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Let Me Entertain You!

[ Class Logs ] Amphitheater and Proscenium ] [ Let Me Entertain You ] Everyone's a Critic ]

Khayet

10/4/99 11:47:16 PM

 

Shainman Rehearsal Hall

The largest room in the Istan Harper Hall, save the Ballroom, this room has wonderful acoustics that make sound bounce off the walls just so. From lessons to rehearsal to just listening to the marvelous sounds always filling the room, there's always a surplus of people about, harpers of every rank, and even a few holders. Tiers fill almost every wall in the room, the choir levels on the right, the orchestra one directly in and other smaller areas for more specific group rehearsal on the left. The room is spotlessly clean and only completely empty in the early hours of the morning when most harpers have to tear themselves away from their work for a few winks of sleep.
Obvious exits: Main Hall

Linne pads in from the ballroom.

 

Filiqua walks in from the ballroom.

 

Linne tears her way into the rehearsal hall, skidding to a stop as she enters. Walking over to Khayet, and noticing the lack of other appies gathered in his general area, she queries, "I hope I'm not too late...."

 

Filiqua approaches softly. She was just following Linne, not knowing her way around very well. she nods to express her sentiments, coincidentally agreeing with Linne's.

 

Khayet shakes his head, "I'm running late myself," He's slightly flushed, mildly sunburned and rebraiding his hair. "I've just gotten in from running an errand to the Weyr.....Have a seat, please..."

 

Filiqua takes a seat obediently, eyes attentive. She's just waiting for this to start. She decides that her blank book should have /some/ purpose, so she pulls it out, maybe she should be writing something down.

 

Linne looks down at the seats arranged, and picks one near the front, so she can see and hear better.

 

Khayet takes a deep breath and offers his hand to Filiqua, "I'm Khayet, I don't' think we've met yet..."

 

Linne watches Khay in amusement. Good thing he's already in stage composure.....

 

Indeed. He hasn't had time to get flustered yet.

 

Filiqua nods, accepting the offered hand. "Well met, Khayet, I am Filiqua." She looks a bit perplexed at being so warmly recepted by the teacher of the class, but all the same, it's quite welcome.

 

Perrin prowls like a large sport cat in from the ballroom.

 

Perrin says, "Hello!"

 

Khayet says, "Hullo Perrin, we're about to start, you're just in time....."

 

Linne looks around as she hears Perrin walk in and greet. "Hey Perrin. How are you doing tonight?"

 

Filiqua smiles briefly up at Perrin. "Hello."

 

Kierna walks in from the ballroom.

 

In comes Assel, doing his usual bustle, and carrying no fewer then a full stack of hides, as is usual. Seeing he is not indeed too late to join in, he gives a smile to Khayet, sets his hides down next to his chair, and sits down. Quill and a writing surface appear mysteriously out of the folds of his tunic, but then, this harper is never unprepared to write.

 

Kierna wanders into the hall eyes wide, arms full of art supplies, she's here to pick them up but a master ordered her in here so in here she came.

 

Linne looks up from a few notes, and gives a little wave to Nherys and Kierna as they walk in.

 

Khayet glances around. "Well, looks like we'll be having class after all....." And then he blinks, stopping dead at the sight of Fas. Live, in person, walking, and out of his little cavern! In -this- class??? "Hullo Fasulkad.....long time no see.....what brings you down here?"

 

Assel doesn't look up, intent on some things on his hides. No sense in wasting time before the class begins, Is there.

A quiet hum warns of Fas' arrival, before he becomes visible as he walks in, flipping through hides, and pauses to peer over at Khayet, murmuring in his usual sarcastically amused tone, "Defrosting."

 

Nherys peers around and stops to push her hair out of her face again before grinning at the sight of her brother. Oh good, she is supposed to be here. And if she isn't, well too bad. An unfamiliar face catches her interest, and as it seems Khay knows who it belongs to, she wanders to investigate. "Hullo, I'm Nher...Khay's sister. Who're you?"

