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1 MASKING UNMASKED

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3 MASKING UNMASKED FOUR APPROACHES TO BASIC ACTING ELI SIMON

4 MASKING UNMASKED Copyright Eli Simon, All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. First published 2003 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y and Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, England RG21 6XS. Companies and representatives throughout the world. PALGRAVE MACMILLAN is the global academic imprint of the Palgrave Macmillan division of St. Martin s Press, LLC and of Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. Macmillan is a registered trademark in the United States, United Kingdom and other countries. Palgrave is a registered trademark in the European Union and other countries. ISBN DOI / ISBN (ebook) Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Simon, Eli. Masking unmasked : four approaches to basic acting / Eli Simon. p. cm. 1. Acting. 2. Masks. I. Title. PN2071.M37S dc A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Design by Letra Libre, Inc. First edition: November

5 This book is dedicated to Sabrina and Olivia

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7 Acknowledgment I wish to acknowledge and extend a heartfelt thanks to my colleagues and students in the Department of Drama at the University of California, Irvine.

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9 Contents Preface xix INTRODUCTION 1 Masking Questions and Answers 2 From mask to Hu-Mask 5 Actor Approach 6 Four Families of Masks 7 Using the Book 9 Validation 10 Journaling 10 Building Masks 13 Handling Masks 13 In Sum 13 CHAPTER ONE. FULL-FACE MASKS 15 Overview 15 Terminology 16 All-Powerful Masks 16 Transformation 17 Dream State 17 What, Are You Crazy? 18 Once Again, with Feeling 19

10 Pre-Mask Foundation Exercises 19 Exercise 1.1: Warm-Up 19 Triggering Exercises 21 Exercise 1.2: Touch Trigger Physicalization 22 Exercise 1.3: Sound Trigger Vocalization 23 Exercise 1.4: Merging Triggers Comprehensive Character 23 Modifying Results 25 Exercise 1.5: Maximizing 26 Exercise 1.6: Minimizing 27 Setting Up for Full-Face Masking 28 Building the Masks 28 Studio Set-Up 28 Mirrors 29 Clothes 29 Hair 29 Wigs 29 Cloaks 30 The Standing Line 30 Three Tables 30 Watchers 30 Core Exercises: Acting in Full-Face Masks 31 Exercise 1.7: First Impressions 31 Strong Emotion Ahead 33 Exercise 1.8: Dropping into Mask 34 Let s Get Physical 35 Exercise 1.9: Stance 35 Exercise 1.10: Walk 37 Exercise 1.11: Gesture 38 Essence 39 Exercise 1.12: Statues 39 Speaking Up 41 Exercise 1.13: Finding Sounds 41

11 Wigging Out 43 Exercise 1.14: Wigs 43 Cloaked in Mystery 44 Exercise 1.15: Cloaks 44 Child s Play 45 Exercise 1.16: Simple Doing 45 Core Exercises: In and Out of Full-Face Masks 47 Exercise 1.17: In and Out of Mask 47 Exercise 1.18: Putting Baby to Sleep 48 Core Exercises: Reviewing and Modifying 49 Exercise 1.19: Maximizing Hu-Mask Discoveries 49 Exercise 1.20: Minimizing Hu-Mask Discoveries 50 Advanced Exercises: Group Masking 51 Exercise 1.21: Singing Together 51 Exercise 1.22: Dancing Together 52 Exercise 1.23: Going Outside 53 Exercise 1.24: Play Ball! 54 Exercise 1.25: Faraway Village Adventure 54 Exercise 1.26: Marketplace 56 Exercise 1.27: Wilderness Adventure 58 Applied Full-Face Masking 59 The Greeks 59 Exercise 1.28: Servant 61 Exercise 1.29: Royalty 62 Exercise 1.30: Review Working In and Out of Mask 64 In Conclusion 64 CHAPTER TWO. BAG MASKS 67 Overview 67 Terminology 67 Shifty Business 68

