Ritual

In everyday life, we carry out a number of daily routines and actions. Rituals, which can be hard and perhaps debatable to determine, however they tend to follow more sacred or significant actions. Ritual can be based upon being completely within the moment, and contains a power in the affect it has upon us.

Richard Schechner split ritual into two defined sections, secular and sacred. Sacred is the much more traditional form of ritual, that may have been passed down the generations and has a clear cut way in how it is performed. An example of sacred ritual perhaps being that of throwing mud onto a coffin as it is placed into the ground. On the other hand, secular ritual, may be much more modern, and can alternate through time with changes of technology and trend. Yet, the basic idea of secular ritual, stays very much the same.

In Greek mythology, two contrasting Gods, Apollo and Dionysus followed two different concepts to the way of living life. These concepts, despite being from ancient Greece, are completely relatable into the everyday lives we lead in the modern day. Apollo was a believer in the academic, ordered and routine approach to life in which society was capable of being run in a balanced way and could function. Whereas, Dionysus, was much more into the wild, spontaneous, free and ecstatic way of living life. Where people were un-oppressed by order and fact, but could openly express themselves and, arguably, enjoy life more. While the latter sounds the better option, in a completely Dionysian World, the way humans have adapted to live would fail to exist. It has become apparent, that in order to live the most harmonious and enjoyable life possible, one must find a balance somewhere between the two.

Secular ritual finds it’s way very much in the Dionysian beliefs, an example being the toast at an after party of a wedding. Secular and sacred can often collide, in the single event of a wedding for example we can find sacred in the exchange of the rings and also secular in the cutting of the cake. Ritual beliefs are also interchangeable as we move from culture to culture. In England for example, we may find much more of our ritual following Apollo, whereas in Kenya, we might see much more of a Dionysian form of ritual.

In theatre we can use ritual as a way to see reality in a way beyond the ordinary occurrences of society. By using ingredients of ritual within theatre, one might find a more potent way of making a point, or having a lasting effect upon the audience. By using ritualistic actions that have real life emotional connotations or by taking risks as one might find in ritual, one might be more engaged with a piece.

It could also be argued that ritual is to a degree, a performance anyway, and the line between ritual in reality and ritual as a performance in theatre may be blurred. The only difference being that in real ritual everything has truth, whereas in theatre it is only replication. From this, it is questionable as to whether the leading of everyday life is a performative task. Do we perform ourselves? In a formal situation for example, we might find ourself behaving differently, to how we might at home with our parents, because of expectations from the differing ‘real life’ audiences, we are with. Even though we are not consciously/actively performing, with the technique of stage craft, we can still generally adopt a performative state of some kind as we live our daily lives.

Void Story – Forced Entertainment

Void Story follows the narrative of two characters Jackson and Kim, and their hopeless journey through a dystopian World. Closely resembling that of a live radio play, four performers offer voice-over and soundscape to a series of still images displayed upon a large projection. On watching this piece, a sense of surrealism is felt as the characters within the piece face the worst day of their life.

The World created in Void Story, shown via images presents a bleak setting. Monotone images, with no colour set up a dull atmosphere and the area is established as they observe a panoramic view from their apartment window at the start. Looking out onto the likes of a power plant and vandalised park, negative associations are set up towards the world they live in.

Throughout, both characters face being shot, attacked by bears, dogs and insects, haunted by a ghost, evicted from their home, being kidnaped and locked in trucks, being ran over, being blackmailed by children, spied on, bombed, forced to seek refuge in a sewage system and loosing their jobs at the power station as it is blown up. A strong sense of absurdity is felt throughout the piece, yet the piece sets up that it doesn’t intend for us to believe what happens, but in a way, dis-believe.

The focal point of the piece, a series of still images projected upon a screen allows for us to visually grasp the World. Presented like a storyboard or graphic novel, the images move swiftly from one to the next in accordance to the live soundscape that is being produced alongside it. The images on screen are distorted montages. These montages produced from various images of two actors, edited into a range of backdrops and settings. The mechanics of the way in which the images are edited together are clearly shown. Tim Etchells (the director) clearly aiming to detach the audience from any believability.

With the accompanying soundscape, giving for sounds of guns, wading through a sewers, blood spewing from the body and bones being bent back into position, we are forced to use our own imagination. The images on screen never show any grotesque imagery, and the sound is clearly sourced in other ways than what is actually implied within the piece. Yet, as bones are forced together, a cry from the audience took place as they felt for what was occurring.

