Theatre For children: Lesson Fourteen

Tuesday 16^th December

We had a dress rehearsal on Monday and we all lack energy and we didn’t give it our all. I feel I could have done better with building on my character and doing the dance at the beginning. I should of do my best so I would felt better if have some more practise for the performance the next day. I mess up on the end poem which was really disappointing as I was trying really hard to get it right and practising all weekend to get it right. I think I mess up the poem was because I was trying to get to my place and stay in time with everyone.

After doing the performance for the children, I feel I understand more of what it take to make a children show .e.g. having lots of energy, not dragging the scene out, making sure my voice doesn't sound patronising. I want to learn more about children shows.

My evaluation of the performance was that the first show we did went ok because we had energy and we were really using our faces. I believe that having an audience help build our energy so we could put on a good show. The second show was better because we had a felt for the stage, we knew what it was like to performance to children. I feel I could have more fun on stage and really go for the character because in the first show I was worried that I look stupid.

My character was good fun to play as I could be a little childish but I would need to be grown up when we were trying to catch action-man. I like that my map fell out of my bag as I had to work with it and plan something to say, I find that it just give me more confident to build on my character and I pull it off and no one seem to noticed.

If we did a Christmas show again, I think the first dance I would change it to a feel good song so it would get the children excited to watch the show but I wouldn’t change anything else because I really like how everything came together.

My strengths from the shows were that I remember the poem and didn’t mess up as badly as I did in the dress rehearsal this give me confident for the other show. I feel I really said my words with gusto, I was trying really hard to work my face all the way thought the show. My last strength for the show was went the children came out to see us and go back to school. I stayed in character.

My weaknesses in the shows were that I keep coming out of character because I was watching and waiting for my next scene or movement. I think I could of work my face more. And turn to the audience more so the audience would feel more involved. Doing the first dance piece in the beginning I keep looking at someone to know when to come in because I didn’t want to come up to early or later.

Theatre For Children: Lesson Thirteen

Tuesday 9^th December

We had a speaking workshop where we learn tongue twist which was

“All I want is a proper cup of coffee, Made in a proper copper coffeepot. You can believe it or not I want a cup of coffee. In a proper coffeepot. Tin coffeepots or Iron coffeepots, they’re no use to me. If I can't have a Proper cup of coffee.  In a proper copper coffeepot, I'll have a cup of tea!”

Which we had to think of a scene we could do so my group choose a film set. This helps because we had to pronounce which word so I feel I pronouns every word and made it clear what I was saying. I think this help with the saying my words when we did a run the later that afternoon. I really like doing the speaking workshop as it help me understand what way words should be said. It also help we knowing what’s good for my throat and what is not as we did this in group.

We did a run though in the afternoon. It went well in some scenes but I got worried about when I need to be on. I ask for a run though list so I could focus on my acting and lines. The feedback we got from the first run though was that the toys were good but went we sung “Do You Want to Build a Snowman”  we had to act like a girl band and really dance and sing it because we just sang our lines with feeling but we just look at each other when they sung it. The feedback I got was that I need to not apologise when I'm delivering my lines. After hearing this I felt I did because I was worried that I would get it wrong. I was too worried and I felt didn't let just go for it and the kids not know what I get wrong and what I do get right so it doesn't matter if I change my lines every performances because I forgot what I said in the last performance.

The other comments we got was that in our dance piece at the beginning we look bored. When we should look excited because it’s Christmas morning. We also were told to learn our lines from the poem which I have been but I find when I'm there trying to remember it goes out of my head. I have keep going through it and now know it off by heart so hopefully I will remember the poem on Monday when we had a dress rehearsal.

When we did other run though we make an improvement to the first run though, as we used all the comments we were given. We work to really show our excitement on our faces. I feel I did better as I just let the scene roll and not worry about messing up and I didn't really mess up I just got baby and Barbie the wrong way round which I think I'm trying to get the next line ready in my head and I forget the other before it.

My strength from this lesson was that I know all my lines but my weakness was that I didn't get them all in the right places and was more worried about getting it wrong.

My target for next run though is that I worry less and just try to get all my lines in the right place.

Theatre for Children: Lesson Twelve

Wednesday 3^rd December

We didn't have performance workshop because we went to see a show which was created by Chicken Shed Company. The show was Peter Pan, this was a musical adding people of all ages and abilities. I wanted to talk about the show we went to see as it was aim at year 2s ages 6-7.  They made the show watchable for all children, like having a signer for deaf children on all the time, but it was just a signer who would stand at the side of the stage wearing black, this signer was part of the show by being a maid or a shadow of Peter pan. They also had children in wheelchairs, who were part of the cast, made look involved instead or not having them because it because difficult and awkward. They use the wheels to make different levels. They connected with  the audience well by talking more to them as they were just part of the group and part of the world the actors were creating instant of watching the scene. I think watching this play as giving me some really good idea to help engage the children watching our show.

Theatre for children

In the lesson this week we work on our ending of the show which went well apart form most people including me were not putting 110% in to it. after hearing the music we were putting our dance to the music it felt as we all really had a fresh new of energy. We had to come down in to the middle in our character groups to bow, we need to come up with a some movement we could do to remind the kids who we were, my group were slow at thinking up something and we thought we could use binoculars , that we would past down the line and look thought but it had taken a little long so we were thinking we would come up we a short dance routine to do while sing “Do You Wanna Build A Snowman?”.

I feel as though my strengths was not much as my brain was in gear in this lesson and I feel I did poorly because I had trouble getting the dance movements and not giving enough energy went practising.

I’ve started on my costume. Well I have all my parts of my costume and I just need to add the finishing touches to my bag and socks and shoes. I’m feeling better about my costume then I did before as I was worried that I would not look right or the children would know who I was but know having my costume. I feel I can really become Dora the exloper.