Everyman - Benji's Actor Log

In today's rehearsal we started looking at my first scene. I started to really play with my character and I want him to come across as a geezer, clean cut but also slightly edgy. He enjoys doing his job and likes to see people squirm. He almost shows off when he is talking to his next victim. In our production, Death and God are both aware of the audience so I think I will utilise that opportunity and on some lines address the audience so they feel immersed in the world of the play. This is the actor's triangle. The basis of it is to deal with instincts. The left point represents the past and the character's motivations as to why they are where they are. The right point represents the Future and what the character wants - their objective. The top point connects the two together. Your instincts in the present time are formed by both your past motivations and your future objectives. This gives the most honest representation of the character as it is a human trait.

In today's rehearsal we focused a lot on the music of the play. We explored group singing 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark' by Death Cab for Cutie. There is a lot of power to the song when everyone is committed to singing it. I played the guitar and I think that is how it will be for the actual show. We also looked at Through The Valley by Shawn James. This song directly references the Psalm 23: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. This is very appropriate for the kind of death theme we are exploring in this play. We did some group singing of this song with some harmonies and it added an extra layer of emotion to the song.