ABSTRACT
The question of entering and exiting now comes in to play (see below), but we suggest it is not yet time to use a backdrop since those ‘off’ stage still need to see as well as hear what is going on. They should watch with Masks ‘up’, then bring them down and enter at the appropriate moment. Make sure when all three Masks are on that there is a 2 + 1 split, never a 1 + 1 + 1. It is dynamic for the split to change (and usually funny!). At this stage we frequently send trios away to prepare for half an hour, then have a little festival of showing where the rest of the group can say what they have learnt from watching each other’s ‘performances’. In mask work you often learn more from watching than doing since time flashes by in the mask, leaving you exhausted at the end and either exhilarated or ruing lost opportunities.
