Variety Unit questions - All Criteria and video

Criteria 1: Demonstrating underpinning knowledge

What detailed research went into choosing and evaluating the variety acts chosen?

In order to fully understand and analyse the variety acts I chose, which were ventriloquists and impressionists. I had to understand what kind of techniques and skills the performer would need in order to pull of their performance. For example, I watched multiple performance for each act performed by different people in order to see whether they had any skills in common. This was present with ventriloquists having to have the skill of vocal projection and control. This is a common skill needed in order to make this act successful. By doing this I then also contrasted the acts with one another to see where they differed. Meaning I could understand and pinpoint individual mannerisms and gestures that were unique to the performer rather than the act itself.

I also researched into a wide range of variety acts in order to understand what variety meant as a term. It also meant that when I came down to evaluating/choosing some acts I chose ones which would appear more unknown in terms of what skills you would need and how the performer would pull it off.  I also chose acts that interested me as an audience member and often left me bemused and wanting to know more after it was finished.

What was the justification for the choice of venues that you have assessed?

I chose the Pavilion Theatre and The Sealight Theatre as they are both established performance spaces used for professional and amateur performances touring and local. They also both contain elements to a performance area that you would need as a performer. For example: A backstage, wings, stage, lights, microphones, audience seating etc. I also chose them as they are frequently used and always in action throughout the entirety of the year. Meaning they are constantly being updated and modified with new technology needed for the entertainment industry.

What research materials did you consult during your research?

The majority of my materials were online based. Ranging from web pages such as Wikipedia. News articles such as BBC and The Sun. Online videos sourcing from YouTube and audio podcasts.

How did you decide what materials to use?

I initially searched for factual based information on my acts. So I found that Wikipedia and YouTube videos were a huge help and impact to my initial research. I then broadened my perspective and read opinionated news articles ranging from the educational aspect of the acts to the more judgemental view on their performances.

What Comparisons can you make between your chosen acts?

From my chosen acts I can say that impressionists need imitation skills and a wider variety of theatrical skills and techniques in order to visually engage the audience. They need to focus more on their presence and physicality. Whereas, a ventriloquists main focus is on their vocals meaning they often just stand centre stage and present their act solely focusing on their aural performance rather than their physical performance. Impressionists tend to also have the skill of dance and singing dependant on their impression. Meaning they tend to have more physical fitness and a more demanding role in terms of what it asks from them on a physically productive level.

Criteria 3: Shaping material for a variety act

What original ideas did you have for your variety performance?

For my original variety performance I wanted to do a comedy act of some sorts that linked with acting but wasn’t a drama piece. I researched into comedy acts that were already written so it would be more of an interpreted performance. However, I didn’t find any that excited me or gave me inspiration.

Another idea I came up with, with two of my fellow classmates was a mashup of Disney songs done A Capella. This was connect with peoples childhoods and be a fun lively performance full of lights and possible movements.

Another idea I had was that I could sing a song as singing is one of my strongest skills. However I wanted to try out other ideas to see if I enjoyed them and could pull together a performance.

How did you decide on your first variety performance ideas?

I thought of things that interested me as a performer and something that I would enjoy doing as well as what I would enjoy watching as an audience member. I either wanted my performance to engage the audience visually, aurally or both is possible.

I decided to perform as song as due to unforeseen circumstances our group that was created and originally was going to perform an A Capella Disney medley had to split and go our separate ways in order to be able to perform an act in time for variety.

For my performance I was originally going to sing ‘John Lennon’s – Imagine’. This is due to is being hopeful that the world will become better and more accepting of everyone. I thought this was a theme of Black History Month. The theme of equality. I did a few rehearsals and got people’s opinions of my performance. My peers said that it was a good performance and linked well with the idea of Black History Month. However, as a musician/singer I wanted to challenge myself vocally so I chose ‘Battlefield’ By Svrcina. This song was challenging as it had many dynamics and became powerful and in the higher octave at the end of the piece. I had never attempted to sing this style of song live in front of an audience before so I wanted to push myself to see what I could do.

What did you learn from this Performance?

Unfortunately, during this performance I was ill and struggled to sing certain parts and in the higher octave. However, I learnt from this performance that I needed to be more relaxed when onstage and enjoy my performances a lot more. I also found from this performance that I wanted to interact with the audience or at least be a little more intimate with them. This meant that I wanted to face the audience so I could look at them rather than face away from them. Like I was in this performance.
I also learnt that I wanted to challenge myself for my next performance. Whether that be vocally, instrumentally or with a different kind of act all together. But I wanted to try out new/different ideas that weren't just singing.
I also wanted to experiment more with lighting and possibly set. Also testing proxemics to see what would work well for my act and for the audience and also myself.

What ideas did you have for you final performance?

For my final performance I established that I was going to play an instrument and vocals would be something I would test later. My original ideas were:

·         West End/Broadway medley on piano

·         Medley of 00’s songs on piano

·         A song on either guitar or ukulele

All of my acts included a musical element as I am more confident with music and singing than I am with any other type of variety act. Acting is on par however, I felt as though I wouldn’t have been able to create/perform an entertaining drama piece with just myself performing. I would have asked other people. However, other people were very busy with their own acts/being involved with other people’s already. For example, I was already invited to perform in two others as well as my own individual performance. This included Sam’s scripted drama and an ensemble song at the start of the show.

Did you try them all out? What were the outcomes? How did you decide on final idea?

Progression of Ideas for variety performance and finalising my final performance idea

What specific ideas did you have for staging and detail of your performance? Did you change anything if so why?

