Les Voix Diphoniques

After listening to the remarkable voices from the Xhosa people on stage during Molora I went looking for knowledge. The site below calls it OVERTONE singing and cites singers like Michael Vetter, Christian Bollmann, Michael Reimann from Germany, Roberto Laneri from Italy, Rollin Rachele from the Netherlands, Josephine Truman from Australia, Les Voix Diphoniques , Thomas Clements, Iegor Reznikoff and Tamia from France. Overtone singing is also practised by a number of ethnic groups (Oirat, Khakass, Gorno-Altai, Bashkir, Tuvin, Kalmuk) of the republics of Russia bordering on Mongolia. In Rajasthan (India), in Taiwan among the Bunun ethnic group, in Tibet among the monks belonging to the Gyuto and Gyume monasteries. In South Africa among the Xhosa population, the practice of overtone singing style is known throughout recordings. NHK Educational channel will broadcast last night's performance of MOLORA on Sunday 12th March at 10 p.m. http://membres.lycos.fr/tranquanghai/overtones_Khoomei.html

Japanese research site

This is a good site for those who want to research Japanese theatre. It has an archive with back numbers. It has a wide spread of information. Every issue interviews a Japanese artist and international presenter. There is a Play of the Month. Recommended. http://www.performingarts.jp/

Molora

Right. We are all off to the theatre on the 21st February at 7 p.m. Who is responsible? Still in her 30s, Jael Farber has produced a number of probing works that bring to life tragic events in her country’s recent history. Based on the ancient Greek tragedy of the Oresteia trilogy, Molora premiered in Germany in 2004. Acquaintances of Kanagawa Arts Foundation producer Midori Okuyama liked it so much that she was inspired to go see one of Farber’s productions in Australia last year. The result was an invitation to stage Molora in Japan as part of the Kanagawa Arts Foundation’s month-long Shukusai! Butai stage arts festival. And when the actors speak in Xhosa; it is subtitled in Japanese by Keiko Tsuneda. For more information on this play one need only google: Molora Kanagawa. Not connected to this directly but well worth a look for your research is : http://www.performingarts.jp/ You will find a mass of articles about Japan and World Arts. The site is bilingual too. Believe me; it is worth a look.

Children of the Black Skirt

Watch out for a gothic fairytale with bite! Children of the Black Skirt by award winning Australian young author Angela Betzien is coming to YIS! The grade 11 IB class of Ben Irmov, Miyuki Watanabe and Sophia Yamaguchi will be joined by Emily Tamaru to present a spine tingling reflection on the forgotten children of past generations. Hear the stories of orphans from long ago, but be careful not to upset the cruel governess who walks the corridors of the orphanage wielding enormous scissors. It was orginally staged in Australia in 2003-4 and published by Currency Press in 2005. This haunting one act play will be performed on Friday 14th and Saturday 15th of April, 2006 in the Tanner Auditorium. There will be no ticket sales, as all donations will go to a local children’s charity. During the course of this term, the Grade 11 Theatre Arts Class has to take on a placement. A placement is where one becomes a trainee role within the company. They will choose and explore a placement from one of the areas below. In some cases, their placement will be an assistant to the key supervisor. Dramaturgy – researching, documenting the period (the historical and social environment) of the play as background for the director, actors and crew Directing – auditioning, planning production, conducting rehearsals and providing the artistic interpretation of the play Stage Management – assisting the director, overseeing all crews, and being responsible for the technical side of performance; coordinating and controlling the technical, dress and performances Choreography – interpreting the movement and dance sequences within the play and planning the dance styles Acting – interpreting the characters of the play both physically and emotionally; rehearsing and performing Lighting & Sound Design – designs colours and timings; prepares lighting plots, charts, cue sheets; hangs & focuses lights; operates lights during show; designs sound effects; creates sound cue sheets; makes SFX CDs; operates sound system Make-up & Costume Design - design make-up, costumes, accessories, hairstyles; make costumes; apply make-up and hairstyles; maintain make-up and costumes Set & Prop Design - design of set, riggings, colour schemes, arrangement of rostra; design, make, collect and manage properties used on stage for a place The performance of Children of the Black Skirt will be quite eclectic, even dare I say it abstract! We will endeavour to follow a mix of theatre such as: Epic Theatre ~ Brechtian Techniques (from Bertolt Brecht [1898-1956], Germany) http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/staffhome/deryan/web2004/brecht.htm Butoh ~ A form of theatrical dance & “avant garde performance art, that has its origins in Japan in the 1960's” http://www.zenbutoh.com/history.htm http://www.dairakudakan.com/rakudakan/e_top.html Blue Man Group ~ A hybrid theatre group that combines “comedy, music and multi-media artistry to create a form of entertainment that is totally unique….developed in the late 80s with three long time friends Chris Wink, Phil Stanton and Matt Goldman” http://www.blueman.com/ The Grade 11 class are lucky this year, as they are able to keep in contact with the author, Angela Betzien by email and this will help with the development of their portfolio work. More information on the one act play, the author, Angela Betzien and publisher Currency Press can be found at http://www.realtv.net.au/shows-descriptions/childrens.html

