The Hermitcraft Plays

15: Character building

'Right, so today we're going to work on character building with a few different games and exercises while the stage is broken... we've got a nice wide area of space here, so I'd like everyone to walk around in neutral.'

Only Ren seemed to know what this meant, but stopped at the sight of everyone's blank faces.

'Walk with no personality... Ren, demonstrate.' The only knowledgable actor of the group started walking around again. More people seemed to understand, and obeyed as Joe gave the command again, but it didn't take long to create the classic actor circle of doom. Except Scar who was stubbornly walking the other direction to the hermit masses.

'Try not to walk in a circle... change directions.' Joe called. Which prompted Beef and Keralis to turn and crash directly into each other. It took a surprisingly short amount of time to create something that wasn't a never-ending loop, and Joe gave the next instruction. 'Now, walk in character. Try to make it different from your walk in neutral... perfect, Ren! Try to make them a bit more exaggerated than just still walking in neutral... Wels, love it. Scar, try to be a bit more evil' He paused as Etho na-root-o ran past. '... great... energy... Etho?'

'Can we stop now?' Asked Grian, who's direction changing had become his own circle. 'I'm getting dizzy.'

'Go the other way for a bit.' Offered Scar as he passed by. 'It'll stop you being dizzy.' 

'My character doesn't even move in the entire play.' 

'He does in the last scene! And you walk offstage in scene 11!'

'How would he even walk?'

 A pause.

'...Jauntily?' 

To which Grian started skipping. 

'THIS ISN'T HELPFUL!'

'Look, how much confidence does he have?'

'A lot of confidence?'

'Walk with confidence, but probably with a little bounce too, because he's Christmassy and whimsical.'

'Ooh! I love whimsical!' Scar felt the need to add. 'You're doing great, Grian!' 

'This is stupid.'

'Has everyone got a walk for their character? Great!' Joe replied to expressions almost as blank as when they'd started. 'Now, try to include this in your actual performances. But first, we're going to go through some extra information about each of your characters... Scar.'

'Yes.'

'What's your character's deepest, darkest secret?'

'He doesn't like cake.' Was the immediate response, which was met by a scandalised gasp from Cub.

'How dare you...'

'It was the first thing I thought of!' 

'Now, everyone think of something. And you don't have to tell anyone, except people your characters would tell...'

'Can I stop being part of the play?' Doc asked. 'I don't want to be part of it. It's confusing.'

'No! We're over halfway through it! We're performing in 10 days!'

'WhAT?!' Grian burst out. 'Already?!'

'Yes, already! We need to make this perfect! Now, next activity... everyone find a partner, but don't make it someone your character interacts with too much in the play... like, Three Dumb Men, Rendolf and Pearlie, the Christmas Vexes...' (to which Scar beelined from Cub to Grian). 'Has everyone found someone?' Etho and Doc, who didn't yet have partners, looked at each other and became a pair, before Joe continued. 'Ren, Iskall, improvise a scene in character where your characters meet.'