Horror films are designed to cause panic, dread and to alarm and invoke our hidden worst fears, often in a terrifying, shocking finale, while captivating and entertaining us at the same time. Horror films effectively center on the dark side of lif. Horror films are designed to make people feel vunrable by exposing our fears, whether that be death, ghosts or murderers.
In the earliest days of horros, the films were usually based on Vampire and Monsters. The first ever horror movie was based around the idea of vampires and was created by Le Manoir du Diable in 1896.
Our film is loosely based on the film pyscho and we actually use the muderer scene from it within our film in the cinema.
During the process leading up to filming, our film students were always putting examples of what the murder scene in our film would look like.
For How to Suceed in Business, the costumes, har and makeup are all meant to be 60s.
This is my Costume for How to Succeed:
With my costume I will not be wearing the boots shown in the photo, I will either be wearing nude or black character shoes.
As for the hair, hair in the sixties was big. A musical set in the 60s is Hairspray so the girls featured in that films are good examples of what the hair/ fashion was like back then.
When we did our first dress run of the show with hair and costume, my hair wasn’t big enough.
As you can see in this photo, me and my friends hair have no volume to it which wrecks the 60s illusion of the show. So, in show week I backcombed the top section of my hair to create height and then put it in a ponytail.
As you can see in this photo, my hair had so much more volume to what it did have in the dress run and it was a hairstyle that was around in the sixties.
For makeup, bold colours on the eyes were a go-to. In the show, I used blue eyeshadow as my dress was blue. Every girl matched their eyeshadow to the colour of their dress. Also, because we were under stage lighting,I used a lot of blush just so I wouldn’t looked washed out or pale while on stage.
Despite not attending flashmob, I thought I would include some videos of the rest of the cast performing. They performed at various locations throughout the day. The Flashmob was a good way to market the show and showcase what How to Succeed In Business entails. The cast also wore out shirts which would promote the show. The t-shirts would just simply be seen by the public while walking down the street. On the back of the t-shirt they include the location of the show and when we are performing.
I am a 23 year old secratary working for the World Wide Wicket Company. I don’t particularly enjoy my job as there is a lot of competiton and higher archy involved.
What Time is it?
It is currently spring of 1961 and currently afternoon meaning it’s time for a lunch break.
What Surrounds me?
I can see from my office window that it is currently sunny outside which is nothing new for this area in America. It is a busy day in the office and a new man has just joined our “team” so everyone is curious to find out who he is.
Where Am I?
I am currently at work on the 13th floor in a very small office sorting out some paper work for the man I have been assigned too.
What are the given circumstances?
In the past, I went to college and then went straight into the world of business. Currently I am working for an objectifying male who only sees me as an objects. I am hoping that in the furture I can be seen for more than just my looks and I, my brain, will one day lead me to be a businesss woman who get the same respect as the men.
What are my relationships?
In the workplace, us girls stick together as we all get treated the same. As for my relationship with the men, they are disrespecful and i don’t condone it. But, I have to do as I am told or my job will be in jeperdy. My favourite thing is coffee, it get me through the day. Nothing beats a large cup of coffee in the morning.
What do I want?
Right now, I would really like a cup of coffee, i’ve been working hard at the office all morning and a coffee would go far. Eventually, I would like a promotion, when the opportunity arrises, I will deffiently take it.
What’s In my way?
There are currently so many obsticals in my way. I need to get all my work done before I can have a break. It’s alright for the men, all they have to do is shake their head and smile when needed.
What do i do to get what i want?
As a well driven person I tend to keep my head down and work as hard as possible and hope that I will so get the recognition I deserve. However, if someone contradicts me, I will make sure they know about it.
Berlot Bretcht ( real name Eugen Bethold Friedrich Brecht) was born in 1898 in Augsburg Germany and died in 1956. He was a poet, playwright and theatre director. He lived with his Mother who was a protestant and his father who was a catholic. His father worked in a paper mill and his mother was highly religious and made sure that Bretch studied the bible.
He met someone while in school called Caspar Neher who later went on to design many of the sets for Bretch’s dramas and helped design a distinctive visual image that would uniquely identify the “Epic Theatre”.
When World War One broke out, Bertlot Bretch was only 16. He went on to study medicine at Munich University and although he disliked the War, he went on to become a medic in the military hospital in 1918. When the First World War started, he became disillusioned with the society and started moving towards Marxism and Dadaism.
