Bursting the Grape: Evoking Dionysos

In reading the review of Bursting the Grape, I was fascinated by the idea of the actors spending so much time trying to personally and collectively "evoke Dionysos", and all the mischief, chaos, and freedom that he embodies. I found it incredible that the cast was so invested and on the same page that they genuinely believed they could "feel when the god was present". From what I gather they were successful in channeling Dinonysos; the performance worked in a strange discordant harmony where everything ran smoothly but the possibility of spontaneity and making changes on an impulse was present the whole time which is very commendable taking into account the great difficulty and risk present as well.

The decision to give masks to the mythical characters while leaving the human characters barefaced is also particularly intriguing. The decision enhances the idea of surreality regarding the supernatural beings and simultaneously grounds the human characters in opposition while still keeping the epic Greek style alive.

I surfed Didaskalia to learn more about masks because they tie in with what we will be doing in improv and I was surprised at how specific an actor has to be to emote while wearing a mask:
"one learns how crucial neck movements become. By directing actors in masks, one discovers how a certain head tilt can convey heartbreak." -http://www.didaskalia.net/issues/vol7no1/editorial.html
I was also surprised to learn that masks actually help amplify the voice by creating a separate resonance area in front of the face:
"The mask is also an instrument to project the voice into space. Speech becomes powerful, clear, and attractive. The entire theatre space 'answers' to the actor; it vibrates. The mask helps the actor develop an acoustical energy field, an acoustical aura that surrounds him or her."- http://www.didaskalia.net/issues/vol7no1/vovolis_zamboulakis.html