to: November | to: Masks and Costumes

In December we began working with the script and blocking the scenes. Traditional Commedia shows were improvised and I wanted this show to have some of that same spontaneity. I have always liked to leave room for a few unstructured moments in a play where the actors can allow inspiration to change their blocking. In this show I decided to reverse that ratio and have most of the blocking be improvised with a few structured moments. Since actors are used to being told exactly where to stand and move this was challenging to some, but also exciting.

It was necessary to train the actors to think about stage composition, something that usually only directors have to worry about. We used improvisations to develop the instinct to create dynamic stage pictures. The movement and stage combat in Scapin is stylized. Slapstick violence choreography is intricate. The placement of the body and the timing is precise. Combining intricate blocking with improvised blocking created a more dynamic energy for the show.

From Christopher Pryor, the actor playing Leander:

“This is the first time I have worked in mask and learning the subtleties of mask work has proved to be challenging and rewarding. Acting in mask, especially in the Commedia Dell’Arte form, is different in so many ways from acting in a naturalistic style. The most prominent difference is the use of the body to convey meaning. This is an interesting transition for actors like myself who are used to relying on facial expression and vocal inflection to express emotion. In the mask, it is your physicality that matters.

The mask is powerful! It has an inherent personality, which the actor must bring out. Viewing a mask from different angles suggests different emotions to the audience. So, if your mask is tilted to one side it conveys to the audience a specific emotion, such as confidence. A slight shift creates a different emotion like sadness. Performing in a mask is a very subtle and refined process.