MARXISM- an economical and social system based upon the political and economic theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engles. It’s known as a conflict theory as it states that society is in conflict with each other- All about philosophy.com.
The video above gave me a brilliant introduction to what Marxism is all about.
DADAISM- A European artistic and literary movement (1916-1923) that flouted conventional aesthetic and cultural values by producing works marked by nonsense, travesty and incongruity- Thefreedictionary.com
Seminal Works
Some of Bretch’s works include:
Life of Galileo
The Three Penny Opera
The Caucasian Chalk Circle
Mother Courage and Her Children
Drums in the Night
Life of Galileo
It was published in 1956 and first performed in 1943 and regarded as Bretchs masterpiece. The play explores a scientists social and ethical resposiblity, Galileo must choose between his life and his life’s work. During the play, Bretch covers issues on scientific morality. He builds a telscope which is the first one of it’s kind in Italy. Through the telescope, he discvers a scientific breakthrough. The play is set in Renaissance Italy and the genre is Agit-prop.
Characters included within the play include; Galileo, Adrea Sarti, Mrs Sarti, Ludovico Marsili, Virginia, Sagredo, Federzoni, Mr Priuli, Cosimo de medici, Father Christopher Clavius, Cardinal Barberini, Filipo Mucius, Mr Gaffone, Vanni, Senator, 1st Monk, Pupperteer and Rector.
Bretch translated the first ersion of the play as well as re-working it in collaboration with the actor ‘Charles Laughton’. They produced the American version of the play, titles ‘Galileo which is the most stage version of the play in current time. The second version formed the basis for Losey’s 1975 film adaptation for “American film Theatre” under the title Galileo.
The German version was premiered in 1935. The Royal Shakespeare Company performed a new version of the play in 2013 which is translated by Mark Ravenhill.
Joe Wright put on a performance of Life of Galileo at the Young Vic. The guardian said: Wright does not convince me that Brecht wrote crisp dialogue. But he does prove that Brecht can be dramatically vivacious: that he argued, not simply demonstrated. Wright steers cleverly between respect and playfulness, honouring the discussions while tweaking the technique. His Galileo is set roughly in the present, with tremendous music from Tom Rowlands of the Chemical Brothers, but thank God, no attempt to scream about contemporary echoes.
The Three Penny Opera
The Three Penny Opera is set in London. It tells the story of Macheath who is a killer, theif and arsonist who marries Polly Peachum. Polly’s father tries to get his revenge by attempting to get Macheath thrown in jail. However, the chief of police is Macheath’s best friend.
This play shows the injustices of society and the corruption of the government. it’s controversial theme, just like the majority of Bretch’s plays, got him into trouble. Not only with the Nazi’s but also with the US House Un-American Committee.
The Three Penny Opera was one of Bretch’s first plays to use the idea of “Alienation”.
The Threepenny Opera proclaims itself “an opera for beggars,” and it was in fact an attempt both to satirize traditional opera and operetta and to create a new kind of musical theater based on the theories of two young German artists, composer Kurt Weill and poet-playwright Bert Brecht. The show opens with a mock-Baroque overture, a nod to Threepenny’s source, The Beggar’s Opera, a brilliantly successful parody of Handel’s operas written by John Gay in 1728. In a brief prologue following the overture, a shabby figure comes onstage with a barrel organ and launches into a song chronicling the crimes of the notorious bandit and womanizer Macheath, “Mack the Knife.” The setting is a fair in Soho (London), just before Queen Victoria’s coronation.-
The Guardian Reviewed The Three penny opera back in 2017 at the “Oliver” in London.
They said:
What does this famous piece of theatre mean to us today? The distinguished translator John Willett got it right when he said it survived less because of its political content than through its establishment of a new theatrical genre. That came home to me while watching Rufus Norris’s grubbily vivacious revival, which doesn’t so much ignite our social anger as remind us that Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill proved you can create memorable musical theatre out of exuberant low-life
Berlot Bretchs plays are proof you can create a captivating and grasping play out of anything.
