Breaking Character: My first experience with masks was in the summer of 1979. I was 15 and attending a summer conference on clowning at Oberlin College. On my way to my room, I walked through a lounge in which Avner Eisenberg was giving a talk on neutral mask and sat down to listen. Avner spoke of the mask having universal qualities and what it revealed to the actor. He put it on, stood for moment in a stillness that created a deafening silence and then slightly turned his head.
15 comments:
Masks, having gone through the process required to understand and create them, are an elusive piece of the theatre lexicon that I find isn't used often enough. By allowing the actors to lose their sense of self pertaining to their face, the physicality that arises from the symbiotic relationship between actor and mask is something wholly unique to theatre and something that is easy to take for granted. The design of the mask is a scenic design in and of itself, as you design the contours and wrinkles of the face in the image of the character or the metaphor you are trying to encapsulate. I agree with the author in regards to masks seeing the world through one perspective, if in a different fashion than the author necessarily imparts. By virtue of closing off the face and leaving eyeholes, the mind is aware that they are looking at the world through a face that can't be moved, and, as such, the body feels free to explore. The author's final point that in a world divided, masks are a good way to bring people together. Expressions and facial twitches can mean a different thing wherever you go, but by forcing a still image onto a face, you send a clear message to someone from any and all walks of life. As such, masks will maintain their place in theatre history as long as we let them.
Before diving into our mask projects, Narrelle and Dick showed us some videos of the mask exercises they do at this Lecoq school, so it was very cool to read more about it from the perspective of an alum! I had no idea that the masks had such an impact on their education as a whole. I think theatrical masks are so interesting in that they are rarely used in traditional theater, save for a few exceptions in which it makes sense for the character (such as the infamous Phantom half-mask). However, there is definitely something inherently un-human and creepy about covering someone’s face but still being able to recognize their bodies and movements as distinctly person-like. I thought it was very cool to see how everyone in our class approached the mask project differently in terms of what their interpretation of their character was like. Since our play was Streetcar, many people were inspired by the traditional mardi-gras masks and made something based off of their form and quality (in that they are purposefully made to look like a covering over someone’s eyes, not necessarily transformative of their facial characteristics as a whole). However, others went in a completely different direction and included a facial expression in their mask, meaning that the actor has to carefully choose what movements work with what their mask is emoting, and there were others which were almost entirely skeletal and open, meaning that the actor had so much more opportunity to be expressive in more familiar ways. There are many different ways masks can be used to enhance a character’s presence onstage.
Masks are definitely that art form that I've never had to work with in the world of theater and that thing I never really had to deal with until I got a greater understanding by coming here. I did have a production in high school that used had a whole line of masks based on the Simpsons characters but that was about it. Besides seeing the amazing work that the sophomores have done with their mask projects, I've also had some time to talk about Japanese theater with some friends which greatly focuses on masks in their productions. I think masks are amazing because they help strengthen the suspension of disbelief you feel when watching a show. They aren't used quite often because most shows just don't call for them but there are definitely shows that do. A big example, now on Broadway, is lion king which takes a lot of inspiration from African culture so it makes sense why masks would play such a big role. Masks are great because they are extremely powerful in the production. A simple, less-detailed mask can make the character feel like a stranger, less human while a detailed, colorful, full-of-life mask can make the character take on a whole new role that can contrast greatly with their voice or character without the mask.
The concepts behind using masks in theatre are so interesting but beyond this article and my conversations with the sophomores I have no experience with them. I'm interested in scenic and costume design and will definitely look out for more articles and examples of mask work in the future. I love how masks don't fit perfectly in any category of theatre. They do everything; occupy space, are wearable, react to lighting, and perform themselves. I hadn't realized before reading this article how the mask influences the performer more than the performer uses the mask. The craftsman has so much power over the character they create for. A lot of other commenters mentioned the history of masks overall and I wish I knew more on the topic. One other note I have is that Becker made the process of making a mask seem really easy but I doubt that. I imagine they would need to be extremely durable and that the toxicity of the materials would need to be taken into account. Hopefully I'll learn about this process and more next year in Design for the Stage.
Mask, masks, masks! I've said this once and I'll say it again-- I believe in the magical power that masks hold over us. I remember sitting in Design For The Stage and having Narelle show the entire class masks for the very first time, and the video on performers who decide to study at Lecoq. I was absolutely amazed at the work that they did with the neutral masks. I actually think that the neutral masks almost work more effectively than extremely elaborate masks because they allow you to put more of the character into the mask. There's a magical effect that masks have because they remove your identity and render you anonymous. I also think that the idea that there's already a character behind every mask made is intriguing-- that instead of having a character being derived from text and trying to squeeze it into the mask, you have to, as cliche as this sounds, *feel* the mask and let it do what it wants to do. I also think that it's fascinating how much the character of a mask can change as it gets tried on from one person to the next.
I find masks fascinating and I’m particularly interested in this article’s references to Underland’s philosophy that masks have an inherent “perspective on the world” that artists find and articulate. And I like the idea that a performer comes to a mask as she or he would to a text. We all know masks have a designer and a creator, but this philosophy gives the object its own sense of autonomy and power perhaps beyond just the intentions of its maker. In an odd way, the mask and the performer are a partnership, each bringing something to the performance that makes them altogether more than they are apart.
