{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.02604523646333105, 'fraction_numerical': 0.0, 'mean_word_length': 5.697247706422019, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
The actor’s process of negotiating difference and particularity in intercultural theatre practice

The case studies in this essay examine contemporary intercultural theatre practice from the actor’s point of view. Inspired by Jean Genet’s play The Maids, playing ‘the maids’ was co-created by a group of nine international artists from Wales, Ireland, Korea and Singapore utilising a set of diverse artistic skills and cultural references. The first case study analyses selected intercultural aspects in the actor’s creative process including actor training, devising/rehearsing period and microscopic moments of acting on stage. It focuses on the application of Korean meditation, DahnHak, its key concept of ki, Korean salpuri dance and its underlying sentiment of han to the practice of acting in playing the maids’. The second case study examines issues of/around ‘sameness’ – or differences/particularities – regarding cultural encounters in the context of creating intercultural ‘character’. The article briefly discusses Wonhyo’s donyilon as a Buddhist perspective on the interdependent relationship among the seemingly ‘foreign’ cultures. Focusing on social status and personal identity and desires explored in playing ‘the maids’, the article examines whether and how the Buddhist jighwan practice can help the actor in negotiating cultural particularities and/or differences thus suggesting an alternative approach to intercultural theatre practice.