AUGUST 8
Playwright's retreat

For the past week I have been living in an artists’ residence, playwriting in the middle of Umbria, Italy. Yes, I have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming. I am at the artistic residence of Ellen Stewart, stalwart of modern theatre and artistic director of La Mama Theatre Company in New York. Many years ago Stewart was travelling through this area of Italy with a production, and spied this neglected villa. She bought it, paid off the mortgage over two decades and turned it into the amazing space it is today. Originally Stewart used it for her own creative endeavours, although her intention was always as a communal space. Now there are annual playwriting and directing symposiums held here, where artists like myself can take a break from our normal lives and focus on our work.

Stewart, now nearly ninety, doesn’t come here so often. It is however impossible to not feel her presence in every brick, every corner, every detail. The renovated villa is plastered with theatre posters of all her work, theatre masks she has collected from all over the world and personal mementos from her life in theatre. It is a fascinating thing to see now well-known names in early La Mama posters, and hear how artists including Julie Taymor got their start in this wonderful company.

I find myself amongst a fascinating group of people, from different parts of the world, at various stages in their careers. This makes for some absorbing dinner conversation, and we all have a lot to learn from each other. I am the only Australian this year, and apart from a playwright from Rome and a writer from the UK, the rest of the contingency are from all over America and Canada. There are 13 playwrights in total, along with about 5 staff from La Mama to coordinate everything, two Italian locals who cook our meals and Naomi Izuka, the master playwright and facilitator. This place is a hive of activity and everyone is making great use of their time. Someone remarked that living here is like being in tech rehearsals for ten days, except that everyone is much nicer to each other. Our days consist of three-hour workshops and free writing time in which we complete set tasks and work on our own plays.

The most important thing here seems to be time. Being in a space with such beautiful surroundings with no distractions or schedules apart from meal times and night time activities, is heaven for an artist. There is a creative vibe to this place, and everyone is determined to uncover some great work while they are here. We all work several jobs and have financial concerns, but we’re able to take a step back from all that and just concentrate on our craft for ten days. Each day we read each other’s writing aloud for comments and feedback. Of course there are actors and directors amongst the group, as well as poets and screenwriters, so everyone has a diverse range of talents that we can pull from daily. I’m finding it a great space to show work that already has had workshopping in Australia, and hear responses from voices from the other side of the world. It is also an eye opening experience to get to know other international playwrights and what their backgrounds are. There are playwrights here that come from academia, from acting or directing, from producing or from film work, from teaching or music backgrounds. There are playwrights who have been writing for 25 years, playwrights who have their own theatre companies, playwrights who have been literary managers and playwrights like me, who are at a relatively early stage in their careers. This type of communication is vital. It opens our eyes to what people are doing in theatre in far away places and how our industries differ, succeed or fail. There is also talk amongst us of overseas collaborations, which is a very exciting prospect. We are also constantly sharing our own knowledge and resources. I have a backlog of plays recommended to me that I have never even heard of, and am doing my best to promote Aussie plays and films in return. Although this place is a dream come true, I am already itching to come back to Australia and implement all my new ideas and work with a fresh perspective.

While we are here, we are also being treated to local performances and art. Although we have seen no straight theatre or plays, the performances have been creatively enriching and inspiring. We visited the closest town, Spoleto, and watched a contemporary dance performance at the Teatro Romano, a Roman Amphitheatre. The choreography was a mix of modern pieces and more classical narratives, ranging from Medea-esque tragedies to abstract meanings. Within such an ancient space, this was a unique experience. At the La Mama villa, there is a field which overlooks the surrounding countryside. A few years ago the La Mama team built an enormous stage there, suitable for in-house performances and travelling companies. One night, we were lucky enough to have the Korean Bong San Mask Dance Drama troupe, come and perform their ancient dance for us. In the middle of the Umbrian countryside as the sun set behind the stage, men and women adorned in traditional costumes danced centuries old stories and played eerily beautiful music. Afterwards we ate together and through language barriers, were able to express our deepest gratitude. Our third performance was in the beautiful town of Corciano, in the middle of a piazza. We took our seats and witnessed the extraordinary Italian composer Nicola Piovani at work, with a small group of musicians. He spoke with the audience, played the piano and conducted his own work, as locals looked down on the concert from their windows. It was quite a surreal experience for me. Piovani composes largely for film soundtracks, often for Fellini, and has won an Oscar for his work. My all-time favourite film is La Vita e Bella (Life is Beautiful) which Piovani composed the music for, so I found myself sitting in an Italian piazza listening to the music I knew so well, played by its creator. An experience I will carry with me forever.

I look forward to reporting on the final few days of this amazing retreat, and the possibilities and new ideas I will bring back to Australia


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