The protagonists within the piece, journey through their absurd misfortune with a faulse sence of optimism/hope, despite having no clear motive or aim for where they are heading. Both characters face an emotionless and un-sympathetic World where everything is going wrong and any effort they make to resolve the issue is useless. The only place emotion can be found within the piece is between the two characters as they move through their horrors together.

The voice over actors, speaking as the two protagonists from a first person perspective speak mostly with relative calm. This really debunking and creating a bathos for what is happening. This allows again for the audience to perhaps detach from the believability of the piece. At times the calmness within the actors voices also creates a chilling carelessness and feeling of defeat within the characters. ‘oh look, the power station has blown up’ she says in a slow, monotonous voice. Despite it’s chillingnes, the high level of bathos in moments like this allow for times of dark comedy.

The piece ends with a fade out of the image being projected, as the sound of bomber planes fly over head. The narrative is left open ended as to whether Jackson and Kim die, we are left without an answer, and must find a resolve for the story within our own mind. The idea of using our own mind to truly create the deeper picture behind a World and story we are given the initial foundations for is to me, a significant aspect within the piece.

Games in theatre

In theatre there are a number of companies that use the idea of play and game as part of their work. For example in works by the likes of Blast Theory and Idiot Child. These companies both use play in very different ways, and while it may be easy to label the word ‘game’ in a specific category, there are many forms in which it comes and is used.

Dark play, is a style of game that isn’t only part of theatre, but life. An example of dark play being to pretend you are a doctor when talking to an unsuspecting stranger, that wouldn’t know any different. Dark play contains a vivid element of risk, and if you were to fail the game, the stakes would be high. In my example, the stakes are the strangers emotions, dignity and view towards you.

While I used a subtle example, another example could be to cross a road without looking, the game being that hopefully no cars are coming at the same time. In this example the stakes are much more life and death, and one would need to be very much into the game to partake. From it may come a feeling of adrenalin and a compleat moment of no control (which some can find exhilarating). Even though one’s initial reaction towards the latter example would generally be that of compleat lunacy, lots of these ideas are good ingredients that are transferable into some niche theatre.

In the theatre company Blast Theory for example, dark play forms a great part of their pieces. Taking inspiration from the universally popular games console such as Xbox and PlayStation, Blast Theory aim to blur and mix the line between the virtual and real world, in order to find a new meaning where ones risk of life and death can be put at stake, without actually genuinely risking ones life.

In one of Blast Theory’s works, ‘Desert Rain’, simulation of life in the Gulf War takes place, and one has to compleat a mission in a set amount of time. The game in the virtual World takes place alongside real occurrences. This juxtaposition aiming to subtly blur the lines, and make the virtual action as real and engaging as possible. This work is interesting as it explores a real life event that occurred. The highest selling console game of all time, ‘Call of Duty’ is a game that also replicates past real life events. The idea that people can live in a virtual World, where they can leave, reset, pause and have endless lives, while carrying out actions that were once pursued in reality is thought provoking. Questions arise such as, ‘if we shoot someone in a virtual game, could we shoot someone in real life?’ … most would argue no, and while this is almost defiantly the case, a real sense of rhetoric and self-reflection can come if compared sensitively in a controlled theatrical environment.

Idiot Child, use game very differently to Blast Theory. While Blast Theory use game as a significant form in their work. Idiot Child only use it as a minor ingredient, but none the less it was interesting. In their work, ‘You’re not doing it right’ they briefly perform a game which is constructed of the most simple daily items. Such as a can, a peg and some paper. While the game itself might be awful, if the game is played with energy and conviction, and it is presented right, as ‘You’re not doing it right’ proved, anything can seem amazing.

Some key ideas are to present the game outright to the audience, and not keep it internal between the people that are presenting it. Also, always have eye contact and audience involvement. Every person presenting should take on a different role, so that there is variety to watch, and there must be a defined focal point. All of these ideas are completely relatable not only to the example provided, but to theatre in general. Finally, the game in the show was to an audience as a part of theatre. The game rules are not essential, and what most people want to see, is for someone to succeed, so a final note would be to cheat, in order to make the performance of the game less precise, but more entertaining.

… a technique to improvisation?

