Elements of Staging

Finally I managed to upload the collection of images from my Directing Exam: The threepenny opera which were performed thrice during the 5th and 6th of May, 2008 at the Theatre of Cruelty in Oslo. Wordpress seems to be a bit clumsy so you have to click the images twice to see them full size.

I’ve realized that I, as an aspiring director will need a list of plays and concepts that I once would like to realize. My recent theory is that coolness not only derives from attitude but also from content. Sadly coolness is a crucial necessity of getting jobs in the business I exhaustingly endeavor join. And as I still am more of an analytical-intellectual kind of person I have to approach the circumstance of coolness in some other way. So I suppose that if you have cool ideas you must sooner or later be discovered to be cool enough to be allowed on the inside.

Now that was my pragmatic approach to the list. As an aspiring theatre artist, in some way or another, I still don’t know enough about the Norwegian theatre community to make judgements upon it, but as a blogger I reserve the right to blurt out bombastic remarks about whatever and whomever I like, regardless of other peoples emotions, popular opinion and reality. Joke aside, I’d like to state that this list exists mainly for my own sake. We’d all like to please future employers of our dream job or admission committees of our dream academic program but this list exists for me, because this is the plays and concepts I truly would like to realize on stage.

Now, to the list. (You may recognize some of them from my list of Future Projects.)

Plays:

• The Real Inspector Hound by Tom Stoppard
• Victor, or Power to the Children by Roger Vitrac
• The Madwoman of Chaillot by Jean Giraudoux
• The Pitchfork Disney by Philip Ridley
• Nora Scheherazades drømte liv by Mia Törnquist
• The Dowry by Audun Lunga. (Radio Drama)
• Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare, as “The show must go on” (a concept of my own invention)
• An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen
• The Goat or Who is Sylvia? by Edward Albee

Adaptions:

• Clunk by Daniil Kharms, Prose to drama
• Monkey Island III: Curse of Monkey Island, computer game to drama.
• Book of Revelation, Biblical text to drama.

Jeg sitter her med min skriftlige regieksamen, som skal innleveres om 2 uker og blar igjennom gamle oppgaver jeg har skrevet før. Da kom jeg over et vedlegg til TiU-oppgava jeg leverte før jul. Det er et utkast til et system som vil hjelpe TiU-grupper å sette ord på elementer i forestillingen sin slik at de ikke står på bar bakke fra begynnelsen. De må selvfølgelig finne ut av ting sjæl, men jeg har inkludert en del valg gruppa uansett må ta iløpet av prosessen. Det er tross alt bedre å ta slike valg tidlig, enn å finne ut av det i den stressende perioden dager før forestillingen. Jeg håper framtidens TiU-studenter vil synes at det er nyttig.

Utkast til elementer som kan inkluderes i regikonseptet til en TiU-forestilling

• Oppbygnig/Form (modell).
  • TiU-modell 1: Kunstnerisk del før bearbeidingsdel
  • TiU-modell 2: Dramaøkt med tematisk innhold, kunstnerisk del, bearbeidingsdel
  • TiU-modell 3: Perlesnormodell (kunst)-(bab)-(kunst)-(bab)-(kunst)
  • Dramatiske, Episke eller Metafiksjonelle trekk i forestillingen?

• Lærerskuespillernes funksjon
  • Eier Jokeren/lærerskuespilleren historien?
  • Én joker, eller flere lærerskuespillere som deler på ansvaret.

• Framing og tilskuernes deltakelse
  • Hvem er deltakerne/tilskuerne?
  • Deltar de direkte eller indirekte i fiksjonen (Enten kan de delta direkte – noe som vil gi TiU-forestillingen et mer improvisert eller laiv-aktig preg, eller indirekte dvs. bare i bearbeidingsdeler eller når lærerskuespillerne åpner for det. )
  • Hva er framingforsterkerne? Hva gjør framingen mer troverdig?
    • Symboler
    • Spill
    • Plassering
    • Fysiske oppgaver
  • En eller flere framinger? (Tilhører alle samme gruppe, eller er det flere grupperinger i opplegget?)
  • Deskriptivt eller normativt perspektiv i framingen (Blir elevene tildelt en mening de skal forsvare eller får de velge og overveie problemene de støter på selv?)

• Måltenkning. Finn estetiske, tematiske og sosiale kunnskapsmål, holdningsmål og ferdighetsmål.

• Metoden for handlende analyse
  • Grunnleggende foreslått omstendighet og gjennomgående kamp
  • Hovedplotpunkter (5 hendelser) i bearbeidingsdelen(e)

Alright. Inspired by the Norwegian drama pedagogue Marit Sæbø classification of educational techniques, I’d like to propose a theory of my own. Or rather only a frame of a theory, but this is still something I have spent a lot of time thinking about lately. I hope my lay attempt of classification might be inspiring to others and that new concepts and ideas might pop up because of them. Use this for organizing your own confused thoughts or as a how-to-make-your-own-theatre-genre-FAQ.

To make it simple, I have chosen three different variables in which to define and describe certain genres and forms of theatre. Those variables are:

1. Motivation Why bother with theatre at all, this is the reasons and means behind that certain theatre genre. The types of theatre I will review here will either say something about us humans - and is therefore psychologically motivated, or it will mainly say something about society - and is therefore politically motivated, or it will be a tool of teaching and thus is pedagogically motivated theatre.

