Immersion

Thu, 21 Sept 2006, 04:48 pm

Tari-Xalyr6 posts in thread

As a shoot off from another thread I've been following lately. Someone has bought up the question of immersing yourself into a character in order to give an honest portrayal of that character. So I pose the question to people. Are there any characters you have had trouble getting in and out of? Any general comments on the topic? What do you do to try and get into those incredibly surreal characters or characters that have absolutely nothing to do with you personally? My own 2cents worth that hasn't been mentioned in another thread: Recently I've been given the opportunity to bring to life a charcter that has been floating around my mind for about 12 months now. Tarsha - muse and story keeper. She is about 7yrs old in appearance and sometimes in her actions she is childlike. The truth being she doesn't actually exist except in other peoples minds. Strange concept but fun to portray. I've been using alot of observation just going out - freo mainly - to the park and town and observing children and there behaviours and responses to everything. Been watching family movies of when I was younger (which has been amusing) back when the world was big and exciting and everything was fun and laughable. After drama classes I sometimes find myself sitting in a serious subject - history so to say - laughing, bouncing and making overlarge gestures when I talk. I find it hard to step out of Tarsha's character in such a short space of time - 2min walk from one class to another - and after 2hrs being her it's too much fun to leave her there in the drama room. I guess my most recent and ongoing experience. Thankfully not a bad or psycotic character just one thats hard to break. I know that Tarsha will stick around in my mind until I get a chance to put her full story on paper. But until then. . .I am curious as to others comments and experiences.

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Tari-XalyrThu, 21 Sept 2006, 04:48 pm

Alex MilneThu, 21 Sept 2006, 09:09 pm

Hmm. Derolling is really

Hmm. Derolling is really important. It is easy to get stuck in certain physical or expressive character traits, expecially when you are studying at high school or university. When you work that intensively for a short condensed period and then quickly move onto something else its easy for elements of that character to linger.... as you were explaining. Emersion is great when discovering a character, to an extent, depending on the methodology you follow and what works best for you personally. However, once you are finished working on/with the character its really vital to deroll, for yourself (and often for the sanity of those around you). A simple meditative process to bring yourself centered into your own body again i find quite effective, and it can be done in an extremely short period of time. Ive also used the 'shake it out' deroll which is very quick and just clears your mind and body quickly and physically of 'character traits'... ** It takes a lot of work to be an overnight success **

Tari-XalyrThu, 21 Sept 2006, 10:29 pm

Pacing

I find pacing strangely comforting and it does help "deroll" so to speak. Walking around as the character and then slowly bringing yourself back drawing away from the character and into yourself again. I also make sure I do a yoga or meditation session each day I've had drama. But recently with the production and exams things have been pretty full on in that class. But it can be easy and difficult depends on how intense that period of time was and what's next. ~ Tari The Writer is a child forever listening at the keyhole of the adult world.

KirileeWed, 27 Sept 2006, 11:50 am

I remember when I was back

I remember when I was back in high school - year 11 I think - we did "So Much to Tell You" - a stage version of John Marsden's book (book is good, play is... well, let's say bad for censored purposes). However, I played Lisa - which is the character I like the most in the book. I remember that it took a while for me to come out of her after - like I got really moody and depressed for a while because in the play, Lisa is like that more so than the book. It took me about two weeks to come back to my own self.

LogosWed, 27 Sept 2006, 12:13 pm

I don't act much now. I

I don't act much now. I find it harder to learn the lines and I feel in many ways that I have more to offer from the other side of the footlights. I have however observed over the years that similarity to myself of the character I am playing is not necessarily the biggest problem. Some characters can be very very seductive. Attractive in a strange and dangerous way and it can be especially hard to de-role from these types. The type you hace always wanted to be. It also becomes vital that you must de-role from these characters. Down that road lies the issues of theatre lust and the explanation of so many ruined marriages among theatre types not to mention the eccentric behaviour your best friend and or partner begins to display when they tackle that toughy they always wanted to do. Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing. www.tonymoore.id.au

Tari-XalyrWed, 27 Sept 2006, 06:07 pm

Absurdism

Logos said: "Some characters can be very very seductive" I've found that characters of the Absurdist style are able to fall into the "seductive" style of characters. What they say adn do are so out of this world that they are - to me - the ultimate escape route. I played Estragon from Samuel Becketts play "Waiting for Godot" earlier this year and I found that he was an amazing way to escape for a little while. Logos also said: "mention the eccentric behaviour your best friend and or partner begins to display when they tackle that toughy they always wanted to do" That I believe can also be apparent for directors and other sections of the theatre. I know my teahcer directed her first play this year - "Our Name is Smith" - and it was all that was on her mind for 20 weeks. She'd tell us stories of ehr crazy dreams and how she walks around muttering about ideas and her room mate thought she was a litle wacked throughout those 20weeks. I personally am lucky enough to be playing a section of the character Mary Warren from Arthur Millers play "The Crucible." I fell in love with Mary when we studied the play in lit last year and admittedly when I performed her for the first related task I was obsessed with her - how she works and why she acts like she does, her role in the play etc. She was for me a seductive character and one i've wanted to play for 12months and to finally get the chance i went a little over board. lol. Characters can be seductive but that is part of the challenge. ~ Tari The Writer is a child forever listening at the keyhole of the adult world.

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