 

Khayet grins, "Aife's forced you to take a break, has she?" He peers around Fas to Nher, "Everyone, this is Fasulkad, one of Aife's apprentices, a rare sight indeed....." Then to Fas again, "I'm about to teach theatre, your welcome to sit in and try to warm up in here if you like....."

 

Kierna plops herself into a seat, well guess her dragon ride can wait for a bit.

 

"Who am I?" Fas questions, idly shuffling his hides, before putting his arm and the distraction at his side. "Name's Fas. I'm not often back here in Ista, but way back, I was daily mentioned." A polite nod passes from the man, and he puts out a hand, looking the girl up and down quietly. "Nice to meet you." Gaze lingers for a moment, before Fas returns to looking at Khayet. "I see you're still practicing your diplomacy..."

 

Assel actually takes the time to look up at this, giving a brief nod before returning to his studies.

 

Linne smiles at Fasulkad, giving a small nod of greeting.

 

Nherys nods, then turns her attention back to Khayet, pondering whether it's better when he's just her brother, or when he's the teacher too.

 

Khayet chuckles, "Aye well....someone has to.....IN the mean time....I'm already late, and now very late and it's starting to make me a bit mad so....Everyone seated?" Not angry mad, it seem. He claps his hands together and backs up to face everyone. "This is part two of Introduction to Theatre. A good philosophy for any harper that does performances, no matter the kind is 'Let me entertain you.'....Why is it worded like that?"

 

Nherys seats herself somewhere up in the front, pulling her knees up so she can rest her chin on them. She chews on her lip a while, then shrugs and raises her hand. Might as well give it a shot, right?

 

Khayet nods to his sister, "Nherys....?"

 

Linne looks up at the ceiling for a few moments, pondering on that. This is something to be considered, especially since she's interested in being a performer.

 

Seeing that the lesson is finally starting, Assel puts down the hides he was studying and takes up a blank one. Looking up, he begins to take fastidious notes on whatever he thinks might be even vaguely relevant. Not just the material, but also interpretations and random thoughts. His charcoal moves at almost amazing speed, and reams and reams of text flow down the hide

 

An idle yawn passes from Fas, before he moves over to one side of the room, and takes a seat, peering over at the teacher. "Mmm. Might as well pass the time," he says simply, before becoming silent. "Besides, any excuse for warmth..." Grin slides onto Fas' lips, and nothing more is said.

 

Nherys grins, then offers, "Because what someone finds entertaining may vary from person to person, see, and so you want to entertain the audience of the moment. Does that make any sense?"

 

Linne, getting a sudden idea, raises her hand.

 

Khayet nods, smiling slightly, then motions to Linne, "Got more to add, Linne?"

 

Linne puts her hand down, putting in her opinion, "Because part of the entertainment for the person is just leisure and relaxing, and so you're putting yourself in the frame of mind, 'let me do all the work. You just sit back and be entertained.'" She sort of trails of towards the end. It sounded a bit better in her head than out loud.

 

Khayet nods, "Anyone else have anything to add?" He looks from Assel to Fas, just in case.

 

Realizing that he's almost beginning to run out of room, Assel's notes become even smaller, until the point when he's the only one who'd have a prayer of reading them. Giving a quick glance up in the pause of conversation, he gives a little shake of his head and leans back down towards his hide.

 

"Just because you're playing doesn't mean it's entertaining," Fas adds quietly, idly pushing a stool in front of him, and putting his feet up on it. "Make sure you've got the right mood and talent to be playing." A quiet shrug, before Fas looks over at Khayet. "Means be appropriate, basically."

 

Khayet nods, "You all hit on part of it. If you try a serious song about the evils of say.....Fax in the middle of a gather, people are going to walk away. Some might listen, but don't confuse listening with entertaining. People don't like to be forced into things, sometimes its for their good, sometimes it's appropriate, but not always. Most people, for instance, are attentive when threatened with a weapon, though -most- will not feel entertained. Coercion isn't entertainment.....This is why we say -let- me entertain you, rather than I -will- entertain you....."

 

Linne nods in understanding and comprehension. A small "ahh" escapes her lips, before she realizes it.

 

Nherys grins and nods, "And sometimes things you don't really intend to entertain end up getting more of a chuckle than those you do."

