Fifth Session

Casting the Dream

We spend most of today deciding who is going to say what and how they're going to say it.
Firstly a little demonstration of how to read over your book, exchange as much eye contact as possible and have your feet planted firmly on the floor.

We then split into groups to practice doing this for a while.

We come together and see the results of our labours. Hannah and Kellie and the Stephanies. At first there is not as much energy in the work as is required. And not as much understanding of the text as is needed; what the protagonists are saying to one another. What effect they are trying to achieve with their words. Since she hasn't done this before Kellie is sounding like a speak your weight machine. But once she understands what's meant and required, it comes to life. Good. Stephanie 2 also shows a good natural quality for her role. Karine also a valuable and active participant.

Likewise Stephanie M at first speaks a bit like Stephen Hawking, but once we start doing the Whisperer on the group and suggesting actioning verbs: ALERTS, for example, life is breathed into the scene. We even decide, later, that Stephanie M's action verb should actually not be 'alerts' but something like 'cheers' or 'encourages' (rallies?). That she's saying: Blimey; everyone's getting married now; if only we had Bottom, we'd all be on our way to Hollywood next week...

Jess and Verity have a go. They're already sounding engaged with one another, but, there again, it is a scene of argument. Once again, we employ actioning verbs to try to see the tactics or units more clearly. When are they 'mocking'? When 'crushing'? When 'humiliating'? We do a little work too on Verity's verbs towards the men when Jess tries to scratch out her eyes...

We definitely avoid any terms like 'they are getting angry with' or 'they are hurt by' or etc.

Finally, Susan, Rebecca and Noura have a go, though R thinks they're not ready. And, once again, at first, it is wooden and stilted. But once we begin, together, to understand what is being said and why it is being said, the scene comes to life.

We realise that everything has a meaning. Everything has a reason for being in the scene. That we always have to remember Shakespeare sitting at his laptop going: 'what if both Demetrius and Lysander wake up and the first person they see is Helena...? And what if, a moment later Hermia walks in - and, of course, they both totally ignore her...? The audience are going to love this one...'

And if we don't understand what we're saying, or if we don't understand why Shakespeare put it in the scene and can't work it out, then we'll cut it out and won't say it.

This is not magic. It's not about great acting. Or having a stunning intellect. It's about working it out for ourselves so we're confident with what we're doing and saying. And why we're doing and saying.

After Break Steve suggests that the work centres basically around the story of the lovers. We go through the text and discover that there are three groups of scenes in which the main part of their story is told. A kind of introduction, a complication and a resolution.

We gradually, as much physically, as for any other reason, cast three 'teams's of lovers and an Egeus and Theseus and a Puck and Oberon.

We also decide that if the non-lovers have less to do, then we might do the Mechanicals play at the end of the three lovers scenes as a way of making everything fair and equal.