Mullered Rehearsals Day Two: Transmitting emotion: Blog 51

My Truth Stick

Good morning.

Its that time for music and blogging! I am currently listening to the William Finn song cycle Elegies. Having just been introduced to them recently I find myself listening to them a lot. They are definitely worth a listen.

I find myself repeatedly going back  to one called Infinite Joy. The songs are about love, death and loss, but are hugely uplifting. I plan to use them in rehearsal on Monday as an emotional stimulus.

Yesterday's rehearsals went well. Natalie was concerned that I hadn't posted an image of my 'actual' Truth Stick - so here it is now on the studio floor. Happy now Natalie? 

Natalie Smith rehearsing Mullered by Clifford Oliver

Following a brief and heated discussion about the difference between the disciplines of musical theatre actors and straight actors - the morning began with an 'emotion transmission' exercise using the truth stick as the focus of intention. 

This is a slightly new exercise in this particular format. I begin by asking the actors to stand in a circle. In turn they hold the truth stick. They are then invited to place their hand randomly on a part of their body without thinking about where. They rest their hand there and allow their imaginations to open to an emotion that suggests itself from that emotional centre. I then ask them to stay with whatever comes up without editing or end gaming. As the images are created in their imaginations I invite the actors to expand their energy and to begin to 'broadcast' their images and emotions through the truth stick to the person next to them who is holding the other end of the stick.  The exercise requires total attention, stillness and receptivity. The 'receiver' of the emotion and image can choose to verbalise the images as they receive them, but importantly they should not speak unless they have a strong sense of image, emotion or sound. 

The exercise is focused on opening and accessing the actor's physical and emotional instrument. 

John Rayment playing Thomas Briggs

The power of a team that has worked together in this way before means that there is an established trust that allows an authentic and truthful exploration of emotional, sound and image landscapes. The value of such focused exercises is again the ability to 'sing' through an emotional scale, to change emotional state at will. This can be very challenging as if the imagination has evoked a physiological reaction you will then 
have to deal with the reality of adrenalin pumping through your body. And as anyone knows who has tried to combat flight and fight, its no mean feat. But there's the rub.

Karl Jackson plays Louis

Appropriate preparation exercises mean that you save a lot of time later as you 'work' each scene. The non-verbal connections are open and therefore the imagination and heart is expanded which encourages creative links and frees energy. 

Thanks for a great day Team Mullered. I look forward to all the lines being there on Monday too! 

Have a lovely weekend everyone! 

Jordan Barratt sharing some great insights! 

Post rehearsal de-brief: How did it go?