This Asian cover page includes acting workshops, production and
rehearsal notes for theatre productions that I directed in Thailand
between 1988 - 2004.
- Images From The Edge
- Mask Workshops in Thailand
- Acting and Teacher-training workshops with Princess Sukhumabinan
- 1000 Cranes
- Cranes On Bikes:
- Moving Towards The Light
- Moving Towards The Light 2
- Nok Bar - Patravadi Theatre
- Sahasadaysha - Patravadi Theatre
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1000 CRANES
SYNOPSIS AND PRODUCTION NOTES:
Commissioned for the Rajabhat's new Department of Dramatic Arts theatre auditorium
at Suan Sunandha, I wrote and directed 1000 CRANES to wish the department
and theatre the best of creative successes in their new theatre
space.
My metaphor for best wishes or good luck leant on the Japanese folkloric
tradition of 1,000 paper-folded origami cranes as a gift to the
theatre. My high school Japanese girlfriend had made me 1,000 paper-folded
origami cranes as a gift for me for my HSC exams. I was very impressed
and it worked!
1000 CRANES follows a truncated 24 hour life cycle of cranes living at an African lake.
Starting with the early sunrise the cranes wake up, groom, feed, greet and nurture each other, establish status, fend-off attacks, protect each other and in some cases die.
Through a new birth, the flock of cranes evolve, and so the life
cycle continues.
We devised, work-shopped and rehearsed for over 30 hours mostly
without my simultaneous translator. The cast of 24 second and third
actors examined my collected videos of bird flight and workshoped
with the various 24 white bird character masks that I made.
Improvisations on status, movement techniques and character were
exhilarating as all the cast embraced the concept, rehearsals and
performance.
 1000
CRANES employed one of the best stage crews that assembled trestle
scaffolding to two metres high in 60 seconds for the rows of 24
cranes on four elevated levels for the backlit opening image of
the cranes flying toward the audience at dawn. Then during the following
fade-out to black took 55 seconds to strike this set to an open
black-box performance space.
Introducing the cast to mask work was challenging. Although mask
characters occupy classic Thai drama and dance, my directing needs
were different. To work fully with the mask the actor needs to be
taken over by it, or 'intoxicated' by it is a more constructive
expression.
To the Thai individual this can resemble the welcoming and accepting
of the spirit of a respected deceased friend or relative to stay
with them for life. Welcoming the ' spirit' of the mask.
 So the Thais were somewhat fearful of the power of my masked characters.
Many hours of me demonstrating the 'masking-up' and 'de-roling'
technique was necessary for the actors to witness that Colin returned
safely and comfortably after the mask was removed.
Only then would some of the braver actors accept the challenge.
Once success was made at this level then the remainder of the cast
would be more willing to experiment.
Their tendency would still be to demonstrate the masked character,
rather than inhabit it.
Many actors achieved this, as is the case with Western actors. Some
are quite baffled by this concept and in the most part is only temporarily
achievable.
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Richard Wilson - a good friend and art director for magazine advertising
and TVC's was inspired by my masks for this motor bike photographic
shoot.
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MASK WORKSHOPS IN THAILAND:
At Meanprasatvittaya School there was great interest in mask work
and I introduced Commedia, Basel, and Neutral mask over four weeks
of classes hosted and simultaneously translated by Princess Sukhumabinan.
Introducing the cast to mask work was challenging. Although mask characters occupy classic Thai drama and dance, my teaching and directing needs were different.
To work fully with the mask, the actor needs to be taken over by
it, or 'intoxicated' by it is a more constructive expression.
In Thai culture, when a respected Thai person dies his/her closest
relatives and friends can welcome the spirit of this person into
their lives and to stay with them for life.
So the welcoming of the 'spirit' of the mask presented some challenges.
Many Thai actors were somewhat fearful of the power of my masked
characters. We they able to release the power of the mask afterwards
was often their dilemma.
 It required me to demonstrate the 'masking-up', performing and 'de-roling'
techniques in front of the class of actors to witness that Colin
returned safely and comfortably after the mask was removed.
Only then would some of the braver actors accept the challenge.
Once success was made at this level then the remainder of the cast
would be more willing to experiment.
Their tendency would still be to demonstrate the masked character,
rather than inhabit it. Many actors achieved this, as is the case
with Western actors. Some are quite baffled by this concept and
in the most part is only temporarily achievable.
At Meanprasatvittaya School, we had a remarkable experience as
many of the 50 teachers experienced the mask. Note - not all teachers
could commit to the mask exercise, and of course they were not pressured
to. They very much enjoyed observing the journey for other masked
actors though.
During one Basel mask session, Noo - a kindergarten teacher's
aid made an immediate contact and intoxication of the Basel ' Idiot'
mask. I directed her masked character to discover a plastic chair
for the first time, for which she took many minutes.
When I later directed her to discover what a chair might be used
for, and perhaps try to sit in it, she did and immediately slipped
off it into a crumpled heap on the floor! The observing audience
of classmates collapsed into hysterical laughter.
Noo continued her discovery and side-coached by me made tremendous
character and theatrical decisions fully intoxicated by the mask.
As with many Thai actors the unmasking and de-roling process was
significant. There is a direct comparison to an individual's awakening
from hypnosis. Returning to the studio space requires a slow transition.
The actor's perception of time for example is remarkably shorter
than the real time of the masked experience.
Noo continued to explore the 'Idiot' mask with enthusiasm and bravery,
always anticipated by her acting class mates. She joined the 6 masked
characters at the Australian Embassy Theatre's season of Moving
Towards the Light (2).
<-- Commedia mask workshop. Princess Sukhumabinan on the foreground
right.
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