Friday, June 29, 2007

Character Description of Mr Basford


Mr Basford is a character who is in his early forties and is one of the main teachers at Whitewall High School. He is in charge of the timetable at the school and arranges that he only teach the more clever students at Whitewall leaving other teachers with the slow, dumb and trouble-making children to teach. The subject he teachers is never made clear but when he says, Thats why I get the best maths results in the School we are led to believe he mainly teaches maths at the school.

My seems to have a strict discipline with his teaching job at Whitewall and to other teachers seem angry (when he bursts into the Drama Class after there Grease performance), mean (when he yells at Miss Parry at the beginning) and has a huge ego (claiming Im a Genius to Dont talk to me like that) but these reasons are some of the main reasons that make a fun character to play.

Other characters are scared of him like stop talking when he shouts Quiet to them, to pulling away from him when he shouts Hush Down in Mr Basfords classroom. I doubt my character would consider moving to another school as in his many years there hes created an easy teaching life for himself.

My character has mainly confrontational relationships with most of the teachers he appears with. Basford is in the middle of an argument with Miss Parry when we first see the character. Fighting over the fact that he is not getting the lead in The Mikado, he then storms out of her office, but when he sees Mr Nixon meeting her, he sees him as a threat and tries to make his time at the school not an easy one. But during his various meetings with Nixon, I believe he starts to respect his teaching style and in his final scene with Nixon, he shows off his pleasure at getting the lead in next years production at Whitewall High School.

My character does seem upset that he isnt taken seriously but I doubt he bursts into tears. Mr Basford does argue, debate, remain logical with the other characters in this production. This is shown in the conservation with Mr Nixon which ends arguing about Streamlining in the schools system.

From the rehearsal progress for this play I gather an impression of what my character would be like. I believe he would like to set an impression for the students and his fellow teachers by being sharply dressed with nice suits, I think he owns five suits and chooses his favourite to wear for that week. For this reason I chose a suit as my costume for the character.

His mood can be angry when he is in class with his students to being overconfident when he talks with fellow teachers. But its the mood of hidden sadness that surprises me when looking into this character. When Nixon gets the lead in the local theatre production over him, he feels that he is being snubbed and isnt considered as important by other people as he sees himself to be.

Whitewall High School is comprehensive school somewhere in England. The local landscape reminds us of a rural countryside setting, but this school is set in a town. Theres a factory, the noises from it being heard in the school, this is the most common sound you hear about the school apart from children laughing and playing.

Whitewall I believe would be dreary to look at because there has been little money spent to improve the school. The place is cold but has enough heat to keep the students and teachers happy. The colour scheme that Whitewall uses would be grey and white, which keeps to the dreary theme as it has no money to add colour to the school.

This is the twentieth century, the year is 1984, and its some date in late May, the time would be 10.30am and the season is in the spring.

[Originally Posted on my Myspace Blog - 16th June 2006]

My Rough Notes on Teechers



I do need to talk about my possible Career making performance as Mr Basford in Teechers and the notes I made about my performance in the two weeks leading up to the main night. I understand what the notes mean and I hope you can figure them out to.

2nd May 2006

LEARN CUES AND LINES

Need to be on stage for "there are only eight of us".

Been careful with chair at end of scene.

Make a chat on the phone

Everyone do "ET Phone Home".

Need to get books for table.

Make need to come from side exit

Romeo and Juliet - needs worked out

Voice slipping into American Accent?

Step towards Nixon always eye contact.

3rd May 2006

STUDY THESE NOTES AND LEARN CUES AND LINES

Quiet backstage

Don't flick the curtain when you exit and enter

Don't go behind poll

Work on "Mr Harrison and Eight of Us"

Need to hear you on the phone

Laugh and React

Don't have chat offstage.

Be careful of noise on platform

Don't look at Glenn in Scene 7

Two groups not putting effort in Fight for Scene 8 (Romeo and Juliet)

4th May 2006

  • Miss Cues for Harrison, 8 of us, and cold shower.
  • Make more of the look at end of scene.
  • Learns where better next time
  • Move tables stage right.
  • Good at holding curtain
  • On quicker for Scene 8 drama club
  • Think of way for Scene Change
  • Careful of Curtain at end of Scene 9

8th May 2006

  • More Life overall
  • Paul go front
  • Good understanding of lines.
  • Ninjas needs work on (miss cue)
  • Skip off to beat of music
  • Need to keep in character.
  • Act 2 Scene 5 needs worked on

9th May 2006

  • Be careful of curtains.
  • Dont Block Kat

10th May 2006

  • Miss lines at certain time.
  • Miss litter
  • Much more volume while music and noise plays in the background.
  • Pace needs quick up.
  • Remember bottoms of suit tomorrow.
  • Ninja scene needs worked on.
  • Good reactions
  • Dont step away in Act 2 Scene 5.
  • Try not to block Kat.
  • Remember White Shirt
  • Wrong Costume Tell Kristy she needs to do that.
  • Make more of first scene and for 8 of us and Mr Harrison.
  • Remember bottoms and shoes for Thursday.

