Welcome to Cloud Cuckoo Land! The trail from text to theater.

Diary for rehearsals and seminars about the theatrical play, “Die Vögel”, from
Konstantinos Kyriakou

26.4.2019

On Friday, 26.4, 15.00 we had a meeting with Ingo and the rest of the
actors/assistants of the play, except for the 2 main actors who will join the group
rehearsals later. The rehearsals are held at a small theater at Max-Stromeyer
Straße 120. Unfortunately, I arrived later that day but I managed to observe the
beginning of the rehearsal.

The actors are a total of 17 people, 15 young actors and 2 professional actors. The
young actors will be playing as the Chor and various other roles (Iris, Herakles,
Poseidon usw.) and the other 2 will be Schlauberger (Sylvana) and Schönhoff
(Seb) .

Besides the actors, we met a few people in this small theater that are actually
invaluable for the play: the assistant director, who takes notes of the rehearsal
and anything that is important for the directing and non-directing aspect of the
play and also functions as a side-brain of the director. The pedagogue, who is
responsible for the synchronization, bonding, empowerment, development of the
young actors and also helps directing them. The Choreographer, who is
responsible for rehearsing the choreographic parts of the play.

During the rehearsal we observed the following scenes: the Stadtmauer, a huge
Wall made of birds – the Chor, and the entrance of Iris (Page 16 - 17) and all of
the scene 8 (Auftritt 8 pg. 19 – 20). During this rehearsal we observed how the
young actors were able to perform the bird movements while they were also
acting as the roles. The Choreographer explained us that they had a lot of
rehearsals to perfect the movements and the understanding of the performance
of these specific moves. Total concentration was also an important factor that the
young actors were able to learn so fast.
The director and the dramaturge (Ingo and Eivind) also explained us the difficulty
of the language. It is true that the words in the script are not often used in
everyday German language. Long sentences, complicated and difficult to
pronounce words are hard for everybody, even experienced actors sometimes, to
memorize. However, practice makes perfect, and the young actors have a lot of
time to get ready.

8.5.2019

Today, Wednesday, is actually the second meeting of our group in the University.
During this meeting, Ingo and Eivind presented us the play and the staging
concept. So which play are we talking about? Of course, die Vögel von
Aristophanes!

A very important aspect of the play is the combination of young amateur actors
with professional actors. In order for both of the groups to cooperate, the young
actors needed to start earlier their rehearsals, so they would learn the script, the
choral movements, the songs, and the acting as fast as possible. That’s because
the young actors have a lot of activities, so it takes more time for them to learn
their part in comparison to professional actors, that are also trained to memorize
and be able to act a part for a play even one or two months before the premiere.

Another interesting aspect of the play that the director and the dramaturge
explained us, were the events that transpired once in Konstanz and that they
acted as influence to choose this certain theatrical play to express their
disappointment, sadness and anger. Theater of course is of the liveliest means of
art and expressing oneself.

Next, we talked about the scenographic aspect of the play. The scenographers
idea was to create where the birds would live, and that place in his mind was a
paradise! Eivind and Ingo showed us a small model of how the scene is supposed
to look, Eivind gave us some photographs of the costumes that the actors will
wear too. The bird costumes will be normal shirts with a lot of different colors,
cheap and effective. That way they solved the problem of not having enough
money to afford big fancy bird costumes by making the actors imitate bird sounds
and movements. In my opinion it is very important to simplify the way the actors
dress except if it is necessary. Every single choice must have a certain reason. The
costume-ideas of the rest of the roles beyond the Chor were references to old
movie characters, politicians or famous influencial figures (Schönhoff-Napoleon
Dynamite, Schlauberger-Klaus Kinski/Trump/Hitler).

14.5.2019

On Tuesday the 14th we are meeting the two professional actors, Sylvana and
Seb! We are observing the rehearsal with both the professional actors and a few
of the young actors together.

We begin at Auftritt 9 (pg. 20), the introduction of Prometheus to the main roles.
In the beginning Schönhoff and Schlauberger are not convinced that the man in
front of them is Prometheus, the inventor of fire himself! They realize it almost
incidentally when Schlauberger wants to have a smoke but can not light his
cigarette. Schlauberger asks fire from Prometheus and he humbly accepts,
proving to them his identity. This can be commented as a very smart, funny and
modern way of introducing the character to the main roles and the audience as
well, as he is given a more simplistic and modern personality. He is an inventor
and benefactor of the human race, but he is also humble and very natural, he is
no god and he doesn’t want to be recognized by them as well. Another very
interesting thought is that fire was discovered for the survival and convenience of
humanity, but Prometheus’s feats are being proven through an unhealthy habit,
smoking. This also proves that a coin has two sides, everything can be used for
good or for evil, depending on personal intent. Anyways.

