DECEMBER 8th - Tuesday

WORKSHOP 1:  8/12/15

 [Jacques Lecoq's Seven Tensions.]

Task: 

Explore the 'Seven Tensions' workshop which involves physicalizing and moving to the instructed tension. The tensions are:

1. Catatonic/Exhausted.

2. Laid Back.

3. Neutral/Economic.

4. Alert/Curious.

5. Suspense/Reactive.

6. Passionate.

7. Tragic. 

Explore: How these will manifest through my body.  

Inspiration/Theory - 

Aim of exercise -

'This exercise, at its most basic, explores muscular tension and how to take a particular tension into the whole body, including the respiration, the eyes and voice. It is a challenge to allow one tension to inhabit you to that degree.' (Complicite 2014)

·        I work-shopped the 'seven tensions' in order to evaluate the level my fitness and capability. I wanted to test myself to see if I would move impulsively and not hold back as I struggle with inhibitions when performing. The aim of the exercise is to explore physical gesture and the body’s capability to move through different levels of tension and intensity. 

'When aware of the theatrical dimension, the actor can shape an improvisation for spectators using rhythm, tempo, space, form.' (Cited in Simon Murrays 'Jacques Lecoq')

I will be exploring rhythm and tempo specifically within this version of the 'seven tensions' exercise as I want to focus on developing these aspects at this stage of my rehearsals.  

 Proposed Outcome - 

My aim was to explore what my body was capable of at this point and to see what repertoire of movements I had initially. I expected the outcome of the workshop to be very basic as this was the beginning stages of my rehearsal process. I expected that I would not commit fully when moving and that I would hold tensions all over my body. I therefore expected that my first attempt would be held back and that I would struggle to embody each level of tension.

Outcome –

What I did:

I performed the exercise without having gone over the tensions in depth. I wanted to give myself more opportunity to not hold back. I tried to approach the exercise without hesitation and I did not want to have any preconceived ideas to try and improve the outcome.

[VIDEO] First attempt of Lecoq’s ‘seven tensions’ exercise. 

Results:

The workshop turned out to be as I had expected.  I was withdrawn and my focus was not great. I did not commit to each level of tension as much as I should have and my commitment with lacking. This was due to my inhibitions and reserved nature. The character of my project requires a larger and more committed physicality that will captivate an audience. At this stage of my physical training with Lecoq’s techniques, I will need be repeating these exercises on a daily basis in order to begin to overcome my self-doubt and incapability to let go and embody the tensions.  

When reviewing the video I can see that I do not utilize my space very well. I am rooted to one spot of the ground a lot and this could be due to my low confidence. Space is a highly important element of my project as I aim to create a space on stage that represent a literal location and then shifts to a dramatic imaginary unknown location that represents my character wanting to break free of where she is.

  

Moving Forward -

I feel that I need more practice and to do more research behind this exercise before trying it again. What I will bring to my project through using this workshop will be open and free gesture and movements. What I mean by this is that I hope to train myself through Lecoq’s exercises to then be able move with better commitment and to not hold myself back due to lack of experience in this style of physical theatre.

' . . .the training is very practical and very specific for each student because every actor's body and mind has accumulated different tensions and conditioned responses. Lecoq's training methods therefore focus on releasing preconditioned views of acting and bringing an actor's attention back to ‘playing.' (Ryan 2012)

List of references:

ACU (2012) Lecoq. [Online] Avalible from: http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/ [Accessed 8th December 2015]

Ideastap (2014) Complicite [Online] Avalible from: http://www.ideastap.com/IdeasMag/the-knowledge/catherine-alexander-complicite-theatre-exercises [Accessed 8th December 2015]

Murray, S. (2003) Jacques Lecoq. New York: Routledge