The End 结束
在我的国家，贪污猖獗，政治混乱。我们尽管愿意相信执政者，却也一直与谎言纠缠。但我深信只要树上的叶子会不断变色，国家的希望仍旧存在着。我的政治启蒙老师是古巴的一个音乐创作人。他的一首歌里写到：我发现我说谎了，我一直都在说谎…….” 我不禁扪心自问：我身为一个艺术工作者，到底编织了多少谎言？
He is militant and indoctrinated. He was taught not to question or critically examine what he has learned. He is well-domesticated. He can do whatever: a killer, a clown, a dog... He saw - by accident - the lies around him. He wanted to revolt, but it was late... was he killed? Did he commit suicide? There are all kinds of lies, big lies, white lies…. but when is a lie justified? When they come from ‘Respectable Authorities’?
In "The Spirits Play" the Poet's character has an unique element: He is conscience he lied, and he regret of it. This movement from ignorance to clarity and its consequences is what I like in this Kuo Pao Kun's play. But lies is something everywhere not just in war. For centuries lies have been an effective tool for politics, religion, education, economics, publicity, love, etc. And somehow in all cases, a similar image comes to my mind every time: a blind man smashing into a wall, meanwhile he thinks is a huge vertical pillow. The personality is suppressed. Even sometime it seems to me a kind of voluntary slavery.
I started working with image/figure of "liar" who mislead other people; I play with characters like: a teacher, a business, a clown. But I was using a lot of words to get it. Don't speak. Consequently I found out I was embodying the one who believes the lie and lives with it... a blind man smashing into a wall. So I decided to change into the one who is lost in the lies. I didn't want to depict an specific character like soldier or a consumer, so I decided the character would be a "He", who reflects a alienated behaviour. But one day, the bandage I was using in rehearsal to created the blindness felt down accidentally, so I asked myself: what do I have to do if I "see" the "reality"?
I think of Mexico with its corrupt government and politics. I think in all those Mexicans that we want to trust in our country but at same time we struggle against lies... I think along as the leaves continue changing colours, there's hope. There is a song from Cuban composer Silvio Rodriguez, where he says: I have realized that I lied, I have always lied...So, If I as an artist talk about lies, I should start asking myself: How many times I have lied? To reach audience into this theme from my own Mexican experience but in an open language, so they can read it from their own experiences. To do it without words. I hope all artists involved use this chance to be honestly artist connecting with audience. I hope freedom, craziness, passion, intelligence, fun will happen in both: artist and audience.
Can you picture what will be
So limitless and free
Desperately in need...of some...stranger's hand
In a...desperate land
-THE END (BY THE DOORS)
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
THE PHOTOJOURNALIST
In the Island of Promise
A self-devised work by Felimon Blanco (Philippines)
for the Creative Lab of THE SPIRITS PLAY
SYNOPSIS
A dead photojournalist tells of his story in an island that has witnessed decades of conflict. He experienced war at such a young age and had lived in evacuation centers’ leading him to dream for a better island. He wanted the world to know of their lives in the war that has also caused his death.
STARTING POINT
Having lived in an island that has experienced long-time armed conflict, it came to a point where I just have to live with it. War is not just about the actual fights between two groups of armed men, but also about displaced families, homeless and dying children, and living in the evacuation centers.
I see the important role of photojournalists in making the world see the effects of war. I believe they are brave enough to risk their lives to make the world know of the sad fate of people in war.
PROCESS
When I decided to take the character of a photojournalist, I started to contact several photojournalists. Some were so kind to replies to my emails. Some of them just ignored it. Geejay Arriola, a friend of mine who has done a music theater production on war, was so kind to provide me with photos and videos that her company used in their Salima production. Looking at the photos and videos she sent, I started to develop the piece from the point of view of the photojournalist. I made the character a victim of war, who had been an evacuee himself, and even killed in the war. I experimented on a script that underwent many revisions, until I finally got to feel what I want to show. The incorporation of the video and music came last. But working on the floor again resulted to further discover new things for the play. There had been constant revisions until it got its final shape.
