Chapter 13 and Comedy of Manners

As I read the Comedy of Manners chapter, several things stood out to me. I completely agree that watching someone work at the mannerisms appropriate to the time period gets boring quite quickly but it's also hard to seem like you were born with those mannerisms when we move very differently today. It also seemed odd to me that aristocrats would enjoy watching a play in the comedy of manners style because it seems to me that they took themselves pretty seriously and they would be watching plays that were poking fun at their lifestyle.  I really liked what the chapter said about behaving truthfully in the circumstances and that if you dig deeper into the text of the play, you can find the truth of their objectives and approaches. Language was used as "a medium for intellectual flirtation and display" which is a method of expression that we use less today. The final line in the chapter that struck me was that the people most successful in comedy of manners plays are the ones who take "life as a game to be played with consummate ease" and I thought that was the perfect example of the way many characters treat their decisions.
Although some of the jargon in Chapter 13 was a little hard to adjust to initially, I enjoyed reading about the personal space spheres and thinking about my answers to the questions on page 8.  Each answer I came up with for me personally was very dependent on the context of the situation I was in but the questions were also helpful when thinking about how Julia would answer the questions and who she would accept into her structural space sphere :).



http://sociologyisascience.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/filter-bubble.jpg

Chpt 13 in BW and Comedy of Manners

Hello,
So this week we had two different chapters we had to read to fully understand period movement.  When I was reading chapter 13 in BW, I found that a lot of what was discussed about personal space was exactly what we talk about no matter what acting class or production I am a part of.  The idea of personal space comes from the fact that we need to be aware of how much space we take up as well as how big our gestures are in certain shows and the placement of others in the scene, as well as how we are able to communicate without big gestures, just like we are supposed to do in this class.  This also connects to Comedy of Manners where we find specific characters and how they walk, and how we need to be aware of what is going on around us when we are taking up a lot of space.  With certain characters gestures will be big and have a lot of negative space, or very small gestures and little negative space.



http://lonerwolf.com/wp-content/uploads/sapientology/Personal-Space-Zoning-Distances.jpg

Fun With Costume Pieces

Today we played the ninja star dodge game, but with our corsets and period clothing on! Remember you are to be off-book by next week, so we can do more movement! I've changed your homework so check the Blackboard page for that. ~Prof. Jenn

Darcy attempts to collect ninja stars in restraining costume pieces.

Hey everyone!!
So this weeks reading is about period dancing and the different styles there are.  I found it highly interesting how very few people really know the dances and the fact that there are so many involved in that one category.  It also amazes me as to how many directors expect their choreographers to teach the dances, which are fairly difficult, in the amount of time it takes them to block a scene.  Apparently, the directors feel that dancing can be learned in an ungodly speed.

Kind of trickling into the next topic of costumes for my character in the Rivals,  I felt Julia would be a little more high class than other people.  A couple of the ideas I had for her outfit were something like these pictures here:

The Rivals Costume Idea and Reading Response - Movement for Actors (p. 119-152)

This is my costume idea for Julia. I like the subtle pattern with the flowers and the subdued green tones which hint at Julia's more sensible, kind, gentle nature which contrasts with Lydia's more extreme swings of emotion throughout the story.

Movement For Actors Response

Personal Reaction

After reading Part 4, I felt much better about having been challenged in class with moving in a period appropriate way and trying to read at the same time (it often proved too much for my brain). I enjoyed considering the perspective that dancing of the period a glimpse into the lifestyle of a specific time.  The idea of working with opposites in Shakespeare plays reminded me very much of "The Rivals" because, as Jen has talked about in class, there is a definite dichotomy and opposition between the image characters try to maintain on the outside and the drives and frustrations that occasionally poke through the surface. The "Discovering Relationship through Action" exercise sounds like a lot of fun to do, especially with movement appropriate to the 1750's, and I think that the movements listed could be helpful in more climactic moments in some of our scenes. I thought the idea of energy coming up the front of the torso when I sit in my 'costume' was helpful because it kept my body lifted without as much effort.

Professional Reaction

My favorite quote from the chapter was near the beginning from William Wilson about "how to communicate to your partner with your body…actions speak louder than words." I liked keeping that in mind when I read over my scene because the dialogue seems sometimes excessively wordy but seeing more of the movement possibilities when I read made the scene much more dynamic and a give-and-take of power. I was struggling last week to make my period movement look more natural, because I knew it looked pretty forced when we started, and the book suggested that having "poised and natural dignity" and "inhabiting your own body" were important in that process of making movement more natural.  I have not performed any Shakespeare since middle school, so I'm not familiar with what the experience of rehearsing and performing one of his plays is like, but I love reading Shakespeare. I think one reason his plays are so enjoyable to read is the movement possibility in them that the book mentioned and the beautiful, flowing use of the three centers of the body in his dialogue. Even though the language is a little tough to understand sometimes, the words come alive and are very indicative of the constant power struggles between characters. 