11th May 2006

  • Be aware Mr Nixon, Mr Basford and Miss Whitham.
  • Dont come on too soon for Grease.
  • GOOD COSTUME!!!!!

14th May 2006

  • Drum roll for like to thank
  • Volume
  • Dont knock mug over!
  • Volume over music
  • Get same reaction for quiet and hush down.
  • Volume at last scene.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Teechers Production a Great Success


Press Release Details

Teechers Production a Great Success

PRESS RELEASE

22 May 2006





Congratulations to Year 2 Performing Arts students on their production of John Godbers Teechers. An excellent evenings entertainment was had by all last Thursday evening at the Causeway Institutes Ballymoney camp
us.

The play was directed by Performing Arts tutor, Gemma Shannon and Barbara Cooke. Teechers vigorously evokes life at a modern Comprehensive, using the format of an end-of-term play to sketch a drama teachers progress through two terms of unruly classes, cynical colleagues and obstructive caretakers until he departs for the safer waters of a private school. The play runs an array of emotions, climaxing with the final scene which gives a poignant edge to the comedy.







In the play, Salty, Gail and Hobby played by students Mark Graham, Kirstie Philpott and Kathryn Mc Cullagh made up the leaders of the pack, Mr. Nixon played by Glenn Mc Dowell was their new teacher and Oggy Moxon, played by Nathan Hernberg was the school bully. Other members of the cast include Ruth
Smallwoods, Brian Swann and Paul Black.

[Originally Posted on my Myspace Blog - 22nd May 2006]

Counting the days until Thursday



Counting the days until Thursday when our main production will take place is a good way to pass the time.

All my lines are learnt in my head and we have time the quick costume changes so no one will miss there lines.

The set changes are easy enough and i hope we have room backstage and all the tables and chairs we will be using won't be in the way.

When you think we are there first production that is worty enough to charge entry fees it does make you feel proud.

Like always you worry about what happens next and if the choices i make will go through but i shouldn't worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will worry about itself.

I hope this week will be the week i will never forget.

[Originally Posted on my Myspace Blog - 14th May 2006]

Performing Arts Students Present “Teechers” Press Release





Press Release Details

Performing Arts Students Present Teechers Press Release

PRESS RELEASE
08 May 2006

Second Year Performing Arts students at the Causeway Institute are busily rehearsing their production of John Godbers, Teechers which will be performed on Thursday, 18th May at Ballymoney Campus starting at 8pm. Teechers vigorously evokes life at a modern Comprehensive, using the format of an end-of-term play to sketch a drama teachers progress through two terms of unruly classes, cynical colleagues and obstructive caretakers until he departs for the safer waters of a private school. The play runs an array of emotions, climaxing with the final scene which gives a poignant edge to the comedy.

In the play, Salty, Gail and Hobby played by Mark Graham, Kirstie Philpott and Kathryn Mc Cullagh make up the leaders of the pack, Mr. Nixon played by Glenn Mc Dowell is their new teacher and Oggy Moxon, played by Daniel Sharkey is the school bully. Other members of the cast include Ruth Smallwoods, Brian Swann and Paul Black. The show is being directed by Performing Arts lecturer, Gemma Shannon. A must see show for everyone who has ever been to school!

Tickets are £5 for adults and £3 for children and can be purchased from reception at the Causeway Institutes Ballymoney Campus. For further information please contact Hilary or Olive on 028 2766 0401 or visit www.causeway.ac.uk

[Originally Posted on my Myspace Blog - 11th May 2006]

My Qoute about First Diploma Drama now on its website



I think this is pretty cool that they quote me about what i thought of my year in the BTEC First Diploma Course. Here is that qoute.

Brian Swann As someone who lacks confidence when performing, I found the experience of First Diploma to be a turning point for me. I enjoyed all of the practical work and have found it to be a major factor in my decision to return to the National Diploma this year.

[Originally Posted on my Myspace Blog - 8th April 2006]

http://www.causeway.ac.uk/courses/student_profile.asp?fldProfileID=21

Proud Member of The Grove Theatre Group