Tellus Theater 103

3rd Class--March 18th--1st Group Reading of "Six Characters in Search of An Author" by Pirandello
"After keeping a web diary for three years, I wish I could have a change, maybe a playwright if I know more about the theater" just when I thought to myself, I received an invitation from Toastmaster Bill Wan to join a new play of Tellus Theater.

Wow! what a serendipity! It would be a just-in-time learning experience to work on the script line by line by a famous playwright with the actors, actresses, and the Director. Yes, learning the secrets of a playwright by acting in a play! Isn't it a motto of the Toastmasters--Learning by Doing?

After two warm-up audition workshops at the O Space in the previous Sunday afternoons, we gathered at MRT Ximen Exit 1 at 2PM. Director Daniel couldn't wait to bring us to his favorite coffeehouse, the Sol Cafe', behind the Red Building this afternoon, March 18th. On a huge outdoor coffee plaza, there were only seven of us, six green hands and Director Daniel of Tellus Theater.

I was excited to know what we were about to read today. It was one of the master pieces of the Nobel Prize-winning dramatist Luigi Pirandello (1867–1936). While Daniel instructed us to take turns reading Act I of "Six Characters in Search of an Author", he told us stories of Pirandello and his ideas to change the theater form to intervene reality and illusion, to interplay the real and make believe, among actors and characters on stage.

It was the first time I visited the Sol Cafe'. Sol means sun in Spanish. It was the perfect place for us to study a play written by a Sicilian. I liked Sol's Okinawa Black Sugar Cappuccino recommended by Daniel, and I loved Sol's brownie with ice cream. It was another intellectual and theatrical Sunday afternoon with Gourmet Director Daniel and theater enthusiasts to satisfy our bodies and minds.

On my way home, I pondered upon my wishful thinking. I want to be an author, but I don't have a story in me. Funny and hilarious it was when I received "Six Characters in Search of An Author" by Pirandello from Director Daniel. In stead of an author creating the characters, it was the characters who looked for an author. It was an extraordinary experience to see the relationships between the author and the characters.

The moment I arrived home, I found the e-scrip of the play and an unabridged audio script in mp3 on the internet. As promised, I e-mailed them to my classmates. And I finished reading and listening to the "Six Characters in Search of an author" overnight.

PS: Toastmaster Piao Lin and I watched the DVD of "Six Characters in Search of an Author" (1976) adapted Paul Avila Mayer, directed by Stacy Keach at the CKS Arts Library Wednesday afternoon, March 21st. I borrowed the script by Rober Brustein of American Repertory Theater at 1995 Taipei International Festival of the Arts. I finished reading the Chinese script overnight.

How lucky I was to run into Pirandello, one of the most innovative playwrights of the twentieth century and also one of the most complex. Like many first-time audiences and readers, I was confronted and overwhelmed with the difficulty associated with such a radical and aesthetic experience.

When Daniel asked us what roles we would attempt at the Sol Cafe', I concluded that all characters and actors of Pirandello were hard to play. If I could change my mind, I thought it would be easier to be a playwright because those who can't play, write the play. Just like those who can't do it, teach it.

Who knows, maybe Daniel will give me the role as the Director! Ha! Ha! Ha! 不能寫作, 就寫劇本吧! 不能演戲, 那就導戲吧!