[Realism Now!] [Perf Art MAIN page]Performed Theatre
NOTE: After much consideration, i have moved "path" "journey", "walked art", etc to the DANSE page -[Path/Walk as danse- NOTE: All references to the PLACE(s) in which work is performed is in the file: -[Performance Space]- See also: [(art) concepts] [Art Movements] [Coerced performance] -[post post-modernism]- Note: For things like lighting and such, refer to: -['Lighting']- in film (A/H - as art element/technique [Performed Art] [The Performed Art Technology] -[Performance CEREMONY]- [The Performed Danse] -[Performance ENV]- (ie, "envirionment"; being "out of the theatre) [Performed Art: Filmed] [The Performed Performance] [The Performed Score] -[Performance Space]- [Performed Text] [The Performed UFO's] (and esp, etc) [The Performed WEB (including programming)] [Dada] [Dadaism] (an art "ism") [Performance frank: Realism Now!] [Fluxus] [Street Art] [Interventionist Art] [T.A.Z.] (Association for Ontological Anarchy) (Hakim Bey, chief janitor) [Frank's stuff]Performed Theatre
See also: {Perf art vs Theatre]- (in perf-art-act) On this page: {Intro} {Stuff}
Intro
Theatre as such has its "expectations", and of course part of what we do as performance artists is based on that. And of course, we take it as read that much of theatre has a very established "look and feel". Thus, in theatre classes we talke about the procenium and thrust stages, the fly system, and the some-times orchestra pit, etc. When we think of modern theatre, we think of the strides in minimalism that take place in things like "Our Town", "Waiting for Godot", and of course all things Brechtian -- not that he was limited to "THE Brechtian Style" any more than is/was/will-be any other playwrite, stage decorateur, etc. Films that take the "play within the play" are things like "How to Kill Your Neighbor's Dog", "Hamlet", Taming of the Shrew", and of course all "Backstage Musicals". And that too is part of the "read text". And even immersive theatre has "crept into" traditional works; eg, in the performance of Ms. Ford's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", she used the "list of winners being read" to "pull" the actors out of the actual audience. Thus, the audience is already drawn in. The "plot/character exposition" is given by the "list caller" on stage and by each actor (and their "parent") when they are called out. And of course, the use of set, costume, makeup, and lighting, etc. create the suspension of belief as much as anything else. Being immersed is of course one of the main reasons for the audience wanting to attend theatre as well as its primary aesthetic. Of course, we (in a technological age) think it so modern to have a telecast as part of a play, but it can be no different than to have the agent of the king to arrive on horseback in "set things right" in any of the -["Deus ex Machina"]- scenes; eg, "Tartuuf", "The Three-Penny Opera". After all, how else do you expect to portray an agent of the King???
Stuff
How should the scene be performed?
Some one asked, A style of acting that focuses on thinking more than feeling is what style of acting ? A play style in which the actors address the audience is what play style ? The process by which the actor seeks to make the role he plays unique and entertaining is what ? The short answer (and again if you ask 5 different people, you'll get 5 (at least) different answers).. Introspective - we can literally see the actor struggling with their decisions. The best versions of this are in Hamlet's famous to be or not to be solliquy - if performed correctly he is actually weighing the possible actions that he can take. Direct or Demonstative Action - the actor seems so confident of their actions, that they (often at times) don't seem to be affected by the actions of the other actors. ] You see this at the end of "A Doll's House" when Helmer is all ready to throw Nora out. Direct Exposition - the actor spells out certain aspects of the play's background to the audeience. Whether they are talking to someone in the play (who mostly nods and agrees) or to the audience makes little difference. It is "plot exposition" and serves to move the plot along. This is also, to let is in on something devious the best example of this is again from Hamlet when Polonius is trying to figure out if Hamlet is indeed mad. The statement (aside to us) "there be method to his madness" is direct exposition. This proceeds one of the finest example's of Shakespeare's command of English, when he tells Queen Gertrude, Madam, I swear I use no art at all That he's mad, 'tis true, 'tis true 'tis pity, And pity 'tis 'tis true—a foolish figure, But farewell it, for I will use no art. As regards unqiue and entertaining, that remains to the entire poduction, actors, scenes, setting, music, and the AUDIENCE's mood. When Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot" was first aired, critics said, "Two hours to say nothing." and "Two hourse to say nothing - TWICE". When it was performed for the inmates at San Quinton Prison - they GOT it. Audience is THE essential element to any work. The long answer follows ======================= You might want to look up "method acting" which is usually attibuted to Stanislovski. Actually, it depends on the part and what the actor is trying to send across. Some parts are considered classic (eg, Hamlet in the "to be or not to be" soliloquy. Direct exposition is where the actor talks to the audience - much over done (Bertold Brecht thought that such actors should be shot - or something to that effect). Partly this is where the audience isn't laughing at a funny part and the actor tries to sell it by playing to the one person who in the audience who IS laughing. As for making a performance unique, there can be little of that. We have the text on the page, and then the mood that the scene is set in. It all goes back to CONTEXT (the philosopher/writer Umberto Eco sez, "Context is king"). Some plays are simply so poorly written that they all but disappear. They are fine for light theatre where the people aren't likely to have a deep appreciation for "heavy drama". For example, you still see performances of the "The Admirable Crichton" but far more likely, "Peter Pan" - go figure that one out. Of course, there *are* standards designed to make the audience think, and these were refered to as "problem plays" by George Bernard Shaw; eg, "The Doctor's Delimna", "A Doll's House", etc. Again, you have to fit the performances to the work, and the work to the audience's expectations - never a happy mix there. There are versions (very popular in the 1700's-1850's) of King Lear where there was a happy re-union and ending. My favorite lines about a unique or memorable performance is by Dorthy Parker (also one of my fav short story writers, poets, and essaysts). She mentions seeing a performance of one of Ibsen's plays, and says, how refreshing it had been, "Until then, my evenings had been getting thin". (beauty! beauty squared!) Not sure if that helps. But, it's all that i know, -- Frank ============== addenda In keeping with modern theatre, we might extend over-all ideals placed at the head of a performance. For example, "sympathetic" vs "anti-thetical" where the actor brings to the part either an agreeable or dis-agreeable aspect to the performance. We can see this clearly in music, as in works such as "Strauss Waltzes" or other thematic music in opera. Indeed, in opera, music often "sets the stage". In theatre, this must be done with sets, lighting, costume, etc, and of course the actors' work. Compare that form of music to "metal-head" works (Alice Cooper and of course much Punk Rock) comes to mind. Different moods/expectations... Finally, we note that in many musical works (musicals as such) performances can be a bit more over the top. We don't (usually) go to see a happy musical expecting to see some one actually die in the play, now do we? Homework: Dig up "Pygmalion" by George Bernard Shaw, and read his comments as to the musical vesion of "My Fair Lady". Like much "grit" - it becomes the truth by which reality is judged, not so much the gaity of the happy ending. (well, me and my Eeyore-ish way) See also: Levine's "Heavy Metal Islam" (some of my cur reading)
