For the many years I have been teaching and directing theatre, actors have asked me how to pursue consciousness of the Self alongside their theatre practice so that there is continuity between theatre and life. Alchemical theatre seems to address their interest which is why I offer this work. I have discovered (of course), that writing a book about theatre is built on the work of all actor’s past and present. There is an invisible force that binds us. In appreciation, I bow to you.
I sincerely thank my dear friend and colleague Dawn Langman for our inspiring conversations and meetings over many years. Dawn’s recently published books listed in the bibliography section address practical and esoteric requirements that I believe contribute to an alchemical theatre training. Grateful acknowledgment is due Charles Jamieson and Neil Anderson who read early drafts and thank you to Michele Langman for introducing me to Charles Nicoll’s book. Singapore is where I found a creative home and so I deeply thank and acknowledge colleagues and students at the National Institute of Education, Singapore, where we did some great work; T. Sasitharan director of the Intercultural Theatre Institute Singapore who read an early draft and suggested I keep going, students and colleagues at iti where I have been fortunate to teach alchemical acting for several years; Kamil Haque and friends at the Hague Centre of Acting and Creativity and all my dedicated theatre friends and colleagues in Singapore. Thank you also to Lizbeth Goodman director of Smartlab, for your support over decades; colleagues and friends of my alma mater Murdoch University, Western Australia, and colleagues and students at Massey University, New Zealand.
The travails and successes of my own inner work is the prime material of ‘this’ great work and I am grateful to Rachael Feather for years of transmutational Jungian analysis. Special mention is due Mechthild Harkness who influenced my love of theatre alchemy and who nurtured my destiny with the Creative Word; friends and colleagues from the Harkness Studio, Sydney; Dennis Glenny who piqued my interest in theatre; Virginia Sease who arranged my access to the Goetheanum library; Damien Parker of Prometheus Productions, Sydney who offered me my first professional role acting Shakespeare; Hugh and Roger of Daylight Theatre Company, United Kingdom, for those wonderful hours of metaphysical discussion while we were travelling and performing mysteries all over the United Kingdom. Thank you to The Rose Theatre Company for the challenging and inspiring years performing Shakespeare around Europe; Weijty Theatre, Poland, for many wonderful hours sharing theatre and friendship and
A heartfelt thankyou to Kati Brickwood, Vanessa Simpson, Giovanna Salomone, Jenni Harris, Bronwen Haralambous, Margo Broadhead, Andrew Bicknell and Anthony Baynes for your father’s Jung book. Special acknowledgement is due my mother Margaret who has been a keen follower and participant in my alchemical odyssey over the years. While I was researching and writing this work, I am in no doubt many of my family and friends thought I was lead crazed but thankfully hung in there anyway. Thank you Petr Nazarov for meeting me at the gate after a decade long search. I am deeply appreciative of ps who miraculously encouraged this work from the other-side. Heroic acknowledgement is due Mr Sapphie my mercurial doggie companion who faithfully slept through hours of writing under my desk.
I am profoundly grateful to Marguerite Swann for generously agreeing her artwork become the front cover of this book – it was an event of magical synchronicity facilitated by Dawn that we came in contact. I extend an appreciative thank you to Professor Daniel Meyer-Dinkgräfe, Christa Stevens and Brill without whose support this book would never have come to light.
Thank you to reader of this work who I hope will continue to refine the ‘Stone’ for the sake of new and future theatre on stage and in life,– it is profound and rewarding work. I ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies. Alchemy and theatre are challenging subjects to write about on their own. To write about them together makes for a consciousness altering combination!
Borrowing entreating words from William Shakespeare’s Prospero:
“Gentle breath of yours my sails, must fill, or else my project fails, which was to please.”