The Flint Street Nativity Performance Evaluation 16/12/15

Today was the day that we would perform Flint Street Nativity to a live audience. I think it went extremely well it was the best it has ever gone and I am really proud how it has turned out. Here are some of the points that I think went well and could be improved on and some of the things that we could have done differently.

Things that went well:
When I asked my mum and dad who came to watch the performance they said they did not notice any mistakes that I did which was great because overall I think I only made a couple of mistakes. This shows that if we did mess up we covered it well because the audience enjoyed the show and did not notice any mistakes and I agree I don't think we made many mistakes at all.

• The audience reactions where great for some of the funny parts like when I said 'thats my mum' in the audience and when I said 'that everyone had to go home and pay for taxis' and when Kat and I banged into each other which we did plan a few people did laugh. 

• All of the songs where funny and people remembered the actions and movement so it looked like we where kids and some parts it looked like Miss Horrocks was talking to us. 

• I used my props effective and used them for the beginning scenes when I was meant to be learning my words and used pens to look like I was writing some of my words down and doing drawings and interacting with Kat because she kept stealing my words which her character would do and I would ask people if they had learned their words. 

• I made sure when producing all of my lines I would say it loud and proud so everyone in the audience could hear me and understand what I was talking about throughout the performance. 

• My movement throughout was shown well so people understood that all of us where children in the the first part of the play and then later on people knew that we where the adults of the kids we where playing. 

• The scene changes like going to the classroom to the stage went well with the curtains opening and shutting making sure the different parts went right to the audience understood that we where not in the classroom anymore that we where performing it. 

• The lighting changes where perfect when Miss Horrocks got angry from them changing white to red quickly and our reactions where quick and dramatic. 

• Portraying that I was a 7 year old went well and I think the audience understood who I was. 

• All of my interaction with the others went well like the part with Lewis at the beginning talking to him saying that we did not learn the carols and being silly like a 7 year old would do. 

• Everyones reactions where amazing when Peter Crouch escaped from his cage with me hiding under the table to show that I was scared. 

• I changed my voice when playing a child to clearly show that I was playing a 7 year old and when producing my lines of telling the story on the nativity I said them as a 7 year old would if they where in the show saying them loud. 

Things that could have gone better:

• Finding sometimes to go in the light was hard I had to make sure I was not in the dark when I was speaking all of my lines but I think some of the lines I may have been in the dark a bit I was at the front sitting down I may not have been in the light as much I think we should have had more practise on the stage so we knew more about where we would stand for lights. 

• Some of the songs that we had to sing off stage most of us did not know the words too but we looked at our scripts so we said the right words we could have spend more time on songs so we knew them all. We also could have spend more time on songs because we did not do all of the songs because we did not have time to practise them but I do think it worked well without them and we decided as a group to drop them because we did already have some songs. 

• At the end of the scene where Charlie wets his leg as he says when he wets himself the donkey makes noises which Charlie does but when he went off to go and do the noise we had a moment of silence and then I followed him off and I was meant to say on for that last line so it was only a small mistake I made on that part. 

• For the part where I go on for Herod's palace I was waiting for my line to start telling the story but someone skipped a few lines so Lorna carried on and covered it well so we did not have any silence and missed one of my lines out but I ran on straight away to get us back on to my next line which covered it well.

How would you have done it differently if you did it again:

I think we could have done more rehearsals on the stage with all of our props and set so we knew more about what we are going to use. We could have planned more things to do as children like having more games to play at the back and setting the stage out more as a classroom like having a couple more tables that people used for school desks. We also could have had more rehearsals with the stage lights so we knew the different sides we where going on but throughout rehearsals I did learn what side I had to go on it was just making sure that your found the light so you could be seen. I think we could have had more things like running around so it looked more like we where playing 7 year olds but many of the actions we did were amazing.

Overall as a cast we did very well and remembered all of our words and all of the scenes in the right order. Our teacher Miss Cordell said that it was fantastic and said their was one point where I saved a scene and got everyone in the right place so we did not go back and do a scene again. The rest of the cast agree with me that it was the best performance we have ever done throughout all of the rehearsing and their was only some areas that could be improved. Some of the rehearsals we could have been more focused so we understood more about the play and maybe could have done more research so we knew different ways to play our character. People said that I stayed in my character in the whole performance and remembered all of my words which is amazing because I was nervous that I would forget some of my lines but I always made sure I looked at them before I went on stage so I remembered them all and going home and researching about 7 year olds so we understood about playing our characters and always going through my words so I would not forget them. 

The Flint Street Nativity Play 16/12/15

Today we had a full day off so we could practise for our performance because we where going to be performing to a live audience in the evening.

For the first few lessons we had to collect some of the our set from the classroom and put things up like a christmas tree, the home corner, the pictures that we made in the lesson, the who's been good chart, chairs and tables and the flats where we can put the space display up and the pictures we made on the other one. So thought out the day everyone was busy setting up set and making things like hats for the king and making sure we had all of our costumers so we could put them on later on.

