Rehearsal Diary
Throughout the rehearsals for Beanfield, two of our cast - Ben Simpson and Georgie Rennolds - will be keeping a diary of their experiences.
Monday, 10th May 2010
Georgie Rennolds [playing Diane]: Today's was a fulfilling and intense day, the morning started very relaxed and was mainly focused around the meeting and greeting of the cast with lot's of caffine and cookies.
We then had a detailed discussion about certain elements of the play and individually had to express opinions on certain topics or situations that your character has or had to face. David [Lockwood, director] also wanted to draw on life experiences you as a person might be able to draw in to your characters.
We then went into a full company read through of the script- the cast were great and everyone seemed to read the lines with such ease. Even with first appearances I thought it was cast very well but with the read through in place my judgement confirmed what I had already suspected... We had a great team on board.
Throughout the remainder of the day, David worked through several of the beginning scenes and started to block a loose shape which was pleasing to see on day one! i am confident that there will be challenges ahead however with David's method and approach to the cast and play I am looking forward to the whole process.
Tuesday, 11th May 2010
Ben Simpson [playing Benny]: We began this morning with a group warm up, something I particularly like to do, and it’s nice to bring the group together when you are going to be playing off each other for the rest of the day.
We then started looking over the first scenes in the play and discussing the use of verse within the script, and how each of us approaches speaking this in performance. I liked this as part of the process because it was a reawakening for me of things that I already know but perhaps don’t manage to articulate very well to others when asked. It almost gave me a kick up the bum really to readdress certain points/techniques and understandings, and be more aware of applying them to my own performance.
The main highlight today was a visit from Dean Phillips, a forerunner of the new age traveller movement. It was so intriguing to hear his account of people’s attitudes to this way of life, spoken in a very true and honest voice, having been someone who has been involved for all of his life and still is! I became completely absorbed in listening to his stories, not only to gain more of an understanding and learn more facts, but also to observe such a very real person, which I think in turn can help bring a very true voice to the characters we are playing. I could happily have bought him a pint or three and talked to him for hours. All in all a very full and progressive day.
Wednesday, 12th May 2010
Georgie Rennolds: The morning started on schedule and we worked through the scenes as stated in the rehearsal schedule. David continued to work through the scenes picking through the language and intentions in more detail. We also did some improvisation scenes to get us as actors to start thinking about the 'truthfulness' of the lead into scenes. This was really helping me develop a clear understanding of certain moments however once I'm off book i will be able to explore and play further without there being a barrier.
After lunch, we read one of the convoy's testimony's off the laptop. A touching account from one of the female members of the convoy and how this event had such dramatic consequences to the rest of how life. It was touching as well as heartbreaking. The fact that people can clearly be affected for years after an event of this kind really bought it home that this play is going to be something special and am thrilled to be apart of it.
Thursday, 13th May 2010
Ben Simpson: We carried straight on today working through the scenes in order from where we left off yesterday, firstly reading through each scene and then putting it into the space. It’s great to be able to play around with the characters and see these scenes come off the page. Already we are getting a sense of the energies of the characters and the depth and colour to each of them and the play as a whole.
Again we looked at the sections of verse in the script, (which are fantastic!) and talked about the references and parallels to Shakespeare that the writer has used. It’s a real bonus to have Shaun, the writer, present in this first week of rehearsals to be able to ask questions to about the text and hear his comments on the characters, themes and emphasis on certain things. I particularly enjoyed working on the first scene we did today between the lovers. This really is a scene that I can see developing a lot in later rehearsals and I can’t wait to be able to put my script down and really move it about and play and relish in it.
The later part of the day was spent working on scenes but also doing some improvisation in character of parts of the story that aren’t scripted. We also talked in between about some of our own experiences that bore relevance to the situations in the story. This was an interesting process and a useful one because it helped us develop our characters further and think in more depth about how they really would be feeling and what they are actually doing. I think we are beginning to feel more comfortable with the physicalities and voices of some of the characters that we are playing after today’s work.
I had fun today and am really enjoying these rehearsals.
Friday, 14th May 2010
Georgie Rennolds:The morning started with just me and David. We were working purely on my two end monologues which define the contrasting moments in Diane's life and looking at the possibility of giving her a not-so-happy ending to enhance the fact that life doesn't always work out as you planned.
We looked in some detail about specific moments in the speeches and playing around with her internal and external emotions. Playing around with pace is a tricky thing to do for any professional actor and getting the right emotion and intent behind it is key to the delivery so that the audience can sympathize with her in the both contrasting speeches which are separated by many years.
I'm looking forward to seeing how they develop over these next few weeks...
