Source: The Drama Review: TDR, Vol. 26, No. 2, Intercultural Performance (Summer, 1982), pp. 132-135 Published by: The MIT Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1145436 Accessed: 23/03/2009 18:08 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=mitpress. Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission. JSTOR is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1995 to build trusted digital archives for scholarship. We work with the scholarly community to preserve their work and the materials they rely upon, and to build a common research platform that promotes the discovery and use of these resources. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. The MIT Press is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Drama Review: TDR. http://www.jstor.org 132 THE DRAMA REVIEW/T94 Ar t a u d ' s Th e C e n c i by Hi la r y C oh e n An t on i n Ar t a u d ' s Th e C e n c i , d i r e c t e d by Ja c qu e s Ba i llon , wa s pr od u c e d by t h e Od e on Na t i on a l Th e a t e r i n c o-ope r a t i on wi t h t h e C ome d i e Fr a n c a i s e i n Pa r i s . Ba i llon s ou gh t t o r e a li ze t h e pr od u c t i on va lu e s of Ar t a u d ' s or i gi n a l pi e c e , wi t h pa r t i c u la r e mph a s i s on t h e ba r oqu e wor ld of Ar t a u d ' s c on c e pt . Alt h ou gh t h e r e we r e s ome mi n or a lt e r a t i on s t o Ar t a u d ' s t e xt , t h e s i gn i fi c a n t d i ffe r e n c e s be t we e n t h e t wo pr od u c t i on s la y i n t h e i r s t a gi n g. Th e s u r fa c e of Ba i llon ' s pr od u c t i on wa s s moot h e r a n d s i mple r t h a n Ar t a u d ' s : a mor e u n i fi e d d e s i gn c on c e pt , fe we r s e t a n d pr ope r t y pi e c e s , fe we r s old i e r s , s e r va n t s , pr oc e s s i on s a n d le s s pa ge a n t r y, a n d a s h a r pe r foc u s on t h e ps yc h ologi c a l d i s i n t e gr a t i on of t h e ma i n c h a r a c t e r s . Th e pr od u c t i on wa s s t a ge d a t t h e Od e on Th e a t e r , a s ma ll, fa i r ly or n a t e t h ou gh wor n , ba r oqu e t h e a t e r on t h e le ft ba n k of Pa r i s . Th e Od e on s e a t s a bou t 600 pe ople i n a h ou s e c on s i s t i n g of a ma i n floor r i n ge d by s ma ll boxe s a n d t wo s e mi -c i r c u la r u ppe r t i e r s wi t h mor e e la bor a t e boxe s ove r t h e s t a ge . Th e s t a ge s pa c e wa s a r r a n ge d li ke a h i gh -Re n a i s s a n c e pa i n t i n g. Th e pr os c e n i u m a r c h pr ovi d e d a fr a me for a s t e e ply r a ke d s t a ge floor a n d a n a r c h i t e c t u r a l s e t t i n g of s oa r i n g c olu mn s wi t h a la r ge s t a i r c a s e bu i lt i n t o t h e le ft s i d e . Th e r e a r of t h e s e t t i n g wa s le ft ope n for c lou d a n d li gh t pr oje c t i on s . Th e a s s yme t r y c r e a t e d by t h e s t a ge -le ft s t a i r c a s e a n d t h e s t r on g d i a gon a l li n e s of mu c h of t h e pla yi n g on a n d a r ou n d i t ga ve a ma n n e r i s t e d ge t o t h e pi c t u r e . At t h e fr on t le ft of t h e s t a ge wa s a n ope n s t a i r we ll le a d i n g be low t h e s t a ge . At t h e ba c k r i gh t wa s a h u ge wood e n wh e e l s e t h a lf wa y on t o t h e s t a ge . Th e wh e e l s e r ve d bot