I'd like each one of you to write down which three Hagen exercises you used for your scene. You don't have to go into detail about how you did the exercise - just a brief description.
Where I WOULD like you to go into detail is in discussing:
1. How you anticipated or thought each exercise would affect your scene/work; and
2. How each exercise actually DID affect your scene/work.
Last but not least, reflect upon your performance and whether or not you were able to be truthful under imaginary circumstances during the performance (not during rehearsals). If so, try to describe what that means to you and how it felt. If not, what do you think made it difficult to do so?
Thanks for your hard work and for performing in front of Drama I. I can't wait to see how these scenes look after the Meisner unit!
1. Endowment: at the beginning of the scene i created the allusion that i was putting on large work boots, when i was really just putting on my converse. This i thought would show that i was getting dressed more detailed by showing specific articles of clothing. It defiantly added more to the actions i did which made the scene look more realistic in the content of what is happening. 2. Fourth wall: I made fine details in the room where i was located. By placing specific items in the fourth wall view would enable me to stay focused on the scene. This helped me get into character and get into the realism of the scene more easily without the audience distractions. 3. Basic object: i took in mind the advanced details of my character by asking the general questions of who i am and who my character is. By recreating 2 minutes of what i would do in this situation helped me understand the emotions and actions involved with going about this scene. It helped me present a more expressive tone in voice and physical differing on my body when confronted with different problems. After examining who my character was, i felt a firm sense of how to embody him on stage. With alterations to make it presentable on stage, the scene we performed felt natural and fluid in a realistic situation. I felt confident in our scene in that we could build up the tension easily and smoothly keep the story and motion going.
ReplyDelete-Pierce
Fourth Wall
ReplyDelete1. I used it as a way to kind of leave the scene and being in what I was seeing in my fourth wall
2. it made what i was seeing more real and there was more intensity to feelings of anger because the room that had been my characters had been rented.
Endowment
1. I endowed the stool as a couch, which gave me an obstacle in the scene to be around and think exactly where it had been placed.
2. It gave me something to stand in between me and the other characters at times, where nothing else was between us, and by being separated from them it gave my character a better feeling of superiority.
Immediacy
1. I used immediacy not with objects but as a way to search for the meaning behind what was in the text and the way it was presented by the other actors.
2. I think it was more true to the character to want to know why these people are reacting this way and wanting to know why.
I had a little bit of trouble because I felt like because this was such an open scene that i couldn't think of everything to fill it with. I should have spent more time trying to really understand my character and I had a difficult time because I have never had a scene that i could make my character kind of my own. I think if i had done that more i would have had a much easier time with everything else in the scene and I will work on that for our next performance.
Endowment was the first Hagen exercise that I used in my scene with Bailey. This scene is set in a bar so we endowed glasses of water to be hard alcohol. I intended for this to make my situation feel more realistic for myself. In turn I helped establish some new character development. What this alcohol represented for my character was her naivety, and her need for attention. Overall, I would say that it really helped me cement my character and her quirks.
ReplyDeleteThe second exercise was The Fourth Wall. I hoped for the fourth wall to create a space for me to lose myself in once on stage. However, come show time, I really was not thinking about it, or interacting with it.
Lastly I chose to work with the Three Entrances exercise. I created a before, during, and after for my entrance. I intended for this to give me something to do upon entering the scene. In actuality, it did that, and it helped me develop my character more, as I was able to create a situation, and determine her reaction to it. It helped with the personality aspect of this character.
-Ashley
In my scene, I chose to use the object exercise, the three entrances exercise, and the fourth wall exercise. The object exercise was definitely the most useful. Although I thought it would be tedious at first, I found that it gave me more insight as to who my character actually was. By knowing who Roberta was, I found that I didn't analyze every line, and was therefore more in character.
ReplyDeleteI originally thought, upon choosing to do the three entrances exercise, that the work would bring a freshness to the scene. I was disappointed to find that I could not correctly picture in my mind the previous action. The exercise ended up making me stay in my head instead of freeing me from myself. I believe that the three entrances exercise would have worked better if I had practiced the chosen scenario multiple times.
