cry of the actor -- now Mnouschkine

[Guillermo Verdecchia]

Re: auditions and workshops, Deborah Cottreau wrote, in part, referring to
Theatre du Soliel at Les Cartoucheries in Paris

> for the company is a workshop.  And god help you if you're late, if you
> don't know how to tidy up after yourself, or if you do not do your share
> in the communal work (sweeping a floor, etc), because that's a part of
the
> audition.

It's part of the job at Theatre du Soleil. Company members take a hand in
everything including cooking the huge meals which are served at
intermission. It's a very special place. And Mnouchkine herself, is
involved in everything. I did the workshop (which wasn't billed as an
audition at all, but was more of a class, though it was understood she
might be interested in an actor or two) some years ago. She ran it from 10
- 6 (ish) and then headed to the theatre to help set up, serve food, chop
onions, talk to actors, set props ... Every Night. 

She does the workshop for free, though she could charge a small fortune for
it. She does it for free, not because they don't need the money -- they do
-- but because she says she wants to DISCOURAGE people from becoming
actors. She wants people to know how hard it is, how demanding, how
seriously one must take the work. Acting, she says, is a heroic metier. 

She's marvellous, and the theatre there is almost always stunning.

GLV