THE SPIRITS PLAY AS THE TRIGGER
I personally believe that The Spirits Play speaks of the universal language of the effects of war. It speaks to me as millions of spirits who had been victims of war. Imagine that if these spirits will speak of their stories one by one, it will be a whole lot of anguish. We felt sad when we heard that many lives are wasted in the war, but we failed to acknowledge that they have their sad stories to tell, which are often neglected and forgotten. From the play, I take on the character of the Poet as my starting point. I find the importance of transmitting the truth in a war. The real picture must be seen by the majority, and stories must be told in order for us to reflect on war and its consequences.
CHALLENGES
The biggest challenge is how to convey such message to an audience who has no direct experience with war, and how to make them realize and see the evils of war through my solo work.
TETC AS A COMPANY
This is the kind of theater I have been looking for after graduating from TTRP : multi-cultural, multi-lingual exchanges, and a theater that questions and investigates.
When the first idea of the Creative Lab was conceived, I immediately send my interest to be involved in it. I believe that Creative Lab is a good platform to creatively experiment and artistically investigate form and content of a contemporary theater practice. I see this as a continuing learning experience for artists to be actively involved into the whole creative process. I hope that this Creative Lab project will continue for contemporary artists to constantly investigate issues through theater.
A self-devised work by Felimon Blanco (Philippines)
for the Creative Lab of THE SPIRITS PLAY
SYNOPSIS
A dead photojournalist tells of his story in an island that has witnessed decades of conflict. He experienced war at such a young age and had lived in evacuation centers’ leading him to dream for a better island. He wanted the world to know of their lives in the war that has also caused his death.
STARTING POINT
Having lived in an island that has experienced long-time armed conflict, it came to a point where I just have to live with it. War is not just about the actual fights between two groups of armed men, but also about displaced families, homeless and dying children, and living in the evacuation centers.
I see the important role of photojournalists in making the world see the effects of war. I believe they are brave enough to risk their lives to make the world know of the sad fate of people in war.
PROCESS
When I decided to take the character of a photojournalist, I started to contact several photojournalists. Some were so kind to replies to my emails. Some of them just ignored it. Geejay Arriola, a friend of mine who has done a music theater production on war, was so kind to provide me with photos and videos that her company used in their Salima production. Looking at the photos and videos she sent, I started to develop the piece from the point of view of the photojournalist. I made the character a victim of war, who had been an evacuee himself, and even killed in the war. I experimented on a script that underwent many revisions, until I finally got to feel what I want to show. The incorporation of the video and music came last. But working on the floor again resulted to further discover new things for the play. There had been constant revisions until it got its final shape.
THE SPIRITS PLAY AS THE TRIGGER
I personally believe that The Spirits Play speaks of the universal language of the effects of war. It speaks to me as millions of spirits who had been victims of war. Imagine that if these spirits will speak of their stories one by one, it will be a whole lot of anguish. We felt sad when we heard that many lives are wasted in the war, but we failed to acknowledge that they have their sad stories to tell, which are often neglected and forgotten. From the play, I take on the character of the Poet as my starting point. I find the importance of transmitting the truth in a war. The real picture must be seen by the majority, and stories must be told in order for us to reflect on war and its consequences.
CHALLENGES
The biggest challenge is how to convey such message to an audience who has no direct experience with war, and how to make them realize and see the evils of war through my solo work.
TETC AS A COMPANY
This is the kind of theater I have been looking for after graduating from TTRP : multi-cultural, multi-lingual exchanges, and a theater that questions and investigates.
When the first idea of the Creative Lab was conceived, I immediately send my interest to be involved in it. I believe that Creative Lab is a good platform to creatively experiment and artistically investigate form and content of a contemporary theater practice. I see this as a continuing learning experience for artists to be actively involved into the whole creative process. I hope that this Creative Lab project will continue for contemporary artists to constantly investigate issues through theater.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
ZAC, the Karang Guni Man - C LAB
"All but forgotten"
A karang guni man, collects unwanted possibilities, tells discarded tales and redefines himself.
When I first read Kuo Pao Kun’s Spirits Play, it struck me as a series of stories. Similarly, in his other plays (e.g. Coffin, Eunuch, Day I Met the Prince, Lao Jiu), the storytelling element is very strong. To me, stories are the tapestry of life, as Neil Gaiman so aptly said. And what I see in Spirits Play are people trying to find their way back or their way out, but the only link to their existence are their stories.
