Sickly Progress

I’ve unfortunately been really sick this week. I caught some sort of cold which has manifested into me looking like death. But on the bright side, I have finally completed my RI and I am really happy and proud of myself. I am actually happy to claim I wrote this, unlike my Bunraku RI of last year! I’m so happy to be able to now focus on my IPP and TPPP.
However today, Saturday I’ve got some sort of new block with the IPP. My Intro is great, but somehow this preparation is eluding me. So Ms. Flood if you’re reading this, HELP!

You Beautiful RI, you!

I’m so happy about my accomplishment over the weekend and in today’s lesson. My RI is so close to completion I can taste success!
Well, maybe not. But I simply have to re-edit my work thus far, add several more diagrams, complete a new word count and my critique of sources than I Ronelle will have finally finished my Albatross-around-the-neck IB Theatre Arts HL Research Investigation!

I know – so exciting!
I only hope that my IPP goes just as smashingly, since I now have to rework my entire IPP excepting the introduction which I love. And IPP is due monday with sometime leftto work on the TPPP. So that’s the plan anywho. Gotta go now, theatre work to do, assignments to hand in – you know the drill by now! I promise to do a deep and soulful reflection soon – I miss them too, it’s just finding the time! xo

The indefinite vowel

Today I had the pleasure of interviewing Mrs. Krillis about linguistics and phonetics as shown in Pygmalion. Mrs. Krillis is a teacher who majored in engish but took linguistics for 3 years at university. She has such knowledge and expertise,as well as a full understanding and love of Pygmalion. This was so insightful as I learnt a lot today about phonetics, the importance of phonetics and how to pronounce different aspects of Eliza’s cockney accent. For example, at the begginning of Pygmalion, Shaw writes ‘ In the dialogue an e upsire down indicates the indefinite vowel, sometimes called obscure or neutral, for wich, though it is one of the most commonest sounds in English speech, our wretched alphabet has no letter’. After speaking to Mrs Krillis I now understand what this obscure vowel is. It is such a common sound as shown in the or away or cinema. With this understanding, Eliza’s ‘pore gel’ accent is much clearer and the pronounciatin is much more evident. This has shown me that in understanding the speech of Eliza, an actor must have a basic comprehension of phonetics. Moreover, to perfect their accet an actor can employ many methods such as mimicing examples including films or recordings, and actually using the phonetics techniques Higgins teaches Eliza, since these are true phonetics methods that truly work. Such things as the flame for pronouncing ‘h’ which is always funny in Pygmalion. So of course, a big thanks again to Mrs. Krillis for all her help!

On a different note, completing an RI on Pygmalion has shown me that sometimes to show a moral message, an author must excessively portray the converse opinion. This I feel relates to our IPP which used elements of the ridiculous and uncaring to show a message. Take the American Tourist’s opinion of a dead, pollution-choked penguin “totally ruined my buzz”. I love the way Shaw puts across feminist opinions by showing the cruel and uncaring Higgins. If I were to ever write theatre, that is the style I would wish to write and stage. Theatre is a fantastic medium for showing society the problems they may ot wish to see. I just think that’s amazing. Truly.

To the library!

Today it was just little old me in theatre. So I took the opportunity to drag Ms. Flood to the library for some indepth research. I found a great deal of books on costuming and the 20th century Edwardian style. It’s so fascinating how female emancipation is shown through changes in fashion as well. This will foundate the research for Eliza’s look. Her transformation is shown for starters through her clothes but further put through her speech. Which is why tommorrow I have my big pronounciation/linguisitics interview with Mrs. Krillis, fully recorded with the use of my Dad’s dictaphone so that should really kick off the phonetical speech part of the RI. To ensure I don’t fall behind in the IPP I’ve been solidily working through that too and thus far am up to the 2,000 word limit. Have only covered the set design so far, still must cover the properties, lighting, and sound, plus conclusion. Then hopefully will be finished in plenty of time. The plan at the moment is to work solidly on both so they are both close to being finished next week! I’m feeling really goodabout both the RI and IPP at the moment, and if time prevails I will be able to stay calm and complete the assignments and get a good grade! In my dreams, I hear you say. True, but dreams are the things that drive us, so yeah I will dream. More IPP and RI tommorrow!

Miss Eliza Doolittle

Today and over the weekend I’ve been working hard on my RI. I’ now over 1000 words and have solely been concentrating on Eliza’s phsyical costume and appearance look. It’s amazing to look back at history’s costumes, and the evolution of society and female emancipation. I think now I’ve really gotten into the heart of the assignment it’s just firing away. Mrs Krillis was away today so I couldn’t do the linguistics interview about Eliza’s pronounciation in Pygmalion. I’m really happy and excited to have a focus and such detailed and precisioned research underway. I really hope I can finish well within the newly set Monday deadline.

