ABSTRACT
The rehearsal process divides into two periods. In the first period work with the full acting company to build the world of the play. This takes up about 40% of your rehearsal time. In the second period break the play into small sections and only call those actors who are in each section. This takes up the remaining 60% of your time in the rehearsal room. This chapter deals with how you build the world of the play and includes advice on the following areas:
How to divide up the rehearsal day Introducing facts and questions Research Place The writer and the genre Practical work on ideas Practical work on emotions Character biographies First practical work on character and character tempo Relationships How to set up improvisations with the actors How to use visualisation exercises How to do all this with a short rehearsal period
This list gives the impression that every step in the process needs to be completed before you move onto the next. It also gives the impression that you have to work in a precise order. Neither of these things is entirely true. For example, you might choose to begin practical work on ideas whilst you are still working on facts and questions. The completion of your research could overlap with the beginning of your work on character biographies. Play these things by ear. The ingredients that have to go in linear order are:
back history facts/questions character biographies
first practical work on character relationships improvisations (events in the past, trigger event, then immediate
circumstances).