h fu n c t i on a l a n d s ymboli c r ole s i n t h e pr od u c t i on . It wa s t h e wh e e l of for t u n e , a s ymbol of powe r s ou t s i d e h u ma n c on t r ol, of fa t e , a n d a fu n c t i on i n g pi e c e of s t a ge a ppa r a t u s t h a t r a i s e d a n d lowe r e d t h e t r a ps . A wh e e l of s i mi la r s i ze wa s u s e d i n Ar t a u d ' s pr od u c t i on a s a n i t e m of t or t u r e i n t h e pr i s on s c e n e bu t wa s n ot a pe r ma n e n t fe a t u r e of t h e s e t t i n g. Th e i mpr e s s i on of t h e s t a ge pi c t u r e a s a Re n a i s s a n c e pa i n t i n g wa s fu r t h e r e n h a n c e d by t h e c os t u me s , wi t h t h e i r a t t e n t i on t o pe r i od d e t a i l a n d t h e wa y t h e fa br i c s move d , t h i c k, volu pt u ou s fold s , e xpa n s i ve c loa ks , ya r d s of ma t e r i a l d r a pi n g, flowi n g, flyi n g. Th e s t a ge pi c t u r e wa s pa i n s t a ki n gly c ompos e d a t a ll t i me s . Ea c h n e w s c e n e or fr e e ze wi t h i n a s c e n e wa s li ke a pa i n t i n g t h a t s u d d e n ly e r u pt e d i n t o move me n t . Th i s pa r t i c u la r pr od u c t i on qu a li t y wa s c a lle d for i n Ar t a u d ' s s t a ge d i r e c t i on s . Th e a c t i n g s t yle wa s fla mboya n t , ph ys i c a l, a n d s c h i zoph r e n i c : la r ge , s we e pi n g a n d oft e n vi ole n t move me n t s , fr e qu e n t a n d u n a c c ou n t a ble mood c h a n ge s , a n d d i s s oc i a t i on of d i a log, ge s t u r e a n d mood . C h a r a c t e r i za t i on s oft e n ve r ge d on t h e i n h u ma n , s ome t i me s me c h a n i c a l or ma n n e qu i n -li ke a n d ot h e r t i me s mor e li ke for c e s t h a n pe ople . Se xu a l c u r - r e n t s we r e a ls o e xplor e d . Alt h ou gh C e n c i ' s i n c e s t wi t h Be a t r i c e wa s t h e c a t a lyt i c a c t i on of t h e pla y, ot h e r fa mi li a l pa i r i n gs we r e s u gge s t e d : mot h e r -d a u gh t e r , mot h e r -s on , br ot h e r - s i s t e r . Wh e n t h e pla y be ga n , C ou n t C e n c i wa s lou n gi n g a t t h e t op of t h e s t a i r s , h i s s le e ve s s pr e a d ou t li ke gi a n t bi r d wi n gs . C a mi llo, a pr i e s t , s we pt i n fr om t h e ba c k of t h e s t a ge a n d be ga n t a lki n g t o C e n c i wi t h ou t s e e i n g h i m. Th e i r e xc h a n ge be ga n c i vi lly bu t e r u pt e d i n t o vi ole n c e , C e n c i c h a s i n g t h e pr i e s t a n d pi n n i n g h i m t o t h e s t a i r s . At t h e e n d of t h e s c e n e , C e n c i , fu r i ou s wi t h t h e Pope for d e ma n d i n g s ome of h i s la n d t o e xpi a t e t h e s i n of h i s la t e s t mu r d e r , c a me t o t h e e d ge of t h e s t a ge a n d d i r e c t ly a d d r e s s e d t h e a u d i e n c e i n lou d , s t r i d e n t t on e s . As h e fi n i s h e d s pe a ki n g, h e r e a c h e d i n t o a s ma ll wood e n c h e s t Th e s t a ge s e t of Th e C e n c i , pr od u c e d by t h e Od e on Na t i on a l Th e a t r e i n Pa r i s a t t h e c e n t e r of t h e s t a ge a n d t h r e w t h r e e h a n d fu ls of c oi n s h i gh i n t o t h e a i r . Th e s ou n d of t h e c oi n s fa lli n g pu n c t u a t e d t h e s i le n c e followi n g C e n c