An Amulet Made of Memory: The Significance of Exercises in the Actor's Dramaturgy

Author(s): Eugenio Barba

Reviewed work(s):
Source: TDR (1988-), Vol. 41, No. 4 (Winter, 1997), pp. 127-132
Published by: The MIT Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1146664 .
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AnAmulet
MadeofMemory
The Significance
ofExercises
in theActor'sDramaturgy'

Barba
Eugenio

The Revolution
oftheInvisible
In the2othcentury
a revolution
oftheinvisible
hastakenplace.The importanceofhiddenstructures
wasdisclosed
in physics
as in sociology,
in psycholin
as
art
and
A
similar
revolution
also
in
withthe
theatre,
ogy
myth.
happened
in thiscase,werenotsomething
thattheinvisible
to be
structures,
peculiarity
discovered
in orderto understand
how reality
butrather
somefunctioned,
to givegreater
to scenicfiction.
thingto be re-created
onstage
vitality
The invisible
that
breathes
life
into
whatthespectator
seesis
"something"
theactor'ssubscore.By subscoreI do notmeana hiddenscaffolding,
buta
a motion,an impulse,
a levelofcellularorganization
thatsupports
resonance,
stillfurther
levelsoforganization.
Theselevelsextendfromtheeffectiveness
ofthepresenceoftheindividual
actorto theinterweaving
oftheirrelationfrom
the
of
to
choices.
The organic
ships,
organization space dramaturgical
interaction
betweenthedifferent
levelsoforganization
bringsoutthemeanassumes
forthespectator.
ingthattheperformance
The subtext-asStanislavski
calledit-is a particular
The
typeofsubscore.
subscore
doesnotnecessarily
oftheunexpressed
consist
andthoughts
intentions
ofa character,
oftheinterpretation
ofhis/her
motivations.
The subscore
may
consist
ofa rhythm,
a song,a certain
or an actionthatis not
wayofbreathing,
carried
outin itsoriginal
dimensions
butis absorbed
andminiaturized
bythe
actorwho,without
is
its
eveninimmobility.
it, guidedby dynamism
showing
A PhysicalAction:
The SmallestPerceptible
Action
whowasconsidered
ofpsychological
inStanislavski,
bymanyto be a master
characters
andmotivations
withthemeticulous
terpretation,
analyzed
perspicacHis aimwasto deducefromtheintricate
webofthesubtext
a
ityofa novelist.
seriesofsupporting
actions."Andwhenhe
pointsforthelifeofthe"physical
ofattitudes
or
actions,"he meantaboveall a succession
spokeof "physical
movements
oftheirowninnerlife.
possessed
TheDramaReview41,4 (T156),Winter
1997.Copyright
? 1997

and theMassachusettsInstituteof Technology.

New York University
127

128

EugenioBarba
If I have to defineformyselfa physicalaction,I thinkof a gentlebreathof
wind on an ear of corn. The corn is the attentionof the spectator.It is not
shakenas by a gustin a storm,but thatgentlebreathisjust enoughto upsetits
perpendicularity.
If I have to indicatea physicalactionto an actor,I suggestrecognizingit by
it froma simple"movement"or "gesture."I tell
elimination,distinguishing
him or her: a "physicalaction" is the "smallestperceptibleaction" and is recognizableby the factthateven ifyou make a microscopicmovement(the tiniestdisplacementof the hand, forexample),the entiretonicityof the body
changes.A real actionproducesa changein the tensionsin yourwhole body
and subsequently
a changein the perceptionof the spectator.In otherwords,
it originatesin the torso,in the spinalcord. It is not the elbow thatmovesthe
hand, not the shoulderthatmoves the arm,rather,each dynamicimpulseis
rootedin the torso.This is one of the conditionsforthe existenceof an organicaction.
It is obvious thatthe organicactionis not enough. If,in the end, it is not
enlivenedby an innerdimension,thentheactionremainsemptyand theactor
appearsto be controlledby theformof the score.
I do notthinkthereis a uniquemethodforgenerating
innerlife.I believethe
methodis one of negation:notto impedethedevelopment
ofone's innerlife.
This can be learnedon theconditionthatyou act as ifit cannotbe learned.