Epic Theatre
Unlike Grotowski, who demonstrated epic theatre in his acting excersises, Brecht preffered the use of epic theatre in his performances, Bretchs pays often had a social and/or political message withing the. To really get the message across, he would use songs that included the message, storytellers/narrators, projections, placards and actors who would directly address the audience. The use of “Epic theatre” was popularized in Germany after WW1. This relates to How to succeed in business as the play had a running theme of sexism. For example, The song “A secratary is not a Toy” is the women telling the men that they are more than just a pretty face. They are smart and deffinetly not an object.
Movement and Gestures
The movement often included a mixture of forcful and graceful moves
Brecht used a mix of realistic and non-Realistic movement.
Bretch used the Latin word “Gestus” to describe individual gestures along with whole body gestures
Characters often grouped according to their social relationship in the play
Space and Actor Audience relationship
Brechts plays often didn’t have a stage curtain. However, when they did it was only half a curtain instead of a full on to establish this bond with the audience.
Bretch like to call the audience “Spect Actors” just like Boal did.
Directly addressing the audience was a strong technique used by Brechts actors
Directly addressing the audience members broke the “Forth wall” and crushed realistic conventions. Pantomimes often break the fourth wall along with show such as “The rocky Horror Picture Show”
With How to Succeed, Our show has got a curtiain, However, there are moments where Frump adresses the audience breaking down that barrier.
Costumes and Set
Costumes were sometimes incomplete and fragmented
Costumes denoted the characters role/ function in society
sets were sometimes non-existent or only partially set up. However, sometimes the sets could be industrial-like
There was Some use of make-up and masks but they were very theatrical and non-realistic.
Sign and placards were used to show the audience a range of information.
Screen projections would be used to reinforce a plays theme.
If the house light was left on during a performance, open white light also allowed for the spectators and performers to share a same lit space.
lighting instruments were in full view of the audience.
Acting and Characterisation
The actors never fully became their character. This gave of realistic vibes to the audience.
Some of the characters were given generic names such as “The Worker”. This is similar to us enesmble just being known as “Office Workers” or “Secrataries”
Brecht wanted the audience not to get sucked in to the idea that what they were watching was real and is genuinely happening. He wanted them to be aware that what they were seeing was fake and they shouldn’t take it literally and the majority of these techniques really stress that idea. For example, not using full costumes. This shows that the actors are partially performing as a character yet they are still themselves.
STANISLAVSKY
Stanislavsky is mostly know for the “Stanislavsky System”. The most fundamental value of the Stanislavsky system is to strive to achieve a sense of psychological and inner truth.
Magic IF
The Magic If is all about asking what your character would do in a certain situation. For example, What would you character do if someone came up to them and started yelling. Different characters will do different things based on their personality. Using Magic If can sometimes help you realise things about your character that you didn’t come across in other circumstances/ scenes. The way they react to the situation will change their personality and facial expression while on stage.
Given Circumstances
Given Circumstances is the information you get given in a piece of text or a script. It tends to influence your performance. For example, the environment that the scene is set can effect your character.
Emotion Memory
Motion memory is all about an actor using past memories to create truthful acting, Whether this is a happy or sad memory. For example, if a charaacter was feeling lonely, an actor would think back to a time where they felt lonley and use that on stage. However, the emotions need to be controlled in oder to make sure you still stay in character and loose the character. It doesn’t want to be self endulged.
At the start of the year, we did an exercise where we had to think about a place that made us happy. For some, this doesn’t work, however for me, using technique out of the stanislavsky is more effective for me.
We were all made to lie down and close our eyes and think of our “happy place”. For me, it was my bedroom. First we had to picture our places and look around at everything that was in our place. I could perectly remeber how I left my room before leaving for college. After getting the image in our head, we began to use a few more of the sense including sounds, smell and touch.
In Secratary is not a Toy, i could think about a time I was angry in order to get it across to the audience that my character isn’t happy by the way they are being treated in the work place.
Imagination
It is important to use imagination while acting as it is essential to turn what is happening on stage into theatrical reality. You need to imagine yourself as your character in oder to connect with them. This way your acting will become more realistic. In the quote “art is a product of imagination” by Stanislavsky is shows the improtance of imagination.
In any performance it is important to use your imagination. You always have to imagine yourself as a character in order to create a truthful performance. You have to embody your character.