abonecronedrone

The music that was used by Butoh during their slide show was a sample. Within it was the music of Sheila Chandra. She is Anglo-Indian and began with a band called Monsoon. The music used is from ABoneCroneDrone. I have the CD. Sheila does not approve of sampling. She calls it theft.

Touching the moon

Peter Brook once said of Yoshi Oida, " Many actors try and get you to see the moon. With Yoshi he takes you there.' Yesterday, I did not go to the moon with Takuya Butoh sensei. But maybe, just maybe for a second or two I felt the space between my fingers more than my fingers. I knew that it was about finding that moment of blankness when you: cut your finger, fall off the chair or walk into the glass door. Or go down a step that is not there. I was suprised at the gothic, the dead, the near dead or the livind dead. However, when all that is beyond me I just enjoy the images of Butoh and wonder which ones I can borrow to make my own moon.

Camel Battleship - the first door.

I searched for some meaning to the meaningless in Butoh. The following words help me. The founder of Dairakudakan, Akaji Maro says this : " If we pick up a stone our action is limited to throwing or banging. It is the same with more complex instruments like a typewriter. In developing our functional movements we have discarded and forgotten other movements. " 'If someone tries to prepare food and cuts her finger, or makes a mistake writing kanji, this moment of surprise is the first door of Butoh. Time is stopped by the event and in this moment she enters the black world. In such moments humans can find forgotten moments." From Tokyo Journal Winter/Spring 2002

The Russians are coming

I wonder if the Russian Embassy next door to the American Club in Tokyo will listen into TIP'S production of Chekhov's 'The Cherry Orchard'? Or are they listening to more political things? Mind you, the play is all about change. If the orchard is chopped down in a modern production you would hear the new gazprom pipe-line to the EU being dug. The TIP production is being directed by Malcolm Duff. Malcolm and I were at Trent Park College in N.London; at the same time, same year and same drama course. Between there and here we had never met. We last acted together at the Minack Theatre in Cornwall. Take a look at the webcam of this stunning outdoor theatre: http://www.minack.com/dayvisitors/webcams.htm We were in a play by Barrie which was unfinished. "Shall we join the Ladies?" The owner of the Minack, Rowena Cade had wished it to be done. So we did it. One night a dog walked across the stage, Mike's dress-shirt lost buttons and we glued Jim's cup to the saucer. What larks. Anyway. Back to the play in Tokyo. Let's all go to the Saturday matinee on the 29th. Malcom will be on stage fielding questions. Perhaps after querying the mood created in the play you can ask about the dog on the stage at the Minack. Or my dubious student life.

