Mary Poppins Production Review

For my play review, I analyzed Berkeley Playhouse’s production of Mary Poppins. For the purposes of the assignment, I chose to focus on two of the main characters, Mary and Bert, played by Taylor Jones and Alex Rodriguez, respectively. This musical was interesting to analyze because of the use of English dialects. Although every actor in the show used a dialect, the English accents varied based on the character and especially the character’s social status. For example, Bert, a chimney sweep, had a Cockney accent, while Mary, whose character is more prim and proper, had a more high-class, RP accent. I used the outline for our vocal recipes to analyze both actor’s vocal use in this particular show. For the character of Mary Poppins, Taylor Jones’s voice was crisp, concise, and quick. The matter-of-fact tone and tempo added to the character’s no-nonsense attitude. However, I thought that with the addition of the accent, her articulation could have been sharper, particularly T’s and D’s at the ends of words. Pronunciation was, of course, affected by the difference in American and British pronunciation, as many words are. One that particularly stood out to me was the pronunciation of the word “advertisement.” While Americans generally stress the third syllable and pronounce the word with a long “I” sound, the actors in this production stressed the second syllable and pronounced it with a short “I” sound, as to stay true to the culture of the characters they were portraying. Jones tended to use higher pitches at the ends of her sentences, with the highest pitch on the last word. Her lowest pitches seemed to lie right in her general speaking register, which was slightly lower than average for a woman. I found her voice to be a bit breathy and wanted more resonance, but I enjoyed her voice’s sweet, smooth, and light quality, and felt it was appropriate for the character. My only other criticism is that I felt some vowels, especially I’s, Y’s, and O’s didn’t completely match the British dialect the character requires, and a lack of length in vowels affected some of the higher soprano notes. Rodriguez’s use of voice for Bert’s character was dynamic and versatile. He used a wide variety of pitches, even playing with them in extra ways, such as sliding between pitches at certain points, particularly on “O” vowels. I thought his Cockney accent was spot on and his vowels very well placed, especially his Y’s, such as when he said “Mary.” You could see how hard his mouth was working articulation-wise and every consonant was easily heard and understood. I learned a lot from observing his use of tempo. He spoke slowly, so the audience could follow every single word, but not so slowly that his lines dragged on too long. When he sang he seemed to be resonating especially from higher places, like his forehead and the top of his head, but he also had some really nice chest resonance when he spoke. As far as word choice, the character used the term “gov’na” multiple times, which, in addition to the accent, added to the character’s lower social status. One thing I really appreciated about this actor was his use of nonverbals. Whether it was small laughs or sighs or even a little “mmm” of agreement, he was constantly responding and reacting to what was happening around him, even if he didn’t have a scripted line. I think it helped him connect to the honesty of the character because he was responding so naturally throughout the entire show. With both actors, I might have liked a bit more volume, even though they were miked and the space wasn’t particularly large. In all, I thought both actors, particularly Rodriguez, used their voices well and appropriately for their characters.

If You Forget Me Rehearsal Video

As an experiment, for this rehearsal, I had my boyfriend film me so I could say the words directly to him. Because he is the person I am addressing in the poem, I thought it would be interesting to see how actually saying it to him influenced the piece, for example, which things were harder to say and where I found new moments of vulnerability.

Things I liked about this rehearsal:

I thought my "O" vowels were nice and long on certain words, particularly moon, slow, and long. I really liked the way I emphasized the word "destined" towards the end of the poem. I also liked my volume change on the word "sweetness" to the point that it was almost whispered. Watching the video back, I also noticed that I used thin chords fairly regularly throughout the poem, which I liked for certain lines such as "I shall stop loving you little by little" because I think it supports the feeling that it is not an easy thing to say and adds to the emotion behind it. However, I think I can go through and score my poem where thin chords may be appropriate to use so I don't overdo it.


