The 8+ min Bob Dylan warm up song.
There was a bit of an interesting feeling in the room today. A bit negative. A bit frustrated. From all, including Philippe. None of us really found much today and it wasn't that fun. Still, we tried! :)
Started with the chorus exercise we did yesterday again. We continued to be bad several times and then Gaulier changed the exercise. He tends to do this when nobody is getting anywhere fast!
Then did a familiar scenario with a table and chairs and an entrance in major, and then a second entrance in major (and the 1st major becomes a minor). This time playing with conflict. We had to play a different rhythm from our scene partner. And the text was to be about borrowing some salt - which the owner of the house, after three years of it, was sick of lending it to their neighbour. I got up first with Ling Tao as my partner. I was the first to enter. "No actor's pleasure. Boring." I tried again - this time tried to fake it (which feels pushed and not very helpful) and survived a bit longer, but only because I could tell he was being easier on me because I was the first to try the exercise. I improvised some rubbish "ahh my favourite table...ahh my favourite chair" and then Ling Tao entered. I didn't really shift to minor. I talked with too big a voice, and too much. Boom. It felt a bit like Gaulier got pissed off with me for making this mistake again. In a way - stuff him. I'm working on it! But also, yes - get the basics right first.
"When an actor enters you must think Ah! Everybody sees me!" = So don't sit down after 20 seconds of being on stage!
We then did this exercise where we got a ball passed to us, then looked at our audience, and made the sound of trains, or different animals. When I got up I got given 'baby elephant'. I blew air through my tightened lips which made my face go red and I looked all stupid. I had a bit of pleasure - from being silly. And Philippe noted this. "Silly idiot face is good for you. Not Serious." This a clue! I guess it could be because I look like a serious guy when you just look at me. As opposed to others who look sad, or silly, or weird, or angry. So I have to do different things to counter that impression people get from my appearance. Also - when I am silly (A Little Bit Silly Productions) I have fun...
I clicked a bit today about what Philippe's role is in these classes and how I need to be approaching them. Essentially, he is just offering little exercises for us to explore and play in. Opportunities for us to learn something about ourselves as performers. He isn't waiting for us to do anything in particular. He just tells us when we're boring, and when we are not. So he is guiding our own learning. But that's exactly it. It is my learning. Nobody elses. It's for me. So I need to get over this thing in the back of my head of wanting to prove myself as a good actor, or good student, and instead keep on going on stage with the intention to discover more about my self. Good and bad. Remember! It's actually fucking simple. All I have to do is make the noise of a baby elephant! Not really much pressure...
"Every day we enter slightly differently. It depends on the spectators, on your scene partner..." = Listen. Subtle changes are where the artistry lies.
Back to the entrances exercise from earlier in class. This time as animals. I entered second, as a chicken. Martina from Italy was first - as a dog I think. Not a good start for me. When she passed me the ball I fumbled and dropped it again. A little thing. Not really a big deal. But you could read into this that already the scene has gone to shit. Not a good start to a game of rugby... I tried to come out with an opposing rhythm - faster and more extreme to contrast with what Martina did. But came out like a "chicken on valium". "It's a game to be the animal. You don't have to be Adolf Hitler the chicken!" I was in my own 'tunnel'. No complicité with Martina. Not even any real eye contact. I need to keep going back to these simple things. These are more important than anything technical to begin with I think.
- "When you enter you have to exist."
- "You have to calculate exactly what our imagination needs."
- "You have to give everything as a miracle...A big big job...So subtle."
It is difficult! It's nice to feel like I have time. And I am really inspired by this idea of learning the theatre in a different way. I think it will help me to be a truly unique performer. As well as to make unique work. So keep at it. Another step. Keep listening. Be more sensitive. Search for something I don't know yet...
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