BIOMECHANICS is PHYSICAL Acting!

2008 class [test] ROSENCRANTZ: ... Do you ever think of yourself as actually dead, lying in a box with a lid on it? GUIL: No. ROS: Nor do I, really.... It's silly to be depressed by it. I mean one thinks of it like being alive in a box, one keeps forgetting to take into account the fact that one is dead ... which should make a difference ... shouldn't it? I mean, you'd never know you were in a box, would you? It would be just like being asleep in a box. Not that I'd like to sleep in a box, mind you, not without any air - you'd wake up dead, for a start and then where would you be? Apart from inside a box. That's the bit I don't like, frankly. That's why I don't think of it.... (GUIL stirs restlessly, pulling his cloak round him.) Because you'd be helpless, wouldn't you? Stuffed in a box like that, I mean you'd be in there for ever. Even taking into account the fact that you're dead, really ... ask yourself, if I asked you straight off - I'm going to stuff you in this box now, would you rather be alive or dead? Naturally, you'd prefer to be alive. Life in a box is better than no life at all. I expect. You'd have a chance at least. You could lie there thinking - well, at least I'm not dead! In a minute someone's going to bang on the lid and tell me to come out. (Banging on the floor with his fists.) "Hey you, whatsyername! Come out of there!" GUIL (jumps up savagely): You don't have to flog it to death! [ analysis for acting2 ] ... 2009 acting2 sub-directories & handouts

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TOPICS: drama + comedy + postmodern + time + space + theory + BioMethod + objectives & obctacles + film + students + theatre w/anatoly +

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2007 pages ... [ advertising space : webmaster ] Do you know that you have to establish "5Ws"? Who, when, where, why, what? If not or you don't know HOW to do it, go to act.vtheatre.net (Fundamentals)! Do you know how to find and express the three main dramatic composition elements of the monologue on this page? Exposition, Climax, Resolution. Characterization = Visualisation: we must see it! Print the monologues, write in your comments (new stage directions); turn the page -- and the floor plan with the main positions for your character. What prop do you have in this scene/monologue? Do you use it (three times rule)? Scenes * new Spring 2002 THR221 Intermediate Acting (focus on biomechanics) * Comedy & Biomechanics Forum * Organization of the book : SYNOPSIS First, read Mono Pages in Method Online. Now, we will try something different. Read the scene. Do we have monologues here? Yes, the girl's confession! I made it bold! Well, as a matter of fact, each dialogue is the juxtaposition of two monologues (especially in drama after Chekhov). So, let cut Algernon out. Wow! Alas, first thing first -- the law of the dramatic composition: 1 - 2 - 3! How different is Cecily at the end, comparing with the "Cecily-Exposition"? What is the change? BTW, read about "Actor' Script" in order not to get lost on this page! What is her OBJECTIVE? He proposed and instead of a simple "yes" we have quite a story! Maybe because she wants complete domination over him? It's not his move, according to her she did it all already! Make it simple: we have the prop -- the box with the letters, her diary, the ring (don't you see that she set up everything in advance?) Are you happy? We got at least two vertical motions, right? Two positions -- center stage and down... what about left and right? Stage right -- good news, stage left -- bad. Better! Bigger? What if she turns back to him (us), when it's bad news -- and turns around when it's good? I like it. Okay, you got the idea. Go ahead and finish it by yourself! I know, I know, you are waiting for the BM cycles! Let do the preacting! Algy is on his knees, kissing her hand. Just do it! Close your eyes, imagine that somebody in the first row kisses your hand -- and live it! The smile, the pleasure... then the taking hand away and the opening of the eyes is the ACTION! So, the first cycle is her returning to this world after it happened -- the proposal! Aim? To have the control! "My" hand! I see! I know more than you will never know! I am WIFE! The wife! Your boss.... Oh, not right away, we have to arrive there at the end! Summary Mono pages are in every acting directory! Notes Please, read acting for the camera pages in advance: Actors in Film Directing, Film in BM and Camera in Method Acting -- before we have video-sessions in class! You have to have your monologues shots-broken (Actor's Text). Female: Book of Mono... Sourcebook Audition 100 Monos Scenebook Women: Scenes for Young Contemporary For Kids Scenes 90s 99 Film Scenes For Student Actors Scenes & Monologues Shakespeare ...

