During this lesson we began to rehearse, first by beginning to build our set. We realized that the transitions in our piece were not working and could be quite distracting because we did not draw enough focus towards then place where we wanted the audience's attention.
Poppy, Mia, Ruby and myself went to a music room to record voice overs which we would then edit and use in the performance as a different media techniques. There will be one outside the room which says "thank you for travelling with Emmeritz airlines. We hope you enjoy your stay", which will be played before Mia and Rio speak to the audience as tour guides. this will be played through speakers which are inside a cardboard box. The other audio says "the next flight to Florida will be leaving in one minute. please make your way to departure gate 418". This will be played after the physical theatre piece with Charlie and Ruby. After the audio, Mia and Rio will escort the audience out, We chose departure gate 418 because that is the room that the audience will see 'Camp America's' performance in, which is based in Florida. This is not something which the audience will pick up on, however it is a small detail which helps to connect the whole performance from the performers perspective.
When we came back to the room, we got ready to do a first run through of the whole performance with all the scenes. In this run through we had a small audience made of our theatre teachers who were taken around by the British homeless children. This rehearsal was really useful to see what we needed to improve. The transitions were definitely something that needed working on to both make them smoother and because the audience will be reluctant to move in the space, so they would need guidance. The piece we had created so far was good, however, not beautiful as piece of theatre should be.
By beautiful, I mean the details, the flow, the connection between the audience and the the performance and the energy which drives the whole piece. Although were were using many different theatrical techniques, we did not have a driving energy which is meant to bring the piece to life. Our performance seemed disconnected and too structured with the meaning of the whole performance being lost. This caused group to feel unsure about the performance and so we organised a rehearsal for the following day.
During this hour and a half additional rehearsal as a group we collectively decided that the audience will be moved around the space in the washing line for the whole performance, not just the beginning. In a performance which demands the audience to move around the space, there are usually stragglers or reluctant audience members. We decided that the washing line would help us to keep the audience as a whole group as well as helping to create the busy feel of a packed Indian street. It also blocks the rest of the room out which will help us to draw the audiences attention towards the scene, stopping them from getting distracted.
To make sure everyone has a performance role, the washing line members are going to say relevant facts at the end of each transition eg. facts about homeless children at the oranges scene, facts about child trafficking at the traffickers scene.
The oranges scene will now take place in a different layout. We placed one of the white corner stands on its side, so we ould fit under it. Then, with two people lifting it up, it looks as if the audience are seeing a cross section of where some street children live.From there, Amelia and I will perform a small scene showing us eating the oranges, not seeing the audience. To get to this scene, I steal some oranges from Aarons stall and run to the 'home'. this triggers the transition of the washing line. Mia and Rio will then pick up the box to show us and then to exit the scene onto the next transition I will say " i saw the American tourist again" and Amelia will reply with "Camera lady! should go and steal her camera, we can sell it for glue" and then she runs out. Mia and Rio close the 'home' and the transition leads straight onto the next scene. Esme's trafficker character will be a photographer who takes pictures of Indian street children. This fit much better and to exit that scene, Amelia will steal the camera and run away. If we create the camera to come apart it cold then smoothly become drugs which the street children will be taking under the physical theatre piece. We decided to change the context of the physical theatre piece so it is no longer lovers but instead a father who has lost his daughter. He begins by asking the audience weather they have seen her, then he spots her taking drugs with other street children. Charlie will climb up onto the platform, lift ruby up and the physical theatre piece will then take place. To finish that piece, ruby will go back down to the street kids because the addiction drew her back. Then the audio will play and the audience will leave.
During the whole performance we will have Indian street traffic sounds, which will only stop when we have the physical theatre because we will then use an Indian lullaby.
The traffic:
The lullaby:
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