I am currently working as ME/Board Op for my classmates' piece "Perfect." It is running through Friday at the Dilston Grove gallery in Southwark Park (a stripped but listed church. the tech tables are in the organ loft, and the tall church windows have automatic blackout shades. It's kind-of awesome). Created by the all-female company Theatre With Milk, Please, the piece explores the varying (and often contradictory) physical ideals to which women aspire, and the conflict this generates among us.
Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of designing and implementing lighting for 3 shows back to back for other classmates--"Hope" by Petar Miloshevski, "Footmark" by Visitors, and a piece in development by Ophelia Chan. Next week I will be developing lighting for a segment of "Pain without Words" by Riki Kim. Shortly thereafter I may be shedding additional light on a production of "Who's Cloud is it Anyway?" By De.Bunked at the People Show Theatre.
One of these days I'll find a space for my own piece, but until then I'm certainly keeping busy.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Lautes Licht: The Workshop
This past Thursday I held a short Licht event for my classmates and tutors. I was interested to see if members of the public would be interested or willing to participate in a Licht installation if they were expected to not only control the lights, but perform. I offered a brief demonstration of how it works with my trustiest actress, laid out a few dozen slips of paper with simple actions, stories, speeches, and monologues written on them, and opened it up to participation.
After a few awkward minutes in which people ummed and erred, a few daring volunteers got up and tried it. They picked the easiest slips, naturally, and got themselves started figuring out how the lighting intensity changed with each percentage increase. They fumbled, they got confused, they laughed. My veteran actress encouraged participation by grabbing up instructions, seemingly at random, and darting to a light to try them.
Gradually people started trying the tougher ones as they realized that the piece worked whether they succeeded or failed at following their lights. More got up at a time, and eventually all 3 spots were filled and all lights were operated. A vastly pregnant teacher got up and tap danced like a bowling ball while a slender actress knelt and cried. A pianist played an ambient, meandering tune according to his light while a director sang the Australian national anthem. The operators tried to keep them in time, but it took on a dissonant, eerie quality. An actress read President Obama's public address regarding the oil spill while a professor glared at the audience. Most of the inadvertent scenes that Licht generates worked beautifully.
Commentary afterwards was helpful and generally positive. The participants noted that getting up and moving was easier and more fun than getting up and speaking. Acting is tough under Licht conditions, so even though I left out a selection of speeches, monologues, and letters to be read, if the spirit moved anyone, the only documents selected were the day's sports results and the Presidential Address. Ophelia's "Rosemary is for Remembrance" speech was considered and declined by several, who realized that any document with emotions, pauses, or pacing written in would be far too awkward and difficult. Some better suggestions for text-based actions were to describe an object or ism in detail, recite a favourite poem or song, demonstrate a safety lecture, or tell a fairy tale.
The participants agreed that it was nice to give up power and internalization for a while to let the viewer choose what is appropriate. IT was fun and even freeing for some. Others who operated boards but did not perform explained why--it would be nice to have an option to participate that did not involve performing, but instead perhaps painting or creating something which would evidence the lighting changes in its creation or form.
The question arose, when it came to singing songs, reciting poems, or telling stories--the power balance seemed to shift from the audience operator to, not the performer, but the content. The operator had a hard time changing the lighting away from the piece's natural or expected phrasing--all she felt she could do was to enhance the swells and decrescendos as they came, almost like catching them in a tonal stream.
Likewise, performers felt unable to walk out of their light until they had a long enough blackout. No-one was comfortable stopping and walking out while they were still being played with, even if they were mentally done with what they'd chosen to do. Oddly, though, few people felt like they were being manipulated, or like they were powerless. Indeed, one performer expressed that she felt powerful and real in the space. Another mentioned it was an exciting and joyful experience--one because she was in the spotlight and knew she could be heard and seen, which is always a thrill, but also because of the fact that there was clearly someone operating her light, there was someone watching and strongly engaged with what she was doing. That was exciting.
I suppose it must be for performers. Even though I created this piece with that in mind I nevertheless find the idea of doing it daunting for that reason alone. But performers are used to being directed, and having their active choices made for them. It is no great leap for them between embodying the idea of the director in the next take and embodying the idea of the audience member right away. Particularly if the direction has truly already been made, it is just up to the audience what part or aspect of the performance they see.
In creating a workshop I suppose I generated a toy for performers--people who would already be interested in doing the work. I did not succeed in getting non-performance types to participate (Except for my friends who got up and felt silly for my sake.) I did offer them a chance to reflect on their energy levels, perform on their toes, and have a unique challenge to respond to real artistic contributions from the audience. But I don't think I've changed anyone's life.