One would initially think that improvisation in acting is driven purely on whatever happens in the moment, and is based primarily on luck. In the most part that is true, yet I have found that there is technique, play and control behind improv, to make the most of whatever spontaneous improvisation is occurring.

Trying some of these techniques out myself, I found that practice has to take place, such as an instrument needs to be tuned, and that things improve as you experiment and feel your way into these techniques. It may not come immediately.

One of the most significant rules/games that stands out to me is ‘Gag Police’. This game consists of carrying out an improv that doesn’t make (or intend to make) people laugh. With improvisation, it has really occurred to me that there is a pressure to be comic and make people laugh. ‘The funnier someone is, the better they are at improv.’ This however, I feel is not true. In some ways, it may be better to avoid comic, and go for a more unique response. One reason I feel comedy may be so popular in improv, is because there is a definite audience response… of laughter. With laughter, the performer can use it as a gage as to how successful their improv is being received. While, most other styles of performance, such as for catharsis or rhetoric, there is a lot less to have as a gage, from audience response. Once one person sets up a comic atmosphere in improv, it can be quite daunting to break away from ‘the trend’ and go for a different response however, especially if you attempt to be different and don’t succeed. Yet, if one does succeed, it may be quite a powerful contrast. No matter what, it is always good to dabble at new things, and try.

Another technique that stood out to me was to ‘Always say YES!’. When two or more people are improvising a scene, in order to move forward there cannot be a block or contrast of ideas. When your partner makes a suggestion, such as ‘we are on an aeroplane.’, it is important not to reject the idea and pretend to be in a house… but to go along with any ideas put forward, and keep with it. It is essential to remember that even in improv, everything is about what the audience member gets, and to be erratic, conflicting and indefinite in what is happening will make the audience member a lot less engaged.

Alongside ‘Always say YES!’, one must always remember to also keep with the original idea. To start with gardening and suddenly change to shopping, wouldn’t make sense to who was watching, and is a sign of a weak improv. To suddenly change an original idea, shows a lack of commitment and thought within the improv, so the idea is suddenly changed in a frantic attempt to find something with more capability and interest. But, to stick with the original idea (even the most boring) and explore and be creative, one might reach something far more interesting eventually. The most important thing being that the audience could logically, follow and trace every moment that was happening from beginning to end.

On a similar note, an improviser can hedge, which is to move away from the original subject for a brief moment. They do though have to return to the original idea again, while it is still fresh in the spectators mind. This I feel, is a nice ingredient in improv as it can add a depth and layer to the action that is taking place. It also allows the piece to be more dynamic, instead of consistently on one monotonous level.

Finally, a key thing to bare in mind in improv is that you do not need to be multi talented, but just relaxed and open to putting yourself out there. If you were required for example to sing in an improv (but you can’t sing) use it as an advantage. The audience will feel a lot more at ease, if you are at ease with yourself. If you awkwardly tried to sing your best, the audience would feel awkward too. If you sang awful, but with conviction and willingness, the audience will be able to laugh with you, instead of at you.

Earthquakes in London

About the issues of Climate Change facing the World today, Earthquakes in London grasps a sense of the debate that the modern World faces. Based upon the lives of three completely different sisters and their father, the play aims to balance a mix of life on both a domestic and international level. Set over a chronology between the 1960’s and 2525 this play also intends not to cover a particular moment within the issue of climate change, but face the issue on a full scale.

Written by Mike Bartlett, this episodic piece revolving around a number of protagonists who are all interlinked as part of the same family, brings the piece from a perhaps cold and less relatable play about global warming, to something we can empathise with and follow much easier. By following individuals within the piece, who highly contrast one another, the piece finds itself driven by conflict. With three sisters (a student, an environment minister and a pregnant teacher), the narrative of the piece flips comfortably between the three.

The environment minister gives a broader political view of the situation, from a Lib Dem perspective, with her own debate of being in favour of the environment, over another runway at Heathrow airport. With this character and the conflicting views of her colleagues we see a factual debate, in which we see pros and cons on both sides of the argument. This making the piece far less preachy and biased, but instead a piece that addresses the issue from multiple angles. We also grasp a sense of the propaganda around the issue, and this is further heightened in the scenes set in the 1960’s in which the father (an environmental scientist) is blackmailed to put his real findings of the effects of greenhouse gasses, in the favour of air companies.

