a whole blog dedicated to maddy

Right. The holidays are just about over, and rehearsals have started. For everyone else. I am yet to attend a rehearsal, as I have been interstate getting tanned and being evacuated off rollercoasters. I dipped through everyone's blogs to hopefully get some updates about the rehearsal(s) that I've missed, and haven't really dredged up anything to help me get a handle on what happened.

However, I have given some more thought to acquiring and making patterns for the costumes. Admittedly, I am finding this quite hard as I rarely work to a pattern, and just make things up as I go along. Ms Mace said that I can enlist all of you to do the actually putting together of costumes, so long as I've collated the patterns and materials for you. Which will be difficult if I don't actually have patterns - you see my dilemma?

At the moment I'm feeling a little like my territory has been infringed upon, in particular by Maddy and Jenna. After reading their blogs, especially this one, it seems like they're trying to costume themselves. While I understand that the appearance of a character is very important to building this character, and that everyone probably has a mental picture of what their character will look like, (and I feel ever-so-selfish saying this) I thought this area was kind of my responsibility. I know I need to speak to you guys about what your image of your character is, but I really don't want you to have solid ideas for costuming as I'll probably have completely difference ideas and then one of us will end up being unhappy.

That said, Maddy's annoying blog has helped me a bit with her character. The most difficult part of costuming the straight characters is that I have to be inside their heads. As well as suiting the individual Girl, Friend, Dad I also have to make them a representative of all girls, friends and dads, and that's kind of hard. It feels a little bit like I have to have a similar depth of understanding to these characters as their players do, but while the players only need to understand one character, I need to understand all of them.

Right, that was a little bit of a tangent. Back to Maddy's blog about the Voice. Her comments about androgyny were rather astounding. Androgynous appearances are something that I'd considered a little (but not much) for other characters, and I feel quite stupid that I didn't think of that for the Voice before. But it makes sense. The difficulty with this, I find, is that the kind of androgyny that Maddy was talking about seems to work well with males, and not so good with females. But I think I will follow this, as it contains Maddy's interpretation of her character, as well as being fun to play around with. I'm a little hesistant though, because if I am asked at the end of the production why I created this look for the Voice, all I could say is that Maddy came up with it, not me.

Her blog has also made me change my mind in a big way about the Voice as well. I was going to treat the Voice as a straight character for costuming, but now I've decided to treat the Voice as a circus member. My main reason for doing so is because the circus is the Girl's struggle with anorexia. And the Voice is also her struggle with anorexia. I also found that the Voice is basically the only character who is a member of the circus (Anorexia the Magnificent, a magician who can pull more than the wool over anyone's eyes), and also present in the 'real world' scenes, therefore providing a link between the circus and the real world.

So yeah. I suppose in drama tomorrow, which will be my first rehearsal for Mirror Mirror, all my ideas will be turned on their heads and I shall have to abandon them anyway. BUT I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME! Designing is the part which should be over with quickly, as it will take time to actually MAKE all these things.

**runs off screaming into the distance**

alas poor yorrick, i used your skull for a bowling ball

Hello everyone. Tis officially the holidays today. HOORAY!

Well, I hope you all had absolutely fabulous Easters and ate far too much chocolate than is good for you. Because I did, and it was fun.

Today, as you no doubt all know (seeing as you were there), was Hamlet. It was a good play to watch, but it was hard to get notes for it. I suppose that's probably because I don't know what I'm doing yet, but I only managed about three (very messy) pages of notes. I hope it's enough.

And, I ran into an old friend in the theatre! I haven't seen Bee for nearly a year, and there she is, come to see Hamlet with her school! It's amazing what a small small world it is.

I keep saying it, but I'm going to say it again. I won't be at the holiday rehearsal thing, I will be at the Gold Coast thoroughly enjoying myself. I should have an initial costume sheet for people (subject to LOTS of changes though) very soon, once I know the final casting for every scene. Basically, I'll put on the sheet everything I will try to provide, and everything I'd like you to get for yourselves, and that way you can see what you might be wearing. If there's anything you definately can't get, or if you are uncomfortable with a costume, just let me know as soon as you can. Thanks y'all.

And someone left me a comment but deleted it. I wonder what it said....

black and white and pretty colours

So. Yesterday, which was Wednesday of Week 10 of Term 1 (trying to get some time perspective into this) was a HORRIBLE LESSON. I think I managed to make at least two different kinds of un-friends. One who I have spoken to but still feels the need to mention it on his blog, and one who hasn't actually said anything but I think likes me less than I initially thought. Oh what fun. I'm trying to think of a way that makes me remember who they are for later reference, but that won't give them away here. Oh well, here's to remembering it.

Well, anyway, that was the most horrible part. We were supposed to be building our 'character relationships', but as offstagers, we (meaning Bec, Josh and I) kinda can't. So we just discussed stuff. Which ended up being a little of yelling match. I said a lot of shite that I shouldn't have, stuff I'm unable to justify, so now I feel a little like a bitch. Not fun.

Why Oh Why Am I The Most Socially Inept Person In Our Class.

Wow. Oh Thank God Thank God. I just read Victoria's blog and was kind of freaking out at the descriptions she'd found for the Whiteface Clown. I was all like OMFG DATS SOO NOT WAT I THORT WTF AM I GONNA DO OMFG OMFG OMFG but then I followed the handy-dandy link that she provided, and it's all okay now. It also makes me wonder what kind of clown Leonie would be, cause that would greatly affect what I'd put her in.

And I have a sketchbook now. I'm putting the rough drafts for costumes in it now, but all I've found myself able to do are the main characters (eg Girl, Voice, Clowns) because I don't have a full cast list yet. It's so much fun though. **dances**
EDIT: I forgot to add in something I thought for the Voice. I'm not too sure about this, but I though maybe a skincoloured bodysuit which has been painted/appliqueed, to make it look like Maddy is basically naked with a bit of bodypaint. That'd be awesome, and came from Maddy's suggestion that she run on in the nude (a joke, at least I hope so). Does anyone think the painted bodysuit thing could work?

And until next time y'all,
Ally

xoxo

would someone please pass the salt?

we got our casting today. needless to say, it was a rather emotional lesson. although i basically knew exactly what i'd be getting, i was a bit shocked at some of the casting decisions. however much as i didn't expect a few of the people and their roles, i'm sure they'll all be amazing.

we also did some parkbench/busstop work after recess. i think park bench went especially well today, Klunyk's Jesus thing was so funny! Snaps to him!

oh and another thing - it was mentioned again in people's blogs (Luke's actually, but i'm too lazy right now to link to it) about the split up in groups. seriously people, can someone pleeeease enlighten me about this? i believe oil-and-water was the phrase used. please y'all, someone talk to me about this. i'm begging you sweetly, i'm down on my knee!

hoorah for gratuitous musical references.

eep. my blog entries of late have been so short. i'm sorry about that, but there just isn't much i have to say. i suppose when the group production gets properly underway, they'll be plenty for me to talk about.