Evaluation of The New Theatre

Today we went into the New Theatre, the space in which we will be performing in and did some exercises to help us understand the skills we will need to work in this area. 

We stared with a physical warm-up. Moving your head and your body in two separate ways isn't what your brain is used to. You naturally move one way then turn and move the other. I found it difficult moving around facing two ways because as soon as I moved to create a position that worked I had to move and my body naturally went back to neutral. I think that practice and full attention and awareness of the space is needed. In relation to child's theatre, especially in this piece we will be performing, working your body to perform to three sides is key as all children need to feel involved and therefore engaged. 

We also did vocal exercises. We moved around the space at different speeds until we found our own space. On an exhale we bent over and let our head and arms hang down. Then on an inhale we rose up again- like a balloon. After on another exhale we moved quickly around the room like a deflating balloon. It was very animated yet controlled which is a key balance we will have to make when performing to children. They need to know what is going on on stage, but they need to want to know. We then did an exercise when we repeated simple patterns/rhymes in different voices and we directed them to different sides of the room, so like in the movement we learnt how to address all sides of the audience. I think this exercise like the movement taught me to direct two things two different ways. I learnt I don't necessarily need to move my feet to move the direction of my voice. As the New Theatre is quite large again a balance is needed of control and projection.

I think these exercises taught me how to handle a specific space and how to adapt that space for children's theatre. We also learnt different levels of consciousness which I think is a really interesting concept especially when doing exercises like these that I find more difficult: 

Level 4- consciously conscious 

Level 3- consciously unconscious
Level 2- unconsciously conscious
Level 1- unconsciously unconsciously

I think I need to achieve level 2 and 1- to be comfortable in myself as a performer to be fully committed to a character and to free myself from any personal qualities that will hold me back.