As I'm certain you can tell by the lateness of my response, I have not allowed myself enough time for homework this week. That said, I'll try to make this quick.
I've heard of Malapropisms before, but I've never known the origin of the word. This character is freakin' awesome. I particularly like the idea of allegories on the beach of the Nile. Sir Anthony also has some quite amusing lines, and I love the making-amends scene between him and Captain Absolute (which really should be a superhero played by Nathan Fillion). The language threw me a bit. I've studied Elizabethan, Victorian, and Edwardian diction and slang, but this 18th century stuff had me scratching my head for a bit. That said, I'm kind of surprised at how much closer it feels to modern language than the vast majority of Victorian lit. Curious.
As for the chapters on movement, yes, indeed, there are very few American actors trained in how to move properly on stage. But I have to question the necessity for the vast majority of productions, given that the translation to the audience is what ultimately matters. I mean, I can see the wisdom in knowing how it's supposed to be done, but I question whether or not it's the right thing to do.
I totally agree with Potter on the idea of movement having to seem natural rather than be perfectly staged. It sticks out when I watch a rehearsal and the movement isn't right because something isn't connecting with an actor.
I really enjoyed the idea of creating movement based on metaphor. I'm coming to appreciate my training in writing more and more when I combine it with theatre. I think English is a fantastic tool box, but none of the tools get properly used until they're taken into different mediums. I used to think that in order to master many disciplines you had to perfect your form in each individually. I'm coming to understand it's a bit more like letting each one build on the other. Learning how to create stories helps me a lot in creating a persona for a single character, and the reverse is true as well.
Right. Brain's kind of dead now. G'morning, y'all.