Things to improve upon:

I noticed my alignment was a little off from the beginning. My left foot was behind my right foot a bit, and since my feet were square, I was putting some extra weight into my right hip. My head was also weirdly tilted to one side and my chin was pointed down through a lot of the piece. I think some of that might have been because my boyfriend and the phone camera were below me, so my focus was lower than normal, but I know I have a tendency to point my chin down during strong emotional moments, so I think it's something I definitely need to watch out for. I didn't think my articulation was very strong this time around, and I swallowed a lots of my T's and made them glottal. I especially noticed this on the word "forgotten." I also felt I was not as connected to my breath, which may be why I was using thin chords so much. I think there are moments to use them, but I think I need to also search for moments of more strength and resonance. Generally, I thought my voice was sitting a bit lower than normal, and there was almost some vocal fry creeping in. This may be due to the fact that I was tired and filmed this at 1 a.m. without being fully warmed up. I rushed into saying "were little boats that sail..." and think I could've used a stronger pause there. I also realized in watching this that when I hit words vocally, I mimic the emphasis with my hands. I think this can work to really hit certain words but I do it so much that I think it's weakening my gestures. Finally, I need to hold the final moment longer and not take a step backwards to get out of it.

Extra Article - Listen to Poetry

Poetry Out Loud: Listen to Poetry

http://www.poetryoutloud.org/poems-and-performance/listen-to-poetry

Extra Article - Jo Estill and the Singing Voice

http://thesingingvoice.com/about/vocal-technique/jo-estill

Reading Response: The Second Circle - Voice

I really like the section at the beginning of this chapter that describes the voice we strive for as "direct, clear, free, and connected to us." However, it goes on to discuss of the tension in our bodies and habits we develop over the years can keep us from our Second Circle voice, which according to the text, "sounds as you really mean to sound." I thought the idea that the Second Circle voice sounds how we intend to sound was really interesting. It reminded me of when you first get a script or scene and some lines don't feel entirely natural coming out of your mouth yet, at least in my experience. Discovering how to speak the text naturally is part of connecting to your Second Circle voice. The text also discusses the commonplace exchange of "how are you?" and states, "This simple but important exchange is universal in all families and workplaces, but it is not effective unless you are speaking and responding in Second Circle voice." Often times, it seems we fall into the trap of the automatic response "I'm good" when anyone asks how we are. An automatic, disconnected response like this prevents us from having any sort of real Second Circle communication. I had an acting teacher once that challenged us to look whoever was asking us "how are you?" directly in the eye and respond truthfully, whether we were doing well or not. Because people are so used to the stereotypical "I'm good," this type of honesty often comes as a surprise. However, if you let yourself communicate honestly like that, then ask how they are in return, the person will be more likely to also respond in an honest way, which fosters truthful, Second Circle communication where both parties care what the other is saying. In considering whether I have a first, second, or third circle voice, I find that I lean more towards third circle, because I sometimes find my head jutting forward when I speak and I tend to push my voice. Sometimes I find people tuning me out and I will continue to talk to try to get their attention to no avail, in a controlling Third Circle manner. In looking through the exercises and suggestions to place you in Second Circle voice, I really liked the idea of imagining you are speaking to a good friend who is supportive of you and on your side in order to create movement, color, and relaxation in your voice.

Extra Article: Tongue Twisters (for articulation warm ups!)

http://www.bbbpress.com/2013/02/drama-games-tongue-twisters-the-ultimate-list/

"Mushrooms" by Sylvia Plath Rehearsal Video

I didn't really warm up before rehearsing my poem, since we had class that morning, but I can see a definite shift just from being out of class for a few hours. I don't think my voice sounded as free as it does when I am in class and fully warmed up, and at the end of some sentences, I could hear some vocal fry creeping in. I find it a lot easier to connect to the piece when there is a give and take of energy with other people in the room, like when we present our poems in class. In this case, I was speaking to a wall and definitely didn't feel as present as I have before. Like we've talked about in class, I think I can continue to slow down the beginning of the poem and build the energy and pace as it goes. There are a few times in this video where I notice I kind of rushed into one line from another. Gesturing naturally isn't normally an issue for me, but I think because I wasn't as present as I have been, I was more aware of my movements and they weren't as natural as normal. Finally, I think I broke the moment at the end of the poem too soon and should've held it longer for a stronger conclusion.

