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By Jen Wallace and Marc Rickenbach

On May 25, at Le Pavé d’Orsay, a narrow empty space tucked away in
Paris’ 7th, we attended the Introductory Cocktail and Press hour
celebrating the return of The Living Theatre to Paris after a twenty
year absence. The following weekend, in collaboration with the Bilingual
Acting Workshop, The Living Theatre would hold a workshop and two
performances at Paris’s Studio International des Arts de la Scène
called “A Day in the Life of Paris,” taught by Judith Malina.

With nearly one hundred productions performed in 8 languages in 28
countries on 5 continents, the Living Theatre, founded in 1947 by Judith
Malina (now almost 85 years old) and her late husband Julian Beck, is
the longest running producing theatre company in the United States.
Alumni and fans include legends such as Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, Martin
Sheen, and countless others over its long history, many of whom still
remain actively involved with the theatre. Through her work with The
Living Theatre, Malina has won 8 Obie awards as director and producer,
and in 2003 she was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame.

But what is particularly fascinating, and what commands respect, is
her long time dedication to her craft and to her Brechtian-inspired
dramaturgy which she and her team not only preach, but practice as well.
The discussion with Ms. Malina, Associate Artistic Director Brad
Burgess and Living Theatre veteran Tom Walker, was dominated by the
theatre’s relationship to both political and social engagement. There
was a lot of talk of nonviolent anarchist revolution, especially by Mr.
Walker who spoke of utopian ideals, of challenging society’s mores,
however uncomfortable they might be, in order to initiate a dialogue of
whys and why-nots. “We are in the hope business, not the depression
business,” he says at one point. The theatre’s goal, it seems, is to
engage the actors and the audience in these issues both on- and
off-stage and to instigate positive change.

It should be said that Ms. Malina herself has quite the résumé of
political engagement. On May 13, 1968, she was among those who built the
first barricade on the rue Gay-Lussac in Paris, and as Brad Burgess
mentioned, she had been arrested in twelve different countries, all
related to political activism.

Founded by Amy Werba in 1995 in Paris, the Bilingual Acting Workshop
stresses the importance of intercultural ensemble performance, and
though the courses are taught in English, students are encouraged to
perform in their native languages. From what we learned, this allows for
an open dialogue regarding different acting methods. During the
discussion, points were made about the differences between New York
methods, as taught by Lee Strasberg, for example, and a more
text-centric French style of theater. And now, as Jeremy Coffman
explained to us, with the Living Theatre’s workshop in Paris, French
students (or Americans, British, or anyone, really) will have the
opportunity to sample this particular facet of experimental New York
theatre.

“This is a time of inspiration, to be here. To do a workshop with
young people is very important. We will learn from them. . . what is
happening, what is new. In the workshops we learn just as much as we
teach,” says Malina.

Check the ÉCU blog in a couple of days for a review of the final performance.

For more information:
Bilingual Acting Workshop : http://www.bilingualacting.com
Living Theatre Conservatory : http://www.livingtheatreconservatory.org
The Living Theatre : http://www.livingtheatre.org

Thank you to:
Serge Ricco, Photographer
Jeremy Coffman, Associate Director of the BAW
Sei Shiomi, Associate Artistic Director of the BAW
Elizabeth Wautlet, Intern at the BAW