seven days of yaela orelowitz

Yaela is not unlike any writer I've had conversations with. She has a tongue as sharp as her eye and a command of language that pales many in comparison. But you wouldn't want to compare her to any other as it would be a mismatched affair.

She's quick to admit a conscious dislike for the (pseudo) genius of creative types that strike a stereotypical pose with a cigarette and a Kerouac novel, in spite of the fact that she is a creative type herself although there is nothing remotely typical about her.

There is little, if anything, to be read between the lines of what she says. It’s all above surface, although at times she manages to shock and bewilder one with her unflinching straight talk and open mindedness. Yaela is many things. Critic. Learner. Dancer. Teacher. Thought collector.

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"the industry has become overly-excited with technology and have neglected good script writing and fine acting as a result"
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The role of storyteller, however, is one she readily identifies with. From a young age the opportunity to tell tall tales appealed to her, bringing intricate stories to life from passing encounters at the supermarket. It should come as no surprise then that the girl with a mind full of stories, fictional characters, plots and sub plots ends up down the never ending path of narrative prose and enactment.

On her blog (yaela’s stage) she writes critically (and at times scathingly) about many theatre and stage performances that she regularly makes a point to see and study. With her history on and behind the stage it is a worthwhile expedition for any theatre enthusiast to consider some of her insights into the art form of which she notes that:

“the biggest downfall of theatre today is that the industry has become overly-excited with technology and have neglected good script writing and fine acting as a result. There are too many gimmicks in the theatre such as fancy lighting, backdrops, music and now the ever-increasing use of puppets, masks, projections and "symbolic props". Don't get me wrong, when done cleverly and in moderation these devices can create interest and depth to a performance. But mostly they just cover-up a lack of solid groundwork.”

And although she remains watchful of the changes that continue to shape the theatre, both in positive and negative ways, the point of it all is not lost to her.

“Theatre is a place where we make-believe. Where actors pretend and audiences pretend to believe… Added to that, plain and simply, it is fun. We need more fun in our world.”

A remarkable observation she makes is brought about by the move from drama student to teacher. She notes how the shift in roles has challenged her to reconsider her already honed understanding of her art. Rather than allowing her own creativity to overtake, running on autopilot, she is forced to reflect on the structure and principles that govern this particular form. Teaching, it would seem, makes students of us all.