Questionnaire for theatre expert

Name / Claudio Ingoglia
Occupation / Europeanprojectmanager
Country of residence / Bulgaria

Pleaseanswer the following questions givingspecificexampleswhere possible:

Experience and Expertise

Outlineyourexperience and expertise in the area of theatre

I startedatheater course manyyearsago, in Palermo, pledgingmyself to the art of acting. I wasreluctant at the beginning but, once started, I could not stop. I took part in several performances on the stage (such as UncleVanya and the Three Sisters by Checkov; Sleuth by Pinter, ...) or on the street for specialevents for children. I alsoparticipated in a European workshop based in Palermo (named Atelier dei 200) withbig stars of the french drama by UTE (Union des Théâtres de l’Europe- and in several short-films projects in Valencia, Spain. During the last years I discovered the magic of improvisation through the L.A.R.P. (Live Action Role Play) events, learning of beingalways in yourcharacterwithno script and no matterwhatithappens.

What has been the impact of theatre on yourown life?

Theater (that has to bedifferentiatedfrom “beingactor”) has simplychanged me. I remember me when I was adolescent, beforeevenconsideringgoing to a drama course, as a commonsilentindividualthatprefers to let things and events go withouttaking part of them, without a deep interaction withthosewhowerearound, feeling secure in myshell. I used to beuncomfortablearound people, I used to talk to thembecause I had to interact in myenvironment. And then, whenmymotherconvinced me to attend somedrama classes, eventhough I wasprettyreluctant at the beginning, everythingchanged. Somehow, through the activities, I learned to understandwho I was, what I was capable of, I learned how to recognizemyself in a group and how to take part in it as a protagonist. I believethereis no academic justification of the reasons, but I understoodmy value, learning how to bedynamic in life, how to be “liquid” in everycontext and, most important, how to put the focus of myinterests in myself. All thesethingshelped me in building a stable personalitythat I am not afraid to show.

What impact do youthinktheatrecan have on ourlives and whatyouconsider to beits instrumental value (i.e. the waytheatrecanbeused in particular settings ratherthantheatre as art or entertainment)?

Making an important differencebetween “theater for the performance” and “theater for the self” (wecansurelygeneralize the same concepts for all the arts), I believethere are no limits for the teachingswewould have if wedecide to immerseourpersonin a theater course. It isadifficult concept to explain but theater has the power to infuse self-reliancesinceitisbased first in knowingyourself. First activitiesconcentrate in the importance of YOUR SELF, in building group trust, in meeting the other and be confident in yourinteraction; onlythen, whenyou have alreadystrengthenyourpersonality, youlearn to interpret new characters, beingconsciousthatthosecharacters do not existwithoutyou. You makethem live, withyourownpersonality (itiscalled the “I” in the character), and youlearnthatyourcapacities are greaterthanyouthought.

Whenyou have this confidence, youcanstartunderstand the barriersyou have builtduringexperience and be able to smash them down being sure of your actions.

Humanbeings have the need to feel confident. Theater is not the absoluteanswer but ithelpsyou in findingthatanswer in you.

Whatstrategies do you use and how do youworkwith hard to reach groups or people who are not usuallyengagedwiththeatre or whomightbereluctant to take part?

Humanbeings are difficultly “open to open themselves”; I wasindeed one of those people whorefused to try a drama course, thinking of it as a stupidwaste of time I could have spentplaying or hanging out withfriends. I wasalsoreluctantduring the first activities, consideringthempointless for the purpose of the actor. Suddenly, I realizedthatthoseactivities gave me the possibility to play “withmyself” and around new friends.

Surely, strategies to reach and get people involvedneed to beadaptedconsidering the target group, the participants, the purposes and the conditions of the work. Patience, though, is an essential element in all cases. Whendealingwith new participants, I usuallystartworkingwiththem in the group-creation and the stable friendship: theywouldnevertakeactively (and happily) part in the activities if they do not first feel at easewith the others. Then, I usuallyrepeat to myselfwhat a terrible student I was at the beginning and how mydirectorhelped me untilconsideringhim as a best friend.

Theatre and Workingwithvisuallyimpaired people

Describeanyexperienceyou have had of workingwithvisuallyimpaired people eitherwiththeatre or in someothercapacity.

I had no real experience in WORKING withvisuallyimpaired people but I have hadexperience in converse and sometimeshanging out withthem. Since the beginning of the project I have decided to put myselfintothismatter and now, since life have brought me to Valencia first and nowSantiiago de Compostela (Spain), I got to know v.i. people from the ONCE (OrganizaciónNacional de CiegosEspañoles - National Organization of Spanish Blind People) whichfosters the cooperation and the social inclusion of people withdisabilities and whoseemployees I alwaysencounterwhilewalking in the city.

How wasworkingwithvisuallyimpaired people (if therewassuchwork) different to the wayyouwouldnormallywork?

I have no experience to answerthis question but I believethatvisuallyImpaired people are people justlikethosewhocansee. Talking to them, establishing a friendship and having fun withthemisprettymuch the same as withother people. In case of walking or goingsomewhere I seeonly one difference: a small help (by thosewhosee, by theirfriends), and help has never been a problem.

What impact has workingwithvisuallyimpairedyoung people (if therewassuchwork) had on yourown practice?

Consideringitwas no work, dealingwiththemgivesme ahappinessthatmightbetiring but isindeed pure. It makes me feelconsciousthat I am alive and thateveryhumanbeing has the right of feeling alive.

What do youthinkis the value for visuallyimpairedyoung people of workingthroughtheatre?

I learnedthattheateris the place whereyoucanplaywithyourself, whereyoucansee new perspectives, whereyoucandiscover new aspects of yourbeingthatwillinevitably help you in beingpresent in every situation. This is an experiencethatwe all should do but thatv.i. people need to do.

VISION

What do youthinkweshouldconsiderregarding the use of theatre in the VISION project?

Essential are the difference of place, environment, culture, age, gender and so on. Every kid is a unique case. Exercises, therefore, may change a lot from one kid to another one. Weshouldtry to get to know them as much as possible; weneed to be sensitive, listen to theirneeds and let thembethemselves.

What do youthinkcouldbe the impact of thiswork?

A dialecticallearning of human perceptions.

Pleaseattach a current CV withthis questionnaire!

Thankingyou for your time and consideration:

The V.I.S.I.ON team

“This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.”

Project number: 2014-1-BG01-KA201-001555