Advanced – Lesson 4

WARM UP

It’s opening night of the school play and the time has come for your big monologue, but you have forgotten your lines! Try and continue without making the audience aware that you don’t know what you are saying!

SPEECH

Projection There is a new projection exercise this week. Remember to do your breathing exercise to warm up.

Say the projection exercise in the following ways:  Using an everyday talking voice  Using a projected voice.

There’s someone in the water! Turn the boat around!

Tongue Twister Tongue Twisters are a great way to practise and improve pronunciation and fluency. Say the exercise making sure you hit all the consonants and say each word clearly. Try to go faster each time you say it.

Lesser leather never weathered wetter weather better

BRINGING THE PAGE TO THE STAGE

Skill: To be able to block a script for actors to use on stage.

This week’s lesson has a few different components:

1. Print off the script “Like a Kick in the Gut!”. 2. Read through the script. 3. Watch the Inter-ACT Online video to see how the script should be performed. 4. Perform the script either by yourself or ask some family members to assist you. This script needs to be performed in a melodramatic style on a proscenium stage (where the audience faces the stage). Remember - the melodrama style of acting requires the use of strong facial expressions, large movements, gestures and a clear, well projected voice. 5. Blocking the script on a stage. © Futureworld Drama PL 1

CASSANDRA The fair heroine. SCRIPT MELVIN The dastardly villain.

LIKE A KICK IN THE GUT! RICHARD The romantic hero.

Scene: A forest clearing. CASSANDRA Help! Help!

MELVIN Scream all you like, my little poppet. No-one will hear.

CASSANDRA I will never marry you. Never!

MELVIN Then the only place you will see your pet rabbit again is in a stew!

CASSANDRA No, please don't!

MELVIN One little word will save him, my beauty.

RICHARD Unhand that woman, you cad.

MELVIN Drat.

CASSANDRA Richard!

RICHARD Yes. 'Tis I.

MELVIN Drat and double drat.

RICHARD Don't despair, fair damsel. My life is yours to command.

MELVIN Aagh! That kind of talk makes me feel sick!

CASSANDRA Save me Richard!

RICHARD That is my life's ambition, beauteous maid.

MELVIN Aagh! Like a kick in the gut!

RICHARD Your shining face is like a beacon to my heart.

MELVIN Aagh! That finishes me! (He passes out)

RICHARD Come, my princess.

CASSANDRA Anywhere with you, Richard.

BLOCKING A SCRIPT What is blocking a script? Blocking is a theatre term that refers to the precise movements and positioning of actors on stage to facilitate the performance of a play.

What is the purpose of stage directions? Every play has stage directions to some degree. Stage directions serve many functions. However, the main purpose is to guide actors’ movements on stage called blocking.

DRAMA STAGE AREAS

NOTE: The below areas assume you are an actor on stage looking towards the audience.

 Acting Area: The area within a performance space where the actor moves in full view of the audience.  Upstage: The stage area towards the back of the stage.  Backstage: The part of the stage and theatre which is out of the sight of the audience. The above diagram shows the wings and the cross over section, which form part of the backstage area. Actors wait in the wings before they enter onto the stage. The cross over is used so actors can exit on one side and then enter on the other side.  Centre Stage: The centre of the area defined as the stage.  Downstage: The stage area towards the audience.  Stage Right: The right of the stage from the perspective of the actor facing the audience.  Stage Left: The left of the stage from the perspective of the actor facing the audience.

Other areas of the stage include:  Apron: The apron is any parts of the stage that extends past the proscenium arch and into the audience or seating area.  House Left: When among the audience facing the stage, House Left is to your left. This refers to the audience’s perspective.  House (Audience): The audience watching the production.  House Right: When among the audience facing the stage, House Right is to your right. This refers to the audience’s perspective.

There are nine main stage directions that can used when blocking your script. Please refer to the below diagram. for their positions on the stage.

Upstage Right Upstage Centre Upstage Left

Stage Right Stage Centre Stage Left

Downstage Downstage Downstage Right Centre Left

 DSR: Downstage Right  DSC: Downstage Centre  DSL: Downstage Left  SR: Stage Right  SC: Stage Centre  SL: Stage Left  USR: Upstage Right  USC: Upstage Centre  USL: Upstage Left.

Directors use abbreviated directions when writing blocking ideas. Write your stage directions onto the script. Make sure you write starting positions, the side of the stage that characters enter/exit from and any movements they do during the script. When you have finished, try acting it out. It would help if someone at home can assist you. Be careful not to overdo the blocking as this will detract from the dialogue.

EXTENSION ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL):

Theatre in the Round Theatre in the Round offers the audience a closer intimacy with the stage than proscenium theatre, and it also puts the audience in direct view of each other. A 360- degree sight line means that large scenery is out of the question unless it is suspended above the actors’ heads and out of the audiences’ view. Theatre in the Round tends to be a format chosen for intimate productions, although some large-scale operas and theatre productions have also used the format.

Block the Script on a Round Stage. This style of theatre also allows for the entrance of actors through the audience which adds flexibility to the performance.