Monday 26th September - Antigone

We began today's lesson with an exercise in which we had to enter the rehearsal space as if we were professional actors getting ready for a rehearsal. In our first attempt, I entered in a group of three as if we were going over lines, but the next time we were forced to enter singularly and present a subtle character. I decided to present a character slightly nervous about their rehearsal and trying to put a brave face on as they mentally prepare for the character they are about to play whilst acknowledging those around them. I try to portray this by walking in moderately confident with half smiles to people around me then moving my feet agitatedly while biting my lip in a half-smile. In my first go entering on my own I realised I presented the emotions too fully and without the subtlety required so in the next attempt I tried to mask the emotions more.

After this, we linked this exercise with the rest of the lesson as we read through the first page of an English translation of a modern French interpretation of the Greek tragedy Antigone. This page presented a scene in which the Prologue talks the audience through the thought processes of the actress of Antigone as she focuses on her character while the other actors are chatting behind her and the Prologue tells the audience that the lead is going to die in one and a half hours.

As a group, we discussed the effect the Prologue might have on the audience. We came up with the idea that it will make the audience more aware of the tragedy the death may have as they go through the lead 's story knowing that they're going to die, with the fact the audience was made aware of the actors' processes actually making the story more real as this revealing scene humanises the characters.

Aware of these ideas, we were split into groups of 4/5 to have a go at the first scene. In our group, I played the Prologue and we thought we would set the stage with Antigone in the corner, separated from the rest of the actors who would be chatting as a group from which the Prologue would emerge.

To develop this scene, we were tasked with creating a transition from 'actors' to the 'characters' in an unsettling, ritual-like movement. I thought that that those playing characters other than Antigone should move together and separately to the lead and go into a line, then Antigone should move across the stage alone and opposite to her sister. Our group then developed this and had the Prologue moving the characters then guiding Antigone.

After we had got into line, we positioned ourselves with our heads down and hands behind our backs, then one of our groups led us in rising our heads up and our hands simultaneously up to the sky then to lower them again while staring at a point on the wall behind the audience. If we'd had more time, I think we could have created a move even more unsettling and creepy for the audience perhaps by doing even more outlandish or ancient movements.