Tonia Shepherd: Final Blog Post!

Question 1:

My role within the process of Porto was to document the process making specific reference to the RSVP model, looking in on Porto as an outside eye. Initially the cast found it hard to spontaneously interact with other characters within Porto, as they had not yet familiarised themselves with their own character. It was evident that in order for the characters to create a genuine bond with another character, the actor had to first understand their purpose within Porto. Looking in on Porto made it easier to identify the different relationships established within and although there where numerous relationships throughout, characters still seemed to conform to the routine of the Porto community. Each and every character although at times seemed distant from one another, had a strong bond based upon the fact that the community was built through a shared experience that gelled the characters together. In Carri Harpers report titled 'What Is Community?' she say's:

'The various aspects of our daily lives that are intrinsically linked with the people around us. It is our shared identity, our culture, heritage and language that bind people together to form strong communities.' (Carri Harper)

To depict the characters unity as an ensemble, the characters shared similar characteristics that portrayed an emotion that every character embodied. A example of this is during the scene where Blake's character (disturbed by his obsession with his suitcase) is sat stage right totally uninterested with the community around him, performing a sequence that all but a handful of characters are drawn into.

Question 2:

Up until the V and P process of the performance all the steps towards devising and creating the performance where based in the drama studios. Although at times the cast would split up into smaller groups to work upon their sub sections and their relationships with specific characters, the studios became Porto. On leaving the Ma209 room (used mainly to store the casts outerwear) when the characters stepped into Ma208 it was as though the characters had stepped into Porto. Once the piece moved into the Arena and the characters ran through their performance it seemed as though the character became lost within their new space. it was almost as though Porto no longer existed. the characters no longer seemed to be the characters they had developed since January and in turn they lost many characteristics. however this didn't last as the characters soon regained their sense of being and adapted to the Arena space.
The drama studios are smaller in size, compared to the amount of space the Arena has to offer. so filling the space with the already devised movement was initially a problem, but once the characters had time to adjust the placing of items and where and when they need to be for a particular section the Arena became Porto.
Apart from the weaknesses detailed above there were also some strengths that arose after moving the ensemble into the theatre space. One in particular was the fact that the characters had allot more space in the periphery to interact within the community, although not creating a distraction of the main scene.

Question 3:

As I didn't have a character and saw only 2/3 shows I am unable to answer this question.


Bibliography:

Other Sources:

http://www.infed.org/community/community.htm