Monday, 17th May 2010
Ben Simpson: Another really good day. After warming up we went into working through the first thirty pages of the script and putting them into the space now that we are rehearsing in the Bike Shed Theatre. It’s great to start blocking scenes now on the stage that we will be performing on and already I am getting a feel for the whole thing really coming together. Lovely as well to be off book so we can start playing and moving more and just having the freedom to explore our characters further and really enjoy each scene. We also gained a rough idea of the staging for the performance today in terms of set and some props, entrances and exits and so on.
We had the sound designer [Ben] present today who was starting to get ideas and put together music and effects which will be exciting to hear and also the movement director [Vida] who we will be working with us more closely on Thursday which I’m looking forward to.
At half three we had to make way for the Break Dancers so went round the corner to the Picture House to present our areas of research about the Battle of the Beanfield. Although we learnt a lot in the first week from group discussions and the testimonies that we read each day, it was still good to hear people’s findings in more detail and relate this back to the play and our characters.
Georgie Rennolds: Since this morning session mainly concentrated on the beginning scenes with Annie, Diane and Steamer, it gave me a chance to really start picking and being selective. I gained a lot out of this morning and feel much happier with how the scenes are taking shape. I feel the key at present is not to rush but take your time, let the words do the work and the pauses with work for you. Using the 'awkwardness' as an objective gave me a journey to go with my actions and physicality for my entrance.
Monday 24th May, 2010
Georgie Rennolds: We started the day with an individual warm up combining physical and vocals together. We then did a few warm up games as a company to get us energised. This was followed by a costume-fitting session for some of our characters. Some proved to be quite entertaining, like my Veronica [housewife] glasses which are just beautiful. The main focus of today was making sure Act Two was polished compared to Act One. We started looking at the battle scenes in more detail and tweaking some of the blocking so that it looked more slick. We started working with some of the items of costume and the set props which has become really useful especailly at this stage in rehearsals. My key development is still to work on the physicality of Veronica and keeping her age older, which will hopefully start taking shape with the costume and props as well. By the end of today we worked with more movement which we added to the more dramatic scenes and I think this has benefitted us all. The importance of using this intimate stage to its maximum potential is vital in the sense of driving the scenes in the right direction. I was very happy with the run-through today as it was our first attempt and overall it ran pretty smoothly with very little injuries (I'm lying). There was a lot to take on board. However the main thing is to make sure the links and changes into scenes are fluid and this is just a case of practising it until it's second nature, I guess. But a good and productive day I feel.
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Ben Simpson: Only three of us were available to rehearse this morning which gave us the opportunity for David to really dissect the scenes with just us in and look at the importance of them in the script as a whole. I really enjoyed this and it made me think further about the meaning behind the brummy couple in particular and making it clear to the audience why they are written into the play and the importance of setting the scene for them in the first act. I think that this improved the performance of this character for me in terms of the meaning and emphasis on what I’m saying, his political views that are expressed and thirdly the relationship between the couple and their journey through the play. It also helped us build on the physicality of these characters and go further with that. Already in rehearsing with part costume, just wearing a different pair of shoes automatically makes you walk and stand differently and in a play like this with very little time between changing between characters just thinking about how this person enters and stands is necessary in becoming that character.
Later in the day we recorded some sound for Ben the sound man. We shut ourselves away in the dressing room and sat with our eyes closed whilst David talked us through a scenario, i.e. the calm before the storm the build up to the police charging the vehicles and smashing people homes and dragging them out. So a lot of shouting, screaming and crying and then the reversal of the boys being the police attacking the travellers. I think we created some good authentic sound and to be honest I had to take a minute afterwards to chill out because it really got me!
To finish off the day Tim Maldon who was there on the day and took some photo evidence of the event came to talk to us about his experiences. He shared a lot with us and again to hear accounts of these things spoken first hand by someone who was clearly affected severely and still is to this day is something that had a real impact on us all.
I went home and contemplated on a lot of things, emotional day.
Thursday 27th May
Ben Simpson: Started the day finishing off some scenes in Act two then went for our first run of the whole play. Really glad we’ve got our first run in because I think it went rather well and helped me personally to get my head round the general ark of the play, what comes next, scene to scene, set and costume changes etc. .That’s great because the more we run now the better and we can focus more on the actual acting and all the other niceties with all the bitty things and practicalities clearer in our heads.
Dean Phillips and Helen Hatt came to see the run and talked to us afterwards about what they thought and how they were generally moved by what they saw. Helen spoke to us further about her experiences of being there at the Beanfield. I found her very inspiring and generally formed a more rounded opinion for me on travellers and their way of life.
We then finished the day flyering to encourage more lovely locals to see our magnificent play!