‘Physical theatre’ inspires, frightens

Press, 8 March 1989, Page 24

‘Physical theatre’ inspires, frightens

Ten months living on a Paris houseboat and studying at the Lecoq theatre school made an intense impression on Lizzie Cook. JANE DUNBAR reports.

Christchurch’s Lizzie Cook has made her mark on Paris.

As the tourist boats pass along the river Seine they stop for photographs to be taken of huge sunflowers growing around the deck of a houseboat. The flowers were planted by Cook when she lived on the boat in the middle of Paris last year, and was a student at the Lecoq theatre school. Cook is now back in Christchurch, and is the musical director of Mervyn Thompson’s production of “Othello.”

But impressions from Paris are still strongly with her, and at times she finds it difficult readjusting to Christchurch. The school was “frightening” in the demands it made on its students, says Cook. Frightening even for those who were professional actors.

“It was an incredibly demanding experience which stripped you of everything.” The Lecoq school concentrates on “physical theatre” — theatre which is centred on movement, not text.

“The theatre, the storytelling, comes from mime and movement, and words are just an extension of that movement. But it is theatre, not dance.” Words were not much use to Cook anyway. School French and two terms at Polytech did little to prepare her for the language difficulties of living in France. But at the school it was not a problem. The tutors stressed that language should not be a barrier. And although Cook often found herself working with people speaking in different languages, “we didn’t need words to make sense.” Cook’s interest in theatre grew from work-

ing with children in Christchurch. Playing the piano, singing and improvising in classes made her realise she wanted to perform.

In 1985 she started working as a jazz singer and pianist, then joined Splits Dance Troupe as a composer, musician and performer. At the 1987 Fringe Festival she met story-teller extraordinaire, John Bolton, and he encouraged her to apply for the Lecoq school, where he had spent two years training.

With his reference and her experience in performing, she was accepted.

During her 10 months in Paris she lived as an “au-pair” with a family on a houseboat moored on the Seine opposite the Musee d’Orsay. The father’s family had “always had boats,” and he had converted a barge into “an absolutely wonderful home.”

The family were not rich so they rented out the large lounge at the front of the boat for parties. “It was quite some-

thing to have a party on the Seine,” remembers Cook.

One day she bought bird seed to make juggling balls, but saved the sunflower seeds. These she planted in boxes along the deck and the flowers have grown so dramatically they are a favourite with tourists passing by in the “bateaux mouches.”

Cook has no regrets about Paris, but remembers she was not keen to go at first. “I felt very strongly about being someone of the South Pacific and not looking to Europe for stimulus. And of course I had my political beliefs about the French presence in the Pacific.”

But being in France she became “addicted” to living in another culture with a foreign language. “I had to start looking at things from another perspective, and I’m no longer so dogmatic in my views. I still don’t like their foreign policy, but I have an empathy with the French people.” The experience made such an intense impression on her, coming back to New Zealand was difficult. “Nothing seemed to be happening. It was unsettling.” But she suggests it is easy to be “born again” about strong experiences, and wants instead to "get on” and integrate all she learnt with her life in New Zealand.

Cook is enjoying being the musical director for “Othello,” although she does find it “a bit difficult” working with someone else’s music.

She likes working with a group, and trying out ideas to see where they lead.

She has recently married, and plans to look for work as a jazz singer and musician once the “Othello” season finishes.