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| FINAL DRAMA JOURNAL FOR 2003 Click here to go home SUMMING UP 2003, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM AND EXPECTATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR. Where to start? It's always hard to begin an online journal entry, which is why I always find myself delaying it further and further, but never fear! The long-awaited (by who I don't know) final entry for 2003, and my thoughts on A MIdsummer Night's Dream! I guess it'd be fitting to start with the rehearsal process, way back in Term 3. Infact I remember one certain lesson, where we were sitting in a circle and we were on the verge of picking a topic for our Year 11 Ensemble assesment, in late Term 4. I can vaguely remeber that good ideas came few and far between, but everyone, with the exception of Matt and yours truly, agreed on A Midsummer Night's Dream. I don't know why. Maybe they had seen it, or read it, who knows? I wasn't familliar with the play, but after the experience (for lack of a better word) of Hamlet, all I had to hear was the name 'Shakespeare' to trigger an automatic disagreement inside my lunatic mind. Despite the lobbying Matt and I did to protest the play, we adopted a 'fuck the minority' approach. As I am writing this (December 3, 2003), I am glad we (or should I say 'they') did. Anyway, I can safely say that bareley anyone looked at their scripts until the first weekend of the holidays, which is when all of the girls (except Kylie who was in Phillip Island) and I were at Mel's house going over lines. Where the rest of the lads were, I don't really know. I guess it showed who was committed, or at least at that early point in time. First lesson back from the holidays, as far as I can remember (and believe me thats not very far) was spent piss farting around, with the odd group reading lines. Moving forward to about a fortnight from the performance, everyone had pretty much learned their lines. Rehearsing was relatively a breeze, albeit a difficult task once people *cough* Nick *cough* started showing up late... To be fair to everyone, even with a lot of absences and stress, nobody really spat the dummy. As I was discussing with a fellow classmate whom I won't name, I was expecting the end of our drama class - or "Dramageddon" as I oh-so cleverly titled it. It didn't happen. The scene was set: conflicting ideas, putting in hard work, staying after school, latenesses, letting the group down, etc, etc not to mention that there was a shitload of tension too; but we worked as a team, and although it took a while to learn to work together, it most definately payed off. You can thank the good Lord above for that 'miracle' of sorts. Fast forward past the minor bitching about putting together the box with three billion nails and painting it afterwards, to November 20, 2003. This was it. Only a few rehersals left, and then it was showtime. By this point we already had a chaser set up which made the already kick-ass set look better. Music cues were worked out, as were the lighting effects. So, with a few hours left I can remember sitting in the theatre with James sewing one of the fairy costumes, and Mel calling him a 'sewing machine retard'. I also remember that part of the day for a different reason. I felt like shit. I don't know why but on that day (and even the previous) day I couldn't eat much, if anything and I had a headache and a sore stomach. Nervousness two days in advance? Yep, until I went home to change. After getting picked up and going home to eat after Hungry Jacks had no power from a blackout earlier I had a shower, got changed, had soemthign to eat and came back to the theatre 35 odd minutes later - and I was feeling great. It's bizarre to think that two hours from a play you're OK when the last 24 hours haven't been all that pleasant. Anyway, nearing the play some others started feeling like I was earlier. I just smiled and thought to myself that 'at least [I'd] gotten that out of my system. Soon it was 7PM, and I can't vouch for the rest of you guys, but I was feelign fine, and at this point I was selling tickets, which was going quite alright until we had a dilemma with change and we ended up telling quite a few people to 'come back in a little while because we owe you money'. Anyways, Judes took over but before she did, I managed to cause a mini-diversion as Blake ran out of the ticket box with the flowers, which were hidden there from her. Phew! Close call. Anyway, the lights are down. They come up, Gemma and James enter, and we're off! One and a half terms' work has come down to this. I can't imagine how those two felt about being on stage first. After their dialogue, Nick prancing around the stage in his outfit was the first time the audience really laughed. That was a good sign. On comes Hayley who is much much more audible than in previous rehearals. Shortly after that, Mel, Wade, Ashkaan and Kylie are on and one can't help but wonder how cute Mel and Kylie look yet how foolish Wade and Ashkaan look. Never the less, it turned out just fine. Our first Mechanic scene is on and we do rather well. I