Today's notes form rehearsal:
Walking around town scene.
problems:
Audience feel excluded. Backs to the audience; personal conversation; unclear if the dialogue is for us for the characters.
Dialogue is highly interactive so while the audience will have to "cope" with the idea of the two characters being in two different time zones but occupying the same space, they are not helped to do so because the dialogue is present tense and made up of short speeches taken in turn.
Solutions:
Re-block the movement so there is frequently more space (and audience) between the speakers. Turn the descriptions and dialogue into more of a three-way conversation by saying things out to the audience.
A much more complex script is required. Firstly, decide on the route the characters will take through Durham. Decide at which points Alex will be asking Kate to stop and see things or do things (e.g. feeding the ducks; having an ice cream; giving the sanctuary thing on the cathedral doors a rub.. whatever.) Next, bring the dialogue into larger "chunks" (perhaps one whole letter at a time) refer to previous letters. Perhaps have kate "say" somethings which are actually in the letter that Alex is reading - and vice versa.
Respond to each other as though your are reading it from a letter, not as if someone is speaking to you. You will not use words like "that" and "this" and "it" so much e.g.
..."tell me more about your house."
..."My house? (puts down paper) My house is......"
not
"What is your house like?"
"It's...."
In fact it could even be :
Kate: Tell me about your house."
Alex: "My House? Well -"
Kate: (overlapping)"- my house is actually a flat now..."
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