Mba’eichapa, gente, and welcome to my vlog, where I will be sharing a little bit about the theatre program in Scotland, which we are currently in the midst of! First of all, a little introduction: my name is Hadassah, and I am a German Latina from Paraguay, meaning that I am doing an international study in Scotland after coming from my other international semester in the United States. So basically, I went from one English accent to the next, which means my brain is even more scrambled than usual. Fun challenges! 😀
This year, our Pepperdine Scotland Theatre Program will be performing an original play called Lifelong at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which is super exciting (yayyyy)! In order to balance tourism with rehearsals and preparations, we spent one week in the Scottish Highlands—Glenelg, to be exact—where we got to experience Scottish nature and the culture of the region to the fullest. For me personally, as a nature lover, it was a really good start to the program!
After that first week, we moved to Glasgow, where we are currently based, and started classes, regular rehearsals, and preparations for the Fringe. But not to worry—we still got to explore the city, of course! From restaurants to sightseeing to seeing a play, I don’t think anyone was deprived of enjoying what Glasgow has to offer.
Now, to the play: I will be portraying Frances, a member of a group of powerful scientists living in a specialized facility, concentrated on human well-being, in the hopes of reaching the impossible: a long, protected life. In other words, I will be portraying a much older woman in the body of a young, quirky 21-year-old. But that comes with its challenges (oh goody!): how does one accurately portray a much older woman who has a physical age of 21? So, obviously, I had to do—and still have to do—my research in order to portray her to the best of my abilities.
In order to prepare for a rehearsal, I review the notes from previous rehearsals, as well as my own thoughts and realizations noted on the script. Pretty basic, I know. But how do I get ready to play an older woman in a body like mine?
First of all: research. A lot of research. I consult friends and family who are in situations similar to my character’s, or who embody even just one aspect of her. Once I have a clear idea of what the symptoms and limitations are, I play with them, intensifying them within myself to different degrees. I see how pretending to feel them makes me feel. What thoughts come up? How can I hide these “limitations”? How can I try to reduce them? These are the sorts of questions and thoughts I keep playing with, while also trying to internalize these conditions in my body. That way, when it is time to be fully prepared and present for rehearsal, I am able to recall the feelings and thoughts and essentially become this older woman in a young body. This, of course, is an unfinished process, and new discoveries are still a part of it—which makes it exciting!
I obviously have a pinterest board for my character which is still open to constant changes and additions as I get to know her more and more. I am also still working on a spotify playlist for her!
After a long day of rehearsal, and maybe class (depending on the day), I love to drink a good yerba mate! That is usually pretty helpful for unwinding after a long day. I also enjoy some alone time to regroup, take a break, and breathe in general. This includes calling family, eating something, and preparing for the upcoming class day and rehearsal.
Depending on the day, I also really love doing something with my lovely company friends! And, if possible, going to bed at a reasonable hour—that does wonders!
So far, Scotland has had so much to offer! From fascinating nature to incredible city life and culture, as well as fun and stimulating rehearsals and creative work! All I can say is that time is definitely flying, and we are all trying to soak up every possible moment to enjoy and learn.
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