don't know if they did or not, but I hope the audience heard me. I'm told I ahve a tendency to talk too fast. Metalktoofast? Ha ha, mandatory lame joke right there, people! One person had the audacity to comment on my good self being cocky. I beg to differ. If this somebody, who I will not name, has seen or read Shakespeare's work, they would know that Nick Bottom is a quite self centered, egotistical but confident S.O.B. So, in essence I was playing a cocky character, but I'm not sure thats what this person meant. By no means was I cocky when I was a mere two miutes from singing, even though its singing badly, its singing none the less. I don't remember much more up until the point where I say my Bottom's Dream stuff and I screwed up by leaving too early. I don't even think we arranged lighting cues for that bit. Oh well, water under the bridge. I don't think anyone noticed anyway. After that was probably the best recieved part, in terms of audience reaction - the final play bit, or should I say the performance of The Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisbe. When it was all said and done, I think the crowd loved Matt. He stole the show, no questions asked. After the final bit with Nick, I remember the huge overwhelming feeling of acomplishment that almost all of us felt. So we should have. We pulled off something that two days prior to the performance was sub-par, looking very ordinary. We did really well, and I can honeslty say that I'm really proud of every single one of you! Something like this will surely strengthen our bond, and speaking of our bond, you couldn't have created it in a Maths or Accounting class. Well done to all of us. We F'N Rock! This year, has been a wild ride, like I predicted it would be at the start of the year, in my first journal. It had its moments, its highs and its incredibly low lows, but we went in and came out as a team. We only have about 8 months of school next year, so we should make the most of it, and not spend it bitching and being keniving, but as friends and somewhat as a 'family'. Remember that you don't have to be the sharpest knife in the draw to cut yourself a slice from the cheesecake of hapiness. Ha! What an ingenious quote.... who made that up? Oh yeah... (there's cockiness for ya, by the way!) Methinks before I go, I should do two things. One of which is to credit Hayley, who went out of her way to attend rehearsals of the only subject she actually did for the greater part this semester, and if she was ever away or late, she'd come up with a valid excuse. Even though she probably will never read this and I suspect we'll seldom see her again, I just thought I should write something about it. Kudos to you, Hayley. The second thing is two lists; one of the most memorable drama moments this year, the other, ten of my favourite quotes from MSND. STANDOUT MOMENTS OF 2003: + James, Ellyce, Tiffany and Wade's Egyptian Mummification ritual for our perofrmance and research task on rituals (13/2/03). + Mrs Benney: [calling Nick] "Nichol-ARSE" Nick: "Can I have a sheet? Mrs Benney: "Too much information!" + Kylie and Gemma EATING Nick's cartoon representation of his solo performance (8/5/03). + Solo performances (15/5/03) + That wierd exercise with the masks (29-30/5/03) + The "Fix-The-Shit" lesson in early June when everything took a turn for the worst (5/6/03) + Mr Rogers busting in and performing Gary's House with myself. Goes to show why he is one of the most respected teachers in the school as he's up for anything (31/7/03). + Mrs Benney single-handedly ruining nursery rhymes for everyone! (8/8/03). + The idea of performing A Midsummer Night's Dream is born (5/9/03). + Finally: performing A Midsummer Night's Dream quite succesfully BOB'S FAVOURITE MSND QUOTES IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER 10. "Methinks I could much on your good dry oats" 9. "My gentle Puck - come hither" 8. "I am amazed and know not what to say!" 7. "I shall sing that they shall hear I am not afraid" (*shudder!*) 6. "Out dog, out cur! Thou drivest me past the bounds of maidens patience" 5. "What jealous Oberon? Fairies skip hence. I've forswon his bed and company" 4. "You draw me you hard hearted adamant!" 3. -"Ready" -"And I" -"And I" -"And I" -"Where shall we go? 2. "Demetrius be not so, for you love Hermia, this you know I know" and drumroll, please... my favourite quote: 1. - "You mistress, you cankerblossom, you theif of love!" - "Fie fie you puppet, you!" - "Puppet? How so? Ay, that way goes the game! How low am I thy painted maypole? How low am I that my nails could reach into thine eyes? Speak! Who is it that hinders you? - "A foolish hear left here behind..." - "With Lysander?" - "With Demetrius." And with that ungodly but amusing waste of space, I bid you farewell, adieu, bosoir and saionara, until next year. Here's to 2004. -Bob [END OF PAGE] All material on this website is (c) 2003 Bob Productions Inc., on behalf of the Curiosity KilledThe Cat Team and Maroondah Secondary College. Don't copy anything without permission or a lawsuit will be coming your way. |
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