paratheatre -- f.a.q.
Infrequently Asked Questions
written by Antero Alli (updated 2/26/10).

What is 'paratheatre' ?

The term "paratheatre" was coined by the late Polish theatre director, Jerzy Grotowski (Aug. 11, 1933 - Jan. 14, 1999), to address a stage of his outdoor group work in the forests of Poland during the mid-seventies. Generally speaking, paratheatre refers to private, non-performance oriented processes of highly kinetic group dynamics involving rigorous physical and vocal techniques. Without an audience, the external "pressures to perform or to impress" are replaced by the self-created pressures of performing actions and songs with the total commitment capable of transforming and refining the instrument of the self. Paratheatre is also not 'improvisation' as commonly defined and used in the theatre. Deeply process-oriented, the overall aim of this paratheatre is with accessing sources of energy in the body itself -- currents of impulses and natural rhythms -- as movement, action, and vocal resources. The results can be convulsive, spontaneous, and unpredictable. As more advanced techniques are applied, the stream of impulses can be tempered and refined towards greater clarity of form and transmission.

The term "paratheatre, like the term "theatre", continues to be updated and redefined to serve the developing contexts of its practice and its practioners. The paratheatre medium I have been developing with others since 1977 posits an asocial approach to group ritual dynamics that implements techniques of physical theatre, dance, song, and a unique Zazen meditation process to access, express and embody the internal landscape. Though inspired by Grotowski's early paratheatre work, this new medium makes no pretense of following or attempting to replicate that course. One important difference that sets our work apart from Grotowski's is our consistent practice of a standing and walking meditation we call "no-form", a technique that develops the very forms and content of our work. Though external forms such as songs and text are occasionally used, they often play a secondary role to the slower development of organic structures emerging through the no-form process itself.

 

What is the purpose of this "no-form" ? Tell us more about its use.

The purpose of no-form is two-fold: 1) to deepen receptivity to energy sources innate to the physical and energetic bodies towards their engagement and expression and 2) to discharge and disperse identification with these forces after each engagement. No-form allows us to become full with the energies engaged and then to become empty, again.

We approach no-form in context to movement and expression, rather than as any physically passive technique or traditional Zen path to samadhi or "enlightenment". For us, No-Form acts as a tool for cultivating internal receptivity. The No-Form experience is essentially personal to each individual but also, impersonal. Astrophysics suggests there is no such thing as 'empty space' anywhere in nature, that space is not empty but teeming with dynamic potential energy. This could also describe No-Form. Before and after each ritual engagement with internal forces, we stand in no-form to accomplish these ends. No-form practice is also applied to a 'no-form walk' and 'no-form jogging' when more dynamic transitions between rituals are needed.

Click this for more on "No-Form"

 

How are you able to discern any progress in this paratheatre work ?

After three decades in this paratheatre medium, I have noticed three overlapping phases through which this work seems to develop, progress and evolve. All three stages express an intimately entwined process; no graduations, no final arrivals. Each remains an essential component of each other.

The first stage involves cultivating deep internal receptivity -- via the No-Form experience -- to energy sources in the body and yielding to these sources in an immersive experience of self-surrender. The intent is to access, express and embody the energetic strata of the internal landscape towards a merging identification with the energy. The results are often ecstatic, convulsive, cathartic and chaotic.

The second stage involves serving the direction of the energy itself -- in gesture, voice, action -- towards clarifying the innate patterns and currents emerging from the first stage. The intent is to serve the expression of the energy itself, rather than identify with it or impose any preconceived ideas, plans or images. The results are often half-formed, dramatic and/or highly expressive yet without necessarily communicating anything understandable.

The third stage involves a sustaining care for tempering spontaneity with a gently increasing precision. Too much spontaneity turns the work into self-indulgent soup; too much imposed structure kills its life. A balance must be struck. This balance requires a certain stamina for maintaining the dynamic tension between precision and spontaneity, between form and force, or flow, towards ever-increasing durations. Stage three articulates what can also be understood by others. The results are often more economical, distilled, dynamic and specific.