Butoh coming

The Dairakudakan company are coming. On Wednesday 25th January Takuya MuraMatsu will be working with us. Their sites are : www.dairakudakan.com & www.geocities.co.jp/Hollywood-Stage/8138/rakudakan/english/memberindex.html

Letter: Dear Daisy, Thank you for agreeing to help me with the play, in particular the costumes and masks/makeup. The play, At the Hawks Well is an Irish play however it lends itself very clearly to the Japanese theatre tradition of Noh. However I don’t know very much about this tradition, hence contacting you as you are conveniently based in Japan. Having seen pictures of traditional Japanese dress I would very much like to incorporate that aspect and the use of masks into my production. However I know very little about the significance of specific styles of Japanese dress. In terms of the masks I would like them to be less intrusive than some of the traditional masks, perhaps even taking the design from the masks and turning it into a makeup design. After designing the make up and costume I will also need help with other aspects regarding Noh theatre, for example movement of characters, stage structure and song. Thank you for your help. Yours sincerely, i havent decided on a name yet but i will think of something clever envenshually, more to the point - is this good enough or should it be longer - cus its not in the wordcount ne, so it could be more informative. also i cant find much about the play at the hawks well itself but i have found loads on it being like noh and naturally lots on Noh and blah blah blah is this due tomorow>? i feel like it is.. but im not sure. oh ib is so confusing.

After the death of my daughter

Throughout the IB course I am telling students to make connections. Here is one mother's journey. I look at it from time to time. "After the death of my daughter I thought clean lines would repel me forever: the crisp triangulations of hospital sheets, the white oblong of her bed. Instead it was emotional incoherence of clutter that I found unbearable: cups and glasses, pieces of paper. I cleaned out her drawers,unmade her bed, painted over the bumps and grinds of wheelchair marks in the hall. Outside it snowed. Through the terrifying white I went to the Donald Judd Exhibition at the Tate. Here space and light lifted me. I could look up for the first time, feel free to feel nothing. The works are not clinical. The coloured perspex is warm, the shadows they cast are subtle and changing. The polished metal shines, the granite is flecked with light, the copper mirrored sides reflect back and forth until everything and nothing is caught there. I am caught there. A flicker of movement. A shadow. Someone coming out of shadows. Someone who walks in the world." Jenny Vuglar. The Observer. 26th December 2004. London

Brooks Brothers Sale

I had a great day today. Lunch with an ex student. Then I asked her to accompany me to Brooks Brothers at Motomachi. Little did we know that it was SALE time. 30% reductions. Very tempting. So I tried on a Corduroy suit reduced from 75 to 50K. Still expensive. But after all, it is Brooks Bros. We did get time to talk about last year's gossip and the effect of yesterday upon today. When I asked her to forward one piece of advice for present students she offered this: IF YOU HAVE WORK DUE TOMORROW DO IT YESTERDAY. She wishes NOW that she could do IB again. Properly. Ah, the wisdom of hindsight. And on that positive note: Happy New Year to all readers. And please let me know of any other SALES. With a transition into the obvious play : Miller's 'Death of a Salesman.'

Cutting edge; thin ice.

With the best of weather illuminating Japan I have been out and about with a chum who teaches in Hong Kong. He is in rapture to the style, colour and charm of pedestrians. We have, in one day conquered: Akihabara electronics, Jinbocho books, Daiba sunsets and Minato-Mirai horizons. We even went into Brooks Brothers. It is an excellent shop. And there I was always dismissing it because of the hideous shop front in Motomachi. Those flags! But within, some rather snazzy pants called Hudson. I even ascended the Landmark Tower and shot 12 views of Mt Fuji. And Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Later we speed- walked to combat the cold. We headed for the Red Brick Buildings and the temporary ice rink. Through the blue light we discovered a student. A 12th grade student. Down on the ice. And he a skillful footballer. "There are more here," he said. And indeed there were. "It's my birthday," said another as she ricocheted into the encircling fence beyween ice and pavement. What did I make of all this? Well, later I considered: What play would benefit from being staged on ice? I could not think of one. It would be too Disney, too Ice Follies, too difficult. And yet images of Chekhov's women skating to Moscow passed in front of me. The next day I was back at Landmark searching for a Barry Eisler novel; he writes about John Rain a Japanese-American assassin. I found 'Rain Storm' and will give it a try. Then I stumbled upon a lovely book. 'A Guide to the Japanese Stage' subtitled, 'From Traditional to Cutting Edge'. Now there's a claim. It looked less fuddy-duddy than anything seen before on the subject. And indeed it is. It mentions Butoh and Dairakudakan. It mentions Super Kabuki. It mentions Yoji Sakate who I have met and who invited me to give a workshop at his Rinko-Gun Theatre. Cutting edge indeed. The index is clear, the writing is straightforward and it is in chunks that welcome reading. I learnt several things within five minutes. For example, Sankai Juku Butoh has "eliminated grotesque strangeness and over-emotional physical expression". Now I must see them to know if this is true. The book even has seating plans of major theatres. And for the price of Y2200 I think it is a bargain. It has something for every IBTA student and teacher. There are still copies in Yurindo. Skate on over, why don't you?

