Today we performed The Arsonists for our assessment. Overall, I think my performance was good. We began with the section where I am the clock for the first group. Throughout this section I kept a neutral posture and facial expression while the other group were performing. I sustained this neutral posture and expression while singing the clock chime song. I sung at a reasonable volume in a monotonous voice in synchronisation with the other members of the group. When my group performed their first section, I acted as a puppeteer to one of the other group members. I allowed my arms to appear flexible when controlling the other group member and speaking in a monotonous voice in synchronisation with the rest of the group. Soon after, I say the line: "To wipe out a few human beings". I believe that I performed this line well as I performed it in synchronisation with one other group member and with an inflection of superiority in my voice. I do this at the same time as kicking a member of my group over as an expression of power. The group member playing the goddess of the piece then takes control of all of us and moves us into position for the second clock chime song. I don't believe I performed part of this as well as I could have as I had to suddenly move my foot into the correct position, having moved it back when kicking over the other group member. I believe as I was the only person in the group to do this, it looked unprofessional. A good aspect of my performance was when the actress playing the goddess raised her arms and clicked her fingers, leading the group and me into a large smile and tilting our heads on the click. I believe I did this in perfect synchronisation, making the overall performance more effective. After the second clock chime song, my group and I backed into the semi-circle. To prevent me from colliding with anyone, I did have to move my eyes to check my path. I don't know how obvious it was in the final performance, but I hope it didn't seem too unrehearsed. Throughout the next two groups I maintained my focus and stood in neutral in the semi-circle. I was still able to watch the other group's performances and noted how great they were, which created a powerful atmosphere for the remaining performances. When it was my second group's turn to perform, I believe we created suspense through the use of pauses. For example, one group member says the line: "And they feared me in every village", which causes myself and the other group members to take a quick fear-filled breath. There is then a short, but powerful pause before the next line is said. When I deliver my lines for this section, I believe that it went well. I believe I delivered them with confidence and in-character as Beelzebub. Another good part of our groups performance was a part where I slowly raise my head with an evil smile and shout "Thou Shalt", which turns into a call and response from the other group members, creating a powerful chant. I believe the most effective part of the whole performance was when all the performers stand in a triangle, raise their arms and shout: "All hail the Fire Fighters!" before we all drop our heads. I believe my second group's performance could have been better if we had rehearsed more. We had had difficulties such as starting later than the other groups and having people regularly absent. If we had rehearsed more, we would not have had one section where one performer is speaking and the rest of us are doing absolutely nothing.
