St Trinians - first time on stage

St Trinians get on the stage for the first time since late October - an accident of the rehearsal schedule and they are in a terrific, bouyant state.  They have plotted, improvised and scripted whilst off stage and are literally buzzing with excitement now they have the stage.  A quick bit of stapling and highlighting of scripts and they are blocking in the "script".

I don't like watching actors with scripts in their hands but this is necessary because the development cycle  they have hit upon is:

outline scene.
improvise.
review and write.
one person types up the draft and edits / sharpens the script.
scripts printed, copied, stapled, handed out.
run through / block in the new script.

As I watch they attempt to brush up on timing, tone of voice, pace, blocking and are effectively "sketching" the scene in.  This is ok.  In fact, aside from momentary distractions, it works well.  I need to know that they can move on from this developmental /  scripting phase into a performance phase which develops their skills and brings the work up to performance standard.

I also think this developmental script will need more work / adjustment later. Not least to make sure it creates the right time period - currently it has too many modern expressions and ideas to be set in the 1950s. It is important to continue as is for now while also recognising that more work will be required later.

This group has a director so I must also have an eye to the quality of her input / results of her work. To begin with, she does one very important thing - she becomes an audience so the actors have to turn their efforts and energies outward: this is particularly useful for comedy because they need to make others laugh, and NOT themselves.

The director is also a prompt and a scribe.

Aside from this - the director needs to take some responsibility for developing the skills of the individuals and for the overall style and mood of the piece.

To this end I think the director is doing well in terms of allowing the actors to become comfortable in what they are doing; they are being encouraged to experiment and create.  The director is also giving guidance and modelling things like line delivery.  For the first 30 mins of stage time this is absolutely fine.

As I type, the director takes control of the story structure and moves for the creation of a scene to give more time to a less wel developed character.  Good instincts.  So the development cycle goes back to step one: agree and outline of a scene.... and improvise....

I hope, some time soon, the director can turn her attention to the sort of impact being created during parts of the work they already have.  I personally think that when an actor laughs on stage it is a bit like someone laughing at their own joke and it often elicits the opposite response from the audience.  This opening is currently contains stage laughter - which sounds like what it is : staged laughter.  There is also a telling of a funny story about a letcherous teacher - and this needs to be carefully suggested so the comedy is apparent without becoming tasteless.  At least one member of the cast has raised this but it needs further review when the scene becomes more polished.

Lots of ideas flowing now - ideas from Godber; ideas from "Waterloo Road"; ideas from their personal experiences of school  ideas of their very own. It is hard not to start chipping in myself.  Ideas are contagious!

15 mins to a break and the improvisation starts.