https://padlet.com/Ms_Griffiths/SSFothelloblog2 Blog 2 en-us 2017-10-16 10:14:04 UTC 2017-10-31 14:01:53 UTC hello@padlet.com Ms_Griffiths https://padlet.com/Ms_Griffiths/SSFothelloblog2/wish/197270266 Write a second reflection on the development of your drama skills through your participation in the Shakespeare Schools Festival. You must evaluate how you have developed and refined your use of theatrical skills.

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Model blog from a student from last year:

The character I play in 'The Merchant of Venice' is called Shylock, he is a Jew living an area which has a lot of antisemitism. He is a character with many different personalities and this means I have to use a range of theatrical skills to portray my character to the audience. 

I started the process by focusing on my use of vocal skills. For example, the way I have approached this character is by emphasising on words that are related to money and riches by using the skills inflection and intonation. This is to show his love and obsession with money. I have done this by exaggerating on a simple word like "ducat" by slightly raising my voice when speaking. I have also used the drama skill of projection to emphasise my unfathomable love for money and how much I prioritise wealth over anything. 

The impact, on the audience is that they can understand Shylock's infatuation with money and how he is living up to the normal Jewish stereotype set in the 20th century.]]> 2017-10-16 10:15:09 UTC https://padlet.com/Ms_Griffiths/SSFothelloblog2/wish/197270266 https://padlet.com/Ms_Griffiths/SSFothelloblog2/wish/199362246 The character I play in Othello is Emila. She is the wife of Iago {who is the 'villain' in this play} and a servant/maid owned by Desdemona {Othello's wife}. She has no interest in her husband, Iago, but . She loves her owner , Desdemona, as we find out at the end of the play. 
Some of the vocal skills playing this role helped me develop is dictation, projection and pace. It helped me learn that you should not say your lines louder but more clearer. The audience should be able to hear every word your saying clearly, without difficulty. It also taught me that I should talk a little more slowly to enable dictation. Lastly it taught me to project my voice, I am now able to speak louder without straining my voice. I know how to effectively use my voice for the right moment.
Secondly, some of the physical skills and techniques I developed are  timing and eye contact. The thing that helped me get better at timing is choruses and when we do things in Union. I learnt that the main two things that help you with timing are common sense and cues. We kept going over the choruses until we got it almost perfect and the cues really helped get everyone in time. Before I used to get really nervous if I gave the audience eye contact but I think acting in front of people I've never acted in front of before helped me prepare for the actual festival and I also learnt I don't have to give them direct eye contact, I just have to look in their direction.
Hujemaa.]]> 2017-10-22 15:52:31 UTC https://padlet.com/Ms_Griffiths/SSFothelloblog2/wish/199362246 https://padlet.com/Ms_Griffiths/SSFothelloblog2/wish/201401385 .The character that i play in Othello is called Desdemoana. She is a very polite and reserved character and so i had to adapt my voice anf the way that i moved to embody my character. For example i focused on my vocal skills, such as enunciation so that the audience will be able to understand my lines and changing the tone of my voice to suit the emotions in the line that i am saying to convey an emotional range. 
i also focused on my movement for example the way that i walked and my posture. So i used a higher posture to indicate the status of my character.
the impact on the audience would be that they would really understand my character and the intention of what my character is saying.]]> 2017-10-28 11:10:00 UTC https://padlet.com/Ms_Griffiths/SSFothelloblog2/wish/201401385 https://padlet.com/Ms_Griffiths/SSFothelloblog2/wish/201536912 The character i play in Othello is Iago. Iago is a character that is consumed by hatred and jealousy. He is mad at Othello for making Cassio his lieutenant and would do anything to get revenge on Othello. Even if it means ruining a few lives in the process; he is cunning and has no limits.