Next, we observed at page 16 the rise of the wall through the symbolical dance of
the Bird Chor.

Later Ingo also exclaimed us the importance of the Assistant of costumes, that
must bring all the clothes to the Tailoring workshop inside the theater.
Because a lot of actors needed to leave the rehearsal, with the time that was left,
they decided to read through the scenes 1 to 9 without acting, to work on
memorizing and becoming accustomed to the script.

15.5.2019

Today, Ingo and Eivind are giving us a tour inside the theater of Konstanz,
explaining us all the different rooms inside it and the professions that it is
housing!

First is the big stage. Almost every theater in Germany has an iron curtain, a huge
metal structure between the inner stage and the outside stage and the seats of
the audiance, separating them in case of fire. On the back sides of the front stage
there are firemen standby to protect the stage if fire breaks out.

Another person is also standing on the back sides of the stage, that communicates
with the sound technician, giving him signals whenever a sound effect is
necessary for the play. These assistants also usually have a script or notes to
remember where every sound effect is necessary.

Behind the scenery there is a big white thick curtain, separating the central stage
from the backstage. The lighting used in the backstage is blue, because it is not a
bright color, actors can still see quite clearly where they are walking and the
audience also doesn’t see any shades on the white curtain, preventing them
getting distracted from the play. In the back of the stage there is a small table
with tags where the actors store their props under their name.

Ingo introduces us to the prop director who was nearby at that moment. The prop
director is responsible for the creation and the position of small props like
weapons, small objects that actors use during the play. A big contradiction is that,
if an object that actors use is too big to be considered a prop, it is regarded as a
responsibility of the technician, not the prop director. Another contradiction is, if
a costume is being used by the actors without being worn, it is a responsibility of
the prop director. If the costume is being used by the actor but ALSO worn at
some point of the play, then it is a responsibility of the costume department.

Next, we walk upstairs where the stage tower is. It has all of the lighting that is
used during the play, lots of rows with different colored light bulbs. It can also
support a lot of weight, so people can use the flight machine to “fly” around the
stage, if the role demands it, or hang swings that can go down and up, if a role is
needed to have an entrance from the heavens or if an object is delivered from
above. The height of the stage is about 50 meters.

Ingo explains us that whistling on stage is forbidden, it is a superstition. There are

two explanations to that: one, in the old times, sailors used to move the tracks up
and down. They used to communicate through whistling to lift things up or down,
so if someone besides them whistled, it would lead to a misunderstanding or even
an accident. The second explanation is, that there used to be gas lamps in the
stage that would produce a whistling sound, which was maybe connected to a
fire, so it was later considered as bad luck.

If you whistle on stage, you must run around the building for 5 times. 😊

Next, we go downstairs, to the actors’ room, where they keep their costumes.
There is a speaker in the room that announces when an actor or actors need to
make their entrance.

There are only two people responsible for the arrangement, washing and care of
the costumes.

The proper way to wish another actor good luck before a play is saying one to
another “toi toi toi”! If one responds to it with anything else but toi toi toi,
he/she has to run around the building 3 times. Actors also give sweets or photos,
small gifts to each other to wish good luck and relieve stress before the premiere.

Next is the makeup department, where they do the makeup for the actors before
the play. Besides the makeup, with which the makeup artists can make the actors
look beautiful, ugly, old or young or monstrous, the artists can also make wigs for
the actors.
After the make up department we go to the theater reception which was larger
than I was expecting. There is also a small restaurant renting a small area inside
the reception.

Next we see the offices, the marketing press which is responsible for the design of
the brochures and posters or anything that is printed.

Next stop are the workshops! Inside the theater are the following workshops: the
smith department, the carpenter department, the costume and the painting
department. There are many professions inside the theater that quite old and not
so popular in the modern days, so the theater helps them continue their
profession.

It is important to note that the paper being used is made of a certain material that
is very hard to burn.

Finally we learn about the people of the theater that are responsible for the
planning of the rehearsals, they set the time of the premiere, of every show and
every rehearsal, communicating with the directors or assistant directors of each
play, making sure that everybody can focus on their own jobs.

