Second Friday - Another White Room

Back in Room 57 we continue our work on the text. Our second day.

But first, a warm up. In the spirit of improvisation we add to our repertoire of 'contact' and 'non-contact' - 'sound'. Again A and B. A has to stand behind B this time and must offer to B a way of changing her physicality - but only by use of her voice. At no time should A touch her partner. Or even be seen by her partner. Keep to the back.

We vary this too. We have two 'conduct' a whole line of subjects. We pair off again and we combine non-contact with sound and A and B take it in turn to 'alter'. Later on, we 'break out' and everyone is free to go and play with anyone in the group who takes their fancy.

There is no chaos. Openness reigns. Receptivity reigns. People both offer and accept within the blinking of an eye.

In the script, Pelagea Vlassova has guests. The revolutionaries come round to print their leaflets but she's not happy. When her son Pavel asks her to make them some tea she says she hasn't enough tea to make them tea. So he says: Make them weak tea. She tells them that she's behind with her rent as it is and doesn't want to get into trouble with the landlord. However, one of the revolutionaries tells her that their main concern is her rent...

With the second group (though I could equally have done it with the first) I ask the audience: "Who looks the more open?" "Who looks the stronger?" "Who looks the more awake?" They decide. I then ask Polly to physically rearrange the actors in any way she wants. She makes them look very much more strong and open. And alike.

It could have been done for the first group. It may well be in the future....

We continue.

At that point in the story the police burst in. Neither Group has an immediate solution to the saying of the line: Police! The most intense first efforts sounding like: I've cracked my nail varnish! Both actors charged with the line in this rehearsal need prompting to find more vocal energy. In Group B Carlo demonstrates and the actor charged (Rebecca) finds a more appropriate level. Hesitantly at first. But then more confidently.

With both Groups - but the second in particular - the question of the Brechtianness of the performances raises its ugly head. Are they putting too much 'emotion' into the saying of the lines? Are they saying the lines 'neutrally' enough? I ask them how they say the lines neutrally? Some say: Well, in a Brechtian way. ie Brecht = Neutral. Yes, I say, but what, PRACTICALLY speaking is this 'Neutral' they're talking about? Do they mean 'without life'? 'Without energy'. In a dead way? How?

Hannah says she is confused. She thinks we may be using too much vocal energy. Pushing our voices. Articulating from the throat. I lay a card on the table. I say I think that we may be, but it is important to commit vocally to the text. Better, perhaps at this stage in the process, to overcommit than to undercommit. Grandmother's Footsteps again come up. Chi, too. The energy that you have in Tai Chi or in Yoga or Martial Arts. Something very alive and strong but not necessarily showing - until it shows.

We must be patient. These are early days. But no one speaks in a foreign language today. We stick to the Engllish text. And we go off for the weekend knowing that we will not be able to go off to Off Stage until Monday afternoon at least. And even then I have my doubts.

Also, still no music.