I have developed many theatrical skills while working on portraying this character. First of all one of the skills i use is pace and pause which links in with Diction, in order for the audience to understand what I'm saying and implying i need to take care of my pace, if i go slow then the audience will think that I'm very manipulating in the way i plan things especially when i have my audience one to one moments. Another skill is my emotional range which I think this is key to understanding my true qualities. I'am initially a different person with every character i have a conversation with . For example one minute i act so innocent and loyal towards Othello but once he is gone i reveal my true EVIL colors. For me i feel like i have to be quiet mischievous and sarcastic with my lines to prove my loyalty and honesty towards Othello in order to convince him to carry out the execution of Desdemona . As well as that within all of this i use inflection to emphasis certain words that i want to stand out so people understand the meaning and purpose behind my actions. ]]> 2017-10-29 21:03:24 UTC https://padlet.com/Ms_Griffiths/SSFothelloblog2/wish/201536912 https://padlet.com/Ms_Griffiths/SSFothelloblog2/wish/201540069 In Othello, I play the character of the Duke. Even though it isn't a huge part in the play I still need to use theatrical skills to make sure that I portray my character properly.

The skills that I feel I have already done is learning my lines and my diction which helps the audience understand my lines. The language isn't exactly everyday language so diction is important so that everyone knows what is being said on stage. However for the lines to be clear you also need to work on Projection. When we had our lesson in the assembly hall it really helped give me the push to actually project my lines and direct it to the back of the audience even if it feels like I am screaming. Because of this I feel like my stage voice is something I am aware of and is something I am trying to improve on.

 Another thing that I feel that i should improve on is my Characterization which ties with my emotional range. I need to work on playing a believable Duke and to do this I need to take on the characteristics of a stereotypical Duke. With voice, in sense of Inflection, Intonation and Pace and Pause, I feel as if I am mediocre at it but there is definitely area for improvement. I need to project and speak with a deep and demanding voice that, when you listen to, you know that the speaker is someone of importance. When I try to add these skills to my lines they are very subtle so in our next run through I should make sure that I am applying these skills and doing it in a way that is obvious but still cause effect. 

In regards to Physical skills, I tend to stand awkwardly on stage which doesn't suit my character as the Duke is a very strong confident person who should stand very boldly. Things like limiting my movement (standing still), improving my body language, posture and stillness will help my Characterization of the Duke. If I just stand there and deliver my lines not only will it look bad but then the audience won't really be interested or have a reaction but if I use these skills it gives a more life-like atmosphere to the play because its almost like you have become the character. It also helps the play look cleaner and more professional rather than just looking messy. 

Also when I am not delivering lines, even when I am in the back or working as part of the ensemble I need to work on My facial reactions and expression of Mood. This helps to make the play seem, again more realistic as we are actually reacting to what is happening on stage which can prompt the audience to react. For example when Brabantio breaks into the conversation with the Duke and Othello it looks better when everyone reacts and is shocked as opposed to just standing there and listening which is just dull and boring to watch. These skills in general help to tell the story and creates effects for the audience and also makes it a lot more interesting to watch. 


]]> 2017-10-29 21:29:18 UTC https://padlet.com/Ms_Griffiths/SSFothelloblog2/wish/201540069 https://padlet.com/Ms_Griffiths/SSFothelloblog2/wish/201541225 The character I am playing can often be led down a ludicrous path by his mate, but is also the lieutenants right hand man. My character Michael Cassio, is a very calm and subtle character.  Iago is twisting the eyes between Othello and Cassio, making Othello loathe him, because he believes his wife is having an affair with Cassio. In order for me to play this character, I often put myself in the shoes and mindset, of Cassio and slightly mold myself into him, so I get a good understanding of him as character as well as to the audience, by also succeeding this I try and aim to use a wide range of theatrical skills to also make the audience feel drawn and engage. 
At the beginning of working with Shakespeare script, I think I was closed up, and not really using much skills, so I started off by learning all my lines by heart and the cue lines before my own lines so that I was thoroughly confident with my lines, once I had learnt all my lines I started to read the script so I could understand the plot and understand what is happening in each scene so I know how my character should react.
I then began to develop my vocal skills because in some scenes I am drunk, for this scene I have made the ending of each sentence drag on for an extra 2 seconds to create a more drunken effect. ]]> 2017-10-29 21:40:47 UTC https://padlet.com/Ms_Griffiths/SSFothelloblog2/wish/201541225