We did a slow run through to remember all the points and changes etc. and this felt pretty good, none of forgetting much and what we did forget was due to the slower pace making our brains work slower. So we did another run through which was fast paced and this filled us with confidence, the only one messing up really me, on the last page as I always seem to forget my cues for this specific section (this was a theme which carried one during the night, until the performance where I nailed them cues).
We decided that some parts of our choreography had the potential to be more dynamic and synchronised, and so make it more Berkoffian. One of these moments we tweaked was at the beginning when we all say "Yes, Chair" together and mime sitting down, originally I jumped down, Caitlin got up and we did "Yes, Chair" in a line together, but this had awkward movement getting to it, we changed this to me staying high, and Caitlin staying on the floor making it look way more effective as there were more levels and we were in a kind of diamond formation (sadly, in the performance I ruined this image by losing my balance). This also lent itself to the next bit when previously me and Caitlin had gone up onto the riser and done our little pose, now I came down and she stood up and in one smooth move, me met each other in the perfect position to do the same move, and although not as high, in a more central and obvious placing, bringing more attention to it. What a decision with many fruits to harvest (weird analogy) as this meant there was a fantastic transition into the next position as Hannah just turned Caitlin's shoulders and pushed her down, making it snappier and therefore, more life Berkoff! Whoop, we were on a roll!
Following this, we edited my part where I say "At ease" for the second time so that I fell back on the riser as if were going to sleep (sort of) then Hannah for her line "Then I can relax and got to sleep" can put her legs over mine and "go to sleep" (a line I mentioned earlier in my logs caused a bit of problem)which again, meant the next bit was more effective when I stand up to say my line, doing a passing the voice as I knock Hannah aside.
Again, I mentioned earlier in my logs that I thought Caitlin should adapt the bit where she acts as my 'penis' so that she can be lower down, we did this through her holding onto my forearms rather than her neck, and I think this immediately makes the image more effective and easier for the audience to understand.
A moment where the transition could have been more synchronised was getting up after "Then I grew up. No I never had another sexual experience" when Charlotte says "Well, I didn't get much out of that belly-button experience" Charlotte, Caitlin and myself are all on the floor, so as Charlotte gets up, we could all do it but in a way which is obviously the same movement rather than haphazardly rising. We lent forward, slammed hands on the floor, up into downward dog, then rise. It took a while to get in time with each other, and even in the small performance at the end, me and Caitlin were a bit behind, and I managed to lose my balance and look like an idiot.
In the section after Caitlin's emphatic fight to get on the riser, instead of pulling her forward, we changed it to pulling her backwards, as this meant the when she stood back up, it was less awkward and her line was neither stunted nor spoken to the back as she picks Hannah her up, keeping the pace high.
The bit with the "blue eye" moment was extended as because there was a break in character from Caitlin, and so a break from the script in a way, we had to have a way of getting back into it, so we had me and Hannah coughing then doing the woosh again then Charlotte copying but with two eyes a bit after us. This added humour and allowed us to get back into character without it feeling awkward.
We also added another synchronised moment with Berkoff sound effects after "Ding-dong" where we open a door with a creak, a shocked intake of breath etc. It's a nice break from our normal move and acts as a set up for the next part. Charlotte also adopted an Italian accent acting as the mother at the front whilst Caitlin flops at the back (though the accent turns a bit Indian towards the end, but I love it).
We made more of the "Then we're alone. He kisses..." with more elaborate choreography, rather than Charlotte and Hannah just coming up to hug Caitlin, Hannah hugs from behind, then Caitlin spins in her arms, then falls into Charlotte for kiss till I shout stop. Then after I shout this, they push me down and I burst out of them for my "I love you" till I'm pulled down again to forma window.
We performed it at the end of the night, and watching it back there were a couple of points which we need to work on. The main thing, which I think I am particularly prone to, is when we're not in the main action, shifting around a lot, fidgeting etc. so we need to have a focus and stay as still as possible. Furthermore, I kept preempting movements, which meant they lost their effect. And something which was picked up on by the audience was my diction, losing the words as I try and shout the loudly or something. I've always struggled with diction since I was a child, some sort of speech problem, and it wasn't until year Nine I really got any help with it from my drama teacher of the time, and I still fall foul of mumbling, speaking too fast or just not pronouncing consonants and being lazy with the mouth. I am conscious of the problem and try to work hard to overcome it.
Video of our performance:
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