----
I've decided to copy my slips of paper down here so I don't lose them. Yes, it's all of them, not a sampling, but even during the session I was thinking of more, and asking the audience for them. Several of them worked together to make interesting and poignant pieces.
Think about something you really hate. Tell us how much you dislike it. The brighter your light, the worse it is.
Tell a story from your life. At low light, feel free to mumble. AS the light gets brighter, allow your enthusiasm for the story to creep in.
Think about the first time your significant other said "I love you." Tell us about it. The brighter your light, the more exciting it is.
Count in the language of your choice. At low light, count slowly and quietly. At bright light, count quickly and loudly. At medium light, count comfortably. Stop at your leisure.
If you can tap dance, tap out a simple rhythm louder or quieter according to your light intensity. If you cannot tap dance, try anyway.
You are intimidating. The brighter your light, the harder you stare at your light operator.
You are sad. The brighter your light, the harder you cry.
Read the newspaper provided. At low light (you won't be able to see much anyway) feel free to squint at it and read slowly. At bright light, tear out articles. Be sure to resume reading when it gets darker.
Jog in place. If your light is off, stand still. As the light gets brighter, run faster.
Clap your hands according to the light intensity. At low light, clap slowly and softly. In the middle, clap comfortably. At high light, make a lot of noise!
Whistle or hum your national anthem. At low light, whistle or hum quietly. As the light gets brighter, whistle louder, and if you know the words, sing with pride when the light is bright. Feel free to sing in your own language. IF you do not know the words, "dah dah dah" works too!
Think about something you find funny. The brighter your light, the harder you laugh.
Shake your booty according to the light intensity. Try to follow the light, not any other sound that is being made in the room.
If you know a song on the piano, treat the light like a conductor and adjust your tempo, volume, and intensity accordingly. If you do not know how to play the piano, press one key faster or slower according to the light intensity.
You are the wind. The brighter your light, the stronger you blow.
After a few awkward minutes in which people ummed and erred, a few daring volunteers got up and tried it. They picked the easiest slips, naturally, and got themselves started figuring out how the lighting intensity changed with each percentage increase. They fumbled, they got confused, they laughed. My veteran actress encouraged participation by grabbing up instructions, seemingly at random, and darting to a light to try them.
Gradually people started trying the tougher ones as they realized that the piece worked whether they succeeded or failed at following their lights. More got up at a time, and eventually all 3 spots were filled and all lights were operated. A vastly pregnant teacher got up and tap danced like a bowling ball while a slender actress knelt and cried. A pianist played an ambient, meandering tune according to his light while a director sang the Australian national anthem. The operators tried to keep them in time, but it took on a dissonant, eerie quality. An actress read President Obama's public address regarding the oil spill while a professor glared at the audience. Most of the inadvertent scenes that Licht generates worked beautifully.
Commentary afterwards was helpful and generally positive. The participants noted that getting up and moving was easier and more fun than getting up and speaking. Acting is tough under Licht conditions, so even though I left out a selection of speeches, monologues, and letters to be read, if the spirit moved anyone, the only documents selected were the day's sports results and the Presidential Address. Ophelia's "Rosemary is for Remembrance" speech was considered and declined by several, who realized that any document with emotions, pauses, or pacing written in would be far too awkward and difficult. Some better suggestions for text-based actions were to describe an object or ism in detail, recite a favourite poem or song, demonstrate a safety lecture, or tell a fairy tale.
The participants agreed that it was nice to give up power and internalization for a while to let the viewer choose what is appropriate. IT was fun and even freeing for some. Others who operated boards but did not perform explained why--it would be nice to have an option to participate that did not involve performing, but instead perhaps painting or creating something which would evidence the lighting changes in its creation or form.
The question arose, when it came to singing songs, reciting poems, or telling stories--the power balance seemed to shift from the audience operator to, not the performer, but the content. The operator had a hard time changing the lighting away from the piece's natural or expected phrasing--all she felt she could do was to enhance the swells and decrescendos as they came, almost like catching them in a tonal stream.
Likewise, performers felt unable to walk out of their light until they had a long enough blackout. No-one was comfortable stopping and walking out while they were still being played with, even if they were mentally done with what they'd chosen to do. Oddly, though, few people felt like they were being manipulated, or like they were powerless. Indeed, one performer expressed that she felt powerful and real in the space. Another mentioned it was an exciting and joyful experience--one because she was in the spotlight and knew she could be heard and seen, which is always a thrill, but also because of the fact that there was clearly someone operating her light, there was someone watching and strongly engaged with what she was doing. That was exciting.
