We had a rehearsal today. I felt like we got lots of work done actually! There was one idea in particular I really like, I think the majority of the group really liked the idea. We will have a Q&A with Santa! The children, or their parents will be able to ask Santa any questions they might want to ask. This means that the material can be changed depending on who is asking the questions, this continues on from the idea I had about the fact that it is a family fun day, and therefore not just for children. This will be adlibed so obviously the person playing santa will have to be fast on their feet when questions are asked, the results of this could be quite comical!
Also we were having a little think about set, and I mentioned that it might be nice to have a couple of specific places where stories are told, so these place will have a static set that doesn't particularly change. I suggested a little rug and a Christmas tree, with some twinkly lights or something? This will give the area a Christmassy but also homely feel for the children and adults, to relax into the story.
I want to kidnap Frank to come with us every weekend! He came in and told us a story that he had come up with in about 2 minutes at the beginning of the rehearsal! It was brilliant he was talking to us about some storytelling techniques that he likes to use when performing. Like pronounciation and really enjoying the words for example. And enjoying the material and using body language to connect with the audience, I will definitely be taking his advice on board, and remembering all of the tips form the storytelling module last year.
I believe we are all writing our own stories this week, so good luck people!!
x
Wednesday 18 November 2009
Monday 16 November 2009
OOOOH Ghost Tours!!
Hi guys, haven't blogged for a while!
Would just like to write a quick post about the inspiration of the ghost tour! It was excellent, for anyone that went, how much did you love the old guy?! He was brilliant!
He got me really thinking about storytelling technique, as his dramatic pauses were brill! Also I was thinking that the guy who took us round the house mentioned that they do a ghost tour for kids! It makes you think about when you were little, remember telling ghost stories with a torch to your friends and all freaking each other out? hilarious! Don't really think ghost stories would be appropriate for a Christmas/winter theme, which is a shame because kids love being freaked out.
Really glad we have decided to have some of us walking around the house in character as this will give the weekends a real feeling of authenticity for not only the children, but the adults too! It would be funny to whisper a bit of adult humour into their ears occasionally, make it more about the adults as well, after all it is a FAMILY fun day after all!
Thinking its really great that we are now having a meeting every Wednesday as well as Friday mornings as I think rehearsal is paramount at this stage in the game. Great to hear all the stories on Friday! Absolutely loved the idea of approaching the children in character and letting them choose what they want to hear, I would say probably the most effective way to get the best out of kids... letting them get their own way in a sense!
Any way bloggers see you all on Wednesday!
P.S Zoe don't make me run around again!!
x
Would just like to write a quick post about the inspiration of the ghost tour! It was excellent, for anyone that went, how much did you love the old guy?! He was brilliant!
He got me really thinking about storytelling technique, as his dramatic pauses were brill! Also I was thinking that the guy who took us round the house mentioned that they do a ghost tour for kids! It makes you think about when you were little, remember telling ghost stories with a torch to your friends and all freaking each other out? hilarious! Don't really think ghost stories would be appropriate for a Christmas/winter theme, which is a shame because kids love being freaked out.
Really glad we have decided to have some of us walking around the house in character as this will give the weekends a real feeling of authenticity for not only the children, but the adults too! It would be funny to whisper a bit of adult humour into their ears occasionally, make it more about the adults as well, after all it is a FAMILY fun day after all!
Thinking its really great that we are now having a meeting every Wednesday as well as Friday mornings as I think rehearsal is paramount at this stage in the game. Great to hear all the stories on Friday! Absolutely loved the idea of approaching the children in character and letting them choose what they want to hear, I would say probably the most effective way to get the best out of kids... letting them get their own way in a sense!
Any way bloggers see you all on Wednesday!
P.S Zoe don't make me run around again!!
x
Monday 19 October 2009
Hhhmmmm...
Hi there my little fellow bloggers! :)
I can't sleep! had the longest day ever today! Was just having a think about Cardboard Citizens last Monday. Was really wondering what was going on with us, well speak for yourself Rach, what was going on with me? Don't get me wrong I totally loved it, although I think maybe only two stories were needed. I just so did NOT want to get up and join in, usually I would go for it and really get involved! The most ridiculous thing was the fact that I actually wanted to! There were some situations where I was itching to get up and try to make a difference. Why didn't I get up and do it? There was a few of us there that did not get up and join in and i know we all had ideas. Why??
Thats all, just a wee query! If you guys know why you didn't, that might tell me why I didn't. (If you see what I mean?!)
R x
Monday 12 October 2009
Initial Thoughts!
