Day one of tech:
This week was tech week, a very important week not just for us but for the production team. We finally get to see how our play translates to being under the lights and among the set. Seeing the set under the lights for the first time really does immerse you into the world of the play and does take your acting further. The first thing I noticed was the smell of the theatre, as we are using real mud and dirt the theatre is filled with the smell of wet mud. It really transports the audience to the world of the Moors, this also enhanced when the rain machine is used as it creates that smell of wet mud. The fans creating wind also just adds so the play and transforms is into a sensory experience, which for us as actors makes immersing ourselves into the world much more easier and authentic. The first part of tech is plotting, however we aren't necessarily needed for this for the whole duration as it is just the production team figuring out what lighting and sound should go in particular sections. Whilst the production team were plotting we worked on complementing the mini Cathy and Heathcliff who appear in the opening and ending, as well as 'Seventeen' in Act 1. They are two actors from year 10 and are playing almost the ghost of Cathy and Heathcliff that echoes throughout the show. We needed to rework the staging of these sections slightly for it to work.
We then moved on to teching the show, for this we were able to be in costume. Being in costume, especially when doing a period piece, really allows you to embody your character's physicality as the long skirts really affect the way you move. When running the opening section I found myself naturally adapting to moving in non-conventional ways by lifting my skirt when running and being mindful I don't move to fast and trip. We were also able to practice our fast costume change, when we put on our over-skirts, just before our movement section - this we need to work on a bit as we are walking on at different times and not to sure if all of us are dressed, however this is something that can be worked on in the dress. For the tech it is very important to always be present and paying attention so you know what line tech want you to go from when they needed to stop. Focus is key, as we don't want to make the job harder for the production team. We did have some sound issues in today's tech and the tech rehearsal wasn't going to plan and we were behind schedule, so we had to stop earlier then we were meant to as there were some technical problems. We had only made it to Act 1 Scene 3 which wasn't great and we wanted to make much more progress, but this problem was out of our hands. The only thing we could do was prepare for tomorrow and make sure everyone is focused and engaged to make the process as smooth as possible.
Day two of tech:
Today we spent all day in costume and made large progress through the play. We went through each scene and would stop where necessary for the production team. There were a few standout moments and challenges that we were faced with today.
Adapting to Costume:
Today we got to wear costume all day and this allowed me to adapt fully to the length and weight of the skirt, which I was concerned about. My physicality has changed whilst wearing the skirt, I am taking smaller steps and picking up my skirt when walking or climbing on a rock. There was one section that I was worried about wearing this costume and that was during 'Seventeen' the Heathcliff and Cathy company movement piece as I climb on top of a rock that is quite high up. To solve this before we started the tech run I trialled climbing up and what would be the safest route up and down. I just had to lift up my skirt more and climb slower to make sure my foot didn't get caught on the fabric and I didn't rip the over-skirt. When doing this scene in the tech it went smoothly and I was able to climb up and down with the skirt on. We also did the costume change today that takes place in the opening and it run smoothly, we were all on stage at the correct time and there weren't any costume malfunctions. To help us with it though is the costume department, so if something were to go wrong they are there to fix it. However, I have had a problem with my costume were I underestimate the size and width of the skirt and my skirt got caught on a few props when I was walking past so I need to be more aware of my spacing.
Adapting to the space:
This was our first time properly acting in the specific positioning of the rocks, water and armchair so we need to re-stage some moments as they weren't working how it was in the rehearsal room. Lockwood's armchair was considerably bigger then we anticipated so it's positioned changed to left of Heathcliff rock, but this also working as it was quite disconnected from the action on stage and the story so we moved it to the other side of Heathcliff rock. Sam and I are much further away from each other but we are going to adapt to this and have more movement. We discovered some of these moments today, were in some moments Lockwood stands up and walks over to me or vice versa. It provides more movement between Lockwood and I, and sets us apart as the storytellers. Another space problem I had is I kept on tripping over the small shrubs part of the set. I kept on walking backwards and not realising that they are there. To solve this I need to be more aware of my surroundings and adapt to the space more, as it was happening a fair amount. I also think the more time I spend on stage the more I will get used to the space and my surroundings. When on stage also we were given the note of 'finding the light' as sometimes I wasn't moving into the right space on stage were the light is plotted, to solve this my journey and movement across stage when talking should stay fairly similar. We are working partner with production arts and it's just as similar relationship with your scene partner, as we must say certain lines word for word because they cue a sound or light cue.
Props:
During the tech we had to adapt to the new placement of props as it is different to how it was in rehearsal. Props weren't in correct places for specific moments, but luckily Tash, Lizzie and I know all the prop placements for every scene so we are able to track them. Tia had a problem with lighting the candle and didn't feel comfortable doing it so to solve this we staged that I would light the candle at the side of the stage and pass it to her. This works really well and solved the issue of Tia not being able to the light the candle. Tash, Lizzie and I also realised we need to keep track of all props and were they are moved throughout the play, as we lost track of the tea cups and same with the candles. To solve things like this we are having clear communication with the prop team to make sure we have everything we need and that is in the right place.
Focus on stage:
The engagement and focus on stage was a problem towards the end of tech among our company. People that were meant to be on stage at the back had moved to sit back stage or on the seats on the side, they weren't present on stage. This really disrupted the connection among the cast, it was just a tech rehearsal however it is a great opportunity to put that stamina into practice and to stay engaged with the story. Our loss of focus when we asked to stop for tech was also quite distracting not only for us as actors but for the production team. It was also a very long day we were all on stage for 6 hours which is challenging, but it's what needs to happen to achieve the goal of an ambitious show. We wrapped up at Act 2 Scene 7 as we had reached 6pm, I was really worried and concerned that we hadn't finished but we still have plenty of time on Monday before our dress rehearsal.
Photos from tech: