"You Need To Have The Voice Of Somebody Who Saw Hell And Has Just Come Back"

• Enter in costume, speak text. If you are boring, the audience puts up their hands and you will be killed.

Another one of those seemingly simple exercises (just enter and be watchable, and then just speak and be listenable) which are in fact incredibly difficult! Most people were killed within the first moment of walking on stage. It's easy to see. We don't love them. They are holding something back, or trying too hard, or wanting it too much. Too small. Too pushed. And those that were able to hold our attention to the middle of the stage (those who walked with grace and power, mystery and seduction) all let us down when they spoke. It's so disappointing because we as an audience really want them to win, we want their voice to be fantastic, and we know what we want from the particular actor. So when we don't get it it's a let down!

"You need to have the voice of somebody who saw hell and has just come back...Someone who has seen something horrible...not a baby voice."

I had two goes entering in costume. The first people giggled and hands went up immediately. I imagine I look too serious and therefore a bit ridiculous in that costume. The second time a bit of the same. When Philippe banged his drum I roared into text to try and save myself. "SOOOOOO" in a loud and harsh voice. Hands went down. People were ready for what I was about to bring. "SPEEEAAAKKKING" louder and harsher again. Boom. "Too heavy."

Some people did get the walk however. "A bit...but we don't feel love from the actor for the spectator."

• Five friends sit at a café. One remembers it is the anniversary of the death of their dear friend Hektor. He makes a toast. And speaks the Greek Tragedy text in memory of him.

For this exercise we were to play 'pathetic' as opposed to 'tragic', in an almost melodramatic way. We also all got dressed up in nice clothes for it. Suits and dresses and scarves and gloves.

A lot of us were bad at this too! It required similar qualities to what Neutral Mask and Greek Tragedy require. Aura. Stillness. Time. A good voice. When I got up I got killed for being like a priest, not a friend. Ling and Anna did well. Really soaked in our gaze. Took their time, committed and played with the drama of it. Anna was playing in a really heightened 'emotional' state and it was enthralling!