Unfortunately we didn’t get to see the small stage but the tour was very
interesting and I was very impressed about the number of professions gathered
inside the theater, the size of the theater and the fire prevention measures.

21.5.2019

Today the rehearsal will be mostly about the Wiedehopf scenes along with the
two main actors, Seb and Sylvana. Also the rehearsal is held and will be held at
Brauneggerstraße because of the rain, as the former space had a weird plastic
roof that produced a lot of sound during rain.

We start at page 25, a monologue from Wiedehopf. At first the actors just read
through the script before acting. The director’s tips for W. are to act as if he is
enjoying the marriage of Schlauberger and Basilea and also act like a total british
man. W. is describing the big event, the marriage of Schlauberger and the
daughter of Zeus. This role is like a showman who is hosting a tv reality show, he
is excited, talks loud and enthusiastic, his job is to pass his excitement to the
audience.

Next, we change to Auftritt 3, page 4. Again, they read through the play and then
act. While rehearsing, the director explains that W. is not actually W., just an
actor, requesting more space in the stage to have his entrance. This is a very
interesting technique from Brecht’s Theater, Verfremdung. This theory declares
often throughout the play that actors are not really just the roles from the play,
they are still humans like the people watching the play, the audience, and have
their own personalities. With this technique, the actors distance themselves from
their role, getting closer to the audience and also allows the audience to not
identify with the character in the play. Acceptance or rejection of their actions
and utterances was meant to take place on a conscious plane, instead of, as
hitherto, in the audience's subconscious. (Brecht, Bertolt. "On Chinese Acting",
translated by Eric Bentley. The Tulane Drama Review 6.1 (1961): 130–136.) In my
opinion it also acts as a comic relief and a break of the fourth wall.

After this scene, they rehearse Auftritt 6 in page 14. During the song, the
Vogelpriester and Schlauberger are irritated. The priest is supposed to be of
higher prestige than the singer, he allows the singer to play his part, but as he
gets less satisfied, he doesn’t think twice to stop him.

For this rehearsal there are two interesting points depending the relationship of
the actors and the director:

One, the director gives an idea to the actor about the background of the
character. After the actor visualizes, tries to understand and puts an effort to act
as the director told him, the director points out to the positive outcomes and
works on improving the acting even more. The actor needs to find himself in the
character and the director leads him according to the basic goal he has in mind
but doesn’t have a strict image that the actor must follow. The way a character is
played is a journey that the actor has to discover.
Two, the professional actors also suggest tips to the younger actors but they are
not insisting on them. This is very important in my opinion as it helps the young
actors to have more opinions and options, try different ideas and different
approaches, as long as the director approves of them. It is also important for the
communication between the younger and professional actors.

22.5.2019

Today we have a seminar with Ingo. We answer the following questions:

1. What were our impressions from the rehearsals?

2. What is theater for us?

A response to the first question could be the amazing progress of the young
actors, the constant growth of the characters and the play becoming
progressively alive. A lot of time was spent and a lot more time and effort will be
spent on rehearsals and acting and memorizing and dancing, but in the end, it will
be worth it.

As to what theater is for me, during the seminar I responded that etymologically it
means something that is shown to other people. The actors are very important,
but if there is no audience, there is not theater, just people playing with words
moving around, dancing and making facial expressions, enjoyed only by the actors
and the people helping the group. It is secret, a voice lost in the wind, heard only
by the one who spoke. Rehearsals are very important for the development of
ideas, the acting and the completion of the play, and also very important for the
bonding of the actors and their own personal growth, but theater needs to be
shown, actors need to be heard, the play must be played, and people need to
know about it and be influenced by it.
After we heard the definitions that the students came up with, Ingo turned them
into small sentences and wrote them on the blackboard. “Being someone else by
being yourself”, “live performance and interaction with the audience”, “language
that creates reality”, “to show something to someone else” and “a platform to
work together, think together and to be honest” were the definitions. Ingo also
wrote a “mathematical formula” on the board, that constitutes the meaning of
theater: performance + audience + x , where x consists of the people that are not
actors but are working for the completion of the play, meaning the director,
dramaturge, assistant director, the workshop departments, the light and sound
technicians, the rehearsal organizers, everybody that worked for the play in order
to be on the stage.