I choose the karang guni because I see him as a sort of spirit of modern times in Singapore. With recycling becoming more systematic, even the disposal of waste is more practical. And to some extent, people don’t bother to evaluate what they throw away nowadays. Which is what the karang guni used to do, he’ll give you a fair deal for what you want to throw away. He is also a lovely image from my past.
"everyone is born a god,
but somewhere along
the way
becomes a false idol."
Too much to be said for one small piece, so many echoes of Kuo Pao Kun’s other works come into mind. Singapore stories need to be told, they need to be heard. But how does one tell them? Through exploring the elements of street theatre? Noisy, fun and communicates. Possibilities we discard. Possibilities we retrace. So what exactly are we?
In the spirit of storytelling, for the spirits in stories.
Zachary Goh, Singapore
The Karang Guni Man in CREATIVE LAB free showings,
August 20-23, 8pm, 22-23 - 3pm
NAFA Studio Theatre
151 Bencoolen Street
A karang guni man, collects unwanted possibilities, tells discarded tales and redefines himself.
When I first read Kuo Pao Kun’s Spirits Play, it struck me as a series of stories. Similarly, in his other plays (e.g. Coffin, Eunuch, Day I Met the Prince, Lao Jiu), the storytelling element is very strong. To me, stories are the tapestry of life, as Neil Gaiman so aptly said. And what I see in Spirits Play are people trying to find their way back or their way out, but the only link to their existence are their stories.
I choose the karang guni because I see him as a sort of spirit of modern times in Singapore. With recycling becoming more systematic, even the disposal of waste is more practical. And to some extent, people don’t bother to evaluate what they throw away nowadays. Which is what the karang guni used to do, he’ll give you a fair deal for what you want to throw away. He is also a lovely image from my past.
"everyone is born a god,
but somewhere along
the way
becomes a false idol."
Too much to be said for one small piece, so many echoes of Kuo Pao Kun’s other works come into mind. Singapore stories need to be told, they need to be heard. But how does one tell them? Through exploring the elements of street theatre? Noisy, fun and communicates. Possibilities we discard. Possibilities we retrace. So what exactly are we?
In the spirit of storytelling, for the spirits in stories.
Zachary Goh, Singapore
The Karang Guni Man in CREATIVE LAB free showings,
August 20-23, 8pm, 22-23 - 3pm
NAFA Studio Theatre
151 Bencoolen Street
Trigger for Wahwah- Creative Lab
媽媽，我是多麼想回家
多麼想緊緊地抱住您
瘦小枯乾的身軀
多麼想輕輕地撫摸您
風中飄動的白髮
多麼想好好地陪伴您
能天天為您泡一杯熱茶
媽媽，我已不能回家
媽媽，我已被他們的子彈和坦克
推入地下
媽媽，我已不能回家
作者：MIST
The emotional trigger for Wah Wah, Hong Kong, now conceptualizing and rehearsing for CREATIVE LAB
多麼想緊緊地抱住您
瘦小枯乾的身軀
多麼想輕輕地撫摸您
風中飄動的白髮
多麼想好好地陪伴您
能天天為您泡一杯熱茶
媽媽，我已不能回家
媽媽，我已被他們的子彈和坦克
推入地下
媽媽，我已不能回家
作者：MIST
The emotional trigger for Wah Wah, Hong Kong, now conceptualizing and rehearsing for CREATIVE LAB
CREATIVE LAB - Noushad
Dear countrymen,
Why war?
Why terror?
Why are you killing ?
Change to you or change the world?
Is it for freedom?
Is it for liberation?
Do you have freedom in this free world?
I died many times in each war,
You mourned for me
You prayed for my soul
You lit up the candle for me
I am re-birth again
You wished me for long life
but.... It is a universal shame.
Noushad.M, India
Creative Lab thoughts and excerpts
Why war?
Why terror?
Why are you killing ?
Change to you or change the world?
Is it for freedom?
Is it for liberation?
Do you have freedom in this free world?
