tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703Thu, 03 Oct 2024 19:23:06 +0000Winter's TaledirectingrehearsalMAchallengequeerblocksexercisesreflectivereflective journalrelationships453absencebloggingcommunity of practicedirectorgaygrowingphilosophyplayprogress451Actor TrainingAnne BogartGlobe (Dunedin)MUSI133MaidsMarionettesMeisnerOUSATHEA454academyactingactionattemptbalancebitchcareerconfidencecritical thinkingdifferencedirectiondrunken rehearsalextend/advancefilmflexibilityfriendgameshissy-fitjournallearningmastersmirroringofferson/off-stagepairspairs. rehearsalpatienceplanningpotentialprogrammeresistanceself/othersexualityside-coachingspacestorytechnicaltheatre studiesvampiresviolencewarm-upweb 2.0whole-body listeningwikiThis blog details the journey of a theatre practitioner. It is only through concious reflection on our deeds that we can achieve feats of such wonder.http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)Blogger26125en-usnoThis blog details the journey of a theatre practitioner. It is only through concious reflection on our deeds that we can achieve feats of such wonder.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-1794999605093194944Tue, 12 Jan 2010 06:12:00 +00002010-01-12T19:40:52.515+13:00challengefilmMUSI133storyvampiresSo, I have to make a short film for one of my Summer School papers. This is somewhat new territory for me; it has been a while since I have filmed something with the express purpose of showing others. And even the last time I did so, I did not even do the filming but only the editing! So, I expect this to be an interesting challenge. The first problem is what to make a short film on. I http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2010/01/victim-of-gaze.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-4472256437061327848Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:15:00 +00002009-10-26T07:15:31.842+13:00academycareerdirectionMAOUSAplanningqueertheatre studiesThis year didn't quite turn out the way I thought it would. Serving on the OUSA executive as the inaugural Queer Rep altered my plans dramatically. Yet this alteration actually worked in my favour rather than against me. Since the job took up much more of my time than I was anticipating and I was having problems with the programme's administration, I decided to temporarily withdraw from my http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2009/10/smell-roses-take-some-time-out.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-2049608281344843851Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:43:00 +00002009-10-26T07:08:59.346+13:00Actor Trainingcritical thinkingMAMeisnerphilosophyqueerTHEA454This semester, I took the opportunity to take THEA454: Advanced Actor Training. This was originally intendend to supplement my Master's study but I have since decided to take some time out from my MA. This course focused on the Meisner technique and - although I felt there were some problems with the course/assessment design and objectives - gave an interesting appraisal of the technique. It is http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2009/10/semester-of-actor-training.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-6053868380324496705Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:41:00 +00002009-09-28T07:42:59.728+13:00MAprogressIt seems things are not quite going according to plan. Life has gotten in the way this year. With my work at OUSA, I have been too busy to continue Masters so am taking a year or two off. That is not to say that research cannot continue in some form - it just has to be less formal.http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2009/09/how-are-things-going.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-617760845590115447Thu, 18 Dec 2008 04:53:00 +00002009-09-28T08:12:36.734+13:00MAqueerBlurred Crossings: Towards a Praxis of Queer Aesthetics in TheatreA Proposal for Master of Arts in Theatre StudiesUniversity of OtagoNeal BarberBuilding on my directed project - "Towards and Understanding of How to Provokingly Portray Gay Relationships on the Stage Using the Texts of Shakespeare as a Vehicle" - "Blurred Crossings" will aim to interweave the personal and queer theory to find a wayhttp://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2008/12/ma-proposal.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-6007961657234802547Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:42:00 +00002009-09-28T07:41:35.136+13:00453MAprogressToday I had a meeting with my supervisor and the head of Theatre Studies programme about my masters for next year. It is fantastic that they both are really excited about my project. One resounding good thing to come out of the meeting was that I have already prepared with my 453. Because I have already done something similar before, I am forewarned about the pitfalls I may face so have some ideahttp://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2008/10/progressing.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-2743549467705460127Mon, 25 Aug 2008 03:15:00 +00002008-08-25T15:17:49.242+12:00Globe (Dunedin)programmeI would like to see the Globe Theatre not pay out the large amounts we have in royalties previously next year. It seems to me as if we should be focussing on plays that are out of copyright - Shakespeare, Restoration Comedies, Victorian Melodrama - or new plays by local playrights. I think it would make a really fun programme.http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2008/08/gobes-programme-for-2009.