Rehearsal 23, individual sessions

Tue 25th June - Simon, Deborah, Shelley
Thu 27th June - Kareena, Barbara
Thu 11th July - Sylvia, Rob, Jenni
Tue 16th July - Phill, Robbie, Julianne, Trev, Gary K
[Thu 18th July - Darren, Chris, Gary G, Andy]
Tue 23rd July - Kerry, Helen, Nicola, Petrina

This bunch of rehearsals have been concentrating on individual characters. Looking at the schedule, everyone seems to be covered except for Bram and Rohen. Hmm, either they're too good already, or David hasn't noticed them. [Subsequently I find that the 18th July session gets cancelled anyway].

Today (16th) is the turn of the town officers and the 'Chinskies. First we are asked to sit down and write all the facts we know about our characters from the script. Interestingly, there seem to be more facts about the Judge than about most characters and I am able to write a reasonable list.

We also spend a little time writing down what we think of the other characters and what we think our own main characteristics are. I choose 'honest' as one of mine, despite the fact that the Judge doesn't do much judging, keeps all his hunting gear at the courthouse and is prepared to accept and make bribes. I guess my natural attributes are showing through into the character. Honest!

After a quick warm up based on the characteristics we had identified, we start an improvised scene between the Schools Superintendent (Gary), Charities Warden (Julianne) and Judge. This is based on what would happen in the first scene, where we are waiting for the mayor, if he didn't show up at all and we had to develop the discussion along the lines of speculating why we had been called there. Perhaps David is expecting Simon to have stage fright on the first night and leg it. Let's hope not judging by the way this improvisation develops.

The Warden soon gets very pushy, planning to take over the town - apparently single-handed and irrespective of the opinions of anybody else. Very scary. And perhaps not as sly and underhand as I would expect the Warden to be. It's actually quite hard to deal with while staying in the Judge character. If Simon really doesn't show up for the first act, I'm going to end up gibbering in the corner while the Warden soliloquises with a maniacal gleam in his/her eye. I resolve to buy Julianne a drink after the rehearsal - just to be on the safe side.

Next, it's the turn of the Chinskies. Phill and Robbie run through their Act One routines a number of times and spend some time building up the little bits of business and reactions to each other. As Simon isn't here, I get to read the mayor's parts for this and it is fun watching it develop. Particularly good are the bits where Robbie reacts to being brow-beaten for non-existent interruptions and where Phill impersonates Khlestakov walking into the Inn.

So, has this session been any good? Yes, I guess so. But it's also a little disappointing. I have been feeling uncomfortable with my portrayal of the Judge and unable to 'feel' the character and I was really looking forward to this session and hoping all my difficulties would be resolved. But I still feel uncomfortable as I leave.

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