i ' s ou t bu r s t . Th i s a c t i on r e pla c e d Ar t a u d ' s s t a ge d i r e c t i on t h a t i n d i c a t e s C e n c i s h ou ld d r a w h i s s wor d a n d s t r i ke "a vi ole n t blow on a gon g." Th e c h e s t , r e fe r r e d t o fr e qu e n t ly a n d s ymboli zi n g C e n c i ' s we a lt h a n d pr ope r t y, wa s pr e s e n t on t h e s t a ge u n t i l h i s mu r d e r . As C e n c i le ft t h e s t a ge , a woma n s e r va n t a ppe a r e d , s i n gi n g a me la n c h oly s on g a c c ompa n i e d by a r e c or d e r . Sh e pi c ke d u p t h e c h e s t , move d i t t o t h e le ft c or n e r of t h e s t a ge , a n d e xi t e d s lowly a s i f i n a t r a n c e . Be a t r i c e , C e n c i ' s d a u gh t e r , a n d Or s i n o, a pr i e s t wi t h wh om s h e h a s be e n i n love , e n t e r e d . Th e y s poke i n qu i e t , e s t r a n ge d t on e s . Be a t r i c e , wh o wa s s e a t e d on t h e floor wi t h h e r le gs d a n gli n g i n t o t h e s t a i r we ll, be a t h e r fe e t r h yt h mi c a lly a ga i n s t t h e s i d e of t h e s t a ge t h r ou gh ou t t h e i r e xc h a n ge . Th e followi n g s c e n e , a n a d d i t i on t o Ar t a u d ' s s c r i pt , wa s pla ye d wi t h ou t d i a log. A s t r a n ge r a ppe a r e d a t t h e ba c k of t h e s t a ge c a r r yi n g a s a d d le ove r h i s s h ou ld e r . As h e a ppe a r e d , a t on a l mu s i c , wi t h a s t r on g s e n s e of u r ge n c y, wa s pla ye d on t wo pi a n os . Th e ma n , Gi a c omo, e xi le d s on of C e n c i , pla c e d t h e s a d d le on t h e floor d own c e n t e r a n d r e t u r n e d u p r i gh t t o t h e wh e e l. He be ga n t o s pi n i t ; a s h e d i d s o, be lls a n d gon gs we r e a d d e d t o t h e pi a n o mu s i c . He move d t o t h e s a d d le , pi c ke d i t u p, a n d e xi t e d t h r ou gh t h e s t a i r we ll. At t h e s a me t i me , C e n c i r e a ppe a r e d wi t h a wi n e goble t . He c a s u a lly t ook a r ope fr om t h e wh e e l a n d a t t a c h e d i t t o a h ook on t h e floor . As h e le a n e d ba c k a n d la u gh e d wi ld ly, t h e gon gs a n d be lls i n t e n s i fi e d a n d s moke bi llowe d a c r os s t h e s t a ge , e n gu lfi n g i t e n t i r e ly i n a ma t t e r of s e c on d s . Th r ou gh t h e s moke , a ba n qu e t t a ble r os e e e r i ly wi t h t h e fi gu r e s a t i t fr oze n a s i n a pa i n t i n g. 134 THE DRAMA REVIEW/T94 In a n i n s t a n t , t h e fi gu r e s bu r s t i n t o move me n t a n d a s t yli ze d or gy be ga n . Th i s ba n qu e t s c e n e , for e s h a d owi n g C e n c i ' s i n c e s t wi t h Be a t r i c e , ju xt a pos e d fr e n zi e d move me n t wi t h i n t e n s e i n t e r a c t i on s be t we e n C e n c i a n d Be a t r i c e . As t h e gu e s t s d i s c ove r e d t h e pa r t y wa s a t r a p, t h e y r a n fr a n t i c a lly ba c k a n d for t h a c r os s t h e s t a ge , t h e i r move me n t s be c omi n g s t i ff a n d pu ppe t -li ke . Th e y fr oze s e ve r a l t i me s i n c a r e fu lly c ompos e d gr ou ps . Du r i n g t h i s a c t i on , li ke a fi lm be i n g s t a r t e d a n d s t oppe d , C e n c i a n d Be a t r i c e move d t owa r d e a c h ot h e r a s i f d r a wn by for c e s