TWIST!

One of the activities we did several times during the neutral mask unit was this exercise when we would turn our bodies around, 180 degrees, one body part at a time. So we would start with our heads, move down to our necks, then our shoulders and then torso and then legs and finally feet. It was a bit difficult at first but it was a good exercise to look at how you control yourself and your body. In order to really properly do this activity you have to be acutely aware of every movement of your body.

This is important for neutral masks. It is easy to naturally let yourself go and let your body react, however you have no idea what's going on, so recreating it when thinking about it is hard. This turning activity really helped people thinking about what was going on with your body. It was a really fun to do.

Comparison: Kathakali and Neutral Mask

Kathakali and Neutral Mask have a lot to compare each other to. It was mentioned in class that neutral mask covers the face and makes you rely more heavily on your body as the means of communication to the audience. Neutral mask is an incredible activity, and has many many benefits when working with actors on their movements. It is valuable in more ways than one. But there is a certain aspect of acting that is lost when you cover the face. Yes, movement is important...but it's not everything. The human face is more powerful than people realize.

Kathakali plays on this power. In the theatre practice of kathakali, the face is a very important tool. They use facial expression and movement of the eyes to express different messages. These faces are extremely difficult and take years to master. Yes, kathakali people do put emphasis on their body movements as well. However it really is their face that is focused upon.

This comparison intriqued me. Going from one practice to the next really shows the contrast between them. One day, I was focusing on making my eyes really wide and showing anger like the picture said I should be showing anger. The next day, I've got a paper bag over my head and I have to show anger using my body. When thinking about it, it's even harder to present emotion through your body without being cliche. The best kinds of reactions are all subconscious and out of the control of the person...when you think about it, it's hard to imagine what anger or sadness or happiness looks like on you.