Laban, Characters, Super Objectives

16th September 2014

My Scene's Plot:

• Lopakhin demands to be heard and answered regarding the leasing of the orchard.
• Ranyevskaya and Gayev happily distract themselves through idle chatter, surrounding things other than the selling of the orchard, ignoring Lopakhin due to his origin and in ability to communicate.
• Ranyevskaya admits her inability to stop "mindlessly spending" but doesn't want to spend too much time thinking about it as she then drops her money.
• Yasha and Gayev have tension between each other and Yasha is asked to leave (and does so) because Gayev can't stand to be near him. 
• Noone listens to Lopakhin and only when there is a direct threat to her estate Ranyevskaya asks uncomfortably and I believe in a concerned upper class manner "Where did you here that?"
• Gayev and Ranyevskaya believe that the summer cottage idea is rather "squalid". Lopakhin gets increasingly angry and begins to leave.
• Ranyevskaya can't dare to think that he might leave as she wants to surround herself with people that provoke memories and laughter, and so begs him to stay.
• Lopakhin stays as Ranyevskaya admits she has "sinned and sinned greatly"
• Ranyevskaya goes into a monologue explaining her life story, admitting her inability to be money conscious, and the horrific terror brought on by her sons death, she explains that she runs away from her problems, as well as the fact that trouble follows her everywhere and she believes she is being punished for her sins. She displays anger towards the man in Paris by ripping up the telegram he sent her. 
• Soon after she decides she wants to bring in the Jewish orchestra to have an evening of music, deliberately mirroring her inability to be smart about money. 
• She tells Lopakhin that there isn't anything funny in the world, and that people should look at themselves more often, contradicting herself as she is unable to do as she says. 
• Lopakhin goes on about his peasant background and immediately Ranyevskaya sees this as a way to sneak in the idea that he should marry her daughter Varya, Lopakhin agrees but there is no infatuation or love present, he is viewing it as a business agreement. 

SUPER-OBJECTIVE:

As a group of collective Ranyevskaya's we decided that our super objective was to "Love and be Loved". Whether that be surrounding the cherry orchard or her lovers or just her family and the people she is surrounded by, being loved means that she feels safe and she yearns for safety as you see her trawling around journeying from one place to another running away from her insecurity and problems. 

What does she say about herself?:

"I somehow go on mindlessly spending"

"laugh at me, I'm such a fool"

Ranyevskaya seems content at calling herself a fool and someone that isn't able to spend wisely, however she fails to act on it. She runs away with her problems and fakes the fact that she thinks she is dealing with it by putting herself down, she only admits her problems which is half the problem as she isn't able to fully deal with them. 

What do others say?:

"You're an old woman"

"frivolous" 

"strange" 

"unbusiness-like"

Others in the play, especially Lopakhin, directly proclaim and point out her faults, this may be partly the reason why she isn't changing because she sees him as below her and therefore doesn't concern herself with his opinion.

What she says of others?

"Why have you lost your looks"

"I don't entirely understand you" (To Lopakhin)

"God rest her soul"(To Nanna)

Ranyevskaya seems to be thoroughly concerned about Trofimov's transformation, she believes he shouldn't look as he does and that displays her as quite a superficial person, concerned about being loved and believes no one can be loved if they aren't appealing enough. She doesn't seem to want to understand Lopakhin, she doesn't try or more importantly want to because of his low status and obviously small education. Ranyevskaya thinks of those who have passed and is religiously concerned, wanting to love others even if they have passed on, shown through her Nanna and her son.  

Opening

We created a short opening wherein all the characters walked into the space with others who are playing the same and display their unity as one through a motif, as Ranyevskaya's we all walked into the space adoringly looking at our Orchard and then all exposed our unity through touching our head in despair. In order to improve we should use the space more liberally and really think about why we have entered the space, giving ourselves an objective.

Blocking has helped to develop my character as we have become increasingly aware of where the conflict is coming from and also what each of us want in the scene. I have been able to create a train of thought and why my character is thinking of certain things and why she is reacting in that way so that even when I'm not speaking I'm still active on stage.