The Viewpoints
Viewpoints of Time
Kinaesthetic Response
Relationships
Tempo
Duration
Repetition
(both Time and Space)
Gesture
(a combination of shape in space over time)
Viewpoints of Space
Spatial
Architecture
Floor Pattern
Shape
The Viewpoints are a system of inter-related elements that can be used to describe, analyse and create stage action. These elements define the use of TIME and SPACE in performance, and how they are combined to create meaning and refine stage action for the greatest possible aesthetic impact.
While a heightened awareness of The Viewpoints helps to create extraordinary performance and improvisation, they are not something a performer can ‘do’; they are, already existing in time and space. Viewpoints training merely makes a performer much more aware of different ways of manipulating them.
Training often takes the form of improvisation where, with nothing more than bodies in time and space, an ensemble practices responding to a group impulse, organically moving and speaking in response to the needs of the performance at that time.
In training, actors bring their awareness to each of these points of view, impulsively and instinctively connecting with, and responding to the action, physical space and use of time on the stage. This heightened awareness results in highly connected ensembles that intuitively respond to each member individually and collectively, listening and responding authentically to the moment on stage.
It is a form that encourages deep listening, playfulness, trust, and risk. It brings the individual’s attention to their inner life and how this manifests in their physical and vocal response, how this then relates to the other performers on stage, the physical space, and the relationship this has with the audience.
At first it is pre-expressive. There is no imposition of, or need to create any meaning, but to allow for improvisation that simply explores the connection in the ensemble and how this particular group of people will choose to perform at that time. In that sense, an established ensemble can use an open improvisation as a means of gauging the mood or interest of the group in that particular rehearsal/training.
Pre-expressive refers to the fact that there is no ‘acting’, as in taking on character, situation, developing tension. Meaning may be read into whatever is be performed on stage by the audience, as usual, but there is no intention to create one during improvisation. Small connections may be made, basic characterisation entered into, or identifiable references performed, but they are ephemeral, coalescing and dissolving on the group’s impulse.
Some actors feel the safety of an identifiable situation, set of behaviours or mood, and get pulled into it, or use it as something sturdy to hold onto among the improvisation in which almost anything could happen. With a heightened awareness of the Viewpoints, there is no need for an actor to ‘try’ to do anything, only respond as part of the ensemble and the greater stage action. The only responsibility they have is the same as every other performer’s responsibility.
If a performer unconsciously starts situational ‘acting’, it limits the possibilities to only that situation and character, therefore every idea must be let go as easily as it arrives. Clinging to an idea, trying and ‘being clever’ are all habits borne of fear and an unconscious urge to maintain an individual identity within the performance.
Habits are hard to break. They are the programmed behaviours we have trained ourselves to turn to under pressure to come to our physical or psychological rescue. Like the Suzuki Method of Actor Training, Viewpoints improvisation can highlight a performer’s habitual responses to the stressful situation of making something from nothing in front of an audience.
The Viewpoints make the performer aware of their habitual patterns – using slower tempo as it is not so physically demanding, ‘hiding’ from the audience, forcing a response on another performer, dominating through monopolising major focus to name a few common habits. In this regard, it pays to have a director, audience or outside eye to bring the performer’s awareness to these habits and find out what other possibilities there are.
In general, the most common feedback boils down to “Stop thinking and just respond”, which brings the focus back to what is happening in the moment and what that moment is becoming.
Improvisations can be created within specific parameters which an ensemble wants to explore. Improvising in a newly constructed set, or new rehearsal space can reveal the potentials that may not otherwise have been considered. Improvising around a broad theme can uncover motif and allow the deep excavation of stereotype. By allowing a more unconscious exploration of the narrative, perspective, character, scene, or moment an ensemble can organically discover a more abstract interpretation through stage action. It is important in these improvisations that performers do not get stuck in a literal story/character (see above). Just as when music is introduced, performers can find valuable material in contrasting and juxtaposing the dominant element as well as expressing a more poetic or abstract interpretation of the pre-text.
There are a number of paradoxes created in Viewpoints training. One first has to let go in order to achieve the impulsive connection required. One has to be disciplined in order to play. One must become so hyper-aware that the Viewpoints become unconscious. Such is the way of any dynamic system.
Don’t think, respond.
Trust your instincts.
If you lose awareness of any of the Viewpoints, simply bring your awareness back to what is happening now, and you will see them.
Do, or do not. There is no try.
Break your habits or at least become aware of why you do them.
Beware falling into a pattern, particularly rhythmic percussion. E.g. clapping
Do not force another performer to respond in a way where they have no other option. E.g. shoving someone.
Never forget that the audience sees the whole stage image, therefore you must be aware of the entire image.
Composition
Viewpoints can be used as a creation tool through their deliberate manipulation to construct moments of stage action. Composition assists the ensemble in both exploring a concept, developing, and refining potential draft material. Bogart chose to call this process composition as it reflects the construction of images on stage in the same way a musician specifically places notes and silences, or a painter deliberately places image on a canvas.
The composition process usually starts with a question, theme or existing text (in the post-dramatic sense). While this pre-text can be explored as a whole, it can also be broken down into its constituent elements with compositions created to inform individual scenes, sub-themes, moods, place/ space, relationships, and text.
These compositions can start out as simply as sequencing a number of spatial relationships together to express the essence of the given topic. If the word ‘essence’-; the quality that makes the thing what it is – doesn’t translate in any context, consider other subjective terms like ‘feel’, ‘spirit’, or mood. Given that the meaning and feeling of the concept must be condensed into such a brief and static image, a poetic or abstract interpretation can be encouraged where the literal and narrative would take too long.
As more conditions and freedoms are placed on the compositions. Conditions like specific inclusions or references that must be made to carry the narrative or theme. Freedoms like an extended amount of time for each scene or image. By beginning with more expressive than literal interpretation, the ensemble now can add greater layering of literal meaning with visual metaphor, allegory and symbolic representation.
Because the Viewpoints are a post-dramatic, non-hierarchical form, devising with them means that there is no privileging of the text, or any element over another. Meaning and beauty are not restricted to language and visual elements respectively, but both must be used equally as articulately.
Not only is composition a tool for creating work in rough draft, but it also enables refining and editing, holding on to images that create the most impact and building the next version around these, or analysing the use of specific Viewpoints within each.
