Day Five: Come all ye postdramatic

Day five began like any normal day in Berlin: Slightly hung over (from organic merlot), sore everywhere (from movement classes and Toi style hardcore warmups) and running to get to the mime centrum on time (and cursing the enigmatic Metrobus system as a double-decker speeds past you in the exact direction you want to go). But what is most consistent is the excitement on my face. I know that today will be beautiful, challenging, and massively productive. I know that when I arrive I will see the faces of my new young, talented, intelligent, postdramatic Berlin family. We will smile at each other and indicate particularly pained muscles. And then we'll jump on the "Ich Warte" rollercoaster.

Once again we began the day with a movement class. It hurt much less than the other classes, which was simultaneously a reprieve and a disappointment.

After our session we gathered around and listened to the fruits of yesterday's labour. The recordings were nothing short of perfection (the sound quality of a few was a bit too poor to understand but even so) it was like finding a fifty dollar bill in the gutter. More than one of us were nearly moved to tears listening to these people repeat these profound words which they have never heard before.

We then moved on to our creating! As everyday there is a rhythm of observing or listening followed by instant creation. We explored the space around us with the sounds we were hearing. We simply played and found some beautiful contrasts and counter rhythms. We moved from tableaus to carrying Tai and "painting" the wall with her body, always with Willem and Holly's clear and trustworthy guidance.

We then gathered around and watched an extract from Dood Paard(dead horse)'s version of Medea! The Dutch group had rewritten the entire script using very simple language and spoken lyrics from pop songs. Dood Paard works very well with chorus work, pace and rhythm of voice, and the charm of performing in English as a second language. The piece was very static and there was no distinction of which actor was playing which character. Apparently they never work on the floor before a performance, meaning that their rehearsal period revolves around the language, rhythm, and very clear body language and gestures which seem to come just a few seconds before the relevant words. This creates a very interesting effect which drew me in to their performance. I did find myself questioning the relevance of their work at a certain point however. "This is so interesting but where is it going?" It's like someone you meet showing you photos of their kids and you think to yourself "Unless i'm going to meet these little people in the near future, I just don't care, and you're so boring and arrogant to expect me to."

Oh no! Sorry bloggy I need to run off to todays work.....oooh postdramatic. I'm telling you that I need to go but im clearly taking time to write these very words and you don't even know if I do in fact need to go! oooooh so postdramatic..... but seriously yeah.

-Ben