So, Acting 2 started their class studying five famous 20th-century directors via a film exhibit called the 5 Truths of acting. They had to watch five films filmed in the style of these famous directors.
Antonin Artaud
Bertolt Brecht
Jerzy Grotowski
Peter Brook
Constantin Stanislavski
After that, they were charged to film their own film with a monologue of their choosing.
The National Theatre of England asked these questions:
“What are the differences between five of the most influential European theatre practitioners of the 20th century? How would these five directors work with the actress playing Ophelia in the famous mad scene in Shakespeare’s Hamlet? What would they ask the actress to do and how would they ask the actress to behave?
A video installation called Five Truths commissioned by the V&A in partnership with the National Theatre was created by a group of contemporary theatre-makers lead by Katie Mitchell, looking at these questions. The Multi-screen installation brings together five interpretations of Ophelia’s madness in Hamlet. and consists of ten short films suggesting possible variations in what you might see. Ten screens of varying sizes simultaneously play films of Ophelia interpreted dramatically through the lens of Constantin Stanislavski, Antonin Artaud, Bertolt Brecht, Jerzy Grotowski and Peter Brook.”
Armed with research and their phones, the class set to work. Here are some examples of what they created at home during this time of digital learning.
Act Out 