11 and 12

For the most part, today was filled with homework, but I ended up being fairly productive - it was a good day. We had Shepherd's Pie for dinner, another traditional British meal.
After dinner, the theatre class got together to head off to see 11 and 12, written by Amadou Hampate Estienne, directed by Peter Brook. What an incredible show.

(Photo credit to Pascal Victor/ArtComArt)

"11 and 12 transports the audience back to a time before the Second World War and to a complex debate about a form of Islamic prayer. The setting is Mali, specifically a small town called Bandiagara, where Tierno Bokar becomes mired in controversy over the question of whether a special prayer should be recited 11 or 12 times. This tiniest of internal doctrinal disagreements eventually leads to civil strife, massacres and confrontation with the occupying French authorities."
--In conversation with Peter Brook By James Woodall
The general color scheme is of warm neutrals; red, orange, and yellow are highly present throughout the entire production. Blue also makes an appearance, spotted here and there in characters' clothing and lighting of the stage. This juxtaposition of orange to blue generates much conflict to the human eye, and it's interesting to note that much of the theme of the production centers around this tension.

(Photo credit to Pascal Victor/ArtComArt)

The stage setup itself is very simplistic. Thick fabric is laid on a portion of the stage to serve as the ground. For texture, dust/sand is spread over the cloth and bare stage floor. There were very few stage pieces - just a few movable trees and logs. In this case, it seems that simplicity produces purity: purity in design, purity in message. The actors are left un-miked, which further purifies the production.

(Photo credit to Pascal Victor/ArtComArt)

The actors themselves were all extremely talented, as well as extremely multicultural, their ties leading back to Israel, Paris, Nigeria, Spain, and Connecticut (yes!). They all seemed to work very well together, and it showed in the production. It was also awesome to see a production where the characters were all cast for their correct ages. Most of the plays that I see are from school, where all the actors are my age.
All in all, it was an INCREDIBLE production. It's so good to be back in the theatre realm. I have a feeling that it's going to be a large part of my life, whether I'm working backstage, in the box office, publicity, or photography...
=)