UAL Level 3 Diploma Performing Arts {Acting}

The Three Sisters [The script we are using is translated and adapted for a modern audience by Benedict Andrews.] Week One We started to read through the opening scene as a group. Our teacher told us about the events of the play, and the characters. Of the three sisters, Olga is the eldest at 28, Masha is 23, and Irina is the youngest at 20 (at the opening of the play). We decided that some of the themes in the play are: Family Conflict Relationships Politics Dissatisfaction (of their own lives) Class We read through the first scene a couple of times, discussing potential blocking for the scene. We then decided to get up and figure out the blocking of the scene through trial and error. We discussed characterisation, so when I read the part of Irina, using the stage direction 'Irina staring out the window' to decide to give her a faraway, almost vacant look in her eyes. I also played the line 'why bring it all back?' as irritated. I chose this bec...

The York Realist Week 1 We were given the following quote from the play: 'I live here. I live here. You can't see that, though. You can't see it. This is where I live. Here.' We discussed what we thought about this quote as a class. A few people agreed that the way it was written is a child-like way of speaking. One person suggested that it could be an immigrant child talking to a bully, because of the phrase ‘you can’t see that’. I mentioned that the use of short sentences and repetition suggests that the speaker is desperate and/or panicky. We talked about what sort of situation, or conversation it would be said in. We all agreed that it would be said in a conflict. I said that I thought it would be said near the end of an argument because of how exasperated the speaker seems to be. Next, we picked a partner and devised a short scene that had to include this quote. We thought that the quote could be said in an argument with a landlord, threatening t...

First day back Morning We briefly went over the definition of circles of attention, which simply means where the actor's attention, or focus, lies on stage. We did an exercise where we focused our circle of attention on small things, such as a water bottle. We then expanded that circle to a bigger area, and then the entire room. This is useful because it can help us make decisions for our characters for how observant they are (if they are unobservant or oblivious, the actor's circle of attention would most likely be smaller), or if they are paranoid the actor's circle of attention would cover a larger area. We also did two exercises on observational skills: With a partner, we took turns looking at the other for 30 seconds and trying to remember as much as we could about them. After 30 seconds we closed our eyes and said everything we could remember.  Half of the class acted as if they were on the tube, they were not allowed to talk or interact with each other. T...