Today was our final rehearsal and performance and we are reminded that just because we are playing the character doesn't mean that our energy levels and commitment to the character should not be low. As we are just playing the characters, we are allowed to be over the top. The characters are to be character coutured.
I had actually forgotten and hadn't taken into account in playing the character. As I am an old woman, in rehearsals I should give 100% regardless and I wasn't playing an old woman, I just remained as myself on stage. To bring an element of truth to my character, I personified an old woman by being hunched over, talking slow and frail, and having a stick I use for reliance. Feedback on my character was that it was better and believable than before.
Despite there being no emotional attachment between character and actor this does not entail that we shouldn't play in the moment. As actors we are to bring everything alive, so it is essential that we understand what's going on. Although this might seem contradictory in understanding the role and what's going on, what Brecht wanted was for the audience to have their eyes opened and to be able to express his views through his style of theatre. As actors we have to do our research on not the character, but Brecht himself, what caused him to write the play, what was going on at the time, what point is he trying to get across? So we are to understand what is going on and bring alive Brecht's voice against fascism and cause the audience to be engaged and think.
At the end of the play Rob told Sharney to say:
If we want to live and therefore thrive, we must seek to smash the fascist hive.
To make it more Brechtian, it would've been better as a placard which she could've read out aloud but show to the audience.
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