This one's a bit late, and the reflection isn't as fresh, but there were a few things that really stuck out to me. We've been working in two teams in our class to devise short pieces based on the ideas and techniques of Commedia dell'Arte. Commedia is a form of theater that originated in Italy in the 16th century, and relies on archetypal portrayals of characters throughout the genre. Nearly all characterization and humor is physical, so we spent Monday's class working through a list of characters. It was a definite change of pace, since we've mostly been sitting in our groups planning things out for awhile now. It was an important reminder not only to incorporate Commedia archetypes into our pieces, but also to work through creative issues with movement. As the class went on, we collectively became less embarrassed, and were more instinctual with our representations. The next day, our group didn't spend much time sitting around, and got right to using improv and Commedia to work out some scenes.
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A couple of days ago, we did an exercise to practice our awareness of our physical sensations and how they related to emotional situations. We paired up, and took turns describing how we felt from feet up to face when we thought back to a time when we had felt anxious, and another when we were confident. While my partner and I didn't have enough time to try both situations for each of us, it was actually a bit surprising how I could summon up the exact feeling, and then zero in on each physical facet. Is it muscle memory? Our thoughts, emotions, and bodies are so intricately connected that I guess each can trigger reactions in the others, without any need for outside interference. This is very important to any art form, but infinitely more so in theater, where the art is the actor's body as a manifestation of their thought and emotion. The creative team (from writer to director, costumer to actor) must understand the physical and mental reactions they are seeking to elicit in the audience before they open the curtain. This includes me. I need to understand what I'm feeling and why I'm feeling it, so I can make an audience feel it, too.
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Espen SwansonBloggin' 'bout theater.. Archives
February 2017
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