Runthrough 4/24 Act I Notes

Notes for Act I: If you have any questions, please ask. I typed these very fast during the run through and they may not make sense. Also, I’m sorry in advance if I phrased something bluntly and it hurt your feelings. My intention is to make this piece and you as an actor stronger, not to make you feel bad. You are all doing a great job, and the speed and energy have improved SO MUCH in the past few days!

INDIVIDUAL/GROUP NOTES:

George – You start this show. You are the first one the audience sees. You MUST have full conviction and really be George when you come on and set the scene with your sadness.

Everyone – The curtain will be closed for the show. You must cross behind it/enter from the sides.

Movement – Sneak up to the stage when George plays your song the 1^st time so you can JUMP right out onto it when he plays it for real.

Selina/Zoe – Great job on the messenger duet – best it’s ever been!

Ginger/Sophie – Remember to set your props pre show.

Maddie/Marina – Timing is improving – timing on 2^nd jump still very off.

EVERYONE – QUIET BACKSTAGE!!

Octave – Take some time behind the closed door to read the letter before you burst off – it is the quiet before the storm.

Octave/Sylvestre – Great job talking over each other with the speed and interrupts in scene one.

Scapin – Volume when talking under your breath – “not yet, but…” – we still gotta be able to hear you.

Scapin/Syl/Oct – REALLY laugh on “you remember the time” – it is literally the funniest story that you have ever ever heard.

Scap – Interupt Syl on “No, don’t…”

Scap – “help THEM focus” – really look out at the audience. You can ad lib and talk directly to them if you want – “yeah, you – you look like you need it”.

Oct – Yesssss, dingy!! =D

Scap – should be more sarcastic – “oooooooh, a beautiful giiiirl”

Oct – I love your imitation of Hyacinth and her legs – you can play it up even further.

Syl/Scap/Oct – Play up the moments when Octave turns back to look at Sylvestre – raise the stakes – it would be real disaster if he saw Sylvestre helping! REAL LIFE-ENDING DISASTER. It should happen three times – each time make Scapin’s reaction BIGGER.

Octave – Beautiful despair/moping. Lovely.

Scapin – “You see how these fit through here” – BIG KICK. Huge. Ridiculous.

Movement – Let’s have some fun with schemer’s boogie – you all look soooooo serious. Scheming should be FUN! Show me with your energy and your face how fun it is!!!!!

George – Schemer’s boogie into Hyacinth’s theme faster

Hya – Get on top of the piano. Show off dem legs.

George – Slide whistle should be quicker after she hugs him.

Oct – NICE girly run offstage after “here comes your father”

Argante – You gotta get closer to Sylvestre. I am sooooo not convinced you want to hit him at all.

Porters – Nice job reacting and being entertained! Start placing your props behind wall instead of in trunk. You can really lose it on “you’re too nice”. Add a spit-take or something!

ScapSyl – Nice hiding and re-entering at the top of scene 6

Syl – REALLY lunge for a real human in the front row – never pick an empty chair. If no one else sits in the front row, I will, so you’ll always at least have me to menacingly lunge at.

Scap – Nice being smitten with Nerine. I love the falling off of Syl.

Nerine – Louder! Very nice and graceful. =)

Scap – Can you say “she has a nice trunk” in more of a “that’s what she said” kind of tone? Make it clear it is innuendo!

Gendarmes – Continue to run your handshake (and the exit out of it) so that it is flawless. You made Erin die of laughter – good job.

Argante – Louder. “What’s your point” is getting totally lost.

Argante – Beautiful. You said “sad” in the most beautiful way I have ever heard. <3

Leander – After your theme, pause for a moment by the piano and really notice your dad – this will hopefully leave you more center after the hug. Also, Volume!!

Leander – YAAAAAAY!!!! You got the intimidation in your voice!! NOW BRING IT INTO YOUR BODY when you loom over Scapin.

Leander/Scapin – You two should start running your fight scene before we start runthrough every day.

Selina – Hedge entrance! Cloak!

Scapin – Whhhyyyyyyyy is it a French nightmare pirate?? Go watch Pirates of the Caribbean. No, seriously. That’s your homework. And imitate Barbossa. Do it.

Sylvestre  - Get onstage a little sooner and REACT to seeing Leander menacing Scapin with a sword!

Leander – Go over your blocking for this scene, please!

Leander/Scapin – REALLY struggle with the sword. Ethan – if you BEND YOUR KNEES and put ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER (ya know, like we practiced!) You will already be in a position to look like you’re struggling without really impaling Scapin.

Messengers – Be in place on the side of the stage at the end of the scene so you can enter right away!

Scapin – “you’re thinking of your son, sir” – that’s a subject/beat change. Make that clear.

Argante – Cross further onstage when soliloquizing! Because your first exit is to SR.

Argante/Scapin – Run this scene on your own before school or during lunch or some time! You both could use the line practice.

Scapin – When you grab him the last time by the legs – make it by the ankles so you are full-out laying on the stage – it will also help the fall.

Movement – Get out here to get us to raise our hands!!

Zoe/Syl – Tap out for the transition. Like, physically tap each other on the shoulder to switch. Zoe, get out there quicker so you can switch faster!

Syl – Pick a dedicated place in the auditorium to look and focus for each different line. You don’t need to jump around quiiiiite so much, which will help your breath support. Take out some of the time in between each one, and elevate the energy – start clam and intense with Inigo Montoya, and then build build build until you frikken EXPLODE WITH ENERGY WHEN YOU WELCOME US TO CHIIIILLLLIIIIIIIIIIS

Scapin – “he said that you said that I said to you”.

Geronte – Excellent build in energy from composed to un-composed.

Scapin – React quicker to each “why did the boy get on the boat”, and react so much bigger each time. Get exasperated! “is it about the boat” should be held back frustration. Barely held back. REALLY LOSE IT ON “I SWEAR TO GOD IF IT IS ABOUT THE  BOAT” Lose it. Totally.

Scapin – “and clothing for the servants” is sarcastic – Geronte does not pay money for your clothes, and you are salty about it. Real salty.

Leander – REACH for that bag of coins. Make Scapin have to dodge away.

SCAPIN – YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS YOU SAID THE HARD LINE!!!! =DDD

Scapin – Beautiful women (plural), not woman (singular).

OMG GUYS WE MADE IT THROUGH ACT ONE IN ONE HOUR AND THAT IS HOW LONG IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE AHHHHHHH I AM SO HAPPY I LOVE YOU ALL