c e n a n. 23 Creativity in Acting: strategies for the separation of the performer’s real identity from the construct in Nigeria Osakue S. Omoera Ambrose Alli University – Ekpoma, Nigeria Email: [email protected], [email protected] Emmanuel Ozoemenam University of Ibadan – Ibadan, Nigeria Email: [email protected] Abstract Resumo This article centres on the art of acting in Ni- Este artigo centra-se na arte da atuação na geria. Its problematic is informed by the beha- Nigéria. Sua problemática é informada pelo viour of some actors/actresses/performers who comportamento de alguns intérpretes que tend to live their ‘stage life’ or ‘screen life’ in tendem a viver sua “vida nos palcos/ nas te- their normal everyday living. The study adopts las” em suas vidas cotidianas, o que muitas the historical-analytic, interview and observa- vezes resulta em conflito entre sua personali- tion methods to examine this misconception dade real e suas construções. O estudo ado- and how they colour the society’s appreciation ta métodos histórico-analíticos de entrevista of theatre arts as a discipline. It further argues e observação para examinar esse equívoco, e that although actors/actresses have been seen como esses conceitos falsos geram uma falta as entertainers, they should train on how to ne- de apreciação, por parte da sociedade, das ar- atly separate what they construct on stage from tes do teatro como uma disciplina. Além disso, their daily living. The paper suggests, among argumenta-se que, embora eles tenham sido other things, self-discovery and psychologi- vistos ao longo do tempo como artistas, eles cal distancing as panaceas to the challenge. devem treinar para separar cuidadosamente o It concludes that the actors’/actresses’ prime que constroem nos palcos de suas vidas co- requisites are common sense, acute powers tidianas. O artigo sugere, entre outras coisas, of observation and perception, tolerance and a autodescoberta, o equilíbrio psicológico/ understanding of human behaviour and a ge- consciência e o distanciamento psicológico neral knowledge of society, in order to deepen como soluções para o desafio. Conclui-se que the professional understanding of theatre arts os principais requisitos dos atores/atrizes são as a profession in the contemporary Nigerian o senso comum, potências aguçadas de ob- society. servação e percepção, tolerância e compreen- são do comportamento humano e um conhe- cimento geral sólido da sociedade para que, assim, aprofunde o entendendimento das ar- tes teatrais como uma profissão na sociedade nigeriana contemporânea. Keywords Palavras-chave Creativity in acting. Drama. Stage/Screen. Per- Criatividade em atuação. Drama. Palco/tela. former/Actor/Actress. Real identity. Construct. Intérprete/Ator/Atriz, Identidade Real. Constru- Contemporary Nigerian society. ção. Sociedade Nigeriana Contemporânea. c e n a n. 23 Introduction observation and perception, tolerance and un- derstanding of human behaviour and a sound Drama begins with a disciplined construc- general knowledge of society, where perform- tion and orderly arrangement of words and ac- ers represent human beings and other phe- tions and these actions are carried out by the nomena with fidelity. It equally holds that such actor/actress/performer as performance either deliberate effort will help to deepen the profes- on stage or screen. Drama is an action and a sional streak which theatre arts as a profession purposeful dramatic action is acting and acting desperately needs in contemporary Nigeria. cannot be carried out without actors/actresses/ Across the ages, critical materials abound characters. Accordingly, there are vital points on how philosophers, scholars and critics have to note about the actor/actress and acting in viewed the personality of the actor/actress. In relation to actors/actress’s personality or per- the classical age, Plato was the first to write on son. In order to enhance societal appreciation the person of the actor in his work, The Repub- of the actor/actress, his or her creative genius lic (circa 373 BC). It is common knowledge that and work which is critical to humankind’s en- Plato attacked actors and poets and exclud- joyment of life, a probing of the performer’s real ed them from his ideal republic on the ground identity and the construct nexus is germane. that their act is on the realm of illusion, which is The problematic of this study is informed by the three times removed from the original. Accord- behaviour of some Nigerian actors/performers ing to him, actors misrepresent the gods and that tend to live their ‘stage life’ or ‘screen life’ heroes. God is perfectly good and, therefore, in their normal everyday living, which results is changeless and incapable of deceit, but the in conflict between their real personalities and actor