Out of Africa

We are approaching African Theatre. We have identified elements of common use: dance, music and mask. Two years ago we were fortunate to see a version of the Oresteia set in a South African township. It had chant, dance, singing and musical instruments. But most memorable; the throat singing. The play is called Molora and I have written about it here, a year or so ago. I enjoy the connections that slowly emerge. South Africa, throat singing, Mongolia, Korea, mask. Then a parent asks, "Can a student create a puppet theatre?' We look at puppet making and African stories. Something is beginning to connect. [ the photo above is from Tatyana Baganova's troupe ]

Stefan Sagmeister

I stumbled across this designer when Amazon sent me details of his latest book. Then I watched a 15 minute lecture he gave. Then I was hooked. He talks about happiness and design. Read and be happy:- STEFAN SAGMEISTER (born 1962 in Bregenz, Austria) is a graphic designer. Designed album covers for Lou Reed, the Rolling Stones, David Byrne, Aerosmith and Pat Metheny. THINGS I HAVE LEARNED IN MY LIFE SO FAR Complaining is silly. Either act or forget. Being not truthful works against me. Helping others people helps me. Everything I do always comes back to me. Money does not make me happy. Travelling alone is helpful for a new perspective on life. Assuming is stifling. Keeping a diary supports my personal development. Trying to look good limits my life. Worry solves nothing. Material luxuries are best enjoyed in small does.

H + G

This show opens on Thursday 20th March at 5.30 p.m. in the Black Box at YIS. Erika Bleyl has taken a well-known children's story and politicised it. She mixes agit-prop and song into an original script.. She is inspired by the work of Dario Fo, the Italian playwright and Nobel Prize winner for Literature. This is another original show at YIS and furthers her experience of IBT. It is 20 minutes of Theatre. Reviews and thoughts after the show. Break a leg. [ The photo was taken as the sun fell low in the sky at 5 p.m. Perfect.]

Mt Fuji

The nicest spring I had was a winter in Japan. On a clear day one can see Fuji-san from school. And yet we have ignored it in IB work.

The IB syllabus

Good day. After a silence of many months it seems a bit risky to start again with a piece of writing about the IB syllabus. Apologies. But for the 3 or 4 of you who want to know more; here it is. I have tried to put some examples of what it all means, in practice. IB THEATRE • We began a new syllabus in 2007. • There are a number of changes. • We investigate three areas: Theatre in the Making = how do I make a set design, costume, stage flat.....???? Theatre in Performance = come to my 10 minute show about Amnesty International on the roof. Theatre in the World = I am researching Mime performance in Paraguay. It is about witchcraft. Assessment is in four areas: External Assessment 1 Research Investigation : How does vaudeville entertain old folks in up-state New York? SL 1500-1750 words HL 2000-2500 words With supporting visual material 2 Practical Performance Proposal - I am making a play based on the painting of Hiroshige [see pic. above] IBO offers a variety of stimuli HL/SL 1000-1200 words Internal Assessment 3 Theatre Performance & Production Presentation - I am doing a mini TPPP ; 10 minute talk about my first three months. Oral presentation of the 2 years, with visuals SL 20 minutes HL 30 minutes 4 Independent Project Portfolio - I am devising a 20 minute play based on the first scene of Macbeth; now set in IZU. Investigating something not taught in class SL 2000 words HL 3000 words. SL = standard HL = higher

Happy Christmas

In the spirit of the season christmas season I have decided to write again. Watch this space please.

Street theatre?

I made it into my local newpaper in Cornwall, England. Read all about it. Click on the title please.

Fell among thieves

I was directing a play in Tokyo when one night a reliable actor never appeared. He rang me later and apologised with, 'I fell among thieves.' It is an excuse I have used often myself since that night. However, I have found a formidable web site. The British Library has an archive as you can see. Within it are collections of interviews with a host of theatre people. A wondrous source for research material. Please take a look. Everyone from playwrights to back stage people are questioned. Just click on Fell among Thieves. I found it via a Chinese British playwright. www.benjaminyeoh.com

Places seen and been

create your own visited countries map Just click on the title above the atlas to set your map up. Can you beat me? I think I have been to over 50 countries. But I still have not visited Greece, the very birthplace of THEATRE. Shame on me.

Hidden faces

Today the 9th grade were putting the finishing touches to their Mask work. This week is the last for some of them. They may never have a drama class again. In 10th grade it is an option at IGCSE. Anyway, these four calm girls are quietly getting on with it. And it is looking impressive. They begin with the mask under their chair. They put it on but we do not see a lot. We are left to wonder. Then they pull out a sketch book and look at a church? One of them does not. She seems to be furiously finishing her drawing. What does it all mean? It is simple, harmonious, still and mysterious. I like it.

From the Tanner

These are the five IB students who keep me going on Monday and Wednesday. They had been out in the park and on the roof assessing the potential for Promenade theatre. They came up with some good plans and locations. But when I suggested a real performance they remembered something about Chatroom [http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/?lid=12951] which I do not think is a vehicle for promenading. And then I talked about a performance of Roger Salmon Cornish Detective; Site - Specific, Geevor Tin Mine by Kneehigh Theatre [www.kneehigh.co.uk] that I saw in 2001. All this of course prevents me from progressing from the last entry about my Malaysian play.