 

Assel nods, finishing off another sentence. There, now that part is just in one part of the page, as opposed to all over it.

 

Foot idly taps on stool, while Fas quietly listens to what's said, and says nothing himself, merely observing in silence.

 

Khayet nods, "Ineed, but that's usually slapstick." He grins, "Or just me trying to walk across a perfectly flat floor......This class gets a little more into the theory of performance, why we do it....And speaking of that, why do we get up and do things that are at times utterly ridiculous?"

 

Nherys rolls her eyes and murmurs, "'Cause we're drunk..." under her breath, then grins and gives a real answer. "Because sometimes you're in a funny mood, and decide to just do something....odd?"

 

Kierna listens quietly in her seat a little distance from the other, shy young girl prefers to watch than to participate.

 

Khayet narrows his eyes at the murmur, otherwise ignoring it though. "But why do you perform?"

 

A quiet sniff passes from Fas as he grins over at Nherys, "Why do you think we're in a funny mood?"

 

Nherys giggles and sticks her tongue out at Fas before turning back to Khay and cocking her head. "Because it's fun, and it makes you feel good, and other people too."

 

Khayet says, "Any other reasons?"

 

Nherys shuts her mouth and settles back, figuring she should let some of the others get a word in as well.

 

Khayet looks to Kierna....."Anything?"

 

Kierna gulps visibly and softly says "To make other feel good"

 

Khayet nods, "There's the thought that it's three basic things, for harpers and other performers alike....The first is to be the centre of attention.....Not all people like to be the centre of attention all the time, and harpers are no diffrent in that. The second reasons is for either payment, or for advancement. The third is to communicate.....and by communicating, sometimes we entertain."

 

Nherys grins, "That makes sense, actually..."

 

Still grinning unrepentantly over his earlier comment, Fas gives a playful chuckle as a new thought enters his head. "For example, while speaking -- or should I say, communicating -- with Khayet, I could easily distract him enough so he wouldn't notice me putting my foot out to trip him, which would be entertaining to watch...."

 

Nherys' eyes narrow, and she glares at Fas. "No, it wouldn't. But it was funny when Master Caramak came in in the middle of a lesson, and I tried to turn around to look and get up at the same time, and ended up falling out of my seat. But tripping Khay would /not/ be funny..." And don't test her on that, either.

 

Khayet nods, "It's amazing how much of this does, in my research, I've gotten a bit more into the psychology of theatre, the need for it. But that brings me back to communicating. Actors, weather harpers or not are communicators. Through this art, beauty and ideas are expressed in a fashion generally agreeable to the audience. Anything can be expressed, morals, feelings, satire, thoughts, and experiences. Though, Fas, you'd have as good a chance for -me- in particular to trip over mine own foot with out the aid of yours to trip me up...." He grins wryly. "But slapstick is not the order of the day. Can anyone tell me the most important part of the Theatre?"

 

Nherys chews on her lip, Fas forgotten for the moment. "To....to....to express an idea, a feeling, to get a point across?"

 

Khayet shakes his head.

 

Kierna raises her hand as she states her idea "To enjoy yourself and help others enjoy themselves?"

 

Khayet shakes his head again, and looks to Fas, "What say you, oh sage of the Frozen North?"

 

A quiet chuckle passes from Fas. "My, you two lack humor," he notes idly, before he shrugs, leaning forward a bit. "I'd say the most important part would be to do it in a place where the actors wouldn't be too frozen to move. Naa. 'Sbeen a while since I've been in any real class, but, perhaps the most important thing would be for the actors to be good, so they're remembered, and not forgotten in an instant, along with anything else they were trying to get across?" A shrug, and Fas admits easily, "I dunno'."

 

Nherys does too have a sense of humor, just not where Khay being put in peril is concerned...

 

Khayet shakes his head. "Think on this....I've a wonderful, witty, beautifully written monologue, the most handsome costume, a fabulous set....I give the most moving performance of my life....and I'm the only one in the room. No audience. Is there a point to going through all that trouble, with no audience? Who's going to know I actually did this? Who's going to care? The audience is the most important, most integral part. With out them, there is not point to the performance in the first place. Everything is done for the audience, and in return, they give us their attention and understanding, sometimes their approval and praise."