Extra Article - Patsy Rodenberg

The Second Circle - Breath

This segment of The Second Circle discusses breath, and one of the first sentences is: "It is the first act you perform and the last." Something about that really hit me, and made me consider how important our breath really is for it to be both the first and last thing we do in this life. The text goes on to describe, "On exhalation, you send what is inside you out into the world, and in doing so you touch and change the world with your breath." As actors, our whole goal is to touch and change others with our work, and we are unable to do so without breath. In order to become a great actor, we must learn to use our breath to its fullest potential. There is a set of questions for the reader to consider, and my responses include that when I breath I feel movement in my stomach and nose, I regularly find myself holding my breath in ballet class, I can often hear my breath, and, as someone who struggles with anxiety, I am often aware of my breath in trying to calm myself down. I didn't answer yes to any of the questions that signify a first circle breather, and I only answered yes to one for third circle, which is that I hear my breath as I draw it in, and on exhalation, force it out. Based on the subsequent sections, it seems I fluctuate between first and third, but it is unusual for me to strongly display the qualities of one or the other. I feel as though I am often slightly in first, or slightly in third breath-wise. I absolutely loved the section where she said, "Don't be frightened of tears. It is all right to cry, and when you do feel your full breath power, you have the right to that power." When I played Juliet this summer, I spent the majority of the second act in tears. I hadn't studied Second Circle then, but I have never felt so fully connected to myself, my character, my cast, and the audience. I wonder now if being so emotionally present forced me into Second Circle and the emotion and tears helped me connect to my breath and my voice, even though I didn't consciously know I was doing so then. After reading this article, I want to set a goal for myself to spend more time in nature and notice how it effects my breath.

Reading Response: The Second Circle - Body

Between reading this excerpt and the exercises we've been doing in class this week, I've been much more aware of my body and the way I carry myself. I would say the biggest habit I have created is holding tension in my chest and "over-compensating" by pulling my shoulders too far back, which forces my spine out of alignment and causes me to pull my hips back as well. I also have a tendency to lock my knees. My shoulder placement, in particular, is what I have tried to be more aware of this week. The segment about the "beautiful body" as defined by today's media interests me, because I think it really affects people today, especially women. As the text suggested, I found a candid photo of myself and made observations. I noticed the same habit with my shoulders, which contributes to a rigid spine, and how close my feet were together. The placement of my feet suggest that I am "diminishing" myself by taking up less space, according to the text. This reminds me of a poem I read that talked about the different ways men and women take up space in their every day lives. The example the poem used was the way men and women sit on public transportation. Men have more of a tendency to spread out comfortably - knees apart, arms rested on the seat back - and take up space, while women will sit with their knees tight together or crossed and hands in their lap - taking up as little space as possible. Women are expected to be small and pretty and conform to standards imposed by the media. I think this connects to our lesson because it influences how women hold themselves daily, and I absolutely think it affects me too. Another thing that came to mind was last week when I was approached by a stranger and asked for direction. The text suggests that the reason I was approached was because I was in Second Circle, or at least the most Second Circle person available, yet at that moment I was completely unaware of this.

Reading Response: The Second Circle - Presence

.Our reading this week was focused on what Patsy Rodenburg has defined as "the Second Circle." What is the Second Circle? It is a state of utmost intimacy, connectedness, and presence. This reading is specifically focused on presence. Over and over we hear performers described as having "it," and can never fully define what "it" is. Patsy Rodenburg tells us that it is simply the act of being in Second Circle. I particularly liked the quote "Presence allows experience." As actors, if we are not fully present in our work, how can the audience completely experience the story we are telling them? They can't. Rodenburg also states that this presence is "immediately felt and seen through the eyes: the windows of the soul." To me, this is of utmost importance. I was taught that to give a great performance you need three E's: eyes, energy, and enthusiasm. Performers with expressive, alive eyes are captivating, and why? They are present and it is literally shining out of them through their eyes. In my opinion, dead eyes equals a dead performance. Having just played Juliet, I really liked the example involving Romeo and Juliet's first moment of connection. Imagine playing one of those characters out of Second Circle. It just wouldn't work. The entire plot stems from that first moment of total connection and presence with each other. One of my biggest goals as I worked on that show was to keep myself very emotionally open to the audience so they would feel engaged in and connected to the story. I was very aware of the energy radiating between me and them, and it is that constant exchange - the mutual give and take that puts us in second circle, as is described in the Winston Churchill quote: "We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give." After learning about Second Circle, and now being able to put a name to it, I know I have experienced those moments before and it is something I will always strive for, because I wholeheartedly agree with Ms. Rodenburg that Second Circle is where great performances live.

