The Life and Times of Footman Wilson

After the first read through we started to block the play. This can often be one of the longest parts of the rehearsal process. The character that I play in Coram Boy is Alexander (as and adult), this means that I do not appear until act two, which gives me the first half of the play off, or does it? 

Throughout the process of blocking the first act I realised just how much I have to do, even when my character is still played by someone else. The street scenes, party scenes, searching scenes and moving props on and off stage are all vital to the play and the world in which it is set. This element of the rehearsal process can be laborious but it is necessary, learning all the tiny parts in which I serve drinks at a party or take a chair off the stage is essential to creating a fully realised play.

In an acting technuque class we learnt about how when we are doing actions an actor should think about what they are doing, why they are doing it and what exterior forces are effecting the action. I found this really helpful for doing the non speaking roles, it makes what I'm doing interesting and precise. I am not just an actor serving drinks because I have to, but I'm footman Wilson carrying out my duties in a hot crowded room but all I really want is to get paid so to look after my daughter who is not well. It adds a personal thought process which the audience will never know but they will notice that I have more depth then just walking in the right places.

 By using what I learnt in another lesson blocking the first half of Coram Boy went from the bit that I'm not in to the bit where I am footman Wilson an unlisted character that caries out important roles of building atmosphere and helping with the movement of props.