Task 2: A Midsummer Nights Dream: Performing a Classical Role: Rehearsals

 Performing a Classical Role: A Midsummer Nights Dream

                                                     Group Members: Harrison as Demetrius and Ellie as Helena.

Initial Ideas Before Rehearsals

Initial ideas on how to stage the scene

I (Demetrius) will begin by coming from the wing, upstage left, being followed shortly by Helena, trying to stop Demetrius from chasing after Hermia and Lysander. This scene is set in a wood near Athens, so this scene will be in forest green lighting with a sparkling affect, with ambient forest noises.

What interests me about this scene

Helena is following Demetrius and they are having a deep conversation about their relationship and how he does not love her, while Demetrius is trying to go after Hermia and Lysander to kill off Lysander to get with his true love, Hermia. This scene is interesting to me because it tells me straight off the bat what Demetrius and Hermia's characters are like. With Demetrius coming across as aggressive and stupid in a way, and Helena coming across as loving and is determined to stop Demetrius from getting into any trouble because she may not want see him get hurt.

What I am nervous about with this dialogue

I'm nervous to properly delve into a Shakespeare performance because sometimes it is hard to learn lines in a short amount of time, and with it being in the language that was used back in Elizabethan times just makes things much harder. It can make you muddle up lines as it's not language we use to this day. But maybe understanding what these words mean in modern language may help the process in a positive way to learning these lines.

Research on Act 2 Scene 1

Date: 29/11/2023

Activities we did: Walked though the scene between Demetrius and Helena, watched other performances of this scene online to try get ideas of how to stage it.

WHO- Helena and Demetrius.

WHAT- Helena trying to convince Demetrius not to kill Lysander and to just get with her instead.

WHERE- Outside the forest near Athens during sunset.

WHEN- Evening

WHY- To find Hermia and Lysander, to kill Lysander to get with fair Hermia.

Costume: 

Helena- Blue and White Patterned Dress

Demetrius- Blue trousers and Dark Blue jumper

Context:

Before this scene Helena and Demetrius are in the woods. Helena is trying to convince Demetrius to love her but Demetrius is too worried about killing Lysander to get with Hermia.

Rehearsals

Date of Rehearsal: 13/12/2023

Activities we did: In our first rehearsal, me and Ellie worked through the script closely. Firstly we went through the whole scene and acted out how we believe this scene would pan out. Then we looked at each page of the script, piece by piece. On the first page we added a lot of new actions to the piece and this should help for us to remember the lines too. Then we ran through the page we had annotated and used all these new actions and it turned out pretty good. We then went on to start writing on the second page, and the actions we will do then.

Date of Rehearsal: 15/12/2023

Activities we did: On this day we finished writing on the script, the stage directions and how to show our emotions on each lines. For example we decided when running through multiple times with our annotated scripts that other than Helena getting down begging for Demetrius, we would add a bench to the set and she would pull me to sit down and be all loving with me on there instead.  

Date of Rehearsal: 10/01/2024

Activities we did: On this day we had our first tech and dress rehearsals and we both still had our scripts but we nearly had the hang of our lines. As this was a tech rehearsal we were staging it properly with the set and props. I was directed to be even more disgusted with the way Helena was acting towards me as she was very affectionate towards me and obviously Demetrius doesn't love her, he loves Hermia. 

Date of Rehearsal: 12/01/2024

Activities we did: On this day we missed our rehearsal at lunch, so when I got home I made sure I prioritized learning my lines, and in about an hour I perfected it. Over that weekend I got my mum to help me run through the script, with her reading Helena's lines and me trying to remember and say mine, I done that multiple times up until the day of the performance so that it would stick in my head. Also when I woke up and at other random points in the day I would say my lines out loud to myself just so I made sure I definitely knew what I was saying on the day.

Date of Rehearsal: 15/01/2024

Activities we did: This was the first day me and Ellie had run through the performance fully since knowing our lines. It was a very short rehearsal but we made sure it was perfected and polished and made sure we showed as much emotion in our rehearsal as we would in the performance so that we could get used to it. 

Date of Rehearsal: 17/01/2024

Activities we did: This was the day of the performance, but before we performed we had done another quick rehearsal with costumes and set, this was the first time me and Ellie had performed without scripts on the actual stage area we were doing it. When doing this I was directed that when I walk on stage I should take a long and hard look around the space at the forest and looking for places Lysander and Hermia could be. I went off and thought what I should do to make this happen and then when we done a proper run-through, that is when I had done that for the first time. It all went very well and we were confident for the performance ahead.