Erotic, Painful, Joyful… Human Emotions... MANDALA

"…sometimes erotic, sometimes painful, sometimes joyful–human emotion."

Prof Thomas Whitaker, Emeritus Professor, Yale University

"The performers emerged, backs to the audience, revealing half of their naked torsos... yielding a visual image that was simultaneously serenely pure and joyously carnal.”

The Straits Times

Well, I could be biased as I wrote this post, as I am the original creator of the physical theatre piece Mandala, first staged in 2003, and I am the co-director of Mandala 2014, to be staged from 8-12 October at Goodman Arts Centre Black Box.

What is a mandala?

Below are some of my intrinsic interest and findings on the notion of “mandala”, from the cultural and psychological point of view…

  

Psychological point of view - Jung

Jung finds that mandalas have an intuitive quality that can exert a retroactive influence in understanding oneself, though the influence may not be consciously perceived. He considers that the process of achieving the union is not based on rational demonstration of will, but a psychic process which “expresses itself in symbols” (Jung, 2008, p.21). One of the universal symbols that can aid one in discovering the Self can be expressed in circular movement and circular diagrams that resemble the mandala. Jung shares his experience of sketching a small circular drawing daily in Memories, Dreams, and Reflections (1989):

I sketched every morning in the notebook a small circular drawing, a mandala, which seemed to correspond to my inner situation at the time. With the help of these drawings, I could observe my psychic transformations from day to day. Only gradually did I discover what the mandala really is: Formation, Transformation, Eternal Recreation and that is the self, the wholeness of the personality, which if all goes well is harmonious, but which cannot tolerate self-deceptions. (p.195-196)

Mandala in different cultures

According to Jung, the circular symbol that resembles a mandala exists in all cultures. Jung emphasizes that the symbol of the mandala is not only seen in the East but the West as well. He points out that the Middle Ages are rich in Christian mandalas, in which most of them show Christ in the centre, with the four evangelists, or their symbols, at the cardinal points.

In Tibetan Buddhism, the drawing of the mandala with fine sand by monks or nuns is an aid to assist meditation and concentration. Symbols of mandala can also be found in the whirling dance of Sufi monks in Dervish monasteries and the stained glasswork in European cathedrals. In Zen Buddhism, the circle represents enlightenment and human perfection; in Taoism, wuji is represented by a blank circle which signifies the completion and return to the infinite Tao.

Mandala, the performance by In Source Theatre

In Mandala, the physical theatre performance by In Source Theatre, the different stages of life a typical urban person may go through are portrayed. The drawing of a 3-metre-wide rice mandala emerges in tandem with the cycle of human life depicted on stage, alluding to the perennial aspiration of a life well-lived and rich with meaning.

In short, Mandala presents to you a unique journey that you are going to experience on your own, which is known as – an individuation journey. Join us, in Mandala!

Get your EARLY BIRD tickets (17 Jul- 16 Aug 2014) for Mandala at 20% discount from SISTIC: www.sistic.com.sg/events/mandala1014

$30 (Standard)

$25/20(concession)

Goodman Arts Centre Black Box (90, Goodman Road)

8 October 2014 8pm (preview)

9-11 October 2014 8pm

12 October 2014 3pm

 

For Preview tickets at $12, please write in to info@insourcetheatre.com.

More information: insourcetheatre.com, facebook.com/InSourceTheatre 

Director: Jacklyn Kuah
Original Creator/Co-Director: Beverly Yuen
 
Cast:
Bernice Lee Yixun
Eng Kai Er
Shana Yap

Sirfan S Sulaimi
Sonia Kwek 

Musician/Sonic Designer: Chong Li-Chuan

References:

Jung, C.G. (1989). Memories, Dreams, Reflections (R. Winston & C. Winston, Trans). New York: Vintage Books. (Originally published 1963).

Jung, C.G. (2008). Psychology and the East. Oxon: Routledge. (Originally published 1978).

Notion of “theatre” questioned in Fluid (3-12 July 2014)

Is this drama?

What is drama?

What is a performance?

What is a performer?

What is an audience?

What is theatre?

What is art?