Fish & chips please

A man walks into a fish and chip shop. I am reading the daily paper. He asks if he can take the magazine section. I agree. He sits on the next table. He reads. Seconds pass. And then. He talks. "Now. Right. There's a mistake there with the possessive pronoun." I turn and nod. A chip dangles on mid-air fork. I can see this is the start of some considerable report. I ask, "What page are you on?" I see another copy of the magazine under my chips. [ The possibility of a play begins.]

So what is a Theatre Tradition?

Yes. This dreary question that needs addressing for the RC. Well here is yet further light on the subject Definition of a Theatre Tradition for the purposes of this exercise - A tradition has a set of given conventions. - A tradition is a theatre practice that has developed into a fixed form with fixed conventions and tradition either over time or due to the nature of the culture from which it derives. Thus: Pantomime, Weimar Classicism, Noh, Chinese Opera, Kyogen are acceptable. But not dancing or make up. Trivial Question : What was the magic realism in Truly, Madly, Deeply?

first post...

TESTING TESTING ONE TWO THREE>>> Anybody got any "spare" ideas bout research commision?? Im thinking about doing something to do with costume or make-up as i haveney tackled anything of that nature yet - other interests inculde - the irish (for reasons other than the guiness..) and ballet - maybe irish ballet>? but where to go from there ---> bed i think...

WARM WELCOME

Yes. The contributors have swelled this evening. Four new people. Excellent. Now for more than just signing-up? Remember. The sun shines out of our arts. Today the 7th grade created a sarong performance. They moved in unison. A butoh hiss and the held sarongs, all 17 of them, floated to the floor. Why do I love the precision of this? Is it a dance or theatre? Does it matter? Is the eye pleased by harmony? Are we programmed for this? Is it our biology? And I am not the Lindberg baby.

LEAR on BLOGS

King Lear on blogging: "... so we'll live, And pray, and sing, and tell old tales and laugh At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues Talk of court news; and we'll talk with them too. Who loses and who wins; who's in and who's out; And take upon's the mystery of things, As if we were God's spies." Nicked from Paul Miller's blog

Changes

Monday was a strange lesson at first. It's like hosting a party. The host must get the atmosphere right. And the guests must suspend some of their disbelief. You may find echoes of this in a hilarious play called "Abigail's Party" by Mike Leigh. Excrutiating things happen at a party in the UK. Look for the script and video. Tonight there are Koto performances in the nearby temple; below St.Maur. Today I have increased my blog experience and added some LINKS. Look right and click why don't you? And to the future: make 25th January BUTOH DAY at YIS. Dairakudakan are coming! Now why isn't their name on the LINKS? Bear with me. Or is it bare with me? English speakers please advise! In my next blog I am considering publishing the names of late-givers; written work. Let the world decide.

Butoh YOKO

I was pleased to see that Daisy and Rae have signed up. And I have had a nice e mail from DAIRAKUDAKAN Butoh Company. The proposed date for their workshop at YIS is 23rd January. It will include: film of their work, short talk and then practical movement workshop. I will be looking for an INTERPRETER. Check out their website at www.dairakudakan.com. They have a show in Setagaya this month. I can get you discount ticket; up close to the stage. So let me know and grab your white face paint. It's all about images and the beauty of ugliness. What is beauty? Some say it is average. The agreed face.