The second year is dedicated to the Mask, the first archetype of all theatrical languages. The “other” from oneself and the “other” within oneself. The journey starts with The Enquiries, an experience of creation based on the observation of life and its transposition into the theatrical space. Theatre is storytelling and to tell a story we need a language. The words of theatre language are the forms in motion. Theatre as representation is rigorous play with the forms of life. The main skill of the actor is shapeshifting, the ability to change forms. The archetype of all forms is the mask, which essentializes and transposes the movement dynamics, creates theatrical space and allows the play between the actor and the form itself. For these reasons, masks have a central role all throughout the second-year program.
After the expansion of the sensitivity of the body during the first year, the actor-creator now encounters various families of masks: full masks (Larval and, Expressive) and half masks (Human Comedy and Commedia dell'Arte). They all push the actor to amplify their level of playing, integrating movement and emotions. The actor with a mask goes beyond an intellectual way of playing and reaches a physical dimension of theatre in which gestures, emotions and urgencies are integrated in the language of the mask.
Mask playing (le jeu masqué) requires contact with the fundamental drives of life and a rigorous technique of articulation.
Movement technique plays a key role in the second year, becoming a permanent practice of articulation, rhythm, timing and treatment of movements through the state of the various masks.
The second year culminates with the mask of the Red Nose, and the play of theatre clown, in which the actor discovers their unique way of being stupid and transpose it into a Poetic Form: the individual clown.
The Program of the Second Year
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Treatments of space and time: the emergence of a style
Enquiries on life and its theatrical transposition
The play of masks: essentialisation and transposition of movements,emotions, gestures and dynamics
Masks: forms moving in space
Design and Handcraft of a Full-mask
Full Masks: Larval Masks, Primary Masks, Expressive Masks
From Human Passions to Human Comedy: the play of the Half-Masks
The vocal work of masks: resonators and articulation of voice
The voice of emotions and passions
Design and Handcraft of a Half-mask
Commedia dell'Arte: traditional Italian comedy. Types, lazzi and canovacci
Devising and Performing of a Canovaccio
The Red Nose: the Individual Clown.
Devising and Performing of a Clown variety show
Clowns in life
From Clown to Masks: design and handcraft of a Larval-Mask
Presentation of Solo Projects.
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