Sense memory
Sense memory includes taste, sight, touch, smell, and sound. You can use your sense to trigger a certain emotion. For example, a certain type of clothing item might smell of a certain person, depending on the experience you’e had with this person you will react in a certain way. It’s all about your impressions. All your impressions are stored in the subconsious.
By using your sense of touch you remember what certain items of clothing feel like. if you were to be in a dark room and had to pick out a specific item of clothing you would be able to pick it out by using your memory in order to remeber what it feels like.“Everyone at every minute of his life must feel something. Only the dead have no sensations.”- Stanislavski
Circles of Attention
The whole point of the circles of attention is to give an actor a focus for their attention. It is important for an actor to always have a focus point to stop it becoming scattered. This is so you don’t become to focussed on the audience, you need to divert your attention away from the audience. That “Fourth wall” wants to be,in some ways, a barricade infront of you and the audience.
Stanislavsky used both external and interal attention. Exerternal is all about the materials and objects surrounding the actor where as internal attention is based on imagination and corrolates with the given circumstances. Internal attention also tends to encorporate the five sense as well.
Units and Objectives
The unit is a portion of the scene which contains the objective which the actor needs to overcome. The unit changes everytime there is a change in objective. The object is what the actor wants. Stanislavski belived that in every single scene the actor needed to determind and objective in order to carry out the action. You can also have a “Super Objective” which is an overall goal.
For example, in a Midsummers nights dream Helens “super objective” is to win over Demetrius’ heart. However, she has other objectives along the. For example, when Hermia is going to runaway with Lysander and tells Helena, her super objective is put on hold. Her objective is to tell Demetrius of “Fair Hermia’s flight” in that scene.
In How to Succeed, Finches super objective is to climb to the top of the business ladder but he has objectives on the way . For example, he has to overcome Frump.
JERZY GROTOWSKI
The Grotowski technique was developted by the theatre artist Jerzy Grotowski. It allows an actor to merge their mental and and physical senses together in order to create a character. His most famous concept is “Poor Theatre”.
Jerzy Grotowski and his small group were known to experiment with different aspects of theatre. For example: spiritualistic, ritualistic and physical and also the nature of role and the relationship between actor and spectator.
Here are some key points of Grotowski’s theory:
He used a version of Stanislavsky’s emotion memory technique with his students.
Sometimes no ‘real’ props were used at all and other actors were employed to play important objects. In How to Succeed, when the telephone is used by Frump, one of the actors actually hold the phone up, breaking the fourth wall.
Acting was a search for self knowledge and awareness
Grotowski believed that our bodies expressed everything about us. Everything we think and feel is expressed through our bodies and everything we experience is felt in our bodies.
An Actors training took place over a long period of time
Whats important to remember with a muscial if that yes, it is made up of singing and dancing. But if you strip that away you are just left with acting and that is something to be mindful of. The audience still want to create a connect with your character through your capability to tell the story and show emotion.
We can apply some of Grotowski’s theory and methodology to our show. Although having set, it isn’t over the top and consists ofthe same desks coming on at mulitple times. Our rehearsals were intense with constantly running the show over and over again. How to succeed in business is a physical show full of numerous big dance numbers, all of which tell a story.
This being said I do not agree with some of his theory. When he says: “Theatre could never compete with film so don’t try to” I strongly dissagree. Being in both a film and a muscial theatre show they are completly on the opposite scale meaning you can’t compare the two.
Grotowski Cat
Grotowski used to think that everything we did was a stimulus of our bodies which is also called “impulse”
During this evaluation, I will relfect on both creating a film and performing as enesmble for the musical, How to Succeed In Business and how both have helped me to develop as a performer.
When launching both projects we were to set ourselves goals (See in Project Proposal) for the musical and the film. The goals I set for myself really motivated me to perform to my fullest capability. It has been a very rewarding to know that through the rehersal process and in the performances I have succeded in what I set out to do. For the musical, I aimed to push my dancing further. With dance being my weakest out of the three diciplines, I saw this as a given to work on. Going into FMP I was hoping to be put in a dance/ dances which were full of energy and packed with choreography. Not only that, throughout the year I have had a habit of looking at the floor while dancing and have been told this mulitple times by my dance tutor so I really wanted to work on this as well.
Having never done screen acting before, I was concered that I either wouldn’t enjoy it, or that I was more suited to stage acting. I knew going into the film that screen acting isn’t as over the top as stage acting as is more natural so I wanted to keep that in mind.