Royal Heart - Andrea Gibson

Voice Recipe:

1. Tempo - Gibson begins the poem very slowly and deliberately. As the poem continues, Andrea picks up the tempo until it is rapid and almost desperate. At the very end, it slows to about the original tempo.

2. Rhythm - Various important words of the poem are stressed, which shapes the rhythm. Often these words are near the end of a sentence and the beginning of the sentence will build up to the word most emphasized then the rest of the sentence peters out from there.

3. Articulation - Gibson's articulation is clear enough that you can make out every word said, but in my opinion could be crisper. Andrea was born in Maine and later lived in New Orleans, and I notice a bit of a dialect, which influences articulation. In this particular case, r's are slurred or dropped at times.

4. Pronunciation - Andrea pronounces "world" almost as if it is two syllables as opposed to one, and "bury" as "barry." You can hear Southern influence when Gibson pronounces "sweetheart" because the end is dropped making it sound like "sweet-hah," and the same is true for many other words.

5. Pitch - Gibson's voice is neither very low or very high. It sits somewhere in the middle and hovers around the same three (or so) notes but occasionally drops lower, usually at the end of a sentence.

6. Volume - It is hard to make an accurate claim about volume because Gibson is speaking into a microphone. With the mike, Gibson is speaking loud enough to be heard clearly and seems balanced with the mike (not too loud).

7. Quality - There is a harsher sound when Gibson pronounces the short "A" sound, but a longer, more fluid sound on vowels like "O." The quality is smoother when Gibson is speaking slowly, but becomes frenetic and choppier as the tempo quickens.

8. Word choice - Word choice is instrumental in poetry, however Gibson doesn't use a particularly large vocabulary. The words selected are fairly simple and ones that most people would generally know, perhaps so the listeners can focus more on the meaning of the piece that figuring out individual words. Words used frequently include rain and love.

9. Non-verbals - Gibson consistently take audible, gasping breaths and has a slight lisp on a few s's.

Voice Recipe - Girls Who Read

 

For this assignment, we were asked to analyze someone else's voice recipe after previously analyzing our own. Much of this class will be focused on poetry, and this video jumped out at me when I saw it posted on a friend's Facebook page this week, because I immediately noticed multiple interesting things about his voice. 

1. Tempo - He really plays with tempo in this piece. Some of it is very driven and rhythmic, especially parts where he is speeding through rhyme after rhyme then suddenly slows down at the end of a line. It makes it very interesting as a listener, and slowing down certain parts can stress their importance by drawing more attention to it.

2. Rhyme - The rhyme scheme really determines the rhythm in this piece, and each time rhyme occurs, he'll emphasize that word more than the rest. Often times, he'll move through a few words very quickly, emphasize one, pause for a moment, then continue the same pattern. The rhythm is not consistent and changes frequently.

3. Articulation - Because of his dialect, not all of his consonant sounds are articulated, particularly the "t's" and "r's" since they are often dropped with a British dialect.

4. Pronunciation - The speaker has a British dialect, which mainly affects his vowel sounds. For example when he uses the word "glass," he pronounces it with a much longer "a" sound than we do with our American dialects. Other words that differ in pronunciation include "vocabulary" and "girl." 

5. Pitch - In my opinion, his voice is slightly higher than an average man's. He hovers around the same few pitches for the whole piece, never dipping distinctively lower or noticeably higher.

6. Volume - The volume is fairly consistent through the poem, however there are certain times he drops his volume a bit.

7. Quality - You can hear some resonance in his voice. It is very clear - he is not difficult to understand in spite of his accent.

8. Word Choice - In poetry in particular, word choice is vital. In this case, the word choice is probably centered around fitting the rhyme scheme. However, he shows which are most important through emphasis, like in the end when he describes "a girl with passion, wit, and dreams."

9. Non-verbals - Towards the beginning of the piece, he clicks his tongue once, but I did not pick up on any other non-verbals.