I died many times in each war,
You mourned for me
You prayed for my soul
You lit up the candle for me
I am re-birth again
You wished me for long life
but.... It is a universal shame.
Noushad.M, India
Creative Lab thoughts and excerpts
WITNESSING CREATIVE LAB
OBSERVING ONE REHEARSAL 观察/回望
‘Objectives’ are everything in life
From Stanislavsky, we learn that ‘objectives’ provides direction, intention and purpose for characters and actors. For teachers, ‘what are my students learning?’ is key. For creators, ‘what am I saying?’ helps guide the production to some clarity. However in artistic collaborations, the journey is never as clear. Why go on an adventure if you know what to expect from point A to point Z? It is the brave who will travel the untaken path and the creative who will hunger for constant exploration and improvement. How hungry are we?
Watching the first day of the ‘Creative Lab’ rehearsal, I saw four actors sharing their solo performances created in response to Pao Kun’s ‘The Spirits Play’. Each performance was very different in style and delivery but they were almost at performance level with some clarity as to what they wanted to say. A few questions emerged, how precious and open are the actors in listening and adapting their work to collaborate with the others? Is there a need to collaborate if the individual performances are already strong and almost complete? If a dialogue is wanted, collaboration is absolutely necessary. How can one be critical and keep challenging fellow creators/performers? How is language used? Do we use English to ensure that others understand what we are trying to say? What is lost in the translation? How will this group of eight collaborate for the ‘Creative Lab’?
The ‘objectives’ of why we do what we do in theatre or in life, is extremely crucial in creating works that matter.
Thank you for allowing me to watch the creative process and I hope we’ll start a dialogue about life, art and living.
With theatre in my heart,
Jeffrey Tan
Theatre Director, drama educator, arts administrator
‘Objectives’ are everything in life
From Stanislavsky, we learn that ‘objectives’ provides direction, intention and purpose for characters and actors. For teachers, ‘what are my students learning?’ is key. For creators, ‘what am I saying?’ helps guide the production to some clarity. However in artistic collaborations, the journey is never as clear. Why go on an adventure if you know what to expect from point A to point Z? It is the brave who will travel the untaken path and the creative who will hunger for constant exploration and improvement. How hungry are we?
Watching the first day of the ‘Creative Lab’ rehearsal, I saw four actors sharing their solo performances created in response to Pao Kun’s ‘The Spirits Play’. Each performance was very different in style and delivery but they were almost at performance level with some clarity as to what they wanted to say. A few questions emerged, how precious and open are the actors in listening and adapting their work to collaborate with the others? Is there a need to collaborate if the individual performances are already strong and almost complete? If a dialogue is wanted, collaboration is absolutely necessary. How can one be critical and keep challenging fellow creators/performers? How is language used? Do we use English to ensure that others understand what we are trying to say? What is lost in the translation? How will this group of eight collaborate for the ‘Creative Lab’?
The ‘objectives’ of why we do what we do in theatre or in life, is extremely crucial in creating works that matter.
Thank you for allowing me to watch the creative process and I hope we’ll start a dialogue about life, art and living.
With theatre in my heart,
Jeffrey Tan
Theatre Director, drama educator, arts administrator
CREATIVE LAB Premise
From: elitepigs@hotmail.com
To: bei_gi@yahoo.com.tw; wahwahmickey@gmail.com; zachary.ho@gmail.com; sooming219@gmail.com; fbb1973@yahoo.com; icaroybeto@yahoo.com; noushad_nadan@rediffmail.com; miyukikamimurajp@yahoo.co.jp
CC: ng_wai_shek@hotmail.com; themis_lin@hotmail.com
Subject: Exchange Spirits
Date: Fri, 1 May 2009 03:08:22 +0800
Dear creator-performers of Creative Lab,
It will be another two more months before our lab exchange. I hope you have been conceptualizing and rehearsing by yourself, and are maturing your pieces of work. You shall join force with all the others when we all re-unite in Singapore.
REMINDER:
This CREATIVE LAB is NOT a night of individual projects joined together and performed one after another, as in TTRP studying times. It should be a workshopped piece of integrated work that has seen contributions from all the participants and has been worked through in an intensive 2 weeks of devising and working together. It is also our best hope that, two or more participants can merge their pieces of work together and co-perform together to further bring out the theme to SPIRITS PLAY.