Hello everyone! Welcome to my blog! I'm not going to lie, I am a little computer illiterate so this may take me a few attempts to sound like myself! I would like to use this space to create a diary of my personal journey and the journey of the group. I will also apologise in advance for chatting on and on and on and on... as I tend to do!
In our first lecture at the beginning of the module I was relieved to learn that our writing doesn't have to be totally formal, which is great as I will begin by saying that I had a wicked time on our first visit to Ham House, the whole thing seems really exciting! We all, as you already know (you watched it) got totally inspired by the gardens. Jenny, Sharmilla, Hannah, Zoe and myself got a bit excited, and possibly carried away whilst devising a small peice of theatre in the gardens. We all devised something fictional or factual about something that had happened in the gardens, and as we are not so hot on the history of natioinal trust properties (yet!) we went straight for the fiction. Everyone else went down the fictional route too, which did actually have some hillarious consequences- ie Chantelles group, of course I am referring to 'the affair with the languages teacher' scenario!
Anyway, the girls and I found a little spot with boxes and four grand looking seats consuming the edge of the space, kind of in a circle. As we know Jennie is a budding little writer so she started a poem about four fairies that live in the Ham House gardens. These faireis are the creators of the seasons. I think we had the seasons idea as, I know for me anyway, Autumnal weather is the most obvious of all four seasons in many ways. I was winter, Sharmilla- Autumn, Hannah- Spring and Zoe - Summer. As Jennie told the group the poem, we emerged from the boxes we were hiding in, to eventually come together as one.
Obviously and as usual, I was thinkling about this small performance on a ridiculously grand scale, make-up to represent each season, costume to match and a silly amount of fairy lights! I imagined this as did the other girls performed in the cold winter at night, or at least when a little dark... we want to make it part of the Christmas Fun Festival. I think it will make the performance a bit more magical, with the Christmas spirit and all that.
I have to admit that we did all get really carried away and assumed that the rest of the group would love the idea of doing it at the festival, so I was a little gutted to learn that everyone wanted to save it for the summer's 400th Birthday celebrations. I just feel that the atmosphere wont be the same in the warmth of the summer.
I am also thinking about how exciting it is to have total creative control as a group and the house and gardens are amazing! I mean even if we never peform the fairy thing, I think it's really important that we were so inspired on our first visit to the gardens. It just goes to show for me how influencial a space can be. Also I am planning on getting my hands on 'Community Performance: An Introduction.' Will let you all know how I get on!
Promise my next entry wont be this long! Have fun!
In our first lecture at the beginning of the module I was relieved to learn that our writing doesn't have to be totally formal, which is great as I will begin by saying that I had a wicked time on our first visit to Ham House, the whole thing seems really exciting! We all, as you already know (you watched it) got totally inspired by the gardens. Jenny, Sharmilla, Hannah, Zoe and myself got a bit excited, and possibly carried away whilst devising a small peice of theatre in the gardens. We all devised something fictional or factual about something that had happened in the gardens, and as we are not so hot on the history of natioinal trust properties (yet!) we went straight for the fiction. Everyone else went down the fictional route too, which did actually have some hillarious consequences- ie Chantelles group, of course I am referring to 'the affair with the languages teacher' scenario!
Anyway, the girls and I found a little spot with boxes and four grand looking seats consuming the edge of the space, kind of in a circle. As we know Jennie is a budding little writer so she started a poem about four fairies that live in the Ham House gardens. These faireis are the creators of the seasons. I think we had the seasons idea as, I know for me anyway, Autumnal weather is the most obvious of all four seasons in many ways. I was winter, Sharmilla- Autumn, Hannah- Spring and Zoe - Summer. As Jennie told the group the poem, we emerged from the boxes we were hiding in, to eventually come together as one.
Obviously and as usual, I was thinkling about this small performance on a ridiculously grand scale, make-up to represent each season, costume to match and a silly amount of fairy lights! I imagined this as did the other girls performed in the cold winter at night, or at least when a little dark... we want to make it part of the Christmas Fun Festival. I think it will make the performance a bit more magical, with the Christmas spirit and all that.
I have to admit that we did all get really carried away and assumed that the rest of the group would love the idea of doing it at the festival, so I was a little gutted to learn that everyone wanted to save it for the summer's 400th Birthday celebrations. I just feel that the atmosphere wont be the same in the warmth of the summer.
I am also thinking about how exciting it is to have total creative control as a group and the house and gardens are amazing! I mean even if we never peform the fairy thing, I think it's really important that we were so inspired on our first visit to the gardens. It just goes to show for me how influencial a space can be. Also I am planning on getting my hands on 'Community Performance: An Introduction.' Will let you all know how I get on!
Promise my next entry wont be this long! Have fun!
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