The rest of the day we went though some parts of the play we decided we should practice the change to the children to the adult section where we go off slow motion and then everyone has to get changed for the adult scene but I am not in the whole adult section so I have lots of time to get ready for my last section as a adult. After this we went though the whole play until we got to the slow motion section this helped because it was the first time we have gone though the whole performance on the stage and it went really well and it made me think more about my my lines to make sure I know them so when we perform it for real it will be the best it has ever been so we all treated it like the real deal and made sure that we would carry on if any mistakes happened like if someone missed out a line. I had to make sure when saying all of my lines I said them loud so everyone will be able to hear me when we do the real performance and when we are not saying any lines in the background we are still acting like kids to show that we are in a school and it is very busy and there is lots going on so most of the time I am learning me words as my characters needs to do because he keeps saying about showing his dad.

The Flint Street Nativity Play 15/12/15

Today's lesson we performed for the first time on the stage I had to think what wings I would come on from and what areas of the stage I would be standing in so I can make sure that I am in the right light so I can be seen.

Everyone went though the adults scene first which means I had time to look over my lines and to see how everyone else is playing their characters and give them any help for what they could improve.

After we did the adult scene we went from the beginning of the show with all the set and props if we had any but I have used my cards before that have my words on to show that I am trying to learn them but I only have them for the beginning scene because then it shows that I have learned my lines to show my dad. I think the run though went really well and I am very exited to perform it because it has gone so far and we have done many rehearsals so I hope the end result will look amazing.

The Flint Street Nativity Play 11/12/15

Today we did a full run though with costumes which was really fun and went well. I enjoy playing a child because its a run act to show people because you can make mistakes because you are only 7 years old I think the children parts went really well because we have practised them a lot but some of the adult section did not go fully well because some people forgot lines but thats why we practise I have a sort scene in the adult section which I prefer because I like playing more as my child.

The Flint Street Nativity Play 10/12/15

Today we went though all of the songs we started with "O Come All Ye Faithful" we all knew all the words to it because most of it we don't say proper lyrics because we forget them we all made sure that movement was perfect so are characters would look the best they could so people can see that we are playing 7 year olds and not acted as are usually selves. We performed "Silent Night" too which is the last kids song where we finish of the nativity as the narrator I have to remember the last section of the story but we find out in this song that his mum came with someone else and not his dad.

The Flint Street Nativity Play 08/12/15

Today we did the whole play and did a full run though which went the best it has ever gone I think I had to ask for a couple of lines because I could not remember but I have gone over lines again to make sure I know them 100% and I hope I will get them all right the next time we run it. We did songs too I just need to know my last lines which I say in the last song about the baby and saying that it was a sign gods love for ever and ever that it was the beauitful star of Bethlehem. I think everyone will need to go though the adult song but I am not in this we just need to make sure it is perfect so then I come on after the song for my scene.

The Flint Street Nativity Play 04/12/15

Today we performed act 2 but all the children parts we played as adults and all the parent parts we played as are children so it was very confusing lesson because we had to play it different and some of the lines did not work but some where fine to do.

This is me playing my adult part as my children it felt really different and weird to do because some of the words did not make sense that a child would say that.

This was some of the children parts but playing it as an adult as you can see I forgot some of my lines but I have been practicing more to make sure I know them all so it will be more of a successful rehearsal.

This was some more of the children parts but as us playing it as adults we did have a little mix up with the scene and missed one so we just went back and did that one and carried it on. Overall I think the task made me think more about how I am going to playing my characters my targets are to look at my movement and to change my voice to the different types if characters I am doing.

The Flint Street Nativity Play 03/12/15

Today we were asked to fill in questions which would help us think more about Flint Street and how we where going to go further with it. Here are the questions and my answers below:

1. Discussing one activity or exercise, explain how this had developed your own skills and understanding as an actor.

We did a task where we did everything we played over the top. I found this exercise helpful because it made me have lots of energy and think more about my role and the way I am going to play my character. We made sure that everyone was over exaggerating so the play had more enthusiasm. Children are loud and have lots of energy so I had to make sure I played it loud and make sure the movement was over the top and we where never standing still.

2. What research have you done into the play itself?

I have watched the film to see how other people are going to play my role. I have also watched my three little cousins to see how they act I thought I can't play my role to childish but I need to make it believable so I have practised different ways of playing it. My cousin also had a birthday party which had lots of 7 year olds there so I was seeing how they all acted around each other and trying to think when I talk to other character what are my reactions going to be like.

3. What are your recommendations for developing the production further?

I think we all need to make sure we know the lines inside and out I think I need to revise more of my lines to know them better so when it comes to performing it I will know them without trying to remember them. We could also start practising on stage so we know what it is like when we perform and we know where to go for things like the lights and the set.

In the rest if the lesson we did some of act 2 because we have not practises this as much as act 1 I think my targets are to improve on my speaking so I can do a childish voice and to insure all my lines are perfect so I don't having to keep asking for the next line if I forget what I am doing. Overall the lesson was very successful and I think we have come so far with performing are play and I hope it is going to be an amazing when we perform it.

The Flint Street Nativity Play 01/12/15

Today we did the whole play we did not manage to finish it we got up to the bit where I am about to introduce Herod I think the run though went well because we did not have scripts I just need to make sure I know all of the lines because I found some of act 2 hard trying to remember all of my words so I am going to revise my words more and harder so I will know it hopefully the next time we run it.

At the end we got notes we just all need to make sure we keep all the energy up for the whole play and some of my words need to be said different from others and I need to make sure all movement is perfect and is confident.