THE USE OF UTA HAGEN’S AND RUDOLF VON LABAN’S TECHNIQUES IN DEVELOPING COMEDY ACTING SKILLS: A CASE STUDY OF FEMALE CHARACTERS IN CHRISTOPHER DURANG’S LAUGHING WILD (1987)

Abstract

This research aims to study and synthesize Uta Hagen and Rudolf von Laban’s techniques to develop the acting skill for comedy plays, done specifically through the exploration “Woman” in “Laughing Wild”. Due to the researcher’s lack of experience with acting in comedy plays, two problems emerged: 1) Not fully believing in the character’s beliefs 2) Often using the body in the according to the actor’s own habits, resulting in the inability to fully embody and express the character. (physical block) The researcher’s hypothesis is that utilizing Uta Hagen and Rudolf von Laban’s techniques in the comedy play “Laughing Wild” for the role of “Woman” will allow the actor to believe enough in what the character believes to express the character through the body and discover the character’s behavior.                   The researcher’s utilization of these two techniques is divided into three processes: 1) The analysis of the playscript and characters 2) The rehearsal 3) The presentation of research results through a performance. The chosen methods of collecting research results includes taking notes throughout the processes, recording videos for some of the rehearsals, recording the actual performance, audience survey, and taking feedback from the director and acting experts. The results show that Hagen and Laban’s techniques works together effectively. After the actor is able to relax and let go, which is the foundation of being an actor, training with Hagen’s techniques will help the actor believe strongly in the character’s beliefs, and align with the character’s objective, as a result. On the other hand, training with Laban’s techniques helps the actor connect internal feelings with outer body movements in unity, thus successfully expressing the character’s behavior.