"Do You Hate Him? ...Andre? ...Anna?"

Today was a shitter of a day. It seemed to go forever. And it was full of flops. I wrote on my hand at the beginning of the class 'Relax, Smile' and it was very useful at the end of class!

We got up in groups of ten with the home-made masks and stood back to the wall. Philippe played some music, and we had to dance to the music and then sing/speak with a funny voice.

When I went he played this high pitched staccato classical music so I danced on my tip toes and played with a high pitched opera voice."Is it painful?" It was. I found that a lot of stuff flew out the window too when doing this (fixed point, play with rhythm...) due to fear and being under the spotlight. The good thing is every time I get up I learn a little bit more about myself as a performer. I learnt in this moment that I don't enjoy, or am very good at, playing 'annoying' on stage. I life - totally. But on the stage, not so much.

Then Philippe got Danielle to stand completely still and imitate a sports commentator, and every time he beat his drum Danielle would have to make the sounds of:

a) a big storm

b) a creaky door

c) a dripping tap

d) a little homosexual dog

e) boiling spaghetti

f) a TGV train

The result was a really crazy surprising little high-speed moment.

We then went in groups of ten again, and this time had to come out to music, then speak in gibberish and every now and then make a strange noise.

I came out and did some dumb voice in which I didn't have enough fun with, and pushed a bit with. Philippe killed me (he took great pleasure in killing basically everybody today) and picked out my two closest friends to do the deed: "Do You Hate Him? ...Andre? ...Anna?"

~

"To have a good fun doesn't mean we have to laugh. It means Ugh! This actor has spirit!"

I'm currently pondering the sensitive balance between being Big/Loud/Full of Energy, and pushing. How do I rise in scale, but not push?

~

"Thank you [Michael] for demonstrating what a horrible flop is like."

Emma encountered a flop too, but she played with it. She let us know that she knew that we knew it was bad. And when she did that we saw her humanity.

"Every time you are mechanical we hate you."

I've found myself feeling quite insecure lately - about my acting, my friends, my relationship, and my body. And I clicked to why this possibly is. It'll be school. Some of it will be being told I'm bad day after day. And some of it will be home-sickness. But it will also be because in this training I'm constantly trying to open myself up. To take risks. To show my humanity. Me. And that's vulnerable. So no wonder I've been feeling the way I've been feeling.

The Crêpe Nazi

Friday night:

Went out with my Spanish friends for the 'best crêpes in Paris' (it's on Rue Mouffetard...look for the lines...). We were very careful in ordering however, because apparently last time David made a slight change to his order half way through and the guy making the crêpe went crazy at him and threw away the whole meal in a fit of rage.

Sound a bit like this guy?

The Crêpe Nazi in action.

David hiding from The Crêpe Nazi...

The Pepe Special = Fromage, Fromage de Chevre, Jambon, Oeufs, Salade = REALLY GOOD!

Saturday:

Drew pictures with Céleste this morning for 2 hours which was awesome. The family are moving to Thailand soon so my days of this sweet job are running out! Then had a lazy day at home. Really needed it as have been super tired. I did go up to the Sacré Coeur with Anna to watch the sunset (as she's moved really close to me now) and although the sunset wasn't visible due to the clouds it was nice to hang out. Then went home and watched 127 Hours...

I really liked it. I think James Franco did a really great job. He brought 'something special' to his performance. We got to see his fantasy and fun in how he deals with cutting off his own arm!

Sunday:

Had a fantastic meeting with Loredana (our Thursdays movement teacher) about putting on WANNABE at Edinburgh Fringe Festival. I thought she could be great to direct as she's full of energy, is intelligent, really positive - and she knows the type of performance I'm trying to achieve (as she trained and works at École Philippe Gaulier!). So I asked her a wee while back if we could meet up to talk about it. She was full of ideas – smart ones (like honing in on finding the humanity in the show) - she seems to understands what the audience wants (nastiness!) and we're going to meet again soon. It was great to meet up with her. I felt really inspired and excited after it. Like I had got a new boost of confidence.

I also loved how she said if we do it we have to go "wanting to win". This spooked me out a bit because all the advice I’ve been given about Edinburgh is to not expect too much because you’ll be disappointed. But she said if you go just wanting an experience then that’s what you’ll get. But if you go wanting to win then you might just win. Of course she said there’s a balance – but she’s pumped me with a bit of a drive which is great.

We're going to meet up later in the week (I gave her the DVD) so let's see what she has to say...

Also I just bought tickets to London in 2 weeks for the 'Edinburgh Fringe Road Show'. I was doing a bit of research and came across this and thought it would be a good opportunity to go and speak to people face-to-face about what the festival is all about and how to make it work. I've found it really hard to get moving just sitting at home on my laptop looking at websites. Will also see my good friend Ryan there which is very exciting!

"You Have A Mask - You Show The Mask. It's A Rule. You Have To Follow This Rule...It's Funny But You Have To Do It""

Due to Philippe's request earlier in the week, today we all dressed up nice (as if for a wedding). Instructions: Try and match it to your favourite mask...maybe your mask actually has bad fashion sense...

