"Every Moment Of A Scene Has A Different Rhythm."

Katie told the story of her brother. She was nervous and doubting herself. Not sure where to start. "We have to start." Her story lacked events though - it was more a description of an image. "We need to have a story...a story and not your feelings...so goodbye."

~

Ric also told the story of his grandfather and father escaping communist china.

~

Then Philippe asked if anyone who is writing had some scenes they wanted actors to improvise - to help them with the writing process. Thomas (Austria) offered a few different scenes inspired by Sophia's story to be worked. I played the father in a few of them.

At one point Philippe played different pieces of music, getting us actors to listen to it as we improvised, which made the point that different scenes, or different moments in scenes, and different characters, have different rhythms. Different music.

"Every moment of a scene has a different rhythm."

"Life is a long rhythm."

"A good play has a rhythm. Without rhythm it's bla bla bla."

"Theatre is this music against this music."

Search for the best rhythm for the scene and for each actor in the scene. "When you think Ah! Fantastic! you carry on."

"A writer - he walks, and when he has all the rhythms of the play, he writes."

"The director - he doesn't choose the same rhythm as the writer." He chooses something different again.

"The rhythm of the director doesn't underline the rhythm of the text."

"Every detail...every little thing is so important in the beginning to make us happy."

"If you say something that means something you are an idiot." i.e. Say something that means something else.

"If the spectator thinks: 'In my head it's better than what they do', for sure you will hear 'Money back! Money back! Money back!"

~

Tonight I went to see The Animals And Children Took To The Streets by '1927'.

It was great! Performed by three actresses (one a pianist), entirely with animations projected on the set (three walls) throughout.

Usually projections in theatre are awful. And usually animations in theatre are really shitty due to super low budgets and little time. But both were great. Super slick.

It actually was less like a theatre show with projections, and more of a projection show with actors. That's why it worked. It was fully integrated in the production.

It was very clever. Had a great Burtonesque aesthetic. Visually stimulating! Playful. Simple. Fun. Really good images. Cool music. Clever script. Good performances.

My only gripe is they didn't come out for a second bow. They did one, and we were all clapping to see them again, and they didn't come out. This was really disappointing. The moment of applause is our chance as an audience to give back to the performers, and we were denied that opportunity.

Still, really cool.