台南人劇團

日期：二零一二年六月二十二日

地點：台南人劇團排練室

        演員們持續工作第一和第三景。導演已於之前嘗試了聲音方面的實驗，今天的目標則放在肢體上的探索。第一景，演員李劭婕已經發展了許多方法，以聲音來表現不同層次的痛，接下來導演希望他用全身來表現她所扮演的角色的牙痛。我們的舞台設計 Karoly想到了孟克的名畫《吶喊》，痛苦的主題可以從畫中男人扭曲的臉感受出來。

        接著，Tilmann 要求演員以不同的節奏和速度來呈現他們在劇中的行動，有時動作慢到像是置於一個時間被延展的空間裡。導演花了不少時間修飾演員們的慢動作，在某些時刻，他們的動作被要求停頓，甚至完全停止，但動作仍充滿戲劇動量，形成了幾個有趣又充滿爆發力的定格畫面。當演員們聚集在大鋁桶旁動作定格時，導演並不希望他們呈現出誇張的臉部表情，他指示演員們，所有的動作和情緒應該自然、簡單、流暢。整個排練過程下來，Tilmann不停地提醒他們一個重要的原則：「越簡單，越好」。除了慢動作之外，Tilmann也叫演員做了一些快節奏的練習，在某些部分，他希望演員可以塑造像用拍立得照相那樣明快又清楚的畫面。於此，我們不難發現，Tilmann 的導演手法富有強烈的音樂性，而這樣富饒節奏變化的調度，不只在聲音上也在畫面上可以感覺得到。

        下午，本來是要在排練室裡搭幾個臨時平台，好讓演員們可以儘快習慣舞台，並發展更多與舞台有趣的互動。然而，由於一些技術上的問題和安全上的考量，舞台設計 Karoly 被迫放棄在排練場裡搭臨時舞台的想法，Tilmann也因此感到沮喪。

        Tilmann 繼續和演員發展走位。演員們巧妙地運用許多盤子，創造了不同的環境、多樣的角色互動、以及多層次的戲劇衝突。同時，他們也發展了由劇中台詞所激盪出的許多聲響效果，在某個時刻，五個演員以不同的聲調和情緒講出一樣的台詞，堆砌出一種有趣的合唱效果。

        隨後，演員黃怡琳和朱宏章與Tilmann工作第四景。為了幫助這兩位中年演員深入他們所扮演的年輕情侶，導演與他們討論了台灣青少年文化的景況：台灣青少年的價值觀為何？一般而言，青少年情侶如何看待未婚懷孕這檔事？在台灣，青少年的責任感如何培養？在討論之後，怡琳和宏章的表演變得更強烈了。但說來有趣的是，Tilmann並不想要這兩位演員刻意「扮年輕」，反而希望他們呈現心底深處最誠實的情緒。整景演下來，Tilmann提醒演員不用過度使用眼神交流和任何動作，比方說，不要一直走來走去。場上的任何動作都要「省著點用！」

Date: 06/22/12

Place: Tainaner Rehearsal Studio

Rehearsal

        The ensemble continues to work on Scene One & Three. Having experimented with sounds, Tilmann’s goal for today is to explore a variety of physical score evoked by the text. In Scene One, Shaojie has developed various ways to present different levels of pain through voice, so Tilmann starts to ask her to portray the character’s toothache through her whole body. Our set designer, Karoly, refers to Edvard’s Munk’s painting, The Scream, in which the theme of pain is conveyed through a man’s distorted face.  

        Tilmann also asks the actors to experiment with actions in different paces. Their actions could be very slow, as if they were placed in a time-elongated frame. He spends a lot of time finessing the pictures composed of their slow motions. In some parts, the actions pause or stop while still maintaining strong dramatic momentum, forming interesting and dynamic tableaux. As the actors in tableau cluster around the barrel-like aluminum pot, Tilmann doesn’t want them to exaggerate their facial expressions. Instead, all the motions and emotions should happen in a simple, natural, and flowing manner. Over the course of the rehearsal, Tilmann keeps reminding them of one essential principle: the simpler, the better. Besides slow motions, the director also asks the actors to form images as sharply as a series of snapshots taken by a Polaroid. Here, it’s not hard to perceive that Tilmann’s direction is full of musicality, which lies in not only sounds but also images.

        In the afternoon, a few temporary platforms are supposed to be placed in the rehearsal room so that the actors can get used to the stage as soon as possible and develop more interesting interactions with it. However, due to some technical problems and safety issues, Karoly has to forgo this idea, and Tilmann feels frustrated.

        Tilmann continues to develop blocking with the actors. They use several plates to create different environments, various interactions with one another, and multilayered dramatic conflicts. In the meantime, the ensemble explores different sonic scores evoked by the lines. At one point, the five actors deliver some lines together in different tones and with different emotions, achieving an interesting choral effect.

        Later, Yilin and Hongzhang work on Scene Four with Tilmann. In order to help the two mid-aged actors delve into the young lovers they impersonate, the director discusses youth culture in Taiwan with them. What are the youth values in Taiwan? Generally speaking, how would a teenage couple react to premarital pregnancy? How is the sense of responsibility cultivated among Taiwanese youngsters? After the discussion, Yilin and Hongzhang’s performance becomes more intense. Interestingly enough, Tilmann does not want them to “act young” but just act themselves and present their innermost emotions. Over the course of the scene, Tilmann reminds them not to overuse eye contacts and actions (e.g. don’t walk too much). Actions onstage should be done “economically!”