Harlequin

Harlequin. One simple word, yet it brings about so much confusion. On the Friday before Halloween, we had our very own dress-up day at school. I’d had this dream of being Harlequin in my head for about a year, and finally, it became my reality. Of course, the end product didn’t quite match the image in my head, but overall it was creative and extremely fun to put together.

I wanted to be Harlequin because it related to me for I am a performer, and also since the grace of the character appealed to me. On Friday, I had the two colors red and black mixed and matched all through my outfit, and for my final piece de resistance, I wore a beautiful masquerade mask. Being an actor, I decided to go all the way, and in each class, to actually be Harlequin – or at least the female version of him. Once classes began, I tried to speak as little as possible except when necessary.

It was interesting to see others’ reactions to my character, and also judge how I played it. I don’t think many people try to look deeper than the surface: I am wearing a costume similar to a clown, so I must be one. I’m not speaking, so I must be a mime. I’m over-exaggerating all of my actions and adding a flourish to them, so I must be over-dramatic. Although the last is at times true, people tend place stereotypical labels on everything. But, why? Is it just because they’re uncomfortable with the mystery or lack of knowledge? Or is it simply an obsessive need to classify everything so you can pretend to understand it? The questions remain a mystery.

Another thing is, as an actor I’m taught to look deeper than the surface, because that’s where I find the roots of the emotions and thoughts; that’s where I find the true character. So many people fail to do that. I was quite disappointed to realize that the majority of people breeze through life without observing and trying to understand. They take the façade you grant them - the fake performance you present - and believe in it without a single doubt about it. In the end, it’s usually the character they see and not the real person.