Author: Eugene

Continue reading

After viewing my acting in my couple scenes I will review and give self-criticism on my own and others work.

In “The Exit Visa” I had thought that there were many mistakes I had made. Such as me and Jose, who plays Ajax should have been standing closer to the camera as it would have then been easier to see the facial expressions and co-ordinated hand movements. I also could have projected my voice and maybe slightly deepened the voice as it would have been more comfortable to imagine Achilles on stage rather than seeing myself portraying Achilles as a role. However I did change the tone of my voice with everything I said instead of sounding mono-tone. My costume had looked convincing and I did spend a lot of time managing the correct and practical items in which a battle-hardened warrior would wear. So overall I believe that what I had had to work with, I and my co-actors had done well.

I need to work on my facial emotions and expression’s as I was slightly worried and stressed on the outcome of my performance that I should have been focused on actually doing it.

I met up with the intent

The clothes that I had wore was a White long-sleeve t-shirt which would also have probably kept you warm on cold nights and cool in the heat as it is white. Biker cargo’s as in a previous scene he was mentioned dragging Hectors corpse on a motorbike so this gave me a hint as to what he would wear. In scene 9 I had also worn a Flak jacket, which would protect the wearer from falling shrapnel or even prevent bullets from penetrating the vital organs, alas if there was only protection for his ankles. Brown boots for rough terrain and a Green Bomber bomber jacket which is very practical as hence the name “Bomber” they are what the air-force wore during time of war. A cool thing which is included in the jacket from ‘TK MAXX’ was an inside pocket which unzips and I was able to utilize this in Act 2 Scene 10 when I am passing Brisies her document’s and plane ticket.

Body Language- In scene 9 I used relaxed hand gestures and quirky smiles as The other character Phoenix had been my old friend and I wanted to show the viewers that I was comfortable with him. The pouring off coffee was beneficial to the scene as it had shown a physical and mental change for Achilles. With so much stress on his mind, there is not time to sleep, no time to stop and think. He drinks the caffeine to keep awake as there is the guilt riding on his soldiers for Patroclus’s death and his hope of leaving behind and abandoning the death and suffering of war and battle.

Method Acting- To get into the role of the ‘Greek Hero’, Achilles it wasn’t as hard as I had read on an article about Stanislavsky’s theory of putting yourself in the characters shoes.

In the text of Hamlet’s, to be or not to be, I had chosen the sentence “For who would bear the whips and scorns of time”. Hamlet is questioning whether his life is his to take or rather whether fate would do it for him. Throughout the text Hamlet talks about physical weapons yet only use them in a metaphorical way, such as “For who would bear the whips” and “The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune”. The Shakespeare had chosen the word “Scorn” to almost describe the negative events of contempt that had taken place In Hamlets life. In all, Hamlet is almost being sarcastic in the fact that he bears the whips and scorns of time, so he creates or is at least partly responsible for the hate witnessed by himself and others in his life.

There is also another example of something like this used in the play, “show me the steep an thorny way to heaven”. This is quoted from ophelia, who in which may be a key contributor towards hamlet’s epiphany. Ophelia shows much  anger and frustration towards her Brothers and Fathers petty argument on the subject of her relationship with  Hamlet. The quote  explains life as steep and thorny, which I believe is a very descriptive use of metaphor.

As a dramatic climax unfolds Laertes and Hamlet are issued a fight or a duel between each over. The King has rigged the fight for Horatio to win and he has done this by lathering poison in Hamlets chalice and on the tip of Horatio’s sword. This backfires as The Queen drinks from Hamlet’s poisoned goblet and dies a slow and meaningless death. Hamlet is struck with the tip and has venom coursing through his bloodstream. They swap swords and by luck Horatio is also struck. They are both poisoned and Laertes declares that the King is guilty of murder and at this moment in time, Hamlet strikes his chance and impales the King. Hamlet is almost happy to die at the end of the play as his revenge had been fulfilled and his soul was almost at peace.

Hamlet and Horatio interrupt the two gravediggers preparing Ophelia’s grave and for the funeral. The Gravediggers have banter between them, and talk the circumstances of Ophelia’s death. She had killed herself willingly and this is not a very christian thing to do as it is profound upon.Then the funeral begins and during the procession with everybody seated, Claudius, The Queen and Rozencrants and Guildenstern, Hamlet burst out in ore and anger out among everyone and the mourners. Horatio confesses his love for Ophelia and Hamlet is enraged and disgusted as he believes that his love for Ophelia is much much stronger. Horatio gets to the extent of diving into the burial which seems Pathetic.

The King has a private word with Laertes. With the new found knowledge of Hamlets return he confides in Laertes and explains to him that he was the one that had slain his Father and that now is the time to get his revenge. He riles up Laertes by simply saying profound statements such as how he does not love his father and how Hamlet still lives, carelessly. To add on to the hate that is currently bottling up, Hamlets’ mother, the Queen brings the grim news of Ophelia’s death. The Queen ant agonizingly explains with every crumb the details of Ophelia’s death.

Laertes arrives at the castle with an angry mob that see him as the rightful King as they call him Lord. Charging the castle and calling the name of Claudius. The Present-King urgently tries to calm down Laertes and with the help of Gertrude, they both prove his innocence.

With the new-found news of Ophelia’s madness Gertrude does not want to get involved, However Horatio eventually convinces Gertrude that Ophelia’s insanity would bring unwanted attention. After a ballad from Ophelia about her dead father and she is seeming ver senile with twitches and fractured nods. Gertrude begs for Ophelia to stop singing her heart out and she simply replies with “Indeed, without an oath i’ll make it end soon t’ill end it soon” which may be foreshadowing events that will happen in the future. She is confronted by the King and Queen but to only be shutdown. And the only possible reason for her dramatic change in emotions would have to be her fathers death. Laertes is enraged and wants to confide in Claudius and prompt a riot.

Being banished from Denmark to England, Hamlet observes Fortinbras marching his troops from Denmark. As he questions the meaning of the current War he inquires in the Captain that the Poland is being attacked by the Norwegians over patches of land whereas Rosencrantz and Guildenstern  are talking about the fact that Norwegians and Poles are willing to die over land worth not much. Hamlet, while on the boat journey had thought strongly about the happenings and doings and what he should do about them yet he cannot do anything with his exile. I can see that Hamlet is using this time to look at his inventory and think about his next plan as he is exiled and needs to find his way to get back at his Uncle.

In this scene King Claudius explains how the popularity of the people is the only thing that is stopping him from jailing his nephew Hamlet because the death of hamlet would make the crowd hate their King. To add on to the Kings stress he was greeted with Rosencrantz  on the understanding that Hamlet would not reveal the whereabouts of Polonius’ body. Hamlet confronts Claudius and he taunts his uncle about polonius and makes metaphors about a fisherman eats a fish that has eaten a worm that was in the grave eating at a king. Hamlet eventually sarcastically gives him the location after rambling on and while annoying Claudius.