open space in theatre.

Harrison Owen hhowen at verizon.net
Wed Dec 21 12:38:24 PST 2005


Certainly recognize a kindred Spirit! I suspect good theatre is like good
music (according to some) - it all happens in the silences. Or Open Spaces.

 

Harrison

 

NEW EMAIL ADDRESS!!!!

hhowen at verizon.net

Harrison Owen

7808 River Falls Drive

Potomac, Maryland   20854

Phone 301-365-2093

Skype hhowen

Open Space Training  <http://www.openspaceworld.com/> www.openspaceworld.com


Open Space Institute  <http://www.openspaceworld.org> www.openspaceworld.org

Personal website  <http://www.ho-image.com> www.ho-image.com 

OSLIST: To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives
Visit:  <http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html>
www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Phelim
McDermott
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 1:25 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: open space in theatre.

 

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

* * ==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU ------------------------------ To subscribe,
unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of
oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about
OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openspacetech.org/pipermail/oslist-openspacetech.org/attachments/20051221/e1c14ef8/attachment-0007.htm>


More information about the OSList mailing list