Ian Wallace in memory of Richard Pochinko, 1946-1989
(Impact - Fall 1989).
"Light the first light of evening, as in a room
In which we rest and, for small reason, think
The world imagined is the ultimate good."
Richard Pochinko was raised on a farm in Lockport, Manitoba, the youngest of three brothers and two sisters. His father died when he was eight months old. His mother and his eldest brother and sister maintained the household. It was as if he had two mothers. When he was a child, he would go in the barn and make miniature stages and circuses, and fill them with tiny actors and performers.
Theatre Resource Centre is the physical manifestation of a dream started by Richard Pochinko and Anne Skinner. Having worked in traditional theatre for many seasons both found themselves unfulfilled, something very basic was missing. Because of the way things were geared to the continuous mounting and striking of productions, they felt the need to step outside and begin again from the heart. Thus the TRC was founded "to provide a safe environment for the exploration of new approaches to individual creativity and the discovery of new theatrical forms." That was in Ottawa in 1975.
I met Richard in Montreal in 1967. He was one of 12 stage managers at Expo Theatre and I was a grade 7 teacher from Edmonton. Little did I know at the time that I was about to embark on a roller coaster ride of monumental extremes. The first thing about Richard that I remember is the light. Purely and simply the space between and round us was filled with light. For me our meeting was an awakening, an instantaneous recognition of a light brother. From then on I was immersed in a world of emotions, love and tears, and laughter, and the theatre. The theatre. That was Richard's life and yet his vision went on beyond.
In 1969, while working at Neptune theatre in Halifax, Richard spoke in his sleep of being in a spaceship along with others, some that we knew, some we had yet to meet. As we flew over the earth we saw people, at first he thought were waving. As we came closer, he gasped, "No, they're trying to get our, they're all inside glass jars struggling to get out. Our missions is to release them, to break down the glass and let them free."
This became Richard's work,. helping people to release themselves. To let go of images, fears, tensions, blocks, negativity. From his studies of mask with Le Coq in Paris, and through Jonsmith, his shaman guide on the west coast, he developed a series of exercises which have become the teaching to the TRC. Exercises requiring deep honesty like Return to Childhood, and Waving Good-bye to Someone You Love. Over the years he touched and influenced the lives and careers of thousands. From the high school students who experienced our shows and workshops for the Theatre Hour Company to the lawyers, therapists story-tellers, artists and performers who have faced themselves in six directions and gone through the masks. The gift that he gave to so many of us is like a mirror. He led us to face our essential uniqueness and encouraged us to love and celebrate it. He called it the clown.
I write this In celebration of a clown, to unleash his spirit on another adventure and to assure that many more will continue waving good-bye to someone they love. Good-bye by friend. (Wallace, 1989: pg 11)