I suppose it must be for performers. Even though I created this piece with that in mind I nevertheless find the idea of doing it daunting for that reason alone. But performers are used to being directed, and having their active choices made for them. It is no great leap for them between embodying the idea of the director in the next take and embodying the idea of the audience member right away. Particularly if the direction has truly already been made, it is just up to the audience what part or aspect of the performance they see.
In creating a workshop I suppose I generated a toy for performers--people who would already be interested in doing the work. I did not succeed in getting non-performance types to participate (Except for my friends who got up and felt silly for my sake.) I did offer them a chance to reflect on their energy levels, perform on their toes, and have a unique challenge to respond to real artistic contributions from the audience. But I don't think I've changed anyone's life.
----
I've decided to copy my slips of paper down here so I don't lose them. Yes, it's all of them, not a sampling, but even during the session I was thinking of more, and asking the audience for them. Several of them worked together to make interesting and poignant pieces.
Think about something you really hate. Tell us how much you dislike it. The brighter your light, the worse it is.
Tell a story from your life. At low light, feel free to mumble. AS the light gets brighter, allow your enthusiasm for the story to creep in.
Think about the first time your significant other said "I love you." Tell us about it. The brighter your light, the more exciting it is.
Count in the language of your choice. At low light, count slowly and quietly. At bright light, count quickly and loudly. At medium light, count comfortably. Stop at your leisure.
If you can tap dance, tap out a simple rhythm louder or quieter according to your light intensity. If you cannot tap dance, try anyway.
You are intimidating. The brighter your light, the harder you stare at your light operator.
You are sad. The brighter your light, the harder you cry.
Read the newspaper provided. At low light (you won't be able to see much anyway) feel free to squint at it and read slowly. At bright light, tear out articles. Be sure to resume reading when it gets darker.
Jog in place. If your light is off, stand still. As the light gets brighter, run faster.
Clap your hands according to the light intensity. At low light, clap slowly and softly. In the middle, clap comfortably. At high light, make a lot of noise!
Whistle or hum your national anthem. At low light, whistle or hum quietly. As the light gets brighter, whistle louder, and if you know the words, sing with pride when the light is bright. Feel free to sing in your own language. IF you do not know the words, "dah dah dah" works too!
Think about something you find funny. The brighter your light, the harder you laugh.
Shake your booty according to the light intensity. Try to follow the light, not any other sound that is being made in the room.
If you know a song on the piano, treat the light like a conductor and adjust your tempo, volume, and intensity accordingly. If you do not know how to play the piano, press one key faster or slower according to the light intensity.
You are the wind. The brighter your light, the stronger you blow.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
More Thinking, Lautes Licht
I'm beginning to see Licht as an analytic tool--something I did not expect. Particularly when contrasting elements are inputted into the machine: it poses the question, "who will win?" What will the audience choose to watch, Jefferson Davis, or Abraham Lincoln? Happy story, or sad story?
I believe it is possible to use the same rotation scheme and interface to create themes (or work within established themes or stories.)
The piece works most easily and clearly with musicians and dancers. This may be largely on account of training and habits of watching a conductor for cues and tempo. Less ethically dubious, too, when all understand clearly how they are contributing to the whole.
May work with verbatim theatre, with actors wearing visible earphones and listening to a recording of someone describing an important moment in his or her life. The actor may hone in on the rhythms of the recorded speaker's voice, and add or remove emphasis from the text according to their lighting.
It may also work with people reading documents detailing opposite sides of a lawsuit, or simply with two good bits of recent writing with contrasting themes or aims.
The piece needs to accentuate the fact that it is about the audience too.
--Light audience too, light operator to ensure they are sure they know they're inside the piece.
--slowly fade up on the operator after they've been tinkering for a while, or when they're being jerks (punishment?)
The Operator must take responsibility for his or her actions, for while the safety of anonymity encourages people to participate, it is arguable that the safety of anonymity also encourages cruelty. It has also been suggested by audience members that "abuse" of the performers by switch-happy audience members was encouraged by the specific direction to interact with the light board, and that they felt rather like they were part of a psychological study. Some even wondered if they were expected to cause harm to the performers, or if the game was for an observer to see how far they would push the performers before backing off. (Milgram experiment, The Perils of Obedience). As it was, all abusive operators, save one, felt satisfied with their abuse when one performer flubbed a line, soured a note, or missed a step--the performers were never pushed far enough by abuse to quit the game, though they knew they were empowered and expected to, and the audience never felt cruel or free enough to continue after confusion set in. I believe though, that if operators are visible they are more likely to engage with the piece self-consciously and gently, particularly if they believe that the performers can see them, as then they may be aware that there may be repercussions--from the rest of the audience, the performers themselves, and from any area security personnel.