It is not new to challenge the concept of “drama”/”theatre”/”performance”. Perhaps, it is just uncommon to see a piece of drama/theatre being showcased in a “non-dramatic”, “non-linear” and “non-narrative” form in Singapore. The concept of “happenings as theatre” as coined by Allan Kaprow, the notion of theatre as the meeting of a doer/doers and an observer/observers put forth by Jerzy Grotowski, and the idea of “ritual as theatre” which is studied widely by Eugenio Barba and Richard Schechner are widely discussed in Theatre Anthropology and Performance Studies.

Liu Xiaoyi, in M1 Chinese Theatre Festival presented by The Theatre Practice, questioned the notion of theatre and role of an audience, and explored the spaces between real life and theatre, performance and non-performance in the piece Fluid.

Actors Li Xie and Lim Chin Huat, were performing their daily tasks and movement respectively on stage, most of the time oblivion to the presence of the audience. One was in one’s world of recollections of the story of a man Lao Wang; another was moving without uttering a word. They co-existed in the same space, but did not directly interact with one another.

As an audience, at times, I felt uneasy, as I felt that I was intruding into the private lives of two individuals who treated their daily tasks with utmost importance. At the same time, I was aware that I was at the audience seating, observing the acts of these two people. The actors performed apparently simple actions and movements on stage, which were not “simple”. They were so committed in every of their impulse and movement that every act became a sacred act. By “sacred”, I mean that they treated every second of their life on stage with high awareness, respect and belief, to the extent that I totally believed in their act.

Such “acting without acting” is not an easy job. The actors have to handle the delicate line between acting and not acting. To deliver this, they have to possess the sincerity in delivering what is beyond the forms. The strong foundation of acting skills are prerequisites before such convincing acting which is quotidian and natural could be conveyed. This reminded me of Chapter 48 of Lao Zi’s Tao Te Ching:

Less and less is done

Until non-action is achieved.

When nothing is done, nothing is left undone.

Conceptually, interesting paradoxes were used to create the absurdity and surrealism of the piece. The Chinese title of “Fluid”, translated literally is “water flowing upstream” (水往上流). In the piece, the character Lao Wang had to move downwards in order to reach the top of the hill, and climb upwards in order to reach the foot of the hill. Eventually, the audience had to step down in order to be up on the stage.  Thus, while the piece is seemingly about the “nothingness” of life, it is about life itself and complexities of life that are shown through the paradoxes presented in the simple story of Lao Wang who spent more than a thousand dollars on a 6-day absurd theatre workshop by a well-known master. The workshop though abstract and clueless to Lao Wang, pointed him to realize the phenomenon of nature.

In the end, to me, Fluid is about flowing back through time, traveling upstream to our source, and getting in touch with what has been forgotten, lost and hidden. Yes, we can often flow forward, go downstream, and be with the masses. However, it could be the hidden source of energy that carries us through the challenges of life.

6 more shows on 6 July Sun & 12 July Sat 3:00 PM, 9-12 July 8:00 PM

Venue: LASALLE College of the Arts, Flexible Performance Space

Tickets: $38 (excluding booking fee)

Tickets are available at http://www.sistic.com.sg/events/fluid0714

Death & Dancing (31 May) by Buds Theatre Company

Death and Dancing is written by English playwright Claire Dowie. It is about the lives and loves of Max and Max, a gay man and a lesbian woman.  The two characters struggle to define themselves against society’s expectations and social categories of sexuality throughout the play.

The director Claire Devine made flexible use of the intimate space to enhance actors' interactions with the audience. At the same time, in line with the pop-culture setting of the piece where the characters questioned the meaning of living in a highly fast-paced and competitive urban society, the audience members were allowed to chew on snacks and sip glasses of wine while watching the performance.

The actors Rebecca Lee and Zuhairi Idris who played both characters brought across depth and sensitivity on the themes and issues explored. The intimate space in Playtent allowed the audience to be ushered into the inner world of the characters through their strong and energetic acting. The piece addressed the current dilemmas and challenges faced by many in the society—the conflict between following one’s heart and pursuing the dream job or status as defined by the society; and the struggle between being daring to take risk and settling for a well-tested and secure course of action.

The performance was well-paced with good use of rhythm and witty interactions with the audience. Overall, Death and Dancing was an interactive, fun, intense, meaningful and dynamic staging with competent performance delivered by the two actors.