final blog

1 The transformation from validation stage to performance stage created many themes and issues within Porto. The issues and themes came from individuals and also arouse from groups that formed throughout the performance. People in the community of Porto were alone and lost and found themselves wanting interaction with other people within this space. Themes such as love, jealously, control, attention, interaction, scared and loneliness shined through the performance of Porto. All people within Porto longed for that certain somebody, someone they could share the journey with and help them, somebody that could make them feel complete . Individuals of Porto found them selves becoming drawn to becoming one with the community, but certain individuals found it hard and was forced to becoming one. These individuals found it hard to merge and felt forced, but were finally dragged in and were drawn into the ensemble pieces. An example of this was my distinct character not wanting to be part of the community it was not until she was forced and dragged in that she gave in. People within in the space of community all had one think in common there relationship with an single item that was in there bags. This one item that everyone had, linked certain individuals together some more than others. This one item brought people together and felt connections and drawn to people with this item in common. Individuals then found a purpose for being in this space together and found a reason to interact. Characters entered this space alone but most people left with somebody, this being someone they felt drawn to or somebody they felt a connection with. The themes and issues that arouse within the space became clear as time went on in Porto everybody wanted to belong either if it was part of the ensemble or as part as a group.

2 When beginning work in the studio this became our space of Porto we adapted to it. This was our common home and every move was based around the space we had within the studio. This had it’s limitations due to the space that provided knowing we would move into the arena theatre space. Being in the studio for 6 months I think was a disadvantage because we never had the space that we would finally perform. When Porto was rehearsed in the arena space, I found It hard at first this being for many reasons. Reasons such as my movement could now be bigger, having to adapt to the new space that was provided and last of all the community within Porto could spread out more. The main difference was the depth of space we had, the space in the studio was much smaller and when performing the opening routine in the arena it was different knowing we had a lot more space to work with. My moves could be bigger and not toned down as they was when I was in the space of the studio. When creating the transitions between the studio and the arena I felt my character change. She changed because she was in a new surrounding and was used to the space in the studio I seen new characteristics shine through when performing in the new space. ‘An actor who looks at the floor is uninteresting . Like a rally driver navigating the road ahead, the actor has to ‘read’ the space. But in order to do this s/he has first to really ‘see it’, to create parallels of attention so that the whole space becomes there filed of vision’ (Callery, D. 2001 p79 )

The final week we moved into the arena this had it disadvantages, reasons such as lighting and sound rehearsals, we could not have these in the studios so this was a frustrating time for us. It was a element of what needed to be done to make the performance complete but I feel this was time we needed to rehearse in new space.

The ensemble sections and sub groups I thought were much stronger and easier to perform when we was in the space of the arena, they had more of a impact and impression. I think this was due to that fact we could explore more with the space we had. At first I think we all was scared of the new space but when we came nearer to the performance we were taking more risks and exploring the new space we had.


3 Throughout the 3 shows I thought I could not develop anymore as a character, but as we went through to the final show my character developed a lot since the first performance, finding new things out about her self and taking new risks. In the first stages of creating my character I was very strong and was reluctant to changing her once I had established her. As the performance was moved into arena my character started to change and started to explore more and take new risks within the new space. This was a shock to me and was also a challenge adapting to her new characteristics whilst performing our final shows. My character has developed so much from what she first was. As well developing her characteristics her involvement inside Porto developed as well. Before my character never interacted with anyone within the space, it was not till the last 3 performance that she created and formed a relationship with one individual. This was strange for me as a character because she was always alone and always pushing people away until she met this one person that she let in and found that connection and purpose to explore more. The person she let in was also in love with somebody else she had to fight for attention from him, it was a love triangle. As the 3 shows went on she pushed and fighted more for his attention I felt my emotions get stronger. The 3rd show I felt my character was at it’s fullest that it could be ,I was so into my character that it was hard for me to come back to my normal self and back into a world that wasn’t Porto. My emotional state of my character was at its fullest and boiling point in my 3rd show she was fighting for the man she wanted to let in. Luke lets me in throughout the show and as the performance goes on the fight for attention of him becomes a struggle. My time in Porto I notice Luke even when he is with Michaela I am still interested but I become more emotionally upset towards the end where Luke is the middle and he is torn between the two of us. I never thought my character would never let anyone in but as the 3 final performances go on this becomes visible that I want interaction and attention on Luke. I don’t let anybody but Luke in and still have kept my characteristics such as being lost and alone towards everybody else. I don’t know what she see’s in Luke but she finds some kind of connection with him and around him she feels complete. Even though she knows Luke finds interaction with everyone else she still feels drawn to him. The RSVP stage I think was still present even in the final stages of Porto was a very useful process in creating our individuality of our characters. Our final performance as a group I feel was at its strongest on the 3rd and final show I feel all off our characters was at our highest emotional state and this was clear by the performance we pulled of as an ensemble.

Bibliography

Callery, D. (2001) Through the Body, A Practical Guide to Physical Theatre. London. Routledge

Other resources

www.dv8.co.uk assessed 12 May

http://www.vincentdt.com/ 14th May