This assignment will explore the teachings and techniques of Antonin Artaud, Peter Brook and Jerzy Grotowski and will investigate their influences on the development of experimental performance. It will explore England and what it is like to be English/British in society, whilst responding to various stimuli in text form; for example Literature and Music Lyrics, in order to shape and develop material for experimental performance in front of an audience.
The work covered in the workshop sessions will be prompted by the famous line, "This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England" from the Shakespearean play, Richard II.
Friday, 21 February 2014
Thursday, 20 February 2014
Antonin Artaud
Birth: 4th September 1896. Death: 4th March 1948
Antonin Artaud was a French playwright, poet, actor and theatre director. As a theatre practitioner of the 20th Century, Artaud believed that theatre should represent reality and therefore, affect the audience as much as possible. In order to fulfil this idea, he used a mixture of strange and disturbing forms of lighting, sound, movement and other performance elements. This was described as his "Theatre of Cruelty". Artaud held the greatest admiration for Eastern forms of Theatre, the Balinese in particular. He was is awe of the highly ritualised and explicit physicality of Balinese Dance performance, thereby advocating the "Theatre of Cruelty". Artaud stated that by "cruelty", he did not mean sadism or causing pain, but instead believed it to be a physical determination to shatter the false reality.
To Artaud, imagination was considered reality. He explored dreams, thoughts and delusions, concluding that they were no less real than the outside world. He saw suffering as an essential part of existence, denouncing the degradation of civilisation, calling for an ecstatic loss of the "self". Artaud wanted to put the audience in the middle of the "spectacle", so they would be "engulfed and physically affected by it".
Artaud and the "Theatre of Cruelty"
As an artisan and prolific theatre practitioner, one of Artaud's most renowned principles was his "Theatre of Cruelty". The art form as he preferred to put it, had "been created in order to restore to the theatre, a passionate and convulsive conception of life". Evidently, in order to fully understand his theories and ideas with regards to "theatre making", one must first examine Artaud's various uses of the term "cruelty". It is employed metaphorically to describe the essence of human existence and its many mysteries. As a form of discipline, it is explained with regards to performance techniques. Artaud also described cruelty, as a "theatrical representation", aiming to place the audience member in the centre of the action, forcing them to engage with the performance on an instinctive level.
In a broader sense, Antonin Artaud was able to shape and change the way audiences perceived theatre, imposing on the subconscious mind and merging both dream and reality. As a director, he was able to make the audience feel uncomfortable by using both lighting and sound as a means to shaping and creating an experimental experience which placed its spectators under "painful" circumstances.
An example of the "Theatre of Cruelty"
The clip investigates the obscurity of Artaud's vision for the "Theatre of Cruelty". As a piece of artistic performance, the clip attempts to demonstrate the cruel and sadistic nature of "rape" through a selection of indistinct sounds, lighting and camera angles. This is meant as an experience of the senses that could keep an audience in a state of constant emotional excitement and uncertainty whilst placing them in a world that made them feel intimidated and conscientious. By doing this, the audiences themselves would feel intimately involved in the circumstances of the performance.
An example of the "Theatre of Cruelty"
The clip investigates the obscurity of Artaud's vision for the "Theatre of Cruelty". As a piece of artistic performance, the clip attempts to demonstrate the cruel and sadistic nature of "rape" through a selection of indistinct sounds, lighting and camera angles. This is meant as an experience of the senses that could keep an audience in a state of constant emotional excitement and uncertainty whilst placing them in a world that made them feel intimidated and conscientious. By doing this, the audiences themselves would feel intimately involved in the circumstances of the performance.
Wednesday, 19 February 2014
Peter Brook
Birth: 21st March 1925
Peter Brook is an English theatre/film director and practitioner who has been based in France since the early 1970's. His innovation and broad knowledge of the arts has grounded him in history as a successful artisan of the mid to late 20th century. Brook's works have been largely influenced by the works of Antonin Artaud and his ideas for the "Theatre of cruelty".
In 1964, Brook was involved in the "Theatre of cruelty" season at the Royal Shakespeare Company, exploring ways in which Artaud's theories and ideas could be used to find new forms of expression and retrain the performer in ways that hadn't been explored previously.
A showing of "works in progression" was the result, made up of a series of improvisations and sketches. Peter Brook's work has also been influenced by the theories of Jerzy Grotowski on the basis and ideas of experimental theatre. Brook describes his task as building
"a necessary theatre, one in which there is only a practical difference between actor and audience, not a fundamental one." Traditionally seeing audiences as passive observers, many experimental practitioners, including Brook, have wanted to challenge this basis.
