Revolutionising actor training through indigenous corporeal arts

By Sajitha Prematunge

The various thuds, groans and gasps begged the question, were the participants insured? Apparently not, according to the AHEAD project team, lead by University of Visual and Performing Arts, Faculty of Dance and Drama, Professor in Theatre and Drama, Dr. Saumya Liyanage. The training takes place three days per week and make no mistake, Angampora is harder than it looks. But it is not life threatening if trained by a professional Master, assured Liyanage.

Accelerating Higher Education Expansion and Development (AHEAD) is a World Bank funded government initiative aimed at supporting the higher education sector with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education as the implementing agency and the University Grants Commission (UGC) coordinating the activities in the universities.

“The objective of AHEAD is to develop IT skills, English language proficiency as well as innovation and research in the government university sector,” informed Liyanage. The programme provides funding under three key areas, one being development-oriented research, under which Liyanage’s research project proposal titled ”Lamp in a windless place’: Developing an Actor Training Methodology through Sri Lankan Combative Art Forms’ was selected for funding. The project explores the effectiveness of actor training through Angampora.

Liyanage explained that while Europeans are more explorative and there exists an intercultural discussion on performer training traditions, the potential of indigenous martial arts in developing an actor training methodology had not been explored at length before Phillip Zarrilli’s research. Liyanage was influenced by Exeter University, UK Professor Zarrilli’s research. Having met and worked with him, during an actor training workshop in India, Zarrilli’s work inspired the conception of Liyanage’s project. “Zarrilli developed an actor training methodology using Kerala-based form of martial arts, Kalaripayattu.” “But this is the first time the potential of Angampora, as a Sri Lankan combative art form, is being explored in terms of actor training,” said Hillary.

Funding

Lead academic expert of AHEAD Operation, Prof Thusitha Abeytunga and World Bank lead economist, Dr. Harsha Aturupane has been of immense support to them. “It takes a lot of effort, on their side, to appreciate the significance of this project, particularly from an economic perspective,” said Hillary. “Providing financial support to actor training research is an alien concept even for them,” confessed Liyanage. He said that he is grateful that his project is one of few from Humanities funded by AHEAD.

“The funding is provided as a soft loan, meaning the government has to pay it back eventually. But in essence, it is the public who has to bear the cost,” said Liyanage, pointing out that it is imperative that the public knows that they are paying for a good cause. “Contrary to popular belief that they are stagnating, universities actually do good work. For example, we produce academic papers quite frequently, but the general public is not exposed to them, simply because they are subject specific papers.”

The 10 million grant, offered for a period of three years, is being put to good use. The academic aspect of the project requires actual research work to be undertaken. “It makes for a healthy blend of academic exploration and practice,” said Liyanage. Consequently, much of the first year was spent on research and development of two MPhil degrees. Liyanage, Team Member, Natasha Hillary and the research assistants write academic papers while training takes place simultaneously. “Because it is only with the justification through academic writing, a qualitative method of evaluation, can we prove the objective or the outcome of the project,” said Hillary. Institute of Arts Barcelona, Spain has agreed to allocate the next issue of their journal to the project. Liyanage opined that developing new theory is an integral part of the project. “Later we would focus on developing an actor training methodology in a laboratory setting.”

In the second year an actor training laboratory was established within the university. “But we have not yet been able to make full use of it, because the university is currently off limits due to the prevailing pandemic situation,” admitted Liyanage. Hillary explained that the World Bank usually funds research projects and development of university infrastructure. “Such as the actor training laboratory, which the university was much in need of.” She explained that securing funding and actually keeping the project on par with other World Bank funded projects was no cake-walk. “They have a strict monitoring mechanism and we are expected to achieve Key Performance Indicators, within the project structure, that varies from academic papers, research problems to presentations at international symposia or conferences.”

According to Hillary University Business Linkages acts as a business partner to the project. “For example if the project achieves the results we hope it would it qualifies for a patent, where in a new course can be introduced, enabling actors to apply and learn this form of martial arts during their studies at the university.” She pointed out that students have hardly any opportunity to be exposed to such martial arts, within the university curriculum. “But if the project becomes a success it can even be converted to an internship,” informed Hillary.

Liyanage explained that although the university system produces quality graduates, there is no vibrant industry to absorb them, compared to countries like India. “The issue is that we have a small television industry, theatre is almost negligible and film industry is stagnant.” Liyanage explained that they are striving to produce high quality graduates to improve the industry, by honing their language skills, soft skills and IT skills.

Acting and martial arts

“Perfection of any martial arts requires discipline,” said Liyanage. “It is a very corporeal teaching methodology based on a traditional master-disciple relationship.” The basic principle is imitation of the master and imitation is a form of acting, explained Liyanage. “Attentiveness is essential in both mastering a form of martial arts and in acting. The presence of an actor is another key element in performing,” explained Liyanage. “It’s not mere personality, an actor’s presence is something else entirely. Just being in front of the camera or on stage, conveys a message and can count as presence.”

Training in martial arts also prepares an actor psychophysically, explained Liyanage. Liyanage points out that martial arts such as Angampora trains both body and mind simultaneously. “In fact, in the west there is a clear demarcation between mind and matter. This is a philosophical problem. However, in major Asian corporeal arts there is no distinction between mind and body. Philosophically, Angampora also reflects this unity of the body-mind.” Liyanage believes that this can be adapted as a philosophical base for actor training, as psychophysical actor training focuses on the body-mind functionality of the actor.

