Ever walk into a room and be stunned to find a group of ordinary people simultaneously dancing, shouting, hiding behind curtains, crawling on the floor, or running in circles?
If that’s the case, you may have just stumbled onto an intensive action theater workshop. On Monday, I traveled to Vilijandi, where Embassy staff and interns visited Notafe 2103, a festival dedicated to the art of Action Theater. We were there to watch a master class and listen in on a talk by American theater specialists. At this festival, artists travel from around the globe to come and dedicate their time to practicing, learning, and watching Action Theater performances. Some attendees come simply because it’s a hobby, while others were using experiences gained during this festival for professional development. All the performers were greatly energized, and were clearly excited to be there, strengthening their craft.
After arriving, we first sat in on the advanced class. Having no prior exposure to Action Theater, watching the workshop was a great opportunity to understand it. By the time it was over, I was almost ready to try the process myself!
Action Theater uses physical and vocal improvisation as a method of expressing oneself. At the workshop, performers divided up into small groups or pairs and then began shifting and transforming the “world” they were in, all while uniquely contorting their bodies and voices. This might involve a pair going from a world in which they were babbling nonsense together, to then angrily stomping around the room, and to then gleefully hugging one another. As a casual observer, the challenge the artists appeared to face centered on how to simultaneously tap into a primal side of themselves, while also constantly remaining aware of their partner’s performance.
Following the workshop, we then attended a discussion of Action Theater by two American experts, Cassie and Heather. Their passion for Action Theater was obvious from the moment they began the talk. In their discussion, they explained the philosophy behind Action Theater, which was much different than what I had expected. Essentially, one must train their body to be an imaginative reflection for personal experiences, emotions, and sensations. To do this, an artist must tap deeply into their self-awareness, and force this consciousness to explore new territory in their improvisation. The pair also talked about specialized techniques, and the story of how they became involved with Action Theater.
It was incredibly fascinating to learn about an art form that I had previously known nothing about, and I was excited that I had gotten the opportunity to watch such a unique form of theater. Enjoy the rest of Notafe, performers!
Post by RSO Intern Genevieve Shapiro
Photo by U.S. Embassy Tallinn
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