29 September 2014, Articles
“Teach Bács” -the nickname fondly given in interviews by former students- is the reason why quite a few aspiring actors in Bucharest decide to apply to the Theatre Faculty of Cluj. Miklós Bács has so far trained five waves of actors, yet he claims that a “well formed” actor is a disaster.
An interview by Adina Scorțescu
Actor of the Hungarian State Theatre of Cluj, Miklós Bács (aged 50) played over 60 parts in theatre, film, radio and television. He has worked with a number of highly-acclaimed directors (amongst whom Tompa Gábor, Silviu Purcărete, Vlad Mugur, Mihai Măniuţiu), as well as directed plays himself and written a number of books and articles on theatre (“The Mask & The Role”/”Masca si rolul” ,”The great masquee”/”Marele Mascat”,”The propaedeutic of nonverbal communication in the art of the Actor”/” Propedeutica limbajului nonverbal În arta actorului”). In 1991 he began teaching Acting at the School of Theatre and Television in the Babeş Bolyai University of Cluj, and in 2004 set up the Galactoria student festival.
Adina Scorțescu: Alexandru Dabija once said, in an interview: “I do not believe in theatre schools which take a few years. The Actor is formed after a six-month course” What do you think? How long until an Actor is formed?
Miklós Bács: Whether by luck or not, you’ve asked the right question: “formed” ! I believe school must offer the basis of a “de-formation” of the civil existence of the future actors. The laws of society and civil life are opposed to the rules of creation and existence of stage reality. The necessary time needed to bear such an organic entity on the stage depends on the personal abilities of each individual.
What would a “well formed” actor imply?
A disaster.
Which were the events, the books and the people that have borne your interest in pedagogy?
The lack of acting professionalism at the end of school, my teacher, the artist emeritus Lohinszky Loránd, magister ludi Joseph Knecht, from “The Glass Bead Game” by Hermann Hesse.
Which is your greatest accomplishment so far as an actor? And as a teacher?
It would probably be the role of Amadeus in the play of the same name by Peter Shaffer, where I could play alongside my Professor. As a teacher, the greatest satisfaction comes from being able to tame each other, like the Little Prince and his Fox.
What are the main differences between the acting school in Cluj as opposed to that of Bucharest (UNATC, “ National University of Theatre and Cinematographic Art”)?
The differences are numerous. Both at the administrative and pedagogical level. Cluj does not have access to the kind of facilities and equipment nor the infrastructure available to the other schools in the country. This fact influences the educational process, since students must become creative in all the departments of a theatre performance (directing, stage management, wardrobe, lights, sound, PR, and so on). The smaller number of students makes for more meaningful relationships between them and coordinating teachers. The lack of certain “temptations” ,specific to a “provincial city” means both the students and the teachers will funnel their efforts solely towards the learning process.
As to teaching methods, they vary from teacher to teacher, academic freedom being one of the main features of the Cluj school of theatre. Fortunately for us, we have an exceptional selection of teachers (part of whom are former students themselves), who never hesitate to incorporate the latest trends into their pedagogical discourse. The school is recognized as a “theatre laboratory” (in the classical meaning of the term).
Through the more laborious end-term exams, the students can learn not just the process, but also the practical application of it.
Are pedagogic flair and acting talent anything alike?
I believe empathy and observational skills to be common traits of the two. Unfortunately, the definition of the concept of a pedagogue in theatre is not yet well-defined. In theatre school, the people that teach are actors or directors and, in my opinion, pedagogy differs fundamentally from these two professions, even if it is a prerequisite that the pedagogue have an artistic career. Of course, there have been a number of exceptions that reinforce the rule. We need only remember Professor Ion Cojar or Sanda Manu.
At the same time, I believe the pedagogue to be nothing more than the witness which the young actor requires to complete his struggle. The theatre pedagogue, same as the gardener, may ready the ground, may plant the seed, may protect it in acknowledgement to the laws of nature, but cannot pull on the plant to grow faster. He can only offer the proper conditions for growth.
