In the Rehearsal Space, the Character finds their Home: Blog 22

Good morning.

The last two blogs have been about what goes on in the rehearsal space, and today is a natural progression from this. 

Having spent the first day of rehearsals gathering our team and finding the beginning of a common language, day two is usually an exploration of text and character on your feet. 

One of the first things I will focus on, depending on the nature of the piece and its immediate imperatives, is the beginning work on character. There are as many ways in to finding this as there are actors and characters. Again, but only occasionally I might meet a little resistance to this next exercise. This is usually because when actors arrive in the space they are hurrying from the ebb and flow of their normal days. Trains might be late, phone calls need to be made to agents, bills to pay, auditions to book - a myriad of things to do that make up the everyday for all of us. They haven't fully got here yet. Part of them is still on the journey.

Warm up is always the first thing, singing, voice, physical and mental. It takes some actors longer to arrive in the present moment than others. In any event the warm-up usually centres and grounds people.

A typical starting character exercise I have used for many years is Building a home.

Acknowledging that this is the first excursion into character on its feet, I insist that this does not have to be any more than an initial sketch. Thoughts, images  and possibly emotions to be explored, but none to be set in stone. We will find contradictory things about the characters, which of course is essential. Human beings are full of contradictions as are the characters in any good text. Holding the contradictions is key to a good characterisation.

This simple exercise usually lasts an hour and a half in total. I invite the actors to choose a space in the studio that intuitively feels right for their character. It might be a dark corner, the centre of the room or in the full brightness of a window. I tell them that this is the space in which they are invited to create their character's 'home'.  I then ask them to go on a hunt for objects/costume/furniture -anything from our props and costumes stores or from outside and to bring it back into the studio. They usually spend about 15 minutes looking, gathering and bringing back those things to which they are drawn intuitively.Their character's 'home' can be as literal as a bedroom, or as abstract as a feeling. Objects can be used functionally or symbolically or both. This is all done in silence and privately. 

When the actors return to their chosen space they have about half an hour to create their 'home' and to spend time in it. Usually people become totally absorbed as they manifest their imagination, often surprised by the significance of the things they have collected. 

When they are fully inhabiting their 'home' - we take time out to visit each one. The actor might share by speaking or just by showing, or by being in an emotion. The other actors can ask questions, but this always needs to be felt out as it might not be appropriate. We travel to each 'home' in turn, finishing the exercise by coming back into the rehearsal space and sharing any insights into their characters. We then take photos of each 'home'.

The whole exercise lasts for about an hour and a half, but it's time well spent as it propels us quickly forward to uncovering the richness and texture of the character. This 'home' serves as a literal and metaphorical foundation for the creation of the emotional and physical landscape in which the character might live.

There is always a knock on effect of this too which gives rise to the beginnings of understanding about how and where the character might sit  in relationship to the other characters in the play. No absolute decisions are made at this point, but each actor begins to build their own character's  'sketch book' in action.

This exercise also works very well with children because it is a seamless transition from the natural state of play. Indeed with adults too it calls into the space the essential imagination and creativity of their own playful child.

Rehearsals start tomorrow for our piece Crossing Over.I directed it about four years ago, but Natalie has taken on the direction of it over the past three and she is expert at putting shows back on their feet. I probably won't recognise much of the original direction, which is great as she and the team will have made it their own. Obviously I will watch it mid way through - and hope to pick up anything that might need further decisions, ideas or tweaks. Really looking forward to seeing it.

All in a week's work!

Have a good one.