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Ruby Moon – Performance Techniques

· Actors believe that the character they are portraying is __REAL__ · “lost child” is a metaphor for Australia · Timeless placeless world – not necessarily in Australia · For a play to exist in needs to have a reason (beliefs of actors) · Ray and Sylvie start the play in conversation although not speaking face to face – Sylvie is behind the door · Sylvie and Ray have a sense of disconnection/distance e.g. when Ray asks for a kiss Sylvie changes the subject · Rays character constantly moves around · Sylvie is quite child like · As Ray reads Sylvie the story, Sylvie mimes out some of the words of the story indicating that this has constantly been done before · Actors accentuates pauses by intense body language or climax of the situation · Dynamic in voices – created climax with their voice · Actors hide behind a door each time they change characters · Dolce states “fragile creature” whilst holding a fragile display – use of metaphor · Dolce was constantly cleaning during her first conversation with Ray · Sid kept turning the light on and off indicating that he is agitated and vulnerable · Sid’s voice was deep/husky <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· The actors would look at the audience when they were “looking out the window” <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· Each character kept a certain distance when they would speak to each other <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· Sylvie and Ray do not wear shoes when they are home – indication to audience <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· Veronica Vail is very seductive and is flirtatious – she uses her assets e.g. singing <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· Sonny Jim is introduced limping whilst being on crotches although he drops it and starts walking fine as he speaks about the war – when he is done he picks up his crotches and starts limping again <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· Dawn is very childlike and looks around each time she is uncomfortable <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· Dawn seems to be envious of ruby and has low self esteem which is why she wears rubber bands on her face <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· Her body posture also indicates her insecurities e.g. hunched back and head down <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· Dawn seems to idolize ruby as she wants to change her name to Rose which happens to be Ruby’s middle name <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· Sylvie gets angry quickly when she is speaking bout Veronica Vail <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· Professor seems to be packing to leave when he is introduced <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· Professor treats the black spot with care – he wears gloves to “protect” it <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· Professor speaks in scientific jargon and is melodramatic <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· Ray seems more decomposed by the end of the play as he shows affection to the mannequin which is ironic as in the beginning of the play he treated it as only a mannequin <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· Sylvie acts as Ruby and is dressed like her until Ray kisses her which turns her back to “Sylvie” <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· Sylvie dressed as Ruby is the directors way of portraying extreme grief <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· Sylvie appears to be more inferior than Ray as they fight – which builds tension and climax <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· As they calm down they both sit on the floor indicating that they have “reached rock bottom” and start questioning if there ever was a girl <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· Actors state that they play all characters “as truthfully as possible” <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· All characters of the play have lost something and are all dealing with grief <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· Ray and Sylvie have a lot of sexual tension during the play, they have intimacy although do not have sex as sex may bring them into conceiving another child which they do not want. It appears that they believe if they constantly “roll play” they can be sexual and maintain their sexual tension. <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· Because Ray and Sylvie are mostly distant with each other, their intimacy is a sign of ‘unraveling’ <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">


 * ON STAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

Monologue: Bleak House by Claudia Carroll

Bleak house was a very entertaining monologue which used alot of comedic elements to engae the audience. Claudia Carroll used specific elements of drama to make her monologue a successful one. The role of her character was a student who is quite abnormal, she portrays this character through her use of aggitated movements. Her character also spoke very quickly which contributed to the comedic sense of her monologue. She also didnt make use of her space and stayed in one spot, she may have chosen to do this as movement may have distracted the audience's attention away from her dialogue. Also her choice of costume was one of the attributes that indicated her 'abnormality'. Overall her performance was enjoyable to watch!

Group Performance: Luxury

The group performance "Luxury" was somewhat different to the other group performances - which I found very entertaining and unique. The group performance was about a group of strangers who find themselves with one item each, these items provide the true meaning of their lives and why they are where they are. The performance began pitch black with the light of flashlights which was held by the actors. The actors made use of their stage in the introduction of the piece and made 'animal' like movements and sounds. During the piece, the group also created rhythm and a beat through synchronised stomping in order to create tension and capture the audience's attention. The use of repetition and irony was used in the statement, "stop repeating the question". The peformance always had one specific actor telling their story whilst the other actors would act out the story that was being told. They also used dramatic lighting and music in necessary scenes such as the 'dreamgirls scene'. Overall it was very entertaining to watch!