Jane Lapotaire- The Sweethart

Jane Lapotaire, a famous Shakespearean actress, came and gave us a lecture/tutorial (I don't fully understand the workings of the English University, so don't ask the difference, cause I don't know). The 1st years were all like "what's it going to be like?" I think that the 2nd years built it up to be a bit more terrifying and intimidating than it really was. They said she's tough, but you just have to remember that it's to help you not to hurt you. I think I prepared for the worst.

Now I don't get a lot of the "oh she's a big name, she's a big star" mentality. She's a human, just like me. So I had that going for me. But I usually like to know what is going on, so I can prepare myself as best I can. And I had no idea what it was going to be like. So I prepared as best I could on my Lady Anne monologue.

She came in and was charming and so very nice. She told us about herself. Then we sat in a circle and just said our monologues out loud to ease us into it, and she took notes. I did my bit and we moved on to the next person. Then she went around and gave us her notes. She reminded us all to look for the antithesis in the lines, she helped me figure out a scansion in a line where I had the stress on the wrong syllable (this woman can listen to it once and know what we are doing wrong scansion wise, it was amazing) and she told me I was hitting my words and making it kind of stacatto, which I agreed with.

The funny thing is that she thought I was terrified of her. I had spaced out for a couple of seconds and when I looked up she said "you look absolutely terrified, let me tell you something to make you laugh." So she told us a story about Edmund Kean and continued on the way. During the break Libby told me that she was absolutely terrified. Libby's not an actor, she's a director, so she's not quite as used to the pressure and the feeling of being torn down to be made better. So I said a little prayer for her while she was working with Jane.

The second half of class we put it on it's feet. She pointed out somethings that were cool, like "playing the opposite" (she didn't call it that, but that's what it was), and making sure that we get the main sentence and thoughts together (cause Shakespeare liked little side notes). When I got up there she talked to me about the moment before and being able to take that moment before into our monologues.

Then she told me I have lovely eyes, which was a nice compliment, she also told me earlier that I had a lovely smile. Maybe she was just being nice to me cause she thought I was terrified. When I got up there my heart began to race. I had no idea why that happened. But I just stopped myself and said "you've done this kind of thing thousands of times with other people, it's the same thing". And then I started and I was fine. She helped me break thoughts into thoughts and reminded me that Lady Anne is a threat, she has power and to use that. It was good. I had nothing to be worried about. I wish that she would come around more often. She was very nice. She bought us all a drink afterward at the pub.

It was a good experience. I think now that I need to go to bed. That was exhausting!