From: mjm <mmoynihan-AT-wi.rr.com> Date: Sat, 4 Nov 2006 08:56:35 -0600 To: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Delsarte and puppetry From the in famous Wikipedia: "Unfortunately, Delsarte never wrote a book explaining his method firsthand, and neither did his only protégé, actor Steele MacKaye. However, MacKaye=92s student Genevieve Stebbins did write a book in 1885 titled The Delsarte System of Expression, and it became a wild success." When younger I studied almost every form of movement, mask & mime I could find. But it was not until I studies with Tony Montenaro that I heard about Delsarte. He had studied with Marceau as well as Marceau's teacher, Decroux. Tony actually cursed both of them for not telling him that all their work was based upon the physical emotional expression theories of Delsarte, which he had to dig up on his own. Delsarte divided the body up into areas (as in the hand as example) and then explained that all expression is expressed by the body by either eccentric or concentric movement (the opening up or the closing). he pointed out how Chaplin's Little Tramp character was so popular because it embodied emotional conflict (conflict being the basic ingredient in theatre). He explained that the Little Tramp communicated internal conflict before he even moved. His upper body was mostly concentric - closed & restricted - arms crossed with both hands holding his cane. The chest is the home of the heart which is emotionally a metaphor for feelings. He was protecting & closing off his feelings. But the lower body was eccentric - radically turned out - feet pointing left & right, causing a very open stance. Since the pelvis is the metaphorical home of sexual energy the posture/stance communicates an open or even agressive sexuality. Thus the embodiment of emotional conflict in his body. Protected, guarded, shy emotional makeup but agressive, open sexual makeup. The action of opening or closing (concebtric or eccentric movement) is, actually basic to human expression. When his system was used by actors it was amplified to read back to the cheap seats and was not really considered false until the invention of the motion picture camera. When actors saw how phony they looked it opened the door for Stanislavski and his infamous "method". It was modern film that made people abandon Delsarte's "method". But watch good contemporary actors and you will see how they still use Delsarte's theories to physicalize emotional states of being. Antony Hopkins and the late Marlon Brando are especially interesting in their choices of gesture. Applying it to puppets is not much different than applying to human actors. the ting to remember is what is the emotional connection to the movement. Is it to hide/protect/close off (concentric) or to reveal/open up/push forward (eccentric). Somebody should do a new book with illustrations to restore Delsarte's original goal of emotional truth in expression. Some sort of version of the old book seems to be here: http://tinyurl.com/ye9ogg - m On Nov 4, 2006, at 3:13 AM, Mathieu René wrote: > Hi Andrew. I am curious about the Delsarte method, and know a few > highly > studious people in Theatre (including puppet-related) who would be > thrilled > to learn about it. > Should you find more info about it, please do forward! _______________________________________________ List address: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org Admin interface: http://lists.driftline.org/listinfo.cgi/puptcrit-driftline.org Archives: http://www.driftline.org
Display software: ArchTracker © Malgosia Askanas, 2000-2005