Remain Standing

Before I came to live in Japan I lived in Malaysia. It allowed me to do a lot of theatre. The main product of this was a Trilogy of plays which I called, 'Bending towards the East'. The photo shows four of the women in the first play, 'Remain Standing'. It was a great success and sold out for three weeks. Last week I read parts of it to a Japanese audience and it lived again. I will say more about its origins and outcomes in the next entry.

I bought a painting

Some fifteen years ago I saw a painting in a gallery in Manila. It was an acrylic image of a native women and I fell in love with it. However, the thought of transporting her and paying so much for it stopped me committing a life time to her. But every time I went to Manila we met; it seemed that no one else wanted her either. Then upon one visit she was gone. And I wanted her more than ever. I have never seen her again. But I did discover other paintings by Mario de Rivera. I now own five to make up for my silly mistake. As my mother once said, 'Silly idiot. Let so many women slip though his fingers.' This painting is the fifth and is called Bosque Marurugi. I was fortunate, this Christmas, in dining at Mario's house with him & his family. Bosque [forest] was one of his new works on the wall. And I am now used to carrying paintings on planes. It has everything I like about Mario's work: textiles, weaving, women seen before, colonial faces, gold foliage, distant hills, butterflies and one or two annoying rocks to remind us that nature is not all beauty. It is so crowded that one can discover things later. I still search for her. And don't you see a piece of theatre here about lost love and weaving?

Happy New Year

This photograph is one of my better shots taken with my Ricoh in December on a glorious sunny day. The view reminds me a little of my home county of Cornwall. And its composition owes something to my theatre experience. Have something in the foreground to justify the background. That knife and fork suggest that the visual meal is there to be taken. This is some 40 minutes from Yokohama and is a special place.

PAIN

Will be on Friday 8th December. I have been wanting to have an IMPROV night for ages. Did one several years ago. The school diary has a PAN planned. But I have added an I and got PAIN. Performing Arts IMPROV night. The winners will be rewarded with a cup. But not the normal cup. And especially for the IBtarts we will feature a THEATRE TRADITION game. I like the idea of creating Macbeth in the style of PANTOMIME. Lady M.: 'A little water clears us of this deed." Audience:"Oh no it won't!"

The Burial has passed

Yes the Burial is buried. And from comments and e mails received we were equal to previous productions. One or two regulars felt it had surpassed others. 'You out did yourself.' What delighted me was the moments on stage of creation. Where did that come from? I mused. Not from me. It had just happened instinctively. This photo is from one of my favourite scenes. There is speech, simple arm movement, the stomping of feet and reflected light across faces. Very watchable I say!

You can't just pluck your honour off a bush you didn't plant

What a change in the weather from Friday to Sunday. Wind/rain to calm/sun And in between a clear night with the most staggeringly clear MOON. I felt this was a good sign. And so it was. The Sunday rehearsal was reassuring. At last. Sound, light and acting. The cues were tighter, and in the second run I began to hear the meaning clearly stated. However, several light cues will be have to be adjusted; my fault. But I like the shade and gloom that signifies the state of Thebes. And the audience are close. The photo is of my bag that carries the script and iBook. And on it, the poster I admire the most from my Ricoh. There is another more GLAM poster for the student audience. The title of this is from the mouth of Antigone. How contemporary.

3 weeks tonight

I bought this camera today. It is a very expensive gadget that many idolise. The cast of Funeral will now be subjected to it over the next few days as I try to get to grips with: ISO, f-stops and noise. The film will develop. Which leads me to this opinion on character from Tennessee Williams: ...' He insisted that people don't always develop. "Paralysis in a character can be just as significant and just as dramatic as progress......and less shop worn." ' And another quote looks at character action on the stage. 'Even the parlor maid races around the room, as if it's just a summer job until her audition for Cirque du Soleil comes through. As staged by Robyn Nevin, it's a textbook example of how unconfident directors confuse busyness with energy. You can have energy in the stillest moment in the play, and the actor's failure to understand that is so squaresville all the cool irony in the world can't make up for it." I cannot recall who wrote that. But it's good isn't it? Creon and the Guard had stillness. Which character has paralysis? [ 3 weeks tonight is opening night.]

The Rice Boys

Do you remember the 2 boys who came from the UK and performed a series of plays? Perhaps you remember the one about CHEESE. You would have been in 9 or 10th grade. They are coming back to Japan. They will perform a 90 minute show at St Maur on the 6th October. I would like us all to go. This will be the first external play visit for some of you. I ask you to cough up 500 yen to see it. Then you can create a review of the show. You will have a chance to talk to the actors later because.... They will come over to YIS on the 10th October and conduct a workshop with IB students. If you wish to see their show from last year then I have it on film. Put the FRIDAY show in your diaries please. And prepare some questions to ask them post-performance.

A Chorus Line

Here are my noble Gang of 6. I think they now realise why I kept telling them that they are the most crucial part of the show. They inform the audience and create transitions. They bring a visual sense to the stage. I am amazed how quickly they pick up ideas even when I have explained them in a dreadfully inept way. It is still early days and I can't wait to see them in costume and involved in more intricate moves. We need to add more layers of movement. And I should listen to other music. How do you explain the moment when the mood seems right between action and sound? Today the addition of Daiki's piano playing lifted the long passage of Creon. And there is an actor who was perfectly cast. There is still much to do and many miles to go.