THE THEATRE TRAP
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’ve lived in Thailand for over 10 years now. Acting has been a part of me ever since my first pantomime performance at the age of 10 all the way through formal training at university. I like to help people with no acting experience discover what it’s all about, which is exactly what I have been trying to do in Thailand. I have used drama therapy with teens on probation and with children with autism; I have also managed a performing arts school and coached VIPs on how to give speeches.
What do you think of the theatre scene in Bangkok?
Diverse and improving all the time. There are many groups pulling off some excellent shows, both original and established. It’s also good to see more shows combining cast nationalities so they appeal to multiple audiences. Of course, I think there is always room for more theatre though. Theatre folks can sometimes get a bit niche in their market. It would be nice to see a few more things of interest to someone who hasn’t been to a theatre before. I just hope more kids join the scene, form acting troupes, sculpt plays and start to perform wherever they can. Theatre doesn’t necessarily need bright lights and red curtains — although that does help — so long as you have people to watch.
What is it that drew you to the world of theatre?
Theatre was a natural extension. Acting came first. I give credit to my high school drama teachers for igniting my interest in acting and its benefits. I used acting as a social coping mechanism which is a nice way of saying I bluffed my way out of getting beaten up by local bullies. But all those skills apply very well when onstage. Theatre has a habit of getting you hooked on riding a high all the way to performance night but once the final curtain falls the “post performance blues” leave you yearning for the next show. Theatre doesn’t draw you in; it traps you from the very start.
How did you get involved with the Bangkok Community Theatre? For the longest time I had assumed the BCT only staged musicals, comedies and pantomimes, which isn’t exactly my cup of tea. Last year an audition call went out for a play titled
Almost Maine which really caught my eye as it was completely different from the usual lineup of shows. I auditioned for a part and was lucky enough to participate and perform in a great show with an excellent cast and director. This completely changed my view of the BCT as I realised it would take a chance on showing modern contemporary dramas as well. I stayed involved ever since and they let me put on this little play that I like so much.
When and why did you start directing?
I started i n university during a particular group project where nobody knew what to do. I was the only acting student not hungover and who actually had an idea of what to do. Then it wasn’t long until they asked “what do we do next?” and before I knew it, I was directing. The challenge of directing is weaving together the bigger picture as opposed to focusing on just one thread as an actor.
What are some of the challenges of being a director?
Finding a balance between a democratic cast where the director listens to all of the actors’ opinions and incorporates them in decisions but still knows when to have the final say. If you try to be a total control freak and micro-manage everything it will never work and your cast will fight back. I don’t believe in simply repeating lines again and again until the performance so I try to mix up each rehearsal using acting games and techniques that re- inforce whatever emotion is needed for the scenes. I have to be careful I don’t tire the actors out too quickly. Other than that, wading through floods to rehearsal is a challenge…
Why have you decided on this particular play? I wanted to demystify acting. When audiences see a staged play or movie they only see the end product of a long and hard process. Audiences forget that people need to learn how to act. Circle Mirror Transformation is a great insight into the methods and techniques that drama students go through to become an actor. I want people to see behind the scenes and witness people learning to act first-hand as no one really knows. Circle Mirror Trans
formation has a great story with engaging characters that will hopefully help non-theatre enthusiasts stop thinking that actors are a bit strange.
How do you think people in Bangkok will be able to relate to this play?
I want audiences to come away from watching the play with an idea of what’s involved in preparing to act; also, I would like them to ask themselves: “Could I do that?”
The five characters in the play are all from varied yet still relatable walks of life. A divorcee, a mature married couple, an aspiring actress and a high school girl, all lumped together in one room for six sessions of acting classes. They engage in bizarre and funny activities but it’s the bits in between where you see the real people behind the games. That’s where people will relate. Watching “normal” people learn how to do crazy things.
How have you grown as a director while working on this production?
Finding new ways to help the cast understand what and who they are playing. There are many scenes in this play where an actor is playing a character that has to pretend to be another character. Which as you can imagine gets very confusing at times. So I have got much better at devising ways to help get into character which can be just as weird as the things you’ll see in the play. I think learning how to listen to advice from your cast and crew is valuable also. They might have much better ideas for scenes that you just could not see.
What advice would you give to budding directors?
Well first you would need a bit of performance experience. Preferably with different directors so you can feel what it’s like to be “directed” by different people with different styles. Learn how to manage groups of people and be nice about it while still making sure your vision is being recreated on stage. Then join your local community theatre to “pitch” your idea for a show and hopefully get accepted. And finally, during rehearsals, a director should always act like he knows what he is doing.