Camden turned out to be a catalogue of disasters from start to finish! We had issues over the deposit for the car and for various reasons Nigel was not allowed to drive the hire car, so Nikki stepped up bless her but was very very nervous about driving in London. We got desperately lost and despite leaving an extra 3 hours travel time we were terribly late for our get in….not a good start. We then could not find anywhere to bloody park…there were no showers or changing facilities at the venue. We had a massive tech failure during the show and now as a result have very little in the way of video footage…we were not allowed to remove the seating afterall….16 members of the audience were over 20 mins late and as they made up the majority of the audience we had to start late and wait for them. The audience still had to cross the traditional divide and this caused untold difficulties. On the way home we could not find the M25 and ended up going a ridiculously long way home. It was a crazy, emotional and very stressful day all in all. It was very trying for all of us and I think that the malarkey pre-performance impacted upon the performers, so that they were all stressed out and exhausted before we even got started. (head in hands…and a big sigh)
The performance itself had highs and lows and did not come off as I had hoped which the seating arrangements contributed to enormously. However, despite those issues there were some really exciting moments that definitely moved towards achieving some of my research aims….and confirmed some of my expectations. I have taken a little time to reflect on the performance itself and wanted to share my thoughts.
The ‘She’ Texts
These were really well received and both female performers really opened them up and made them their own like they have never done before once faced with a live audience. They adlibbed and responded thoughtfully and witty ways to the audiences reception of the speeches…the way one would in a ‘real’ life social situation…such as wedding…party etc….I was really pleased with this. They both finally took up personal positions to the material that they were delivering as well, making choices about how they felt about the things that they were delivering…great! The speeches worked well as a device to introduce the key things that the performance wanted to explore and they seemed to relax the audience. Because they were delivered from cue cards and as if part of a ‘real’ life formal function, they hinted at the performers being present as hosts rather than as ‘actors’. This took away the professional divide that usually exists between performer and audience and was hopefully less intimidating thus encouraging the audience to have a go to. The speeches seemed to work also to contextualise the audience then as guest. The speeches presumed the audiences familiarity of ‘her’ and of the social connotations associated with the device of the ‘speech’ rather than monologue.
The Games
There was a great deal of reluctance to participate in the games to begin with, the performers had to work really hard to try and get the audience to enter into the space. Again, I think that the seating arrangements and the architecture of the space was very much working against us. The audience had to cross over into the performance space in order to participate, which required them to break convention and take a leap of faith. Once things got going the audience began to trust that contract a little more and relaxed into it when they realised that there were no ‘tricks’ and that they would not be humiliated in any way. Two of the games that were particularly successful were pass her parcel and she was a woman. There was an awesome moment when the audience overthrew the performers and refused to end the game until one lady had taken her turn….it was wonderful.
Scenes
None of the audience stopped any of the scenes, not did they ask for any changes. I think that this was because to participate in that way held a lot of risk because there was an element of professionalism or skill perceived to be required and no social or cultural context to govern that scenario….no precedent and so the brain struggles to understand through the process of schema. I think that the scenes may have actually served to alienate the audience and dissolve the radical potential of any previous liminality created by the games. As well as being offered the opportunity to stop or change the scenes the audience had the opportunity to tell us a story of their own instead-needless to say, no one took us up on the offer…which was a huge shame.
Developmental Thoughts
The games worked really well but if I do another round of experiments (which I now realise is looking like a necessity) I need to find a way of generating a liminal space that is sustained throughout the entire performance…the audience need to enter into the liminal space form the off. The need to step into the liminal and remain there, rather than having to keep stepping in and out of it; no barriers, I need to eliminate theatre architecture altogether.
I need to develop a structure that is entirely game, rule and task-based, which means entirely doing away with all of the scenes and elements that have a link (even in post) with drama. In order for the audience to invest there needs to only be socially and culturally recognisable practices…but re-functioned to create the possibility of liminoid acts. Liminal space + games, rules & tasks= liminoid acts. Liminoid acts are creatorly, communal performances.
I liked the stop-mask but need to develop something else to do this that is directly drawn from the every day and life praxis….a familiar cultural/social practice.
Right I am exhausted still today but will come to this at a later date…I need to do some probing about the possibility of a final round of experiments.