12 Pre-Bagging 69 Making Bag Masks 69 Studio Set-Up 70 Neutral Walk 70 Exercise 2.1: Neutral Walk 70 Core Exercises: One-Character Bagging 71 Mask Performances It s in the Bag 71 Exercise 2.2: A Friend 72 Improving: Deeper and Cleaner 72 Exercise 2.3: Once More, with Clarity 73 Surprise, Surprise 74 Exercise 2.4A: Surprise I 74 Exercise 2.4B: Surprise II 74 Core Exercises: Two-Character Bagging 75 Vocal Shifts 75 Exercise 2.5: Simple Conversation 76 Exercise 2.6: Talk This Way, No Talk This Way 78 Exercise 2.7: Vocal Variance 79 Core Exercises: Three-Character Bagging 80 Physical Shifts 80 Exercise 2.8: Three s Not a Crowd 80 Exercise 2.9: Walk This Way, No Walk This Way 81 Exercise 2.10: Street Scene 81 Exercise 2.11: Walking and Talking, Take Three 83 Exercise 2.12: Simple Activities 84 Exercise 2.13: Street Scene with Activities 86 Maximizing and Minimizing 86 Exercise 2.14: More or Less 86 In and Out of Bag Masks 87 Exercise 2.15: Bags Away I 87 Exercise 2.16: Bags Away II 87

13 Advanced Bagging: Four Characters and Beyond 88 Complex Shifts 88 Exercise 2.17: Shift, Shift, Shift, and Shift 88 Exercise 2.18: Talk Show 90 Exercise 2.19: New Place, New Characters 91 Exercise 2.20: Fight Night! 92 Exercise 2.21: Speed, Speed, Everything s Speed 93 Exercise 2.22: Ages of Life 93 Exercise 2.23: Along Came Spot 94 Exercise 2.24: Mob Scenes 94 Applied Bagging 95 Jokes 95 Exercise 2.25: Joking Around 95 Complex Scripts 96 Exercise 2.26: Launcelot Gobbo 96 In Conclusion 98 CHAPTER THREE. CLOWNING 99 Overview 99 Terminology 100 Essence 100 Studio Set-Up 102 Audience 102 Laughter 102 The Nose Knows 103 Costumes and Props 104 Core Exercises: Basic Clowning 104 Rules 104 Let s Face It 104 Exercise 3.1: Face Play 105

14 Connection 107 Exercise 3.2: Three-Face Connection 108 Exercise 3.3: Activity Connection 109 Yes-Mode 109 Spotlight: Charlie Chaplin 111 Exercise 3.4: Yes, It s Dumb. Isn t that Great? 111 Exercise 3.5: Interview Contradictions Yes-Mode Test 112 Essence 114 Essence in One Word 114 Deepening Clown Essence 115 Exercise 3.6: Essence Dance 115 Exercise 3.7: Dance performance 116 Essentially Still 117 Spotlight: Buster Keaton 117 Exercise 3.8: Minimized Dancing 118 Exercise 3.9: Stop Dancing 118 Exercise 3.10: Solo Statues 118 Risk 120 Exercise 3.11: First Audition 120 Raising the Sakes 122 Spotlight: Lucille Ball 123 Exercise 3.12: Second Audition 123 Vulnerability 125 Exercise 3.13: Love You, Hate You 125 Exercise 3.14: Instant Routines 127 Repetition and Modification 128 Advanced Clowning: New Directions 129 Alternate Essences 129 Spotlight: Harpo Marx 129 Exercise 3.15: External Shifts 129 Exercise 3.16: Activity Shifts 130 Exercise 3.17: Dance Shifts 131

15 Applied Clowning 132 Sharing the Stage: Duos 132 Spotlight: Laurel and Hardy 132 Exercise 3.18: Launching a Duo 132 Exercise 3.19: Dance Duos 133 Exercise 3.20: Improvised Duos 133 Exercise 3.21: Synchronicity 135 In Conclusion 136 CHAPTER FOUR. HALF-FACE MASKS 137 Overview 137 Terminology 137 Commedia Connection 138 Copy Cat, Dirty Rat 140 Top or Bottom? 141 Pre-mask Foundation Exercises 141 Exercise 4.1: Modern Stock 142 Exercise 4.2: Swapping Faces 143 Exercise 4.3: Face and Body 144 Exercise 4.4: Walk the Walk 144 Exercise 4.5: Talk the Talk 145 Exercise 4.6: Back to the Mirror 145 Setting Up for Half-Face Masking 145 Clothing 145 Wigs 145 Costumes 146 Props 146 Studio Set-Up 146 Building Half-Face Masks 146 Core Exercises: Acting in Half-Face Masks 147 Rules of the Road 147

