experiences & FORM

"The post-prom trip entry"

This week we discussed about the Stimulus & PPP, and the FORM of theatre:

The first thing I learnt was that for the PPP, we should start thinking as directors, and not playwrights, and ask ourselves...

What kind of experiences could we give to our audience?
Each play gives different experiences.
For example, "Más pequeños que el Guggenheim" gives the audience a completely relaxing, comic and amusing experience. It is simple, but contains very well planned 'jokes', that make it very enjoyable for the audience.
In my opinion, the experience that "Mades Medus" gave was completely different. It gives the audience an experience of 'deep thinking', makes people question themselves, and more concentration (therefore less relaxation) is needed.

On the other hand, personally, I love the experience that "Los musicos ambulantes" gave me both times I watched it (2009 and 2012).
As a foreigner, it shows me the culture of the country where I'm living, and for me it is completely relaxing, comic, well structured, and contains 'intelligent jokes' too.
Not only the jokes, but techniques such as the "creation of different means of transport" (used in "Más pequeños que el Guggenheim" too), enhance the audience's imagination, appart from creating comic moments, which make an enjoyable and fun experience for the audience.

Is "making the audience think or imagine things that should be on stage" a technique or game that creates enjoyable experiences?
Personally I think it is, if done with care, organization and 'intelligence'.


So, what changes the experience that a play gives the audience?
The vision and concept chose by the director can transform an experience in theatre.
For example, in the school play, the use of puppets and masks will give the audience an experience totally different from the ones before. It will be very eye-catching, and the elements will create a 'visual spectacle' too.

There can be many ways of conceiving a play, and the experience is about how the director creates the whole performance.

How do you create a play from a stimulus?
- to start thinking about a plot may not be the best way to start
- start with visions, little ideas, images, (for example: lots of colour, ballet, fun, explosions)
-Look for patterns, and for something to explore (for example, in our play, what is going to be said comes from the exploration & work with the masks and puppets)
*you need to invent a possible way of staging a play

*art is about EXPLORING
If music explores sound, sculpture volume, and painting colours.. WHAT DOES THEATRE EXPLORE?
This is one of the hardest questions formulated in the course until now..
What do you NEED to say that you are doing theatre?
Humans?
But humans are also "used" in the other arts...
we could say theatre is the exploration of mankind or human behaviour, but then questions such as this one appear:
Is representing an animal still exploring human behaviour?
I think that theatre could be considered the exploration of human life and its traditions or cultures.. or maybe the exploration of the events in the lives of humans..

Maybe Theatre is not a concrete art (such as literature)... or maybe dance could be considered part of theatre (for example.. dances in 'fiestas patronales'?) and then theatre could be considered the exploration of movement..

BUT.. you don't really need movement to create theatre.. so..

*WHAT IS THE FORM OF THEATRE?? what do we NEED to say that we're "making" THEATRE?