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-4409190168623158714Mon, 25 Aug 2008 02:31:00 +00002008-08-25T14:43:55.203+12:00actionchallengeWinter's TaleThe play is becoming a bit stale. Some of the actors are simply doing the same thing over and over without experimenting and trying something new. I just gave them some advice this evening – also because they have tomorrow night off and I don't want then to lose the show totally and so come to performance on Tuesday and have difficulty getting back into it. Hector's hand- gestures are also http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2008/08/play-is-becoming-bit-stale.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-6677699206466492569Sun, 24 Aug 2008 16:31:00 +00002008-08-25T14:42:39.339+12:00Anne BogartMaidsmastersqueerspaceWinter's TaleI have been reading Anne Bogart's And Then, You Act ostensibly as preparation for my MA but also because it is actually rather good. However, tonight I came across the following passage: "If you supply a complete world with all the details, then the audience has nothing to do but accept the illusion and become passive" (76). This comes from the chapter entitled “Magnetism” which examines http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2008/08/i-have-been-reading-anne-bogarts-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-4071734516851460629Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:30:00 +00002008-08-25T14:40:38.271+12:00technicalWinter's TaleMy techs are finding it difficult to follow the changes in lighting states during the play. I have relatively new techs who don't really understand why the lights are changing. I was thinking today that anyone with theatre experience would understand the philosophy behind technical work. For those that are new I feel it takes a little more time to explain why we change the lights when we do. http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2008/08/my-techs-are-finding-it-difficult-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-7513854879852401559Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:06:00 +00002008-08-18T12:15:09.814+12:00absencerehearsalWinter's TaleAnother messy rehearsal today. The main reason for this: one of my actors didn't turn up and two others were 45mins late. I didn't get to use one of the actors very much because the scenes he is in rely greatly on the actor who was not there. The actor's absence also meant that we had to work on the Sicilian scenes. I tried to contact the missing actor but her cell phone was off. I was not amused.http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2008/08/mess-mess-mess.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-4958763326966450371Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:42:00 +00002008-08-18T12:28:58.065+12:00attemptblockschallengerehearsalWinter's TaleHector has improved immensely! He has come out of his shell much more that I would have believed possible. We now have a much better understanding of each other and I think this was a great part of the problem to begin with; I think the drinking night we had helped improve the situation. Now, I just need to have a quiet word with him and he at least attempts what I ask of him rather than trying http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2008/08/getting-better-all-time.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-1824240631624780432Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:03:00 +00002008-08-18T16:58:02.529+12:00absencebitchdirectingflexibilityhissy-fitresistanceWinter's TaleTonight at rehearsal I was such a btich! We have a dance number in the play that a few of the actors are not committing to. One of the problems is that it has a slow melody but a fast beat and they are trying to dance to the beat rather than the melody. So, whilst we were waiting for some of the actors to show up - lateness is still a problem - I played the musce on repeat. Myself and two of my http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2008/08/tonight-at-rehearsal-i-was-such-btich.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-4554988847127291405Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:54:00 +00002008-08-18T12:29:16.565+12:00bloggingdirectingreflectivereflective journalrehearsalWinter's TaleHere is a link to my library blog which talks about how blogging makes me a better director. http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2008/08/blogging.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-2983683698380850667Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:18:00 +00002008-08-12T15:30:39.400+12:00directingdrunken rehearsalgaygrowingrelationshipssexualityWinter's TaleThis weekend, we had an intensive rehearsal for Winter's Tale. This was enlightening for two particular reasons.First: I had been wanting one of my actors to make his scene partner the focus of a humping movement to accompany the line "she's a hobby-horse." In previous rehearsals - and more than one - I asked him to hump his scene partner. However, he just was not ready to. Then, on Saturday http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2008/08/just-wait.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-8549101353234025986Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:21:00 +00002008-08-18T12:30:26.436+12:00directinggamesplayreflectiverehearsalwarm-upWinter's TaleI think I may have found a solution to the cast of Winter's Tale standing round doing nothing but saying their lines. The answer is warm-ups. Actually, more specifically I am thinking about the types of warm-ups we do. Previously, we had been focusing on vocal warm-ups - vowel scales, Hum Train, Pirate Song - but last night we did more physical warm-ups. I started with Biddy-Biddy-Bop but when http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2008/08/value-of-warm-ups.