Birth: 21st March 1925
Peter Brook is an English theatre/film director and practitioner who has been based in France since the early 1970's. His innovation and broad knowledge of the arts has grounded him in history as a successful artisan of the mid to late 20th century. Brook's works have been largely influenced by the works of Antonin Artaud and his ideas for the "Theatre of cruelty". In 1964, Brook was involved in the "Theatre of cruelty" season at the Royal Shakespeare Company, exploring ways in which Artaud's theories and ideas could be used to find new forms of expression and retrain the performer in ways that hadn't been explored previously.
A showing of "works in progression" was the result, made up of a series of improvisations and sketches. Peter Brook's work has also been influenced by the theories of Jerzy Grotowski on the basis and ideas of experimental theatre. Brook describes his task as building
"a necessary theatre, one in which there is only a practical difference between actor and audience, not a fundamental one." Traditionally seeing audiences as passive observers, many experimental practitioners, including Brook, have wanted to challenge this basis.
Tuesday, 18 February 2014
Jerzy Grotowski
Birth:11th August 1933 Death:14th January 1999
Jerzy Grotowski was a Polish theatre director and innovator of "experimental theatre". He was influential in his ability to rethink what theatre actually represented as an art form and its purpose in contemporary culture. One of his most centred ideas was the notion of the "poor theatre". By this he meant, a "theatre which the fundamental concern is the work of the actor with the audience, not the sets, costumes, lighting or special effects". His belief was that these "trappings" were unnecessary to the central core and meaning that theatre should generate.
By "poor" Grotowski meant, the stripping away of all that was unnecessary whilst leaving a "stripped" and vulnerable actor. In order to shape and expand his idea, he would work with all black sets and actors in plain black rehearsal costume. He made his actors embark on rigorous training exercises in order for them to have full control over their bodies. Through his concept of "poor theatre", Grotowski realised that theatre could exist without makeup, costume or sceneography. Grotowski believed in the sacredness of the actor. When the performer entered the "sanctity" of the performance space, a special event occurred through his/her performance.
Grotowski's extensive training regimes.
This clip exemplifies the extensive training exercises Grotowski would have his actors embark on in order to push the body to its physical limit. Grotowski attempted to centre/concentrate both body and mind in order to be both physically and mentally ready for performance which inevitably was needed for enhanced brain/body power and full concentration during the extensive exercises carried out in order to retain fluidity and flexibility in performance. The clip also shows how the body itself can be changed and altered in order to replicate the movements of elements such as "air", "water" and "earth", which Grotowski regularly challenged and adapted in order to be creative in his ideas and basis for performance.
Birth:11th August 1933 Death:14th January 1999
Jerzy Grotowski was a Polish theatre director and innovator of "experimental theatre". He was influential in his ability to rethink what theatre actually represented as an art form and its purpose in contemporary culture. One of his most centred ideas was the notion of the "poor theatre". By this he meant, a "theatre which the fundamental concern is the work of the actor with the audience, not the sets, costumes, lighting or special effects". His belief was that these "trappings" were unnecessary to the central core and meaning that theatre should generate. By "poor" Grotowski meant, the stripping away of all that was unnecessary whilst leaving a "stripped" and vulnerable actor. In order to shape and expand his idea, he would work with all black sets and actors in plain black rehearsal costume. He made his actors embark on rigorous training exercises in order for them to have full control over their bodies. Through his concept of "poor theatre", Grotowski realised that theatre could exist without makeup, costume or sceneography. Grotowski believed in the sacredness of the actor. When the performer entered the "sanctity" of the performance space, a special event occurred through his/her performance.
This clip exemplifies the extensive training exercises Grotowski would have his actors embark on in order to push the body to its physical limit. Grotowski attempted to centre/concentrate both body and mind in order to be both physically and mentally ready for performance which inevitably was needed for enhanced brain/body power and full concentration during the extensive exercises carried out in order to retain fluidity and flexibility in performance. The clip also shows how the body itself can be changed and altered in order to replicate the movements of elements such as "air", "water" and "earth", which Grotowski regularly challenged and adapted in order to be creative in his ideas and basis for performance.
