Caught in the Act.

Discalimer: The following article has been republished and used here without permission from City Weekend magazine. To show some sense of remorse, I feel that I should comment on City Weekend magazine and praise its editorial staff for publishing such an outstanding publication for the foreigners and ex-pats who dwell in Beijing looking for the light of day. Our weekends would be far less entertaining and enlightening without you!

And look! I'm including a link to the page I stole this article from right HERE. So on with the plagiarized article:


Beijing Actors Make it Up as They Go Along

"Push!" screams the doctor, "Push!" The pregnant woman pants in pain as her terrified husband watches in horror at her side.

"Freeze!"

The husband abruptly flees the delivery room, and another young man, this one holding an imaginary video camera, steps into his exact spot.

"Unfreeze!"

"Let's try another take, but more passion this time," says the camera man.

The woman, suddenly no longer pregnant, though still panting heavily, now embraces the doctor as the filmmaker pans around with his invisible camera.

No, this is not the set of an erotic film for those with mother fetishes. It's a scene change at the Beijing Actors Workshop. The "Freeze" game, in which participants act out a scene, then freeze in mid-performance and reinvent the scenario as new actors join in, is just one of the many techniques employed to stretch the creativity of members.

Though always entertaining, often hilarious and at moments downright raunchy, the weekly workshop's skits and plays are a lot more than just shows.

"It's not a class and it's not just to watch!" exclaims co-founder Patrick Pearce. The Canadian filmmaker started the workshop two years ago to be a meeting ground for the creative, where actors, writers and directors can hone their skills and test out new ideas. "We want people to contribute!" Pearce says vehemently.

Though improv skits usually dominate the night, aspiring writers and directors sometimes bring scripts for volunteers to act out. Ming Hsu, a screenwriter from the US, is working on a conspiracy theory scenario. "You have something in your head, but you have to see it to know if it'll work. The workshop is an opportunity to see my characters come alive."

Hsu sits back and watches intently as an actor rehearses a monologue from his play. He shakes his head a little in frustration as the scene wraps. "It's not animated enough. It's not gripping," he says, partly to the actor, but more to himself. He'll be back next week with a revised version.

The actors are a mixed bag. Some aspire to be professionals, some have extensive stage background and some are just looking for amusement.

"The format has a lot of freedom. I don't have much theater experience so it's nice to be in a group where you can develop in whatever direction you want, as an improv actor, method actor or writer. Plus it's just fun," says workshop member Tom Clouse.

"It's nice for those who want a break from the office and the club scene," adds Pearce. "Acting a role completely different than who you normally are is therapeutic too!"

For those who want a bit of therapy, (Believe me, it's cheaper than seeing a shrink and more entertaining than lying on a couch) check out the workshop at 7:30pm on Tuesday nights. For the non-exhibitionists who would rather just watch, the Beijing Actors Workshop will be having a special night of improv performances on December 1.