12C. Talking Circle

1. One Word

• Everyone, come stand in a fight little circle, shoulder to shoulder. We're going to play an association game. One of you says a word and the next person will say a word in response. We'll continue around the circle with each person saying a word in response to the word that has just been said. Move quickly around the circle, no time to think, stay in the present, listening and responding. As much as you can, stay relaxed. Breathe. Stay focused on what you're doing. If you find yourself starting to laugh, or fidget, notice how that's keeping you from fully engaging in the process.

2. Two Words

• Let's change the direction. We're going to go around the circle the opposite way, and this time, everyone says two words. Keep it moving, so there is no time between the words.

3. Few Words and Gesture

• Change the direction again. Now, speak a few words and add a simple gesture as you speak. Choose a gesture that is in some way relevant to the words you are saying.

• Let's sit down and tell a story together. Each person will add one word. Listen to the tone, pitch, and rhythm of the words as they are said and allow this to affect the way you say your word.

• Again, sit in a circle. This time each of us will add a few words in order to build a narrative together. Our primary interest is to explore the possibilities of language as sound. Let go of the content and hear the sound of what is being said. Listen to the pitch, rhythm, volume, enunciation and articulation of the words. Play with these when you're the speaker.

e hear differently. Some of us, upon hearing a word, experience a feeling. Some see an image in our mind's eye. Others hear the sound of the word, particularly the music and rhythm. And there are those who experience the word kinesthetically. Of course, if we're dis­tracted while the word is being spoken, then none of these processes happen. There's no room. If we're trying to figure out our response even before we hear the word, we receive the word only as an idea. When there is direct and unmitigated listening, the response, the association, arrives. It's as if its already there. The next link on a chain.

Phrase and Gesture

The physical gesture that accompanies each phrase may be approached in several ways. The most logical way would be for the gesture to (1) literally depict the meaning of the phrase. Additionally, it may (2) reflect the subtext feeling or mind state. The gesture might just as easily (3) indicate a story element that would elaborate the phrase. Or (4) it may reflect something far fetched and be arrived at by association.

Phrase Gesture

1. "sun shines" arms circle over head and quiver

2. "sun shines" face smiles, relaxes, smiles, relaxes

3. "sun shines" rapid desperate digging at the ground

in desperation

or

walks as if parched and weak

or

grabs and rips at head

4. "sun shines" typing on typewriter

Now, we have some tools. Our imagination is ignited. We're expressing images through language and movement. We're feeling connected. We're listening to each other. These are the building blocks toward scene making.

Scene Making

A scene is a series of events held together by some commonality. Often one event is seen in light of another. On the traditional stage, a scene is built around a psychological problem that surfaces between the charac­ters. Then, it is addressed by either disclosure, investigation or resolution.

In our terms, a scene may be held together by a far greater range of concepts. A single image might carry a scene, or a rhythm, or a feeling. Within the parameters, an investigation proceeds. The investigation becomes the scene.

Since we improvise, how do we set these parameters? How do we create a cohesive scene?

Tree

The structure of a tree serves as a useful image or map. Different parts of the scene correspond to different parts of the tree. The central theme, from which all the other ideas stem, is the trunk. Background, or supporting material, corresponds to the roots. Larger themes, manifesta­tions or implications, correspond to the branches. Tangential associations correspond to the leaves or fruit. Sometimes, these appear singly or in clusters. One of these associations may fall off the tree and introduce a new trunk: a nut dropping from the branches of the first tree. This takes root and begins another scene. Soon, there could be a whole grove, an entire forest of scenes that sprout from each other.

The following exercise is based on the tree. It deals with language. Later, we'll bring in action.