“While the student is allowed to make mistakes (encouraged ,even, to do so often) ,the pedagogue must always remain steadfast in his method.”
There are a number of people in this field that claim the state of theatre in the Capital to be somewhat decrepit, that the energy of actors is diluted through ads, TV shows and soap operas. How is the view from Cluj like?
Exactly as in Bucharest. To be able to focus on your own growth, you require time, patience and complete focus. Disturbing the learning process or, in the case of theatres, the creation process, can prove catastrophic. This is probably the reason why the truly great directors prefer to work in the “provinces” .
The Galactoria Festival was meant to put together freshly graduated students with potential hirers .In this sense, what were its’ results over the years?
The Galactoria Festival has been founded by me in 2004, but each edition is coordinated by the class teacher of the respective graduating class that year. As such, Galactoria is multi-faceted, as is the entire school. It is true that it is very difficult to motivate the people that have the power to hire young actors to come to Cluj (for reasons of time, finances and so on), but the results and the careers of our graduates have proven the usefulness and indeed the need for this festival.
At the same time, I must admit I have been fortunate to have the support of extremely kind people that ,through their very presence, have decisively influenced the careers of our graduates: theatre managers (such as Adrian Roman, Laurian Onica, Andrei Mihalache), film and theatre directors, theatre critics, playwrights (Matei Vişniec), fellow actors (Oana Pellea, Mihaela Sârbu, Dragoș Muscalu, Bordás Attila) or professors (Robert Cohen, David Kipper, Stephan Perdekamp); in 2008, when critic Marina Constantinescu participated in this festival, the entire class of 17 students have been hired by theatre institutions throughout the country.
Likewise, the support of Cristina Rusiecki meant an enormous help for the class of 2011. I am deeply grateful to all these people. I have been delighted by the words of confidence spoken by Radu Afrim at the Hop Gala in 2014. It is not enough to speak of our young actors, we must offer them true opportunities, even if only through our presence.
Numerous young actors claim the school has kept them locked from the real world, did not teach them how to “ sell” their craft. How important are the extra-theatrical abilities of an actor?
For one’s carrier, they are very important, but I believe building a career is not the same as having value… Which does not mean having a career automatically makes you lack value… I am convinced that true value finds the spaces to manifest itself. After all, it is to the benefit of those that manage the world of theatre to have a “product that sells”.
I much rather think that the necessity ,the drive to create, as well as to do so consistently are organic parts of being an artist. It is unfathomable what an actor can do when he truly decides he has something to show! Galactoria is one of the proofs to the incredible efforts the younger generations are capable of. True thunderstorms of creation. And we can see the independent productions growing ever larger in number.
Each time you say farewell to a generation of students ,you send them two requests. What are they?
That they never forget this is a collective profession, that the performance can only be achieved through one’s partner.
That they ask themselves why they step on stage, each time they do it.
During the graduation ceremony ,I give each of them a little bell, to remind them that they’ve put on the jester’s hat and that they are under the obligation to ring it ,always, their whole life, to remind us of the purpose of this damnation! I like quoting the great George Constantin: “You know, they say acting is a beautiful, a good, an easy profession. I wouldn’t want to disappoint anyone, but I find it to be the most dreadful of professions”
At the UNITER Awards Gala ,you said that “value is not dependant on age, system or financial condition” .Can you go into detail?
A Hungarian poet claimed, and rightfully so, that age is not a merit, but a state of being….Talent, value, are independent of age, system or financial condition (be it precarious or bountiful). You can see the young ones, upon entering the university, and tell that they have all the requirements to become great artists.
You said in an interview that, at this time, Romanian theatre is undergoing a transformation (from being state-owned, to being independent). Which is the ideal system ,in your opinion?
That which combines both of them, keeping the golden ratio, in which the extreme would be an Independent Theatre.
Photo credit: kata bodoki-halmen