INDEX * fundamentals of acting * Theatre w/Anatoly * Virtual Theatre

monologues @ eGroups

MONOlogue pages -- shows.vtheatre.net :

CLASSICAL

* Oedipus

* Hamlet

* 12th Night

* Taming of the Shrew

* Don Juan

* Godot

* Rozencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead

* ...

SMIRNOV. [Teasing her] Silly and rude! I don't know how to behave before women! Madam, in my time I've seen more women than you've seen sparrows! Three times I've fought duels on account of women. I've refused twelve women, and nine have refused me! Yes! There was a time when I played the fool, scented myself, used honeyed words, wore jewellery, made beautiful bows. I used to love, to suffer, to sigh at the moon, to get sour, to thaw, to freeze. . . . I used to love passionately, madly, every blessed way, devil take me; I used to chatter like a magpie about emancipation, and wasted half my wealth on tender feelings, but now--you must excuse me! You won't get round me like that now! I've had enough! Black eyes, passionate eyes, ruby lips, dimpled cheeks, the moon, whispers, timid breathing--I wouldn't give a brass farthing for the lot, madam! Present company always excepted, all women, great or little, are insincere, crooked, backbiters, envious, liars to the marrow of their bones, vain, trivial, merciless, unreasonable, and, as far as this is concerned [taps his forehead] excuse my outspokenness, a sparrow can give ten points to any philosopher in petticoats you like to name! You look at one of these poetic creatures: all muslin, an ethereal demi-goddess, you have a million transports of joy, and you look into her soul--and see a common crocodile! [He grips the back of a chair; the chair creaks and breaks] But the most disgusting thing of all is that this crocodile for some reason or other imagines that its chef d'oeuvre, its privilege and monopoly, is its tender feelings. Why, confound it, hang me on that nail feet upwards, if you like, but have you met a woman who can love anybody except a lapdog? When she's in love, can she do anything but snivel and slobber? While a man is suffering and making sacrifices all her love expresses itself in her playing about with her scarf, and trying to hook him more firmly by the nose. You have the misfortune to be a woman, you know from yourself what is the nature of woman. Tell me truthfully, have you ever seen a woman who was sincere, faithful, and constant? You haven't! Only freaks and old women are faithful and constant! You'll meet a cat with a horn or a white woodcock sooner than a constant woman!

POPOVA. Then, according to you, who is faithful and constant in love? Is it the man?

POPOVA. The man! [Laughs bitterly] Men are faithful and constant in love! What an idea! [With heat] What right have you to talk like that? Men are faithful and constant! Since we are talking about it, I'll tell you that of all the men I knew and know, the best was my late husband. . . . I loved him passionately with all my being, as only a young and imaginative woman can love, I gave him my youth, my happiness, my life, my fortune, I breathed in him, I worshipped him as if I were a heathen, and . . . and what then? This best of men shamelessly deceived me at every step! After his death I found in his desk a whole drawerful of love-letters, and when he was alive--it's an awful thing to remember!--he used to leave me alone for weeks at a time, and make love to other women and betray me before my very eyes; he wasted my money, and made fun of my feelings. . . . And, in spite of all that, I loved him and was true to him. And not only that, but, now that he is dead, I am still true and constant to his memory. I have shut myself for ever within these four walls, and will wear these weeds to the very end. . . .

