This week centered around becoming fluid as both an ensemble and an actor individually.
The exercises Monday were really enjoyable and invaluable in terms of learning how to flow with your fellow actors. The first exercise involved talking about a mundane subject (eg I talking about something I ate recently.) while the two supporting actors behind the main speaker would amplify what the speaker was saying to add more impact to the subject. After a while the speaker would move to their right and be an supporting actor to the next person who would slightly modify the previous topic. This exercise was both entertaining and insightful as personally I discovered a terrible habit of focusing on my individual work rather than the speakers in this exercise. I would later control this better throughout the week.
Tuesday saw the first of the personal growth of ourselves physically with the beginning being Eadaion demonstrating the “Cat Cow” yoga exercise and asking us to try it. The purpose of doing this was to improve and promote a healthy spine. Even after doing the exercise that day i felt that bit more flexible in my movement. The other exercise that day which stood out to me was the tableau like scenes we did out of pure instinct. The exercise was focused on not hesitating when it came to getting up with four other actors and the connected movements into different scenes. Reflecting on it, I felt a great deal of discipline and teamwork from this exercise as simply leading the change in the piece was not as satisfying and smooth when compared to the ensemble relying on one another to synchronize the finish (being the unanimous turning of our heads).
Friday’s class was similar to Tuesday in terms of the yoga like exercises but the class was purely self expressive. Jools’ return brought exercises that felt like a detox for the built up stress in our bodies. First we began with a slow movement that stretched the spine and focused on breathing. This went on for some time which I was not bothered by, I was genuinely enjoying this exercise. Afterwards yoga mats were brought out for the remainder of the class. Here we lay down in a resting position where we began deep breathing. We then progressed onto adding sound to the breathing beginning with a sigh which then escalated to a more elongated sigh with vowel sounds on it. We we’re given free reign to play around with these new sounds after a bit. I’m not exactly sure what the purpose of the exercise was as a whole but my personal gain from it was a restart of my vocal chords that allowed me to reach great heights with it after being barely able to speak the previous week as the result of a cold.
I could feel rejuvenated in the vocal aspects. Once that exercise came to an end we were given pens and paper to illustrate the experience we had in class. Once completed we shared them with one another. From what I could see everyone’s drawings were interpretative and artistic whereas mine was rather literal. The first drawing on the second attached picture shows the position we began in. The next was myself mouthing out the vowels in the sighs. The final one represents my vocal chords getting some use out of them.
This week has been more relaxing and about self therapy. I look forward to what next week has in store.
David Quinn UCC first year (Drama and Theatre) 