Throughout these past 5 weeks the most prominent and affective devising technique we have used, is the use of 'play', it was from here the group have been able to develop characters, relationships and their own personal journeys.

By starting each session by walking round the space and becoming our characters, the group have been able to find their personal boundaries which has then as a result started the creation of the group ensemble. Together, with this, and the introduction of objects, as a group we have created our world within a world.From using these strategies we have then been able to split off into smaller ,more personal groups, which have been created due to the similarities our personal object's have. It is in this space that we explore our characters to their full extent, as this object is to everyone the starting point of their character.
I feel it has become the most productive way to start a session as each person comes into the space as the person they have created, leaving behind the person they naturally are. Also you can see how each relationship develops and what emotions are attached to it, the longer this play continues.



'Training is a process of self-determination' (Eugenio Barba,1972,pg47)


I have found that in every 'play' session another part of my character develops, from the first, to where i am now, i can see an increasing shift from me naturally as Roxanne, to the horrible dark person that is now my focus, at first i was uncomfortable with this change, as it's far away from the original person i wanted to be, I soon realised that to become this character I did not have to change me, just my physicalisations, by using the simplist gesture i can show a dark side, and this evil personality, one which can make the entire group feel uncomfortable. By realising this i found my purpose or 'journey' in the piece, I would begin as being this nasty person who mocks everything she sees, to someone, who then craves the affection that so many share with each other.
This process however has been alot easier knowing that i have started it with someone else.By working with Edwards character I have been able to become this person who is so despised by their community, this is due to the fact that I know these sort of people often associate with others like themselves, by biggest worry was that i was not going to be able to put across this 'bitchy' person if at any point i was seperated from Edward, but I now feel that when the time comes for me to be seperated from him i would have enough strength as my character to break down my barriors and become more social, and perhaps at some point join in someone else's journey.






Physically, i do feel a change in my character, one that started slow at first, but is gradually becoming more apparent, at first I found that my physicality could at times be a bit manic, I always seemed to be rushing, and fighting for the attention of whoever i happened to be with, i often made sharp small movements when trying to involve myself in a situation, at times I felt quite clumsy in my appraoch to things. This in turn, I think, stoped me having full concentration at all times, because i did not feel that i had a purpose, i didnt have a bond with any one in paticular, so therfore could not see a path that i needed to follow.
Now i can see that my entire body languaged has hifted into becoming slower, less abrubt, more casual. Since my change in character, i have taken most of my influence from the mannerisms of a fox, an animal which is known to be sly and cautious, an animalk which at times can go un-detected, but when it leaves the damage is obvious. I now at first move around the group demanding my space alerting them in a very subtle way to move. My character begins with not wanting to know, or even care about what is going on, to being someone who's purpose is to a part of anything that might happen.



Barba,E (1972) The drama review, Words of presence.