Monologue Study & BM

SGANARELLE: If you knew the man as I do, you would find it no hard matter to believe. I have no proof as yet. You know that I was ordered to start before him, and we have had no talk together since his arrival; but it is as a kind of warning that I tell you, inter nos, that you see in Don Juan, my master, one of the greatest scoundrels that ever trod the earth; a madman, a dog, a demon, a Turk, a heretic who believes neither in heaven, saints, God, nor devil; who spends his life like a regular brute, an epicurean hog; a true Sardanapalus, who shuts up his ears against all the admonitions that can be made to him, and who laughs at everything we believe in. You say that he has married your mistress; believe me, in order to satisfy his passion, he would have done more, and married along with her not only yourself, but her dog and her cat into the bargain. A marriage is nothing to him: it is the grand snare he makes use of to catch the fair sex. He is a wholesale marriage-monger; gentlewomen, young girls, middle-class women, peasant lasses, nothing is either too hot or too cold for him; and if I were to tell you the names of all those he has married in different places, the chapter would last from now till midnight. You seem surprised, and you grow pale; yet this is but a mere outline of the man, and to make a finished portrait we should require many more vigorous touches. Let it be sufficient that the wrath of Heaven must sooner or later make an end of him. He cannot escape; and it would be better for me to belong to the devil than to him. I am the witness of so much evil that I could wish him to be I don't know where. But if a great lord is also a wicked man, it is a terrible thing. I must be faithful to him, whatever I may think; in me fear takes the place of zeal, curbs my feelings, and often compels me to applaud what I most detest.-- Here he is, coming for a walk in this palace; let us part. But, listen: I have told you this in all frankness, and it has slipped rather quickly out of my mouth; but, if anything of what I have said should reach his ears, I would stoutly maintain that you have told a lie.

[ The Dramatic Works of Molière, Vol. II. Ed. Charles Heron Wall. London: George Bell & Sons, 1898. ]

... Lets try one experiment! Here is a scene from "The Importance of Being Earnest" (2-7):

ALGERNON. Oh, I don't care about Jack. I don't care for anybody in the whole world but you. I love you, Cecily. You will marry me, won't you?

CECILY. You silly boy! Of course. Why, we have been engaged for the last three months.

ALGERNON. For the last three months?

CECILY. Yes, it will be exactly three months on Thursday.

ALGERNON. But how did we become engaged?

CECILY. Well, ever since dear Uncle Jack first confessed to us that he had a younger brother who was very wicked and bad, you of course have formed the chief topic of conversation between myself and Miss Prism. And of course a man who is much talked about is always very attractive. One feels there must be something in him, after all. I daresay it was foolish of me, but I fell in love with you, Ernest.

ALGERNON. Darling! And when was the engagement actually settled?

CECILY. On the 14th of February last. Worn out by your entire ignorance of my existence, I determined to end the matter one way or the other, and after a long struggle with myself I accepted you under this dear old tree here. The next day I bought this little ring in your name, and this is the little bangle with the true lover's knot I promised you always to wear.

ALGERNON. Did I give you this? It's very pretty, isn't it?

CECILY. Yes, you've wonderfully good taste, Ernest. It's the excuse I've always given for your leading such a bad life. And this is the box in which I keep all your dear letters. [Kneels at table, opens box, and produces letters tied up with blue ribbon.]

ALGERNON. My letters! But, my own sweet Cecily, I have never written you any letters.

CECILY. You need hardly remind me of that, Ernest. I remember only too well that I was forced to write your letters for you. I wrote always three times a week, and sometimes oftener.

ALGERNON. Oh, do let me read them, Cecily?

CECILY. Oh, I couldn't possibly. They would make you far too conceited. [Replaces box.] The three you wrote me after I had broken of the engagement are so beautiful, and so badly spelled, that even now I can hardly read them without crying a little.

ALGERNON. But was our engagement ever broken off?

CECILY. Of course it was. On the 22nd of last March. You can see the entry if you like. [Shows diary.] 'To-day I broke off my engagement with Ernest. I feel it is better to do so. The weather still continues charming.'

ALGERNON. But why on earth did you break it of? What had I done? I had done nothing at all. Cecily, I am very much hurt indeed to hear you broke it off. Particularly when the weather was so charming.

CECILY. It would hardly have been a really serious engagement if it hadn't been broken off at least once. But I forgave you before the week was out.

ALGERNON. [Crossing to her, and kneeling.] What a perfect angel you are, Cecily.