In the end we played a game: three different cards were given to three people,
one card for each, and a common theme. On the cards it was written “to play”,
“to be” and “to show”. The people with the cards are supposed to act accordingly
to what their card says, based on the common theme, for example if the common
theme was “laughter”, then the person with the card “to play” should play as if
he/she was laughing, the one with the card “to be” is supposed to be laughter
and the one with the card “to show” is supposed to show laughter. The rest of the
people not participating are to find out who is holding which card based in their
actions.

29.5.2019

Today we are doing a practical Seminar, in which we learn how to do the

movements necessary for acting as the birds in the play. Unfortunately, I don’t
remember every detail of the movements, but I’ll do my best to write them down
or improvise. :D

First we gathered in a circle, hearing Ingo and Eivind as they give us the
instructions to the different bird movements. After the instructions are given, we
walk around the room as these birds, trying out the movements and the sounds
for each bird.
The Wiedehopf is a very proud and narcissistic bird but also quite naïve as well. It
continually plucks its feathers, its movements are exaggerated and in my opinion
looks like Michael Jackson dancing. Its feet move slowly and the bird in total has a
royal posture.

The Wiedehopf also has a second form, where its body is very loose and acts like
it is dancing at a slow rave party or doing kundalini yoga.

The Nachtigall is a very shy bird that can also sing wonderfully, it is afraid of
people and in general very careful. It walk slowly because it is afraid, it holds its
hands on the side of its face, symbolizing that the actors hands are the birds
feathers. Every now and then it closes its feathers trying to hide from others, but
opens them while it still needs to communicate, see where it’s walking or where
the microphone is.

The Papagei is a grumpy bird, walking in squares with heavy footsteps, its head
looks always and steadily to the front, its back is not straight and its shoulders are
on its neck. It resembles an old grumpy man ready to complain about anything
that is not important.

The Rauchschwalbe is a very beautiful bird and it acts like it, it is not as narcissistic
as Wiedehopf, it just can’t help it moving like a queen. Its feet move with
elegance, with every step they cross each other like a model would practice for
years, but it walks slowly and royally. Every now and then the actor imitates the
opening of its back feathers holding his/her hands on the side of his/her body and
makes a circular motion downwards with them, while making a fluttering sound.

The Geier is a very violent bird, it is always ready for a fight, its movements are
fast and its expression is angry and wild. Its knees are bent ready to jump on its
victim. You would expect anything from it and it’s always responsible for a big
fight amongst the birds.

The Eule is the wisest of all the birds, moving slowly but surely to the front. The
head is very steady trying to focus to a direction and changes very fast to another
stance, like it is eager to find something. It is just curious, not exactly afraid.
The Pfau is moving similarly to the Rauchschwalbe, but it is quite afraid and
difficult to approach, as it moves back and forth. Its head moves very fast from
one direction to another, because it feels that it is always threatened by
something.

Sometimes the actors are firstly instructed the feelings of the role and then create
their own movements for the character, or the opposite. In this play, the young
actors were firstly instructed the movements of their characters, so that the
understanding of the character and way to speak as them would come naturally
to them.

11.6.2019

Today we are at the main stage of the theater of Konstanz and it’s the first
rehearsal on the completed stage! We are very lucky to be here! 😊 In this
rehearsal we check on the parts of the play, that the functions of the theater and
the stage are needed, which are the ability to elevate the front stage, the sound
and also the structures of the stage like the pool with the five million plastic balls
and also the swing that is hanging from the ceiling and on which the Wiedehopf
will make his entrance.

Detailed instructions are absolutely necessary to secure the safety of the actors.

After the check, they begin to rehearse from the beginning of the script. In that
way, the actors are able to get accustomed to the stage, perfect their movements
and actions on the finished stage and cooperate with the technicians that control the
lights, stage and sound.

Note: Everybody went mad about the balls in the pool! Also, the metal swing is a
bit too steep and a bit dangerous. I’m sure they will find a way to deal with it 😊

12.6.2019
On the seminar today, we are talking about our impressions and thoughts of the
yesterday’s rehearsal. Ingo also explains us the preparation and organization that
is needed on the week before the premiere!

