Alex Blower Process blog post 2

What are the key strategies of devising that have been used through the first 5 weeks of creating Porto? Reflect briefly on how these strategies have enabled the growth and development of both individual characters and the ensemble’s idiosyncrasies. (200 words)

In our recent development for the work in Porto it could be argued that there have been two main in which devising strategies have been implemented. Firstly with the walk into the space as a your chosen character there were elements of body and emotional memory for me as it links in very closely with training in the Russian director Michael Chekhov’s strategies for turning yourself into a blank canvas just before entering the space. Secondly we have worked as a mass ensemble in the scene where we utilise the chairs, this dynamic in devising strategy is very different to the first as we learn our moves in a more choreographed style, similar to the work we did in the workshop with the Jasmin Vardamon Company. Although we are all doing the same thing in the larger ensemble piece it is interesting to note that individual characteristics of characters can be told through subtle facial expressions and the differing emotional intent behind the movements. At this stage if asked the most effective devising method for my character I would say it has been the individual work because as my character is developing over the weeks it appears that he is not very good in group situations, appearing to be only express himself fully when he thinks there is no one watching him.

Analyse the growth of your own character from the beginning of Porto to where you are at in the process now. State the reasons for its development/change/refinement. (200 words)

From the start of the Process of devising Porto my character has changed quite significantly. When I first sent the email to Paul and Royona explaining the characters key features I described him as one who was brimming with confidence from the start of his journey but as things happen he slowly becomes more and more introverted. I first noticed that this wasn’t necessarily how my character was going to pan out almost straight away as my entrance was full of childlike qualities and had a sense of arrogant that I didn’t feel comfortable with. When, in the third week of the process we got the opportunity to change our characters entrance to the stage I decided to refine it. I did this by firstly, keeping the childlike quality as my character devised a new way of carrying his backpack over to his seat, however I change the method of which the bag reached the seat. Rather than kicking it along the floor as I did before, I decided that my character should keep his bag close to him almost as though it was contained a sense of security in a world that he didn’t feel ready to deal with.

Identify your character’s physicality through detailed analysis of its body language. (For example describe your character’s use of spine and its relationship to gravity, its shift of weight in the pelvis and even the repetition of a key gesture) (200 words)

One of the key features to my characters physicality is his legs, as a character he hardly ever walks fast and when walking keeps the height of his feet from the floor at any one time to a minimum. Also when in a stationary position my character keeps his arms crossed tight to his body with his right arm straight at the other gripping the right arm just above the elbow. When standing this is one of the most important aspects of my characters physicality as it shows his unwillingness to share himself with new people. Also when in standing my character dips his hips to the left and puts some slight curvature in his spine towards the top, creating a slight hunching effect, I feel that this combination of movement in the spine and the hips is implemented to show my characters childlike characteristics as from very early on in my life memories of my Mother telling me to stop leaning on things, or as she called it ‘slouching around’ are very prominent and in their own way very important physically into the person that I am today.