Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Postcards from Italy

Song of the Day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMMjEOY3VGk

Ciao Ciao Ciao -

Monday and Tuesday I had Commedia. We had to take a mask and build a character with it - starting neutrally and then seeing where our impulses took us. As I was standing neutrally, I accidentally licked my lips (because my lips were chapped) and Michele shouted, "Go with it! Go with it!" I got so frustrated because my body was telling me to do other things, but he wanted me to play with my "happy accident". It's weird how trapped the masks can make you feel sometimes. So I went with the lip/mouth thing and after I took the mask off I ended up getting all emotional (AGAIN). He asked me what was wrong and I explained to him that the "lip" thing wasn't my impulse and he said, "Yeah, but you cannot go back once you start something". Then I got even more mad at myself, because my original impulse wasn't an impulse at all... it was something that I had thought about. Why wasn't I letting myself play? I came down to the conclusion that I was frustrated because I felt like I let myself down; I could have done this better, I could have done more.. *judgment judgment judgment*. Why do I feel the need to impress people here? Blai. I judge myself way too much. So I sat down and got ready to watch the next two people that were going up and Michele leaned over and said, "You are doing good work. I am helping you." To which I replied, "I know you are helping. This is what I need. I appreciate you so much, you have no idea...it's just hard. I want this." and he said, "I know you do. That's apparent. So let me break you." Well, breaking me he is.
We then had to take that character and re-do the dream/travel sequence that we did before, with THIS character in place and in Grammelot. The easiest way for me to define Grammelot to you is "gibberish". It's used a lot in Commedia work - and when done successfully it's incredible. So crazy how much you can understand even when people are speaking nonsense. I'm so thankful for this class - and for Michele. Apparently he's playing "Hamlet" in Milan in March - - I need to find time to go see this!! Italian Shakespeare!! Can you imagine?

For the rest of Tuesday after Commedia I had Italian and Philosophy. I had to give a big presentation on Aristotle. Phew - that man. He has a lot of extremely relevant and important points, however the way that he defines and classifies everything drives me nuts. Maybe it's because we just got done reading Plato. (I prefer him).

Today (Wednesday) I had movement, voice, Italian, and studio.
Movement we did yoga and acrobatics. We are learning how to do this crazy headstand - there is no tripod for it, it's just in your hands. (*eek!) Also, we were walking on all fours backwards into the wall and then climbing up the wall backwards into a handstand - sounds crazier than it actually is. Claudia makes everything look so easy.... granted she went to circus school, but still. In Voice we are still working on breathing and singing, but we are also playing with Shakespeare texts. First up: Caliban from "The Tempest". (For you GRSF folk - all I can think about is Chris Gerson. I think I need some proper shoulder blades for this class...)

Outside of class I've just been doing homework and writing. I'm so exhausted all the time here. This week it has been especially hard to wake up in the morning - and on top of being tired I'm also sort of blue. Sometimes this place can be very suffocating (not Italy...but the villa). We legitmately have no time to leave this big yellow mansion throughout the week because of class, so traveling/going into town on the weekends is a blessing. I am already looking forward to Friday. The only thing that keeps me even remotely sane in this building are the windows. Every once in a while, during class, I will find a time to glance out the window and after doing so I am happily reminded of where I am.

I'll leave you with this. (Scott told this to us in Philosophy the other day)...it's pretty good.

European Definition of Heaven and Hell:
Heaven: English = Police
French = cooks
Germans = Mechanics
Swiss = organize everything
Italians = lovers

Hell: English = cooks
French = mechanics
Germans = police
Swiss = lovers
Italians = organize everything

:)


<3 Buona Notte

4 comments:

  1. you know, it's funny, 'cause you're probably the most playful person i know... so, i know you have it in you. way more than you think you do.

    don't know if you know this, but one of my favorite quotes is "leap and the net will appear."

    so, LEAP, my blonde Italian friend.

    ya lublyu tebya
    (i love you)

    ReplyDelete
  2. oh, and that heaven/hell list is great...

    Russian heaven = vodka

    Russian hell = vodka

    Ha.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ti Amo ( I love you )

    HA to the Vodka. I was trying to think of where Russia would fit on that list and you hit it on the head. Perfect.

    ReplyDelete