Day Twenty Three - "It's Much Better To Be Bad Than To Be Average. Or To Trick People Into Thinking You're Good"

My stomach feels better today! Phew! I had a dramatic evening last night. Oliver buzzed me at 1.30am in the morning, which was highly annoying, and then turned on the TV and when I asked him to please turn it off he refused. We eventually got into a loud fight, but his arrogance is very difficult to defeat, and after he threatened me ("don't mess with me man, don't mess with me") I gave up, jammed some ear-plugs in my ears and grumpily went to sleep. And I slept in until 10am, which I totally needed, because for the last month I've been living on about 7 hours sleep per night.

Headed to school early today to meet with Juli and work on a scene for us to show on Friday. It's difficult because neither of us have worked together much, and Juli's English is limited so we have language issues. But anyway, we decided maybe it would be interesting if we ran a fortune telling business, and Remko's character (the granny I punched up yesterday) comes in to have her fortune told, and then our fraudulent practises are revealed. It's something we can play with at least. I feel a bit nervous about this, because we're not very organised, but I'm trying to stay cool about it and go with the flow (i.e. not worry about success or failure).

Philippe started the day by taking a photo of each of our characters, then he introduced today's exercise by saying with a chuckle: "I was a genius with this exercise only once in my life". We were to go up on stage (either by ourselves or with our families) and start a scene without knowing anything about the situation, and when it starts to flop a writer (who had previously nominated themselves) would offer a suggestion to keep the scene going. "The writer makes a suggestion when you are pedalling in the Sauerkraut."


Sauerkraut.

It is hard to be the writer! Adriano had the trouble of too much action. Trygvi had the issue of his suggestions ("a storm comes, the windows keep opening") overshadowing his actor. I tried to be the writer for Mark. Mark came on as his elderly woman character and sat by the telephone, as if waiting for a call. I said "the phone rings, it is Pedro's character". The scene eventually led to them meeting, and because I'd asked for Mark to put some music on, dancing together. But the scene got ended quickly because it got bad. We didn't get any feedback. And I'm not sure exactly what I should have done. I guess more conflict?

I'd been getting nervous today because I started worrying about entrances. I don't like going on stage not knowing what to do. I understand about not having an 'idea' - as if you've planned out the whole scene. But I think you need something to bring on. I spoke to Lib about this, who had done 'Le Jeu' (apparently the foundations of Gaulier's teaching) and she said in Le Jeu they learnt that the aim of an entrance is to come on and be loved. Do do something - enter with a proposition (e.g. the dinner is burning), but don't have an idea. Come on with a game, take space, and be loved.

I asked Philippe 'what does a good entrance need?' at question time at the end of class and he said you need to "come on with something special". He then described the feeling of being a star; waiting in your dressing room whilst the audience is buzzing in the theatre; and a runner comes and tells you it is your time to come on when you are ready; and then you are guided through backstage ("watch out for the cabling on the ground"); and then a door is opened for you and BAM you enter on stage to applause. The audience had been waiting for you and loves you. After the Bravo! all your fear disappears and you go on to play your scene. He also said that you must enter as yourself. King Lear is dead, but the actor is not. Let the audience see you, and know that you are about to play a wonderful character, then start the play.

Afterwards I asked him in private about my fear of not knowing what to do when I enter on stage, and he said to ask the question tomorrow whilst I am on stage. He said it is too abstract to talk about it. I need to do it.

After the mid-class break we all had to swap costumes with somebody else, and then come on stage as our borrowed character and imitate what the original actor does with it. I dressed as Jamie's wonderful Gerta character. I came on running waving goodbye to Graham (my husband) then started taking a fitness class with the audience. This was stupid! I was really annoyed with myself afterwards. I was too busy trying to make a good entrance but forgot about everything like lightness, subtlety, complicite, game etc. I was far too heavy and not sensitive at all. This highlights for me my tendencies under pressure. I need to learn to control these. Philippe said "you have to be careful - it's not easy imitating a good character." A few people groaned in the audience realising they had tough acts to follow!

• Trygvi was great in this exercise as Megan's Marilyn (a fairly unformed character with not much to work with). He made it work by playing Megan struggling with her character. It was fantastic! Trygvi is great because he is playing all the time. And because of this there is no fear, just fun.
  

• It's great when actors really see the audience and play with them. This is where the sensitivity is. Feeling out. I am still afraid of and avoid the audience

• "You have to want to have a scene. Otherwise pass it on because you're breaking my balls."

• "Every entrance is to create a conflict. When the conflict resolves...ah! We need a new conflict. At the end, when everything is balanced...poff! The curtain drops. Not a second too soon. Not a second too late."

• "If I imitate one person I can discover many good things for myself."

• "It's much better to be bad than to be average. Or to trick people into thinking you're good."

• Movement: I need to tuck in my pelvis (don't stick my bum out) or else I have no strength or stability!

• Talking to Remko at Chiquitos: "Complicite is like having a third eye in which you constantly watch your partner with to see if they are happy. And you always do things to make your partner shine."
  

After class Mark and I went in search of a hearty (and inexpensive) meal for dinner. After walking around Montmartre for ages we finally found 'Le Refuge'. I was happy we went here because the man that runs the place is the guy that helped me to find my apartment the first night I stayed in Paris. The pub is right opposite my local metro.


The Refuge. A real local inn.


The hearty meal I was hoping for. Peppered rump steak with salad and potatoes. 11 euros.

On the RER Mark and I spoke about the workshop, and he opened up to me saying that he found it difficult to work with me and this is partly why he changed character and we were no longer partners. He said that he felt attacked by me in the improvisations. I guess he felt challenged by my attempts to make fun of, or make a game out of our difficulties to work with eachother on stage. It's interesting because I was feeling the same about him as a scene partner. He said that some actors just have better complicite with some actors than others, but I don't really buy that. I mean I do, but I was enjoying the struggle to find how to play with him. He also said that I am an ambitious actor and perhaps this ambition comes out as aggression. I can understand that. I'm not offended. I'm learning. It's good.

Starting to think about London now... Mark told me apparently there are loads of free theatre tickets for under 26yr olds. It's true! Check out http://www.anightlessordinary.org.uk/
Very exciting!