Show 1

From the very beginning of the show and during the warm-ups there was a buzz of energy among the ensemble. There was an excitement and a readiness to do this show which stemmed from a successful dress run, but we all knew that we could do even better in this opening show. At the beginning there were some technical problems which meant that we had a delayed start, I tried to not let that seep into my mind and not to overthink everything that I was gonna do on stage whilst waiting for clearance. Once I was on stage all I could think about was The Moors, all I could think about was the vastness of the land, the wind, the air, the cold and right from the beginning I really immersed myself into the world of the play. The movement was really strong at the beginning and everyone was on time and the spacing worked. The ensemble were really following the bird, that has been one note that we’ve been given repeatedly the past few weeks, that we aren’t following the bird and feeling that emotion of the bird. The opening needs to be strong so the audience can be transported to the world we are starting to create. In the opening we are channelling different elements that you would find on the moors so there has to be that connection among the ensemble otherwise it just doesn’t sell that vision to the audience. Our costume change was relatively on time but we could be quicker but we executed the opening movement well and this section allows us to create that bond and sense of unity between the Nelly’s. Once we had all stepped to the back of the stage and we were all standing there as a large painting of all the residents of the Heights, the energy clicked into place. The first scene’s pacing was really strong, we’ve had issues with this scene before where the pacing does fall flat. Also as it is the first scene with dialogue and the first introduction of multiple characters. It’s not what the audience are expecting either because it’s not from the very start of the story with Cathy and Heathcliff it’s older Heathcliff, so it really does have to be engaging for the audience so they understand who these other character’s are. This scene was reworked in the tech. Tia was supposed to light a candle but she was struggling to light so we solved it by me lighting it and then giving it to her, it works really well so that problem is solved from the tech.

The transitions between after this scene was very seamless, its Zillah taking Lockwood through the house walking through the ensemble at the back of the stage as if they are walking through the corridor where paintings hang, echoing of the past and present of Wuthering Heights. Lockwood’s Dream had great energy and commitment from the ensemble however, there was a bit of problem solving that we had to do here where Ben was really on show day and he didn’t want to unnecessarily project as this was a none Heathcliff line. So in the dress run I stepped in to do the line on the spot and we have kept it this way. Illness is something that does happen but it is something you have to work and adapt with as the run of the play progresses.

Scene three which was my first scene I came on with confidence and purpose with the story. I found myself connecting with the audience and playing to all three sides which was something I had been trying in the tech and dress run, because it’s very different from the rehearsal room to when you’re actually on stage and seeing the vastness of the audience. I do say a lot of key Wuthering Heights trivia about who is related to who, so it was really important that I made it apparent to the audience who is who as are some names of very similar. The staging was correct and everyone was in the right place at the right time and that is why this scene worked really well as it didn’t get too crowded. A lot is happening on stage. A lot of people walk on and walk off but queues were all done correctly and there was also a bit of a bit of choreography that happened here which was also executed well and safely.

In scene 4 we have a movement section which we have called 'Seventeen' I was a bit late on stage for this as we missed our cue slightly, however we just made our route around the stage much faster. This section in the play sets the pace and adds this extra layer of energy among the ensemble. It gives everyone time to adjust and get comfortable to the stage because it does take a bit of time for you to kind of settle into the world. The theatre does feel very different with an audience. It feels much more full and it feels much smaller so owning the space can be quite difficult but the 'Seventeen' really does allow me to own the space. The ensemble connection on stage is very strong during 'Seventeen' everybody knows their route across stage but still has an element of playfulness without it looking too rehearsed and choreographed.

'Seventeen' is the foundation of Cathy and Heathcliff's story line. The rain worked really well and there were no technical problems with that but, there was a prop issue. The lantern wasn't in the correct place for Tash but she just had to adapt and walk on stage. Scenes 4 to 5 I mainly just have prop cues, I don’t have any lines so I have to balance listening and still making it apparent that in the storyteller, doing tasks Nelly would do and making sure that props are where they need to be at the right time and place. Something I have struggled with is moving props with agency and purpose. I know I’ve got to move that prop because that particular character needs to use it. The question I need to ask myself is why. Why am I going to move and get that prop? I’m still in character moving a particular prop so what I have done to fix this issue is I think of the journey and the relationship I’ve had with this prop and thinking back to the last time I used this prop. It all links back to the idea of memory and how this is Nelly‘s life being performed in front of her eyes for the first time in a while. This is a very important thing I have been exploring and channelling throughout my time on stage because that is the core of Nelly's purpose. We are seeing her perspective of the story and that can’t be lost because then a lot of the themes and debates of the play get lost so, I really do need to keep that agency and direction when moving props. I need to use the props, I’m not just walking over and handing Tash a hairbrush. An example of this is in one of the scenes where I hand Tash a pot of Apple sauce that just has water in it, but I ask myself questions, is the pot hot? How would I hold a pot that is hot? How am I mixing this? Am I going to taste and smell as I am cooking? These questions just add an extra layer of detail to the performance and aids a character with purpose. Purpose is key when telling a story. And telling a story is Nelly's role.

