a summary. We then worked on a piece lasting 5 minutes that went through the whole play in chronological order using help from the mind map. This exercise was almost a reminder to the fact that using mind maps at any point in your acting career can prove to be very helpful. We decided on putting a spin on the piece and by making it based off of dungeons and Dragons where the game master would role a dice and if scrooge wanted to get away from a spirit he would have to role a certain number. I really liked how the group decided on making this spin off and it was an enjoyable process. This also aided me in further understanding the play. It was also quite interesting seeing the other groups piece as they turned it into a musical which summarised the play which included dancing and singing and that was quite a refreshing experience.
Second Week
We began working on group still images of Scrooge's journey and in our groups of 4-5 we made tableaux. In our one we had Scrooge and his dad sitting opposite each other, Scrooge's dad staring at Scrooge and Scrooge staring at him getting married with a sad face. This was representing Scrooge's dad hate for Scrooge and Scrooge sad that the times of him and his girlfriend were a long time ago. We then implemented everyone's tableaux into ours and we created one large frame taking up the whole space which summarised and symbolised the play. We felt that using this near the beginning would be great idea. Ideally before Scrooge walks in to set the scene.
We then went into other small groups and made party scenes like the first one in the play. The teachers decided to teach some students how to dance and plan on teaching everyone to dance together which will be quite exciting to learn. In the dance scene I decided to make part of the background and sit at a table eating as I have learnt that it is important for minor roles to do extra actions in the background to give the scene more life. We then put all the small groups into one big group creating a large party scene which looked not just lively but also very well formulated. We decided that we would input this scene into the production at the point where the party begins in the present.
We had made a timetable as it is always important to document our progress throughout the term and to know where we are going next.
Third week:
I was told which character I would act as, which was Fred. So first thing I had to do was some simple background research on him to learn what his backstory is. He turned out to be Scrooge's nephew, and Scrooge's sisters (fan) child. Scrooge dislikes him because his birth was what killed his mother and because of his contrasting personality. Fred is optimistic, celebrates Christmas and is empathetic, whereas his counterpart Scrooge is depressed, stubborn, and has a general hatred to the world as if that was the source for all his problems. In the film, Scrooge was of a higher status to Fred as Fred is always pleading him and showing him the respect that would be given to the elderly. He has a high moral compass as when Scrooge almost bullies him 'You're poor enough' he is still being pleasant.
We began working on the first 15 pages and blocked, organised, and clarified where people stood in respect to other and where and when they walk in and out of the stage space. In the scene when Fred begs Scrooge to come and celebrate Christmas with him and his family. Using prior experience I attempted to embody Fred and to really beg Scrooge and experiment with different emotions to try and see what works and what didn't and the person playing Scrooge played off of my lines very well by giving back the same energy and emotion. This helped to understand not only my character but to understand Scrooge as a character in a deeper sense. That will ultimately make my performance better and those around us. In order to further aid my understanding of my character I will be looking in more depth at Fred's lines and to also react to what Scrooge is saying, as reacting to what other actors are saying is one of my key weaknesses. The scene at the beginning when the narrator comes on and eventually a few of us greet each other by wishing one another a merry Christmas is a strong scene as when Scrooge comes in and says "BAH, HUMBUG" we scatter. This gives emphasis that Scrooge is a scary and dominating character and gives the audience a better idea of what he is perceived as.
As an ensemble we worked on a dance scene which the music to the scene was 'a hard not life'. Learning how to dance with a group of other actors was a new experience and it was quite fun. It was interesting to see how much work goes into choreography and that films like high school musical must have had so much work put into it. This gave me a new understanding and respect for musical theatre. This was also good as we had to work together to get the timing right for everyone and that built on our teamwork and communication skills.
Fourth Week
We began this lesson by lying down and attempting to embody our characters by acting out what they would be doing throughout their day. For Fred I acted out him waking up, going to work, then having a coffee, going to a meeting, then go back home to have a meal with a family and proceeded to go to bed. Doing this exercise aided in my understanding of Fred and how to successfully embody a character rather than thinking that they have no depth and personality and can easily be played by reading script. We were then asked to do a hot seating exercise wherein you would sit on a chair in front of everyone and pretend to be their character as everyone asks them questions. This exercise not only tests your understanding of your character but also helps you to make up answers so that you can view your character with more depth like an actual person, rather than just limiting your understanding of the character to the little information the script will inform you on them. Questions such as 'What is your favourite colour?' and 'Are you married' gave me time to really think about Fred and how he is like anyone else and isn't just a character on paper but a real person with perspectives on politics and whatnot.
We did some rehearsals this week and a scene that was quite powerful was when Fred with his family and friends are playing Yes and No whilst Scrooge and the ghost are watching them. The was the actors and I played this scene made is so that it felt like a family gathering of a sort and everyone had really high energy, and when in an atmosphere like that in acting it feels very good like an adrenaline rush.
Fifth Week
We spent the lesson discussing how we want to capture and keep the audiences attention. One idea was the make the whole play altogether more serious and scary rather than quite jokey as it gives a different perspective on the play. One idea was to remove the hard not life dance from the play as that song is quite upbeat and doesn't match the genre that some of the students wanted. Ideas such as lighting and sounds to emphasis the scariness of the ghosts, and to make the audience go through what Scrooge is going through was a very interesting idea. We had said in the end that the technicians have a lot of power and that the way we can communicate these several themes in the play really depend on them.
