Day Thirteen...

Trying his Astronaut's costume during
the second run-through (Frazer)

Today was our second run-through. The atmosphere beforehand was very different from our maiden voyage last week; more like a room of seasoned travelers. Nevertheless, we had an audience of three, including James Cotterill (Designer), Mark Doubleday (Lighting Designer) and Sian Thomas (Costume Supervisor). So, this provided some added excitement.

Matthew encouraged us to enjoy the parts of the play that we now know very well, whilst manifesting the detail that has been the focus of our work over the last couple of days.

Many of the company wore bits of costume, which are now arriving regularly following fittings that have taken place during the past week. As much as possible we used props, in order to trace their journey through the show and know how to set and clear them as part of the action.

Trying Angel's wings during the
second run-through (Rina)

From an actors point of view, the complexion of subsequent run-throughs changes substantially following the first. One begins to experience the 'space' within moments, when hitherto one was simply concerned about remembering what happens next. Things seems to happen in quick-time during the first run-through, whereas time expands during subsequent runs.

How one fills this seemingly expanded time then becomes the issue. One has many more opportunities to feel awkward and self-conscious because one feels more aware of the time that one is visible, particularly when not speaking. Invariably, character is the thing that one returns to at this stage. How should my character be feeling at this point? What might they do during this incidental thirty seconds that I'm now relaxed enough to be painfully aware of?

As far as character is concerned, it feels as though I've made a strong connection with the young boy that I play, Wise Frankincense. Today I experimented with his physicality. In particular I focused on employing a couple of physical characteristics that have suggested themselves to me over the past week.

Because Wise Frankincense spends a great deal of time marooned by the other children and anxious that he will be teased for having a lisp, he has a self-conscious physicality which is manifest, so I discovered, when I have my thumbs hooked on my pockets and I shift the weight onto my heels. Somehow, these physical symptoms feel as though they fit with his emotional state.

I wish I had as clear an idea about Wise Frankincense's father!

One of the challenges with playing the adult characters is that there are very few lines with which to define who you are. Whilst I can make sense of what Wise Frankincense's father is saying and propel his words with what feels like the right motivation, as I said to Matthew afterwards, it feels as though there is an important dimension to him that is missing. I really don't know what it is. But somehow part of the jigsaw is still missing. My private work before the next run (tomorrow) is to return to the character as written, to see if my imagination can yield some more details about how he sees the world and how he behaves within it.

Today's run went very well. Matthew was pleased and our audience laughed. Sian confessed to welling up during the final song. Laughter and tears are the prerequisites of a bitter-sweet comedy, so something is clearly working!

And with a four more days of rehearsal before moving into the theatre itself for technical rehearsals (the focus of which is lighting and sound), we feel we're in a good state of preparedness.