Blog 12 december
12 December 2011
Where back on track. The first day, of the master classes by Tim.
In the morning we started in a circle. A person claps their hands at the same time as the person next to them. That person passes the clap on to the next one in line. If this happens simultaneously it creates a rhythm.
Variation two: we left the circle. Still keeping an eye on the person passing you the claps before you started moving around. The exercise started up again with the added difficulty of trying to locate your clap buddy.
Third variation, standing still, same person gives you the clap, if you count you can do it with your eyes closed.
Zombie exercise: one person is a zombie and walks to you to eat your brains. You make an eye contact with another person. That person has to say your name, before the zombie gets you. Then you are the zombie and walked to that person.
We started with the new learn verses. The persons in the middle who were doing the scene, point someone to give the right word on the end. Then repeat the same line with the (right) word.
Important to know that Shakespeare uses opposites (like black versus white, death versus life) and he repeat all the time the same words.
We did also the tennis ball exercise.
After the pause we stared with prisoners and guards. There are more guards than prisoners. The guards stand behind a prisoner who is sitting on a chair. The guards, who have no prisoner, try to steal another prisoner by winking. When the prisoner sees the wink, then the prisoner can escape to that guard. But when the guard tapped the prisoner on the back, then, they stay.
A variation is when the prisoner is fast enough to escape then he scolds the guard. But if the guard taps you in time, then he will call you back with names.
Second variation, instead of scolds you pick a line from your verse.
Verse in Shakespeare is often comedy. Sometimes it is in tragedy and then mostly on the end. Rime verses ABAB are rare in Shakespeare. Sonnets are ABABCDCDEFEFGG, and there is one in Romeo and Julia (when they meet, before the kiss)
There is a structure in verse and also in prose. In prose it is not a metrem but there is a rhythm. For example monologue Hamlet: What a piece of work is a man!
What helps by prose is to keep it alive. If you stop fighting against it, it will be easier.
NOOB (None of our Business)
A friend of Tim said verse is by heart (emotion) and prose is by head (reason). There is in an element in prose to show it off, you have to dazzle (bluffen).
When there are 4 beats instead of 5 it is magic.
There will be switch from prose to verse but they never go back.
Exercise, we worked again with the new verses. You start with:
You want me to say…(fill in) and after that you start saying the lines.
Second exercise: after you lines you said:
Say this: (and fill it in without saying it loud), when you’re finished you snap your fingers.
After the snap the other person can start with his lines.
Variation, you are with another couple and each of them whisper in your ear what the other one wants you to say.
Love,
Anouk