We then spent the class on one exercise: an improvisation in which one mask is in their home (with table and chairs) waiting, and another mask arrives with the intention to ask the other mask to marry them. Nobody got too far in this exercise, and it felt as if Philippe was getting a bit fed up because a lot of things we'd learned earlier in this workshop (or other workshops) were being forgotten. It's not that we've forgotten them though. It's just that there are a lot of things to try and achieve all at the same time - and it's improvised - and scary. And lots of people got most things, but forgot one little thing like showing the mask. But you do have to show the mask. You do need it all at once or else it doesn't work. I mean, it does work, but it's not amazing. And at this school it's amazing or nothing. I love that. It sets a great standard for us all to achieve. But I think it's worth noting that even when people are not amazing, it's still pretty good.

~

I got up with Thomas (Austria) and wore the mask of Il Capitano. I was a bit lighter, and was working on taking major - and then passing the game clearly. I found a funny moment where I started waving my sword in a silly way and then just kept on going in the middle of a sentence. I could have turned this into a fun game. But a wee way in Philippe stopped us. He told me I have to be more ridiculous. And led me to do the sword waving again and then on the beat of his drum drop the sword. And then look down at the sword - back to the audience - to the sword - to the audience...

"You have to calculate how to enter to be loved."

"If he moves a lot, I move a little. Calculate the game between two actors."

*

Philippe was strict with Mia: "Why do you step forward?!? Why do you move your arms?!?" These movements are subtle, but important to be aware of. = Isolation and Purpose.

*

Harvey was funny: "So what's the idea behind this? Do I know this person? For how long?" It seemed ridiculous because at this school we never talk like this. It doesn't matter. Make it up. Play. "This is not the Actor's Studio..."

*

Rik was great as the dancing and singing and rapping character he eventually discovered.

Do this when you act." = Be free. Use your fantasy.

*

Claire de France had real trouble rising to the performative and energetic level needed to bring the mask alive. But she got there in the end. "Now you have to start like this. Not to finish like this but to start."

*

Andre was asked to sit down again, after first sitting down in a conventional way (for the old man character he was playing). But this time singing a sexy song.

He sang Tenacious D's 'Fuck Her Gently'.

"Do we prefer this mask when he thinks he's going to fuck someone? OR when he performs theatre for children in Melbourne in a Greek area?"

*

Franck repeated his Arabic character from yesterday and we were rolling on the floor laughing. It was hilarious. The rhythm, and his face, and voice. The weirdness of it all. Philippe said "now you have found this you have to share the game".

~

Share the game: "You have to send the message: It's your turn to play!!!"

"LOUDER!" Lot's of people got told to speak with a loud voice. A very loud one. It lifts them out the ordinary. And as an audience it lifts us out also.

"We need a voice with a problem." A lisp...speak as if there's a hole in your mouth..."We have to say this actor has a good fun to speak."

"You are not looking for the attitude of the mask."

"It's not good to start sitting...start doing something."

"You have a mask - you show the mask. It's a rule. You have to follow this rule...It's funny but you have to do it." You are the director of a puppet. Stop fixed point. Look. Fixed point. Text. Move. Fixed point!

~

Philippe spoke about how in class everyday we need to "give a bit". Strive to be to be more free. Everyday! With this we will progress.

I also was thinking about Philippe's hate for the conventional.

A convention is a set of agreed, stipulated or generally accepted standards, norms, social norms or criteria, often taking the form of a custom.

And I can see why. When something is conventional it is predictable, ordinary and boring. I must strive to find another way. My way. With fun and fantasy.

No Second Chances

Improvisation with Nicole today. We played a game of Grandma's Keys with home-made masks on, working with masks we hadn't tried before. And sometimes Nicole would stop the game and ask for one of the players to perform a bit. "Do something for us."

"If you're ready to play a character you will not discover."

Franck was brilliant. "Bacchalau!" He played this weird intense gibberish speaking dude (it turned out he was making up the Arabic language) and he interacted with various other masks. He created a game with the audience and so whenever he said anything (like in response to what another mask did) we would crack up in hysterics. Great for Franck too - who is usually quite stiff. The particular mask he was wearing, combined with what he was doing today, worked really well.

"We want to see the humanity of the actor - not a character."

I'm starting to understand the concept of having no character. Don't come on with a character, or an idea. But come on with, or find, a funny voice, and maybe a funny walk/body too. Then discover on stage what those things want to be for the audience at the time.

"Little movements...because you don't know if we like it [yet]."

Q: Does the mask always have to be comedic? Not always, but "the mask helps to pull out the craziness of the actor. That's why we laugh most of the time."

You have to test a lot. Try a lot. If it doesn't work, drop it, and let us know you know it wasn't working. Then we'll see your humanity.

"The mask shows your humanity on a grand scale."

Enter not on the level you'd walk on the street with. But with something special. This doesn't mean original. It means you - open - sensitive - beautiful.

"If you're comfortable on stage we don't like you...It's a very uncomfortable job."

When the actor tries to be clever, we lose the mask.

"Check all the time if we like you."

~

Then we did an exercise in which you come out with a mask on, listening to the music playing, and tell a story to the audience with your movements. Kind of crazy dancing. Avoid pantomime!

