My Exploration of the world of our play.
DREAMING AND SLEEP
We set our version of the play at 5am, inside Hamlet's mind. I like to think it takes place in a kind of lucid dream.
A Lucid dream is a dream where the dreamer is aware that they are dreaming. In some cases, the dreamer is able to have some sort of degree of control over the dream. Early references to the phenomenon are found in ancient Greek writing. For example, the philosopher Aristotle wrote: 'often when one is asleep, there is something in consciousness which declares that what then presents itself is but a dream'.
Celia Green concluded that lucid dreams were a category of experience quite distinct from ordinary dreams, and predicted that they would turn out to be associated with rapid eye movement sleep (REM sleep ,a unique phase of sleep characterized by rapid movement of the eyes, low muscle tone throughout the body, and the propensity of the sleeper to dream vividly).
Green was also the first to link lucid dreams to the phenomenon of false awakenings. A false awakening is a vivid and convincing dream about awakening from sleep, while the dreamer in reality continues to sleep. After a false awakening, subjects often dream they are performing daily morning rituals such as cooking, cleaning and eating.
We did an exercise as a cast where we practised Columbian Hypnosis, and instead of using our hands we used just our eyes. As we did this we had to take it in turns to say our character's favourite line and our character's least favourite line. This helps as it fit a line I wasn't too comfortable with a line I liked and made it feel much more familiar to me. As we did this exercise we had to imagine it was 4 in the morning to get us into the mindset of the play. We did this exercise to a piece of music called 'SLEEP' by Max Richter. The album serves as a concept album based around the neuroscience of sleep, hence its length of over eight hours. The album was performed in its entirety as one compositional piece at the Reading Room at Wellcome Collection in London. Instead of chairs to sit in and watch the performance, audience members were given beds to sleep in.
GRIEF
Hamlet exhibits signs of grief throughout our play. The most notable in Hamlet are:
- overwhelming tiredness and exhaustion.
- restlessness ‒ feeling unable to sit still.
- anxiety attacks.
- difficulty breathing.
- finding it hard to sleep or fear of sleeping.
Bereavement is not linear. It takes multiple forms at different times in one’s life. It is influenced, among other things, by the strength of our attachment to the lost loved one and how central he or she was to our lives. Bereavement never really ends. It ebbs after a while, but can then emerge on birthdays and anniversaries, in certain places, or triggered by something like a special song. This is why music is such a key thing in our performance. It is cathartic. Often times when we are hurt, offended, or lose something or someone we love, we become angry. During the grief journey there may be times when anger rises within you without warning. Many times it’s a reaction that just appears, usually uninvited and unwelcome. Perhaps your anger is specifically directed at someone. You may feel mad at the person who died, or with someone who caused your loss, which Hamlet does.
MY JOURNEY OF THE PLAY ON THE SET
PROLOGUE
In the prologue I start lying on the right side of the bed. I am restless and occasionally wake up. During Twenty Four Hours and Atmosphere, I end up at the front of the stage. I move the bed/coffin to Ophelia's area and go to Hamlet's bed.
SCENE 1
In the bed.
SCENE 2
In the bed. At the end I stand up.
SCENE 3
I make my way from the bed to the top of the stage. I work my way over to Ophelia. I do a physical sequence with Ophelia downstage right. After this I sit stage left, near Laertes on a ledge reading.
SCENE 4
I talk with Polonius and Laertes. I have my first speech and end up at the top of the stage. Jacob gives me a pillow and I lay down at the top of the stage.
SCENE 5
Laying down at the top of the set.
SCENE 6
Laying down at the top of the set.
SCENE 7
I wake up for 'to be or not to be' and notice Sarah.
SCENE 8
Watch the scene with Ophelia unfold from the top of the set.
SCENE 9
Move and exchange places with Antonia. Smells like teen spirit sequence takes place. Move back to the bed.
SCENE 10
Stay in the bed.
SCENE 11
Stay in the bed.
SCENE 12
Notice Matt and follow his journey down the set. Recieve the gun. Perform my speech. walk to the top of the set and perform All Apologies sequence. Stay at the top of the set.
SCENE 13
Watch from top of set
SCENE 14
Watch from top of set
SCENE 15
Watch from top of set
SCENE 16
Perform Ophelia drowning sequence down centre stage.
Move back up to the top of the set
SCENE 17
Watch from top of set
SCENE 18
Watch from top of set.