Wednesday, 4 July 2007
Sunday, 1 July 2007
Maker’s Diary: Utter Fear
I have not made an entry for a few days because I have either been in the rehearsal room or making props/arrangements etc for Camden. The performance is now fixed and is getting towards being as polished as it is going to be in the space of time we now have. We have our dress rehearsal tomorrow and I have managed to get a few people to come along as audience, so that the performers can get a feel for the new contract of the show. It would be almost impossible to try a full run without people about to play the games….
I have got everything we need for the show ready now. All props are bought and made, cameras are booked and new programmes made…will be picking them up tomorrow. The hire van is booked too. Here is the final structure of the show:
FINAL SHOW STRUCTURE
Where did she go playing at start as audience enter (fairly loud)
Nigel greets audience at the door and offers a programme. He ushers them into the space where they are met by Debbie and Nikki. They make small talk. Nikki and Debbie make them welcome and thank them for coming (saying stuff like how excited they are and how fun it’s going to be, that she’s not here yet but to make themselves at home). They key is to treat them as guest, must set up that contract and maintain I throughout the entire production. Need to decide who SHE or HER is to you. Need to create a mask, a performance presence that is truthful and meaningful.
Once all the audience are in Nigel will come in and whisper to Debbie that we are ready to get going. She will step up onto the tallest block and clear her throat. She will thank them all for coming and that she just wanted to say a few words about her before we really get started.
Stop track-where did she go (fade out)
SHE text One
Nikki says ‘While we wait for her, I want to play a game, will you join me?’. Nikki leads them in a game of WHY IS SHE CRYING CHARADES (she explains the rules and starts. Anyone who guesses gets an envelope from Nigel).
Nigel gets on the block and puts the stop-mask on he says ‘STOP’ ‘She always thinks about him when she lays in the moonlight and pleasures herself’
Debbie then says ‘I want to play a game. Will you join me?’ Debbie leads them in a game of WHO IS SHE (she explains the rules and starts. Anyone who guesses who they are gets an envelop as a prize from Nigel)
Nigel gets on the block and puts the stop-mask on he says ‘STOP’ ‘She cuts her body because she hates herself’
Nikki says ‘I want to play a new game, will you join me?’ Nikki leads them in a game of SHE HAS NEVER (he explains the rules and starts)
Nigel gets on the block and puts the stop-mask on he says ‘STOP’ ‘She isn’t here tonight because she can’t bring herself to face any of you’
Nigel takes off his mask and says ‘We know a story about her, do you want us to share it with you or does someone here want to tell us about her? If you want to share just step up’. (If some one steps up let them do there story. If no one steps up then we will perform)
Her, She, Him Text. Debbie tells them that ‘anytime they want to end the story, they just have to call out STOP’. (If you have to perform, keep your clothes on for this one) Once you are done Nikki will ask them ‘Does anyone wish to add or change any of our story about her? (Do not perform it again but give them the opportunity to express or explain…unless they particularly ask for you to re-perform it)
Debbie gets up onto the top block and says ‘I want to play a new game, will you join me?’. Debbie leads them in a game of STORYTELLING; SHE WAS A WOMAN….she explains the rules and starts.
Nigel gets on the block and puts the stop-mask on he says ‘STOP’ ‘she once told me that writing helps her purge the past’
They do the inscription texts (instead of Her SHE HIM, they write one word from the sentences that they are speaking and whoever is writing puts on the stop-mask) and then move around the audience offering parts of their bodies to write on, as they give each one the pen they say, ‘tell us what they did to her’.