I went out first in my group - only because I was the only one behind the screens who was ready. But I didn't make the choice to be special - to be present on stage. I just went out and tried to do something with the music (which was the Limp Bizkit version of the Mission Impossible theme song) and it didn't go very well. Nicole took down the volume of the music a bit to let me know I'm bad and I left. "Good choice Guy! Very sensitive..."

I was a bit gutted though because that was it. 15 seconds and then it was over, and there was no "try again" like everybody else got. But I understand that there aren't always second chances in this world and when it's my turn next time, I need to risk more and go for it. I guess I felt disappointed in myself because I didn't risk. If I had, and it had bombed, then it would be okay. But I just kind of wasted my chance. A good lesson.

Nicole also commented on how I was starting to look the same in all of the masks. This is because I've been trying to play 'timid' like Philippe said is good for the mask. But I hadn't thought that 'timid' can be played in a million different ways. So a little wakeup call to continue playing with my body - and stop trying to get it right!

"You Have To Enter And Install Your Rhythm For Two Minutes"

Today we played the Le Jeu 'Snatch-your-opponent's-scarf-from-behind-their-back-and-tease-when-you've-got-it' game with Commedia masks on. Remember fun and pleasure whilst also keeping the mask alive (fixed point, show the mask etc). I went up and played with Thomas from Austria and it was great. We have really good complicité with each other. I was happy to be on stage with him. In terms of playing with a voice - silly is good for me. When I feel silly, I have pleasure.

Use a funny voice - "Find a way a bit funny to speak"

"Not enough fun. We don't see they are happy together...They want to be a star...They want to have fun..."

Déconner: The pleasure to be crazy; 'to talk crap'; 'to muck around'

~

Then more home-made mask work. We went up in groups of 5 and were interviewed by Philippe.

My mask painted. Looks (unintentionally) like a Mexican Wrestler...

I need to give it some shading to make the nose more defined in profile. And get rid of the line up the centre of the forehead. It's a bit distracting and unnecessary.

I was working on being lighter, and playing more timid and nervous. I ended up having this slightly quiet husky/geeky/deep american voice with a lisp. Naturally, I introduced myself as Chrithtopher Thteventhon (Christopher Stevenson) and found a bit a fun lazy almost bitchy character and rhythm. Good to feel lighter - in this state I feel like I am more free, and text and responses come more naturally. It's as if I have more time.

~

Afterwards we did improvisations with our home-made masks. The scene is set in an apartment. One character is already on stage waiting for another character to come to their place to tell them something that couldn't be said over the phone. None of the improvisations really went far, but lots of good little lessons about the mechanics of theatre popped up.

When we see two characters on stage together, it's better when their rhythms are different: "You have to enter and install your rhythm for two minutes"

"If he says sit down and you sit down there is no conflict."

"When you feel the flop coming, stop! Fixed point! Look at your partner! 'GO! SAVE THE SHOW'...'OKAY! I'M COMING'."

Don't be natural: "With make-up you can stay with yourself. Not with the mask."

"An actor has to have excellent timing. They enjoy the spirit in the silence."

"You do something, I do the opposite...It's a good way to play together."

"An actor is never ugly. You can play whatever you want but always be beautiful."

"It's not me, it's the mask...an obstacle...and with this obstacle you can discover many good things for the theatre."

~

At the end of class I asked Philippe about ideas: Should we have an idea, or no idea? He said he has no recipe. Some actors need an idea before they go on and and others enjoy "peddling in the sauerkraut". But you always have to discover an idea with the audience. But if you bring your idea and we hate it you must drop it immediately. If you keep pushing it we'll hate you more. But he also said "there is no good idea". I guess this means whatever it is you do, it's about how you do it, not what you do.

He talked about how in rehearsals you discover what is good and what is bad for the mask: "The job of the director is to discover the best rhythm for the actor."

And he also talked about how the theatre is full of fantasy. That nothing is real. It's all suggestions and magic. I love it when he talks like this - I feel really inspired and quite moved, because I don't hear people talk about my craft in this way very often. I often hear that acting should be as real, that actors should bear their souls, do lots of intellectual study and be willing to hurt for the work. Not that it's a vessel to ignite the imagination and help people dream. That, I love. I absolutely love it.

Philippe said that even when playing naturalistic, it's not real. In the movies, it's often naturalistic but none of it's real. For actors playing naturalistic: it's the pleasure to pretend it's all true...

It's all pretend...

As I walked home to the RER with Andre we were talking about how at this school we're not just learning about acting; we're learning about writing, directing, design, costume, performing, different theatrical forms, teaching...we're learning about Theatre in a holistic sense. How fantastic!

Never Forget Mr. Flop

Major learning for me today was to never forget Mr. Flop when I go on stage. He helps me to be light and sensitive. Without him, I'm heavy and ugly.

I put together my home-made mask this morning and gave it a go on stage today.

My mask: Made from newspaper and masking tape over a neutral mask base.

The first time I entered I imitated Rodrigo's body language and then did an over-the-top gay laugh. Philippe said I knew more about the mask than the audience. I didn't discover the mask with the audience. "We hate him because he is a fascist."

