mind bending

A comment back in the dark, dim, distant past reminded me of a stage play that I 'once upon a time' performed in.
The name of this stage play is "The persecution and assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as performed by the inmates at the Asylum of Charenton under the direction of the Maquis de Sade". It was written by Peter Weiss.

The play first came to the notice of the British under the direction of Peter Brook, and subsequently became a movie (film, fillum, pic, whatever).

The reason I mention this is because I had the opportunity to be one of the characters in a production of this play.

Australia: somewhere back in the 1970's. A group of us were battling the prevailing boredom of the "twinset and pearls", "Women's Weakly" and "No Idea" sort of middle class Australian ethos. Only "Edna Everage" survived. I understand that she grew to be a "dame" of some stature.

Anyway, back to Marat/Sade.

It was only an 'amateur' production. Directed by Martin Christmas. (no kidding)

Three nights a week by eighteen weeks rehearsal.

First one came to it as a 'normal' person. Then we had to become an 'actor'. Then we had to become a 'mad' person who became a 'performer'.

The rehearsal period was a bit chaotic, but we had 'minders' standing by with 'truncheons' made out of cardboard. And they took their 'roles' seriously.

Eventually it became a very powerful performance, and the audience flocked in in droves.

Can understand why it is not well known or performed often. The effort of becoming three people, and surviving intact, is not without cost.

ADDENDUM. SUNDAY 2PM: have added a link to a production, which also gives a 'precis' of the play. As with all plays the script, written in 'blank verse', is only the 'foundation', and the 'production' defines the script. The theatre where we performed was small, only 500 seats, with what is called a "thrust" stage; in that the audience sat in a semi-circle around the stage.

There was no 'scenery' except for the bathtub of Marat. We also suspended a rope 'cargo net' with 6" squares all the way around the stage, separating us from (and psychologically protecting) the audience. After all, who would feel fully comfortable sitting in a lunatic asylum.

My 'character' in the asylum was based on manic depression, and his 'character' in the play-within-a-play was named Jaques Roux, a rabble rousing French priest (have been searching for my script, but can't find it, nor can I remember most of the 'speeches') - and spent the entire production with my hands and arms bound in a leather harness. (guaranteed to torment the life out of someone who generally 'talks with his hands', and helped with 'anger motivation', I can tell you).

"Charlotte Corday" suffered from narcolepsy and frequently 'fell asleep' halfway through speeches, and would have to be given a 'thump' by one of the 'warders'.

"Duperray" was a 'sex maniac', who also had to be followed constantly and 'whacked' whenever he tried to 'feel up' any of the inmates.

There was a point near the end of the first 'act', where the entire cast sang a song 'to' the audience, and crept to the cargo net, their hands reaching through, fingers clutching the air about six inches away from the front row. Powerful stuff.

The most interesting audience/actor interaction came after the 'interval'. We were unable to 'leave the stage' as it would have broken the concentration so, as the audience returned from their 'bikkie break/smoko' and became settled .. the barrier of the cargo net was raised, and we gradually filtered out among them. Several of the audience always departed.

Those who stayed, stayed. We all felt that our best performances were the ones where there was no applause at the end, which was most of the time. Just stunned silence.

Martin (the director) had set up a series of exercises called 'warm fuzzies' for the "after performance" period and believe me, we needed it.