Does ParaTheatrical ReSearch ever serve performance or public formats ? If so, how ?

About 80% of our work (since 1977) has commenced behind closed doors without audience or any witnesses beyond myself as facilitator. The deeply internal nature of our work has required an equally private environment to nurture and achieve its various asocial, kinetic, spiritual and creative aims. When a given group reaches a critical mass of skill and proficiency in this medium, a performance event is considered and sometimes scheduled.

ParaTheatrical ReSearch public events have taken on four distinct formats: 1) Witnessing (a public invitation to sit in on an actual lab session with no explanaton of actions) 2) Demonstration (public lecture explaining aspects of the work accompanied by demonstration) 3) Performance (where specific ritual structures are performed often accompanied by text and/or live music) and 4) Video documents (distilled presentations of a ritual lab accompanied by facilitator and participant commentaries). The history of ParaTheatrical ReSearch public events are posted at Public Event History.

Our paratheatre techniques can be applied to almost any performance and artistic medium in a number of ways, from pre-performance warm-up processes to strengthening performance stamina and presence and on to post-performance diffusion of excess emotional charge. Our processes and methods have also proven effective for artists working in other mediums such as Painting, Sculpture, Poetry, Composing Music, and Cinema that depend on deepening the access to creative sources of inspiration. Additional notes on how paratheatre can serve the performing artist are posted in State of Emergence (my paratheatre manifesto): Part Three: "The Performer/Audience Romance".

 

What other groups or individuals are working in paratheatre mediums ?

There are currently numerous offshoots and hybrids of Grotowski-informed work (those who have worked personally with Grotowski) and Grotowski-inspired work by groups and individuals all over the world. In the U.S.A., I personally know of seven other individuals and their groups fully commited to paratheatre and paratheatre-related projects. Please feel free to contact any one of them for further information:

Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards
Matt Mitler; director, Theatre Dzieci (NYC)
Stephen Bogart; director, Rouged Ape (Boston)
Stacy Klein, director, Double Edge Theatre (Amherst MA)
Stephen Wangh; instructor, NYU (Naropa, Boulder CO; and NYC)
Joseph Lavy and Jennifer Lavy; co-directors, Akropolis Performance Lab (Seattle)
James Slowiak, Jairo Cuesta; co-directors, New World Performance Laboratory (Akron OH)

Others working in paratheatre and related mediums are listed at:
ParaTheatrical ReSearch Links

 

How does one go about participating in a ParaTheatrical ReSearch Lab?

ParaTheatrical ReSearch conducts three or four Labs each year starting in early Spring, in Summer and in Autumn. Labs typically run two nights a week for six to twelve weeks at a time. Entry is by invitation, and/or interview with the director. Those interested should first read the Lab Participation Prerequisites and then, e-mail antero@paratheatrical.com to share something of your background and why you wish to participate. You will be contacted shortly thereafter, usually within forty-eight hours, for a possible interview.

What books on paratheatre would you recommend ?

click image for excerpts

I strongly recommend these books on the theory and application of paratheatre:

Towards a Poor Theatre by Jerzy Grotowski; click this for excerpt
Film Clip of Grotowski explaining his work

At Work with Grotowski on Physical Actions by Thomas Richards

Heart of Practice by Thomas Richards

The Empty Space by Peter Brook

An Acrobat of the Heart by Stephen Wangh

Towards an Archeology of the Soul by Antero Alli; click this for excerpt

 

 

 

ParaTheatrical ReSearch Video Clips
"Crux", "Orphans of Delirium", "Archaic Community"

Participation in ParaTheatrical ReSearch Labs
The Interview Process and What To Expect

RITUAL LAB SCHEDULE
Every Spring, Summer and Fall/Winter.

Paratheatre-related articles
by Antero and others

"State of Emergence"
a paratheatre manifesto

 

ParaTheatrical ReSearch Site Map