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A RADIO
INTERVIEW.
INTERVIEWER:
I gather
these drama
courses
which you
are
attending
have really
given you a
new lease of
life.
Jennifer,
can you try
and explain
the
fascination
you derive
from a hard
three-hour
session at
the college
after a full
day's work?
JENNIFER:
Above all,
each session
is fun, it
energises
me. I
actually go
home with
more energy
on a Tuesday
than any
other day of
the week.
The reason
is simple, I
feel alive
after the
drama
classes. At
first I
wasn't sure
if I would
enjoy the
course; you
have to
relate to
the others
in the group.
In fact most
of the work
is in small
groups or at
least in
pairs and
obviously
the natural
barriers
between
strangers
exist. I can
honestly say
that from
the first
evening this
did not
bother me,
and I'm not
an extrovert
by nature.
In fact, if
anything,
I'm rather
shy and
reserved.
INTERVIEWER:
And what
about you,
Harry?
HARRY: Well,
as far as
I'm
concerned,
drama
classes have
freed me,
they've
allowed me
to be
creative and
successful
in so many
ways that
I'm not,
usually. I
particularly
enjoy the
sessions
when we just
create
something
out of
nothing, we
improvise.
There is
usually some
time in the
evening when
we make up
either a
character or
a
conversation
or a
situation
and act that
out with the
others. The
spontaneous
nature of
improvisation
is what's so
appealing to
me.
JENNIFER:
You can't 'get
it wrong',
you're
having a go,
that's all.
I mean you
just stand
up and
become
another
person for
five
minutes;
perhaps
you're like
yourself or
totally
different,
that doesn't
matter. What
counts is
that you
take on a
new
personality,
and you
actually
become that
person. And,
since you
invent the
part, you
can't be out
of character
and it's
impossible
to make
mistakes. I
expect this
will change
when we move
onto text,
won't it,
Harry?
HARRY: Yes,
yes, I'm
really
looking
forward to
using text
in the
classes and
even to
learning
lines. I
just find
some text
fascinating
and can't
wait to
really work
on it. Of
course it
will be
different
from
improvisation,
where we
make up the
parts we
play, but I
know you can
lose
yourself in
a part, and
playing it
your way is
going to be
the
challenge.
JENNIFER:
Obviously, a
specific
part will be
open to
interpretation
and a
director may
want you to
do it in a
certain way.
Imagine
playing a
Shakespearean
hero or
heroine,
well, there
are bound to
be different
ways of
saying those
famous lines
and the
actor or
actress may
not agree
with the
director,
but this is
a stage we
haven't
reached yet.
For the
moment, it's
about
overcoming
self-consciousness
and learning
to be
sensitive.
Last week we
had a new
person in
the group
and it
became
really clear
that he
hadn't tuned
in to the
way in which
the classes
work, you
know, it was
embarrassing
really, he
overdid it
and tried to
dominate the
group, he
didn't wait
and watch
and listen.
This was
when it
struck me
that we've
been
learning to
listen to
each other
and to
respond
accordingly;
and of
course you
bring
yourself
into it, but
not too much
and not too
inappropriately.
HARRY: I
couldn't
agree more.
He actually
asked me
personal
questions
which were
intrusive
and could
have been
saved for
the tea
break. I
found it off
the point
and
distracting.
Well, I
suppose he
felt awkward
too, but if
I've learned
anything
this term,
it's not to
jump in, but
to take my
time and
allow the
others time
by being
patient when
they are
struggling
with, for
example,
creating an
unfamiliar
character.
The group
has to
develop
together and
the newcomer
was an
outsider. I
guess it
wasn't his
fault, but
he didn't
seem
interested
in learning
from the
situation.
That's
probably
what annoyed
me.
JENNIFER:
I'd be
surprised if
he came
again. He
didn't look
comfortable.
INTERVIEWER:
Would you
say this
receptiveness
to each
other is the
key lesson
so far,
Jennifer? |