I had another go, and this time I came out with more sensitivity and lightness. Mostly because I was trying to not do too much, and instead listen to and be with the audience. I tried different things - voices and movements - and nothing seemed to work. Eventually started to pretend to cry saying "I don't know what to do...it's hard!" and play with different ways of crying. Nothing too much. Just a bit. And it seemed to be a bit better. I wasn't a comedic hit at all, but I learnt a few things about the mask. "Not so bad...in this way you can discover the mask."

"...but the mask...we think you received a white cheese to the face...crème fraiche...it needs colour...paint...but good shape."

~

I'm wondering what the balance is between bringing a (planned) offer on stage and genuinely discovering something (i.e. completely improvised). The danger of the first option is that you come across as heavy and that you know the mask better than the audience, and the danger of the second is that you don't discover anything good, or anything at all. However I imagine that a bit of both is possible. Because in a production you would have rehearsed with a mask a lot, and would likely have a script. You would have tested the mask a lot to discover what works and what doesn't. But then in the playing of it with an audience you would have to 'test' again (but test the things you know are in the zone and are likely to work) and from that test you would know how to play that night, for that audience. So right now in class I'm doing the initial testing period - discovering what works and what doesn't - and over time I'll get to know the mask and then get to start practising presenting 'previously tested' material as if it's brand new - discovered right then and there. And in a way it always will be discovered right then and there, because even if, say, a twitch of the right eye, generally works for a particular mask (and has been rehearsed), the twitch will be a tiny bit different for every audience. Every audience wants their own special twitch of the eye.

~

From observation, it seems that when you don't know what to do with this work...have fun with your voice (pronunciation, pitch, accent, placement), body, walk, rhythm...and be light. I'd say this is a good rule of thumb for all performance styles actually.

~

Some of the home-made masks we've started working with.

• Vicky was great. "We would be happy to know this character." She had good fixed points, didn't do much, her mask was great - and she let it do so much for her, and she had a good rhythm and voice to go with it imitating british Emma. Philippe spoke about it afterwards saying it was good that she played a bit timid and scared. He said this is good for mask.

• "You [Akron] are much better with Rodrigo than with yourself." - Imitating others can free you up as an actor.

• "You want to much...it's better if you don't know what to say as an actor...suggest little things in our mind, so we develop a picture...don't be heavy and careless so we receive 100 kilos of bla bla bla."

~

We then did a lazzi with Pantalone in which he shuts his doors on the 31st of July to count his money, which he's particularly excited about! But during the day, many people (other Commedia Dell'Arte characters) interrupt him to find out what he's doing.

I got up and gave Capitano a go with my costume I'd brought (a slick soldier-y thing). I knocked on the door and then entered dramatically like a proud idiot, but slipped on the long socks I was wearing and slowly fell to the floor. Kind of funny but not really. Then I proceeded to speak in a loud spanish accent about how I was interested in what Pantalone was doing today. "You need to leave immediately." I then said "perhaps you could tell me later, because right now I have an appointment with a lot of women" and left quickly.

When I left it was better. This is because when I entered I didn't go on with the possibility of a flop around me. I was confident and heavy. But when Philippe said I needed to leave immediately (effectively saying I'm bad) I became lighter and more sensitive.

Philippe worked with a few other actors who were trying to play Pantalone. He got Steph to sing a lullaby - saying that when actors do this they become light and open - because lullabies are sung to small children. A generous giving sensitive environment. He also said that Games need to be approached in the same way. Children play games because they need to, and they enjoy, discovering the world. There is no "everybody hates me so I deserve to play this game" mentality. It's simple.

In a game we give and receive in a generous way. It's not nasty and heavy. It's easy, free and open.

"If You Work You Could Have The Capitano, Easy"

Today we started playing with the masks students have made themselves. Due to Barcelona I didn't get round to finishing (or starting) mine but it's coming!

"A good mask changes"

Some of the masks weren't clear enough in their features (e.g. we can't see the nose) or features were painted in distracting ways. The good ones were simple.

"When you enter you have to try many things, to know which way we like the mask."

"You have to find your way with this mask - don't imitate others'."

"Your idea of a small character is always bad...with a small character you don't progress. You play Minnie Mouse."

"You have to try the mask...to test...by walking on the edges...it's delicate."

Shout with an accent! Try and find something! With a lower voice!

"The audience wants to discover the mask everyday with you."

~

Feeling quuiiite sleep deprived I held off getting up for a while but eventually got up and tried a student-made mask (it looked a bit like a wrinkly old man). I tried lots of different voices and physicalities and characters. All whilst on stage - shifting and listening to see if anything works. Nothing really did. But then Philippe stopped me and got someone to put the mask of Il Capitano on me and hand me a sword. Then I played again as this Spanish macho soldier.

"He needs to be more ridiculous. Less logical." A song. A stutter. Philippe got me to do things like open my mouth wide, say "ha!" then close it. And repeat. Open! Close! Open! Close!... "Make your mouth tight like a puckered chicken's arse. Now BIG SMILE." Bizarre things.

