Andy McGregor

We have under a week until our show next Thursday. Rehearsals have been running for a few days, it is an interesting (and challenging) way of doing things. The directors arrive with prepared scripts highlighting where the events in the script are. An event is something that happens that affects all characters on stage. We read the script from event x to event y. The actors then are assigned a task for this event ie "To force information from the King." They then think of a gesture that will carry them through this task, although the quality (moulding, flowing, flying, radiating) can change. The actors then move on to the stage and improvise the scene, using words that they remember from the script and made up words. The overall atmosphere has to move as well. It is then our job as directors to add in smaller tactics, to remind the actors about place and also time. Before we began this exercise we spent a lot of time on space. We explored the stage and looked at photos and de...

This is our day off and I shall take a break from the homework given to try and account what some, if not all, of the week consisted of. The week started, and continued, with the gathering of images and music that we thought could be related to Hamlet. It was interesting to see the other director's images and how each director had very different material, which was consistent to them and the play. It showed how challenging Hamlet is going to be, there are a million and one ways to deal with it. My images are here. Some of the music I chose was Britten's 'Dawn' from Peter Grimes, also Britten's 'Rejoice in the Lamb' , a glass-like Brian Eno tune and 'Kid A' by Radiohead which really brings up images of Ophelia in my head. We used improvisation this week to get some information, images and ideas. The improvisations were to be based on the larger themes of the play (altered states of consciousness, death, revenge etc etc) and were to be taken f...

This week started with Glynn's movement classes. She dissected peoples walks in seconds and, in the majority of cases, had people walking far more 'cleanly' than before. It was great to see how tiny tweaks can make such a difference. We then had text analysis. An interesting look at prose in Shakespeare. This is when, it was suggested, the characters have something to hide. They are playing with words and attempting to confuse, misguide one another. This makes sense and will be very useful to take into Much Ado rehearsals. Went to see 12th Night (Dame Judie Dench in the audience!) and it was a fantastic performance by Simon Callow, unfortunately he was dragging the rest of the cast kicking and screaming behind him! They were awful. It was all in the head and nothing in the body. Part of me wonders how someone like Peter Hall could direct it and make such fundamental mistakes. Today was again about exploring the directions and gesture. This time applying them to elemen...

That's the first week of the Globe over and done. Exhausting but very rewarding. We have been working with director Tom Cornford how to use the Michael Chekhov technique. There has been so much going on that I will try and put down what we have learned as it will serve as a good reminder when I get back: There are four main qualities of movement: 1. Moulding - like you are making your way through clay (I think the term sculpting may work better) 2. Flowing - like air 3. Flying - like fire. As though a bee is annoying you and you're walking on coals. 4. Radiating - like a blinding light is pouring out of your body. These elements can be combined with a movement in a direction: Forward: I give Back: I receive Up: I stand my ground Down: I yield And expand out and contract in. The actor then takes these gestures and using their body act out the line using the appropriate gesture. The trick is then to transfer this gesture into something called the life body. This appears to be a ...