Projects

The Little Clay Cart 2004

This production was inspired by a desire to wed elements of conventional Balinese topeng with those of the ancient Sanskrit theatre, particularly kutiyattam. The set designer took ideas from both genres of performance, as may be seen in the photos and film clips below. Musical instruments came from various Indian traditions, both North and South. At one point a Balinese gamelan was used to support the dramatic action. Stylized gesture language was part of the communication process for some of the characters. And the costume designer adapted ideas from both traditions to achieve a uniform look. Wooden masks from Balinese topeng, as well as commedia masks from Venice and neutral masks from the department’s collection, were used when deemed appropriate. Since the play has a large cast, many actors played several roles permitting the masks to dictate their change of character. Only three of the major characters – the hero Charudatta and the heroine Vasantasena – did not wear masks. However, both wore stylized makeup.

Photos of the production may be found at http://drama.uga.edu/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=6