I’m going to try to do one of these every week just for my own learning.
We’re very lucky with the current open group – they’re friendly, they’re supportive, they look after each other. We have a range of ages from I think early 20s up to early 70s and they work together beautifully.
So I have nothing to complain about, except a few volume issues, but that’s mostly because I’m old and deaf, and they can be sorted very easily – going forward my Rose Bruford trained co-conspirator is going to do a little bit of voice work. We did it last night and people liked it, so we’ll keep going.
One thing that did float up (actually two things) that I want to keep in mind, is:
1. The question! Beware the question. It can be evil – not only is it empty, but it puts the load for the scene completely on your partner. Not good! Not good at all. Share, my darlings, share. Having said that there was a lovely example of a good question. One person said:
“why is my finger turning purple? What sort of strange mutant spiders are they?”
So now I know the spiders bite, they’re venomous, they’re strange, they’re mutant… I know all sorts of things from that offer. It’s a good, rich offer. Framed as a question, so I’m calling that a good question.
2. We got trapped in a teacher-pupil situation. These are dangerous because in the end nothing really happens – it’s just two heads talking on stage, one lecturing the other. It’s a one-way power dynamic and they can drag on for ages. Sitting there watching two very capable performers get trapped in one I could feel my own interest and will to live drain away. Actors, be selfish – cling to the action. Give yourselves something to do.
Other than that my only regret is that I will never see the Cheeky Girls perform death metal. Probably.