"He's a floppy character. Scared of the army...of battle... Pretend to be an idiot."

"Capitano is ridiculous. He has a dream. He thinks people are looking at him when nobody is."

After a bit Philippe asked if anyone wanted to come on stage with me and do an improvisation where Il Capitano is trying to get in bed with a women - flirting - but she is very strict and won't do it for 10 minutes... There were no takers. Gutted - cause it meant I couldn't play some more. I even tried to woo someone into coming on but not today.

"If you work you could have the Capitano, easy."

I'm going to come tomorrow with a costume and work on being ridiculous. It feels really good to be getting close!

~

At the end of class Charles gave a student-made mask a go which looked a bit like the lion from The Wizard of Oz with a big brushy moustache.

He was struggling and didn't know what to do. He couldn't bring life to the mask.

Q: "Who would you have fun to imitate the voice of?"

A: Harvey (a New Yorker, new to this workshop)

So with the mask off, we enjoy Charles enjoying mocking Harvey's voice. "Hiiii everybooody! I'm Haaaarvey! Wanna do some Yooooga with meeee?" He has fun - we have fun. Then he does the same but with the mask on, and every time Philippe beats the drum he has to stop in a fixed point. With Charles' unique fun (it's his special pleasure) and with the technique of showing the mask (allowing us to see it from different angles and for a bit of time) the mask comes alive and we love it.

A Kiwi in BarTHelona

Oh come on! Another overseas trip? Really?? Well yes. To celebrate Anna's 30th Birthday. And because flights were super cheap. Three nights in Barcelona of friends, food, and fun...

Spanish Hot Chocolates in the sun...

Tapas galore...Paella...Yum!

A tooth-brushing modeling shot at 5am in the morning after a big night of dancing.

Went into Gaudi's 'Sagrada Familia' which is absolutely stunning. What a gift he has given the world. Andre and I talked about how in about 20 years, when it's finally finished, we'll call each other and say "remember when we were there?"

Went second-hand shopping...

Dipped our toes in the beach...

Strolled through the markets...

...popped into the Picasso Museum, cooked together, explored the (wide and clean) streets, ate churros...

A short but fantastic weekend. Can't wait to return soon!

"You Don't Play. You Are Alone."

Today we had to present a Commedia Dell'Arte mask that we like. A short Lazzi. Come on for a few minutes and be loved, basically.

I tried to do the exercise that was done did a few days ago in which Il Capitano comes on stage looking for his army but then finds a bunch of women washing by the riverside and gets happily distracted.

The major learning for me was about play and games. I need to take my time, listen, and play. Don't react immediately. Let something build, in a progression. Let others in with me.

"You don't play. You are alone."

I realised there are opportunities to play e v e r y w h e r e . There are games e v e r y w h e r e . When I enter looking for my army in a panic - play. What happens when I panic? When I see the women - play. How do I see the women? How does it effect my feet? My hips? My chest? My lips? Play. When I attract the attention of the women - play. What would be the best way to impress them? Play.

What I did was rush through the games without playing. I reacted to things - I was trying to show reactions (e.g. when I saw the woman washing rocking backwards and forwards I started thrusting my body backwards and forwards too) - but they come across as ideas as opposed to games. It's fine to thrust backwards and forwards in response to seeing the women, but find the game of getting excited. Don't just get excited. Play.

~

An example of a game: Ric playing Pantalone who wants Nonica (attractive young Greek girl in our class) to work at his Chinese restaurant (and to feel her up conspicuously). "Come over here." The game is getting her to come. He wants her to, she doesn't. It could go on for 20 minutes!

"Don't touch the money sack straight away!" - Pantalone's money sack hangs between his legs like balls. It's a great gag to sensitively hold the bag with joy...but don't do it all the time!

~

"Always my friend Flop follows me...I am good because my friend Flop follows me...If he doesn't follow you you will meet him soon!"

"All the time you enter you think you will be good, you will be bad."

"You enter like a happy boy scout and everybody hates you!"

~

Be light. No tension.

"We prefer her [Maria] when she leaves the stage [because she's sensitive and light], so why don't you try to enter like that?"

~

Andre tried the same Il Capitano exercise as I did. "He can be more ridiculous...He doesn't want to have sex with one of the women, he wants to have sex with ALL of the women!"

~

Daniele found a wonderful Arlecchino. At first it was too conventional idiot: "Not charming!...it looks too much 'normal theatre' "...

but then Philippe got him to play a farmer from Sicily (Daniele is from Italy) and then the mask comes alive.

~

"THE GAME IS THE ENGINE OF THE ACTOR."

"The Moment The Actor Wants To Be More Clever Than The Mask, The Mask Dies."

I secretly got a bit annoyed with myself today. A bit of a build up from yesterday too. I'm catching myself caring way too much about what the teacher (Nicole for improvisation today) and my classmates think of me as a performer - wanting to be 'good' or seen as 'good' - when I know it's irrelevant. It's about my learning and what I discover. Nobody cares about how good or bad I do. And I shouldn't either. I'm happy with my progress in courage and scale - I'm bringing all of me to the stage now, I give a lot - but I could play/risk more. And ride the flop more. Currently I'm avoiding it. Perhaps I'm being too hard on myself, but it's a good wee reminder for me to chill out and focus my energy in other places.

