In reference to the article Ritual Play about Play: “Everybody knows that the spirit images are human beings, but at the same time they protect the secret of the mask, which is really no secret at all.”
This is in reference to the Yoruba rituals performed with masks, but I directly relate this quote to my work in Rep Company thus far. In “A Helping Hoof," I have been playing a servant who turns into a monkey, and the main costume piece has been my mask. Although the audience fully understands that I am a human being, my main goal has been to convince them otherwise. Obviously, the Egungun festivals have an entirely different meaning from Rep Company. They are honoring their ancestors in a sacred ritual, not entertaining children. I’m not a ‘miracle worker’, but I can say I have had a small taste of how hard these performers worked. “The audience is to perceive only what the performer wants it to see, that is, an elusive being continually changing form and color in plain sight of everyone.” I change in plain form of everyone, but I am not positive that my audience sees only what I want them to see. I think there must have been a strong amount of catharsis that is present in their performances that we can’t really recreate here. Granted they are totally different audiences. I am really just trying to relay the similarities in our performance styles but the complete differences in our audience’s perception. It makes me question what it would be like if we attempted to perform our bastardized techniques for the Yoruba culture. How would they react? I assume if the Egungun rituals were performed for an average American audience, we would appreciate the artistry but I don’t think an American audience could ever truly understand the depths of meaning behind this particular piece of theatre.
I think there is a connection between the two performances (Egungun Festivals and Rep Company) in their attempt to educate their audiences, and the essence of Rep Company is ritual in itself; the set up and break down of the set and costumes as we perform in new and different spaces each time. But overall, I almost feel silly comparing the two, especially because the Yoruba rituals have a very specific meaning to their culture and Rep Company is mostly based entertainment.
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Beth I feel like you have made some very interesting points. I had never thought about it like this but I can see exactly where you are coming from. When we perform "Hoof" we basically do the same thing every time; in a sense it is ritual. We set up, get dressed introduce ourselves (by rapping), perform, and then discuss the show with the audience. The only thing I disagree with is where you compare the impact of the shows.
When we perform "Hoof" we are helping to instill in these children the values that our American culture embraces. We stress the importance of kindness and helping others. And for the most part I feel like the kids get that message. I am not at are by any means trying to compare us to the Orisha. I am only saying that I think what we do every morning is very similar to what they do. Like you said we aren't really animals but it is our job to convince the students that we are.
I think the real differences in what we do is that when we preform it is always planned and the audience for the most part know what we are going to do. Rep company is not by any means a sort of sacred religious ritual. However does the fact that a sacred religious ritual is preformed in it change that at all? Could "Hoof" be considered a biblical/ Koranic type of fable and if so does that make it sacred the Egungum masquerades? Or not? So many questions...
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