Both projects have been completely different. With the muscial, I worked as a memember of an ensemble, learning fast paced dancing. With there being so many big dance numbers and being on a time scale , it meant we learnt new dances at such a quick pace meaning we had to be quick at picking up choreography and willing to rehearse them in our spare time. As well as that, we spent a long time working on singing, having rehearsals once a week in the morning to begin with and then as the show progressed we had a whole day dedicated to both singing and dancing. As well as the performing side of the show, some of us actors took on production roles such as taking on and taking off set/props as well as painting the set. During How to Succeed, I have learnt that working as a large cast (around 60 performers) can be challenging and as esnemble, you’re not always on stage all the time so you have to be respectful of those on stage for them to concentrate as you are a theatre group initially. With being a theatre group you also do have to take on other roles. However, it is good experience to have as if I went on to create my own theatre company these are the thing I would have to do myself, as well as working with a budget.
To contrast that, with the film, we were a small team of actors and film students collaborating together to produce a short film. By taking part in a film workshop it allowed me to have a glimps into screen acting as well as enabling me to get used to have a camera in front of me which can be rather intimidating. Through the process I have learnt how to act for screen and have had the opportunity to be in my first film.
Participating in both a musical and a film project have required different level of contribution and collaboration. With the film, collaboration was a lot more easy as there was so few of us in a group compared to How to Succeed . As the film students wrote the script, they had a vision for a certain character. However, as an actor I was able to ask to take it in a different direction if wanted as acting is something I am familiar with. More often than not the film students were willing to try it another way. The film project had a nice balance of creativity and direction. For me, I was able to create a character for myself but when it came to filming I was told where to stand, sit and walk. Also, with the film project, working out when to film and working out when to have meetings was easier, it only took a few days to film meaning once it was done it was done. No rehearsals were required with the filming I just had to make sure I knew my lines when we got to set.
With the musical, putting in your imput was harder as there was so many more of us an as ensemble, in my opinion, you feel like you don’t have as much authority. Giving feedback for How to Succeed was a lot harder as there was so many of us, you can’t give feedback to everyone as you can’t watch everyone at once. That being said, we did get put in pairs and we acted as eachothers “Feedback Buddy” which meant we were recieving feeback from our peers helping us to improve performance quality and creating more room for improvement. The rehearsal process was also much longer as we were constantly working on the show for a good few months. Once all the dances were choreographed, singing was sorted and acting was worked on, we began doing daily run throughs of the show. The rehearsal days also began to become longer with us starting at 10 and finishing at 10 .
Also characterization for the shows were polar opposites. With the film, my character was carless and rather layed back and the acting was more natural and facial expressions were stuble. With the Musical, acting was over the top, American Accents and your facial expressions had to be over the top so the people at the back or the audience could see them
Working with completely new people has boosted my confidence, with myself being such a shy person I find it hard to talk to new people however, with projects like How to Succeed and Sublime ( Film) you have no choice. If I want to go into this industry I need to get used to working with new people and both these projects have taught me that my opinion is valid and that giving feedback on how to improve or make things better, even if it’s the tiniest thing, is better than giving no feedback at all. I have learnt that I would much rather be told what to do rather than work it out for myself. In some circumstance I do enjoy being given free reign with figuring out blocking and characterisation but for film especially, I enjoyed being told what to do as they were behind the lense and knew what looked right and wrong.
With both projects there were obsticales and problems to over come. During the early days of the film project, we had some misscomunication as a group regarding some of us actors being taken out of the film. We resolves this by speaking with eachother calmly and seeing where the misscomunication came from. However, everything got resolved and we were able to continue to work profesionally. As for the musical, no major problems come to mind other than during the peformances getting on stage in time due to having dances where I would come on then go off then enter from another side. An overall problem for both projects was transport, and this applied to a lot of the cast. The majority of students have bus passes, however, these are not valid at weekends or during half term. I was able to help a few students out as I drive meaning they didn’t have to pay for the bus.
For performances I think I brought a lot of energy. In the film, despite have a small role I think I brought a strong character to set and was will to carry an equiptment when needed and just help out in general. In How to Succeed I think I was confident which really showed in my performance, I managed to have fun with the dance due to knowing the choreograpy. For example, in Grand Old Ivy, I had a lot of energy and you could tell by my facial expressions I was enjoying it. And with it mimicking an American Football game it was important to replicate the energy that cheerleaders have.
