Engaged in the Doing

FROM PHILIP HIMBERG:

Overheard at lunch today (crabmeat sandwiches and salad and fresh taramind juice):

Rachael: Christopher, there is no portable printer in Lamu. We have to send away from Mombassa for one.

Christopher: Is it the same price?

Rachael: Yes, the man who sells them is a concrete salesman and he has some printers on the side.

Christopher: Bring it on!

Now we are in the groove. Yesterday, Tuesday, July 13 was the day that the Rwandan project, BOOK OF LIFE, met with the advisor team, to work in a more detailed way through how they would launch rehearsals. Wesley, the choreographer spoke about the poems that touched him most, and particularly one that he felt in his gut would be the play’s opening. We encouraged him to follow his heart on that, and he explained in much detail (French, which Roberta translated into English) the initial sequences. In structural terms, they wish to divide the book into “chapters” that follow an emotional rather than ‘story arc’. Music is being created (a lullabye for the first part) and movement as well. Liesl Tommy (we’ve come to call her the “Jezebel” of the Lab – because of her sensuously clad legs) is guiding this one.

In the afternoon, we tackle the Tanzanian project, AFRICA KILLS HER SON (SUN). The director speaks (in lovely English) about the first ‘beats’ of this piece and then Roberta asks a big question: “Why?”  “Why are you compelled to tell this story at this moment?” This creates a beautiful opening for conversation, lead, in part by our lead artist, Mrisho Mpoto, who asks to speak in Kiswahili so he can better communicate his deepest thoughts. Gilbert translates. I sit there listening to this passionate Tanzanian pouring his heart out in his native language, and recognize that we are having as intense an exchange as any we’ve had in English in America. Isn’t that amazing! The talk goes deeper and deeper – and takes a good deal of time, of course. 

When we break for tea, the Rwandans are outside under a huge Baobab Tree moving to music. The site is quite lovely. Everyone is engaged in the doing.

After dinner (vegetarian Moussaka, fresh fish, Ugali, Rice and Pineapple Crumble), we gather to watch the Philip Glass scored 1983 film, KOYAANISQATSI, which I brought thinking it would not require language to appreciate, and that the depiction of our natural world vs the man made world, would stir some insight.  Not sure the film has quite ‘held up’ to time, but it was a nice segue to the end of a busy day and to our sleep time.