often shows him as falling short in this their constructs. This paper adopts the histor- respect. Plato believes that the actor’s imper- ical-analytic and artistic methods to examine sonation of another character will cause the the misconception of some performers/actors/ guardians to depart from their own character. actresses about their creativity on stage or Plato cited in Bernard Dukore pontificates that screen, their normal daily living, and how these “actors are imitators of the imperfect copies of misconceptions colour society’s appreciation an ideal life; they are third hand and unreal and of theatre arts as a discipline. can teach us nothing of value about life.”1 It argues that although actors/actresses For this reason, Plato advocates that actors have been seen all through the ages as en- should be expelled from his ideal republic. He tertainers, but they should train and retrain further maintains that actors/actresses have themselves on how to neatly separate what bad moral influence on those who listen and they construct on stage/screen from their daily watch them, for they will soon learn to admire living. Towards this end, this paper suggests, them and model themselves on the weakness- among other things, self-discovery, psycholog- es and faults of their acts. After Plato, comes ical balancing/consciousness, and psycholog- a great theorist of the same age, a student of ical distancing as panaceas to the challenge. Plato. This great philosopher is called Aristot- It concludes that the actor’s or actress’s prime requisites are common sense, acute powers of 1 DUKORE, 1974, p. 21. 143 Omoera, Ozoemenam // Creativity in Acting: strategies for the separation of the performer’s real identity from the construct in Nigeria Rev. Cena, Porto Alegre, n. 23, p. 142-157, set./dez. 2017 Disponível em: http://seer.ufrgs.br/cena c e n a n. 23 le. In the Poetics written in (circa 335 BC), Aris- the actor/actress in his critique, The Geneal- totle cited in Dukore asserts that drama is the ogy of the Gentile Gods (circa 1365). To him imitation of men in action not men themselves poetry offers us many inducements to virtue, and these men are necessarily either good or and that poetry proceeds from the bosom of bad depending on the nature of their character, God. Poetry is relevant to the society because and knowing that men differ in their moral na- it stimulates virtual feeling in the member of the ture according to the degree of their goodness society. He argues that actors through poetry or badness, dramatic character must always veils truth in a fair and fitting garment of fiction fall into one of these categories.2 with the sole purpose of passing a message Aristotle claims that drama is concerned across. He also noted that dramatic characters with the portrayal of the universal. Therefore, and the actors/actresses are no worse than the the actor or actress is concerned with teaching characters or people in the holy writ.4 the society about life by presenting such truth n England, the puritans condemned the ac- on stage or screen, which will go a long way in tor when they took over government for what bringing about a change of heart and attitude they called ‘immorality of the English stage.’ through catharsis. Coming down to the medi- A man named Stephen Gosson, a critic of the eval period, Tertullian, like Plato, writes against Renaissance period, writes strongly against the actor in his work, On the spectacles (197- the actor in his work, School of Abuse (1579). 202). He sees the activities of the actor as a He contends that the presence of the theatre serious sin against God and states thus: showed the moral decadence in England, that theatre provided opportunity for immorality for Ye servants of God, about to draw near those that watch it. He says that “Romulus built to God, that you may make solemn consecration of yourselves to Him, his theatre as a whore’s fair to whores.”5 He seek well to understand the condition further advanced that the theatre is a school of faith, the reasons of the truth, the laws of Christian discipline, which for- of abuse, meaning that the actors are teach- bid among other sins of the world, the ers of abuse and immoral acts. Theatre of this pleasure of public shows... (DUKORE, 1974, p.85.) period was even built outside the city because according to Gosson and those in his school He counselled that every show is an assem- of thought, the actor has an evil influence that bly of the wicked, that drama belongs to the could affect the town. Indeed, because of the devil and that theatrical pleasures are forms fear of arrest, actors acted under protection of lust. To him, Christians should not use the of powerful people and wore the coat of arm hands they raise up to God in praise and wor- of these people for protection.