THE REDEMPTION OF WOLF MASK - PART FOUR

 By Rita Grimaldi

Introduction: The Trinity of Story, Mask and Teller

In mask storytelling, there is a trinity that is always in play. It goes like this: the story, the teller and the mask. This trinity forms a oneness.

 

And in that oneness, sometimes different parts of the trinity come to the forefront.

In Part Four of ‘The Redemption of Wolf Mask’, Story is in the forefront. Part Four is about the teller (me) and Wolf mask who is my telling persona, absorbing the truths of the rewritten story of Iron Wolf.

See how this is the case as you read what follows.

Rehearsing and Coming to a Stop the First Time

All good art produces the unexpected. Rewriting the story of ‘The Iron Wolf’ was a mostly conscious act for me. But once I became Wolf - once I put on the wolf mask - only a small part of my memory mind was in play. The rest of my mind belonged to becoming and being Wolf. To my surprise, as I rehearsed the story, words that I had not written began to come out of my Wolf’s mouth.

My Wolf began to say, “I wanted my side of the bargain completed. Fair is fair.”

My Wolf wanted to repeat this set of words several times over the four days he pursued the young man.

It did not matter to Wolf if the bargain was one that should have been made. In other words, did Wolf have the right to strike a bargain to eat the young man at the time of the man’s marriage?  It only matters to Wolf that what he agreed to do he actually does. But as the term of the bargain comes due at the marriage, the young man refuses to do what he had earlier agreed with Wolf to do. That is, to be eaten by Wolf.

Twice during rehearsal, at the point where the young man runs away (thus not honoring his side of the bargain) my rehearsal came to a dead stop.

The first time when I was stopped, I took off the mask and walked out of the room.

A friend of mine, upon hearing Parts Two and Three, said that there were two stories going on – my story and Wolf’s story. Reflecting on my story, I realized that this is perhaps the truth - that in real life, I cannot tolerate bargains not being kept. And equally important was my realization that both Wolf and I have to learn that there are times in life when you just have to cut your losses.

The Performance

Before I put on the mask for the performance, I spoke to the audience about changes in the mask’s physical features and the story line.

I talked about how these changes would mirror Wolf’s ability to learn from his experience. I warned the audience that Wolf would die in the story, but that he would put himself back together again. And finally, and this is an important change to the original story, Wolf would consider the learning from his experience.

Performance and Coming to a Stop the Second Time

Earlier I said that when the young man refuses to keep his side of the bargain, I stopped rehearsing twice. Here is the second stopping point in my process of absorbing the revised story.

Two days after my performance, I wrote the following.

This morning I woke early and began to think about the performance.

I saw in my mind’s eye, Wolf telling his story.

I saw him tell about his death.

I saw him remove his sash and wristlets.

He stops.

There is a time of silence.

  

This is the second stopping place.

It is a place where I, as Wolf, could choose to stop learning from the experience of being torn apart by the young man’s dogs.

It’s a place where I, as Wolf, could let the horrific experience overcome me and remain dead.

But then Wolf begins to tell his story again.

When the young man and his three dogs are gone, Wolf tells how he puts himself back together. Once again, he becomes alive in this world.

And Wolf goes on to tell the audience how he decides, by reasoning out his situation, not to follow the man and his dogs, choosing his personal safety. So he deliberately goes off in the opposite direction to avoid another deadly encounter with the dogs.

Conclusion to The Redemption of Wolf Mask Series

Rewriting and performing ‘The Iron Wolf’ in mask has been a difficult process for me.

It has been what I call a ‘hard learning’ experience. Hard learning forces a person to take a hard look at what their situation truly is. Wolf does this in his rewritten ending. He says “These dogs have killed me once. It is better not to follow them.”

Like many of us, it’s sometimes hard for me to look at the way things really are. Becoming Wolf, and experiencing his extremely violent death, taught me that consciously choosing personal safety is sometimes the best option.

It is an option that is not always fair

and sometimes does not have bargains fulfilled

but sometimes it is the best option.

Postscript

For the duration of the story, Wolf and I belonged together. We resided in the wolf’s world and the wolf’s reality. Together, Wolf and I learned to assess situations the way they truly are.

January 15, 2016