How to Make a Pyrate

Going out tonight?

Works under consideration: 17
Dark Angel: x
Pyrates: I made this one earlier
State of Mind: Weary-Sherpa
Comedy WordMix: Eddie Is, Eddie Does, Eddie usually isn’t. Eddie is hard, Eddie Izzard.


Making Your Own Pyrate
The one thing I enjoyed most about performing was devising a piece from nothing. I’ve worked with actors who knew what they are doing, who added to the material and took it to another level. I’ve also worked with friends.

NEVER work with friends.

They can have their own ideas and you’re the writer and you have to say what is what. Don’t trust them. It’s your work. They do not know the little flame that burnt it into your heart the ‘I want to make this to happen!’ It’s all MINE you hear? All Mine. Ahahahahah!

I trained in Physical Theatre
I much prefer it to the method schools. Both are valid but making a character by using your body is more powerful and more true (it also cuts out the self-indulgent pretentious twat in us all).

A Physical Theatre Exercise
If you ever get the opportunity to do mask work, make sure they know what they are doing. Most people who teach it don’t have a clue as how to use the half mask, the character mask or the neutral.

The Face
Well there are endless exercises that create characters. Here’s a very simple introduction. Have two people talk to each other face to face. Choose any topic eg ‘I woke up this morning and…’

1. They improvise a story for a minute.
2. Next Person A raises his eyebrows and they continue.
3. Ask Person A how he/she feels.
4. Person B raises their eyebrows.
5. If you have a large group of people in pairs ask them what the ‘energy’ in the room feels like.
6. Repeat the exercise with one person frowning.
7. Ask them how they feel.

It’s very simple. It teaches how much the body can dictate the emotion. These exercises build. You can use different expressions, combine them with walks, words, gestures, and masks and you have a technique that is fun, powerful, and will hold an audience. O’ and if taught correctly 90% of those who try it will feel like a performer.

But I’m a writer!

So you’re a writer sitting at your PowerBook. The world is ‘a feckin’ mess, and so is my writing!*$@£$ SNARL!!!’

Raise your eyebrows.

Take a simple writing exercise. Say what you can see out of your window. Do it for four minutes with a neutral expression. Repeat for four minutes with your eyebrows raised.

What do you feel?

Well?

Try it!

Now – How to Make a Pyrate using Physical Theatre Exercises.

First…

CRASH! BOOMBOOMSMASHCLUNK!!!

“BELIKE!”

GRANITE ENTERS THE BLOG ON A SNOWBOARD FITTED WITH SMALL KITTENS.

S/FX: Sound of a dozen kittens. Making cute mewling.

CWiW:
What the feck’ are you doing in my blog? It’s your bed time!

GRANITE:
A thousand Marmosets of pardon M’ LORD! I be on my way back from the Doctor and Tonic.

GRANITE: (cont. I’m afraid)
BEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLCCCCCCCCCCCCCH!

CWiW:
I’m trying to make a Py…

GRANITE:
A Pyrate you say! We’ll need some strong trousers, a boat, a lashing, a black spot, a black cat, a black pearl, a black hat…

CWIW: (sotto voce)
There’s a pattern here.(looking at the bottom of his precious blog) I smell smoke.

GRANITE:
A black witches tit. A black fan, a pink LADY!

CWiW:
Pink?

GRANITE:
And a black pudding!

CWiW:
To make a Pyrate?

GRANITE:
NAY! That’s my h’peny lunch!

CWiW:
I was just writing about how to make a character with Physical Theatre exercises. Is that smoke?

GRANITE:
Tis nothing Captain.

CWiW:
That is smoke.

SMOKE GATHERS AROUND THE BOTTOM CORNER OF THE BLOG

GRANITE:
Tis a trifle. I brought a fire home.

CWiW:
Most people bring a bit to eat.

CAPTAIN NICE: (V.O.B.)*
Granite Friends is on.

GRANITE PICKS UP HIS KITTENS BITES BACK A MANLY HAIRY/ANGRY PYRATE TEAR

GRANITE:
BASTARD nancy pop preppy Yankee Looooons!

GRANITE EXITS WITH ONE KITTEN ON HIS SHOULDER AND THE OTHERS CLASPED IN HIS OUTSIZED PAW

FLAMES LICK AROUND THE EDGES OF THE CWiW BLOG

CWiW:
Abandon Blog!

- END -


Tune in later... for Dark Angels
Do you have any? Best left alone aren’t they?
AND
Blogging Lesson #316 ‘How to test your Blog's sprinklers.’
AND
Keeping Corporate Zombies as Pets

* Voice Off Blog