This is the 9 posts of my version of my group’s ensemble process, This Vile Love. The post at the bottom of this tumblr is the first post. Here are the contents of my tumblr. Please click on the image for a full-view of the contents my blog Part 2.

Reflection of This Vile Love Post-Performance

Please click on the image to take a clearer look at our discussion on the post-ensemble performance.

As my concerns were written in the previous entry, I think that the challenges that our group faced is still the atmosphere that we created for the audience. I think we lack of the satirical element still. We still need to work on our dramatic actions and pauses. Therefore, these are what our group still struggled in, and lack of in the performance.

However, I was exceptionally happy that my concern of our transition of props on the stage went smoothly. We are happy with the process of our ensemble as we all have a voice of opinion in our group. If it was not in a satire style, I think our performance will work more comfortably.

How are we going to teach the Drama curriculum and also aim for the O-level drama?

I learnt so much throughout this course of less then six months. I have a lot of memorable memories and loving drama as my second subject to teach with passion. Last friday, the group of us went to St. Nicholas Secondary to watch the recording of their improvised drama piece from Kuo Pao Kun’s Little Prince. 

It was such an enriching experience for me because we learnt how their teacher devised the plan to bring them up from Secondary 1 to 4. They even shared their resources with us on their scheme of work for their school to fit the ability of the girls there. Of courses, we need to fit it to the profile of our students in our individual schools in the future. It will really benefit us in devising our own plan for our students.

However, we learnt how he started to start them early in Secondary One. He warns us not to be too consumed and tire ourselves and the students on performance skills because teaching students in understanding and devising have a higher percentage. 

Extract from DRAMA GCE Ordinary Level (Subject 5999) Assessment Objectives Components.

As we watched the girls in their performance, they were really impressive for 16 year olds. We talked to them and asked them about their process in devising their piece, what challenges that they faced, what was their idea or concept. They were able to communicate is swiftly and clearly. This is the direction in which we have to steer students to reflect occasionally. The girls loved what they are doing as well, which is the most satisfying and rewarding to see as a teacher. 

Introducing costume and make-up planning to Secondary School students.

The ‘Stylised’ Character

Costume can create the shape and texture of a character. How does it feel to explore the internal and external moods of your developing costumed character? Through rehearsal improvisations, my group discussed about how a costumed character’s physical actions and internal emotions are linked together, or how costumed and stylised movements can enhance or detract from the dramatic meaning. 

As we had already discussed about the lightings, we sat and talked about the music effects and costume. We were lucky to have Carmen because she is a freelance makeup artist, which is her second interest. She brought the wig that I was wearing as my butch character, and makeup to help makeup Amanda’s sexy newscasting personality, Hui Chi’s aunty news reporter and also as a teacher. 

We used some matching news casting intro music for each character. Flight of the bumblebee, was the main music that we need for one scene because Hui Chi and Joanne’s action corresponds to the music. My melancholy “Someone Like You” music by Adele further enhanced the mood of sadness which was then contrasted the dramatic element by the upbeat music of Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way”. We can see how the mood was pulled and also helped in our embodiment of our characters.

I think this is very fun for students to work on and to think about, especially when they always seem so attached to their music and their appearance. 

Hui Chi asked Danial and Owen to teach her on how to make a folder to record the lighting and saving it. Then, I learnt from Hui Chi about the lightings! I finally get it more or less too! It was our first time trying out the lights so we were pretty excited. 

Teaching Lightings to Secondary School Students

Extract from DRAMA GCE Ordinary Level (Subject 5999) Paper 1

I remembered that in the O-level assessment for Paper 1 in which the students have to prepare a piece of acting, there was one criteria in which they have to demonstrate an understanding of the role of set, lighting, sound, costume and make-up.

In our play we explored the role of set and we planned a lot on how the scenes will change, whether we need to push out any chairs or rearrange it. This is a powerpoint slide created by me and Hui Chi, as all of us planned how we are going to move in and out of the scenes. This is really good to give us a clear understanding before we tried it out in the black space. This could be done by the students as well. They can refer to this always and the teacher can look into their planning and give them advises of how they can minimize prop set-up changes to reduce shuffling. Also, students could think critically on how to utilize the space fully.

As a teacher I have to introduce to the students about the importance of stage lightings. We need a spotlight to pull the audience’s focus. It also helps to create atmosphere, for example, in a sad scene we use soft light, in a murder scene we might use red strip lights, etc. So it is crucial to teach lightings so that the students will have a brief understanding of it’s application to their play for a more effective performance. 

Of course in the realities of the equipments in secondary schools, they might not have fanciful lighting systems. But at least as a teacher, I must help them to envision lightings because they need to talk about it in their Paper 1. 

PAR can lighting instruments to give the spotlight. It can be reduced to a variation of softlight.

Strips lights 

Shadowplay 

Amanda brought up the idea of shadow puppets and we thought that this will be such an awesome idea to be added for the first newscasting scene as it will further sensationalize and also invoke a sense of “pleasure” or “discomfort” for the viewer.

My Thoughts & Concerns

The concern that I have at first was the plot changes. How are we going to have a smooth scene change? As we rehearsed, we practiced the movement. But I was thinking about the big sofa. It is not possible to push it in and out of the stage during when it is needed or not needed. Maybe it can be left there. We are still planning on it.

My second concern is the way we, particularly I, performed my character. Throughout the process of rehearsal I discovered more about my character. The image of my character in my mind changes or transform or adds on to the details in my mind. But in certain days, I feel confused about my character as I am still exploring her in my mind. I wonder if I could bring across my character well. 

I also think about how my character relate to the other characters. Whom does she love more? Her father, Pastor Neo or Gina, or herself? Everyday I look inside my character and searched for these answers. I also think about what are the other character’s desires, feelings, passion, thoughts and aims..[1] 

My last concern is in relation to the audience. We worked and thought through hard to create the right atmosphere for the different scenes for the audience. We want to create the many layers of the story to it. We understand that Chekhov mentioned that “the idea of understanding the audience and keeping it in mind while making a performance does not mean just trying to make productions in order to please the audience”.[2] But however, I do not totally agree with Chekhov on this statement. Of course we cannot please the audience but at least, I want my audience to get some thoughts to take-away from our performance. For this to happen, we need to find the right atmosphere. Chekhov explains that sensitivity to atmosphere.. as the ‘soul’ or the ‘heart’ of the performance.. which links everything together and forges a connection between actor and audience..”.[3] I find that this is the most tricky part in a satirical performance with the presence of an audience versus rehearsing together alone in our group. We had yet to test out our actions and text. 

[1] Chekhov, M. (2002) To the Actor, Routledge, p 25

[2] Chamberlain, F. (2004) Michael Chekhov, Routledge, London, p 52

[3] Chamberlain, F. (2004) Michael Chekhov, Routledge, London, p 53