Hi all,
I wrote this before i knew about open space. It was a kind of
manifesto I wrote to warn the Artistic Director of the National
Theatre how we would be working in their building after working in
theatre for twenty years.. You might recognise why i felt like i knew
about open space before I knew about it. if you want to know more
about the company.. our website is..
www.improbable.co.uk
"Improbable Principles"
This is a description of some of the guiding principles and
techniques that Improbable hold valuable for their work. In
communication with our potential actors we have come to talk about
this as our “health warning” so that actors are really clear what
kind of a process they are getting involved in and so that they can
really choose to commit to the creative journey they will embark
upon. As we have discovered in the past when we have not taken the
trouble to do this we have had difficulties. “You never told me it
would be like this!” They have sometimes said. “Oh yes we did.” We
reply. However maybe we just hadn’t said it LOUD ENOUGH!
It is essential when creating a true ensemble that performers have
genuinely chosen to be there so that they don’t check out of the
process. If someone doesn’t believe in it and thinks it won’t work
THEY WILL BE CORRECT!
These beliefs may not be true but they are useful!
“It’s far too important to take it seriously”
Play is an essential part of our creative process although sometimes
it looks like we don’t take things seriously this is because we are
true artists who know that great ideas only come when you have
persuaded the gods that you do not care.
Creativity is like a cat you can’t MAKE IT come to you. In order to
catch it you sometimes have to walk away from it.
We will tend to make creative decisions later rather than sooner.
This is to ensure we do not create premature closure. Often we
believe decisions can be made too soon in order to feel more
comfortable and reassure others that everything is going well. We
will attempt to avoid this. Also these early decisions stem from the
belief that we won’t be able to come up with a better idea.
Every rule we create will always be incorrect at some point. “The
opposite is also true!”
Sometimes our shows are totally improvised, sometimes they are
devised through improvisation, sometimes they are improvised and
become fixed, sometimes they are a script which is improvised with.
The common thread is the spirit with which they are performed. A
scripted show should feel as alive and vital as a totally improvised
show. We sometimes don’t know which of these the show will be at the
start of a process.
We will use the work of any of the great teachers to create a great
theatre show. This includes, Michael Checkov, Viola Spolin, Keith
Johnstone, Eric Morris, Wesley Balk, Mindell etc..
Often our rehearsal process is more like training a sports team and
teaching than a more traditional theatre process. It is a preparation
for a LIVE event.
We believe that a lot of people talk about wanting to create ensemble
in theatre however this is often lip service. We believe we are good
at creating a genuine sense of ensemble. We actually do what we say
we do. We are proud of this. We believe this is important and we will
often work on this so that problems solve themselves rather than work
directly on a problem with the show.
There are two stories in our shows: The story the performers are
telling and the story of the performers putting on the show. This
second story is the most important to us. If it is not present then
the telling of the story will be pointless.
We believe that what happens between the performers is more important
than what the performers can do individually. The whole show and the
synergy of the ensemble is more important than any one person’s
intention to “shine”.
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. “SYNERGY”
An audience can tell whether actors are working well together, they
smell it even if it’s subliminal.
We would sooner have a great ensemble than a bunch of great actors
who are separate.
Our job as directors is to make ourselves redundant.
We believe the co dependence between actors and directors which often
exists does not create a show which the actors truly own.
It’s not that we want performers in our show who don’t get scared.
It’s that we don’t want performers who pretend they aren’t whilst
secretly resenting us. It is good if they are excited by the idea of
not knowing.
We get scared too.
We will often deliberately make sure our show is unfinished so that
the audience have a strong input into the creation of a show.
Shockheaded Peter is a very good example of this. Many parts of this
show were created for the first time in front of the audience. We
will work on creating a strong group of performers who are empowered
to make decisions for themselves in order to create truly exciting
spontaneous theatre from moments of the unknown. If everything has
been decided before the audience turn up then the audience have
nothing to do and the story is already over.
We value all people’s voices and contributions.
We respect people and treat them well.
The stage management and technical staff are part of the ensemble and
should be treated as such.
We believe in Alchemy.
We welcome mistakes, interruptions, gossip and trouble as potential
gold.
If there is a sickness in the show we will use homeopathy before we
perform surgery.
We know that a problem in a show is often not where it reveals itself
but somewhere else.
When things start to get difficult we will sit in the trouble and
wait before we try to FIX THINGS.
At the point in the creative process where most directors want to pin
things down.. we will hold off. It pays off.
“Wait… Give up hope… Keep the faith.”
When we work we really work.
We will not follow rigid time structures in order to LOOK LIKE we are
working.
We know that creative ideas come from moments of relaxation as well
as intense concentration.
Our best ideas often happen in tea breaks.
We will not overwork people.
The audience are in the rehearsal room from day one. Watching other
performers and contributing as an audience is as important as
rehearsing.
An Improbable Prayer.
We will say we don’t know when we don’t know.
We will say we are scared when we are scared.
We will not pretend everything is ok when it isn’t.
We will never ask a performer to do something we wouldn’t be prepared
to do ourselves.
We love performers.
We believe they often know more than the director.
We love the audience.
We believe they often know more than either the performers or the
director.
Anyone is free to leave at anytime.
It is better to leave than to be there and not really be present.
If someone leaves we will do it.
A comedy store joke in serious theatre is just as valuable as serious
theatre at the comedy store.
We will never do something just to be different.
We will be prepared to be obvious.
When things get scary we will stay awake.
When things get scary we will look after each other not ourselves.
We will have a good time.
The audience see everything.
www.improbable.co.uk
*
*
==========================================================
osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
