Single - Applying Acting Styles - Blog 14 - 13/10/16 ***ADD VIDEO***

Today we focused on Physical Theatre, our new acting style. We looked at a couple of scenes from a previous Year 13 groups from their production of Let The Right One In. This was the play we were aiming to create a scene for. The way the previous students performed their scenes was very effective as they used a great deal of repetition. After watching their performance, we decided that we wanted to something very similar to produce a similar effect. We were also given a short dialogue scene which would follow on from our physical theatre scene. We read through this scene and we all found it very horrific and we all wanted to reflect this in our performance.

When searching for a song we had lots of different options in our head such as:

• The Scientist - Coldplay
• Young Sinatra - Logic
• Tilted - Christine and the Queens
• Lost Boy - Ruth B

However with all of these songs, we didn't feel that it changed much at all and we really needed a turning point in the music to vocalise the ideas we had. We then turned to Afire Love by Ed Sheeran and we feel that it works perfectly for our piece but we decided to use an instrumental version as the lyrics of the song didn't fit the mood of our piece.

When devising movement we wanted to show how our character of Oskar is left out of everything and express his sorrow through depressing repetitive movements. Ollie M, thought it would be good to show him doing very tedious chore such as shovelling snow off of his driveway as it not only shows him uncomfortable and depressed but it also makes it clear that it's set in a snowy environment which works well for the following scene.

We then had everyone else performing happier motions behind me to show the contrast between Oskar and everyone else. Our aim was to then have everyone pretend to accept Oskar and then shun him away.

Below is our movement:

• I start from the back and slowly start walking downstage, shivering and blowing on my hands to keep warm. At the right point in the song, I started miming shovelling snow then warming up my hands. While I did this, everyone else behind me performed a routine where they slide, pick up snow and throw it towards the audience.
• Once Rob gets to me, he gestures towards everyone else smiling, suggesting I join in. Excited by this, at the next point in the music, I repeat their routine and turn around for approval but they all have their back to me. I turn back to my shovel and hand warming routine. Whilst I'm doing this, everyone arranges themselves in a circle and turn to show a formulation of a scheme to hurt me. 
• When Rob is facing towards me, the circle disperses into a line and Rob gestures to me to come join them. I run over to Rob, excited at the prospect of friendship, but when I get there, Rob lifts me up and chokeslams me down with my assistance.
• After falling to the floor, Lorna and Ollie K, come over offering help. They lift me up but Kat and Ollie M push me back down to the ground and the group exits leaving me on the floor ready for the dialogue scene.

I feel that the dialogue scene went very well and I think finishes up or short piece rather nicely.

Below is the recording of our performance: