'Hidden pleasures of the discomfort zone'

This phrase, a title in a recent Sydney Morning Herald article, sums up a lot of what we at Playback Theatre believe in. That discomfort can bring its own delights and rewards…

‘In an age of predictability, we need to rediscover our inner child to fully enjoy life's riches, writes Suzy Freeman-Greene.’ Sydney Morning Herald 16/05/2009

This article made me reflect on the experience of Playback Theatre both from a performers experience and from the audience side. Audience members have often told me that despite loving a show, they sometimes felt in the ‘discomfort zone’ that Suzy Freeman-Greene writes about.

I too have experienced this ‘discomfort zone’ - particularly when in training as a conductor. When we ask the audience to put up their hand and tell a story…… there is often a general pause and sometimes the pause reaches into the unknown. I am used to it now, but initially it felt discomforting.

I now think of it as ‘a pregnant pause’ and I feel excited in that moment. What I sense is that people in the audience are tussling within themselves battling with their inhibitions to speak in public sharing a personal story - should I, could I, dare I?!

Jodie Ahrens from Roundabout Theatre writes - ‘We are so soft with each other and protective of our personal spaces…and social norms’- she believes such inhibitions can prevent us from connecting honestly with each other.

So I say, feel the discomfort and do it anyhow. It’s good to challenge yourself. And in moving from the unknown to the known, you may move from being uncomfortable to being energized by a new way of seeing. Expanding your comfort zone – what’s better than that??!!

Actions speak louder than words

Actions speak louder than words...

After our April show at The Newtown Theatre - Family Album - I pondered on how the performance encapsulated 'actions speak louder than words' - although we also used words of course! There was expressiveness, physical imagery, relationship and greek chorus - providing a wealth of meaning to support the words.

Our Russian musician's father was in the audience, and after the show, without a word of English but with much effervesence, managed to convey to me how much he loved it. Eliona was translating for her father and I could see his passion, words were spilling from his mouth about the show; rich, soulful, essential, delicate, real theatre-how important it is for us all to tell our stories and see the story in this theatrical form.

Although you may not have the theatrical skills we as actors have at hand I recommend that when communicating, don't just rely on your words, remember to make use of your body and gesture, your voice, its many tones and variations. Make use of any metaphors, images and stories that come to mind. In this way you'll provide a much more textured message and engage your audience in an entertaining way.