Timeless

Our "Space, Place and Text" class at LDA uses the city of London as a tool for showing us the historical contexts of the works we are studying.  We'll be venturing on a number of trips throughout the semester to places like Stratford and Middle Temple to give us a close look at some of the essential spaces in the history of British theatre. This past Friday we went on an early morning excursion south of the river to The Rose Theatre, where Shakespeare's earliest plays were performed.
We left our Kensington dorm building around 7:30 so we could reach the Mansion House tube stop by 8:30 to meet our professor.  Once we reached Mansion House we got some americanos and ventured over the Southwark Bridge.  This was about the time that I realized that when you're crossing the Thames in January its probably a good idea to blow-dry your hair beforehand.  Anyway, despite my freezing head, it was pretty incredible crossing the river and suddenly seeing the replica of Shakespeare's Globe peeking through the slew of modern buildings that now cover Bankside. 
Once we reached South Bank we traveled through an alley or two to find the original Rose Theatre site.  Inside the space we were given a tour and lecture on the history of the Rose and the other theatres of it's time--The Globe, The Swan and The Theatre. 
What stands of the original Rose is the foundation which shows the shape of the stage and interier and exterior walls of the space.  This foundation is covered with dripping water to preserve it.  Red rope lights line the foundation so you can see the dimensions of the space and how intimate it actually was.   It was rather remarkable being in the same space where some of the greatest plays ever written were first performed.  Though the actual building no longer remains, standing in the space where some of Shakespeare's first great characters were inhabited in front of an audience was truly remarkable.
After our tour of the space was over we were given a irrefutable offer.  The tourguide and our professor said we had time for a few of us to do monologues in the space.  I was the first one to hop up, I didn't want to miss this opportunity!  I decided to do one of Margaret's monologues from Henry VI Part II because I had been working on it with my audition tutor and wanted to play with it in the space.  It was such a joyous and memorable experience speaking Margaret's fierce text in the presence of so much history; I had goosebumps the whole time. A number of us went up and performed monologues penned by Mr. Shakespeare some 400 years earlier.  The space was old, the actors were young and the words were completely timeless.

-Shea

Fifteen Press-ups

“Fifteen press-ups, you’re late…C’mon fifteen press-ups until he is here, he is fifteen seconds late!”
Beginning this acting class with push-ups? Who is this woman and why are we doing this for someone who is one fifteen seconds late? Because this was an acting class with Kathy Pogson. Staring at the ground as our sore arms from the movement class the day before attempted to press ourselves up, we realized this would be unlike any class we’ve had before.

“What is Acting?” she asked us. The ten of us sat in a circle and each giving our definition, as we know it. Some said acting was truth. Some used actor’s vocabulary, saying it was the pursuit of an objective. Still others said it was the creating of a character. All of these definitions, though sound, were wrong. Kathy examined each answer following it up with the question: how? How does one be truthful, pursue and objective, or create a character? We didn’t know. Stumped, she reveled after many guesses what her definition of acting was. Her answer was brilliant and simple. I am afraid I cannot share it now, hoping it will become a little secret to unlocking the craft along with my fellow students. After being enlightened to this new definition of acting, we all realized we didn’t actually know anything when it really came down to it.

With both apprehension and excitement we entered our second acting class.  All students were required to bring in either and object or photo of sentimental value and sit in front of the class to talk about it. Before we spoke, however, we were to connect to the object. In my own time I got up to talk. Sitting in front of the class, staring at a picture of my parents at my age, very much in love, I noticed something new. My mother was carrying a leather clutch and my father’s shoes were not brown desert boots as I had thought, but a different entirely unidentifiable type of shoe. I began to speak, not quite aware of what I was saying. I still cannot remember what I said in my explanation of the picture, but it didn’t matter. I had looked at this picture thousands of times, but this time I began to tear up looking at my parents loving embrace. I stopped my explanation, saying “ Wait, what?” trying to figure out why I suddenly got emotional in front of a group of basically strangers.

Walking home from class that day I realized, I miss my parents. The object had allowed me to access this feeling in the thinking of its meaning to me. This object work is a tool for acting, allowing one to access a feeling or emotional space they couldn’t otherwise truthfully create or understand.
I have only had two acting classes and they have already gifted me with unforgettable experiences and tools. Realizing I missed my parents, I am now going to Skype them. Its funny what acting teaches you about yourself. It has the ability to show you things you didn’t even know you felt. Needless to say, I think LDA will be an unforgettable experience and I cannot wait to keep having the time of my life here.

-Anna

An Actor's Discussion

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Pip Carter, who stared as Edward Thomas in the production of The Dark Earth and the Light Sky that we saw last weekend.  For about an hour, he spoke to us about a multitude of subjects like his training at RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art), his process of creating a character, and working with famous English director Richard Eyre. It was a very casual conversation with a young working actor who wanted to pass along the knowledge he has gained in the business over the past seven years.  It's important to note that we got this chance to speak with him because of Ellen Newman, the director of the LDA program, who was a vocal coach at RADA for many years and actually taught Pip when he went to school there.

At the end of our discussion, Pip recited one of Edward Thomas' poems about his walks with Robert Frost which I thought I'd share as well:

"The sun used to shine"

The sun used to shine while we two walked
Slowly together, paused and started
Again, and sometimes mused, sometimes talked
As either pleased, and cheerfully parted

Each night. We never disagreed
Which gate to rest on. The to be
And the late past we gave small heed.
We turned from men or poetry

To rumours of the war remote
Only till both stood disinclined
For aught but the yellow flavorous coat
Of an apple wasps had undermined,

Or a sentry of dark betonies,
the stateliest of small flowers on earth,
At the forest verge; or crocuses
Pale purple as if they had their birth

In sunless Hades fields.  The war
Came back to mind with the moonrise
Which soldiers in the east afar
Beheld then.  Nevertheless, our eyes

Could as well imagine the Crusades
Or Caesar's battles.  Everything
To faintness like those rumours fades-
Like the brook's water glittering

Under the moonlight--Like those walks
Now--like us two that took them, and
The fallen apples, all the talks
And silences--like memory's sand

When the tide covers it late or soon,
And other ment through other flowers
In those fields under the same moon
Go talking and have easy hours.

-Danny

WEEK 1

We've only been here a week but man has it been a busy one. After we all landed we took a day to get settled and unpacked, then checked out a couple of the local pubs in the High Street Kensington area. The next day we trekked through London to check out the London Eye and hike through the mud in the absolutely beautiful Hampstead Heath, finishing the day with tea and cake of course. Thursday consisted of more touring around Kensington Gardens to see Kensington Palace, The Royal Albert Hall, The Natural History Museum, and the Victoria & Albert Museum where we saw some amazing costumes and set models on display. Friday was mainly just orientation and meeting our wonderful new professors, but we did conclude the night with a trip to Picadilly Circus to celebrate our first week at this 3 story pub. Finally on Saturday we had our first plunge into British theatre with a viewing of a new play called The Dark Earth and the Light Sky by Nick Dear, that told the tragic story of the poet Edward Thomas and his friendship with Robert Frost. The night of theatre didn't end there as some of the group went to go see an all-female rendition of Julius Caesar and the others going to a 50 hour improv show. All in all it's been a packed first week for us here in London and it's only gonna get busier as we officially start our semester of British theatre training tomorrow at 9am.

-Danny

Check out some of our pictures from our first week:

Atlantic House

London Dramatic Academy

The Museum of Natural History

London Eye

Hampstead Heath

Tea and Cake

Pub Night

Kensington Palace

Club Night