Transformational Acting:
As stated previously, the cast only consists of two actors and nine characters. Meaning transformational acting is a must. Not due to lack of actors but being the most successful way to communicate the playwrights messages. Through transformational acting actors should be able to convey the various themes in Ruby Moon, successfully communicate ideas and present the archetypes of each character in a convincing matter. In order for Ruby Moon to succeed, a strong understanding of the text is necessary. The text includes a vast amount of transformational acting and as a result an actor in Ruby Moon has to be able to be adaptable and emotive on a number of levels. “A 90-minute play with two actors needs a lot of attention in regards the dynamics of movement. To have extended sequences of two actors talking directly to on another would result in a very insular repetitive style of staging. One must ensure the spatial dynamics of Ruby Moon made the two actors to work in a wide variety of arrangements, which continually keeps the image of the play shifting along with the characters themselves.” (QTC)
For Matt Cameron to convey the struggle between Ray and Sylvie each actor must present the following skills for transformational acting.
When transforming into another character, the proper archetype must be shown and conveyed properly. As they cover the key forces in our society. When reading a monologue or speech, the actors must show emotive traits that grab and hold the audiences attention. When changing into another character, to prepare emotionally one can use visual aids. For example “there is a moment when I walk up to the back of the stage to a filing cabinet and I have to grab a prop and turn around and come back down stage and I know that about 12 lines after that I have quite an emotional speech. If I'm not ready for that speech when I get to the box on the filing cabinet, then I won't find the emotional pitch. So I need to program in my mind: that speech is coming up. There's a sort of photograph in my mind so that when I see my hands on the box I know what I have to do otherwise I might simply forget.” (Malthouse)
“Transformations between characters must be sharp for the actors to communicate to the audience proper message. This is because you have got those base characters of Ray and Sylvie and then the other characters that they become. You often see those other characters once and once only, so if you spend the first 30 seconds of a scene 'bleeding' into them, the audience is going to think, "What's going on?" You've got ten minutes with that person so you have to go 'bang' - this is who we are dealing with. With Dulcie, for instance, stooping into her physicality that helps to take a step into that character.” (Malthouse)
Chemistry between the two actors is essential to convince the audience. Even if that chemistry is one of bleak depression. In any case the actors must have an established relationship. Actors should not be line driven when acting but focused on the exploration of grief. They should also provide a realistic and suitable reaction to the line prior to theirs. But depending on the director this is subject to change. For example, in a unlikely and doubtful case, one might reinforce the hopelessness of their relationship and situation, deeply exploring the extent of their grief in an absurdist approach to losing basic communication. In which case the alienation of the characters would work in an effective way. The performance of the actors should not remain at only one tone but at a heightened tension. So, the big challenge in rehearsal is the build trust among the actors to be conformable with the idea of not knowing the absolute truth about some of the characters and narrative presented in this play.
When this is achieved, the success of transformational acting induced by the two actors will successfully communicate to the audience the playwright’s true intentions.
Language:
The use of language is vital for transformational acting. Actors cannot only rely on physical changes to sell the message. In Ruby Moon several language modes are used. Ray and Sylvie use formal, stilted language not Aussie colloquialisms. Meaning the director does not need to focus on the language of Australian contemporary theater. The language addressed is similar to absurd theater; it reduces language to a meaningless form and exposes clichés. The language tone, style and register vary from different characters. For example Sonny Jim uses military jargon. These differences in language distinguish characters in place of costume. Further more making the transformation believable. Actors should never speak in the same tone for different characters and must remain in the same tone for that character. For example Ray changes character a lot, but when he is back to Ray he must continue with the same tone as before. This gives an important element, continuity something rare in Absurdist Theater. In Ruby Moon there is no swearing to establish timelessness. And the most important aspect, poetry adds to dreamlike, sensuous quality to reinforce to fairy tale motif.
An actor must be able to search and reveal what is underneath the poetry to characterize the truth. There are many approaches to Matt Cameron’s particular style of language. As quoted “ It's difficult because it is very poetic, and yet you have to play against it. I feel like I have to treat it as if it's not poetry, as if it's the way that people really speak to one another. I try to find what is driving the character and what she is trying to do to the other character in a moment, in a line, underneath the poetry.” (Malthouse)
These are many language aspects an actor must focus on when undertaking transformational acting in Ruby Moon.
Stages of Grieving:
The stages of grieving are revealed to us as an audience through acting styles. The two actors show various stages of grief, but not all of them. Matt Cameron uses acting styles as stated previously to alienate the direct tragic problem from the audience. Through acting styles, it tells us outsiders do not understand the magnitude of the loss. To say “get over it and rejoin the land of living” is ridiculous in their minds. (Wright) Due to that this is Absurdist Theater, the stages of grieving are not in order.
During the prologue it begins with loneliness as Ray and Sylvie do not speak direct to each other and do not acknowledge each others previous line. Actors should refer back to personal experiences that evoke these emotions to better convey the intention of the text. Not only, during the prologue Sylvie lashes out at Ray for speaking in the past tense. Showing another stage, Anger. When the mannequin is discovered as a new piece of evidence another stage is evoked, hope. Throughout the journey to discover new clues the main stage of grief is the sense of hope before the upward turn stage. Traditionally the stage of hope this would be the last stage of recovery. In Ruby Moon it is only leading to the climax. Actors need to beware that in Ruby Moon you do not progress through the stages of grief in order nor do you ever recover. As shown in the climax, the two characters have reached a new level of grief, which does not exist. And that is insanity. Past guilt, pain, depression and onto insanity. As shown through acting styles this stage shows the breakdown of relationships and the barrier separating reality from fantasy is broken.
The stages of grief are incorporated into transformational acting. When actors switch characters or as the scene progresses, the change of grief needs to be clearly shown to depict the true intentions of Matt Cameron. It is also necessary for the audience to acknowledge that the order is changed to the absurdist nature of the play, and that in the end there is no recovery.
Conclusion:
The impact of acting styles is very significant to communicate the playwright’s true intentions. Through transformational acting and elements that correlate with it portray Matt Cameron’s true intentions. Such as to show pressures of suburbia, climate of fear and paranoia, struggling conflict between Ray and Sylvie to find answers, dealing with grief and tragedy. Through acting styles in Ruby Moon it has successfully portrayed Matt Cameron’s true intentions. The questions left when the audience leaves says enough. Though this is subject to change due to skill level of different actors. Based on the text and the original play, his intentions have been successfully shown and have set a benchmark for all other plays to follow.
Works Cited:
Lynch, Terrin. "Elements of Theatre and Drama." SMC Homepage. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2011. <http://homepage.smc.edu/adair-lynch_terrin/ta%205/elements.htm>.
"Tireswing Theatre: Transformation Style Theatre." Welcome to Tireswing Theatre. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2011. <http://www.tireswingtheatre.org/other/trans_style_theatre.html>.
Mitchell, Joseph. "Ruby Moon." Queensland Theatre Company Internet Interview. 2008.
O'Leary, Christen. Interview by Malthouse Theater. Internet interview. 2008.
Shurin, Sande. Transformational acting: a step beyond. New York: Limelight Editions, 2002. Print.
Wright, Jennie. "7 STAGES OF GRIEF." RECOVER FROM GRIEF LOSS: Creative Healing Techniques . N.p, n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2011. <http://www.recover-from-grief.com/7-stages-of-grief.html>.
