Description
On Friday 22nd March we went to see a play at yuyachkani called "Confesiones" by Ana Correa. I actually do not consider it a play, it was more like a demonstration of work in which she explains and share how she managed to explore and create the different characters she has played.
Analysis
The structure of this demonstration went something like this:
she explained a character
she played the character
she explained and played five different characters.
So, this was very strong. Myself, as a student from the IB Theatre course, personally think that Ana's way to show this whole theatrical process was very interesting. Firstly, she makes it very clear from the beginning that there are two spaces in the stage; the space of the actress in which she told us her `confessions´ of her characters, and the space of the character, which she showed as a space that portrayed a magical and spiritual atmosphere, it was seen as sacred and special. One of the main things we can learn from this is that when she is in this magical space, she is not afraid of explore herself as an actress and as a human. Just like she said, "to grow as an actress means to grow as a person" and I think this statement is proven by her as she told us how she started to create all of this characters, by investigation and models.
Throughout her actress career, Ana met a lot of people who helped to create many characters. For example, she uses her old teacher to build her character of `Sin Titulo´, that was also a teacher. This is relating with the idea of acting as a personal process as by meeting new people, she puts a voice to that `stereotype´ or role in society, which allows her to connect with the character as she is applying personal experiences to it. Also, we can see that Ana did happy and fun scenes when she used a mask. For example, at the beginning when she did a character from Paucartambo and when she did the teacher. I think she did this to symbolise that she probably needs a metaphoric mask to express her humour. After all, theatre forces to know yourself by trying to find similarities and differences between you and your character. So, maybe she isn´t that fun in reality so she needs this mask that allows her to explore this hidden side of herself. And in the end, she was happier with the mask, as if it was her real being, her real layer and her real her.
Moreover, one of the factors that make this performance so strong was her vulnerability. For example, at the end of the play she did this jungle nudity scene in which we could see her breast. I think this is symbolical as with every presentation she takes cloth pieces until the end when she ends nude, which symbolises the different layers she has been through, she is like an onion and the last layer, the very very hidden one, is the more vulnerable. Also, by doing this, she is telling a story that can be empathised by every woman who feels vulnerable. Again, she is giving a voice to woman in the society who are repressed by it. In the end, Ana ended up having an emotional impact on the audience. When she talked about her personal experiences, she was being extremely honest and open by sharing and confessing them. And again, she was being vulnerable, she was opening to us and it had a strong effect on us.
Connections
I don't think I connect many things while watching the play. But, when I started thinking about it an analysing it, my connections just started to pop. One of the strongest connections I made was with myself. After understanding the different messages of the play and see how they were born out of Ana's process as an actress and an human, I realised this play remained of myself. In my acting life, i mean on stage, I brought into life to five characters; a worker, a dama, a villian, a geisha and a dancer. While creating this different characters, I really believe I have grown as an actress and as a person, and I am not saying it because of the performance´s messages, i really feel it, although this is the first time I reflect on it and actually connect it to a practical work. But, after all I feel it. So, I really think I can connect with Ana, as everything she said about creating characters and growing with them as a human and as an actress its actually truth, and an extremely deep kind of connection with yourself and with your characters. It is just amazing how seeing the practical process of someone else can make you connect to it and reflect on it. I think I´m stopping this point as I am starting to reflect on it, and that will be on the reflection section :)
Well, I actually have another connection! YEY….. so, I also connect this performance to the actual theatre we are studying….YES….GERMAN………………..wait for it…………….EXPRESSIONISM!!! lml You will ask yourself, how does this kind of theatre can be connected with Ana´s performance? Let me answer. Both of this performance have important things in common, they allow the actor or actress to use personal experiences in order to create a character. In german expressionism, you don't play a character, you become the character, which is kind of the thing Ana do on her performance.
Reflections
Now i can start reflecting.... :D I personally reflect on the performance as a way of understanding how someone can create a character based on personal experiences and furthermore understand how and when I do this and how will it affect my work. Will it be better? will I connect with my character? Will my character express myself or an stereotype? Lets take it deeper. After watching this demonstration I really found it very difficult to reflect on it as a personal experience, but, now, I really feel identified with Ana. I understand in a very sensitive way how you feel when you are acting, I feel powerful, I feel that no one judges me, I feel myself. Theatre is like a therapy to me as now i get that it allows me to know myself, to explore my physicality and soul and to grow as a human. While I grew with each character I mentioned before, I understood that no matter what role you are given, Its your job to make that small or big part shine to have a satisfactory performance, because, I think that is one of the most important things I am going to need this year. I have to learn from the mistakes I've done and to do EVERYTHING with my very best, knowing that it´s my really very best. If I do something the best I can, that its not only reflected in my conscious, but in my results. Overall I can also conclude that by hearing Ana´s confessions, I started to reflect my own theatrical confessions, and I am aiming to put this confessions in practice and win something from it. If it works, I will grow from success, if it does'´t, I will grow from failure.
So, this bunch of ideas made me think and question.....
to hear someone's confessions always make your reflect on your own? to listen how someone built a character influences you on having similar techniques? why do we have to create a character? can we be the character? are characters always supposed to have some personal feelings or experiences involved? do we unconsciously involve our feelings and experiences when building a character? to what extent does exploring a character allows you to explore yourself? am i doing something wrong if i don´t use personal experiences to build a character?
xoxo
TheatreGirl.
xoxo
TheatreGirl.
