Hot Seat

Today in rehearsal we played "Hot Seat".  A character from the Ibsen play "The Pillar of the Community" is chosen to sit in the center and has to answer any question without any lies either from the play or within the character.  Its a challenge to stay there and not step away inside when I can't think of the answer the way I would if I really were Mrs Bernick....

There is a place deep inside myself that I only open up when I feel safe... which is not often.  I have dedicated a large part of my life to creating drama to share. But how can I do that when I'm not open to connect my heart and emotions with the text?  I am no longer communicating outward but am using my energy to shell myself, protect myself inward, away from others. The characters in this play by Ibsen are forcing me, like a old true friend to look at my inner self and see what everyone else already does.
How extraordinary to have the chance to see myself as others do, with my own eyes.

Moral Dilemma

Karsten Bernick has a dilemma in the play "A Pillar of the Community" by Ibsen. 
Does he tell the truth, or does he continue a lie of convience that has been festering for years ?  What do you do when you are faced with the results of your poor choice ?

I believe part of the reason that this play is not as well known as the others by Ibsen is there is a driving force to make you look within.  At the part of you that you want to hold private. The comfortable position that observers would take would have Mr Bernick suffer in some way for his lies. Instead he seems to get away with it. How un-comfortable.

 What would I do? Tell the truth, or hold out as long as I could ?  I'm really not sure.

Strong Drama

The name of this blog is a Play on Words. It seemed so clever to have the word play in the title.  But sometimes words aren't clever and they aren't playing. They can be a vehicle for laughter or become the single most painful weapon.

It would be too easy to enjoy the drama world in a silly and giddy way, but as with all other art forms you have to have contrast. I was thinking back over the years of Elements plays and they have all had comedy and tragedy, joy and sorry, misunderstanding and clarity.  The first and only time I saw the Dining Room it was so balanced between hurt and kindness, the laughable and the cry-able that I could only stand it once.  I thought about it for days after.  I'm still not sure what happened...

Isn't that what makes Drama great ? The believable strong contrast that changes your life, even if you don't know how.

Life is like that. Isn't it ?

Uncomfortable honesty

I was thinking about the first time I heard the Elements group read through The Pillars of the Community by Ibsen, and how Pride is singularly human ....Animals live in the moment and while they can be embarrassed I believe it is more because they don't know what is expected of them rather than they are proud of who they are and are brought down by something.

One of the characters by the name Karsten Bernick goes through all sorts of deceit and manipulation of facts to protect his pride in his reputation.  As I listened to this character go through all of his dishonest ways I was very uncomfortable.  Sometimes honest transparency is like that.

Uncomfortable.

Sacrifice

 "To suffer loss of, give up, renounce, injure, or destroy especially for an ideal, belief, or end". (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sacrifice)

Real Drama always has a sacrifice. Think about it- our best movies, plays, or stories always has someone or many suffering.  The drama is what are they going to do about the sacrifice or with the suffering?  That's the real story.  Even our tabloids follow the agony real or imagined.

There is a strong connection between an actor and their character.  That's pretty well known.  What isn't as well known or recognized is the Sacrifice that an actor must make for the drama to ring true.  All of their inner structures or belief systems that do not match must be put down in order to pick up the sacrifice and suffering of another character.  

I was listening to two of the actors from the upcoming play,"The Pillars of the Community" by Ibsen, who didn't notice that I was nearby.  They were working through a scene discussing what their character would say and think.  I was struck by the ease with which they could find what position the character would react out of instead of what they as themselves would do.  There is a sacrifice here of choosing to be "other".  There are times when it is such a relief to be someone else, but to lose yourself in it is something else.  This is a price of sacrifice that is paid by actors that are true to their character.  It is not an easy thing and should not be ignored.

New Challenges for Elements

  This group of players continues to pursue truth and transparency.  They came back from Chicago looking more confident and committed.  Like they have looked in a mirror, accepted what they saw and are comfortable in their skins. (Of course now they want to show off the skills they learned...like combat fighting in the work place !)

Elements Theatre Company will be taking The Dining Room on tour in March. This is the play that was done this past spring. Here is the new promotional you tube. The dates and venues will be posted on their website a little closer to the event, but I wanted to mention it as something to look forward to.  In the meantime they are working on the upcoming Ibsen play, The Pillars of the Community which will be November 23, 25,30th, as well as December 1st and 2nd.