2. Ways of expression How does this certain kind of theatre express itself? The two variables are either through bound acting (script based, rehearsed theatre) or unbound acting (improvisation).

3. Relationship between actor and spectator Is there any difference between the actors and spectators? Separated or integrated?

Now then. Let’s begin with the familiar.

Traditional theatre as it is the most common form of theatre, played both by amateurs and professionals is mainly psychologically motivated. The means of expression is utterly bound by the script since the same performance is played time and again. Besides, the separation between actor and spectator is certainly there. In short traditional theatre is PS(ychologically motivated) B(ound) and S(eparated) - (PSBS)

Improvisational theatre is just like traditional theatre in all but one way. The expression of the performance is unbound as it is just that - improvised. Improvisational theatre is thus PS(ychologically motivated) U(nbound) and S(eparated) - (PSUS).

Still psychologically motivated is LARP or Live Action Role-playing games. Improvisation is the form of expression here and LARP is thus unbound. The role of the spectator and actor is fully integrated and everyone present is participating in upholding the dramatic illusion. LARP or in Norwegian Laiv is thus PS (ychologically motivated) U(nbound) and I(ntegrated) - (PSUI).

Brecht’s Epic theatre represents a new direction in western theatre and is a manifesto of the political revolutionary theatre. But it’s rather bound and really ends up with separating the actor and spectator, in spite of the distancing effects. Epic theatre is thus PO(litically motivated) U(nbound) and S(eparated) - (POUS).

Inspired by Brecht, invented Augusto Boal the theatre of the oppressed which may only be described as political improvisational theatre which actively integrates the spectators in the performance either in forum theatre or invisible theatre. PO(litically motivated), U(nbound), I(ntegrated). (POUI)

Some theatre-forms are mainly tools of teaching; this includes first and foremost Theatre-in-education (TiE). The form combines different elements from traditional and epic theatre and then utilizes them in classroom tutoring. It also contains some improvisation although it is mainly planned and rehearsed on beforehand. However, TiE eradicates the difference between actor and spectator as the learning of the spectators is the most important aspect of the performance. In order to learn spectators must actively participate in process of the performance. TiE I there fore describe as PE(dagocically motivated) B(ound) and I(ntegrated) - (PEBI).

Now, using these variables we can make wholly improvised TiE (PEUI) and many more forms of theatre. With the introductions of multiple levels of reality and metafictionality only our imaginations will limit us. Be creative, mix the elements you like the best and have fun.

Created by Hannah Hjeltnes and Peter Lunga.

Parody Radio Drama, written and directed by Peter Lunga.

Actors: Sigurd Flæten, Peter Lunga, Odin Skaugen, Kristian Grønseth, Hannah Hjeltnes, Åse Formoe, Mariken Lauvstad, Hege Juliane Odd.

Produced by Det Fiktive Selskab. Broadcast by Radio Nova in spring 2008.

Language: Norwegian

Part 1 - Duration: 3:00

Part 2 - Duration: 3:14

Part 3 - Duration: 10:33

Part 4 - Duration 3:24

Part 5 - Duration: 4:33

Some rights reserved. This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License.

Narrative Radio Drama, based on a text by Audun Lunga. Directed by Peter Lunga.

Actors: Eivind Sørheim, Kristian Grønseth, Atle Berge.

Produced by Det Fiktive Selskab. Broadcast by Radio Nova in spring 2008.

Language: Norwegian

Listen - Duration: 8:19

Some rights reserved. This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License.

Absurd Radio Drama written By Audun Lunga. Directed by Peter Lunga.

Actors: Arne Borge, Kristian Grønseth, Christina Sjo, Peter Lunga

Produced by Det Fiktive Selskab. Broadcast by Radio Nova in fall 2007.

Language: Norwegian

Part One - Duration: 7:30

Part Two - Duration: 5:43

Some rights reserved. This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License.

I took the ensemble to see Malvius’ version of the Three Penny Opera at “det norske teatret.” Our intentions were to steal ideas to our performance and of course leave out the obvious flaws. To me it was inspiring to understand the importance of a clear concept, because this performance did indeed lack clarity. It’s all in what you expect. If you expect to be mindlessly entertained this performance does just that, but if you expect something with intentions and meaning, stay home. It’s completely without cause. You can’t transform Brecht’s epic theatre into traditional dramatic theatre without losing something on the way. The director, Malvius has pacified and tamed the play instead of releasing its social and political power. Gone is Brecht’s ideas of beggars and Brown’s motivation for arresting Mackie. This makes great holes in the storyline, filled by people in ski-masks dancing with flags and generally making no sense at all. The last scene is incomprehensible.

I believe my actors also were inspired by the accomplishments and errors of the performance. The actors are strong singers but lack something important. The flatness of the characters are evident and I can honestly say that our Mrs. Peachum is way stronger on stage compared to the whimsical version of her we saw tonight. Brown was disastrous, a rambling maniac without impulses and motivation, sadly a victim by the inconsistencies in the storyline.

The Threepenny opera was, all in all an entertaining, but confusing performance given by the ensemble of “det norske teatret,” and director Georg Malvius.

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