Does Practical Aesthetics work for Physical Theatre?

In yesterday’s Acting Blog, I stated that: ‘A technique of acting must work all the time, every time.’ An anonymous (American?) commenter asked:

“Does PA work for physical theater?”

I feel that there are about eight different answers to this question, so we’ll have to take this one in parts.

For me, the answer is very much a Yes. However, it’s worth working through the entire answer to this question to see why:

First of all, when I said that a technique of acting must work all time, every time, I was referring to actors working in films, television and theatre on scripted pieces. I was referring to what we might refer to as ‘straight’ acting. I was also referring to it working consistently for the actor, on each stage and set they tread – rather than Practical Aesthetics being some kind of answer to everything.

Because of course, Practical Aesthetics is no use at all for installing televisions or baking cup cakes. So part of my answer is Yes, it will work if it is useful to you. The answer is No, if it is not useful to you. A fork is great for eating with, but sometimes you need a spoon, right?

Next, of course, it depends on what we mean by Physical Theatre, according to various resources I checked, the term is a ‘catch-all’ meaning:

• Mime

• Contemporary dance

• Theatrical Clowning and other physical comedy

• Some forms of puppetry

• Theatrical Acrobatics

I’m sure many would argue that Physical Theatre is in fact, an entirely separate art form and has it’s own individual skill set, that an actor must learn separately from the main acting technique.

I do not believe that Practical Aesthetics is a catchall. However, it can’t hurt to apply some principles from Practical Aesthetics to ANY of these individual art forms. In this case, Practical Aesthetics might be considered to enhance this skill specific training.

Practical Aesthetics is also a philosophy of making theatre (Mamet’s new book ‘Theatre’ due out in April 2010 should offer us all more) and so many of the great principles of pragmatism offered by Practical Aesthetics are useful to any creative person or group. If we just take one idea of ‘Invent Nothing, Deny Nothing, Accept Everything and Get on with it!’ we can see how easily that this ethic could be used by the Physical Theatre practitioner in the creation of their work.

Furthermore, if we ask if PA useful for the creation, rehearsal and performance of Physical Theatre itself, then the answer is a resounding Yes. If we take the example of DV8, which in its recenty physical theatre performance “To be Straight With You” used physical performance enhanced by the spoken word, then we can see that it could be useful and work well.

And if we remove the spoken word and think of a company such as the German-based, Russian monks of physical theatre such as Derevo, there are many principles and tools in the basics of Practical Aesthetics that could help, enhance or develop this type of work and its rehearsal/creative process.

Practical Aesthetics, is primarily an action-based approach. It isn’t about words but actions. As Mamet has one of his characters in American Buffalo say ‘Action talks and Bullshit walks’. Much of the early Practical Aesthetics training is learning to work on real spontaneous impulse. Those trained in PA learn to work truthfully from moment to moment, in a physical sense, they become great observers they learn to respond truthfully to what the other person is doing within the truth of the moment, – these are all surely useful, or vital to excellent physical theatre.

We train first and foremost to learn to act through the body – as Meisner said “the foundation of acting is the reality of doing”. Sandy also wanted an exercise where “there is no intellectuality”. Where we learn to work from the intuitive centre, where we allow ourselves to become impulsive – this can only aid the physical performer.

Additionally, when you add Practical Aesthetics training to something like Viewpoints, then you get a creative philosophy and practical tools that feed off each other and stimulate fascinating creative work.

So the answer is yes, many of the principles and some of the approach itself is suited to making and performing physical theatre, and finally yes, if Practical Aesthetics could be useful to the making, rehearsal and performance of Physical Theatre, then yes, it would work.

So I guess, my overall answer is yes, it works well for physical theatre, if you mean a physical theatre performer who wants to work impulsively, living in the moment, responding truthfully to other performers, to the situation or circumstance, to music, stimulus or mood. Yes, if you want to learn to work without denying those impulses. Yes, if you like to work in action. Yes, if you like to take too much thought out of the equation and move towards action. Yes, if the essential actions of Practical Aesthetics can stimulate the performer physically. Yes if tactics lead a physical performer to express themselves physically, rather than simply in words.

In general and in the specific, does Practical Aesthetics work for Physical Theatre? Yes. Yes. Yes.