Medea Week 1-2

My First Session 

Our lesson was held in the dance studio downstairs with Sharon, we first got into a circle and started light warm-ups which ranged from the name game/contact & Granny's footsteps. These games allowed us all as an ensemble to stay focused and keep our concentration throughout the lesson.
Sharon had then given out the scripts for the piece we were to perform and placed us in groups, I was chosen to go with Joshua, Georgia, Juan, Mide & Mimi. Now in our respective groups we were then instructed to read the piece and discuss it and give our own interpretations of the play.

After the small discussion we allocated lines for each group member then moved on into constructing the piece which involved using the space to our advantage as well as having mental cues. We started to read it in neutral to see what actions and emotions could be put in to it. There was a mental cue used once the "Get it off your chest" line was spoken in which the actors would imagine a click to start off and begin the build up, as we had chosen to say this line three times and each time the group would get louder and increase our body size looming over Mimi who played Medea. After 10 - 15 minutes of going over our lines and adding in our own special touches i.e the whole group (excluding Mimi) would circle her and mutter "Medea" each in a different tone of voice and timing, we ended the session with a finished piece.

My Second Session

We began our second lesson warming up with three different dramatic exercises: One of which was "Granny's Footsteps" the purpose of this exercise was to keep us alert and it also aided us in perfecting our stillness (this would be useful later on in the piece as an ensemble). We also played "Eyeing the Circle" this enabled us to focus and rely solely on our eyes to react off of each other, the way it worked was if for example I looked at say, Juan we'd both have to be looking at one another and then I'd walk to him then he'd look at someone else maintaing eye contact with the other person then he himself would go to them. The last exercise which we utilised was called: "Yes, Lets!" This was simply a improvisation task used to get our creative juices flowing allowing for spontaneous behaviour, this was played with two people either labelled "A" or "B" then "A" would first start off with an idea or plan i.e "Let's go swimming" then "B" would then respond with "Yes, Lets!' The pair would then go swimming after that action has been completed it was now "B's" turn to give out an idea i.e "Let's fight a dragon" No matter how odd the scheme was the two would go into it with full effort. 

After we got successfully warmed up and ready for the lesson we were to first go straight into our groups and begin our pieces for Sharon in which feedback was given, then Sharon allowed us to go back and work on our pieces. Myself, Joshua, Juan, Georgia, Mide & Mimi went over a plethora of ideas some of these included the use of space i.e our still image was that of a horseshoe shape around our Medea and there was a point in time where Juan & I went in to hold Mimi whereas Mide & Georgia stepped two spaces away, Joshua then pushed us away as he held Mimi. Another instance where space usage was considered was when I knelt down to talk to Medea (she herself was sitting down on the floor) and Mide stood above me, Joshua was away from the audience and Georgia/Juan were stood side by side as they had their small argument on whether Medea could speak for herself or not. Within moments our piece was complete, albeit with a few lines said out of time. We. Were. Done.