By Gary Meitrott
posted
Sep 13, 2012
Theatre is not for wimps. After the Olympic in London, there
were some disappointments along the way, of course, but overall the
imprint in our mind inspired us with what we could do in our own
lives.
Listening while the announcer spoke with the athletes after
participating in the event with the echo of success or loss still
ringing in their competitive ears, we heard how it went, what they
were thinking at the time, how this would affect their next event.
We may contemplate with rapt attention what had motivated them,
putting forth such Herculean efforts. The sacrifices they endured
to find us hanging on each word to find out how they could dedicate
themselves to this sport and to have achieved this much to even be
in the Olympics.
Can it be surmised that the energy, effort, dedication and time
indulged to gain such success permeate other aspects of the
individual's life? The physical action taken would bring better
health; the ability to focus more intently, confidence, self-worth,
and a better outlook on the individual's life would add positive
emotional and mental states for their mind.
While watching all this on the screen I could not but think of
how theatre and in particular Shakespeare causes us to stretch with
our listening. At such an event both the actor and the audience are
engaged in what is progressing forward in time, what we call a
play, tapping into our intellect and emotional reservoir.
LISTENING
Notice that I have italicized the word listening. It is this human
dynamic that I wish to first address. This is not to say that the
visual is not activating our emotional matrix; but the aural is
heightened considerably with engaging in listening to a
Shakespearean play. May I give insight to how our culture has
over-indulged in the use of the visual in how we learn, grow and
are inspired? The intersection between Shakespeare and the Olympics
is what I call pumping emotional/intellectual iron particularly
through the use of our ears first and then our eyes.
Is it relatively safe to say that our culture today is heavily
visually oriented? The electronic input is massively in our face.
The electronic highways have much information but not necessarily
useful information, dedicated to fostering a well-nurtured human
being; and by that I mean a well rounded emotional, intellectually,
physical engaged individual. When actors are working with the text
of Shakespeare they are working with many different literary forms
including rhetoric, irony, alliteration, antithesis, and many
others.
The human voice has a vitally important position in executing
all these forms with acute articulation, pronunciation, and
amplification laced with intellectual meaning and expressive
emotional impact! The human voice used to its full extent uses the
chest cavity and the skull as resonators to magnify the production
of these vowels, consonants, syllables and words, building them
into magnificent phrases and sentences with mind spinning multiple
levels of meaning. With the active use of the tongue in
articulation, the lips forming the proper enunciation, you have to
be an Olympic athlete to be able to be granted a 9.5 or better by
the judges, that is, the audience! This in essence is what I call
pumping emotional/intellectual iron!
In articulating Shakespeare the physical is admittedly not
involved to the great extent as playing in a sport at the Olympic
level, but the level of emotional/intellectual intimacy is
palpable. Multiply that by the number in the audience, and the
theatregoer has a heightened experience of being alive and inspired
both individually and collectively. The body can't sit still with
such stimulation, and that is where I feel that our culture has
lost a great deal with an active use of their listening. Most
spectators are only being stimulated by what they see and are not
able to tap fully into the inspiration of the aural.
Playgoers of the Elizabethan era would stroll to the open-air
theatres saying that they were going to hear a play not see a
play.
Shakespeare certainly gave his multi-classed audience members
something to watch; but also gave them a great roller-coaster use
of language to stimulate and inspire. The bulk of our culture
thinks of Shakespeare as antiquated, and even stupid. Pardon me,
but it's we of this culture who have become so. The term, which
perhaps you have heard used in educational institutions, and mass
media, is dumbing down.
VOICE
The second dynamic that I have already introduced is the use of the
voice, which I believe is well exercised by pumping Shakespeare's
language. Juxtapose this with our use of text messaging, emailing
and I believe we are losing the ability to articulate an
intelligent conversation. Lastly, to speak well you must have good
posture; having good posture gives you a sense of pride. A sense of
pride engenders confidence and self- worth. Your speech carries a
vibration that has people taking notice. Speaking well peaks
peoples' interest in who you are and what you have to say.
While you watched the last of the Olympics may you be inspired
to work the muscles of your ears and mouth.
GESTURE
A third dynamic in performing Shakespeare is the use of the body in
terms of gesture, stature, and gait, including stage combat and
dancing. The simple act of raising your arm to gesture could set
off a sense of self-consciousness and even awkwardness, having
extended your arm out beyond the prescribed social limit. Mind you
there are those out there who speak constantly with their hands,
but what I'm speaking of is a well-initiated, meaningful accent to
a statement being made. Perhaps it may seem that I am being overly
sensitive to how we use our body particularly in our culture. I
would suggest just watching how people in public carry themselves,
walk, and gesture. How well connected are people to their bodies? I
personally find posture is alarmingly lacking for many. The head is
out in front of the body attempting to get there ahead of the body;
not a sensuous lope in their gate but a tension that doesn't
realize the ground under foot. Also preoccupied with destination
not with the moment at hand. In the end I say that a Shakespearean
actor has a much better handle on all of these aspects of being
connected consciously, healthfully and perhaps joyously in their
bodies.
I state firmly that theatre takes guts to fully engage in. It
will take everything you've got to be able to bring a character in
Shakespeare to life because nearly all of his characters are
multi-dimensional. They change with the actor who arrives on stage,
or being left alone on stage, expresses to the audience their true
feelings. No, theatre is not for wimps. And those who wish to go
for the gold of performing on the stage go for the Olympics of
theatre and pump Shakespeare!
Tagged:
Shakespeare, Theater
