A Conversation with Clare Stearns

I had the pleasure of getting to have an interview with Clare Stearns, the director of Hamlet which is coming to the Fringe in February! Her production sounds exciting and accessible for all ages!

 

Art throughout Asia- Korea

Korean Theatre is very vibrant today: being one of the largest musical markets and the country that brings us some of the delightful Kpop bands that are at their truest hearts theatrical machines! Korea is one of the countries that I have studied over the past few years mainly due to my sisterhood with Juno Kim. Juno is author and resident artist at www.runawayjuno.com and she has taught me a lot about the Korean spirit and Korean history in general. We also share a love for theatre, so she and I spent some time in Seoul checking out the theatrical scene in Seoul.

Prior to the 19th century there were basically two types of Korean theatre.
1. Talchum- Masked Drama, which was more politcal in nature. A mixture between song, dance and poetry.
2. Pansori- Korean opera. A central main character's journey that is supported by chanters, musicians and a chorus. Most similar to Japanese Noh rather than a Chinese Opera. 

Artist of the Month- January- Aisling McDonnell

Here is our Miss January; Aisling McDonnell! You may have seen her previously in Glengarry Glen Ross, Coffee and Cigarettes or We Won't Pay! We Won't Pay! I completely agree with her answer to number ten! I haven't seen an mass audition notice go out in MONTHS!

One of the few female Irish actors in HK, Aisling is something really special...

Art throughout Asia- Japan

I have a serious love for Japanese Theatre. When I did my backpacking trip through Japan last summer I took a lot of time to dedicate to the theatre history of Japan. Like most other countries you can break down traditional Japanese Theatre into a few categories and then expand upon those in order to understand the experiences well.

1. Noh- A slow, religious, poetry based performance piece.
2. Kabuki- A comedic, fast paced, physical based piece.
3. Buhto- A physical dramatic piece usually having to do with the transcendent of the human body and spirit.
4. Bunraku- Traditional Japanese Wooden Puppetry.

Art throughout Asia- China

A new working series that strives to explore the world of Asian Theatre by country. I have found there is a serious lack of english information about Asian Theatre that gives details and descriptions about the art forms so that people from other countries can learn about it and learn to appreciate it. Having lived in Hong Kong for almost four years now, I have found the best part of my experience of working internationally was the opportunity to learn about international styles of art. I hope that by sharing my information, that I can help students on projects. Feel free to email or comment with any questions.

First topic is on Art through China. China is a pretty big place, so you pretty much have to break the theatre into categories. Once the categories are broken down then you can delve into more details.

1. Opera- 2 major types- Peking and Cantonese- Song Dynasty til Present Day
2. Shadow Plays- Peking and Cantonese- Ling Dynasty til Present
3.Xianghsneg- A type of comedic monologue or dulogue. Similar to standup in American terms. Tang Dynasty- Present Day.
4. Modern Drama- More typically melodrama or prat comedy based. It is typically one end of the stick or the other. Large emotions and gestures despite being in modern setting. Present Day.

Hong Kong for Cheap!- A guide

Hong Kong, Asia's world city. How am I possibly going to get by on this city on a dollar and a dream? Don't worry friends it can be done! Compared to other Asian countries, Hong Kong is expensive but no where near Japan expensive. Expect to pay more for accommodation as the hostels here are pretty infamous for being atrocious. HK likes to lean toward the high roller but that doesn't mean you can't find options. I recommend renting an apt for a week as this often cheaper than a hotel or couch surfing in HK, as it has a pretty large community and they aren't pervs or serial killers. Most of the couch surfing homes in HK, including yours truly are traveler who rent their couch out to a stranger just for the sake of getting to know a new friend. (And possibly crash with them later when they travel to their side of the world.)

It may look expensive, but you can do it for cheap!

There are plenty things to do in Hong Kong for free or cheap. You can do SOOOO much more than shopping! (Although, the shopping is pretty damn good.)

Artist of the Month- Simon Grunberger

This months' Artist of the Month is relatively new to the HK acting community. Here's a little chance to get to know him better. You may have seen him in Coffee and Cigarettes in October. He is a special actor in Hong Kong that is bi-lingual and most of all a nice person!

His self portrait...