TNUA teachers, students at Odin Week
A group of theatre teachers and students from TNUA has attended a nine-day workshop at Odin Teatret, meeting the legendary founder and director Mr. Eugenio Barba and other veteran members of the troupe.
Sponsored by the Education Ministry’s
Academic Excellence Program, 10 undergraduate and graduate students, led by two
teachers, departed for
The Odin Week international workshop allowed the participants to experience the “Odin Tradition,” as well as various other activities, including body training, studying methods of representation, watching performances, taking care of chores, and daily conversation with Mr. Barba.
The Odin Tradition refers to veteran members’ sharing of their years of experience, and the varieties of experience show that the tradition is not a set of immovable rules, but a combination of years of different experience from individual members.
As Veteran actress Ms. Roberta Carreri describes it, Odin has grown into such a well-balanced and healthy big tree because of the differences between its members.
The workshop participants also were arranged to see rehearsals by Odin members on two plays that the troupe had never staged before: Shakespeare’s Othello and Ibsen’s A Doll’s House.
Making use of simple props, the actors and actresses rehearsed in front of the participants and at the same time explained to them the development of the rehearsals. They provided participants with insights into how Odin actors and actress would develop their characters.
The most inspiring moment every day was the conversation with Mr. Barba in the evening. In the course of nine days, Mr. Barba gave a lively account of Odin’s history, recalling how at one point they considered disbanding the group, and how they experienced problems of keeping and finding talented members.
In its first 10 successful years, some of its members were intoxicated by success and fame, and their work attitude soured, according to the Mr. Barba. Once an actor or actress becomes proud, it spells the end for them, he said.
Mr. Barba said Odin then felt it was time for a change: for two years its members trained hard without staging any public performances. It was hard for theatre people yearning for recognition and applause. But those who have remained have been hard-working and selfless.
One of the most important jobs for Odin members is to take care of the daily chores. Ms. Carreri said Odin has never hired outside help to clean its premises.
Ms. Carreri, the creator of the Odin Week workshop, joined the troupe in 1974. Apart from acting, teaching and conducting workshops, Ms. Carreri has written memorable plays, such as Traces in the Snow and Judith.
Ms. Carreri has never taken part in productions outside Odin despite her talent and fame. She explains simply and firmly that she needs Odin.
Prof. Lee Kuang-yu’s ‘Life Illusion’
“Life Illusion of Bodies 2009: A Solo Show by Lee Kuang-Yu,” which runs till June 14 at the Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts, presents the
sculptor’s works from 2004 to 2007.
The world of sculpture embodies Prof. Lee’s
insightful and deep understanding of life. The concrete-yet-abstract forms of
his sculptures offer a glimpse into the intricate relations between religion
and life. Prof. Lee’s constant contemplation on the differences and
similarities between the West and the East is elevated to the metaphysical
world of religion, which is in turn reflected in his works.
Born in 1945 in Kaohsiung, Prof. Lee completed his professional training in Taiwan before heading to Spain in 1978 to study in the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts and then in the University of Madrid. He returned to Taiwan in 1983 and has since then been teaching at TNUA.