Thought, feeling response...

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In the present reductive atmosphere of cuts and caps across education, welfare, health and culture there is a lot of talk in the networks I frequent about the value of studying drama.  I get frustrated sometimes that this value is articulated in glib, sweeping statements…well meaning but ultimately not of use. Part of the reason is that as drama practitioners and teachers putting the transformative things we see happening for those we work with through their engagement with drama is hard to put into words.  However something occurred to me in rehearsal this week that demonstrates one distinct way in which drama rehearsals and workshops teach those that take part something that helps them with the things life throws at them and so I thought I would share it with you.

One of the plays that we are performing as part of our Birthday Celebrations follows six characters as they go through a series of life changing events.  Telling the story of the play is one thing but telling the story truthfully is very different challenge.  One of the things that I keep reminding the actors in rehearsal is that when one of the characters sees, hears, experiences something a chain of things happen…after the event has occurred the character who experienced it has a thought which progresses into a feeling, which then creates their reaction or response – which is, of course, some sort of event in itself…and so the chain sets off again…and keeps going and going and going to dizzying ends…actors have to be aware of that sequence and live through it to tell the truth of a characters story…

The thing is, in life we take this chain reaction for granted…it just happens and too often we don’t realize we can take control of it to be able to make sure our life is a happier place…we all have those moments when we just allow events to explode around us while we stand in the middle feeling powerless to do anything – however we can take control of our thoughts, feelings and responses – the things we say or do - allowing us to influence the chain of events.  When we do we go from being passive audiences of the events around us to central players…but that’s not all…once we understand the event, thought, feeling, reaction/response we are given a key to a happier, fulfilled life – we develop the skill of empathy – which although some people are born with a generous helping, others find it more challenging.  The understanding of thought, feeling, reaction/response allows us to begin to understand why people do what they do…indeed to start asking why they are doing it and to stop just reacting in a thoughtless, heartless way… 


It’s as simple as this practicing understanding and influencing the thought, feeling, reaction/response in the rehearsal room or workshop makes us better at it in life…simple but true and ever so, ever so valuable…

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