I agree with Rod McLucas that the part that's the most fun in working with older plays is the exchange of power through the "aristocratic game" they all try to play (and don't always play too well).  The idea of working too hard to impress or be witty was also brought up in the chapter and how the effort behind the humor makes it gouache and un-aristocratic.  That appearance of exerting little to no effort related very much to the way we were learning to walk in class last week.  I was surprised to read that women could rest their hands between their legs on the chair when they sat sometimes - it seems a bit too informal but it would certainly fit with the relaxed/at ease image. I practiced walking a bit more, trying to shift all my weight onto my front foot all at once and it helped make the movement of walking more energy efficient but it was harder to stay graceful.

MA Part 4 Responce

For my character Lucy I would say these would be adequate costumes for her:

 

The fact that most dances in period plays are wrong is really interesting. The stretching exercises shown to prepare for the dances seem like good techniques to use outside of preparing for period dances. Overall this text seemed a bit wordy and honestly I don't see myself using some of these techniques. I might try them but I don't dance enough to really put these to much use. The Shakespeare and Moliere sections are a bit useful. I had to read Moliere's play Misanthrope last semester and I have to to be honest the way everything rhymed made it harder to read normally and not fall into a continuous rhythm and it made understanding what was going on difficult.

I think the most important part of this section is all the how-to's given for different subjects. It is a quick down and dirty way of approaching these types of dances and exercises correctly. The timeline of period dances shown in this chapter is useful. It would be horrible for a play that is set in the early renaissance time period to show a dance that was common in the medieval time frame.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqQ8DH1UIQBUW4nFwYbOkzWsTr8EpGzrvANH1S5c1Kx03TDGKJawd0dcK3CdSwVVcTLBInYbYSRb4dSrnhRZ9VeUvUCtUI5rAToVb2oeXir3oIfcP_KT9Nc8OEy5TPa1lFqBJ1Qhk8gAX/s400/christmas+holiday+party+with+dancing.jpg

Partners and Costume Pieces

Here are your partners for The Rivals:
J.D. & Kalond
Kayla & Darcy
Mel & Rachel
Eli & Jess
You have all chosen your scenes and cut them, and should get off book ASAP. We will be workshopping these scenes Feb. 28 (my birthday!) so if you're off book by then that would be ideal.

Here are your costume piece requirements for the rest of our work on The Rivals (just do your best to get as much of this as you can; certainly don't spend any money):
MEN:
-button-up shirt
-scarf or tie
-heels if poss.
-bathrobe (long coat)
-vest
-belt (for sword carry)
-hanky
WOMEN:
-as many, as long, skirts as poss.
-heels
-corset or bodice (we'll have some available)
-fan

(Images from here, here, and here.)

Price is Right / Rivals

I watched the September 12, 1975 episode. The Price is Right models weren't very interesting. They were stiff with their body movements and pretty fake when it came to their enthusiasm to what they were doing. Basically it was like their directions were to be pretty but don't upstage the prizes.

I didn't like The Rivals. Personally it was really hared to follow what was going on in the plot. I think it was a combination of the way they spoke and the words themselves that didn't really fit for me. I was able to pick out the stock characters pretty well in this play so that's good. Reading this play wasn't fun, maybe if I saw it performed I would like it better.

As an actor it was semi interesting to see how the characters interacted with each other. Since this play was a Commedia dell Arte play I was able to relate it a bit in regards to the stock characters to other plays like it. The Importance of Being Earnest is the play that comes to mind as most closely related to this theme.

Claude Gillot (1673–1722), Four Commedia dell’Arte Figures: Three Gentlemen and Pierrot, c.1715

Price is Right/Rivals Kayla

Did anybody else notice the fear in the models eyes? Just me? All joking aside.... They were very Disney Princess to me, with flowing arms and dainty poses (Obviously they are a bit more sexual in demeanor than Snow White). I also appreciated one model crossing her arms back and forth over a lemon yellow washer/dryer set.

http://my-retrospace.blogspot.com/2009/07/mini-skirt-monday-17-anitra-ford.html

It was hard for me to get into Rivals, the beginning was certainly not a joy... "Waaah, I'm marrying a rich lady, waaaah girls can't read!" But I eventually got into the humor as I began to recognize the Commedia Dell'arte elements with the young lovers (Jack and Lydia) and I loved the deception from pretending to be poor in order to get a woman to love you versus lying to be rich.

The Rivals Reading Response!