Rejuvenated & Revived

This may be seen as a shock, and possibly a mistake, but for me this is the best idea I’ve had in a long time. I’ve spent all of monday and tuesday night researching RI’s and theatre genres and have ulimately changed my entire Research Investigation. I’ve now abandoned my beloved Fantasticks for a more indepth and focused research into the work of George Bernard Shaw. I’ve decided to chose the play Pygmalion, most famous for it’s musical adaptation My Fair Lady. This falls under the genre of comedy of manners (revival) and most interestingly, people often confuse Moliere (who I’ve studied and adored) as Comedy of Manners. In fact the major distinction is that Moliere’s characters require care, empathy, understanding – whereas Comedy of Manners characters are satirical caraicatures who should be played with a degree of detachment. I love this distinction, it’s so accurate, I guess. I’m most grateful to Justin’s Thetre Links as, inspite of continually freezing my already stuffed laptop, gave me the starting point for my research and implanted the idea of Pygmalion. What I love most, is that the story is feminist and being Comedy of Manners the writing is witty and intelligent – I’m a huge dialogue fan, especially of wit. It is minimal on physical comedy, which I like even better. My research question is: 

| How would a Comedy of Manners actor look speak and move in the role of Eliza Doolittle in George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion?

I feel that this is specic enough to warrat a great level of research, whilt still allowing me to complete the scope fo my research in acting, speech, costume and movement. But I think above all, this has been a major breakthrough for myself. Finally, after months f this feeling of being in a complete rut my creativity and inspiration and quest for research has been restored to its former glory. I just had this kind of oppressed feeling, hemmed in by my own mental block. I guess, I didn’t even realise how intensely I was feeling, until this breakthrough.Although I have to say I’m happy it took me so long to decide a truly great RI topic because it allowed me to expand my knowledge of theatre from Artaud, to Boal to the musical genius of The Fantasticks.
Today I kicked off my new RI and typed out close to 300 words. Not a bad effort for a brand new topic; and especially considering all the research I managed to do today. I always found research fascinating, but for some reason the dramaturgical aspect stumped me. But now I’m ok, and I hope to finis my RI and IPP within the next two weeks. *fingers crossed*

Sanity – back in 5

I think today has jus tbeen a rollercoaster of drama  guess. I had my Indonesian oral today – very nerve-wracking. Luckily that’s over and I can now focus my attention to my outstanding theatre assignmnents. Over he weekend I workd on my IPP, which thus far I am happy with. I’ve decided I’d really like to reorganize my IPP sections, an idea that struck me during today’s class. I’ve initially separated the sections into the action verbs of preparation, action, and reflection. Now though, I’ve decided to seperate into my different roles of; set design, lighting and sound, which will be subheaded by the aforementioned action verbs. This will make a more cohesive assignment, whilst clearly outlining the differences between each sector. Sadly, the RI is not doing as well. Everytime I htink about it, it/s like this huge weight that is only temporarily alleviated by avoiding it completly. Obviously, I do not support procrastination at all. In fact I like to be finished in plenty of time. But this assignment is just getting to me so much. It’s a valuable 25%, but somehow this untouchable goal. I can’t choose a clear question, and my subject area just seems wrong. I initially felt so pressured into choosing anyting I just went with whatever. Now that rashnss has backfired and I feel utterly helpless. And rather pathetic, if I’m honest. I claim to love both writing and theatre, but where is the evidence? I can’t even write as a dramaturg!
Hopefully this anger will subside as brilliance arises. One can hope.

Slugging Through It

So by now, it’s pretty obvious that the RI is a real struggle for me. It’s my archnemisis, the wizard to my Elphaba, the joker to my batman, the bully to my karate kid…..ok ok you get the point. But today there was a relative breakthrough with the new direction of my assignment. I’ve decided to alter my question to be more specifc and focusing more on directing dialogue scenes within the Fantasticks. Hopefully this will realign my focus and centre my research.
Today we also set some final due dates for the RI (me), IPP and TPPP. This will conclude our theatre course and we  will then  make some great films for youtube showcasing our talents! I found this great little 10 minute play called 10,000 cigarettes which looks like a fun starting point for our acting! However, this is only after we finish all the assignments, which hopefully will be soon! Very soon. Please. I’m begging.
Over the weekend I really hope to surge ahead in both my RI and IPP. Moving forward on the theatre front!

Madness I tell you Madness

I think I’m suffering from Research Investigation madness. Seriously.

Happy Birthday to Me – I am finally 18!

As suggested by the title of today’s journal entry, it is in fact my 18th birthday today. It is also my friend Mayar’s birthday, and Indonesia’s Independence Day. So congrats all around! I had a great day in theatre, as Ms. Flood has organized a gorgeous card, cake and raspberry tarts! My favourite part was definitly the Bratz doll candle who looks just like me, no wait, IS me. That was fun.
But as always, it’s not all fun and games, and eventually we did have to get down to work. Back to the Fantasticks. Now I love the music, love the play, love the colours, costumes, characters, set and props. What I don’t love so much is the RI – and I feel I’m stalling slightly. I just need to refocus and I know I can definitly get through it. Today Iwas trying to pump out some words and am getting up near the 800 word mark. Only 1500 left to go. Hopefully on Wednesday I’ll be able to really increase that word count!