Public performance April 8 - COMMENT

Everyone	This is a team effort.  When the stage needs to be set or struck, everyone needs to help. Declaration of war – only Payton reacted big. Coming out of the rubble after first bombing, look around.  The grocery you always went to is gone.  The church your children were baptized in is gone.  Discover new things in different places or old things torn up AFTER EACH bombing. Someone PLEASE tear up Judith’s home or move the dress into rubble somewhere (Ramzi or Kate?) Coming out of bombs – two people whom I respect said this – it’s a new world – a damaged world.  REACT to Chamberlain’s message. No energy in farewell scene – Frank, beat then line about women.  Everyone come out more excited so it is a contrast with the lines after the men leave. LISTEN ACTIVELY – REACT ACTIVELY Sing Tipperary LOUDLY – almost shouting so it doesn’t seem like a mistake that everyone is singing something different. Be as loud as the music. All characters were strong – even those with fewer lines. This show has an all star cast.  Everyone is involved.  Keep it this way. This is how we started in November- revisit objectives for each scene for each character.  Did each character achieve the objective or was the obstacle too great?  Must see this so go back and look at script.  Give CREDIT to the obstacle or whatever gets in your way. Recognize smells, tastes, sounds and touch to the city that was and the city that is. The audience believed it happened because the actors believed it.
Joan	Stop being like him – voice breaks Could not hear bloody bombs Tick tick – more mimicking with emotion – exaggerate. Didn’t believe forget your name forget your face – memorized – needs emotion. It should be spontaneous and does she immediately regret this?
Mr. Briggs Foreman	Move, scratch something, snort, cheat out during factory scenes. You have a commanding stage image, move, MUST HAVE FACIAL expressions.  Show that you are listening and reacting to everything.
Sheila	I’ll be gobsmacked – like I LOVE a man in uniform WELL – big like I love a man in uniform
Brian Soldier 1 Lionel	I never killed….. voice breaks
Music	Tipperary did not end when singing ended.
Holding war machine	Don’t let it dance. It can lean forward to action on stage or turn to look at something. It needs to have purpose.
Gently family	First vocals should be an explosion of fun – like someone just turned the volume on the TV suddenly. A burst of excitement, laughter
Judith & Frank	Believed hugs, BUT need more magic – electricity in the marriage.  Sometimes it looked staged – like you were told to  look at each other. Step on lines more.  Especially a line where Frank pauses a beat between pronoun (I) and verb. At the end of cheek to cheek – look at each other a beat then dialogue.
Judith & JC Smuts	Begin moving, getting the letter during Chamberlain scene. Start vocally stepping on Chamberlain’s line – war.
Briggs family	The JOY in the Briggs family needs to be tempered with apprehension because of Judith’s last lines.   Mrs. Briggs – this would be you….. hesitate a SEC not so sure of Alister going to war. ?  If this doesn’t work, we will scrap it. Alister MUST CHEAT OUT!!! (This is a basic acting mistake and makes you look like a novice actor). Vocals when Ms. Briggs sees Alister.  Mr. Briggs, drop bat closer to mid stage – maybe when you move to hug ALister.  Ms. Briggs, pick up bat, do some hiccup sobs – ask Taylor E. Make a decision, then drop it in rubble
Photographer Bela	It looked awkward on the ground taking pics.  Try this over and over until it looks natural. – It looked like  you had never done this before.  Must look rote.
JC Smuts	Keep chin up – be a little more arrogant so we can see your face – almost like nose in air.
Factory workers	Kit bag song lacked energy.  Look at the lyrics and act them.  SMILE – greet each other. Good transition to pub – Quieter as you move pub stuff during Judith’s scene.
Tom and Mom	Tom, change more re-entering with doll.  Eerier Listen to the doll.  When he says – she’s real and she is my friend, Judith KNOWS something is wrong.  React more.
Lionel Spender And dead people	Don’t look at Judith during dead scene. STEP ON LINES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! INTERRUPT EACH OTHER. HAVE DIFFERENT TEMPOS. THERE MUST BE ENERGY UNDERLYING THE LINES.  VARY PITCH. I died must be different.  Hands must have purpose. Hands must move with emotion. Movement is triggered by emotion.
Soldier 2 Angie Factory girls	Soldier 2 is going to do a few steps of samba – laugh and carry on like you would if it really happened.  After he asks Angie to dance, girls react big.  Play on the care to dance.  See Angie’s expression as she sees soldier in mirror.  When he asks Angie to dance – almost shout with joy – yes.  The first dialogue between Angie and soldier seems a bit staged.
Val	SEARCH for your brother.  Maybe go past an area looking then retrace steps.  SEARCH
Angie and soldier	LOVED moving the leg
Angie and mom	Make freezes as big as bar scene freezes.
Haris and Viv	Viv, react more to Haris opening up.  Haris, while you are explaining about your other life, look back at Viv to see if she is listening, then carry on. We have to see his decision to carry on.  We have to see Viv’s decision to take him back.  Let’s try – she doesn’t take his tie.  He shows surprise as gets up without him. She walks up to 4 X4 turns and opens arms as if to say well, are you coming, and Haris almost stumbles as he hurries to catch up with her.  Viv, we need a lot of hip moving up the steps.
Soldier 2 German	LOVED the dance. Look at you tube how to move from slow to fast in samba/samba lessons.
Judith and Joan	(Judith, keep knees together on steps). Loved picking up the flag.  YOU MUST INTERRUPT EACH OTHER STEP ON LINES. MORE EMOTION. FASTER AND VARIED PACING.
Frakker Frank	As Frakker, DICTION – Step on lines – I won’t tolerate….
Second factory scene.	Love the handicapped man. Sheila and Bela – good with face and body. Judith’s face is good.  Joan, more surprised, but not surprised.  See decision to move away from Judith.
Ending	Loved parachute and parachuter. Great ensemble. Stop shrieking. See Joan’s decision to make us believe she is going to get the gun – dead girl, have it there, but we need to see Joan’s decision to pick it up. The sound of the gunshot must bring her out of the fugue she is in.  Shake when holding gun. Joan’s last speech was powerful. Judith, so emotional that you try to touch your cheek, but can’t because you will fall apart. Hand shakes as your hand drops.
To do	Ashlynn, dirty your apron.