Structure of the actor's work

Explore Simon Murray's text Jacques Lecoq , questioning the links between Jacques Lecoq's philosophy and the preparatory exercises, and their implications in terms of theatre practice. Consider and discuss with your peers his training methods in relation to how they create a contemporary actor/audience relationship.

An e-book version of this book can be located here with sample sections available for reading. Complete versions of this text should be provided by your teacher.

Neutral mask

The neutral mask is ambiguous and can move in several directions at once in the workshops. Wearing the neutral mask encourages the actors to find an economy of movement which is uncluttered by social patterns and invites a sensual and somatic approach. (Murray, 2003, pp.73-75). The mask allows the body to express the emotion rather than the face, hands and words.

When learning about this topic in class, you may have explored the dynamics of pull and push in a neutral mask. A description of this exercise is written below and is used to explore dramatic contradictions whilst developing scenes and characters.

Pull and push

Working in pairs students put on the mask and face each other; they bend their knees and look into one another's eyes. Slowly they both raise their right arm and swing it over their heads grasping their partner by the right forearm. When this is done they slowly raise their left arm and swing it over their heads grasping their partner's left forearm. The students, maintain a firm grip of each others' forearms, then slowly pull and lean back testing their partnership balance. The teacher asks the pairs to start rotating their arms, first right then left. This provides a pushing of the body whilst the pairs simultaneously pull back to keep their balance. (Adapted from Hatton and Lovesy, 2009, p. l 02).

Activity

Solo exercise one

Find something you could use at home as a mask and slowly, and with great interest:

inspect yourself completely from all angles
explore your gestures and movements
look around the room
examine and explore all the windows and their functions
examine and explore all the chairs and their functions
go in and out of the doors
find a place in the room where they make themselves at home.

(Adapted from Hatton and Lovesy, 2009, p. 136).

Solo exercise two

Film youself completing a mime of pushing a boulder. Watch the video back and consider:

your hand position when indicating the location of the boulder
how your arms indicate the weight of the boulder
the movement of your knees
the tension in your arms
the push from your pelvis.

Complete the activity again but imagine a group of five people have joined you in lifting the boulder. What changed?

Read through pages 74-75 of your set text for study Lecoq, Jacques, The Moving Body. If you don't have a copy of this, you can buy the ebook at the link provided or ask your teacher. Consider the sections which outline key supposition and the characteristics of the neutral mask.

Activity

Complete a short one minute film based on the Lecoq quote below.

'Gesture precedes knowledge

Gesture precedes thought

Gesture precedes language .'

(Murray, 2003, p.76)

Use the associated exercises below to assist you with this work.

Importance of stripping away - of shedding - superfluous habits and mannerisms.
Student actor as potential tabula rasa - a blank sheet or empty vessel.
Learning as a sensory and somatic experience: knowledge accrued through movement.
The expressive potential of the whole body, not merely face, hands, etc.
Importance of simplicity prior to layering, elaboration and complexity.
Freeing and organizing the body for economic and uncluttered movement.
An acceptance of concepts such as 'the truth', 'the real' and 'the artificial'.

(Murray, 2003, pp.75-76).

Logbook reflection

Discuss how the neutral mask prepares a Jacques Lecoq actor to develop a character.

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References and Image credits

Hatton, C. & Lovesy, S.(2009). Young at Art- Classroom Playbuilding in Practice. Oxon: Routledge. Murray, S. (2003). Jacques Lecoq, Routledge Performance Practitioners, London: Routledge

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