This document outlines various rehearsal techniques that could be used when preparing a theatrical performance, including exercises focused on character development, physicality, ensemble work, and voice. Some key techniques mentioned are having actors reveal their character's inner thoughts during rehearsal, putting actors in a "hot seat" to answer in-character questions, examining emotional objectives and super-objectives, and using techniques developed by Stanislavski and LeCoq to explore movement, tension, and non-verbal communication between actors. An accompanying Prezi presentation provides additional context on applying these techniques to a production of Woyzeck.

1. Rehearsal
Techniques

2. Inner Thoughts
O I would ask my actors to rehearse,
although at any given point I would call
“Inner thought?” and they must respond,
spontaneously revealing their characters’
inner thoughts.

3. Hot-seat
O I would do a hot-seating exercise with my
actor. The actor must remain in character
whilst being asked a series of questions
which elaborate on life experiences. This
will help create more realistic characters.

4. Temporal Divisions
O I would ask my actor to identify the
emotions and objectives within this “unit”,
breaking it down into “bits”, in the way of
Stanislavski. I would then ask them to
focus on those emotions. This will help to
create an emotive performance for both
the actor and audience.

5. Super-Objectives
O I would ask my actors to consider their
objectives within this “unit” – which is their
motivation behind these actions/words -
and then ask them to consider their super-
objective, which relates to their role in the
play. This is in the way of Stanislavski.
This would help them to portray clearly the
content and events of the play, and to
remain as a “detached” character.

6. Bigger and Bigger
O I would ask my actor to identify the beats
and units, as would Stanislavski. Then I
would ask them to play the character with
huge emotions. I would command “bigger”
and, each time, the actor must respond by
exaggerating. This will help create
comedy.

7. Flashback
O I would ask my actors to think of where
their character was a few moments ago, a
day ago and perhaps a week ago. In turn,
I would ask them to move in slow-motion
to create a tableau which represents this.
This will help deepen characterization for
the actor, and help hone their physicality.

8. Flash-forward
O I would ask my actors to think of where
their character will be in a few moments
time, in a day’s time and perhaps in a
year’s time. In turn, I would ask them to
move in slow-motion to create a tableau
which represents this. This will help the
actors consider what message they want
to leave the audience with.

9. LeCoq’s “Emotional Movement
with a Stick”
O I would ask the pair to hold either end of a
metre-stick and to push and pull each other
through the space with it, varying with
dynamism and melodrama. I would ask my
actors to familiarize themselves with the
emotions and mood of the different
movements and paces. I would then ask them
to repeat the exercise, this time removing the
stick and adding in their lines, trying to
replicate the atmosphere, particularly of
conflict. This would show the audience the
tension of the characters through Proxemics,
and help the actors to make full use of the
space.

10. LeCoq’s Melodrama
O I would ask the actors to consider the
strongest emotion of the character in the
scene and then to mime this scene with
exaggerated movement for the chosen
emotion. I would then identify the most
melodramatic aspects of this mime such as
large arm gesture or vivid facial expressions
and ask my actors to retain these when
adding their lines back in. This will help to
create dramatic tension physically between
the characters. It will also help unblock self-
conscious movements.

11. LeCoq’s “Choral Line”
O I would ask two people to stand in a line.
The person at the back must whisper their
lines, line by line, and it is echoed by the
person in front. The line gradually gets
longer, with an actor joining at the back
each time and those in front repeating
their line together. This will help establish
the character of the Chorus Leader and
help the Chorus work as an ensemble.

12. Tempo/Volume Line
O I would ask my actors playing the Chorus to
arrange themselves in a line, where one end
represented a very slow tempo and the other
represented a very fast tempo. I would ask
them to chant a line in unison, and then I
would move along the line and stop at a
certain point. They must decide together, yet
without speaking, on the appropriate tempo
with which to now chant the line. I would
repeat the exercise for volume. This will
greatly improve the cohesion of the Chorus,
and open up new approaches for the choral
lines.

13. Unified Walking Pace
O I would ask the actors to walk around the
room and stop without saying anything or
any command. This will improve focus
and establish a relationship with other
members of the group.

14. Keeping Time by Counting to
60
O I would ask my actors to stand in a circle and
close their eyes. Each one must count to one
minute in their head. At one minute, they must
step forward. I would be keeping track of the
order in which they step. Once everyone has
stepped forward, I would be able to identify
who has the slowest track of time, the fastest
and those who are just on. I would then repeat
by asking them to say an extract in their head,
with those aware of who needs to slow down
and speed up. This will help eliminate
problems of trying to speak in unison.

15. Non-Verbal Language
O I would ask my actors to think of an idea
that they want to communicate to each
other in the extract. Then I would ask
them to communicate this idea without
any words at all, though they may use any
sound (e.g. whistling) or any gestures
(e.g. pointing a finger). This will help the
two actors to focus upon how they could
use a wordless, universal language when
in role.

16. Play Around with Vocal
Exercises
O I would ask my actors to rehearse their
lines with no movements whatsoever, so
that they may concentrate solely on the
voice. I would first ask them to say the line
as neutrally as possible and then ask
them to experiment with tone in which
they say it. I would then ask them to
repeat the exercise, but varying their
tempo, speed, rhythm and then volume to
create different expressions.

17. Explore Ways to Touch
O I would ask my actors to find a way to
touch the other person that was
appropriate to the line. I would ask them
to rely on instinct and not to think it
through too much. This will create
something visually interesting and
perhaps unusual for the audience,
perhaps bring out elements of comedy,
and draw out the actor’s “physical
language”.

18. Ladders Exercise
O I would position two ladders side-by-side
and ask each actor to step onto their
ladder: one must be at the top and the
other at the bottom. As they recite their
lines they must decided whether to move
up or down on the ladders so that by the
close of the scene, they are on an equal
position on their ladders.

19. Steps
O As each line is said, the actors must
experiment with their Proxemics, either
moving closer or further away from the
other speaker, depending on their
relationship

20. LeCoq’s Masks and Neutrality
O I would ask my actors to focus on their
physicality. The actors should wear a
mask and then act the scene. The loss of
facial expressions will drive them to
communicate meaning through their
physical movements.

21. LeCoq’s “Valley of the Giants”
O I would ask the actor to pretend he is a
giant. He must interact with the other
actors and props as if they were much
smaller. He will take heavy steps, push
and pull with his body and enjoy playing at
being big, which was vital to be an actor
under LeCoq. This will give an elevated
status to this character.

22. “One Handed Conversation”
O I would ask my actors to hold a
conversation each using only the actions
of one hand and thus limiting
communication ability. It forces the actors
to become expressive with their hands
and face, to communicate in ways other
than words and to draw upon their own
physical impulses.

23. Rehearsal Techniques for
Woyzeck Prezi
O https://prezi.com/se10v8xoowuu/woyzeck-
interpretation/