Missing a day off the floor really puts me back and I feel

like I have missed out on a lot. I was told the company

name was discussed and decided as Tightrope Theatre
Company from the quote by Goethe I wish the stage
were as narrow as the wire of a tightrope dancer so that
no incompetent would dare step upon it. Its striking and
inquisitive, if I wasnt part of the company I would want
to know why our company was named that and this would
start conversation and debate. Ive learnt from being ill
how important it is to keep myself fit and healthy in order
to be one hundred percent committed to the work.
The workshops this week was looking at focus, different
games and exercises testing us as actors to maintain focus
in the space in order to complete each task. Some worked out better than others and depended on
the company, one took to certain tasks better than the other company and vice versa. It was
interesting for me to observe and read each individual actor and learn from them, I get to see each
week the way in which they work and how they work with others. It is evident in those who are the
leaders and those who are unfocused and show that they dont really want to be at Miskin Theatre.
Our company was not working well with each other during these workshops; there was a lack of
communication. Half the company were taking charge and leading their ideas without discussing
with the rest of us. Julia Johnson had an idea to look at the elements with them to hopefully give us
some inspiration for our Ways of Seeing piece however this was overseen due to not everyone
knowing the plan that was created. This has followed through the entire week and created tension to
what seemed between those who wanted to work and those who didnt. I felt when the few of us
were always discussing ideas etc. certain actors were not participating and kept going off and taking
their own breaks. This became annoying for us as we then had to repeat ourselves for them, this
came down to a discussion which turn into a heated debate and started getting personal. I was not
happy at all and did not like what it came down too. It was not healthy for us a company and I dont
think was at all necessary.

It was a shame to miss the text class with Gavin Brocker and the same with physical skills with
Carleigh Portelli as I felt I could have progressed with the work set for us to complete. I hope we
can look forward to it the following week and continue what we had discovered. I found it very
beneficial last week and the same with physical skills. I learnt new technique and skills during our
singing workshop with Innes. During our afternoon of Ways of Seeing we were able to play with a
light and create shadows on the wall, it started off with still images such as hand shadows and
looking at distance to create different sizes. This then lead on the idea of acting out a play which
was chosen as Peter Pan, we had Sam Black as the narrator and the rest of us told the story as it
went along playing different character and objects like a fire, tepee and a plank to walk across. It
The Journey Was
A Magical One

(22/09/2014) (WAYS OF SEEING)
Credited: Google Images
was so much fun and I felt bought us together as a
company, it was nice to play around and look at
something different away from our devised piece in
the hope to give us inspiration for ideas which it
did. We then went on to look at Attraction seen
on Britains Got Talent and was inspired by them to
try and copy some of their images to see what
worked. We created a church and a love heart
which we hope to use in our own piece.

We looked at Science Fiction from Rocky Horror Show. Adding the twang and the accent to the
song made everyone more confident as it was more like the character and allowed us to go for the
higher notes and effectively hit them. The focus is this class is still awful
and stops us as a company and individually to progress as actors and get
somewhere at the end, it always feels like we have to end early and it
interrupts what we were doing. Dance class with Vicky evolved
sufficiently, it involved less warm up and majority choreography. I feel I
am already improving, I am finding the stretches less painful and I can
push myself further to extend the stretch each time. I feel this part of the
class benefits me the most as I am learning a new skill of becoming
flexible and build up more stamina. The choreography part I enjoy so
much, I loved starting to learn a new dance which we hope to use
somewhere. The style of dance brings a different energy into the space and
I think brings out a new side to the company of second years and HNDs.
That afternoon while working on ways of seeing a long discussion arose
due to the ideas for Ways of Seeing. It became evident it was going to be
difficult to agree on an idea however it continued to build up and started to
become personal between certain actors. Not everyone was considering
each others thoughts and feelings and was adamant about their own points
this was leading into an argument about how each side of the company was
working. It was bought up by one actor that we should then sort out the
tension between the company members by telling each other what we had
said about others etc. I soon became angry and upset this was bought up as
I felt attacked and put on the spot, I knew it was not directly aimed at me
however I spoke up to the fact I was told what to do. I did not want to do
this as it is not the sort of person I am. I did get upset and started to cry as I
didnt like the position I was put in. I agree and understand it is important
to discuss issues inside the company however the way it was bought to the
floor and addressed was the wrong way. There is a divide between us all, of those who want to
work/are working and those who do not/are not working. It has worked out that the girls want to
work and the boys do not, we raised this point and it lead into a further argument. There has been
many a time when we are trying out an idea and while there are personal conversations going on we
ask for some help e.g. making a shadow which then no one can be bothered to take part in and help
because of an excuse. At the end we all wanted to leave and start fresh the next day, I still went
home upset and annoyed to find out after the whole situation was laughed at by the rest of the
actors. I became more angry and confused as to why they reacted like that because it felt like the
conversation was therefore unnecessary and make me feel stupid and embarrassed of crying.

At the end of the week the concept of the piece had been decided, which was showing a story based,
literal piece of theatre behind the sheet and in front shows a more abstract side and afterlife of the
characters. I dont think all of us agreed however to move the piece on I have learnt you need to
compromise and try out the ideas otherwise youll never know if they will work or not. I seemed the
Credited:
Google
Images

GAMES & EXERCISES

- Red Potato, Black
Potato

- Blind Mans Bluff

- Pass the dance

- Blind Cat and Mouse

- 3, 6, 9

- Tangled


other ideas of concepts were forgotten about however I hope we can go into the next week
considering and trying everyones ideas.