Part One, Done!

I am thrilled to say that part one of my thesis project is in and done. The thesis set up for us called a sustained independent project (SIP) and for the MFAs on our course, this must take the form of two case studies. So, my first case study has been submitted. What is a case study? It is what it says on the tin, an in-depth study of a particular case. Usually, there is some kind of question or hypothesis that is to be proved through the case study. My case study examined the career of Max Stafford-Clark and looked to see how he exemplifies a producer.

Max Stafford-Clark is a director and an artistic director. He has been associated with an assortment of organizations throughout his 50+ year career. Sometimes there is a question about if artistic directors are considered producers. And it can get confusing, especially if there is someone called 'producer' on staff at the theatre company. For my part, and as supported in my case study, I say artistic directors are a type of producer. If they work for a larger organization, there may be marketing staff, fundraising staff and so on but there are still many details that fall to the artistic director that are also very often duties that a producer would handle. The one big difference is that a producer may be freelance and not necessarily a staff member of a theatre company whereas an artistic director would be a permanent member of staff.

So why Max Stafford-Clark? Well, his has been a career that centers on new plays and playwrights. He has formed two companies in his lifetime that service new writing and play development. He was also the longest-serving artistic director at the Royal Court Theatre which is one of London's key houses for new writing. Max Stafford-Clark is still at work as artistic director at Out of Joint, one of the companies he founded. Over the last five decades, Max Stafford-Clark has conceived and refined his now esteemed method of dramaturgical workshops. This is a research and exploration phase utilizing actors to help the playwright craft the script. After some weeks of workshopping, the playwright then takes all he has gathered and goes away to write the script. He returns some months later and the company begins a more traditional rehearsal period that leads to the premiere presentation of the play. Max Stafford-Clark's work is very much akin to the kind of work I would like to do. Hence, he made an excellent subject for me to study.

And that is what I have been working on for the last few months. We have another case study due in May and in the coming weeks I will need to decide on my topic. But for now, I am relaxing and enjoying the work I have completed.

That's the report from London. Until next week...
Take care!
-m

Almost There

Another week of writing and organising the 'ole case study. Note the 's' instead of 'z'. That's been a part of the process. British English versus American English. The tiny discrepancies between the too are part of the puzzle. I really need to use British for my formal writing assignments as Central is a British institution. Aside from cleaning up the bibliography and some other odds and ends we are nearly there. The due date is Friday and I am well on track to reach the deadline.

In other news, we just obtained a new flatmate. A young man from South Africa has come to do a post grad degree in aviation. So we look forward to getting to know him and learning more about life in South Africa.

My friend Diana returned from the States this week and we were able to catch up and contemplate the next step for her script that we workshopped in December. We have many ideas percolating but the immediate goal is to submit the case study.

That is really is all there is to report this week. I hope to get out and see a show this week. I'll keep you posted!

Take care!
-m

Writing, Editing and Rewriting.

The title says it all. Not much to report this week as I have been buried in the paper. I was able to meet my friend Remi for a break on Friday but that is about the extent of the social excitement. Don't think that I am feeling chained to my desk, though. I am really enjoying this process, the challenge of constructing this case study within the parameters and the knowledge I am gaining. All is well and we carry on!

Until next week...
Take care!
-m

Great Gabler

One of my all-time, favorite plays ever written is Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen. Ibsen is one of the great contributors to the art of theatre. He is a Norwegian playwright who lived between 1828 and 1906. His famous canon includes the titles: Peer Gynt, A Doll's House, Ghosts, and The Master Builder, just to name a few. For theatre scholars, he ranks along with other masters such as Shakespeare, Chekhov, and the Greeks.

I had the chance to see Hedda this past week at the National Theatre and was not disappointed. The original play is written in Norwegian so, when a production is done in English a translation must be created. Typically a translation of a play, especially classics, is more than just a direct conversion. An English-speaking playwright usually takes on the project working with a literal translation of the words in the text. The playwright crafts the literal into a more poetic delivery for the stage. The story stays the same and the playwright usually tries to keep ahold of symbolism and metaphors in the language set forth by the original writer but, rearrangements of sentences for better flow is often needed. There is an art to the "translation" of a play. Often times the word "translation" isn't even used. Sometimes "adaptation" or "version" is used, which refers to the craft of refining a play script and not just exchanging the words between the languages.

On Thursday, I had the privilege of seeing a new version of Hedda Gabler by Patrick Marber. Marber is an accomplished, modern, British playwright and has also penned screenplays such as; Closer (from his stage play) and Notes on a Scandal. His version of Hedda was absolutely exceptional. It was clean and concise and perfectly distilled for the modern audience.

The play was directed by multi-awarding winning, Belgian sensation Ivo van Hove. Hove's recent works include; Lazarus  (London- West End, currently running), The Crucible (Broadway, 2016) and A View From the Bridge (Broadway, 2015/16; London-Young Vic, 2015). Hove's direction was truly inspired. The use of space and props to enhance and punctuate the storytelling were brilliant. The design was contemporary, leaving the traditional bustle skirts behind and giving way to a minimalist set and ingenious use of light and sound. The two stand out performances where Ruth Wilson in the role of Hedda and Rafe Spall in the role Brack. These two made deliciously disturbing music together on stage and shed new light on a story and characters I thought I knew like the back of my hand. I went certain I would enjoy the play but beyond that, I was unexpectedly and delightfully surprised. It was an excellent afternoon.

The coming days are crunch time for me. With the deadline for the first section of my thesis quickly approaching, I will be buried in the writing of it. If I feel secure enough, I may escape to another show this week. However, I must see how close to completion I get.

Until next week-
Take care!
-m

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2017! I, for one, am very excited about the new year and all the possibilities it brings.

This past week was one of reading, note taking and rest. There were no exciting adventures to report. I spent an industrious week with my research material. The deadline for the first case study section of my thesis comes at the end of the month. With many of my student neighbors still away, the environment was quiet and conducive for my studies.

New Year's Eve was also low key, spent at home with one of my flatmates. We did, however, pop a bottle of bubbly and watch the countdown and London fireworks on the telly. Today, the first day of our new year has kicked off right with some good work done on the research.

This coming week will be more of the same but I am planning a trip to the theatre later in the week, so, there will be something of interest to report next week.

In the meantime, enjoy the New Year!

London New Year's Eve Fireworks Photo Credit visitlondon.com/Stewart Marsden