16 Exercise 4.7: Five Quick Stances 147 Exercise 4.8: Walk This Way 148 Exercise 4.9: Fluid Statues and Gestures 149 Exercise 4.10: Finding Voice 151 Exercise 4.11: Wigs and Hats 151 Exercise 4.12: All Dressed Up 152 Exercise 4.13: Propping Up 153 Exercise 4.14: Reviewing Hu-Masks 154 Exercise 4.15: In and Out of Half-Face Masks 155 Core Exercises: Dynamic Duos 156 Exercise 4.16: Sharing Activities 156 Exercise 4.17: Song Birds 157 Exercise 4.18: Talk, Talk, Talk 158 Exercise 4.19: Conflict 159 Advanced Exercises: The Great Outdoors 160 Fresh Air at Last 160 Exercise 4.20: Goodbye Studio 160 Building a Crowd 161 Exercise 4.21: Busking 162 Exercise 4.22: Lazzi 163 Applied Half-Face Masking 165 Creating an Original Commedia 165 Exercise 4.23: Taking Stock 165 Exercise 4.24: Solo Entertainments Special Skills 166 Exercise 4.25: Choosing Scenes 167 Exercise 4.26: New Hu-Masks Adding Spontaneity 168 Exercise 4.27: Scripted Monologues 169 Exercise 4.28: Scenes for Three 170 Putting It All Together 170 Exercise 4.29: Theme Song 171 Exercise 4.30: Practicing in the Studio 171 Exercise 4.31: Back on the Streets Again 173

17 Exercise 4.32: Adding Lazzi 173 In Conclusion 174 APPENDIX 175 Journaling: Hu-Mask Characters Blank Journal 175 Building Full-Face Masks 176 Building Half-Face Masks 178 Building Bag Masks 180 Recommended Reading 183

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19 Preface T his book, as the title implies, is designed to unmask basic principles of mask acting. My purpose is to share with you actors, teachers, and mask enthusiasts four systems of masking that significantly improve acting skills. Mask acting is not mysterious; fundamental techniques corroborate acting truths. I have tested and refined these techniques for fourteen years in the Department of Drama at the University of California, Irvine. In each of my undergraduate and graduate courses including Clowning, Commedia, Physical Improvisation, Acting in Styles, and Character Transformation masking promotes richly textured acting. The work evokes deeply personal responses that resonate on pragmatic artistic and aesthetic levels. Working in masks strengthens traditional Stanislavsky-based methods of actor training such as specifying moments, pursuing objectives, articulating actions, listening and responding, and freeing creative impulses. In fact, these principles provide the same backbone for mask explorations that they do for scene work in well-made plays. Unlike realistic work, where the actor often spends weeks researching and finding a character, masked transformations are relatively instantaneous. Furthermore, mask acting fulfills the primary premise of acting: the comprehensive inhabitation of an other. The work is designed to enhance an actor s range of playable characters. In doing so, actors are stretched in new directions. They experience heightened spontaneity, vulnerability, and truth.

20 In spite of this proven effectiveness, most theatre programs designate masking as an elective rather than a required course within core training. Mask classes often play runner-up to traditional acting approaches such as scene study, period styles, and auditioning techniques. There are understandable reasons for this. In some schools, the desire to mask exists but the masks themselves do not. In other cases, the masks exist but no one feels entirely qualified to dust them off and put them to use. And with masks, as with all creative endeavors, half-hearted attempts yield half-hearted results. If you are interested in masking but don t own a set of acting masks, this book was written for you. You will find simple recipes for building functional masks. These will serve your needs for years to come. If you have a set of actor masks but aren t sure how to use them, this book was written for you. Each exercise is described in pragmatic terms. You will learn to use masks step by step. Your acting skills will increase at each new level of exploration. If this is your first sojourn into the world of masks, consider this a basic roadmap. If you are an experienced mask actor, the four approaches contained herein will augment your burgeoning skills. Let s put mask acting where it belongs: at the forefront of serious actor training. xx MASKING UNMASKED