"You Could Be Tintin."

Felt a lot freer today. As I walked into class I said to myself "I am great. I am beautiful. I am a master" - which the book in reading at the moment suggests (which to be honest I'm quite skeptical about). But something was different in me today. I was more open, proud to show myself and be watched. I was grounded, and quite carefree. And I still maintained sensitivity and lightness in my work. I can afford to risk more now - still working towards getting the exercise right as opposed to using the exercise to discover. I can go BEYOND just achieving the aim of the exercise!

~

We did a Mélodrama today in which a young person arrives at a friendly street flower-seller and buys a white rose for their Mother, who has been sick in hospital but is getting out today. The young person has been buying flowers there everyday, and on this day the flower-seller gives her the rose for free.

The scene then changes and we see the young person at the hospital, waiting to see her mother, but instead she meets a nurse who breaks the news that her mother has passed away.

The scene then changes back to the young person at the flower-seller, returning the rose (or however you want to end it!).

~

People were tentative to get up (and I was doing my typical deliberately holding back to see if anyone else will go...stuff that!) but eventually three of us got up. Mia as the flourist, me as the young man, and Steph as the nurse. Philippe got us to do theatre warm ups to loosen up and have fun. We had to do this for the People of Paris though. I sang the John Bolton classic: "I uloolooloosed to playlaylay my olololold banjololololo" which I had fun with. "We like him...but a bit pretentious." (I can be loosen up).

Philippe got Mia to stop doing everything at once. Instead: some movement (pick the flowers up, fixed point, snip the ends off, fixed point, look at paradise, some text, movement, fixed point...). 

"You have to show a bit [character specific gestures] and the People of Paris have to say fantastic!"

 Do something practical to make us believe you are the flower seller. And in doing so, receive a complement from the People of Paris. Wow! The actor is the same as the flower seller in our street!

He reminded me to have a real Mélodrama actor's voice. A voice for the Theatre (i.e. project). But more.

Sarah Bernhardt is a good example of the kind of voice we're going for.

"Does he love the people, or could he be the prince?" I was a bit proper as the young man. We need to see I love the flower seller, and the People of Paris.

Play opposites. As the young person you need to be fast and light and happy against the rhythm and energy of the nurse with bad news. This makes the drama spark.

~

"You have to show better... a lot of feeling."

"In a Mélo, when they telephone that something happy is coming, you know it's going to be dramatic."

"Of course it's not funny to say your mother died, but the actor is happy to play this beautiful scene."

"...It's not enough pathetic..."

~

Afterwards we did auditions for the different roles in the Mélodrama story we did earlier.

I had a go as the flower seller. I had a good voice, good fixed point, good rhythm, good pleasure. It felt good! I was selected, but: "Not enough actor. You didn't think I am an actor from Monsieur Dumas' school."

I also had a go as the nurse. Philippe said we need to speak in a low voice like a sommelier, or someone at a funeral. Basically, play with the fun to be solemn.

I came out slowly, with fixed points. Took of my hat, looked at the audience. Then said in a deep voice the Irish Blessing.

May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

I made a good step in being confident as an actor. To really take my time, and let the audience dream around me. I felt like my sensitivity and timing was really strong. Eventually Philippe stopped me and said I need to be more passionate. (He also said something along the lines of 'Has he pooed his pants?'). My voice was still 'normal'. But it needs to be harsher - even singing at the end. Daniele went after me and got a good feel for it - pulsing, almost violent. Really exciting to watch!

~

When Philippe had finished giving me feedback he said "You could be Tintin." This is funny because he said this to me 2 years ago.

I should rough up a bit. "Too nice. Too clean. But you are not boring."