Shedding Perfection and Accepting Truth: Exploring Compassion and an Embodied Physicality for the First Soldier and Third Girl in Oh What a Lovely War

This text is an exploration of one actor’s challenge to find self-confidence, to develop a new process with a compassionate approach and a physical practice to construct characters that are physically embodied. First, self-confidence is explored through the techniques of Rolfing and talk therapy with a Jungian analyst. Next, a new physical and vocal warm up is created from a combination of technical skills learned at Canada’s National Voice Intensive in Vancouver and theatre classes at York University in Toronto. Positive affirmations are put into practice to ensure self-care throughout the rehearsal process. Subsequently, an exploration of two different methods for constructing two characters, one physical approach for the First Soldier, and one psychological approach for the Third Girl, to determine what method is more effective for creating fully embodied characters in the production of Joan Littlewood’s play Oh What a Lovely War.