~ A few Le Jeu exercises today as the masks had gone missing for a while ~

Mock Your Classmate's Walks

This is a really fun little exercise to do with a group of people who know each other fairly well. Walk behind somebody and imitate their walk, and exaggerate things. Add a face. Be a bit nasty. Afterwards you can play 'guess who's imitating who' and it's hilarious to pick everyone out.

"When you don't know what to do to give life to your mask, try one of these walks!"

Imitate Foreign Singers:

In groups of 5-6 we stood up on stage and one by one imitated the singing of foreign music played through the speakers.

"You don't have to imitate well, just have fun with your voice."

Music from all over: Spain, Italy, France, China, Romania... Fantastic!

Great when Nicole asked people to pronounce the language they were singing (which was being made up) more precisely, and gets them translate. "And that word 'Fenchinko'...what does it mean?"

~

When the masks turned up 5 or so of us got up with a mask of choice and danced to music, and when the music stopped and we were called upon, we had to speak to the audience in gibberish. Pantalone had to moan about having no money. Capitane had to give a speech.

"The moment the actor wants to be more clever than the mask, the mask dies."

I wore the mask of Capitane. Had good pleasure dancing, but when going to speak I started to push. Nicole didn't pull me up on this, she didn't say much really, but I felt it. What I did was fine, but I know I could do better. I know I could have more fun, risk more, be lighter. I want to develop more sensitivity on stage than I'm currently performing with, so need to make an active decision to work on this next time.

'The Pleasure of The Wanker'

Today we had to come out on stage without a mask on, and speak to the audience like an intellectual wanker. This was preparation for playing 'Doctore': "a top-level intellectual wanker".

"A wanker enjoys talking but doesn't make any sense."

"Bavard [a chatterbox] loves to speak. Wankers love ideas...shitty theories."

It's a fine line. "Too much artist." "Too much teacher." "We don't see the pleasure of the wanker." I found this british intellectual, blabbering on about Greek Tragedy. Philippe got me to do a little laugh - with just two short 'Ha's'. "Selected." I'm getting better at having a 'fun spirit'. I'm starting to feel freer on stage. When I'm less scared and more "oh well let's give something a go" then I tend to perform better.

~

Later, those who were selected did the same wanker speech but with the Doctore mask on, and then at the beat of Philippe's drum changed the topic of the text from whatever it was to about something medical. And voila! You get a doctor that talks like he knows a lot but doesn't know shit.

"You can't play with the mask as you did without the mask."

You have to change rhythm, scale, shape, volume, to keep us interested. If these are changing then the language the actor is speaking doesn't matter.

"You have to listen to the audience to see if we like you in this fixed point...looking for the life of the mask."

"We don't see you looking for the mask. We see you looking for your character but not for the mask."

"Like a puppeteer who plays with a puppet, you have to play with the mask."

Philippe got me to do the splits (an attempt at least) every time he beat his drum, whilst also speaking text and dancing to music.

"You can do lots of silly things with this mask. It's very physical."

"It's good to see a good movement of your lips."

"You need a good rhythm."

~

I wasn't any good the second time with the mask. Fell in to wanting too much again...wanting to be really good. And the result is I push, I get heavy, I lose all sensitivity and fun.

"You are too sure...you didn't try two or three sounds to see if we love you with this voice."

"If you want to show your humanity you have to play less."

"When I tell you you are bad we see the beautiful humanity of the actor. Because nobody wants to be bad. We want to be good. But this is a big mistake. It's fantastic to be bad."

"You have to remember the beautiful time when we were bad...those who don't are arseholes."

"Ah! It's delicate...but everything is delicate!"

"A flop gives something beautiful."

"If you think you are good without thinking a flop could be coming you will be bad."

"Remember to be bad is fantastic. Otherwise you are academic."

~

Highlight of the Day: Tom as Steven Hawking for the intellectual wanker exercise. Wheeled in on a wheelchair and then telling us about wormholes via his fingers. The pleasure of playing a paraplegic?

"Is it bad taste? Yes. Do we like it? Yes."

"An Italian In Love Is Bizarre. Everything In Italy Is Bizarre."

To start the class Philippe got five women to enter on stage, approach a river and start washing their clothes. "Last night was a fantastic party. At least one of you had good sex." So all the girls were in a good mood. And then an actor playing Il Capitano enters on stage in a frantic state having lost his own army, but soon spots the five sexy women and changes his focus. The scene goes from there...

Those that gave this a go didn't give enough. Or didn't enter in major. Or rushed. "You can take five minutes to approach the women."

We then tried it with five men and a female Il Capitano. This was funny with men washing together - each of us actors playing off each other - but the women that tried Il Capitano struggled to take the space either.

Philippe then held auditions to see if we could find someone that might be able to play Il Capitano! We had to come out, accompanied by Philippe's music of choice, and profess our love for Claire. I went first: with a tight butt (three umbrellas) and puffed up chest, a big growling laughy voice with an awful attempt at a Spanish accent. I danced around a bit, and swooshed my little sword, made subtle sexual references with the way I moved, and made things a bit pompous. "You are selected...But he needs to be more upperclass. Less laughing, more snob."

