The last two days of the Gathering saw more of the creative facilitations that had opened up for exchange of experiences the previous day. Peader's morning session on Saturday was a meeting not just of directors, but of designated experts on the topic, who were there to give and receive advice. We were all asked to think about a real problem we had encountered in the process of directing, that was specific enough to be answered, and could be as personal as we liked. The space was rearranged so that two and two chairs faced each other, and the advicees took their places whilst the experts joined them. We had two minutes to talk and discuss, and the setting created in intimate, confidential chat where we had the chance to discuss some of the key issues of our craft on a very personal level. After having been through a few swaps of people, the roles were swapped, so that the experts became the ones asking for advice and vice versa.
Exactly what was discussed in the pairs is to remain between them – no plenary discussion of the content was either wanted or needed at the end. What did come up, was a sense that something had taken place between the people who had been talking, and that this something had been of great value. Many were surprised that they had been able to offer advice on what they thought they would not have been able to, and indeed the answers often lay within the questioner him- or herself. The verbalization of a problem is often the first step to solving it, and being given the time and space, as well as an attentive listener was a great help in this respect. As directors, we so often work alone, that it was a great reassurance to hear that others, both those with a great deal of experience and those that are just beginning their creative lives, were facing some of the same problems and grappling with the same slippery substances of creativity and concrete problems.
This was followed up in the afternoon, and indeed the day after, with quotes and phrases we often use as directors as starting points for discussion. From giving specific instructions to sharing food, all aspects of rehearsal and performance were discussed, and the constant shift of partners meant you never stayed on the same subject for long, but skipped on to the next important issue and found that you had common views to people with very different roots from your own. But again, this was hardly surprising, given what results had been reached in the days before. Exploration, building of the ensemble, the actor as an individual, and the other members of the creative team as persons in their own right, were themes that kept cropping up and which seemed to be crucial to most people's work.
These sessions also highlighted in a practical sense how important facilitation and building of a safe environment is, irrespective of theatrical tradition or approach to performance. Part of the director's task is to create a place for the actors to work in, that is safe and secure for them to experiment, explore and bond as a group, before they are ready to take the instructions from the director. Without the necessary pointers and cushions in place, working together is difficult and may not yield the desired results. When done well, however, the facilitation sets off an exciting process where the fun of theatre is allowed space to grow alongside more serious matters, and it is precisely at this interplay between play and seriousness exiting things happen and the performance may start to take shape. We understand through doing, and through doing we come to realize just how important this aspect of our practice is.
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