Personally, I think my dancing still needs further improvements especially when it comes to my arms. I really need to work on extending them when I need to in order to create strong and sharp movements. I can make sure I do this by watching myself in a mirror while rehearsing or get someone to watch me and correct me when i’m wrong. I also need to imrpove my stamina as singing and dancing at the same time proved a challenge and there were moment where I would stop sing or not sing as loud as I could. I can do this by reserving my energy until I really need it.
Going into second year I aim to continue pushing myself right up to our FMP this time next year. I will take every opportunity I am given and make sure to always ask for critical feedback to improve. During, How to Succeed, I have learnt ensemble are just as important as the main character so its important to try your best no matter what the circumstance is. In second year it’s only going to get more competitive meaning I need to push myself to another level across all three diciplines in order to get to where I want. I will continue to work on my dancing to get it to the level that I want, whether that means investing in some dance lessons.
Briefly, How to Succeed in business follows the story of a window washer called J. Pierrepont Finch stumbles upon a book a book entitled “How to succeed in business without really trying”. From then on, he climbs the ladder of success in the coroprate world by using advice given to him in the book as well as his own brain. He starts out by working in the mailroom at the World Wide Wicket Company before gaining promotions as outshing his rival, Bud Frump. Along the way, Finch meets Rosmary, whose Mothering instincts get the best of her as she falls deeply in love with Finch despite his mind always after the top job. There comes a point where his handbook can no longer help him, he now must rely on his determination, wits and his heart to save his job and his relationship with fellow secratary,Rosemary.
Book, Film and Musical
Before becoming a musical, How to succeed in business was originally a book, pulished in 1952 by Shepard Mead is inspired both the muscial and the film.
The film version of How to succeed was released in 1967.
The film itself did really well, scoring 7.2/10 on IMBb and 92% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Robert Morse starred as Finch during the film and Michele lee as Rosemary.
The musical was a collaboration between Playwright Abe Burrows and Composer Franks Loesser. It was first Premiered on October 14th 1961. The cast for the musical is large as there is meant to be a lot of business men and secratries which are included in the dance numbers which is why, us first years were included in this show.
Opening night was on 46th Street theatre and closing date was March 6th 1965 doing an overall total of 1,417 performances.
Here is the original Broadway Cast:
The 1961 Broadway recieved many Tony awards as well as New York Drama Cirtics Circle awards for both the actors involved and the composers and producers.
It is apparent the show was a success fro the begining which is why it is still performed to ths day In total, so far there has been 9 “runs” of the show:
1961- Broadway, Original Broadway Production
1963- US Tour, 1st National Tour
1963- West end Tour, London Production
1963- US Tour, 2nd National Tour
1965, US Tour, 3rd National Tour
1966, New York
1995- Broadway, Broadway Revival
2001-Broadway, Broadway Revival
2017- West End- Wilton’s Music hall Production
The performances that stand out to everyone are the ones that involved actor, Daniel Radcliffe who starred in the Broadway revival of the muscial playing young J Finch. He was feature in the musical revival for ten months with opening night being on March 27th 2011 and finishing in February the following year.
Reviews
The New York Times–
“Most of the supporting cast is passable and generic. As J. B. Biggley, the head of World Wide Wicket, John Larroquette (best known for television’s “Night Court”) provides some funny throwaway line readings, though he also frequently throws away clear diction. Rose Hemingway is pretty and squeaky as the secretary who sets her cap for Ponty. Christopher J. Hanke, who plays Ponty’s rival (and the boss’s nephew), is a natural male ingénue trying to pass himself off as a character actor. Rob Bartlett is both grumpy and twinkly as two different managerial types.
“That makes Mr. Radcliffe the only reason to see the show, and contrary to what the title suggests, this young actor really, really tries. (He even does a somersault and lets himself be passed through the air for a football fantasy sequence.) His effortful performance is sure to stir maternal instincts among women of all ages (and probably some men too) and comradely protectiveness”
From what I have gathered from the article from the New York times Daniel Radcliffe was the only reason to go see the rivival of the show, but judging by the review he had to try hard to sell the show to the audience. I think that initially, getting Daniel Radcliffe to play Finch was a publicity stunt as he is well know by all.