The singing of God Rest Ye Merry gentlemen has been an awkward section in past rehearsals; it's been out of tune and people haven't been singing with purpose. But I think it’s about finding the joy in those elements as they are written in the script for a reason so you can’t always just cut it out if it’s not working you need to find the joy and the purpose for that there, so we moulded it into a transition within a scene. It’s an interesting religious moment as well between Joseph and that is something not to lose. Religion is something that has been brushed over slightly and something that I have tried to look into more and the significance of it. The more we had run the play the more I realised how much religion is in the play. Which is why I did do more research on religion later on because Brontë has injected her opinion on religion or a theme linked to religion and she’s done that for a reason and April D’Angelis has left it there for a reason.

The chair movement worked well in hand with the carol singing. In the dress the chair did fall slightly but it was fixed very quickly and we just remembered to position it at the same angle each time. What I realised during this run is that it's not what goes wrong it's how you deal with what goes wrong. Sam and I really did provide the lightness in the play, we found new things to play with and kept engaged with the audience. What we learnt is that you cannot predict how an audience will react to something, as the audience laughed at many moments we didn't think they would, and some of us were playing to the comedy but you cannot lose the authenticity and the real purpose of the line. The interactions between Nelly and Lockwood are intended to have comedic elements in them, and in this show we found comedy in our reactions to each other. I realised that Nelly doesn't tell or show Lockwood her true opinion and reaction to what he says, so I had a lot of fun playing with how her facial expression drops as she turns away from Lockwood. Housekeepers have to put on a facade and they have to always be respectful to their guests, having open body language.

Scene 10, when Cathy is discussing marriage with Nelly, has always been a challenge for me to watch as Nelly and what my thought process is at that moment. What was different about this time compared to rehearsal, is how immersed I was in the world and in Nelly's mindset. I was also utilising the audience's energy and my adrenaline. I managed to unlock the possible guilt and regret Nelly feels in the scene, this is the first time emotionally Nelly let's down her guard. It is also the first moment in the play we see a decision made by a character have a major effect on the rest of the play. This is a turning point in Nelly's position as Housekeeper, she gives a very neutral opinion on the situation and remains to her position as the mistress. But Nelly realises that this has repercussions, so after this scene she becomes more opinionated. This stems from the possible regret she feels from not speaking her mind. In this scene I really was debating everything in Nelly‘s mindset and not from an actor analysing a character but a character analysing what is happening on stage and that was the real breakthrough for me. The transition between the two Cathys happened and it was very clear and there is a clear shift in tone with the story telling. My narration becomes sombre and more opinionated, particularly of Nelly's description of Edgar and Linton. There were a few moments where the audience laughed in which we weren’t expecting the audience to laugh and this did throw some of us off a little bit and stuck with comedy for too long where it wasn't necessarily needed. For the rest of Act 1 there was a great presence of the new dynamic in the house among the characters, the change in dynamic between Heathcliff and Cathy. All characters on stage were listening and responding to each other, which is the key to keeping the pacing right. In my mind scene 11 is a new act and chapter of the story, because of the drastic change in relationships. It was clear that significant time had passed and character's have evolved and developed, and this continued till the end of act one. When coming off stage at the interval the energy among the cast was really positive and everyone was really happy with the progression of the play. But we know that Act 2 has always been a challenge for us pacing wise and we need to keep the ball in the air.

