Performing Pygmalion

We had been separated from the second years for two weeks as we had other things going on in class so today was our first time back with them. We was told two weeks ago that we needed to be off book for the next rehearsal which was today. Today went so much better than the previous performance we did of Pygmalion. Luke had confidentially learnt all his lines and really made his character stronger which was impressive and I felt I had really improved my cockney accent even though I still was not 100% happy with it. 

Kira let us show her and she stopped us everytime she saw something that either needed hanging or she didn't like how we did it etc...this meant we did not manage to get through the whole scene but I still would rather be confident with what I'm doing rather than rushing it. We used my pink dressing gown as a prop as a dressing gown is actually used I the play/film. 

We had just under two hours to go through and practice the pieces until we had to perform them to the class, I was really nervous as I was so embarrassed of the previous performance I done to the class two weeks ago, but the audience reactions turned out very well and better than sand Luke had expected. We got more laughs than before and I managed to keep my accent fresh. Lira gave us feedback after and said Luke needed to free his hands more as he was almost seen as robotic, and she said she was proud of us both, I was very happy with how it turned out. 

Ella explained afterwards to everyone that now the second years can choose there own script and have up to three people and they need to choose them quickly so they can pick there actors quickly. I enjoyed working with Kira and Luke very much, and enjoyed doing a scene from a play I haven't done before. 

researching the plays...

I struggled a lot in class with the Cockney accent. So I decided to watch parts of the film of Pygmalion to help me get more of a gist of the accent.

It did help by watching it to give me more of an idea of the way Eliza Doolittle talks so I felt a little more happy but I still struggle a little to talk Cockney.

The other play I am doing for Michael, I have never heard of before...he wants me to play the part of 'sissy' which was the lines I was mainly looking at anyway. But he said there is a chance the accent is South American, which I was not aware of and I do not believe I have done this accent before.

I watched Pygmalion on YouTube a couple of times to get an idea of the character Eliza plays a bit more cos I still was not completely sure of how to play her. I also looked at 'My Fair Lady' which is a more modernised version of Pygmalion. The two Eliza's were very different. In Pygmalion Eliza was absolutely petrified to get in to the bath and was screaming and crying hysterically. Whereas in 'my fair lady', Eliza was still very upset but was not as scared as the other version, she was a bit more physical to try keep the people off her. 

Second years as directors...

The second years are doing directing for contemporary theatre and we as a class of first years are being there actors. I got chosen by Kira to do a duologue with Luke. Kira chose 'Pygmalion' by George Bernard Shaw. It is originally a scene with two girls but she changed 'Mrs Pearce' to a 'Mr' for the sake of Luke. And I played Eliza Doolittle, who has a cockney accent. I do struggle with cockney accents so I did automatically panic. The scene we did is when I first get introduced into the house of where my character would learn how to be a proper 'lady'. I was told I kept coming across like Aladdin from panto, and I need to tone my character down a bit, I was really struggling...as I had been told in school I did struggle with naturalism. We had to perform it to the rest of the class and I got so nervous and waited so long that I had forgotten a lot like the accents and some actions Kira gave me. I got frustrated with myself as I felt I let Kira down.

I then volunteered to help Michael in his piece too with KJ. I had to do an accent in this one too but is luckily just an American accent which I do not struggle with as much. His piece is called 'Come back to the 5 & dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean'. by Ed Graczyk.I haven't got the chance to practice this yet but I have read through bits of it.