We performed the whole play once again today and I was given some new directions. In the first scene when Scrooge and Fred communicate with one another, it seemed like as he talked to me I waited for my turn to talk rather than reacting. This flaw in my act was a recurring theme in the past but something that was only just highlighted, it was as if at times I was in a different world or track of thought rather than sticking to the thought processes of Fred. After being given direction I was acting much better. I was also told to think more about the beats in my characters speech and to make sure that it's not all one tempo. I decided that to work on this I would have to go through my lines with my understanding of Fred in mind and to highlight different parts and to label them with a different thought process each time.
Sixth Week
We began working on two dance scenes that occur throughout the play, the first one was for Cratchit's party and the second for Fred's. We learnt a range of different dance moves to do as we performing these scenes which require good timing and co-ordination. Using prior skills in martial arts I felt quite confident in memory and co-ordination but dancing is a very different art and it was interesting to learn how to do it. I did not take part in the Cratchit's dance scene, however I still learnt from watching others perform it in how eye contact and co-ordination are key aspects to making sure a dance routine goes well when doing ensemble work.
We finally have polished and finished working on the several dance scenes that will be in the play I will only be in the Fred party and from the end of the ‘tis the seasons to be jolly’ track when the music is fading I will initiate the scene by laughing which is a very smooth transition which worked very well. This ensures that the audience don’t get bored waiting for the next scene to start. In the scene at Fred’s party, his wife and him both discuss Scrooge and how his meanness is unfortunate and that it will effect his destiny is a negative way, and Fred is also convinced that he his changing his uncle for the better through care and goodness. This is evidence that Fred has a great spirit and is very optimistic in most situations in life and this is why he is so successful with love and well being. I decided that as Fred is being presented as a kind character that he isn’t going talk about Scrooge in an upset or downbeat way, but by laughing and not taking everything so seriously. I feel like I can really capture the essence of Fred as a character like this. When playing the role in this way I felt like being upbeat and joyful really flowed well and was a great contrast to Scrooge who is generally angry and has low energy.
Seventh Week
We are spending every day polishing the several scenes in the play and aiding different actors to portray a character as truthfully as possible. Advice for the narrator was that the character should be talking to the audience and trying to involve them as much as possible in the story, rather than just reciting what would be happening next. I was told to over emphasise the word keep it when telling Scrooge "Keep it? But you don't keep it", as he is trying to make sense of Scrooge being so negative towards Christmas. I was also reminded of how I shouldn't be too over the top and make it realistic, but rather than showing my enthusiasm about Christmas through words I need to take it into my body more. For example opening my hands as Fred proclaims "A merry Christmas Uncle, God save you!". Using the advice in the lesson helped in creating a more truthful Fred rather than a forced/over the top one. I will use this direction in a lot of the text more in future. The actor for Scrooge was informed to talk with a sarcastic tone to their voice to make a clearer impression on the audience that he has no manners and is trying to provoke a negative reaction from the people around him.
We began constructing a final dance scene which happens right after Tiny Tim says the final lines. It required us to all hold hands together and do a series of coordinated movements to Merry Christmas Slade. This ending is a very suitable way to end the production as it's very upbeat and it represents Scrooge's mood at the end of the play. It was quite challenging learning this dance because some people were unclear on what to do, but the efforts were worth it in the end as overtime more people understood the direction. When a situation like that happens, it is very important to keep open minded and to try to aid the people who don't understand what to do, and to be patient as that is the best way for someone to learn from others.
Evaluation
Over the course of the performance week, we spent a lot of time crafting the stage and making edits to props that we would use for example the big white cubes that were used for sitting on were being used in more scenes. Throughout our rehearsals I was feeling quite ill as I had caught the flu so I had to make extra sure that I was being attentive enough, and that I got all my cues right rather than letting the flu over come me and cause me to be lazy and drained I had to keep telling myself that having the flu meant nothing, and it shouldn't get in my way of doing my part to the best of my abilities. I learnt that keeping a positive mindset like this even when you're at the brink of collapsing really does help an actor push through previous boundaries and opens up possibility of improving. Notes that I had received from the directors was to be more like Fred in the party scenes rather than falling back into me. I had to move like Fred who would have been around 30 so I needed to move around like a man of his age in his time. One other note was to not say okay as that wasn't a word used in that time. For the first performance I felt no anxiety at all when coming on to stage which is a first for me. To me, this means that I have become quite confident over the year and that my time on this course has changed me so much in a positive way. One of my goals was to lose the anxiety that I always had on the day of a performance and to just go and do it without any negative thoughts. One other goal I achieved is being present in my role, as in the past I used to worry about forgetting my lines. Now I can really embody the character and interact with my surrounding like my character is really in his house party. I suddenly saw a correlation between my acting skills and my confidence and that when I have more confidence I look like a better actor as I can be more flexible. Our performances went very well, apart from one technical difficulty which lead one to a halt for about 5 minutes. The way the cast handled it was very well as everyone remained calm and collected and it has just shown me how much people have grown up and changed over our time together. There didn't seem to be too many mistakes made by actors on stage and if there were then other actors just skipped their line and said theirs. If I could change how I played my role, I would like to have made him more sarcastic and rude and see how that would have looked like to the audience and see if it would have worked. I always thought of Fred as a character with a good heart but is also quite immature.
Reference links:
https://dickensmuseum.com
A Christmas Carol: AQA GCSE 9-1 English Literature Text Guide (Collins GCSE 9-1 Snap Revision)
https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/z84k87h/revision/4
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Dickens
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