My feelings that the fourth wall exercise would fail me were undoubtably right. I found that through the scene the image of the room around me began to dissipate. Trying to bring the image back only brought me back into my head. I feel like this exercise is useful and that I simply need more practice to become more successful.
All and all, I feel as though our scene was good but needed more preparation to get to a point where the scene could run smooth and flawless. Although I was very skeptical as to whether the exercises would work, I can see now how they can be useful.
P.S. I was gone on Friday and didn't check the blog. I am sorry my response came late.
Leigha, great insightful comments about dealing with an open scene. It is fun but also challenging when we have the responsibility to determine who the character is. Always be as specific as you can when creating. Also, I liked your approach to immediacy, but I'm not clear if you were using that as part of analysis of the scene on your own or as the scene was unfolding.
ReplyDeleteNice responses all and very thoughtful. Remember to be as open as possible when trying these things and don't get discouraged if they don't work the first time. Your reflection on how you could better use some of these in the future is what we're aiming for! Great work.
Umm, hi, sorry--can't believe I forgot to respond to this...
ReplyDeleteFirst and foremost, I used Hagen's fourth wall exercise to help overcome my hyper awareness of the audience. I found myself, rather than actively using the fourth wall (which I learn now is not technically desired?), to be recreating the wall in my mind and eventually losing my focus in the scene. I also employed the three entrances technique and decided to use whichever entrance established an immediate tenseness between Leigha's character and mine--any other way just didn't make the scene feel right to me. So, in that sense, it very much helped me get right into the scene with the right mindset. Last but not least I basically pounded out every last detail with my scene in a basic-object-esque fashion. Doing this helped me be completely aware of my surroundings and my circumstances--another great way to get me out of my mind for a bit.
I would say that during the performance, the last thing on my mind was the techniques I had worked on. Whether or not that is just a matter of me not having used Hagen in a performance setting before or just performance jitters, it just didn't work for me. But that's not to say that I didn't find the exercises to be valuable, no. I just think I that I didn't see the performance as an opportunity to use my newly found Hagen abilities and just dealt with it as another performance.
Word.
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ReplyDeleteI am reposting this for Austin, who used her last name on her comment . . .
ReplyDeleteThanks to all for their feedback on how the exercises functioned - I think it will be especially interesting to read more of your thoughts after you've worked with Meisner!
I apologize for the lateness of this blog. I have no excuse besides a busy life and limited internet access. Thank you.
Fourth wall
1. This was used to eliminate the audience and create the feeling of exposure. My fourth wall was a blank cement wall with no decorations. My character is used to lavish homes, so this was meant to put my character on edge and make her even more uncomfortable and nervous in the scene.
2. This exercise accomplished it's task of adding a level of uncomfort to the scene. Although this didn't play a direct role in the scene, I believe it helped unhinge my character.
Three Entrances
1. This was meant to add variety to the begging of the scene, and therefore lead the scene in a new direction each time. Changing what happened immediately preceding the moment may change the feeling (not drastically) and create a new fresh environment.
2. This exercise again did not play a direct role in the scene, but coming into it with an entrance slightly different then other times did in fact keep the scene fresh in my mind.
Endowment
1. This scene takes place in an empty room with a couch, fireplace and really nothing else. I endowed our sketchy theater bench as the somewhat uncomfortable couch for the room. This was meant to complete the scene's reality and place me in a room, stuck forever.
2. This exercise is extremely useful, but for this scene I found it slightly unhelpful. I have used endowment in the past with positive results, but for this scene I found it fairly unnecessary.
My scene felt truthful, save for minor problems. Actors calling for line tend to remove one from the scene. Even though I was not the one calling for line, its still distracting to be pulled out only to be pushed right back in. Another thing that challenged the continuity of the scene was the placement. It sounds snooty, but we were used to practicing onstage, and we performed in the green room with Drama 1 kids so close I almost tripped over them. I am in no way suggesting I can't handle performing somewhere other than where I've practiced, I just found it distracting to look out for theater 1 feet. The exercises helped the scene and pushed the line of truth. I believe it aided our scene to have practiced with Hagen. Although I was hesitant, I think Hagen has helpful exercises.