Robert Neumann, an actor and director in the Grips Theatre Berlin and a teacher in drama acting, has received many awards for directing plays. He was in Karachi recently doing workshops with students at the Goethe Institut and National Academy of Performing Arts.

How did you get into theatre?

I joined drama classes in school at the age of 15 and I loved it and knew that this thing was for me. In Germany, we have official drama schools where we don’t have to pay fees. You have to give a test for entrance and only talented individuals get admission as lots of people are interested in this art form. In every town of 10,000 people we have two to three theatres as it is extremely popular in Germany. It makes you famous so young people want to act and join TV and theatre.

The state supports theatre groups to encourage them, otherwise it would be difficult to present plays as theatre is very expensive. This is part of our culture and is hundreds of years old. It’s history for us.

Does drama help in educating children?

I have performed in lot of Grips plays for children. After my graduation I joined a theatre and then Grips asked me to join them. I don’t regret the decision because acting for children is very rewarding as it opens horizons for them. In fact it is Grips that has sent me to Pakistan for theatre workshops.

Drama definitely helps in educating as we discuss with the children about the play after it is over. The themes chosen also teach them about things such as drugs, relationships and culture. We take theatre very seriously in Germany.

According to the German director, children can learn valuable lessons regarding drugs, relationships and culture from theatre

Do you do serious or comedy plays, and if you had a choice would you direct?

I love people laughing while they watch theatre but I like doing both types. A director who has a serious theme and presents it humorously is considered to be a good director. We can do serious plays and give a message while laughing at ourselves. I love acting so I have continued with it and as a director now I know what problems actors have while acting, so I help in solving them. My preference is being a director as you can create and control the play. As an actor you’re limited, but directing carries a lot of responsibility, the right props, right scenes and guiding the actors etc.

As you were born in Berlin before the unification, did that affect your thinking?

We left East Berlin and went to West Berlin as my parents were unhappy there. I was in school for two years in East Berlin and they were very strict. Theatres were very controlled. West Berlin was very different. After unification writers from East Germany like Heiner Mueller, a very famous writer who wrote his best works during the Russian control, couldn’t write that well after freedom as there was nothing left to fight for and be inspired by.

The techniques you use in German are lacking here. Do they make a difference?

Basic techniques help tremendously such as voice control, body language, exercises for honing concentration, and above all trusting each other. Fine arts and culture play an important role in our lives, as they help us to become aware of things. We discuss and have dialogues as talking to each other helps, specially young people as it teaches them because they have open minds and need guidance.

“Fine arts and culture play an important role in our lives, as they help us to become aware of things. We discuss and have dialogues as talking to the audience helps, specially young people as it teaches them because they have open minds and need guidance.”

How was your experience of working with Pakistani artists?

It’s a gift for me to see such engaged, young people full of energy wanting to learn and assimilating the new things explained by me. I have acted for 10 years and am now directing, so I would like to give back what I learnt as an actor through direction. Artists here can be just as good as German artists. I look at how they express themselves and the energy they have and if you tap the emotions and fire inside they can do well.

Some artists I have met here are very good but they have to be guided and have the will to work hard and be focused to achieve their goal. I was sent to Pakistan as I had worked with Thespianz Theatre Group in Germany. My family was worried about my coming here but I did come nevertheless, and it has been a remarkable learning experience.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, January 18th, 2015

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