TASK 1- Knowledge of Technique
Personal Development- what I've been working on
The following skill development is discussed within my blog- link below:
https://charperacting.blogspot.com/
*Acting for Camera- table scenes, Duologues, Memorisation, Devising techniques
- yet to attach duologue tape and dinner table scene tape
Monologues- self tape attached below:
https://youtu.be/yzxhq8SUPEM?si=iw_Lb2qKPLcR-Kc7
TASK 2- Specialist subject question- SIDE NOTE- This copy of my specialised question does not include Harvard referencing- The copy that includes the referencing is in the word document attached with my assignment hand in
Was covid 19 a positive or a negative for the theatre/creative arts industry?
Initial affect- what it coursed:
Covid 19 hit worldwide in early 2020, and was declared a pandemic on the 11th of march that year. This disease had a knock on effect throughout the world, impacting our social interaction, small businesses and of course the theatres which closed only five days after covid was declared a pandemic on 16th of march 2020. Because of this shut down many shows got their runs cancled, with some of these shows only opening less than four weeks prior of a potential 6 month tour- some of these shows didn’t even make the stage with the cast and crew losing their jobs and any sort of future income they would have gained. “West End hits The Lion King and The Life of Pi are among a number of shows that have been forced to cancel performances due to Covid-19 outbreaks”- this statement was released on the 14th of December 2021- almost a month after theatres reopened on the 15th Novemeber 2021 in the UK and yet shows were still being cancled because of covid and the ongoing lingering effects of the illness. This meant everyone working in the theatre industry whether that be cast or crew were made job less for over a year- whilst still facing repercussions after returning back to work, causing a substantial and unstable decrease in personal income. This then led to a decline of creative arts workers- “In London alone nearly 40 percent of theatre and arts workers had been made redundant, causing over half of them to consider quitting the industry”- which is a devastating reality for the creative arts- “we found that 15% of people who worked in creative occupations in January-March in 2020 were no longer working in creative occupations in April-June”. Working within the industry can already put you on an unrelyble income source, but when covid hit this only became worse. Hindering the progression and the life of theatre but also the enjoyment and education it can bring to the world around it.
How the industry combated covid during the pandemic
Instead of just excepcting that covid 19 had closed off theatre from the world, the theatre industry decided to try and use it as a way to bring people together safely at a time of such isolation- using online theatre methods along with forms of amphitheatre following social distancing guidelines. One specific theatre group- told by an idiot- created a documentary called “dedicated to caos” surrounding their journey to combat restrictions on theatre during covid 19. Within the the documentary they mentioned a lot about utulising public outdoor spaces to keep theatre alive- “And if that means taking to the streets- a basketball court in Deptford or underneath a flyover in Thamesmead, then that’s what we’ll do”- they really utalised theatre methods that we maybe dont acknowledge as much, whilst also reminding us that theatre can be made from anything and by anyone. Their work also carried a heavy sense of community and society, and acted as a way for people to rejoice again and come together as one- safely within the guidelines- “I think this time, were it’s very hard to be together in any shape or form- feels crucial that we find ways of being live with theatre”. Dedicated to caos also focuses on the flexability within theatre- and we see a lot of experimentation within the documentary, and we see them give themselves a space were they have an opportunity to learn and adapt and try something new, and because of the limits that covid created it forced the group to dig deep and push themselves further- which makes room for more resilient performers and theatre makers within the industry. Although It wasnt just theatre trying something new, the BBC did that too- collaborating with actors Micheal Sheen and David tennant to create the hilarious comedy series “staged”- centered around both Sheen and Tennant trying to navigate rehearsals for a play over zoom during Covid 19. The series is all about highlighting the difficulties that actors had to face during Covid- especially when it came to using zoom and self taping. The series itself is all done from the perspective of a zoom meeting, with no expensive camera equipment being used- just the actors phones, Sheen said- “I'm using the sort of format and medium that everyone is using. Having to do calls on Zoom and all that kind of stuff - so we've been able to tap into what's funny and absurd about that as well”. The series is relatable to the audience at the time, and allows us as the viewer to feel seen throughout watching the series, which is really comforting- especially when your having to self isolate in your home just like the actors in the series. David Tennant also said- “People seemed to recognise what the characters were going through. Not the specifics of being an actor in lockdown as such, but the sense of helplessness, the frustrations and occasional joys of being stuck at home while the world trundled on”- and once again using the creative arts in lockdown to help others whilst pushing what we thought was possible with entertainment and theatre for the better. Staged is completely unlike any television that we’ve seen before, and is purley a result of the effect of lockdown, because yes Covid 19 pushed setbacks on the creative industry it also forced it to think furthur outside the box to continue providing entertainment for the world- and Staged is a brillant example and product of that.
Theatre adaptation- renewed inavition:
Although Covid 19 may have caused the theatre industry to crumble, it also pushed it to become stronger and find new ways to reinvent itself and adapt to the circumstances that it found itself in. This as a result has made theatre better and the creative arts more accsesisible for us now- being forced to make better use of a more virtul way of casting and booking jobs. Self taping became more of a tool in 2012, yet still wasnt viewed as an accurate or proper way of carrying out auditions, and instead was mainly used if someone was working/living abroad or couldn’t travel to the audition. But because of covid the industry was forced to lean on self-taping and zoom calls to carry out all auditions- “In 2020, with all in-person meetings off the cards, the pandemic established self-taping as the new normal”- finding a new effectiveness of selftaping, especially for actors who are based outside of London and New York- making it easier for them to access the same jobs as the actors based within the cities. And It’s not just self taping that's proved to be an actors new normal, but zoom call audition too have becume a much more relied on source, and now are used to carry out drama school auditions, acting lessons and online meetings between cast and crew. This is not just a stronger step in the way of convenience within the industry, but also eliminates that barrier of travel cost- especially for many northan actors within the UK who can't afford to travel up to london every week for auditions- coincidentally allowing a more diverse sea of casting. Online theatre has also had a larger breakthrough since Covid, especially from the Natinal Theatre- “It led the organisation to launch a streaming platform, National Theatre at Home, in December 2020”- using the platform as a way to stream pre recorded performances of shows they have created over the years, along with shows that have previously been screened in cinemas and used for NT Live. This was an incredibly productive step for theatre, but more specifically the Natinal Theatre as it made their work more worldwide instead of just nationwide- creating a bigger audience for theatre and making use of the fact that not everyone can always see theatre live.“Given the explosion of online streaming services over the past ten years, many theatre companies have taken the pandemic as an opportunity to dip their toe into the water of online streaming”. National Theatre at Home is a way for us all to enjoy some of the amazing stories that are told from stage without having to always be in the centre of London. It also has some incredible educational benefits and allows students, especially drama students to learn more about working and acting in theatre- “The National Theatre Collection is available to stream in the classroom and at home once a school is signed up”- some of the stroies told through theatre, are actually quite important for the younger generation to be exposed to :some example include “our generation” and “chewing gum dream”- two plays that are actually centred around adolescence and their stroies, both insightful and educational for any young person whether they are interested in a career within the arts or not.
To conclude I believe Covid to be both a negative and a positive for the theatre/creative industry, because although initially it halted progression and caused setbacks- it also at the same time pushed the industry to work harder and progress further to stay afloat during Covid 19. Which as a result allowed the creative arts to come out of covid stronger and more resilient.
Practical for Specialised question- Lesson plan- the effect of covid
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Spg0Xd5J2s4pnpv6ZO_i8O19RUI1nnkVwMTpFzkbqTQ/edit?usp=sharing
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