In fact, how the psychophysical approaches of ancient martial arts can be incorporated into actor training is what initially attracted Research Assistant, Lyudmyla Honcharova to the project. Honcharova admitted that she had always been attracted to martial arts. Honcharova observed that her training is more mentally challenging that it is physically so. “What constraints us is really a construct of the mind. Your body can take it, but your mind holds you back. But the master coaxes the students into pushing those psychological boundaries, to overcome your fears. This in the long run, builds self confidence.” Honcharova explained that if an actor is unsure of him or herself and hesitate on stage or set, it does not make the acting plausible. “The audience will see right through it. To become the character you portray, to become someone else, first you have to know yourself.”

Honcharova opined that the well-being of actors is something often ignored in traditional actor training. “Acting as a profession is both mentally and physically very rigorous. So it’s important that you know how to transit from your daily life to your stage life. A gap in actor training is that this is not taught.” Honcharova explained that, in contrast, martial arts have a solid structure, with warmups, the main session and the cooling down. “Angampora is not just about fighting, but about healing and both physical and mental well-being. Martial arts teaches you how to take care of your body, how to treat injury. It is specially based on Ayurvedic practices, capable of treating many ailments.”

Honcharova opined that Angampora helps one connect with the surrounding environment better and facilitates smoother energy flow, while also allowing one to concentrate on the different parts of the body. “The Angampora sessions start with meditation and it really helps to focus. In martial arts focus is vital, because you need to be able to foresee your opponent’s moves and you need to be observant and attentive. All these translate well into acting, since acting also involves multitasking in the form of interacting with other actors on stage, audience and delivering dialogue.” Honcharova explained that in both martial arts and acting the body becomes the main instrument. “So, although the two seems mutually exclusive, they are in fact mutually beneficial,” argued Honcharova.

Thilakshini Ratnayake, who has been engaged in theatre for over 10 years and have acted in several teledramas and films, is no stranger to acting. Ratnayake had acted in Vishama Bhaga, Silence in the Courts, Let Her Cry and Koombiyo, with two more movies in the pipeline. Her latest project is her role as Sulo in Thanamalvila Kollek. Ratnayake graduated with a Bachelor of Information Technology – external (BIT) from the Colombo University in 2010. Later she switched to Theatre Studies at the University of Visual and Performing Arts. Is is currently reading for her level II diploma in Drama and Theatre Studies at Trinity College London.

Ratnayake has attempted to apply what she had learned through the AHEAD project to her acting. Ratnayake pointed out that Angampora demands focus and coordination. “My focus and coordination between mind and body has improved. Movement needs to be coordinated, precise, purposeful and you have to be able to imagine your opponent. That’s very much like acting. When you act you may not have props or the other actors around, so a vivid imagination helps.” Consequently, the two can be mutually beneficial, opined Ratnayake. She admits that the training has heightened her focus and bodily awareness.

An injury deters Ratnayake from taking physical risks. But with the training she received from the AHEAD project, she has learned to relax and be more receptive to reactions from other actors and input from the director. “This kind of training also trains you to respect your body. My eating habits have gotten healthier and I’m more disciplined since I started training.” Ratnayake has learned to maintain a strict regimen in terms of physical health, eating right and getting regular hours of sleep. “I feel responsible for my body.”

Angampora is his forefathers legacy to Guru Karunapala, their Angampora master. Both his paternal and maternal grandfathers were Angampora masters of the Kotte tradition. Karunapala took up Angampora at the tender age of six. By the end of his studies he had become such a formidable Angampora fighter that he could kill a man with a newspaper, in quite the literal sense. He also perfected the art of using pressure points in combat and learned indigenous medicine for various ailments.

Karunapala had a tough training regimen, climbing arecanut trees in the rain and training ‘geta poottu’, different types moves or knots using one’s own limbs, in muddy paddy fields. A fully grown person can be incapacitated by tying him or her up with his or her own limbs, informed Karunapala. In fact, he said that a mere jerk of the opponent’s arm or pressing the right pressure point can nearly incapacitate an opponent for an extended period of time. “So you wouldn’t have to resort to killing.”

According to Karunapala, Angampora employs few of the oldest forms of physical exercise, such as locking one in a dandukanda (a pillory-like device). “This particular form of exercise strengthens the back and those who practice it will never hunch even at the age of 80 or 90.” While he was training he was required to do certain stretching exercises in the confines of a well. “It was called a ‘ling gete.’ Such exercises condition and strengthen the body.” Making one able to fight while standing on one foot. For most it’s nearly impossible to lift 100 pounds. But due to Karunapala’s rigorous weight lifting exercises, he can easily lift 350 pounds despite his 80 years. “In weights training, you are expected to lift other people, and the weight is increased daily, gradually.” Karunapala informed that certain breathing techniques are also employed in weight training. “When you have trained properly you can lift a fully grown cow without breaking a sweat.”

He explained that most of the Angampora moves are based on animal behaviour and certain moves are not taught because they are simply too dangerous. In fact, after mastering several of the styles Karunapala graduated only after vowing, standing neck deep in water with seven pots of milk on his head, never to use the moves to another’s detriment. He went back on his oath only once when he incapacitated 18 LTTE cadres single-handed. But this was a transparent matter of self defence.

“In all there are 64 styles. For example, the mantis is a harmless insect, but the Angampora style based on the mantis can be deadly.” The ‘Polu Sellama’ or fighting using staffs is based on deer fights using antlers. The ‘pimburu gete’ is based on pythons’ flexibility. The leopard and bear styles are some other such examples. “All these styles are slowly dying now,” said Karunapala, because some masters failed to pass the teachings onto the next generation. “Besides, people are too caught up in their economic strife, trying to make ends meet, than to take up something such as Angampora.”

Pics by Thushara Athapaththu