There are four necessary rehearsals:

i) AMA, alles mit allem. The actors are ready, the stage is ready, the
costumes are ready, the sound is ready, the lights are ready, the makeup
is ready! Or is it? Let’s check it out! Alles mit allem means that
everybody is present on that day, actors, technicians, directors,
dramaturgs, makeup artists. They observe the whole play from the
beginning to the end. But during the AMA the technicians or the prop
directors or everybody who is responsible for the props and the stage
and other technical responsibilities can stop the play if they believe that
something is too dangerous for the actors or the stage. This rehearsal
takes place almost a week before the premiere to not make changes
right before the first play, as it might prove too stressful for the actors.
Better earlier than late (or never).
ii) HP1, Hauptoprobe 1. The first actual rehearsal without stopping the
play.
iii) HP2, Hauptprobe 2. The second rehearsal without any pauses.
iv) GP, Generalprobe. The last rehearsal right before the premiere.

What comes after the end of the play? The applause of course! But how?

In the end of the seminar we discussed about how the applause in the end of the
play should be staged. Ingo is not sure of how to balance the importance between
the professional actors and the young actors, maybe he will choose between
group applause (each thematic group goes to the front of the stage for the
applause as another one follows after them, that way only the first and the last
group receives the most applause) or no applause at all (quite abrupt and
enigmatic, could also mean more). There is also solo applause, where each actor
goes by him/herself on the front of the stage receiving the applause that the actor
deserves according to the acting of the actor and also to the audience’s
preference. What will it be? Get tuned to Monday’s AMA!

16.6.2019

Today, Hollie, Irina, Laila and I met at my apartment to discuss about our group
project. We came up with wonderful ideas, had fun and ate lots of popcorns. Irina
will make our ideas come to life with her drawing, I can’t wait to see how it will
turn out!

17.6.2019

Today we watched the AMA.

So many things to say about it but I’m feeling so tired because I wrote this
document in two days. I’ll try my best though.

I’ll point out five moments that were memorable from yesterday.

 The entrance of Hahn. We haven’t seen the birds’ makeup, ever. Yeah,
Sylvanas’s makeup was very impressive and Seb’s almost identical
resemblance to Napoleon Dynamite was very funny. But the spectacular
entrance of the Hahn with the smokes emerging along with her and the
sudden turn revealing a cold stone face of white and black paint... it was a
very impressive entrance and surprising introduction of the bird makeup.
Also, the wigs were pretty cool and mysterious.
 Seb’s exploration of the pool. Once Sylvana dived Seb’s head in the pool, I
immediately wanted this to happen. I’m pretty sure that the audience will
also want this to happen, it was very satisfying that my expectations came
true. After the third dive, Seb’s face, slowly approaching the glass of the
pool, sticking to it so that it would fog up made me laugh a lot. The
difference of prestige between the two of the main characters is obvious
from beginning to end, but this was one of the funniest interactions of the
 two of them, showing clearly how their characters have a bigger brother-
smaller brother relationship.
 Triballer’s transformation to a puppy and Poseidon’s’ bath tub to a tea cup.
A technical error that ruined the flow of the play but made me realize how
challenging it can prove to use such costumes. They are impressive and
funny but are difficult to move into, prone to accidents and difficult to fix
on spot, a big responsibility for a theatrical play.
 Seb’s argument with Prometheus. Absolutely hilarious, seems stupid in the
beginning and you question what is happening, if the actors forgot their
part. But Sylvana quitting, the lighting change, the broom sounding from
the backstage, Nicole entering the stage (also Nicole’s showing up at
random times was very funny) swiping the balls from the stage with the
huge shovel and finally the repetition of the same phrases for 4 whole
minutes probably, with the constant change of the tone of their voices, the
climax of the argument around the middle-end of this bit and the tiring end
of their argument being solved by Nicole bringing the umbrella… An
amazing show the actors’ abilities and combination of ideas.
 Sylvana holding the thunder as the birds were wiping the makeup from
their faces. The end of the play “Die Vögel”. A simple man, an intelligent
coward, claiming the title of hero, taking down the gods and having the
birds as his slaves. Sylvana’s acting made us despise Schlauberger from the
beginning of the play, proving to us in this final scene what will happen if
such a man gets power in his hands. Simultaneously, the birds take off their
makeup. They are no longer birds, they are only actors now, they wiped the
responsibility of the birds’ naivety and gullibility away. But still, in the back
of the stage, Schlauberger’s reign continues. So, the play may have ended,
and the curtain has fallen, but are we unaffected?
I see fitting to close this diary with the famous quote from Brecht’s
allegorical theater play, “Der aufhaltsame Aufstieg des Arturo Ui’s “: “Do
not rejoice in his defeat, you men. For though the world has stood up and
stopped the bastard, the bitch that bore him is in heat again. “