 

A pause from Fas, before he raises one eyebrow, and notes... "Yeah... But... That's obvious? At least /warn/ us when it's gonna' be one of those so-obvious-we-miss-it questions..." Grin and shrug passes from the 'sage of the Frozen North.'

Nherys shakes her head ever-so-slightly, then decides not to comment. No point in letting them know how off she /really/ is...

 

Khayet grins, "No, because it was one I missed when taking this course from Journeyman Cortat. And now it's our topic, the Audience.....What do you think are important factors in an audiences reaction to a performance?"

 

Nherys mmmms, "They have to be able to understand it. It could be the funniest thing to you or me, but if it's over their heads, what's the point?

 

Khayet asks, "But what's a factor in their understanding?"

 

Nherys chews on her lip again, stopping when she realizes what she's doing. "Oh, I know I know this.....an understanding of the subject matter, things like that?"

 

Khayet says, "It's more than that, it's what contributes to the understanding.....Like, if you do a satire on the rumored gambling in Bitra in a very small, isolated seahold that's never even heard of Bitra, do you think they'll truly enjoy the performance, or will they feel that your either a nutter or that their stupid?"

 

Nherys is a nut, but that's not the point. "The latter?"

 

Khayet nods, "Aye....so the location of the performance has something to do with the audience's potential understanding. Does gender also take a role?"

 

Nherys nods, "Some things that are hilariously funny when a guy does them just seem....odd when a girl is the performer, and vice versa..."

 

Khayet looks to Kierna, starting to become concerned with Kierna's lack of answering, "Do you think rank or education have any bearing on an audience's understanding?"

 

Kierna nods slowly as she considers "Well I'd think so, because they know different things and like an apprentice might find a satire about a master funny but the master would find it preposterous."

 

Nherys mmmm-hmmms, "Yeah, that too...."

 

Khayet nods smiling, "Aye....good. So does an audience's understanding of the performance have anything to do in reality to it's artistic merit?"

 

Nherys shakes her head, "Not really, because something beautify written could go right over their heads, while something less well done, but more understandable, would be found to be better." She thinks over her last statement, "Did that make any sense?"

 

Kierna scratches her head slightly "Well sort of, if they can't understand it it's not very artistic in their eyes."

 

Khayet asks, "Or maybe it's too artistic? Simple people don't feel like their artistic because their simple. This is not to say that they are dimglows, or any less intelligent. That some plays, concerts or gathers sporting events are what one could call a flop is less a comment on the real artistic worth than on the difficulty of understanding the audience and the process by which an audience forms a judgment." He looks at the candle mark. "I've gone over my time, so I'll have to finish this later.....Next time I'll talk about how an audience forms that judgment and more."

 

Nherys clamps a hand over her mouth to cover a yawn, then grins and stands. No sooner is she up and taking a step then she's down again, a slightly quizzical expression on her face. "Khaaaaay...." is wailed, "I think my legs fell asleep!"

 

Khayet naturally dashes forward. Of course he'd try to catch anyone, but this just about seems to be ritualistic with them. "Looks like....try shaking them out.....Oh, and class is dismissed...."

 

Nherys grins and uses Khay as a support as she 'follows orders,' sighing slightly. "This is awkward....b'cause my legs are 'sleep, an' I nearly am....."

 

Kierna slips out of her seat onto the floor and collects the supplies she needs to take back to Tillek.

 

Khayet smiles to Kierna, "Thanks for coming to the class, I hope you enjoyed it...." Before chuckling to Nher, "No, what's awkward is the two flights of stairs I'll wind up carrying you up......" Yup, she's got him well trained.

 

Nherys giggles, "You don't hav'ta do that...." Her eyes start to close as she slides to the floor, yawning mightily. "I think I'll sleep righ' here....."

 

Khayet picks Nher up, "Aye, I do, I cannot leave you here, silly.....And she knows it too...."

Logfile from Khayet

 

 

 

 

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