Performance time


     How Malcolm would say: “This time goes manly.” The day of performance is here, 18th of March 2019. Now was the perfect time to ask ourselves why didn’t we rehearse more? I’m kidding, we were ready. Kind of.
     The time when the performance was starting was 2 o’clock, but we came in at 10 in the morning to make sure we have time to rehearse once and to make sure everything is in “perfect shape”. Shenagh and Monique were there to assist us while rehearsing and be our audience. I’m not going to lie, we felt so unready and after we went through the play one time, our hopes for this performance were weak, because it went so bad. We didn’t know when to enter the stage, the time between scenes was too long, the lights and the sound didn’t synchronize with us and we weren’t focused enough on our characters. I seriously thought that we weren’t going to perform that day. Then, we had a little break to refresh ourselves.
      Shortly after that, we all were in the changing rooms and I can’t describe the way we all were feeling. Just think that we gabbed our hands standing in a circle and each one of us said a prayer loud.  Then we had the classic moment where we put our hands together and shout loudly: “Blue team”. That was lovely and magic.
      People started coming in in and we were behind the curtains watching them. I think this was the moment when I had a mini panic attack, because all I could feel were butterflies or maybe moths consuming my stomach; unlike JP, who said he could feel the whole Zoo in his stomach. I think you got it, we were freaking out, but the show was starting and we had to hide all of it, including our insecurities. Somehow we did it. When it started I felt really focused.
      The performance is over. And we were so proud. Monique and Shenagh too, because I saw them running backstage to congratulate us. Who would’ve thought that after the mess we were in rehearsals, we were going to have a such a show?
     
              My personal thoughts

        Everytime I am watching a performance of mine, I am surprised, because it is so different from what I thought it will be. When I played Malcolm I felt so absorbed by the character and my mind and thoughts were where they should have been, but I observed my body movements and reactions weren’t as expressive as I thought.  And that’s where I need to work. I have to keep my body active at all times, because if not, it seems like I am not reacting or like I am out of my character.
        Another thing I have difficulties with since the beginning of this course is my pronunciation. I observe there is an improvement, but I am aware that I still need to work on it and on my voice projection.
         Moving on to positive aspects, this time I felt better being on the stage; more confident, taking my time and focused on my partner/s and character. This time I was aware there were eyes watching us and I could see them, but my forth wall really worked; is like my mind was aware of the audience, but it didn’t affect my acting or level of concentration. Playing a male character was exactly what I wanted and although this was my first time, it didn’t feel like it. I can easily move from female to male behavior and that made me realize that there is not really such a big difference between the two genders, most of the gestures and actions are universal, excepting the stereotypical ones.
          In conclusion, I think there was room for a better performance, but I have to focus on the full side of the glass: I am content with our work and with our improvement.

               Thoughts on the other performances
                     
           Because the other 2 groups worked together, their performances were almost the same, excepting the costumes and some lights and music.  What I liked most from the black group were the fight scenes, because they were doing every move correctly and they had a higher level of drama. The pink and black group were different from us regarding the costumes, the fights, the music and the used props (they had a cauldron); in fact, I think the most different aspect were the witches and their moments, they kept it strange and dark while we made them seem more human, trying to find their funnier side.
           It was weird for me to sit in the audience to a show where I knew what was going be next or how it should go, but interesting because I could observe all the things different from us, how they made it their own and their vision. There isn’t wrong or right, there is just difference and what’s different it’s beautiful. Still, while I was sitting on my chair so relaxed I was thinking: “They are going through the same thing my group went and besides beautiful, I know it is so stressful. Still, I don’t feel bad for them, does that make me a selfish person? No, I am here to watch a play.”