We walked into this act two with confidence and set the pace really well from the opening. We had a problem with one of the props as it wasn't where it needed to be at the start but we just had to communicate with stage management to locate it. We had the gruel and were onstage on time. I walked on with purpose and direction when heading back into the story and world of the play. I was worried in the interval that I would get disconnected from the world of the play as I was so immersed into it. But I found myself easily transported back to the world of Wuthering Heights. There was supposed to be a mirror set on the rock downstage right, however it wasn't there so in the opening scene I had to locate it under the tree. There was a slight prop problem in this scene where Chantel couldn't rip open the pillow and let all the feathers out. There was a moment where she was struggling to find the rip, she gave up with the pillow and started picking up the leaves as feathers instead. This was a great example of how in tune Chantel was in the world of play and how well she solved and followed impulses. The window moment worked well with Tash and I using the handheld windows. Moments like this really unite the Nelly's and implement them more into the story and how we are involved in every element.

Transition from scene 1 to 2 worked seamlessly, Tash and I exchanged great eye contact which exemplifies the connection among the Nellys. Scene 2 in particular highlights how Nelly is one character and our involvement in the story, when we all stand together to cover the dog. The highlight of this scene is how immersed we are in the story and our commitment to the story. I found myself more in tune with Nelly's thoughts and her thought process behind all her decisions. When I get out of touch with Nelly, to place myself back in the story I picture in my mind what the current Nelly can see and put myself in her shows, and this allows me to tap into Nelly's emotions easier. Sam and I kept strong narration throughout the opening of scene 3, there are key narration points so I ensure to direct these moments to the audience. I said them with clear diction and articulation. There was a really great improvised moment between Lockwood and I on the line 'Loose, you say?' I hadn't really reacted to this line before I had just brushed over it as Lockwood is just disrupting the story but this time we held sustained eye contact and I told him so much just through the look I gave him. This got a great reaction from the audience, so we could tell that they were engaged with me and Sam and the story we are telling. As I stated before Tash, Lizzie and I by the stage in Act 2 have established such a strong connection. There is a moment in scene 3 where we follow Lizzie's movement just like in scene 2. This is effective visually and internally, as it draws me deeper into Nelly's mindset and what she would be feeling in that moment. As I am telling the story I have to create a real balance of internal and external and how I am vocalising my life but also showing emotions I felt in that moment internally.

Scene 4 is where the pacing can drop and then affects the rest of the scenes, however we all kept the ball in the air. The fight between Joe and Ben was safe and stuck to the choreography that was devised in intimacy training. There is another chair moment here, and once again as I was immersed into the world of the play, I found myself really reacting to everything around me. The chairs are supposed to create a door, and on one side is Heathcliff trying to break in and the other is Hindley with a knife and pistol. I found myself impulsively channelling this fear in between the two characters and Nelly's reaction to this. The narration between scenes was happening seamlessly, Sam and I were keeping the lightness in play. Scene 5,6 and 7 have been the scenes in rehearsal that fall flat and lack energy, however in this show people were listening and responding and kept the story engaging. There is a lot of important narration, which I also directed to the audience to make sure everything was understood. However, at this point in the play I find my focus being lost slightly and my energy dipping but I brought that back from my narration. An area that needs improvement is the cue for my singing, as it feels a bit disconnected from the sub-scene before and we need to go into the singing quicker in Wednesday's show. What we do well in this quarter of the play is we clearly depict how much time has passed. And Sam and I very clearly transitioned back to storytelling when he returned to the Heights.

Scene 10 is one of the most impact scenes for Nelly and Heathcliff, it exposes a lot of grief and emotions that have been suppressed for a long time. What went well was Ben and I unlocked even more suppressed emotions from each other's characters. We both extracted a sense of anger at each other which we hadn't discovered before. But not an anger that is negative but an anger that comes from love and Heathcliff's anger at Nelly for still loving and caring about him. There was one line that Ben said differently and made me react in a way I never thought Nelly would react but in the moment that was my impulse to shout back at him when he was disagreeing with me. In this scene Ben and I really captured how love takes many forms, and that is the hardest thing to accept. We are seeing Nelly and Heathcliff accept this. What makes this scene so effective is that we listen and respond to each other and carefully process each word we are saying and therefore we can follow impulses.

Overall the show was highly successful and on the whole a performance filled with energy and choices being made. We were able to harness adrenaline and keep the pace of the play, whilst playing and balancing the audience's energy. For Wednesday's show we need to still control the adrenaline and make sure each word is said clearly so we can continue to tell the story well. We had an evaluation session which is linked below where we discussed the show and also did a jam board.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ebm3nttkI3LACFkE9QQzL3xjcoSjCvj3/view?usp=sharing