Nikki says ‘I want to play another game, will you join me?’ She leads them in a game of I WENT TO THE DEATH SHOP AND I BOUGHT….(she explains the rules and starts, the winner gets an envelope)
Nigel takes off his mask and says ‘We know a story about her, do you want us to share it with you or does someone here want to tell us about her? If you want to share just step up’. (If some one steps up let them do there story. If no one steps up then we will perform)
Rape Text. Debbie tells them that ‘anytime they want to end the story, they just have to call out STOP’. (If you have to perform, get undressed and re-dress in your casual performance clothes) Once you are done Nikki will ask them ‘Does anyone wish to add or change any of our story about her? (Do not perform it again but give them the opportunity to express or explain…unless they particularly ask for you to re-perform it)
Nikki says ‘I want to play a new game, will you join me?’ Nikki leads them in a game of Musical Tell you (he explains the rules and is the master of the game)
Start track-musical chairs (need to be able to pause it all the time-no fade out) Loud
Nigel gets on the block and puts the stop-mask on he says ‘STOP’ ‘she isn’t here tonight because she simply cannot face any of you’
Debbie will say ‘I want to play one last game, will you join me?’ She will lead them in a game of Pass the Parcel (She will explain the rules and start)
Start track- lambikins (no fade, need to be able to keep pausing it) Loud
Nigel gets on the block and puts the stop-mask on he says ‘STOP’ ‘She told me that she was planning to take her own life at the weekend’
Nigel takes off his mask and says ‘We know a story about her, do you want us to share it with you or does someone here want to tell us about her? If you want to share just step up’. (If some one steps up let them do there story. If no one steps up then we will perform)
Moon Text. Debbie tells them that ‘anytime they want to end the story, they just have to call out STOP’. Once you are done Nikki will ask them ‘Does anyone wish to add or change any of our story about her? (Do not perform it again but give them the opportunity to express or explain…unless they particularly ask for you to re-perform it)
Start track-disturbed (as they all redress needs to fade out) Loudish
Nikki will step up onto the block do SHE text 2
Start track- audience entrance music (need to stop it abruptly) Loudish
Music starts to play and they all get up and start to mingle and dance with the audience. Nigel will stand on the block wearing the stop-mask, after a while he will yell out ‘STOP’.
Start track- outro (needs to just finish abruptly) Loud
I have got everything we need for the show ready now. All props are bought and made, cameras are booked and new programmes made…will be picking them up tomorrow. The hire van is booked too. Here is the final structure of the show:
FINAL SHOW STRUCTURE
Where did she go playing at start as audience enter (fairly loud)
Nigel greets audience at the door and offers a programme. He ushers them into the space where they are met by Debbie and Nikki. They make small talk. Nikki and Debbie make them welcome and thank them for coming (saying stuff like how excited they are and how fun it’s going to be, that she’s not here yet but to make themselves at home). They key is to treat them as guest, must set up that contract and maintain I throughout the entire production. Need to decide who SHE or HER is to you. Need to create a mask, a performance presence that is truthful and meaningful.
Once all the audience are in Nigel will come in and whisper to Debbie that we are ready to get going. She will step up onto the tallest block and clear her throat. She will thank them all for coming and that she just wanted to say a few words about her before we really get started.
Stop track-where did she go (fade out)
SHE text One
Nikki says ‘While we wait for her, I want to play a game, will you join me?’. Nikki leads them in a game of WHY IS SHE CRYING CHARADES (she explains the rules and starts. Anyone who guesses gets an envelope from Nigel).
Nigel gets on the block and puts the stop-mask on he says ‘STOP’ ‘She always thinks about him when she lays in the moonlight and pleasures herself’
Debbie then says ‘I want to play a game. Will you join me?’ Debbie leads them in a game of WHO IS SHE (she explains the rules and starts. Anyone who guesses who they are gets an envelop as a prize from Nigel)
Nigel gets on the block and puts the stop-mask on he says ‘STOP’ ‘She cuts her body because she hates herself’
Nikki says ‘I want to play a new game, will you join me?’ Nikki leads them in a game of SHE HAS NEVER (he explains the rules and starts)
Nigel gets on the block and puts the stop-mask on he says ‘STOP’ ‘She isn’t here tonight because she can’t bring herself to face any of you’
Nigel takes off his mask and says ‘We know a story about her, do you want us to share it with you or does someone here want to tell us about her? If you want to share just step up’. (If some one steps up let them do there story. If no one steps up then we will perform)
Her, She, Him Text. Debbie tells them that ‘anytime they want to end the story, they just have to call out STOP’. (If you have to perform, keep your clothes on for this one) Once you are done Nikki will ask them ‘Does anyone wish to add or change any of our story about her? (Do not perform it again but give them the opportunity to express or explain…unless they particularly ask for you to re-perform it)
Debbie gets up onto the top block and says ‘I want to play a new game, will you join me?’. Debbie leads them in a game of STORYTELLING; SHE WAS A WOMAN….she explains the rules and starts.
