Phillip ZarrilliPhillip ZarrilliThe man and his methodThe man and his method

Zarrilli’s Method: A Zarrilli’s Method: A poempoem

Two worlds of engagement:Two worlds of engagement:Embodied,Embodied,Reflexive,Reflexive,

Open,Open,Close,Close,Open,Open,

Fluid andFluid andWoven together asWoven together as

Mind,Mind,Body,Body,

Coherent,Coherent,Cycling through,Cycling through,

Word,Word,Command,Command,Touch,Touch,Candor,Candor,Breath,Breath,

Listening,Listening,Line,Line,

Support,Support,movementmovement

TowardsTowardsAwareness,Awareness,Attention,Attention,Connection, Connection,

ReleaseReleaseOf energy to spaceOf energy to space

ForForActivation,Activation,Openness,Openness,And beingAnd beingavailable,available,

Ready,Ready,Open,Open,

For other.For other.

Who is he?Who is he? Academic at University of Exeter, with a prolific Academic at University of Exeter, with a prolific corpus of published workcorpus of published work

Director in commercial theatre (he uses his method to Director in commercial theatre (he uses his method to train his actors prior to a production)train his actors prior to a production)

Actor trainer with a strong interest in Asian Actor trainer with a strong interest in Asian traditions as a means of facilitating actorstraditions as a means of facilitating actors

How would one define him?How would one define him?

His story?His story? Presbyterian minister (studies Presbyterian minister (studies continental philosophy and continental philosophy and theology)theology)

Came to theatre and drama lateCame to theatre and drama late Got a Fulbright scholarship to Got a Fulbright scholarship to study in India as part of his drama study in India as part of his drama graduate studiesgraduate studies

Made many trips to the Indian state Made many trips to the Indian state of Kerala to study of Kerala to study kalarippayattu kalarippayattu and and other practices under local mastersother practices under local masters

His Method of Pre-His Method of Pre-Performative TrainingPerformative Training

Composite and Composite and unified set of unified set of

pre-Performative pre-Performative psychophysical psychophysical training exercises training exercises centred around centred around Dan Dan TianTian. . His is a set His is a set of embodied of embodied training practices training practices designed to designed to activate and activate and facilitate facilitate interiority and interiority and exteriority.exteriority.

The Breath (The Breath (prana) and Dan prana) and Dan TianTian

PranaPrana is breath but more than breath it is is breath but more than breath it is an activating forcean activating force

PranaPrana comes from and is controlled through comes from and is controlled through Dan TianDan Tian (CV7 in acupuncture) (CV7 in acupuncture)

For Zarrilli the inner eye follows For Zarrilli the inner eye follows prana prana from from Dan TianDan Tian, while the outer eyes focuses , while the outer eyes focuses on the world outsideon the world outside

Interiority denuded of ego atuned with Interiority denuded of ego atuned with exteriorityexteriority

Ideal: to make the body all eyesIdeal: to make the body all eyes

Specific StrategiesSpecific Strategies Breathing, activation through Breathing, activation through

prana fro Dan Tienprana fro Dan Tien Stretching and strengthening, Stretching and strengthening, using exacting stylized exercisesusing exacting stylized exercises

Focus, in all its types (internal Focus, in all its types (internal and external)and external)

Imaging (imaging of flowing Imaging (imaging of flowing stream was especially used)stream was especially used)

Partnering, especially to adjustPartnering, especially to adjust

Sim Fong from Hong KongSim Fong from Hong Kong

Zarrilli’s PedegogyZarrilli’s Pedegogy

World of psychophysical

exercises•Verbal commands•Side coaching

•Tactile adjustments•partnering

World of reflexivity

•Inter-subjective Exchange

•Explanations/theory•Adjustments/case examples

Dual performative worlds of engagementDual consciousnesses

DiscursiveDevises

(used to shiftbetween worlds)

“Step out”“Drop in”“Come up”

Zarrilli as agent and narrator,

controlling the movement between

worlds

Source TraditionsSource Traditions Classical Hatha Yoga-Classical Hatha Yoga- but not for but not for relaxation, for activation relaxation, for activation (breathing)(breathing)

KalarippayattuKalarippayattu-traditional -traditional regional martial art of Kerala regional martial art of Kerala (form)(form)

TaiqiquanTaiqiquan-Chinese form of -Chinese form of psychophysical exercise (focus)psychophysical exercise (focus)

Actor processes towards Actor processes towards performanceperformance

Developing sets of Developing sets of awarenessesawarenesses (peripheral, residual, bodily)(peripheral, residual, bodily)

AttentivenessAttentiveness to visual and auditory to visual and auditory (a widening kinosphere)(a widening kinosphere)

AtunementAtunement to self and others to self and others ReleaseRelease of energy to space of energy to space ImpulsesImpulses through through pranaprana coming from coming from Dan Dan

TienTien Developing Developing lineline through the spine, through the spine, with triagulated support from muscle with triagulated support from muscle groupsgroups

What does Zarrilli want to What does Zarrilli want to achieve?achieve?

An actor who can respond, adapt An actor who can respond, adapt and give energy, one who is and give energy, one who is open to possibilities, to the open to possibilities, to the space and to others. An actor space and to others. An actor for whom inner and outer are for whom inner and outer are co-continuous. An actor who co-continuous. An actor who imagines and uses metaphors to imagines and uses metaphors to facilitate a fluidity.facilitate a fluidity.

Philosophical NotesPhilosophical Notes1.1. The term ‘psychophysical’The term ‘psychophysical’ (no (no

hyphen) is denial of both western hyphen) is denial of both western mind-body dualism and mind-body dualism and psychological constructs that psychological constructs that characterize some actor teaching characterize some actor teaching methodsmethods

2.2. Notion of intentionalityNotion of intentionality. He . He conceives a pre-reflective state conceives a pre-reflective state in which there is no intentin which there is no intent

3.3. Sense of the otherSense of the other intrinsic in intrinsic in his teaching processeshis teaching processes

A critique of Zarrilli’s A critique of Zarrilli’s methodmethod

Does Zarrilli’s idealisation of the Does Zarrilli’s idealisation of the acting process equate with the actual acting process equate with the actual felt experiences of actors?felt experiences of actors?

There is a denial of the analytic in There is a denial of the analytic in the actual now-of-doing. Yet, to me, the actual now-of-doing. Yet, to me, this consciousness and cognitive loop this consciousness and cognitive loop seems to be present for many actors.seems to be present for many actors.

His is a confluence of Asian and His is a confluence of Asian and yogic traditions that nay not sit yogic traditions that nay not sit comfortably with western performance comfortably with western performance sensibilitiessensibilities