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Step TWO:

CECILY:

You silly boy! Of course. Why, we have been engaged for the last three months. Yes, it will be exactly three months on Thursday. Well, ever since dear Uncle Jack first confessed to us that he had a younger brother who was very wicked and bad, you of course have formed the chief topic of conversation between myself and Miss Prism. And of course a man who is much talked about is always very attractive. One feels there must be something in him, after all. I daresay it was foolish of me, but I fell in love with you, Ernest. On the 14th of February last. Worn out by your entire ignorance of my existence, I determined to end the matter one way or the other, and after a long struggle with myself I accepted you under this dear old tree here. The next day I bought this little ring in your name, and this is the little bangle with the true lover's knot I promised you always to wear. Yes, you've wonderfully good taste, Ernest. It's the excuse I've always given for your leading such a bad life. And this is the box in which I keep all your dear letters. [Kneels at table, opens box, and produces letters tied up with blue ribbon.] I remember only too well that I was forced to write your letters for you. I wrote always three times a week, and sometimes oftener. The three you wrote me after I had broken of the engagement are so beautiful, and so badly spelled, that even now I can hardly read them without crying a little. On the 22nd of last March. You can see the entry if you like. [Shows diary.] 'To-day I broke off my engagement with Ernest. I feel it is better to do so. The weather still continues charming.' It would hardly have been a really serious engagement if it hadn't been broken off at least once. But I forgave you before the week was out.

* What about Algernon? You know how we do it -- we replace him with the audience!

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Step THREE (directions):

CECILY:

You silly boy! Of course. [laughs] Why, we have been engaged for the last three months. [coming closer] Yes, it will be exactly three months on Thursday. Well, ever since dear Uncle Jack first confessed to us that he had a younger brother who was very wicked and bad, you of course have formed the chief topic of conversation between myself and Miss Prism. And of course a man who is much talked about is always very attractive. One feels there must be something in him, after all. I daresay it was foolish of me, but I fell in love with you, Ernest. [the box and the diary in front of her. Where is the tree? Left, right, back?] On the 14th of February last. Worn out by your entire ignorance of my existence, I determined to end the matter one way or the other, and after a long struggle with myself I accepted you under this dear old tree here. [takes her glove off.] The next day I bought this little ring in your name, and this is the little bangle with the true lover's knot I promised you always to wear. [shows the ring!] Yes, you've wonderfully good taste, Ernest. It's the excuse I've always given for your leading such a bad life. [opens the box, like a secret.] And this is the box in which I keep all your dear letters. [Kneels at table, opens box, and produces letters tied up with blue ribbon. Oscar Wild's directions. Oh, the blue ribbon! This is great! AA.] [tears in her voice.] I remember only too well that I was forced to write your letters for you. I wrote always three times a week, and sometimes oftener. [takes the letters out.] The three you wrote me after I had broken of the engagement are so beautiful, and so badly spelled, that even now I can hardly read them without crying a little. [cries.] On the 22nd of last March. [gives him her diary.] You can see the entry if you like. [Shows diary. READS] 'To-day I broke off my engagement with Ernest. I feel it is better to do so. [cries more.] The weather still continues charming.' [cries and stops.] It would hardly have been a really serious engagement if it hadn't been broken off at least once. But I forgave you before the week was out.

Ah! Who is guilty now? Do the next draft!

Take your journal and write down, what you got and didn't in your performance.

2004+ new: projects: BM software texts: webpages: new BM directory for Spring 2004! Links Shrew04 Chekhov, Ibsen, Shakespeare Actingland.com - Acting resources, career guides, and casting information. 2008 --