The next sister a pregnant teacher, faces inner conflict as she questions if she wants to bring her baby into an ill fated World. Going to the extremes of attempting suicide, the issue is brought to an emotional level. With specific moments in the piece such as her unborn baby crying ‘Mummy’ as she faces a wall of gloomy futures ahead for her child. The piece finds cathartic and unsettling moments, which really encourage the spectator the question their own place in the global issue addressed within the performance.

Jasmine, the youngest sister, a student, presents a very Dionysian take on the piece, with partying and burlesque. A powerful feeling with Jasmine, is that while she may not posses the same factual knowledge on global warming as others within the piece, she is still aware of an inevitable gloomy fate. This perhaps resembling society, in that many people know there is an issue, but refuse to truly action it into their lives.

Finally, the father presents a helpless view of the matter. This character is very factual, and demonstrates how the human race have pushed things too far.

With the use of a revolving stage, scenes fade gradually from one to the next. Use of noise and silence, movement and stillness, light and dark and positioning on stage create a sense of major and minor and where the eye should look. Transitions can therefore be very swift, and a feeling is given that while we are moving between multiple places and people, everything is connected. The idea of connectedness being powerful in the piece overall as it faces an issue we face together as a human race. Other moments within the piece provoke the same idea, such as the use in one scene where multiple mothers take on the same identity, creating a sense that the ideas expressed are not held by just the one individual in the piece, but a large number of people within society.

Overall, Earthquakes in London addresses a very controversial issue that is very relevant to anyone that watches it. It’s angle as a whole, which may seem biased towards the bleak idea that climate change is upon us, is both at times subtly and un-subtly balanced with alternate ideas and resolutions. Aiming for a revolution in which action is taken, to prevent an otherwise certain fall of humanity. When people leave the piece, it is an interesting thought to know whether the piece has a lasting affect, or whether the piece was just a theatrical event that occurred within the moment.

The Work of Pina Baushe

Tanztheatre, is a unique form of dance theatre developed by Pina Baushe and her ensemble. “I am not interested in how people move, but in what moves them,” Pina once stated. Pina’s work, explores human beings in their rawness, looking at how experiences, situations and emotions, have an affect on the body.

A key aspect in Pina’s work, is that it does not intend to teach people lessons, but instead finds a way through life in which we get through by feeling our way and attempting the new. This allowing for Pina’s work, which was initially created in the same way, through opening up the psyche and exploring, to be perceived by an audience in a way very much similar to how it was created. A very direct form, from the performers raw expression, to the audience members raw interpretation.

The work of Tanztheatre Wuppertal also significantly explores the idea of a compleat connection of everything. Pieces consciously removing the traditional idea of dualism and binary opposites, such as divisions between flesh and spirit, the real and unreal, invisible and visible and dream and reality. The lines between consciousness and dreaming being blurred, this allowing for new limits to be reached, in that what is expressed is universal and already known and familiar, but may have never been regarded under the light in which it is portrayed. Pieces aiming to make what is already subconsciously known by the spectator, apparent and identifiable, by taking them deep into a conscious realm of comprehension and self-exploration. “People already possess what they need to be happy, they just have to identify it.”

Visually, Pina’s work is highly metaphorical. For example with the use of a red dress in Le Sacre du printemps, in which it is passed among the women, until a ‘sacrificial’ victim is singled out. The red dress, perhaps symbolising blood/death, as well as impurity. Furthermore, Le Sacre du printemps is relatively earthy and subtle with it’s colour pallet with bare flesh, browns and beige. Due to this, the red dress creates a strong focal point and singles out the specific dancer, which is in keeping with the theme of the piece. Yet, while the red dress singles the specific female dancer out as the protagonist of the piece, the piece is constructed so that the individuality of the protagonist is non-existent. Instead, the protagonist forms part of something of a larger scale, such as the destiny of all women. Due to this, the spectator cannot engage or empathise with a personal history of a specific individual, but must look on a broader scale, to a place where they perhaps look at the World and human race as a whole.

Storytelling and Serbia

Storytelling is much a part of performance, and most performances have a narrative of some kind. Recently, I have focused on the techniques in which we can tell a story better, alongside looking at places where we can gain inspiration for a story from.

Looking at simple devices such as red herrings, in which the story teller may go off on a tangent,or use of voice in which the story teller may convey the voice of the character they perform, we can improve the way a story is told/performed to an audience.

