Editorial (I): Leonardo da Vinci Wings.
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| Joanna Aziz in POST-FIGHT DISSONANCES |
"Come to the edge, he said. They said: We are afraid. Come to the edge, he said. They came. He pushed them and they flew." - Guillaume Apollinaire.
We all dream of flying.
There are those of us who fall,
there are those of us who know it is impossible
and there are those of us,
few of us who believed that nothing is.
What makes Nagy Souraty's theatre, or as is has been recently dubbed "The Theatre of the Edge" is that it pushes a person to his limits…and then forces them to either take that leap
of faith and walk off the edge, or turn back.
This is a choice we are all eventually faced with.
In all Souraty productions, the dramatis personae are asked to exist with various props which are usually iconic and symbolize a vital role in the production.
From black triangle hearts to arm extensions, the props used play an iconic role in the dramatis personae's development on stage.
In "Post-Fight Dissonances" we exist with various props that are integrated into various aspects of the production, each one symbolizing a different stage in our existence, it defining us, us defining it.
There develops a synergy between actor and prop. Or actor and extension, as they are so much more.
How do we reach such a level of deep personal connection with a shape or a piece of wood?
We will be exploring the full process in the discovery and mass production of the Leonardo da Vinci wings for this years' production.
We started off, as we always do with a concept, an idea, we wanted to become angels on stage, we wanted to fly. We started off with researching things that could fly, namely the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci. We all scuttled off and came back with miniature designs of various creations of his, from parachutes, the hexagonal sphere and the glider.
After a brief viewing Nagy decided to experiment further with the gilder prototype. Concluding that the metal wiring from which the prototype was constructed needed to be replaced with something different, something lighter, something like bamboo which Nagy's children worked with in his summer camps.
We set off collecting, stripping and cutting the bamboo into different lengths cutting each one in half down the middle. We would use the diagram for the measurements, and cut the bamboo accordingly, using scissors a saw and measuring tape.
When we had all the parts illustrated in the diagram, we set off tying the parts together. And it kept falling apart. This is where we went on trying to find different ropes, methods of tying and keeping it tight. We came up with three methods. Cotton rope tied in a symmetrical criss-cross fashion, followed by glue gunning, and silicon gunning to finish it off.
All the while taking the prototypes through rigorous on stage testing, until we found a method that worked.
Here starts the mass production phase.
This phase starts by first finding the most time efficient way off constructing them. Those who had worked on the previous prototypes gave a short seminar to the crew, a time and place was set and off we go.
2 days later we had so many wings that we eventually lost track, there were wings everywhere. Enough to fill the stage, back stage and the unfortunate few that were sacrificed at the hands of Moe Khadra.
These wings, our wings that we had embodied on stage were depicted in all stages in the production, whether we had them on or not. They are an ever present reminder of the journey we took to becoming angels, evident on stage including the posters featuring two of our actors wielding two of the first wings we ourselves had created and brought to life.
Needless to say, we flew and we flew high.
Joud Adada & Joanna Aziz - February 2011
“Rehearsals are more important than performances”.
Of course, not everyone is meant to work with Nagy Souraty. He is demanding. Nagy does not tolerate tardiness. Nagy does not accept any excuses. He demands that those who work with him, work with integrity and humility. If you say you will do something, it must be done. It must be done exactly as you agreed to do it, and in the timeline you agreed to do it in. It must be done wholeheartedly, with a sense of purpose and good work ethic. This approach is vital to this type of work, which we call “experimental”. What do we mean by experimental? For “Apospasmatas Aghonistika”, each actor was required to build wings made out of bamboo shoots. We were expected to design these wings, make an accurate “to scale” diagram, find raw bamboo, measure and cut the bamboo according to diagram, tie it, figure out how to keep it in place without it falling apart, we experimented with different types of glues, we were not allowed to use an electric saw because it frayed the wood making it weak, we tried different models, finding the ones that were most aesthetically pleasing, we had to wear the wings, make sure we could move with them, experiment on our range of motion, the types of movements we could make, how the wings constricted our movement, inspired our movement, informed our identity … it took each actor 6-8 hours to make their wing and 6-8 hours, or more, of rehearsal to experiment with them. Every actor was responsible for their own wing and their own progress in experimentation, yet in the end we did not even use the wings on stage. It was irrelevant. It was about the process. Nagy always says, “rehearsals are more important than performances”. Everyone who works with Nagy has a shared goal, and that goal is pure, free of ego, free of attachment… it is simply the evolution of the self. This type of work is sometimes resented by those who are incapable of perceiving it, or of achieving this level of commitment, therefore, leaving it vulnerable to attack. It is not easy to be dedicated to something of this intensity, something that requires so much commitment, time, energy, and effort, without the promise of any tangible reward. Hiba Saab - January 2010 |
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