Be More Alive Than That

You wear the neutral mask. You go on the stage.

You interpret with you body the movement of the elements. Earth, fire, wind, water.

You interpret materials: glue, acid, vinegar, oil, bleach, glass...

Prof: "Your movement, it is too mechanical. You find one thing to do with your body and you repeat it. It is like the traditional theater. You find one thing that works and then you repeat it after your impulse has died. You must be more alive than that."

The students go up. They play with their bodies. The drum is hit and they freeze. Their masks are removed. They ontinue to move.

The students are told to speak text as they move. The text must not guide the movement. The movement informs the text. The student has the pleasure to play with the text as the element. The text does not take over the element, the text does not take over the physical impulse.

The impulse. It changes. It is alive. We start with the impulse and we never know where we are going.

So I wait to begin the exercise. I do not knw what will happen. I try not to think, only to stay open and know that SOMETHING will happen. Then I begin. I look for the play. How do I play?

I play with vinegar.
Prof: "You are the homosexual vinegar. We put you in the museum for top level homosexual vinegar."

I play with acid.
Prof: "Before, when you played with homosexual vinegar, you were light. You had your special pleasure. Now you are militant heterosexual. This is so terrible. John Wayne in Vietnam aggressive. Horrible. You must be light, not aggressive."