The solo work that each actor has prepared before arriving in Singapore will serve as a starting point for this Creative Lab. The creative response is based on each actor’s sentiments and thoughts as developed from their reading of SPIRITS PLAY written by Kuo Pao Kun. It could be in any forms of theatre- word or wordless.
This CREATIVE LAB is a platform of in-depth discussion, exchange and actual floorwork, which reflects good about TTRP's vision and the will, passion and artistic discipline of its graduates to conduct cross-cultural works. Thus, Keep your email exchanges alive and active. Let’s reflect on each other ideas and giving different perspectives to challenge each other’s creation. The more we throw into discussion now, the more we can play with later. Before the physical exchange in rehearsal studio, our dialogue should start now in MIND and SPIRIT.
Proposed timeline / workflow
1) Presentation of solo works - July 27th, 28th - 8 hours.
2) Brainstorm and discussions - July 29th, 30th, 31st - 12 hours.
3) Partnership and workshopping - August 1st, 2nd - 12 hours.
4) Work-in-progress showings / feedback / detailing
- August 3rd, 4th, 5th - 12 hours.
5) Structuring and flow - August 6th, 7th - 8 hours.
6) Detailing and full run throughs - August 8,9th - 12 hours.
As you can see the time we have is short and compact. We either fail or succeed.
Looking forward to your exciting works. 加油！
Peter 佳亮
p/s: I am still waiting for your confirmed air flight and fare. Not all have done so, email me. ASAP
To: bei_gi@yahoo.com.tw; wahwahmickey@gmail.com; zachary.ho@gmail.com; sooming219@gmail.com; fbb1973@yahoo.com; icaroybeto@yahoo.com; noushad_nadan@rediffmail.com; miyukikamimurajp@yahoo.co.jp
CC: ng_wai_shek@hotmail.com; themis_lin@hotmail.com
Subject: Exchange Spirits
Date: Fri, 1 May 2009 03:08:22 +0800
Dear creator-performers of Creative Lab,
It will be another two more months before our lab exchange. I hope you have been conceptualizing and rehearsing by yourself, and are maturing your pieces of work. You shall join force with all the others when we all re-unite in Singapore.
REMINDER:
This CREATIVE LAB is NOT a night of individual projects joined together and performed one after another, as in TTRP studying times. It should be a workshopped piece of integrated work that has seen contributions from all the participants and has been worked through in an intensive 2 weeks of devising and working together. It is also our best hope that, two or more participants can merge their pieces of work together and co-perform together to further bring out the theme to SPIRITS PLAY.
The solo work that each actor has prepared before arriving in Singapore will serve as a starting point for this Creative Lab. The creative response is based on each actor’s sentiments and thoughts as developed from their reading of SPIRITS PLAY written by Kuo Pao Kun. It could be in any forms of theatre- word or wordless.
This CREATIVE LAB is a platform of in-depth discussion, exchange and actual floorwork, which reflects good about TTRP's vision and the will, passion and artistic discipline of its graduates to conduct cross-cultural works. Thus, Keep your email exchanges alive and active. Let’s reflect on each other ideas and giving different perspectives to challenge each other’s creation. The more we throw into discussion now, the more we can play with later. Before the physical exchange in rehearsal studio, our dialogue should start now in MIND and SPIRIT.
Proposed timeline / workflow
1) Presentation of solo works - July 27th, 28th - 8 hours.
2) Brainstorm and discussions - July 29th, 30th, 31st - 12 hours.
3) Partnership and workshopping - August 1st, 2nd - 12 hours.
4) Work-in-progress showings / feedback / detailing
- August 3rd, 4th, 5th - 12 hours.
5) Structuring and flow - August 6th, 7th - 8 hours.
6) Detailing and full run throughs - August 8,9th - 12 hours.
As you can see the time we have is short and compact. We either fail or succeed.
Looking forward to your exciting works. 加油！
Peter 佳亮
p/s: I am still waiting for your confirmed air flight and fare. Not all have done so, email me. ASAP
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