Monday, 17 February 2014
Jerzy Grotowski's points for success
Acting through focus and awareness
Grotowski's actors were so physically and vocally skilled that they could communicate clearly through sounds and movements. His actor's believed that acting as an art form was a search for self-knowledge and awareness. The creative style of their training which incorporated rigorous exercises into performance, taught them to break free of limitations in order to reach their full potential.
Working in Silence
Grotowski stated that "an actor must begin by doing nothing". He inferred that if a group of actors could remain completely still for several minutes without disruptions or disturbances, then they would be able to concentrate more intensely and use the "silence" as a creative passage.
Physical training
Grotowski's actors were extremely physically skilled. They developed methods and techniques of movement which allowed them to control every move they made from the smallest movement with intricate detail. Grotowski emphasised to his actors how, "everything we think and feel is expressed through our bodies and everything we experience is felt through our bodies." In response to this, he gave his actors physical skills for fully expressing their imagination and personalities.
Voice
Grotowski believed that vocal training was an essential part of the actor. Therefore, he trained them to focus their voices as though they were coming from different parts of their bodies. The actor would use the full potential of their vocal registers from very high to very low.
Singing, chanting and poetry was used to improve the vocal performance of the actors which enabled them to use the full range of their vocal chords in order to replicate atmospheric and unusual sounds.
Human Contact
In order to break down the barriers of self consciousness experienced by individuals, Grotowski believed in true contact between human beings. He argued that the real harmony in human relationships, was only able to develop when people learnt to look and listen to each other. Therefore, he wanted his actors to be more aware of the impact that they had on others through "touch" and "contact".
Transformation
In his "Poor Theatre", Grotowski always aimed for the simplest possible uses of "staging", "lighting", "costumes" and "special effects". This forced his actors to use their skill and imagination to transform empty spaces and simple objects into a wide range of imaginative worlds. Grotowski therefore relied heavily on symbolism in order to create these abstract worlds.
Grotowski's actors were so physically and vocally skilled that they could communicate clearly through sounds and movements. His actor's believed that acting as an art form was a search for self-knowledge and awareness. The creative style of their training which incorporated rigorous exercises into performance, taught them to break free of limitations in order to reach their full potential.
Working in Silence
Grotowski stated that "an actor must begin by doing nothing". He inferred that if a group of actors could remain completely still for several minutes without disruptions or disturbances, then they would be able to concentrate more intensely and use the "silence" as a creative passage.
Physical training
Grotowski's actors were extremely physically skilled. They developed methods and techniques of movement which allowed them to control every move they made from the smallest movement with intricate detail. Grotowski emphasised to his actors how, "everything we think and feel is expressed through our bodies and everything we experience is felt through our bodies." In response to this, he gave his actors physical skills for fully expressing their imagination and personalities.
Voice
Grotowski believed that vocal training was an essential part of the actor. Therefore, he trained them to focus their voices as though they were coming from different parts of their bodies. The actor would use the full potential of their vocal registers from very high to very low.
Singing, chanting and poetry was used to improve the vocal performance of the actors which enabled them to use the full range of their vocal chords in order to replicate atmospheric and unusual sounds.
Human Contact
In order to break down the barriers of self consciousness experienced by individuals, Grotowski believed in true contact between human beings. He argued that the real harmony in human relationships, was only able to develop when people learnt to look and listen to each other. Therefore, he wanted his actors to be more aware of the impact that they had on others through "touch" and "contact".
Transformation
In his "Poor Theatre", Grotowski always aimed for the simplest possible uses of "staging", "lighting", "costumes" and "special effects". This forced his actors to use their skill and imagination to transform empty spaces and simple objects into a wide range of imaginative worlds. Grotowski therefore relied heavily on symbolism in order to create these abstract worlds.
In using these pointers in their truest form, Grotowski required his actors to be both true to themselves and others in order to create imaginative, unique ideas and skills for performance. Focus and commitment allowed his actors to realise their fullest potential when on stage and shaped their overall physical and mental concentration. By training his actors rigorously through repetitive exercise and labour, Grotowski was able to shape and condition his actors subconsciously in order to create "true" material.
Sunday, 16 February 2014
Poems that inspire the theme of "England"
These stimuli were useful in extracting particular words and phrases which could be developed into many sequential scenes for which our final performance was based upon. As theatre makers, this allowed us to broaden our research development for performance and also our knowledge of the historical impact that Britain has left over time, whether it be theatrical or true to life.
