Research entry

My first port of call for characterisations was emotional recall (as described by Stanislavski). When approaching Dinarzad, I found my way in through imagining how I would feel if someone was taking away one of my brothers and thinking about how I would act. It helped me to be a lot freer in movement as well because I had to put aside my fear of a lack of structure (free movement without points of reference) which usually make me feel vulnerable because if an executioner had one of my brothers then I wouldn't worry in the moment about harming myself, I would take risks and worry about myself afterwards; I would be forced to do something rash and unlike me.

Similarly, my holiday in Egypt helped me a lot and there was a wealth of sensory experience I could draw from about the world of the play (as taught by Stanislavski also). There were times in the play, for example the market place scene, where I knew exactly what it was like to be in an Arabian market place. When I acted in this scene, I thought about the sandy ground, sound of haggling and pushy market stall traders ("Looky looky, good price! Good price!") The sellers would give me earrings and stroke my hair whilst telling me how beautiful I was--they were expert flatterers and flirts. The sleazy atmosphere did make me feel a bit sick but left an indelible impression in my mind.

Having these experiences to draw from gave me a world in my imagination that I could bring to the stage and believe that I was there. The music used in the market scene was so similar to that I heard in Egypt that it kick started my imagination and transported me back there.

I can say with confidence that I understand and find Stanislavski's theories helpful. As a performer I take my characters very seriously and this is why Stanislavski appeals to me because I can see how his theories promote thinking in depth. I find Lecoq's theories less useful because it is less about thinking and imagination--working from relaxation helps me less because some characters are very intense and passionate, so it would be less believable if you were relaxed.