I was one of two and a half selected. It requires a lot. You have to take the stage, take major, be bold with your body, movement and voice, whilst also focussing on all the technical things and having fun!

He is elegant, had a good education - a bit upper class. Sexually fueled but controlled. Spanish.

~

Be Bizarre: "An Italian in love is bizarre. Everything in Italy is bizarre."

"You have to do a lot of things. A LOT. It's Italy. You can't imagine what happens in this country. It's so funny."

Philippe worked a bit with Andre as Il Capitano and guided him towards doing a lot, and being bizarre: "Dance...Make the sound of an elephant...imitate Spanish men...STOP!...Laugh!...Dance."

SEX SEX SEX: "Italians...they are ALL sex maniacs...look at the president."

~

"You don't show the mask...We see you but not the mask."

"We need to see the fantasy of the actor."

"She tickles my imagination? Or...nothing?"

"You have to be fascinating when you enter...you arrive and POFF you have to do something...If we don't love you in five seconds we will never love you."

"For sure you have to be light. Heaviness stops our imagination."

"If I shout [at you] you see something human coming. We have to see something human...They are beautiful, actors. They give beautiful things to the character."

~

Improvise Pantalone in the shit. He has a big problem!

(This kind of improvisation in this form is called a 'Lazzi').

He needs to be old and frail. Or at least to appear this way.

When I tried: "everything is not too bad...but the actor is an idiot" (an idiot because I forgot fixed points and therefore didn't show the mask).

"You Have To Try The Mask, Not Play A Character"

Today we started with Commedia Dell'Arte.

The masks look like these.

• Il Capitano: Spanish with accent. Pretends to be tough.

• Doctore: "He see's someone dying but cures someone else...Total idiot."

• Pantalone: A miser. Rich, from Venice. Always pretends he's going to die. "Something between Peter Brook and Jacques Le Coq."

• Arlecchino: Nice boy. "Intellectually the level of Michael" (i.e. low).

• Brighella: Friend of Arlecchino. Thinks he's more intelligent than him. But actually "the intellectual level of Franck" (i.e. worse).

There are no female Commedia Dell'Arte masks as at the time they were popular (16th & 17th Century) women "were already beautiful" so they didn't need them. Philippe allows women in our class wear them however because he doesn't want a revolution to start...

The first exercise was for 10 women. Come out and wash clothes in the river. "Make us want to fuck you." ...Great start to the women's rights Philippe! None of the girls really got it. "You don't have to be pornographic! Just healthy and fun." Rocio got close. It's a thing of not pushing, nor denying what you are (my theory of what it takes to be 'sexy') whilst playing.

Then 10 men were asked to walk on stage like british officers with 3 umbrellas stuffed up their arse.

Hoynk!

After a wee bit Philippe stopped us and got somebody to put the mask of Il Capitano on my face. I was also handed a short thin stick. I then kept walking around like a pompous army officer. Stopping tall and spinning on the spot. I had a lot of fun with it! Philippe told me to "find a funny voice" and then to "talk with an accent". I attempted a Spanish one which was more of a bad Italian one, but it did the trick! "Play a bit in love...sensitive." Before I knew it I was whipping my stick around like Zorro saying "I (whip whip whip) love (whip whip whip) you (whip whip whip whip whip whip).

I was quite big and silly. Loud too. This is important. I had a good time. "Not so bad...surprising." Sometimes Il Capitano is played with an obvious erection underneath his pants. I had to smile a lot, and always show my teeth - even whilst speaking.

~

Next exercise was to come out pretending to be a hypochondriac.

He got Thomas and Ric, who were best, to bend their body (Andre kicked them from behind to help) and to walk fast small steps in parallel as if they were on train tracks. But "don't slide your feet!" Then he got them to choose a favourite girl (Thomas chose Floor from Holland who is new and very beautiful) and to spend three minutes trying to touch her leg conspicuously. Ric was great pretending to be awfully frightened of basically everything, which allowed him to cuddle behind her and grab onto limbs for support...This bumbling fool is Pantalone.

~

The same rules apply from the previous mask we learned about. Fixed point...horizon line...show the mask...isolation etc.

You can be big. "What we think is not realistic is normal in Italy!"

"Move to show the mask."

"Every night you have to discover the character at the same time as the audience...the actor has to follow the curiosity of the audience."

Of course the actor really does know what is going to happen but he has to "pretend to discover the play with the audience every night...if the audience senses you're ahead of them they will cry out for their money back."

"Show what part of the body plays...which part is in major?"

"You have to try the mask, not play a character...Discover...If you play the character you will be bad."

~

Finally we played with Arlecchino and Brighella. The two doofuses. Philippe got all those who had a go to start as an animal (cow or horse) then to speak with an accent - usually something funny and familiar to the actor. So Anna played an drunk Australian bloke, Katie a Southern American hick, and I played a Maori. I had a booming voice "TENA KOUTOU EVERYBODY!" I spoke in a 'chur bro' kind of way which was lots of fun.