Personal Reaction

Right off the bat, the stock characters that we discussed while looking at Commedia dell’arte were very apparent in the story.  Some of the characters didn’t have just one of those stock character roles but it was clear that Jack Absolute and Lydia were the young lovers and, of course, Jack was also the Captain (in both senses!).  Lydia reminded me of Lydia from Pride and Prejudice because of her naiveté, youth, and slight bratty-ness. I loved all the classic misunderstandings with Mrs. Malaprop and Sir Anthony because it was very much in the style of Comedy of Manners.  The love story between Jack Absolute/Ensign Beverley and Lydia Languish reminded me of a reverse Aladdin because instead of Aladdin (a poor guy) pretending to be Prince Ali (a rich prince, worthy of Jasmine’s affection and attention), Captain Jack (a rich guy) pretended to be Ensign Beverley (a poor guy).  Although the premise was ridiculous, it seemed a bit admirable for Lydia to be more interested in a poor, romantic man, even if the idea of him came from her books.  I enjoyed Faulkland’s character as well, mostly because he reminded me of a Neville Longbottom type.

Professional Reaction

Because “The Rivals” is a Comedy of Manners, like Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Ernest,” I saw many similarities based on discussions I had in my Intro to Theatre class when we went over English theatre.  Even though Oscar Wilde wrote his plays about a hundred years later, the plot line was still fairly similar to that of Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s.  I was also able to notice several stock characters in the play after we acted out our Commedia dell’arte scenes last week in class.

http://chucklewithsomething.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/commedia-dellarte-introduction-of-stock-characters/

Price is Right & The Rivals

The Price is Right
Let me start by saying I feel like I have more experience with 70's and 80's "The Price is Right" models than most students who would be given this assignment. Yup ... I'm old.  I looked up the 70's and the first one that popped up was from the year I was born, 1975. The models were just as I remembered from the 80's but with worse hair.  All frozen smiles and floofy arms, caressing the objects in a semi sexual manner. I used to be able to do a very good impression of them but I might be a little rusty.

The Rivals
I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. On about page two I was rolling my eyes thinking how much I was going to hate this play, but no. It was pretty funny. There were times of dry humor (my favorite) that I could see being hysterical if done by the right actor. In particular, the scene between Absolute and his father when the Dad is throwing a hissy fit telling his Absolute to calm down when he is already calm. Yes, it would be better if I could give you the particular Act, but I can't bare to look through it again at the moment. Nor can I bare to continue typing.

                                          http://www.lileks.com/institute/70s/price/7.html

Hey everyone!!
So one of the first things I noticed about the Price is Right models is their huge smiles!  I never thought someone could have such a big smile and so many teeth! I also noticed that their posture is impeccable which I saw made their walks glide and seem smooth and seamless.  They are highly slender and stand as if they are mannequins and have very precise movements as to how they move and what they do with their arms and legs.  I also found it kind of funny the clothes that the model had to wear for the show.





http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reminisce.com%2F1970s-1980s%2Fthe-price-is-right-rings-up-40-years-on-the-air%2F&h=0&w=0&sz=1&tbnid=LWSnKGDlZRyOtM&tbnh=224&tbnw=224&zoom=1&docid=rKI4I3rLGPH3uM&ei=iqj9UrPeN4yxrgG8yoG4Dg&ved=0CAgQsCUoAg

Price is Right Viewing Response

            Personal Response

As I was watching an episode of “The Price is Right,” from 1980, I noticed several things about the way the models moved and behaved.  They all had very big, plastered on grins and, unless using both hands to gesture, typically kept one hand on their waist.  The way they moved their hands reminded me of old school ballerinas because of the way they kept their fingers poised.  The models were generally still in their torso and lower body and moved only their arms and hands in a fairly small range without letting their elbows get too far away from their sides. The gestures they made were flowy and sweeping, creating an air of somewhat faked elegance.  I also noticed that they bent their wrists a little unnaturally, holding more tension than necessary, and I assume that was also to look more elegant (although I think it just looked straight up uncomfortable).   My favorite part of watching the models was that the way they sat, moved, stood, and leaned all were very intentionally “relaxed and cool.”  I don’t mean that the models were actually relaxed but they were clearly trying, through their movement, to have a laidback and cheerful nonchalance demeanor.

Professional Response

Their movement style of trying to appear relaxed while staying quite still and not moving more than necessary reminded me of a play I was in at University of Wyoming called “The Beaux’ Stratagem” by George Farquhar which was set in a village in England in the early 1700’s (about 50-75 years before “The Rivals” was first performed).  We had a great deal of time period specific movement training during rehearsal and we learned about how stillness and small movement were still very much the way people moved, they also tried to appear relaxed.  Men would lean back at a bit of an angle, put a hand in their pocket, and often appear disinterested in order to seem relaxed (however, the way they stood is actually uncomfortable to stand in for very long).  The women, of course, wore corsets which restrict movement of the lower body very much, so the gestures and body language they used was mostly illustrated through the way they moved their forearm and hand and how they moved their fans.  The gestures we learned to make in rehearsal reminded me very much of the type of movement that “The Price is Right” models did. I think that the most important point in viewing “The Price is Right” is the similarity of the way the models moved to the way we will be learning to move in class for “The Rivals.”

http://larsdatter.com/18c/banyans.html

"18th Century Men’s Banyans, Night Gowns, and Wrappers." 18th Century Men's Banyans. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.