EXPRESSIONISTIC REALISM CLASS OU

EXPRESSIONISTIC REALISM CLASS OUTLINE

The mise en scene of images: the structural language oF voice, speech, body, gesture, and motion.

There will be references throughout the workshop by theoreticians and practitioners such as Antonin Artaud, Georgio Strehler, Tadeusz Kantor, Bertolt Brecht, Jean Genet, and Jerzy Grotowski.

Key EXERCISES ON “EXPRESSIONISTIC REALISM” STYLE OF ACTING

1 – The Face is the Mask

Work on facial expressions. The emotional, psychological and social aspects of the character are first drawn onto the face. Articulation and separation of the facial features. Emphasis on the eyes as the energy projection point. Exploring and finding the particular character’s facial “center” that expresses the psychological and emotional makeup of the character.

2. The Body is the Expression of Behavior

Through exercises, the articulation of the different parts of the body is examined in order to create the precise form of the character that will be put into action. In this type of research, no gesture is accidental. Every movement is there to create and define, with extreme precision, the expression of the character. Work on a Frame by Frame Movement Technique. The “blocking” is stylized and pictorial, a piece of visual art. Each tableau on the stage must be able to convey the drama being played, which can be called three dimensional painting. The actor uses the body as a total mask using tension and relaxation at the same time.

3. – The Intensity of Emotion and the Lyricism of the Movement

The actors, researching very intense emotion, frame their body to reveal the mask of that particular emotion. With the support of classical music, the exercise involves movement through the space. The body language becomes more lyrical, approaching the feeling of a ritual dance. Through slow-motion work, the actors explore “trance-movement”

4.- The Elements, the Animals, and the Human Behavior

Each “trance movement” will be directed into creating the image of an element (Fire, Water, Air, Earth), then of an animal, and then directed toward the representation of human behavior. These exercises will give the actor the ability to find the body movement of a character through pure physical experience rather than psychological analysis.

5.- The Physical Expression of the Words

The actors work on poetry or drama and research the physical expression and emotional impact of the text. In these exercises, the actors learn that to speak the text is to reveal images and visions. Exercises include work on tonality, rhythm, cadence, and flow.