Saturday, 15 February 2014
Tuesday 7th January 2014
What did we do?
As a class, we examined the assignment brief which explored England and what it is like to be English/British and how as theatre makers, we would be able to devise stimulus material for an experimental performance that covered these themes. We also examined two pieces of text, the first, "Going, Going" by Philip Larkin and the second "Richard II" by William Shakespeare which both related to Britain in the themes and attitudes they displayed to patriotism and also scrutiny and negativity towards Britain and its previous Empire.
Following on from that, we embarked on a "relaxation exercise" which was utilised to concentrate the mind and body. The scenario required us as a group to imagine a golden liquid flowing through our breath and out through our fingertips/toes, filling up the whole of our bodies and were asked to respond to the feelings we picked up from the exercise. We then explored the room and each other using only our heads and torso which allowed us to investigate the world around us from an alternative perspective. In warming up our breath, we embodied a "sound cathedral" in which we verbalised words such as "Crave", "Lust", "Fear" and "Loath" in order to experiment with the extent of our bodies contortions and vocal ability. The last part of the lesson, stretched our mental creativity in a "Writing exercise" which required us to write the first things that came into our mind. This was responsible for stretching our experimental devising techniques, tapping into the subconscious mind.
What went well?
The pieces of text for which we examined as a group, allowed us to gain a crucial insight into the mixed feelings and opinions of Britain as a nation. It also provided concise stimulus material for devising which would help us to a greater extent in the later performance workshop classes. The "relaxation exercise" helped me become completely centred in terms of my breathing and concentration, which is a crucial part within experimental performance. My thought process also became in tune with the strong impulses of my limbs and muscles, which enabled me to physicalise my emotions in a unique, flexible manner.
The "Writing exercise", evoked strong internal feelings and impulses on the concept of Britain and the lengths to which we could devise experimental representations of a powerful nation.
Even better If?
In terms of the "sound cathedral", I believe we could have embodied the words, "Crave", "Lust", "Fear" and "Loath" to a further extent. For instance, we could have used the range of our physicality in order to portray the words through our impulsive body movements for which I believe would have been more powerful in terms of the feelings being displayed to an audience. The unique nature of our physicality would have benefited and stretched the range of our experimental understanding and broken up the monotony of dialogue.
As a class, we examined the assignment brief which explored England and what it is like to be English/British and how as theatre makers, we would be able to devise stimulus material for an experimental performance that covered these themes. We also examined two pieces of text, the first, "Going, Going" by Philip Larkin and the second "Richard II" by William Shakespeare which both related to Britain in the themes and attitudes they displayed to patriotism and also scrutiny and negativity towards Britain and its previous Empire.
Following on from that, we embarked on a "relaxation exercise" which was utilised to concentrate the mind and body. The scenario required us as a group to imagine a golden liquid flowing through our breath and out through our fingertips/toes, filling up the whole of our bodies and were asked to respond to the feelings we picked up from the exercise. We then explored the room and each other using only our heads and torso which allowed us to investigate the world around us from an alternative perspective. In warming up our breath, we embodied a "sound cathedral" in which we verbalised words such as "Crave", "Lust", "Fear" and "Loath" in order to experiment with the extent of our bodies contortions and vocal ability. The last part of the lesson, stretched our mental creativity in a "Writing exercise" which required us to write the first things that came into our mind. This was responsible for stretching our experimental devising techniques, tapping into the subconscious mind.
What went well?
The pieces of text for which we examined as a group, allowed us to gain a crucial insight into the mixed feelings and opinions of Britain as a nation. It also provided concise stimulus material for devising which would help us to a greater extent in the later performance workshop classes. The "relaxation exercise" helped me become completely centred in terms of my breathing and concentration, which is a crucial part within experimental performance. My thought process also became in tune with the strong impulses of my limbs and muscles, which enabled me to physicalise my emotions in a unique, flexible manner.
The "Writing exercise", evoked strong internal feelings and impulses on the concept of Britain and the lengths to which we could devise experimental representations of a powerful nation.
Even better If?
In terms of the "sound cathedral", I believe we could have embodied the words, "Crave", "Lust", "Fear" and "Loath" to a further extent. For instance, we could have used the range of our physicality in order to portray the words through our impulsive body movements for which I believe would have been more powerful in terms of the feelings being displayed to an audience. The unique nature of our physicality would have benefited and stretched the range of our experimental understanding and broken up the monotony of dialogue.
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