A way I have found to inspire a story may be to use the form of live writing. This is where I go to a place and chose a person or place in that moment, and construct a story through my own imagination based upon what I see. We used this form in Serbia, and then produced a tour of Novi Sad, which we then performed to the locals.

In Serbia we created a flashmob which we performed in the town centre. The flashmob, which was a co-creation between the Bristol based people and the locals to Novi Sad, was based on tourism, and how our interpretation as visitors was different to the locals perception of their home. Both of our inputs created an interesting ensemble performance. While the performance in terms of actions and voice was relatively simple, performing as an ensemble meant that timing was key. With enough rehearsal we achieved this. From the reaction of the locals, the flashmob seems to have been a success. For me, performing in another country introduced how, with a slightly altered culture, the way performance is seen is altered. Yet, with international touring in the modern day, many performance styles are becoming wide spread and globally recognised.

One-on-One Theatre

On looking at one-on-one theatre, I see a much more intimate and personal experience, in which the audience member takes on an active role in the piece. This form of theatre offers a performance that can be highly interactive dealing upon the actions of the individual. Yet, one-on-one theatre is a theatrical form, and there are many styles and approaches to a performance within its boundaries.

In attending the one-on-one festival at the Battersea Arts Centre, I experienced an array of unique performances, which could not all be anchored to a single label. The only similarity that they shared, being the idea of one audience member to one actor, in a defined space and situation.

Neverhome – Kirsty Harris

This performance inspired by “Peter Pan” dealt with the theme of home, and what home is to a specific individual. From the start of the piece, I was identified as my own character within the piece, as “cousin Olly”, making the piece more personal to myself.

The piece was very self-reflective as I was asked questions directly about my personal experiences and memories. The use of a Polaroid photo of me being inducted into a family album of past “family members”  suggesting how an individual can leave a mark upon another in a single moment in time. Also, how we can all be connected through a home or event.

The sensory experience was vivid, with the use cedar wood to create a forestry smell. The installation was very natural to set a representation of a treehouse. The imagination was encouraged, as we drank imaginary tea, and the performance dealt with the idea of our youth through visiting activities known for being associated with childhood.

Internal – Ontroerend Goed

This piece, featuring 5 audience members to 5 actors, presented an in-depth and short, but intense interaction with another person. Seeing how much someone could get to know about another within a short space of time.

The piece was very psycho-analytical of each individual, the end of the piece presented a deep discussion of what each person interpreted from their partner and how they felt. Dealing with whether how we perceive ourself is how another may perceive us was an interesting aspect of this piece, and the actors presented at times brutally honest analogies of their person, at one point referring to an audience member as “selfish” for example. This reflecting the reality of the World, over a censored theatrical version.

The whole piece was comfortable as the audience member is in control, nothing goes beyond what the individual wishes. As personal space could be invaded the relationship and barrier between actor and audience member is almost completely broken down, instead looking at two individuals within a date environment. Taking instead the reality of a dating situation, and how the situation in itself may be performance, whether in the real world, or as a piece of theatre.

Frieda – Meleanie Wilson

Frieda, rather than being an experience with another actor, was an experience with just your own self. Taking the time, to truly look at who you are as an individual.

The use of headphones and the voice upon them, gave clear instructions/signals of what to do throughout the piece. Containing a nice mix of definite clear instructions, alongside interesting, thought-provoking statements and facts encouraged the individual to look deeply within themselves. The timing of the piece was very good, in that following the instructions, I moved at a reasonable pace. While the sound/voice of the headphones acted as the overall source that moved the piece along, I the audience member had overall control. This, due to me as the audience member being the only active person in the piece, and having nothing else intervene.

Being the only person in the piece, when encouraged to dram my own self-portrait, after a time of self-reflection in a mirror, I felt I could fully express myself. When around another person, the pressure to please or live up to expectation occurs, which wasn’t the case in this piece.

The Pleasure of being: Washing, Feeding, Holding – Adrian Howells

This piece was a strongly intimate experience, between two individuals, based on the nurture and care of myself as a person.

Throughout the piece I felt highly powerful and in control, which I think overbalanced the vulnerability of being completely exposed through being naked. The piece was succesful in breaking down the boundaries, with the audience member voluntarily breaking down the first physical personal barrier of clothing, and Adrian gradually breaking the second mental barrier created through our nakedness, and our self-consciousness behind it. This was done through his respectful nature and building of trust. By referring to me with the use of my name, I felt highly respected as an individual and significant within the actors mind, over being “just another audience member”.

