Collins --> THE REAL DEAL

One thing that I have found has been really useful is that my character was a real person. This has proved really crucial to my characterisation and development process as I have had something to research and provide a bases for my character. The fact that my character was a real person, I feel adds more pressure my performance because I am representing and telling a real persons story and it is really important to me that I convey him as honestly and truthfully as possible. As a result of this I have found that doing sufficient background research into my character has allowed me to be confident in the character and opinions that I am displaying to the audience, as I feel as I am continuing someone's story and legacy in a respectful yet truthful manner. On top of this I have found that having a basis to look into and to explore has really pushed my character development and understanding of him. This has been exceptionally useful to me personally as in the start of my character development process I was completely focused on that fact that I am playing a man and felt as though this was the most important thing physically in my character and that it had to conveyed in a believable manner to the audience. Although this is true, I found that it was consuming my character exploration and the choices that I was making. When I went back to the research that I found on my character, I found that simply exploring him as a real person allowed me to think of him as a person rather than defined by his gender. As a result of this I have found that my character choices have become based around him as a person not solely around his gender. I feel that this has pushed my character development, allowing me to connect to and understand him more clearly which has created a more truthful, real character of which the audience can relate to.

Research:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Collins_(governor)

"but did not enjoy being at sea" --> I think that this is really interesting as a pre-tense to my character before he appears on stage as it has made me consider how his journey had developed on the ship and how this could have affected him mentally and emotionally as well as physically. 

"Collins was responsible, under the governor, for the colony's entire legal establishment." --> This really made me consider the power and status that Collins as a character holds not only amongst the convicts but the officers as well. This made me realise how crucial he is to the colony and how he is creating the very beginning of a society and the legal side of this. It made me think about how much his views on justice would have impacted on the colony as a whole and for years and years after. This has helped me to take into account the importance of my characters views and the weight they hold over the rest of the society. 

http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/collins-david-1912

"13 June 1777 he married Mary (Maria Stuart), daughter of Captain Charles Proctor" --> The idea of him having a family back in England I think is hugely important to his characterisation but also to his attitude to his surroundings in the play. I particularly think that it would add heaviness and pain to the line "England" when he is remembering home. It has allowed me to have a purpose and something driving that line, which has really helped me to connect to it as well. 

"n. In March 1790 after Ross had been appointed lieutenant-governor at Norfolk Island, Collins could write to his father, 'Since Major Ross went from here, tranquillity may be said to have been our guest. Oh! that the Sirius when she was lost, had proved his—but no more of that. While here he made me the object of his persecution—if a day will come—a day of retribution'." --> This has really helped me to think about my relationship with the character Ross and how my character feels under his power. I think that this will really help drive the tension and stakes in the scenes that we have with each other. Also it will definitely make me consider the proximities of our spacing on stage and how this physically can tell a story to the audience.  

"Like Phillip he had a compassionate interest in the Aboriginals"--> For the period that our play is set and when he would have been alive, I feel that this view point would have been really fresh and modern and revolutionary. I think this says something about the nature of the character that I am playing and the care that he has within him. I also think it opens a curiosity within him and makes me consider him as a person who loves to explore and learn about new ways and people.