The Meaning of Brazil

This morning was set aside for 'Brazil', and we started with each actor writing an account of their dream destination, then inhabiting it, and explaining it to each other. The long improvisations were wild exhibitions of how deeply their understanding of the charcaters is developed, and our first attempt at the scene which may appear within the play was both very accurate in its expression of their desires, and also very funny. Yudai taking the role of Blue's robot, increasingly out of control had everyone in pieces.

The planned drumming session outside on the terrace at lunchtime was cancelled, because for once the weather had let us down, but we decided it would be better anyway to do it after the sharing on Friday, as a celebratroy bonus for the children coming, and any of the rest of the audience that wants to stay.

In the afternoon, we ran on to the end of the play, adding in the idea of the children sleeping while guarding the yoghurt-trap, and the whole section of climbing the crane. It seemed another productive day.

The writer's meeting was filled with another long discussion raised by Minatosan questionning the meaning of 'Brazil'. He felt that it was confusing to mix real ideas of a real country, with the ignorant fantasy of the children. We talked about the mixture of fantasy, dream and political ambition that the section might contain, and we remembered our desire for the play to explore children's wisdom in relation to world issues. Perhaps the depictions of brazil were too limited to the immediate desires of these childen, rather than the wisdom they would express if given the chance to rule a new world. But there was not enough time and energy left to discuss this through to a conclusion, and we left a little weary.