The goal in this was give life to a mask and allow the mask to take over you. We took it in turns to put on masks look in the mirror and find out what expression suited it the act that out. It's a very strange experience because you go into a trance and your mask is telling you what toy to pick up and what to do. By telling us tht the masks were dangerous and that they had power. Convincing that it had the power to completely transform you. When you had to try and controll someone else they were just wild animals. From the moment you put the mask on till when you take it off you are the mask. When I put on my mask I was a very cheeky and naughty creature and when I chose a word it was bannanas just because it is completely crazy. The person that was looking after the masked interveiwed us and I found it very easy to only reply with my chosen word but more than that I was messing around with the other people in the group. The masks were then asked where they wanted to go and mine was very much a child a wanted to go to the park. She constantly tried to escape her carer and attack the other people. I think the transformation was soo effective because we were all able to draw from our subconcious. Being so spontanious that it does't feel like we are doin it at all with no controle.
Drawing from the subconcious is very simular to butoh with the performer showing an amost dream like state. How the character masks tern the performer into a kind of wild animal is simular to the desired effect on the audience in theatre of cruelty.
Can you now also reflect upon the different uses of masks: in Greek Theatre, in Commedia Dell'Arte, Lecoq's neutral masks, and the character masks? What are the similarities and differences between the mask work in these different theatrical practices?
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