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-5821056313942884484Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:15:00 +00002008-08-18T12:29:48.343+12:00exercisesMarionettespairsrehearsalFor: Two Actors.Aim: To help actors be comfortable keeping eye-contact and to work together for non-verbal communication.How: The two actors stand comfortably apart facing each other. Keeping eye-contact, one actor moves the other by pulling invisible strings - hence the name of the exercise.Variations:&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp -The actors can stand one behind the other - obviously a little http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2008/07/exercise-marionettes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-755477927869829073Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:05:00 +00002008-08-18T12:30:55.800+12:00exercisesmirroringpairs. rehearsalFor: Two actors.Aim: To focus attention and improve interpersonal relationships.How: Two actors stand comfortably apart but facing each other. The director asks one actor to start a movement which the second actor copies. The actors then swap leadership. Eventually, an audience should not be able to tell which actor is the follower and which is the leader.Important Points: -The actors should http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2008/07/exercise-mirroring.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-4606958768511105932Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:33:00 +00002008-07-30T08:34:21.517+12:00directorCan anyone tell me what a "professional" director is? This concept is so bemusing...http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2008/07/wtf.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-2856884506463331390Sun, 27 Jul 2008 22:53:00 +00002008-08-18T12:31:18.552+12:00balancedirectingfriendplayrehearsalWinter's TaleI have been thinking about what an actor said to me at rehearsal last night. She said I needed to be stronger on the actors to make them work at understanding what they are saying more. This made me think about how I direct. I think that in Winter's Tale, I have been too much of a friend. It is too late to change this now but I need to be much firmer in future. I think I often feel that keeping http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2008/07/thinking-all-time.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-5097117574521752456Sun, 27 Jul 2008 05:35:00 +00002008-08-18T12:32:40.673+12:00actingblockschallengedirectingexercisesextend/advanceofferspotentialrehearsalrelationshipsside-coachingWinter's TaleWe have just had another rehearsal for Winter's Tale, Hector has improved greatly, and it was the first rehearsal with Florizel and Perdita.Instead of running lines, we focused more on exercises to get the cast freed-up. This didn't quite go as well as it could have since the actor playing Perdita was at rehearsal on-time and - naturally enough - got pissed off that the others were late; we http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2008/07/creeping-up-slowly.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-3006402792310819668Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:15:00 +00002008-07-28T10:13:30.343+12:00bloggingcommunity of practicereflective journal I have now had experience in why blogging is such a good idea! Not only does it let you get feedback quickly – or it would if you had a large audience – but it also lets you get things off your chest. Particularly in theatre where you may not have many people to talk over your problems with, you can put it on the web for he world to see. However, you need to be careful that you are not going http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2008/07/blogging-roxors-my-soxors.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-4010171814867590698Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:10:00 +00002008-08-18T12:33:04.180+12:00blocksdirectinggaypatiencequeerrehearsalWinter's TaleI have been quite astounded by the actors' willingness to explore homoeroticism in Winter's Tale. In previous productions, many of my actors have just not wanted to take the risk. Not only are my actors taking more risks but I think I have been too cautious in the past. Particularly when I directed ShaxxxQueer. I have found that if you ask the actors to do something they will probably do it – http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2008/07/risk.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-6501473882301418509Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:27:00 +00002008-07-30T12:53:05.139+12:00453blockschallengeconfidencedirectorexercisesgrowingjournallearningon/off-stagereflectiverelationshipsself/otherviolencewhole-body listeningWinter's TaleDuring the last rehearsal [two nights ago] I, finally, figured out how to do a reflective practice journal. I was confronted with a challenge in rehearsal for Winter's Tale. One of my actors, let's call him Hector since this post will make very little sense if I don't name him and I don't want to use his real name (for reasons that will become, I hope, apparent), has only been in one play beforehttp://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2008/07/reflective-journals.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003038192882032703.post-8469320606587388921Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:43:00 +00002008-07-01T11:49:08.429+12:00community of practiceweb 2.0wikiFor my DIL project (blog here) I am trying to find a community of practice for queer theatre. There are a few theatre wikis out there but nothing that is really suitable or indeed nothing where you can actually find any information! I think I need to find some people to work with to start one up.http://thespusoddity.blogspot.com/2008/07/community-of-practice.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Neal Barber)0