Drama & Theatre Unit 2 - Movement and Speech

Unit 2 - Movement and Speech 2.1 Improvisation ● A core technique used by actors ● A form of theatre where the plot and the lines are made up in that moment by the actors ● A unique form of expression -- since it is not written down in a script, it can never really be recreated ● Improvisation is spontaneous and encourages creativity in actors and keeps them on their feet ● The ability to come up with a storyline and act it out at the spur of the moment is a skill that takes time to master. ● When improvising, actors must make sure they are doing three important things: ○ Engage with other actors to bounce off of each other well. ○ Actors must ensure that they do not overthink what they are saying. If they do, their words and actions lose the uniqueness of improvisation. ○ Draw from the audience's reaction. A good way to tell if what the actor is saying has an impact, whether the actor is trying to be funny, solemn, etc., is to watch the crowd reactions to see how well they are doing. 2.2 Tableau ● Tableau is a form of expression in drama ● It is unique from other kinds of theatre because it involves no words, even though the majority of drama is expression through words. ● When acting using tableau, actors use their bodies to make frozen images to represent scenes from books, stories, movies, etc. ● Tableau is usually used to show moving or particular important scenes in the play. Actors freeze so that the audience can fully take in what is going on for a moment. What Makes a Good Tableau? ● To make an effective tableau, use every part of your body to emphasize the message you are trying to send. A simple rule of thumb is to not leave any of your limbs limp. They must all be engaged in some way. ● Clear and understandable. Too much going on will distract from the point of the tableau. Example... Students performing a play have frozen in this one scene. 2.3 Mime What is Mime? ● Mime is a type of silent drama, similar to tableau in a way. ● Mime uses exact gestures and movement to tell a story. ● Facial expressions and clear, purposeful movement make mime a really compelling form of art. Key Elements of Mime ● Exaggerate energy: ○ Make every action and gesture exaggerated to really get the point across. Mimes need to make sure it is clear that they are performing a certain action, because they cannot speak to explain that to the audience. ● Facial expressions: ○ Usually, you can tell what someone is feeling through the tone of their voice and the facial expressions. In mime, the ability to speak is taken away, so your facial expressions must be exaggerated and clear. Mimes facial expressions are almost like a clown’s: big, goofy, and always exaggerated so even children can comprehend what is happening. ● Direct actions towards the audience: ○ This is a general rule for all aspects of drama. Never turn your back to the audience and always ensure they have a clear view of your movements and actions. 2.4 Vocal Techniques ● 13 main vocal techniques are used to achieve maxim effectiveness in drama. ● Pitch, pace, pause, projection, volume, articulation, tone, cueing, inflection, accent, breathing, repetition, and emphasis ○ Pitch: ■ How high or low your voice is ■ Useful when portraying different characters (e.g a man’s voice would be lower than a women’s) ○ Pace: ■ How fast or slow you are saying your words ■ It is important to pace yourself when speaking so the audience can clearly understand what you are saying. ■ Pace in speech can also indicate emotion: a worried, upset person would speak faster than one who is calm. ○ Pause: ■ How long you stop talking/acting ■ Used for dramatic effect (e.g. “He paused as he waited for the clock to strike twelve.”) ○ Projection: ■ How loud or quiet your voice is ■ In any kind of production, you want your voice to carry to ensure the audience can hear your voice. ■ Actors use breathing exercises to maximize their projection skills. ○ Emphasis: ■ Putting more stress on certain words or phrases to convey a message ○ Repetition: ■ Repeating certain words or phrases to convey a message ■ Actors will repeat words/phrases so the audience can recognize their significance in the plot. 2.4 Vocal Techniques (continued) ○ Accent: ■ Pronouncing words in a distinctive way to indicate your character comes from a specific culture, society, or country. ■ Enhances the act, makes it more real and believable. For example, if someone is playing the part of a British woman, it would make the performance better if she put on an English accent. ○ Breathing: ■ Controlling your breath to convey a certain feeling. ■ Specific examples of controlling your breath: shocked gasp, a sigh of relief, a scream, etc. ○ Cueing: ■ A countdown or indicator that lets you know when it is your time to speak. ■ Cues can be a countdown, a symbol with a body part, or a sound ○ Tone: ■ A way of speaking that indicates a general mood or feeling. ■ Examples: a happy person has a cheerful tone of voice, a principal of a school has an authoritative tone of voice. ○ Inflection: ■ Rising and falling of your voice ■ Similar to tone and pitch ○ Articulation: ■ How clear your words and sentences are pronounced ■ Articulation is very important because you want your audience to be able to understand and hear what you are saying clearly. ■ Mumbling and slurred speech are examples of bad articulation. 2.5 Body Techniques ● 5 main body techniques used in drama ● Body techniques are important in acting, especially in forms like tableau and mime where usage of the voice is limited and you have to rely on your body to tell the story. ● Techniques: eye contact, body awareness, posture, gesture, and facial expression. ○ Eye contact: ■ Looking directly at your fellow actors as well as the audience ■ Fosters intimacy between actors establish a connection with the audience ○ Body awareness: ■ Using your body appropriately and effectively on stage ■ Being aware of your surroundings ■ Expressing emotion with your body parts (e,g. when you are frustrated, you throw your arms in the air, or slam your palms on a desk.) ○ Posture: ■ Stance on the stage ■ Good posture shows confidence and that you are comfortable with your surroundings ■ Bad posture shows nervousness, awkwardness, and uncomfortability ■ Both good posture and bad posture are elements used to tell a story ○ Gesture: ■ Moving your body deliberately to express an idea or emotion ○ Facial expression: ■ Using your face as a tool to show emotion or feelings ■ Reactions to what other characters are saying ■ Facial expressions are crucial in mime and tableau 2.6 Movement Techniques ● Movement in drama: the way actors move around stage and interact with the different component like other actors, set, scenery, and props ● Elements of movement: timing, ensemble awareness, pathways, energy, direction, and repetition ○ Timing: ■ Duration of movement (how long your movement takes) ■ When you move (usually cued in) ■ How fast or slow you move ○ Ensemble awareness: ■ Ensemble = together ■ Ensemble movement is when a group moves together ■ Ensemble awareness is when the group of actors are aware of each other and how fast or slow other actor are going in the group ■ Ensembles usually move together in unison, so timing and body awareness in this element is especially important ○ Pathways: ■ Patterns you create while moving around ■ Pathways could be zigzagged, crooked, straight, or curved ■ Dynamic movement such as walking in a zig zag instead of just straight are often more effective. ○ Energy: ■ The amount of force and emphasis you use in your movements ■ Movement with more energy often indicates happiness or frustration. ■ Movement with less energy shows sadness or fatigue. ○ Direction: ■ Forwards, diagonal, sideways, backwards ○ Repetition: ■ Repeating certain actions for emphasis 2.7 Space Techniques ● Spacing tells the audience a lot about the relationship between the actors on stage ● Spacing is important to make sure everything is in the right place and the play flows well ● The elements of spacing are: levels, general space, proximity, personal space, and architecture ○ Levels: ■ How high or low you are, relative to the stage ○ Personal space: ■ The space around your body ○ General space: ■ The space around you that is not your personal space ○ Proximity: ■ The distance between you and other elements on the stage such as other actors, scenery, and props ○ Architecture: ■ The physical elements around you and how you interact with them ■ These elements could include the stage itself, props, and your own costume