by Amy Clare Tasker

On Friday, we had a full day about identity, persona, and defining our creative selves. It was Day 5 of Open Space, and it seemed to be the perfect time to deepen our work and get a little personal.

We started the morning with a Peer Practice Exchange session led by actor Steven MJ Laverty on ‘Persona.’ Steven led a simple but powerful exercise, in which each of us got up in front of the group and told a story – a true story from our own lives, without preparation. The idea was to see ourselves in a relaxed but performative state. Then the members of the group reported back to the storyteller what we had observed about their persona. Gestures, vocal habits, facial expressions, accents, stance, pace, rhythm, etc etc. It’s not a critique of the person, but an offer: ‘did you know you scrunch up your nose like this?’ or ‘I noticed your feet are never still – you’re always curling up your toes, or picking up one heel off the ground.’ The storyteller can receive these observations and choose to ‘dial up’ or ‘dial down’ these elements to create a character based on themselves. 

This group – after a week together in Open Space – was so extraordinarily generous with each other that the exercise took twice as long as we expected. It was deeply vulnerable – and full of delight, laughter, respect, and discovery. I felt extremely lucky to witness it.

In the afternoon, Laura Lundy of Blue Panther Productions, our LDTI co-producer, gave a presentation: ‘Define Your Creative Self on Your Terms.’ Laura specialises in working with writers and performers on project development and coaching.

Many theatre makers are multi-potentialites, people who can and do take on various different creative roles: actor, presenter, puppeteer, workshop leader, educator, director, writer, filmmaker, producer… so how can we say who we are and what we do, in a short snappy ‘elevator pitch?’ After all, most people are not going to be able to follow that long list and easily understand how to collaborate with you.

Laura brilliantly led us through the questions: What do you want? Why do you want this? What is in your way? As she coaxed out each person’s specific goals, the answers became surprisingly emotional and hit right at the core of who we are as artists. We left inspired, focused, and with our hearts on our sleeves.

The day made me think about vulnerability – which is often present in Open Space. It was difficult to walk out of our studio that evening, out of our little oasis of safety and authenticity… back out into the ‘real world’ which seems to be falling apart. I wondered about the ethics of creating such a vulnerable Open Space at LDTI, without being able to offer much support for the transition back to ‘real life.’ 

Two weeks in Open Space is ‘endurance vulnerability’ – that’s the phrase that popped into my head as I waited for my train home on Friday night. As a group, we have been building to this astonishing depth of work throughout the week. It’s impossible, for me at least, to do my best creative work without this vulnerability. Impossible to create the depth of connection and generosity and care for each other, which enables a transformative day like we had on Friday.

I wonder: maybe this is our work as artists, to live wide open. To practice vulnerability and become comfortable in that state. I wonder if we can change the ‘real world’ – even just a little – by being present and authentic and vulnerable. By creating these spaces within it. And crucially, by taking care of each other, the way our brave, generous theatre makers did that day.

We’re now half-way through our time together in Open Space. I can’t wait to see what next week will bring… I fully expect it to blow my mind and open my heart. I’m ready.

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IMAGE: Joel Gatehouse, Katie Stephen, and Peyvand Sadeghian react to a ‘Persona’ exercise led by Steven MJ Laverty, in Friday’s Peer Practice Exchange session. Photo by Kate Goodfellow.