Digital Coffee Talk 2: Cooperation Staging. From Words to Visuals.

Our Digital Coffee Talk started with a little interaction on what theatre meant to every participant and how your personal reflections could spark further ideas for developing this artistic niche locally and internationally. And here we want to highlight some of your wonderful quotes:

“Theatre for me is a man rolling a pomegranate across the floor to a woman.” – Dan Cotterall’s visual memory from “A Florentine Tragedy” where he played the leading role of Simone, the cloth merchant.

“Something that starts with an empty space, goes back to an empty, and in-between transition from empty to empty, magic is happened. And the only people who believe it are the people who’ve seen it. It’s amasing! And the best magic is the one that is fleeting”. – Suresh Nampuri, JA Theatre.

“Theatre for me is an ephemeral art. It happens then and there and then..pff! It’s gone. It’s gone unless someone records it or writes about it. But I think that the magic and the beauty of it is that it happens with one idea that another person will believe in and will want to communicate that changes the lives of all the rest in the room. That is what I find so exciting about it.” – Marina Maleni, Cyprus Theatre Organisation.

“For me, theatre is a unique experience at one time at one moment, activating your imagination and emotions.” – Suzanne Hazen, ZID Theatre.

“Theatre is a room in a room. It’s safe embracing space which you enter from a bigger real space, not that safe and not that embracing…A room in a room.” – Iwona Preis (Intercult Productions).

“Theatre for me is a place in my heart. Shorty :)” – Mervi Rankila-Kallström (Turku University of Applied Sciences)

“Theatre for me is an instant communication. And it absolutely doesn’t matter whether it is via cyber space or in a physical contact in a theatre where we sit all together, for me it is this instant “here and now” exchange of energy between human beings. Maybe in the future between animals too 🙂 But now, between human beings at least!” – Helen Ibra (European Theatre and Film Institute)

“Theatre is a very fragile momentous thing that will never happen again but leaves emotional memories.” – Tania Kumeda, JA Theatre

The key learning of the DCT2 was on specific types of shows designed for emerging artists, and the main outcome, shared by every participant, is that there is a strong need and wish to mix different arts in one production and go beyond classical stages to further explore non-conventional venues. In other words, to bring theatre in by taking it out – to parks, art galleries, city squares, exhibition spaces etc.

There was a fruitful discussion on ways to develop a stronger connection between performers and the audience in non-conventional venues. In this respect, more discussion and actual on-site work on exploring differences between theatrical and performative practices are needed to bring better cooperative productions to non-conventional and classical venues.

The topic of creating minimalistic and meaningful set design got a positive response in view of a growing need for emerging directors and theatre companies to take theatrical productions abroad (out of their country of origin) while remaining cost-effective. The set design elements and collaborations in this sector were very relevant to TIP’s traveling shows and Go & See mobilities. And, no crowding of the stage with objects that are “mere objects” and which have no fundamental emotional connection to the play! An element of a set design is a character itself 😉

The key intake is also to keep providing open access to international productions locally via open calls & audition processes. A harmonious blend of different art forms is also a key finding which every TiP member is keen to explore and bring to the stage. TiP Academy events are a key way to put artists in touch with industry professionals and provide learning opportunities so that artists can create a stage presence beyond their country of origin.

The journey is ongoing!

 

The 2nd Digital Coffee Talk was hosted by Tania Kumeda and JA Theatre.