Originally the idea of my performance was that I was going to create a character and perform a song in that character. For example, the song I had created was a medley of sad/heartbreak songs. So I was going to create a dark character who wore dark elaborate makeup and wore dark clothing. Along with this I was also going to create a little backstory as why they are the way they are and gradually introduce the idea of a song. I was going to call them ‘The Siren’ as in mythology ‘Sirens’ would sing songs to sailors and lure them to their death – in this respect my character would sing but almost as she was singing would be dying/drowning herself theoretically. The more she sang the sadder she would become expressing these emotions to the audience.

However, I didn’t see this idea through as the atmosphere/mood we were creating for the audience was a relaxed evening Broadway sort of vibe with fancy seating with waiters and waitresses. I felt as though if I saw ‘The Siren’ through it may have been a little too dark and unsettling for the audience potentially making them feel uncomfortable. This was also a night for people to relax and have fun, therefore I didn’t want to add a dark element into the mix and risk upsetting the audience and making them tense for the rest of the evening. Therefore, I decided that ‘The Siren’ would not be appearing however, they may be used in a performance at a later date.

So my other idea of just standing in front of the audience as a raw, bare acoustic singer was my other option. Originally, with this idea I wanted to walk into the audience and almost sing around the tables and to direct audience members. Creating a really intimate performance. However, this would appear to be an issue with microphones and sound. If I were to of done this I would not have been lit and the whole performance would have relied on my natural ability to project which is okay but not enough to sustain a whole performance whilst not facing certain audience members. Therefore, I stuck with standing downstage, centre in order to still be intimate with the audience but be lit and heard efficiently. It was also decided that I would have purple lighting to match my purple ukulele and to also add the sad, emotional atmosphere of the songs I would be singing.

Did you need teacher support on any aspect of your act?

No I did not.

Criteria 5: Rehearsing for a variety act

How did you go about rehearsing your variety act?

Being a solo performer meant I had plenty of time to rehearse. This is due to not having to organise rehearsals with other people and potentially not having enough rehearsals. By performing as a solo act meant I could work at my own pace and spend as long as I wanted perfecting it for performance.

In order to make my rehearsals useful and progressive I asked some of my classmates such as Megan, Vicki and Harry to watch my performance and give any feedback they wished. This also helped get used to the idea of performing to an audience and in fairly close proximity. When watching my performance Megan had the idea that I look at the audience but not for too long as it might look a little strange. Harry and Vicki both suggested that I work on my stage presence and try to interact with the audience of I can to make them and myself feel more at ease then a tense atmosphere just waiting for me to perform. This then made me change my posture to a more relaxed one. Still standing upright in order to sing but I would sway more which I was preventing myself from doing before as I thought it was distracting. But my peers thought it made it look more relaxed and comfortable.

When I could I also practiced in the space (the Sealight Theatre). This was so I could get used to the amount of space I would have as a performer and roughly how I should stand and where I should look. This would mean that when I got on stage to perform I would be more confident and wouldn’t feel lost as I would know what I’m doing. I practiced in the space twice for about an hour at a time. Whilst doing this I practiced walking – to test my intimate audience idea as well as standing in different areas of the stage to see how the acoustics different and where sightlines would be.

REHEARSING IN THE SPACE TO WORK OUR ACOUSTICS AND WARM UP VOCALS BEFORE SHOW - SINGING A DIFFERENT SONG TO WARM UP MY VOICE THOROUGHLY AND TO ALSO NOT OVER SING MY VARIETY PERFORMANCE SONG

What was the intention behind your act? What effect was intended on the audience?

My intention was to perform an acoustic medley that entertained the audience and kept them engaged with the performance as new songs/melodies were introduced. I wanted the atmosphere to feel raw with the idea that I was performing with an instrument and vocals right in front of them. But for it to feel comfortable and relaxed. I wanted to create an almost defeat emotion from my songs that I chose as it’s a journey through emotions. For example, I explore that even though I’ve been through all this sadness and hard times at the end I’ve realised my worth and that, as I end my performance ‘You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone’. Showing a strong, backbone to the piece/songs that things get better and I’m stronger than before. Therefore, I wanted to take the audience on a journey through my songs, almost telling a story. Leaving them with the subconscious idea that things get better even if at the time it doesn’t seem it. It does. I believe that by changing songs it developed a story and progressed it better than if I just sang one song. It shows that multiple artists go through similar things but can always get through it and come out stronger. This was the message I wanted to portray through my performance without outright saying it to them.

By using a ukulele it kept the delicate nature, of the songs and the themes I wanted to portray i.e. sad emotional but coming back stronger and fighting through the hard times. It also meant that the audience focused more on my vocals and the songs/lyrics I was performing which was what I wanted. As these were the most important part to my performance personally.

I believe that I did this well as watching my piece back everyone was silent and looking engaged whilst watching my performance. As well as generously giving myself two applauses at the end of my performance which I am very grateful for.

How did you ensure that you had a confident and technically secure performance ready for the variety evening?

When doing my tech runs I experimented with distance when singing in order to judge where abouts I needed to be in order to be heard clearly and loudly from having the microphones. This also meant that I tried performing sitting and standing. One to test sound volume and clarity and also to see which one felt most natural and comfortable for myself as a performer.

I performed my piece a few times with the mics and got my peers feedback on when they could hear me and when they couldn’t. This was helpful as I wouldn’t know what the audience hears to be able to change anything so by having other people there it means I can adjust equipment or myself to benefit the audience’s retention. I also made sure that I would have the accessibility of two mics as I was playing an acoustic instrument that can appear quiet if not amplified.  I also made sure that the process in which things would be brought on stage was clear to my peer. This is so there wouldn’t be any fiddling about with what mics I was using or where they would be going in order to create a smooth transition between my act and someone else’s and also the transition from getting the equipment to my performance. By people knowing where and what they were doing meant that there was no hesitancy meaning I was confident in my piece and how it would go.

VARIETY PERFORMANCE!!