This week I attended an introductory workshop for three days on Playback Theatre. Not attended a workshop in quite a while, especially one about the arts. So it was truly refreshing and a welcome departure from my normal routines.
Yes yes, I hear ya.
So allow me to explain right away.
What Is Playback Theatre?
In one word — Improvisation (or Improv for short).
Unlike most theatre performances, Playback Theatre does not begin with a pre-written piece of script or story in mind. Instead, it invites a “teller” — any member of a live audience — to offer ideas, stories, anecdotes, or narratives on the spot. Then the improv actors (usually four or five will be on stage) spontaneously enact these tales for the audience to enjoy. It can be as short as a few minutes or more, depending on the tale and the actors.
Once it’s over, the actors will acknowledge the teller and await his/her verdict as to whether they had honoured the essence of the story in their performance.
Throughout, there will be a conductor/director, as well as a musician (though not always). The conductor acts as the conduit, asking the teller questions to make sure everyone (especially the actors) is clear about the story’s essence, what is at stake in the tale, so that the performance can be as true to the material given as possible. If available, a musician will be on hand to help with fillers and background sounds using various instruments. This helps set the mood and prepare actors and audiences for transitions from scene to scene.
Each time the actors are ready to perform, the conductor will announce to the audience: Let’s watch.
Reliving “My Theatre Days“
One reason I signed up for this three-day workshop was my inner longing to relive the feelings I had when acting and performing long ago.
The first time I acted on stage (I don’t mean the ‘show-and-tell’ variety in primary school) was when I was 22. The university hostel I lived in then put up annual original musicals, and I was cast in a minor role that year. Rehearsals were crazy in the lead-up to the ticketed one-night-only performance of Asylum at Kallang Theatre, but I never forgot the thrill and the adrenaline of being on stage.
The second and third times I was on stage happened in church, one year before my eldest son was born. One was an Easter play, where I acted as the lead in one of three major story plots. In mine, I was a man on the way to heaven. The other acting I did was a monologue for the church’s Christmas showcase that same year. I was one of three narrators.
The last time I performed on stage was as the lead actor in another original musical put up by the institution I was working for. The musical was put together in 2015 to celebrate the organisation’s 25th anniversary.
While certainly no Tony-award-winning performance from yours truly, I relished the opportunity to act and play make-believe. Oh and to have commemorative memorabilia like the picture you see above.
What Has Improv Theatre To Do With The Art of Writing?
I still recall the first day of the workshop when the facilitator, Lineng Tee, described what Playback Theatre was. The second she used the words improv and …yes, and… my mind immediately flitted back to what my writing coach Marion taught me a few years ago. Didn’t Marion say those exact same words as Lineng?! So Marion wasn’t kidding when she shared that theatre and writing have plenty in common.
How so?
First of all, like Playback Theatre, good writing is often about starting with barely a clue what to write, yet being attentive and ready for anything! The actors in improv must adopt an open posture of readiness to soak in every detail and information the teller can provide. They must activate excellent listening skills and pay close attention to what the tale means for the teller. Writers too must attend carefully to what’s going on both in their heads and in the world they live in. Then and only then can they write deeply and beautifully.
Second of all, just as one actor needs to improvise and build on another’s on-stage acting and spontaneous improvisation in Playback, writing well is also about how one word builds from the previous word, and on and on it goes until the narrative emerges. This is what is meant in theatre when practitioners say yes, and…As one actor interacts with another, they are strengthening, building, and solidifying a narrative arc. This enhances the audience’s interest and appreciation of the story told. So when one actor says something, the other should be going yes (indeed) and…
Finally, the most important thing that characterises both improv and good writing is that we always try to “show” rather than “tell”.
In playback theatre, actors use spoken words sparingly. They prefer to rely on their eyes, face, and body language to convey emotions and the story to the audience. Pacing, music, and props are also the preferred tools of their trade, rather than words.
Likewise, good writers carefully set up scenes to show descriptively rather than tell readers. For example, the impact on readers is far greater when a writer describes why a day is the saddest in someone’s life, instead of saying: This was the saddest day of his life.
My Theatre “Muscles” Reactivated
By now, you can probably guess how thoroughly I enjoyed myself this week! Not to mention the free workout I did as I worked with my fellow workshop participants to craft various scenes like the one you see above.
Reactivating my dormant “theatre muscles” has been nothing short of cathartic and I feel my creative sparks igniting once more. That’s probably what people mean when they say the power of theatre!
While I did ache for a couple of days after the workshop, it was all worth it. I feel a renewed sense of vigor and excitement now as I unlock memories and hone new acting skills in service of my writing.
Here’s to more creative and artsy experiences for the rest of this year!