Guardian–
“If this series proves anything, it is that the quality of people’s acting will always be a matter of opinion. Singing and dancing, on the other hand … Well, if you accept the lead role in a Broadway musical then there is only so much uncertainty to hide behind. As Daniel Radcliffe has just discovered.”
“Two things emerge unanimously from the American reviews of his performance as the young window cleaner J Pierrepont Finch, who strives to scale the corporate pyramid in How to Succeed in Oh I Can’t Be Bothered You Type the Rest. The first thing: everybody wishes young Radcliffe well. The second thing: absolutely no one thinks he can sing.”
“As winningly game and diligent as he shows himself to be … he’s out of his league,” says Peter Marks in the Washington Post. “Radcliffe’s skills do not include showmanship, an attribute this slick part cries out for. Because carrying a tune is not the same as carrying a production, and merely talking fast does not a fast-talker make.”
Unlike The New Times, this review is saying that he is unable to sing and that there was no where for him to hide. The review went on to then say that he did not play the part animated enough to make the character soar in the way it should’ve. As for his singing, I don’t think it was actually that bad, of course there is always going ot be one out of the three diciplines you are not as strong in but as long as you try your best and are confident you can create a really enjoyable performance.
Watching videos of his performances throughout his time in the muscial you can tell he was passionate about what he was doing.
“To perform you need practice, to practice you need passion.”
Everyone had a lot of energy due to it being the first time performing to a big audience.
Opening Number- Lots of energy, line in between were quick paced
Coffee Break- Remembered to sing “No Coffee”. Felt like I properly acted worried and caffine deprived
Company Way Reprise- Good energy, did the right arms, Foot got caught in underskirt while rolling up from the floor so I just had to quickly pull it out and keep going.
Secratary- Managed to get to the right place at the right time and managed to get on for Dilogue. Did walk into one of the boys when walking in the semi circle around them as the didn’t move quick enough so i just played it off and gave him attitude
Brotherhood- Did the movements right and pointed towards the audience at the right time
Thursday Night
Opening Number- Lots of Energy
Coffee Break- was in the wrong position so had to pull a different desk back but it overall didn’t make much of a difference.
Company Way- I forgot the dance but continued with lots of energy. (0.26 second) however, you can see that i do infact pick it back up and finish with energy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GH5CC43Up4
Grand Old Ivy- Nearly got dropped because my skirt that I wear is silky but engaged my core to find balance again
Secratary- Need to remember to set off on the right foot at the begining. Good facial expressions and very sharp movements. Avoided crashing into the boy again by walking on to the carpet and taking bigger steps
Brotherhood- Remember to point the right way/direction on “You, you got me “
Bows- We managed to sing “Oh aren’t you proud to be” tonight as we got told to wait for the drum trill before starting to sing.
Friday Night
Opening Number- Fast paced.
Coffee Break-Forgot to sing “No coffee”. Facial expressions were strong just need to remember to carry on twitching throughout.
Company way- Didn’t forget the dance, Need to correct arms for the turn after “I pledge to the company sweet comformity” (Put it behind my back)
Grand Old Ivy- Lots of energy, audience enjoyed it making it even more fun to perform. Really good facial expressions, really sell the dance.
Saturday Afternoon
Not as much energy as usual due to having a small audience
Did Grand Old Ivy wrong, after what would’ve been “Firm and” I shook my hips the wrong way.
Brotherhood- went to do knee slaps too early
Saturday Night
So much energy with it being the last show
Singing was incredible, good harmonies
Brotherhood was far by the best number, so much energy and passion
I think for a first cut the film is looking really good and the transitions are really clean and smooth. I think my character came across really well as well. It is clear to see that I didn’t want to go watch the film and that my interests are elsewhere.
The only thing that I would say I didnt really like within the film is the black and white section with the character lily at the end (11.23). I feel like it takes that professional feel out of it. Although I know it’s showing a flashback and showing whats happened in pastime but it takes away the seriousness out of it. I have passes this message on to the film student when they asked for feeback and hopefully they will take it on board. However, apart from that, the murder looks amazing and I think they have done an incredible job.
MollyCowleyFMP2019 