TheAgeofExercises
The revolutionof theinvisiblemarked,in theatre,the age of exercises.
A good exerciseis a paradigmof dramaturgy,
i.e., a model forthe actor.
The expression"dramaturgy
of the actor"refersto one of thelevelsof organizationof the performance
or to one aspectof the dramaturgical
interweaving.
thereare numerousdramaturgical
Indeed, in everyperformance
levels,some
moreevidentthanothers,and all necessaryforthere-creationoflifeonstage.
But what is the essentialdifference
betweenan exercise(which I have definedas a "paradigmof dramaturgy")
and dramaturgy
in the traditional
sense:
comedy,tragedy,or farce?In each case it is a question of a well-contrived
web of actions.But whereascomedies,tragedies,and farceshave a formand a
content,exercisesare pure form,dynamicdevelopmentswithouta plot, a
thatthe actors'body-mindscan traceand
story.Exercisesare smalllabyrinths
retracein orderto incorporatea paradoxicalway of thinking,
therebydistancing themselvesfromtheirown dailybehaviorand enteringthe domainof the
behavior.
stage'sextra-daily
Exercisesare like amulets,whichtheactorcarriesaround,not to show them
off,but to drawfromthemcertainqualitiesof energyout of which a second
nervoussystemslowlydevelops. An exerciseis made up of memory,bodymemory.An exercisebecomesmemory,whichactsthroughtheentirebody.
At the beginningof the 2oth century,when Stanislavski,
Meyerhold,and
theircollaborators
invented"exercises"forthe formationof actors,theygave
birthto a paradox. Their exerciseswere somethingquite different
fromthe
actorspracticed
trainingfollowedby studentsat theatreschools.By tradition,
fencing,ballet,singing,and, above all, the recitationand actingof particular
of classicalplays.The "exercises,"on the otherhand,were elabofragments
ratescores,codifieddown to thesmallestdetail,and an end in themselves.
All this is evident when we scrutinizethe oldest of the exercisespassed
down to us, those which Meyerholdconceived and called "biomechanics"
and whose aim was to teach"the essenceof scenicmovement."

Amulet
ofMemoryI29
InnerLifeand Interpretation
an exercise
andexplain
thatdistinguish
Thereareatleasttencharacteristics
as dramaturgy
reserved
forthenonpublic
workofactors,
itseffectiveness
i.e.,
theworkon oneself:
fiction.
The actorlearnsnotto learn
areprimarily
a pedagogical
I. Exercises
to be an actoror,in otherwords,learnsnotto learnto act.Exercises
teachhowto thinkwiththeentire
body-mind.
butreal).
teachhowto carry
outa realaction(not"realistic,"
2. Exercises
in
An exin
a
real
action.
teach
that
form
is
essential
Exercises
3.
precision
andan end,andthepathbetweenthesetwopoints
ercisehasa beginning
withperipeteias,
is notlinearbutfraught
leaps,turning
changes,
points,
andcontrasts.
formofan exercise
is a continuity
constituted
4. The dynamic
bya seriesof
is
In
to
learn
the
exercise
it
divided
order
precisely
up intosegphases.
as a succession
of
ments.Thisprocessteacheshowto thinkofcontinuity
An exercise
is an
minutebutwell-defined
actions).
phases(orperceptible
madeup ofstrokes
mustalwaysfollow
and,likeall ideograms,
ideogram
thesamesuccession.
Buteachsinglestroke
canvaryin thickness,
intensity,
andimpetus.
from
5. Each phaseofan exerciseengagestheentirebody.The transition
is a "sats."2
onephaseto another
6. Everyphaseofan exercisedilates,
or miniaturizes
certaindynarefines,
mismsof dailybehavior.In thiswaythesedynamisms
are isolatedand
"edited";theybecomea montageand underlinetheplayof tensions,
contrasts,oppositions-in otherwords,all the elementsof basic
thattransform
intotheextra-daily
behavior
of
dramaticity
dailybehavior
thestage.
maketheactorexperience
hisor her
7. The different
phasesoftheexercise
ownbodynotas a unitybutas a centerforsimultaneous
actions.In the
thisexperience
coincides
witha painful
senseofexpropriation
beginning,
oftheactor'sownspontaneity.
Lateritturns
intothefundamental
quality
oftheactor:a presence
in diverging
and
directions
readyto be projected
theattention
ofthespectator.
capableofattracting
teachhowto repeat.
8. Exercises
to repeat
is notdifficult
aslongasit
Learning
is a question
ofknowing
howto execute
a scorewithevergreater
precision.
in thenextphase.Herethedifficulty
It becomesdifficult
liesin repeating
without
and
dull,whichpresupposes
continuously
becoming
discovering
newdetails,
newpoints
ofdeparture
within
thefamiliar
score.
motivating
is thewayofrefusal:
itteachesrenunciation
9. The exercise
through
fatigue
andcommitment
to a humbletask.
io. An exerciseis notworkon thetextbuton oneself.It putstheactorto
a seriesof obstacles.
thetestthrough
It allowstheactorto getto know
him-or herself
an encounter
withhisor herown limits,not
through
through
self-analysis.
Exercisesteachhow to workon whatis visiblethrough
usingrepeatable
forms.
Theseforms
areempty.
At thebeginning,
theyarefilledwiththeconcentration
forthesuccessful
execution
ofeachsinglephase.Oncethey
necessary
havebeenmastered,
either
forimprotheydieortheyarefilled
bythecapacity
visation.
Thiscapacity
consists
in theability
tovarytheexecution
ofthediverse
theimagesbehindthem(forexample,
to movelikean astronaut
on the
phases,
thechainsofmental
associations.
moon),their
(todifferent
music),
rhythms

30o EugenioBarba

.......