We set our version of the play at 5am, inside Hamlet's mind. I like to think it takes place in a kind of lucid dream.
A Lucid dream is a dream where the dreamer is aware that they are dreaming. In some cases, the dreamer is able to have some sort of degree of control over the dream. Early references to the phenomenon are found in ancient Greek writing. For example, the philosopher Aristotle wrote: 'often when one is asleep, there is something in consciousness which declares that what then presents itself is but a dream'.
Celia Green concluded that lucid dreams were a category of experience quite distinct from ordinary dreams, and predicted that they would turn out to be associated with rapid eye movement sleep (REM sleep ,a unique phase of sleep characterized by rapid movement of the eyes, low muscle tone throughout the body, and the propensity of the sleeper to dream vividly).
Green was also the first to link lucid dreams to the phenomenon of false awakenings. A false awakening is a vivid and convincing dream about awakening from sleep, while the dreamer in reality continues to sleep. After a false awakening, subjects often dream they are performing daily morning rituals such as cooking, cleaning and eating.
We did an exercise as a cast where we practised Columbian Hypnosis, and instead of using our hands we used just our eyes. As we did this we had to take it in turns to say our character's favourite line and our character's least favourite line. This helps as it fit a line I wasn't too comfortable with a line I liked and made it feel much more familiar to me. As we did this exercise we had to imagine it was 4 in the morning to get us into the mindset of the play. We did this exercise to a piece of music called 'SLEEP' by Max Richter. The album serves as a concept album based around the neuroscience of sleep, hence its length of over eight hours. The album was performed in its entirety as one compositional piece at the Reading Room at Wellcome Collection in London. Instead of chairs to sit in and watch the performance, audience members were given beds to sleep in.
GRIEF
Hamlet exhibits signs of grief throughout our play. The most notable in Hamlet are:
- overwhelming tiredness and exhaustion.
- restlessness ‒ feeling unable to sit still.
- anxiety attacks.
- difficulty breathing.
- finding it hard to sleep or fear of sleeping.
Bereavement is not linear. It takes multiple forms at different times in one’s life. It is influenced, among other things, by the strength of our attachment to the lost loved one and how central he or she was to our lives. Bereavement never really ends. It ebbs after a while, but can then emerge on birthdays and anniversaries, in certain places, or triggered by something like a special song. This is why music is such a key thing in our performance. It is cathartic. Often times when we are hurt, offended, or lose something or someone we love, we become angry. During the grief journey there may be times when anger rises within you without warning. Many times it’s a reaction that just appears, usually uninvited and unwelcome. Perhaps your anger is specifically directed at someone. You may feel mad at the person who died, or with someone who caused your loss, which Hamlet does.
MY JOURNEY OF THE PLAY ON THE SET
PROLOGUE
In the prologue I start lying on the right side of the bed. I am restless and occasionally wake up. During Twenty Four Hours and Atmosphere, I end up at the front of the stage. I move the bed/coffin to Ophelia's area and go to Hamlet's bed.
SCENE 1
In the bed.
SCENE 2
In the bed. At the end I stand up.
SCENE 3
I make my way from the bed to the top of the stage. I work my way over to Ophelia. I do a physical sequence with Ophelia downstage right. After this I sit stage left, near Laertes on a ledge reading.
SCENE 4
I talk with Polonius and Laertes. I have my first speech and end up at the top of the stage. Jacob gives me a pillow and I lay down at the top of the stage.
SCENE 5
Laying down at the top of the set.
SCENE 6
Laying down at the top of the set.
SCENE 7
I wake up for 'to be or not to be' and notice Sarah.
SCENE 8
Watch the scene with Ophelia unfold from the top of the set.
SCENE 9
Move and exchange places with Antonia. Smells like teen spirit sequence takes place. Move back to the bed.
SCENE 10
Stay in the bed.
SCENE 11
Stay in the bed.
SCENE 12
Notice Matt and follow his journey down the set. Recieve the gun. Perform my speech. walk to the top of the set and perform All Apologies sequence. Stay at the top of the set.
SCENE 13
Watch from top of set
SCENE 14
Watch from top of set
SCENE 15
Watch from top of set
SCENE 16
Perform Ophelia drowning sequence down centre stage.
Move back up to the top of the set
SCENE 17
Watch from top of set
SCENE 18
Watch from top of set.
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