The weekend was quiet. At times boring. And I slept about thirty of the 72 hours. So I'm good. I finished my term paper on Friday and found myself twiddling my thumbs for the first time in months.
Monday brought a new cycle of classes as well as our first snowfall. I love snow...when I'm indoors or when I have proper footwear. I guess the dream of holding off on the galoshes until I get back to the States is not going to happen. It was like ice skating through slush trying to get to class. And we all know how well I have been getting along with Glasgow's streets (see mountain goat blog for details). But it's beautiful here. And feels more like home. Which I'm trying to avoid since I can't stay. I keep telling myself (and it's probably true) that the feeling of home that I feel is because I am happy doing what I love with like minded individuals. I am happy if I'm surrounded by theatre and film. That, I am positive of now. The feeling of contentment does not come from a perfect day because trust me there is plenty of frustration and emotional turmoil here. But the big picture is feeling useful, capable, and creative. It's growing from the Uncomfortable and the Scary.
Class started with our final yoga session with Rosina. I wish this lady taught us every day. Although there was a particular position that she bent me into that I'm not sure any human body should be able to do. It resembled a soft pretzel that you smashed into a ball. ...ouchy.
Then we trudged our way off campus to the UK studios for our first session with Rona Munro. This week is the Development stage of the process. It will involve a lot of Rona getting to know us as well as tons of improvisation. Sigh. Alas, I am getting better at it but my stomach still lurches at the thought. Surprisingly though, Rona was absolutely lovely. We did some play games that were something a little elementary but because of that, we could do it without thought or fear. We played "witches, giants, and gnomes" which is kind of like group tag. And played a listening game where we told a partner a scary experience we had then after two minutes had to tell their story to the class. We then shared with each other one object that defines us, one environment that scares us, and one childhood memory. For instance, my object was my silver cross that I take with me everywhere that helps me with stage fright, my scary environment would be to be buried alive, and my childhood memory was building our tree house on the bluff. We then mix up everyone's answers and select three that aren't ours and create a character from them.
Example: PB is afraid of hospitals. AK's object is a stuffed bunny rabbit. SM's childhood memory is when she gouged her foot on the beach once.
I then take those answers and created my character: Lauren (Lo) Scougall. She's 12. She's in the hospital because she broke her arm rollerskating and is nervous because her parents are in the waiting room and her mom forgot to bring her comfort toy- a stuffed bunny named "bunnytugs." She has an older brother who's 14 but he's a turd. The only other time she'd been in hospitals was when she cut her foot open on a seashell at the beach and it bled everywhere. Her favorite color is purple. Her dad works in computers and her mom is the secretary at her school. etc.
And it goes on and on. All these extra answers come out when Rona puts your character (you) in a chair and plays HOT SPOT. Basically, people fire questions at you about who you are and how you got to where you are. And on impulse you start answering whatever they shoot at you. I find that I took most of my answers from either my real life or from people I know. A lie, or in this case, a building of character is always more believable when based half in truth. Ten minutes later, you have your new role.
It was a nice way to jump start the imagination. And we had some serious laughs. At one point, LM created a werewolf hunter who was after killing his father (who was a werewolf) because he bit his sister. You know...realistic stuff like that. :) But Rona lovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvves the magick. She loves to put all kinds of mystical things in. I made a joke when I first found that she was our writer that I just know I'm going to have to flit around like a fairy or centaur at some point...well, today she mentioned Minotaurs. Centaurs, minotaurs...close enough. Can't wait to see where this one goes. I feel like it will never be a dull moment. Which I kind of like. I find, for the most part, that the people in my group are up for anything. I love that most of them have this amazing gift of Play. And they'll hold on to an exercise and stick with it as long as the writer and director ask. That takes stamina and a beautiful sense of "why not? eff it!"
As for outside life (not that there is much of one), I'm still doing very well. I did have my first pangs of loneliness today. Don't know what for, but I acknowledge it's there. But I am still very fulfilled and happy.
Home in two weeks...whoa.
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