I believe it is possible to use the same rotation scheme and interface to create themes (or work within established themes or stories.)
The piece works most easily and clearly with musicians and dancers. This may be largely on account of training and habits of watching a conductor for cues and tempo. Less ethically dubious, too, when all understand clearly how they are contributing to the whole.
May work with verbatim theatre, with actors wearing visible earphones and listening to a recording of someone describing an important moment in his or her life. The actor may hone in on the rhythms of the recorded speaker's voice, and add or remove emphasis from the text according to their lighting.
It may also work with people reading documents detailing opposite sides of a lawsuit, or simply with two good bits of recent writing with contrasting themes or aims.
The piece needs to accentuate the fact that it is about the audience too.
--Light audience too, light operator to ensure they are sure they know they're inside the piece.
--slowly fade up on the operator after they've been tinkering for a while, or when they're being jerks (punishment?)
The Operator must take responsibility for his or her actions, for while the safety of anonymity encourages people to participate, it is arguable that the safety of anonymity also encourages cruelty. It has also been suggested by audience members that "abuse" of the performers by switch-happy audience members was encouraged by the specific direction to interact with the light board, and that they felt rather like they were part of a psychological study. Some even wondered if they were expected to cause harm to the performers, or if the game was for an observer to see how far they would push the performers before backing off. (Milgram experiment, The Perils of Obedience). As it was, all abusive operators, save one, felt satisfied with their abuse when one performer flubbed a line, soured a note, or missed a step--the performers were never pushed far enough by abuse to quit the game, though they knew they were empowered and expected to, and the audience never felt cruel or free enough to continue after confusion set in. I believe though, that if operators are visible they are more likely to engage with the piece self-consciously and gently, particularly if they believe that the performers can see them, as then they may be aware that there may be repercussions--from the rest of the audience, the performers themselves, and from any area security personnel.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Licht Thoughts
Ethical Implications
If you give the audience the power to affect the piece, are you compromising your own artistic integrity?
Are you making your actors vulnerable to harassment and manipulation?
:All performers should be mentally and emotionally prepared to be jolted around a bit by audiences, particularly people who have never had an opportunity to touch a light board before and people who are trying to learn how to operate the piece. That is not to say the actor is not empowered. The actor is never put into a position where he is made to do anything he would rather not. He sets his limits himself, and no amount of jerking or jolting will cause him to modify his behaviour beyond that which he has established for himself to do. Claudio will only run as fast as he feels comfortable and can sustain for the duration of his rotation. While he is expected to consistently perform according to his lighting, he sets his own energy limits according to his ability at the time.
Performance Implications
If the performers must change their intensity or emotion according to the light provided, can there be honesty or truthful energy?
: if the performer considers his light to be another performer, then his energy can reflect its changes in an honest way. Likewise, if he likens it to a musical swell or scenic change, he may feel compelled to change to match it simply by the true energy relationship he has with it.
Human Element:
The relationship between actor and light is not always precise:
They determine their performance energy according to how much light they believe they have.
Their estimate of light intensity is affected by other light intensities—both of the phases provided to them earlier and of the intensity being offered to other performers.
The intensity of their performance is affected by their own personal energy level, their engagement with the action performed, the amount they trust the audience, and their attention to concurrent performances.
While precision could be maintained with a computerized system—volume or robotic movement controlled directly by the light board—not only has this already been done, but it is not performance. It is kinetic sculpture. Licht is an interface—a challenge to both performer and board operator to both be actively engaged in the energy exchange.
Performers found that they began to get a feel for operators, and found ways of adapting to particular lighting rhythms and patterns. Operators who tended to mix the performances in high-speed, rhythmic ways were frequently pleased to discover that actors would repeat a short noise or movement until they were confident they had time to continue in a meaningful way. For instance, Jenny would repeat a quick 7-step Flamenco pattern in 1-second bursts, while Cristian would sing "whoa!"--and alternation between the two could be very musically pleasing. Geraldine would isolate chunks of her stories for staccato delivery: "it was!" "the best!" "thing I'd!" "ever!" "seen!" to allow for musical play with the sound of her voice.
