No Where, Now Here

Recently, helped a friend to perform for "Short & Sweet Singapore 2008, Mandarin 10" at the Arts House (Play Den).

It was four stagings over three days and we were the largest ensemble cast in the entire series.

It was also the first time in the world, that "Short & Sweet" has evolved into a Mandarin language series.

I felt that the director and co-actors was able to translate the drama from page to stage, and bring across elements which was not evident on print.

It was interesting to see how the theatre-end-product was larger than the sum of its parts.

It was also an interesting experience to return to ensemble work with a group of young actors.

I was acting as Ma Xiu, a drunkard, who seems to articulate the clearest thoughts of them sober ones.

While I had done drunkard roles, such Jiao Da Xing from the Chinese classic- "Wilderness" by Cao Yu, it had been a long since I done something like that.

While professional production houses do not use real alcohol in portraying drunkards, I did elect to explore the physicality of someone who has been consuming alcohol and performing the actions as required in the scrīpt.

For an actor who usually don't drink, it is interesting to revisit basics and explore things from scratch all over again.

After exploring the sense and sensibilities, to capture those elements and maintain it without alcohol.

That chapter is altogether amazing experience.

An actor acting as a drunk does not act drunk, or tries to walk like a drunk. On the contrary, the actor should try his best to walk straight (but finds it not easy to do so).

A very fine line, which when over-stepped, will run the risk of been over-the-top.

It does not help, that the acting, should be kept within the perimeters of a  black box space, where performance and audience are all kept in intimate proximities.

Play and practice, it was simply wonderful, been that character and in the same "river" as the rest of the cast at the same time.

When that happens, magic happens and starts transforming everything, with the moments pregnant with meaningful exchanges and life.

Life as encapsulated on stage, so preciously shared with the audiences, that on reflection, almost felt like a ritualistic act with dedicated witnesses.

An experience that can only be experienced in the moment, there and then, and forever lost after you leave.

Leaving behind, only the impact of that special encounter in your soul.