Approaching Your Script ; Tusk Tusk

Work out your character’s given circumstances, create a list of what you know about your character using evidence from the text. Separate this list into what people say about you and what you say about yourself. Then separate this research into a new list stating which are facts and which are opinions.

Facts:

My mum has gone missing isn't going back : page 78 "to think what?..... What? ,,,, That's she not coming back?"


My mum was a nut case always taking drugs!; Page 79 "what do you think those pills were? Maltesers? she was on anti-psychotic drugs."


I think my brother is wasting the money on stupid things: page 91 " bet you spent it on her, didn't you? I bet you spent our money. Our food money on getting her pissed"

I didn't care about if the social services found about me and my brothers when Finn hurt his arm I just wanted Finn be go to the hospital and be okay; Page 62 " I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. but we need to take him. Look at him. Look at him Eliot. We'll get away with it somehow. We'll say she's on holiday. They wont ask too many questions-"

I have to make sure we don't miss a phone call it could be mum!; page 19 " We cant a call. We have to have them with us all the time."

Opinions:

I just want some to care of me for once; Page 91 " where's my big brother? Who's always been taller than me? who's always led the way?"

I'm jealous of how my mum as looked after Finn and Eliot but never me; Page 111 " She was so different to you, Eliot. she thought the son shore out your mouth. She worshipped you." 

my brother keeps wasting the money on stupid thing; Page 28 "You cant get a takeaway at eight in the morning"

Admitting the truth about what really happened before mum left felt horrible as its my fault she went missing; page 111 " Maggie's shakes her head..... I told her to do it and she has. she has"

I'm just fed up of waiting for mum to come back we cant keep lying forever we have to tell someone; page 95 "you cant stop them coming here. you cant stop me telling them. its over, Eliot. its too serious now."

1. Ask Questions: You’re an actor approximating reality. So use any acting skills or techniques that you have at your command to create this reality. And ask as many questions as you can to make an unreal situation real for yourself, including:        Who am I? Reconstruct the character’s life and make it your own. “I” instead of “he” or “she” when you talk about them. Prepare a written autobiography so that I could define for myself my character’s education, occupation, income, religion, likes, dislikes, age, weight, height, health, physical handicaps, behavioural characteristics, family life, customs and habits of the era in which s/he lives or the society in which s/he moves.
I'm Maggie and I'm 14 years old. I've just moved in to my new flat in London with mum and my two brothers. Finn who's 7 and Eliot (or Ellie as I some times call him) who's 15. Its seems alright all right it has a garden and school is round the corner. So I guess I have to go now. schools alright year 9 kind of awkward year because your just in the middle your the youngest or the oldest you just blend with everyone. but I guess I have to go if I want to get out of this hell hole. My mum hates me! and I'm mean actually hate me! She's looks afters the Eliot and Finn though. Well she tries when she isn't popping pills down her throat. But she's not at home as she down another runner. but this time she hasn't called us. I hate when she does as I have feel look after Finn and bunk my last lesson at school so I can go and pick him up. and Eliot and have to cook meals and when I mean this I mean a bag crisps for breakfast. which actually the thought make me sick. Also, I have pretend that everything is normal for Finn so he doesn't accidently tells someone at school what has happened. and its not like my brother cares as he's to busy numbing the pain by fucking other girls. he's currently on to a girl called Cassie. Don't really know her but looks a bit like a slag but she seems okay. so yeah my family falling apart and the only one trying to do something is me. I mean it started when my dad died of cancer when I really young and from then on I don't think mum has been right ever since. As she off god know where's , Eliot with Cassie and Finn just thinks mums on holiday.








b. What is the present situation? What did the character come here to do . . . what does the character want . . . what is the character’s intention? Portraying a strong intention may be all you need to do to make the character and the situation real for you. It helps to express this intention as a “to . . .” verb. You might also want to know your character’s physical condition: tired, hungry, cold, ill. And their mental/emotional condition: aware, confused, angry, calm, drunk.


My character came to here to look after Finn and Eliot as I think she embeds the mum figure while their mum is gone. As she is controlling what they spend and how they spend it. I think Maggie does as she has natural to look after herself as her mum has never been their for her. this is made mature faster than Eliot as Eliot doesn't admit what his mum was really like. My characters wants to tell someone/ anyone about the situation that they are in as Maggie knows this isn't going to end well and knows they cant lie forever. My characters intentions are to make Eliot see that we cant live like this that we will soon run out of money or soon have to the rent man but Eliot doesn't care and just wants to wait on this forever. 


My characters physical condition is to changes though out the play as it foreshadows everything that happens at the end of the play when Maggie finally admits to why her mum left.


My characters psychical conditions for each scene;


scene one; scared then changes to worried
scene two;  control  then changes playful
scene three; scared changes to happy/ funny then to control but worried as well as she's just a kid
scene four; confused but quickly changes to calm and to look after then anger
scene five; excited then suddenly disappointed, then to open and scared. 
scene six:  tension, telling off/ control, 
scene seven; down/depressed, to look after/control
scene eight;




c. Where am I? Define the environment . . . the place . . . as a force in your script: era, year, season, time of day, temperature, humidity, weather. You may also want to substitute an actual place you know, like your bedroom for the character’s bedroom, to help you. You can do this in a snap with sensory work, one of the foundations of Method Acting. Creating all the specifics of the place stimulates your sensorial reality and adds dimension to your script.    


the environment my character is in Summer time of 2009 in London this properly means it was August time during this time their was heat wave and therefore Maggie would properly shorts and t-shirt. this means most of the scenes would be in light day time as in August the nights are shorter. this will have a huge in impact on my character as if Maggie was cold it would effect her behaviour and her movement. As Maggie is a similar age to me and I have an older brother I can relate to her as I'm guessing her house would be quite similar to mine. Also, I live in London as well so her environment would also be similar. 

I can imagine her bedroom would like this small but girly and due to her being in control thought-out the play I can imagine quite tidy. Also, I can imagine this being her bedroom as it is a modern play Maggie would just have a normal bedroom. 

 

D. Working in costume. Bring the relevant clothes for your character to help you get into your role.
Draw some in costume get pictures from magazines
Personal reflection


due to the play been set in 2009 the clothes they would wear would quite similar to today and as Maggie 14 and I am 15 I think I will find it easy to find a costume that relate Maggie. the play is just in their house and if I'm just at home I would properly just wear leggings and t-shirt as I'm not going out anywhere. also, I properly wouldn't wear trainers just comfy socks with my hair up in bun. I think my character would be similar to this as she isn't going out and seems to be just a normal teenage.
I think something like this would suit my character quite well as it comfortable and realist. Also, Maggie come across as a loud confident which you relate to fashion.

2. Explore the circumstances of what came before I’ve seen so many actors start scripts with no clue of why they’re saying what they’re saying. And it shows! They usually hit their stride about halfway through the script. By then, they’ve lost me. The character has had a life before that point in time. You need to create that life for your character before you say a word. You can go over it in your mind before speaking. Do whatever works for you. And, as in all acting, make strong or unusual choices.

Where were you before each scene?
What was happening?
Doing this means you enter the stage with energy and focus; you bring something on with you!

 Before my monologue scene Eliot was blaming Roland for the disappearance of her mum as he was blaming him for dumping Maggie mums and Eliot thinks this is the reason why Maggie's mum took off.  Maggie's was too scared though out the whole to tell Eliot why she left however she eventfully does and this is when monologue happens. In addition to this, Thought out the play we don't realise that this is what to Maggie and it was really shocking to me when I read the play as I didn't expect. This means I walk on stage with my state of tension at a 4 and the monologue goes it increase and drops.