ou t s i d e t h e ms e lve s . Th r ou gh ou t t h e s c e n e a la r ge bu ll' s h e a d s a t on t h e ba n qu e t t a ble . Th e bu ll' s h e a d r e a ppe a r e d i n t h e n e xt s c e n e . Be a t r i c e bu r s t i n t o h e r mot h e r ' s r oom s e e ki n g r e fu ge fr om h e r fa t h e r . Lu c r e t i a a n d Be r n a r d o, Be a t r i c e ' s mot h e r a n d s t e p-br ot h e r , we r e i n i n t i ma t e c on ve r s a t i on . Be a t r i c e t h r e w h e r s e lf d own a n d fe ll i mme d i a t e ly i n t o a d r e a m s t a t e . As s h e wr i t h e d on t h e floor , t wo s h a d owy fi gu r e s a ppe a r e d i n h e r d r e a m. Th e y t u r n e d ou t t o be t h e mu t e a s s a s s i n s Be a t r i c e wou ld la t e r h i r e t o ki ll h e r fa t h e r . On e wor e a bla c k bli n d fold ; t h e ot h e r c a r r i e d t h e bu ll' s h e a d . Be a t r i c e a woke fr om h e r d r e a m a n d fr oze i n t e r r or a t t h e s ou n d of a kn oc k. Wh e n s h e d i s c ove r e d i t wa s on ly h e r mot h e r ' s ma i d , s h e be ga n t o la u gh h ys t e r i c a lly. Ar t a u d ' s s t a ge d i r e c t i on s u gge s t s on ly t h a t t h e a c t r e s s c a lm d owm. Wh i le Be a t r i c e la u gh e d , C e n c i e n t e r e d , a n d Be r n a r d o a n d Be a t r i c e d a r t e d a bou t t h e s pa c e li ke h u n t e d a n i ma ls be for e t h e i r fa t h e r d i s mi s s e d t h e m. Ne xt we r e t wo s h or t s c e n e s pla ye d wi t h ou t d i a log. In t h e fi r s t , t wo pr i e s t s plot t e d C e n c i ' s d e a t h wi t h Gi a c omo i n d u mb s h ow. Be lls , gon gs , a n d pi a n o a c c ompa n i e d t h e a c t i on , a mpli fi e d t o a n a lmos t t h u n d e r i n g le ve l. Ar t a u d ' s t e xt wa s u s e d on ly for t h e s c e n a r i o. In t h e s e c on d a d d i t i on t o t h e t e xt , C e n c i a n d Be a t r i c e we r e r a i s e d on a t r a p fr om be low t h e s t a ge t h r ou gh mi s t y li gh t . As C e n c i c a r e s s e d t h e r i gi d bod y of h i s d a u gh t e r , a s e c on d Be a t r i c e a ppe a r e d on s t a ge a n d s lowly wa lke d a r ou n d t h e pa i r . Sh e wa s a d e t a c h e d vi e we r , s h a r i n g n on e of t h e r e vu ls i on of h e r c ou n t e r pa r t . C e n c i s t a r e d i n d i s be li e f, a n d t h e s c e n e we n t bla c k. Be a t r i c e r e -e n t e r e d a lmos t i mme d i a t e ly, r u s h e d a c r os s t h e s t a ge a n d t h r e w h e r s e lf on t h e floor . t h e bu ll' s h e a d wa s n ow t i e d t o h e r ba c k. It r e ma i n e d t h e r e u n t i l C e n c i ' s mu r d e r . In a vi ole n t ly e mot i on a l s c e n e , Be a t r i c e i n for me d t h e r e s t of h e r fa mi ly a n d t h e c le r gy t h a t h e r fa t h e r h a d vi ola t e d h e r a n d me a n t t o i n c a r c e r a t e t h e fa mi ly i n a n old for t r e s s . Th e plot t o a s s a s s i n a t e C e n c i wa s fi n a li ze d . A fi e r c e s t or m wa s t h e n c r e a t e d by c a s t me mbe r s a n d t h e mu s i c i a n s . Gr ou pe d a t t h e ba c k of t h e s t a ge , t h e c a s t me mbe r s wa ve d s t r e a me r s a t t a c h e d t o s t i c ks , ma d e h i s s i n g a n d wh i s t li n g s ou n d s a n d be ga n t o c h a n