RSAMD summer course - Day 1
Hi all!
Day one of the RSAMD intensive acting summer course is now over. We've been asked to keep a written journal (which we can add to during the day), but I thought I'd write down the 'non-technical' stuff here each day so I've got a record of how I'm enjoying things too. :)
Today was so much fun! We have a group of about thirty, which from Wednesday lunchtime will be split into three groups for the rest of the fortnight. I got really nervous last night, having found out (via facebook) that people were coming from as far afield as London, Orkney and Denmark (actually a shorter flight from there than the train up from London or the ferry/train/flight from Orkney). Turns out I needn't have worried, but I think everyone was nervous at first, so it's all good. :)
We started out with a quick 'get to know each other' exercise, each taking a turn to say who we were, what we did for a living, what luxury item we'd take with us to a desert island (suntan lotion for me, I burn like a fiend!), and what we hope to get out of the course. I'm not sure how well I explained what I wanted out of the course, but I can work on that over the next few days, as they're still taking notes for a day or so before they split us into our groups.
We then had an hour and a bit of movement work. You wouldn't believe how technical getting from lying on your back to being on your feet can be when you're meant to do it as a flowing, graceful move, using all of your body! Then getting back down again without looking like a landed fish. ;)
We had vocal and stretching work after that. One of the exercises was a little similar to some of my dancing stretches, but the rest was all new, and I can't believe how relaxed I felt (and still feel!) after doing it. I didn't realise how much of a range you can get without having to really stretch your voice.
After lunch we worked on A Midsummer Night's Dream (which the course will be based on and which we'll present from at the end of the course). We had 30-40 minutes to use a synopsis of the play to create a ten minute sketch to show the other groups (we were split up alphabetically for the exercise, although we'll move groups on Wednesday). I was Hermia, which was fun. We decided to go the route of having a narrator and having the rest of us act out the narration, with some improvisation of lines based on what we already knew of the play.
All in all, I had a brilliant time! I so wish auditioning next year for a place on the three year degree course was an option. Unless I somehow come into some money, even if I got in it wouldn't be possible to go (and the odds of getting in are so, so slim for that course. There are near to 1500 applicants for the 26 places!). It's a nice dream though. :)
Day one of the RSAMD intensive acting summer course is now over. We've been asked to keep a written journal (which we can add to during the day), but I thought I'd write down the 'non-technical' stuff here each day so I've got a record of how I'm enjoying things too. :)
Today was so much fun! We have a group of about thirty, which from Wednesday lunchtime will be split into three groups for the rest of the fortnight. I got really nervous last night, having found out (via facebook) that people were coming from as far afield as London, Orkney and Denmark (actually a shorter flight from there than the train up from London or the ferry/train/flight from Orkney). Turns out I needn't have worried, but I think everyone was nervous at first, so it's all good. :)
We started out with a quick 'get to know each other' exercise, each taking a turn to say who we were, what we did for a living, what luxury item we'd take with us to a desert island (suntan lotion for me, I burn like a fiend!), and what we hope to get out of the course. I'm not sure how well I explained what I wanted out of the course, but I can work on that over the next few days, as they're still taking notes for a day or so before they split us into our groups.
We then had an hour and a bit of movement work. You wouldn't believe how technical getting from lying on your back to being on your feet can be when you're meant to do it as a flowing, graceful move, using all of your body! Then getting back down again without looking like a landed fish. ;)
We had vocal and stretching work after that. One of the exercises was a little similar to some of my dancing stretches, but the rest was all new, and I can't believe how relaxed I felt (and still feel!) after doing it. I didn't realise how much of a range you can get without having to really stretch your voice.
After lunch we worked on A Midsummer Night's Dream (which the course will be based on and which we'll present from at the end of the course). We had 30-40 minutes to use a synopsis of the play to create a ten minute sketch to show the other groups (we were split up alphabetically for the exercise, although we'll move groups on Wednesday). I was Hermia, which was fun. We decided to go the route of having a narrator and having the rest of us act out the narration, with some improvisation of lines based on what we already knew of the play.
All in all, I had a brilliant time! I so wish auditioning next year for a place on the three year degree course was an option. Unless I somehow come into some money, even if I got in it wouldn't be possible to go (and the odds of getting in are so, so slim for that course. There are near to 1500 applicants for the 26 places!). It's a nice dream though. :)