Just talked about whatever - but the rhythm is what made it fun. And its fun playing with isolating different parts of the body to make him come alive. Like just swinging the arms. Gotta keep that head fixed! And up! And a big gaping open mouth! I imagine the mask would have helped a lot with the image too - because it kind of had lines on the forehead like a moko.

Loving mask! It's great being able to be really big!

Loco Español Amigos

Friday Night

Watched Requiem for a Dream. A film my good friend Tim has tried to get me to watch on various occasions.

The moral of the story is...don't do drugs...cause they will FUCK YOU UP!

You're mum will go psycho, your girlfriend will become a stripper/prostitute, your best friend will become a black slave, and you will get your arm chopped off.

It's intense. And I finished it feeling really hateful of the world. But great editing. And portray's the world of hard drugs in a really interesting way. I'm just not that interested in that world...

Saturday Night

Went to La Casa Del Español (David, Rocio and Pepe's) for dinner. David made Spanish Tortilla to show me how to do it after my attempt from his instructions didn't go so well...

David rubbing it in.

Had a fantastic crazy night! Ended up staying over because they live out in Le Bourget and the last train from there is 12.30am. Didn't want to leave!!

"Show the Game of the Mask. Not the Idea of the Writer."

Today we showed the 7 minute mask presentations we'd been set the task to create a few days ago. Rocio and I got together yesterday and worked out a little scene.

'Feeding the Birds'

I enter - it's a park. I see a park bench and go to it - sit down. I reach into my pocket and then pull out a paper bag which I take bread from and feed the birds. After three throws of bread I look up to the right, to the left, and then down at the bread. And then again. And then to the audience. There are no birds.

Then Rocio enters - she want's to seduce me. She comes forward, prepares herself, then stands in front of the park bench. She makes three sexy poses. On the third I notice her and then become nervous. She sits on the bench. She looks at me, I look at her, but when I look she turns away. This happens a few times until we meet each others' eye. Then we both look away in fright. She proceeds to slide closer and closer to me on the bench. Each time she moves I look at her, then to the audience, and my bread throwing pace increases. Until finally she places her hand on my thigh - at which point I throw the rest of the bread up in the air. We both look up, then at each other, and then to the audience. END.

In our showing, the audience laughed a bit at times, but was mostly quiet. Our story was clear however. But too clear. Philippe spoke about how you have to respect the audience:

"Show the game of the mask. Not the idea of the writer." We spelled everything out too much, rather than leaving room for mystery and surprise. He also got both Rocio and I to repeat our entrances, which were boring. Then got each of us to be kicked the bum from behind the wings - bending our body over - and to walk on stage like this. He led me to continue walking like this to nearly the other end of the stage, then lift one leg, and then slowly turn to the audience. I'm not sure exactly what this looks like, but I suppose it's more interesting than simply walking on stage and turning to look at the park. In rehearsing, I had the dilemma of deciding whether to keep the entrance simple or trying to do a funny walk. But I thought the funny walk would be deemed trying too hard to be funny. But there's got to be a line here. Because simply walking on stage isn't the answer. A funny walk is good - that's what the kick in the bum did for me - but it requires subtlety, spirit, and sensitivity to make it work.

..."Not extremely bad"...

~

Clarity was a big theme of the day.

Philippe seemed to deliberately play dumb ("I didn't get it") to make the point of how important clarity of a story is. "An idiot like me...he can't say I can't understand." Tactics have to be clear, and there need to be progressions of things. e.g. A tactic gets progressively stronger/bigger.

"Everything has to be a tactic. You cry not because the opera is beautiful, but because you want to seduce!"

Philippe referenced Buster Keaton as being brilliant for his good clear tactics:

• Keep still. "No Parkinsons tendencies!"

• Conflict is everything. "When you say 'OK, I made a mistake with the chair, you can have it' then there is no conflict...and there is no play." Philippe guided Andre and 'Claire de France' to make their skit clearer in which a woman comes to her seat at the opera to find it's been taken by a man. She makes a big fuss and finally gets it. But then the man who gave it up slowly throws tissue paper in front of her, infuriating her until she finally gets up to pick them up, at which point the man stands up and takes her seat again. - I love this stuff. So simple. And hilarious. And it could really go on like that for hours.

• "Everything has to be in the world of the mask." i.e. Mask underwear (not human). Giant playing cards (not small ones). Giant money (not normal money).

• Often today we heard "we see a bit the mask but the life is boring." i.e. Technique but no spirit.

• Conflict: "Play the Macho that can't be macho. It's better than just playing macho."

~

"To write for the mask is really subtle...PRECISE."

I'm quite interested in making a show with these masks and taking it to New Zealand. We don't get to see stuff like that very often and it's so special. The masks are joyous to watch and it's such a universal form - you don't need language to understand it. Maybe I could purchase some masks from Switzerland before I go home and then put on a show at BATS. Set up some simple wings, and do a series of little skits. That's the beauty! They can be so simple. The Opera. The Haircut. The Birthday Present. I love it.

"You need a good friend to watch and tell you if it's boring or not."