Nigel gets on the block and puts the stop-mask on he says ‘STOP’ ‘she once told me that writing helps her purge the past’
They do the inscription texts (instead of Her SHE HIM, they write one word from the sentences that they are speaking and whoever is writing puts on the stop-mask) and then move around the audience offering parts of their bodies to write on, as they give each one the pen they say, ‘tell us what they did to her’.
Nikki says ‘I want to play another game, will you join me?’ She leads them in a game of I WENT TO THE DEATH SHOP AND I BOUGHT….(she explains the rules and starts, the winner gets an envelope)
Nigel takes off his mask and says ‘We know a story about her, do you want us to share it with you or does someone here want to tell us about her? If you want to share just step up’. (If some one steps up let them do there story. If no one steps up then we will perform)
Rape Text. Debbie tells them that ‘anytime they want to end the story, they just have to call out STOP’. (If you have to perform, get undressed and re-dress in your casual performance clothes) Once you are done Nikki will ask them ‘Does anyone wish to add or change any of our story about her? (Do not perform it again but give them the opportunity to express or explain…unless they particularly ask for you to re-perform it)
Nikki says ‘I want to play a new game, will you join me?’ Nikki leads them in a game of Musical Tell you (he explains the rules and is the master of the game)
Start track-musical chairs (need to be able to pause it all the time-no fade out) Loud
Nigel gets on the block and puts the stop-mask on he says ‘STOP’ ‘she isn’t here tonight because she simply cannot face any of you’
Debbie will say ‘I want to play one last game, will you join me?’ She will lead them in a game of Pass the Parcel (She will explain the rules and start)
Start track- lambikins (no fade, need to be able to keep pausing it) Loud
Nigel gets on the block and puts the stop-mask on he says ‘STOP’ ‘She told me that she was planning to take her own life at the weekend’
Nigel takes off his mask and says ‘We know a story about her, do you want us to share it with you or does someone here want to tell us about her? If you want to share just step up’. (If some one steps up let them do there story. If no one steps up then we will perform)
Moon Text. Debbie tells them that ‘anytime they want to end the story, they just have to call out STOP’. Once you are done Nikki will ask them ‘Does anyone wish to add or change any of our story about her? (Do not perform it again but give them the opportunity to express or explain…unless they particularly ask for you to re-perform it)
Start track-disturbed (as they all redress needs to fade out) Loudish
Nikki will step up onto the block do SHE text 2
Start track- audience entrance music (need to stop it abruptly) Loudish
Music starts to play and they all get up and start to mingle and dance with the audience. Nigel will stand on the block wearing the stop-mask, after a while he will yell out ‘STOP’.
Start track- outro (needs to just finish abruptly) Loud
Thursday, 28 June 2007
Maker’s Diary: ‘Stop’ Contract
In rehearsals today we all worked to develop and agreed on a ‘stop’ contract for the scenes:
Nigel interrupts the game, gets on the block and announces “we know a story about her; do you want us to tell you or is there something that one of you would like to share?”
(If no one wants to share, he tells the audience that they can stop the story anytime they like by calling out ‘stop’. If they stop the scene than they can just move on to the next section or they can request that it is played out in a different way).
We decided that the audience should have the potential of affecting every part of the show and other’s experience of it…hence the ‘stop’ contract. All of the scenes are very strong and disturbing, so we felt that ethically and creatively the audience should have the potential to impact upon those. This passes some of the moral and creative responsibility on to them for their own experience.
Nigel interrupts the game, gets on the block and announces “we know a story about her; do you want us to tell you or is there something that one of you would like to share?”
(If no one wants to share, he tells the audience that they can stop the story anytime they like by calling out ‘stop’. If they stop the scene than they can just move on to the next section or they can request that it is played out in a different way).
We decided that the audience should have the potential of affecting every part of the show and other’s experience of it…hence the ‘stop’ contract. All of the scenes are very strong and disturbing, so we felt that ethically and creatively the audience should have the potential to impact upon those. This passes some of the moral and creative responsibility on to them for their own experience.