1. Fourphasesofthe
biomechanic
exercise
" exthestone,
"throwing
ecuted
Gennadi
by
theloth
during
Bogdanov
session
oftheInternational
SchoolofTheatre
Anthropology
(ISTA) in
1996.
Copenhagen,
learned
thisexerBogdanov
theoldest
one
cise,possibly
handed
downtous,from
whowas
NikolajKustov,
an actor
andteacher
ofbiomechanics
withMeyerhold
untilthemid-193os.
(PhotosbyTorben
Huss)

In thiswaya subscore
fromthescoreoftheexercise.
develops
The valueofthevisible(thescore)andtheinvisible
(thesubscore)
generatesthepossibility
of makingthemcarryon a dialogue,creating
a space
within
thedesignofmovements
andtheirprecision.
The dialoguebetweenthevisibleandtheinvisible
is precisely
thatwhich
And
theactorexperiences
as innerlifeandin somecasesevenas meditation.
itiswhatthespectator
as interpretation.
experiences
The Complexity
ofEmotion
Whenwe speakofdramaturgy
Theperformance
we shouldthink
ofmontage.
is a complete
in
and
of
diverse
elements-each
itself,
system
obeying
integrating
itsownlogicandallinteracting
andwiththeexterior.
amongthemselves
The dramaturgy
the
oftheactormeans,aboveall,thecapacity
to construct
ofthecomplexity
thatcharacterizes
actionin life.Thisconstrucequivalent
as a character,
musthavea sensorial
andmentalimtion,whichis perceived
is thecapacity
The objective
oftheactor'sdramaturgy
pacton thespectator.
to stimulate
affective
reactions.
Thismayseema paradox,
sincemanypeople,banalizing
Brecht(especially
thosewhohavenotseenperformances
maintain
thattheacthathe directed),
torshouldnottouchthespectators
butstimulate
themintodeemotionally
tachedreflection
andjudgment.
andjudgment
alsoaffective
reacReflection,
are,however,
comprehension,
tions.Theyareemotions.
Thereis a naiveconception
to whichemotionis a forcethat
according
takesholdofandoverwhelms
a person.Butan emotionis a complexpattern
ofreactions
to a stimulus.
Thiscomplexwebofreactions
bytheterm"emotion"is characexpressed
terizedbytheactivation
ofat leastfivelevelsoforganization,
whichinhibit
eachotherinturnbutwhichareallsimultaneously
present:

AmuletofMemory 131

I. a subjectivechange,which we normallycall "feeling":forexample,fear

(a dog comesup to me in thestreet);
2. a seriesof cognitiveevaluations(I consider:thedog seemswell behaved);
of involuntary
autonomousreactions(accelerationof the
3. the manifestation
ofbreathing,
heartbeat,
sweating);
4. an impulseto react(I wantto walk awayquickly);
to walk calmly).
5. thedecisionon how to behave (I forcemyself
It is the complexityof the emotionand not a vague feelingthatthe actor
mustreconstruct.
We musttherefore
work on all the different
levelsthatwe have identified
as characterizing
an "emotion,"which-although belongingto the world of
theinvisible-are nevertheless
concrete.
physically
Moreover,each of theselevelsis guidedby itsown coherence.
The complexityis achievedby interweaving
simpleelementsin opposition
or in harmony,but alwayssimultaneously.
All thisoffers
infinitepossibilities,
theatrically
speaking.I can constructmy reactionstowardsthe dog by working separatelywith the different
partsof my body: my legs behave courageously, for example; my torso and arms, slightlyintroverted,reveal
assessmentand reflection;my head reacts as if to move away; while the
the equivalentof the aurhythmof the blinkingof my eyelidsreconstructs
tonomousinvoluntary
reactions.
The complexityof the resultis attainedby workingon simpleelements,
each one separate,thenput togetherlevel by level,interwoven,
repeated,untiltheymeltintoan organicunitywhichrevealstheessenceof thecomplexity
thatcharacterizes
everylivingform.
It is thispassagefromthe simpleto the "simultaneous
thatthe
multiplicity"
exerciseteaches:the nonlineardevelopmentof minuteperceptibleactions,
subjectto peripeteias,
changes,leaps,turns,and contrasts,
throughtheinteractionof clearlydefinedphases.

132

Eugenio Barba

In a word,byartificially
theexercise
encounters
complexity,
reconstructing

drama.

-translatedbyJudyBarba

Notes
derivefromthe work of the ninthISTA session(Umeaa, Sweden,
I. These reflections
May 1995), whose themewas "Form and Information:Performer's
Learningin a
Multicultural
Dimension."
2. For an explanation
of thisterm,defining
a particular
use of scenicenergyby performers,see Barba(1995:55-61).

Reference
Barba,Eugenio
ThePaperCanoe:A GuidetoTheatre
New York: Routledge.
1995
Anthropology.

anddirector
School
AnEugenioBarbais the
founder
oftheInternational
ofTheatre
and
Odin
Teatret
in
Denmark.
most
His
recent
book
Holstebro,
(ISTA)
thropology
of
isThe PaperCanoe:A Guideto TheatreAnthropology
(Routledge,
1995).