While there was minimal verbal communication, the level of intimacy between the two people created a strong connection between them single-handedly. Also, by exposing myself as an audience member and by Adrian taking the risk to actively care for me in my vulnerability the balance is created in which we both are in a moment of dependability on each other, generating a powerful and somewhat moving experience of give and take.

The installation, taking place in a bathroom filled with many lit candles and rose petals, presented a highly romanticized environment, expressing the kind of the place in which this kind of action takes place in reality. It also created a shrine like environment, in which I could have been at the top of a hierarchy, being cared for and nurtured almost like a Godly being.

The Butterfly Collector

Using the devices I have learnt, we have created a postmodern performance based upon the way the “West” may view the “Orient”. With particular reference to thai brides and finding love.

The performance as a whole, can be split into a number of sections. The opening part of which, featured a set of 3 dances. These dances were sought to present the touristic and steriotypical facade that westoners are fed, of the “Orient” through the likes of media. This was done through intercultural references such as costumes, such as the use of kimonos. Also, the music was used in order to reference the “Orient”, and the style of dance was used alongside this in a “cheesy” way, to demonstrate a somewhat commercial way of how the “Orient” may come across. This was done with the use of overly smiley facial expressions in juxtaposition with a popular form of how oriental dance is seen.

Also, in the dances, came the performing of gender. In which males, performed a feminine role. This was done via the use of female costume upon the males body. The style of dance was very provocotive and intended to be a comical portrayal of men’s views toward females. The dance style supporting to a degree, John Berger’s idea of  how women live for men (in the male’s eye) from “Way’s of Seeing”, with the use of highly sexualised movement and looks. Intertextual referencing was also made to the film “Full Monty” with the song “Leave your Hat On”, in which a simular style of performance to the film was carried out alongside it. This presenting how a typical Western male culture could perhaps percieve the female “orient”.

The next section of the performance was an interactive experience featuring many mini-narratives, in which the audience were invited amoungst the performing actors, to communicate and make discussion. Firstly, with the use of food such as seaweed, came a sensory experience of taste, associated with Asia. Next, came inter-textual referencing made to both song lyrics and the plays I had addressed throughout the term. It was vital to however, make the text and structure of what we said flow, and to work parallel to improvising with the audience. In order to do this I carried out hot seating to help become fully aware of my character. My character of a recently married man, presenting a parody of love.

A third section of the performance was one-on-one, in which the audience were invited induvidually to a booth to carry out an interactive experience with an actor. My installation included a mirror and a number of clothes. The piece reflecting upon identity and what we define as “perfect”. The audience being made the offer to dress me, giving them the opportunity to select what they thought was “best” in their mind. The final result, intending to present the audience with an image to reflect upon.  For exaple, the installation featured two styles of clothing “uniform” and “casual” clothing, and the choice between the two may represent how work driven one might be. Another feature of the performance aiming to suggest whether a persons identity could be altered with the clothes that they wear. With the bold variety of clothes on offer from leather jackets to sailor costumes, whether we percieve someone differently through the style of clothes they wear.

The end result of the performance was then photographed by myself featuring the audience member and me in the image. This was firstly to symbolise how media and imagary now has a strong influence on the clothes we choose to wear. Also, to capture and eternalise their decision in that moment. By not knowing where the image would go beyond the performance, it could perhaps trigger the induvidual to question the choice they made and refect upon whether they truely made the right choice. This presenting how a choice made at one moment in time, is what may be interpreted of you by someone forever.

In creating a piece of choreographed physical theatre, the piece which used the qualities of my own body as a tool, looked at the roles gender have in terms of dominance and control.  Myself being a relativly short male, alongside a tall female opposing to the idea that the masculin should be bigger and domineering, in contrast to the responsive and vulnerable female. Also, the female in the piece was given the overall lead of the performance, to symbolise how in modern society woman are taking on a more active role, in terms of both domestic life and in careers.

As the performance progressed the audience were forced to see deeper into what truely lies behined a culture. Breaking through the steriotypical facade at the start, to see a much more general, but truthful representation as the performance developed. With the use of a western person using verbatim to portray an oriental person, we debate the difference between the two cultures, and question whether it goes much further beyond the way one looks.