Wednesday, 27 June 2007
Maker’s Diary: Meeting & Rehearsals
I have just got back from rehearsals and despite feeling crazy tired, am pleased that it went well today. I had a meeting with Olu at lunch time. We discussed the concept of ‘making it matter’ and having something at stake for the audience. I filled Olu in on all of the developments in my thinking and the structure of the performance. Our chat really filled with confidence and I think that the positive vibe that created carried on through into the rehearsals tonight.
We spent the first half of the rehearsal developing and polishing all of the textual elements. I think that these are coming on really well….well except for the usual lines issues! The girls are still giving Nigel a hard time but he is persevering and I am sure that they will warm to him. I am just so concerned at our lack of time to really develop the radically changed format. One key development today was the decision to give the audience the power to stop or change any of the scenes. We just need to define the exact rules of engagement for that contract with the audience. We started to try out the game aspects of the performance tonight. Some of the games manifested with more ease than others. It is simply a case of making sure that all three of the performers are comfortable with all of the games and feel at ease playing with each other. Once they can do that they will be able to lead the audience in participating in that too. Once they are comfortably familiar with the games I think they will start to have more fun with them. They are being over-thought at the moment. It needs to be more natural. It is just impossible to anticipate how the audience might respond to the games but that is what makes it exciting for me….and hopefully for the audience too. I understand the nature and function of the games as a performative device but I can’t really predict how they will manifest on the night. The familiarity of the games…as recognised through cultural schema should give the audience some clue as to the rules and contract of those activities but the displaced context should create enough unknown space for liminoid acts to happen.
We spent the first half of the rehearsal developing and polishing all of the textual elements. I think that these are coming on really well….well except for the usual lines issues! The girls are still giving Nigel a hard time but he is persevering and I am sure that they will warm to him. I am just so concerned at our lack of time to really develop the radically changed format. One key development today was the decision to give the audience the power to stop or change any of the scenes. We just need to define the exact rules of engagement for that contract with the audience. We started to try out the game aspects of the performance tonight. Some of the games manifested with more ease than others. It is simply a case of making sure that all three of the performers are comfortable with all of the games and feel at ease playing with each other. Once they can do that they will be able to lead the audience in participating in that too. Once they are comfortably familiar with the games I think they will start to have more fun with them. They are being over-thought at the moment. It needs to be more natural. It is just impossible to anticipate how the audience might respond to the games but that is what makes it exciting for me….and hopefully for the audience too. I understand the nature and function of the games as a performative device but I can’t really predict how they will manifest on the night. The familiarity of the games…as recognised through cultural schema should give the audience some clue as to the rules and contract of those activities but the displaced context should create enough unknown space for liminoid acts to happen.
Tuesday, 26 June 2007
Maker’s Diary: Blocked
I am going to be brief, as I am shattered. All the text elements have now been blocked and just need to be rehearsed and polished (lines also need to be learnt…arrgghh!!!) I will begin to tackle the new game elements tomorrow. I am really excited. Right bed is calling to me.
Sunday, 24 June 2007
Makers Diary: First Re-Development Rehearsal
I took the cast though all of the new developments in the show and explained why. We decided that we will deal with all of the textual elements first before we approach the new games. I think the performers feel more comfortable when dealing with the text because it has some relationship to formal structure and formal process….the more open elements of the games scare them a little….well they scare me a little too but that is what makes it so exciting. We managed to work on Nikki’s new text as well as the new scene….we did not get through it so will finish blocking it tomorrow in full. Nigel was really nervous but once we got into it he really relaxed and was fine. The girls however, were a little awkward and standoffish towards him but I am sure that they will warm to him soon enough. I am looking forward to tomorrow; we are so short on time we really need to crack through it all so that we have time to polish. Due to our lack of time our rehearsals are all really long and because of Nigel’s shift work…really crazy hours in the morning. I am not sure how well I am going to be able to keep up to date with the blog but I will do my best.
Saturday, 23 June 2007
Maker’s Diary: Nerves & Nigel
I ran over things with Nigel this evening before tomorrows first session; he is
very nervous and apprehensive, despite having already learnt all of his text! I am sure that he will be fine tomorrow. I think he I nervous about working with the girls because he has no experience in performance but neither did Richard and the girls very quickly warmed to him.
very nervous and apprehensive, despite having already learnt all of his text! I am sure that he will be fine tomorrow. I think he I nervous about working with the girls because he has no experience in performance but neither did Richard and the girls very quickly warmed to him.
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