PS

Homework

NB

SGANARELLE: Nobody should bear such affronts as these tamely, unless indeed he be a fool. Let us therefore hasten to hunt out this rascal who has insulted me, and let me prove my courage by avenging my dishonour. I will teach you, you rogue, to laugh at my expense, and to cuckold people without showing them any respect. [After going three or four steps he comes back again.] But gently, if you please, this man looks as if he were hot-headed and passionate; he may, perhaps, heaping one insult upon another, ornament my back as well as he has done my brow. I detest, from the bottom of my heart, these fiery tempers, and vastly prefer peaceable people. I do not care to beat for fear of being beaten; a gentle disposition was always my predominant virtue. But my honour tells me that it is absolutely necessary I should avenge such an outrage as this. Let honour say whatever it likes, the deuce take him who listens. Suppose now I should play the hero, and receive for my pains an ugly thrust with a piece of cold steel quite through my stomach; when the news of my death spreads through the whole town, tell me then, my honour, shall you be the better of it? The grave is too melancholy an abode, and too unwholesome for people who are afraid of the colic; as for me, I find, all things considered, that it is, after all, better to be a cuckold than to be dead. What harm is there in it? Does it make a man's legs crooked? Does it spoil his shape? The plague take him who first invented being grieved about such a delusion, linking the honour of the wisest man to anything a fickle woman may do. Since every person is rightly held responsible for his own crimes, how can our honour, in this case, be considered criminal? We are blamed for the actions of other people. If our wives have an intrigue with any man, without our knowledge, all the mischief must fall upon our backs; they commit the crime and we are reckoned guilty. It is a villainous abuse, and indeed Government should remedy such injustice. Have we not enough of other accidents that happen to us whether we like them or not? Do not quarrels, lawsuits, hunger, thirst, and sickness sufficiently disturb the even tenour of our lives? and yet we must stupidly get it into our heads to grieve about something which has no foundation. Let us laugh at it, despise such idle fears, and be above sighs and tears. If my wife has done amiss, let her cry as much as she likes, but why should I weep when I have done no wrong? After all, I am not the only one of my fraternity, and that should console me a little. Many people of rank see their wives cajoled, and do not say a word about it. Why should I then try to pick a quarrel for an affront, which is but a mere trifle? They will call me a fool for not avenging myself, but I should be a much greater fool to rush on my own destruction! [ SGANARELLE, A monologue from the play by Molière (This translation by Henri van Laun was first published in The Dramatic Works of Molière. New York: R. Worthington Publishers, 1880. It is now a public domain work and may be performed without royalties.) Don Juan UAF

biomechanics.vtheatre.net mono page *

     From:Bonfire of the Vanities
    Where? New York City 1980's
      Who? Reverend Bacon 

    Confronted by two white Episcopal Church representatives, 
Reverend Bacon explains what has happened to the large sum of money 
they donated to him for a child care center.


   (Begin the monolouge by starting behind the podium. I will pick 
two people from the audience that i will deliberatly single out, they 
will be the white Episcopalians. I am trying not to get into a very 
heated arguement/fight. I am a reverend, a positive role model for my 
black community. I want to remain calm and collective, but it is 
really hard. Must build up the intensity to the CLIMACTIC point and 
then kinda go down a bit in energy. Like the steam i am actually 
refering to in the text. Maintain Control, kind of lose control for a 
little while. like a sea saw back and for i maintain control then it 
slips then maintain then slips again. An inner conflict a battle if 
you will.)
    (in a mellow tone knowing what i have to saw will be very 
unpopular)(At podium looking around (really in deep concentration 
about what is going on and what i am about to say) and then at the 
two audience members when i speak) 
    If you(point at two whites,really use reverend gestures/larger 
than life) people were that worried about the children, you would 
build the day care center yourself and hire the best professional 
people to work in it, people with experience.(begin to move from 
podium to down stage left hands together infront in reverend fashion 
or behind back? arms in the air not too big in frustration) What do 
people of the streets know about running a day-care-center?  (pace 
back to center stage, right infront of both whites, and say next line 
pointing at them, not too accusingly) No, my friend,you're investing 
in something else. (slight pause, move lower stage right) You're 
investing in steam control. And your getting value for money.(to God 
arms up, not loudly spoken just said with much feeling and emotion. 
like how can they believe this to be right?)Value for money......
(begin to pace upper right, wait to say next line)
  Steam(sssteam,like i just got steamed about the previous sentence, 
almost sound like a steam engine when i say it. in a way i am a steam 
engine(symbolically))control.  It's capital investment. (slowly walk 
towards the white peoples to center stage infront of the podium)

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