I also enjoy how the structure of the article supports the idea that the psychology of the design process is more complex and important than the materials process: the process gets two sentences, the thought and design behind it gets the rest of the article.
It was interesting how the author of the article went into how his masks where formed. most people done seem to realize how delicate and particular the forms become. as he stated in the article a good mask will seem to change expression when moved. in noh masks there are slight variations from one side to the other as well as top and bottom that allows this process to happen. as much as the author talked about making masks he didn't go into detail about materials or paints. now as a creator this dose not bother me as much but for someone who wants to replicate this style of mask they might have some trouble.
Masks are an interesting part of theatre. I haven’t learned much about them but I did learn some while studying Commedia Del Arte and they fascinate me. The idea that they are made not to move but somehow during a show they change features and emotions even though they are inanimate objects.They are a fascinating area of work. It is weird to think that so much work and education goes into making the best masks. I would like to work with them at some point with a show to see how actors form and shape their bodies around the masks. I think that masks should have character and feel alive when sitting on a shelf but it also takes good actors to know how to use them correctly. You could make the most beautiful mask in the world but when you have an actor who doesn’t know how to use then it won’t be as beautiful.
It's stunning what a prop can do for its actor. It holds the ability to cast a cape of mystery over its wearer. Personally, I have little experience working directly with masks. Growing up, I made several paper mâche masks. Some for fun, some for small school projects. I agree with the author whole heartedly in his description of a mask, and really enjoyed his story. when a performance makes use of a mask well, I'm always incredibly impressed.
Having just created a mask for the purpose of movement piece I can confidently say that it is far more difficult and complex than what your initial instincts would imagine. You have to think feasibly about what the actor is going to do with it once it’s out of your hands. The second that I gave my mask to the actors they put it on and shook it around on their head and I was cringing. I first learned about actors using masks on stage with the traditional Chinese form of theatre called Noh. Then I learned about Commedia Del’Arte. I took master classes in commedia and it’s remarkable how much the mask influenced the actor in the performance. It’s unreal. They inform character choices and fully and completely inform you characters emotion. How you use it could potentially change the emotion but for masks that immobile, it is difficult to alter.
There's something about masks that evokes a peculiar interest in audiences more so than with most props or costumes. Masks give off a sense of mystery and often can evoke fear because there's really no way to know what lives behind the mask. Masks in many cultures are a tradition in storytelling and have a long history. When masks are used there are a lot of things to consider: how will the actor be using the mask? How strong does the mask need to be? How detailed does the mask need to be? Masks are truly a prop, a costume, and a character all in one.
I really appreciate the author's articulation of the fact that, "masks are highly sophisticated sculptural forms that have within a perspective on the world that must be found and articulated by the performer." I think this for me clarifies what we were meant to learn from the mask projects this year in Design for the Stage. When an actor puts on a mask, they do not merely "put on" the character as well. They embody the point of view of another, take on the characteristics which that mask so kindly hands to them. Watching this happen in class when the actors tried on our masks for the first time was like waking up to all the possibilities in what had previously been nothing more than sculpture. Sculpture can be beautiful - but it can also be lifeless. What the actors did with our masks was to breath life, fluidity, and a certain intangibility into the concrete. It was a joy to watch, and it also completed the equation as to why were designing masks in the first place. Mask projects were a reminder that our part in the creation of theatre is important because, not in spite of, the fact that we create these worlds for performers to inhabit.
I really enjoyed reading this article, as it really brought another dimension to the Mask project sophomore DP’s completed about a month ago. Seeing a mask as something that is living and that the actor supports, rather than the other way around, is an interesting and great way to look at masks. While we did get a solid class on masks, I almost wish that we had more time to study mask theory as well as possibly stepping into the feet of an actor wearing a mask. I think that having a more intimate knowledge of what an actor feels when putting on a mask would have helped my design immensely. As in the article, the author details the steps in a mask making workshop, the first is having the student maskmaker explore human emotion through movement. I feel like that this article also teaches a lot about failure. Even though the writer originally failed in his mask making/ movement project, he learned more from that experience that let him be better primed for the future.
I find this article extremely interesting because I truly feel that masks are one of the biggest magical items that theater use that always (more often than not) work. Think about it. The actor is taking this inanimate thing that covers one of the most expressive parts of their body, and brings it to life making the audience think that is real. I had this realization when I did the mask project my sophomore year. The mask which I made was basically a collage of items that related to the character stuck together to form something that looked like a face. At first glance, it just looked artsy. However, once the actors put it on and began moving around the mask really came to life. I was seeing new parts of the mask that I did not even realize were there. That is why masks really are magical and a great theatrical device.
"A theatre mask for performance is a dynamic living form. The rhythmic interplay of the lines and planes of the mask and how they animate the negative space around it create a form that “plays.”"
I'm continually awestruck by the amount of influence mask and have over a performance. Though, before reading this article I had never consider the effect the app mask had over the actor wearing it. This article is clearly a heartfelt tell me of a love story between actor and the masks he performs in. Every word of this article uses with emotion and an almost convention the author feels for his work. As a designer this means so much because next time I was on a mask or I come in contact with them I will think about the relationship of the actor has with that piece. As designers it is so easy to forget that a prop isn't just something I care to hold but it's also something in the actor has to feel comfortable with. But I understand the relationship I hope I will be a better creator of not only mask the other props, costumes and set pieces as well.
Post a Comment