t C e n c i ' s n a me , a ll t o i n s t r u me n t a l a c c ompa n i me n t . Th e a s s a s s i n s s pu n on a n d off t h e s t a ge li ke t ops . A s h ot s i le n c e d t h e s t or m bu t t h e a s s a s s i n s r e t u r n e d i n s h a me , h a vi n g mi s s e d . Be a t r i c e bou n d t h e a r ms of t h e a s s a s s i n s i n bla c k c lot h s t r e a me r s a n d pla c e d a d a gge r i n on e h a n d of e a c h . Aft e r fa i li n g ye t a ga i n , t h e y r u s h e d pa s t Be a t r i c e a n d Lu c r e t i a i n t e r r or a s a gr e a t r oa r fr om C e n c i s i gn i fi e d h i s d e a t h . In a t e r r i fyi n g mome n t , Be a t r i c e t or e t h e bu ll' s h e a d off h e r ba c k a n d be ga n t o e a t i t s br a i n s i n h u ge , s li my h a n d fu lls . As h e r mot h e r s u bd u e d h e r , be lls r a n g ou t , a n d t h e s t a ge fi lle d wi t h pe ople . Th e c le r i c s , r u n n i n g u p a n d d own t h e s t a i r s t o C e n c i ' s r oom, a c c u s e d t h e fa mi ly of t h e mu r d e r , d i s r e ga r d i n g t h e i r c ompli c i t y i n t h e plot . A s e r va n t c e r e mon i ou s ly r e move d t h e s ma ll c h e s t fr om t h e s t a ge . An ot h e r , t h e on e wh o s a n g a t t h e be gi n n i n g of t h e pla y, s lowly c a me d own t h e s t a i r s be a r i n g C e n c i ' s c loa k, wh i c h s h e offe r e d i n t u r n t o e a c h me mbe r of t h e fa mi ly. As t h e s e r va n t e xi t e d wi t h t h e c loa k h e ld a loft , Be a t r i c e , Lu c r e t i a , a n d Be r n a r d o we r e le d off. Be r n a r d o, followi n g t h e ot h e r s d own t h e s t a i r we ll, ke pt r e pe a t i n g, "Gi ve me ba c k my s ou l." Be a t r i c e wa s i mpr i s on e d be c a u s e s h e r e fu s e d t o c on fe s s h e r c r i me s . Th e pr i s on wa s s u gge s t e d by a lon g t r a p d oor r a i s e d d i a gon a lly a t t h e ba c k r i gh t of t h e s t a ge . Alt h ou gh THEATRE REPORTS 135 s h e wa s ve r ba lly a bu s e d a n d looke d d i s h e ve lle d , s h e wa s n ot ph ys i c a lly t or t u r e d on s t a ge . Sh e wa s r e le a s e d a ft e r be i n g for c e d t o s i gn a c on fe s s i on . In t h e fi n a l s c e n e , Lu c r e t i a a n d Be a t r i c e we r e a lon e on t h e s t a ge r a t h e r t h a n be i n g pa r t of a pr oc e s s i on a s Ar t a u d s u gge s t e d . Be a t r i c e pu lle d h e r mot h e r t o t h e floor ; t h e y r olle d ove r a n d ove r a s t h e y la me n t e d t h e i r s i t u a t i on . As t h e wome n c a lme d d own , t h e y c a r e fu lly r e move d t h e i r s h oe s a n d pla c e d t h e m n e a t ly i n a r ow. Lu c r e t i a got u p, wa lke d t owa r d t h e ba c k of t h e s t a ge , kn e e le d d own , a n d va n i s h e d i n a n i n s t a n t t h r ou gh a t r a p i n t h e floor . Be a t r i c e , le ft h u d d le d ove r t h e s pot wh e r e h e r mot h e r h a d d i s a ppe a r e d , r e ma i n e d fr oze n a s a gold e n , Re mbr a n d t -li ke li gh t , i llu mi n a t i n g h e r fr om be low, s lowly d i mme d t o bla c k. H. Roge r -Vi olle t , p 133 PHOTO C REDITS Ni c ola Sa va r e s e , pp 7, 8, 10, 14, 16, 17, 21, 23, 24, 25 Ton y d ' Ur s o, pp 27, 28, 29 Bob Va n Da n t zi g, pp 126, 129, 130