Social Implications:
Audience members who “get” the performance inform the newly-arrived, affording them a sense of inclusion and identification both with the piece and with the other viewers.
Some audience members choose not to participate, but watch the performance. Others pay more attention to the board operator. Some watch the performance, the operator, and other audience members. Some wander past without stopping.
The performance was constructed with the space as a primary consideration. Our vault at Shunt was near the main entrance and opened straight onto the main hall. Thus it was important to not have a huge clot of people blocking up the corridor for two hours a night. Rather than building a performance that would keep audience members attentive for an hour, then, I rotated the performers and their actions every 10 minutes, and did not ensure that performances suggested a through-line or theme. The show changed completely every 10 minutes. This kept the actors fresh and kept the audience moving--some would think the show was over when they rotated (though clued-in audience members would frequently inform those who were beginning to applaud or leave that this was not so, keeping them there) and others would simply no longer be able to engage with the piece once the content they had created changed. By changing the content I was able to keep the hallway passable without causing people to feel rushed, shoved, or unwelcome. I found this movement felt organic, and, as this was not a content-driven but form-driven piece, there was no need to keep people around after they'd gotten their fill.
Quick Audience Chats:
Individuals and groups who have enjoyed controlling the board have included:
Musicians
Dancers
Technicians
Writers
Photographers
Djs/Track Samplers
A string quartet spent a full ten minutes with the piece, conducting all components like an orchestra and dancing around.
A rapper and his girlfriend spent over five minutes carefully mixing Spanish and Italian voices into pleasing rhythms.
A group of photographers spent twenty minutes poised to the side of the board, snapping away as other audience members created light looks.
A dancer spent five minutes on the board, aligning a dancer and a singer into harmony.
“Clap, Clown! This is the best thing I've ever seen!” (drunken city boy with a bourbon and coke)
An off-duty Shunt lighting technician spent several quiet minutes arranging voices and stories to create relationships between the performers. “See, I tried these two together (slides up an aggressive-looking seated man and a hopeful-looking woman leaning against an alcove) but I couldn't see why she would want him, he looks like such a jerk. But these two together (brings up a guitarist happily tapping on his instrument and whistling, and hopeful woman) seem to be each other's...brains, you know? And these two (brings up aggressive man and a woman dancing around and blowing a whistle) have something in common, but I'm not sure what it is. Maybe he's watching her, and puffing his chest up to try and get her attention?”
Options for Development:
Right now, Licht is a demonstration and an opening discussion for a performance platform. I'm actively seeking writers to develop themes and characters who may all relate to one another, an event, or a concept who would be interested to adapt their story or outline to a Licht interface. I believe it is possible to rotate performers to create distinct, engaging, and themed scenes.
I have also considered offering the interface to composers and musical troupes, both for exploration and for performance. It works well with music, and is less ethically dubious—musicians are used to following a conductor, and know that their adherence to the dynamics and timing of the conductor benefit the piece as a whole. The same is true for dancers and singers.
If you give the audience the power to affect the piece, are you compromising your own artistic integrity?
Are you making your actors vulnerable to harassment and manipulation?
:All performers should be mentally and emotionally prepared to be jolted around a bit by audiences, particularly people who have never had an opportunity to touch a light board before and people who are trying to learn how to operate the piece. That is not to say the actor is not empowered. The actor is never put into a position where he is made to do anything he would rather not. He sets his limits himself, and no amount of jerking or jolting will cause him to modify his behaviour beyond that which he has established for himself to do. Claudio will only run as fast as he feels comfortable and can sustain for the duration of his rotation. While he is expected to consistently perform according to his lighting, he sets his own energy limits according to his ability at the time.
Performance Implications
If the performers must change their intensity or emotion according to the light provided, can there be honesty or truthful energy?
: if the performer considers his light to be another performer, then his energy can reflect its changes in an honest way. Likewise, if he likens it to a musical swell or scenic change, he may feel compelled to change to match it simply by the true energy relationship he has with it.
Human Element:
The relationship between actor and light is not always precise:
They determine their performance energy according to how much light they believe they have.
Their estimate of light intensity is affected by other light intensities—both of the phases provided to them earlier and of the intensity being offered to other performers.
The intensity of their performance is affected by their own personal energy level, their engagement with the action performed, the amount they trust the audience, and their attention to concurrent performances.
While precision could be maintained with a computerized system—volume or robotic movement controlled directly by the light board—not only has this already been done, but it is not performance. It is kinetic sculpture. Licht is an interface—a challenge to both performer and board operator to both be actively engaged in the energy exchange.
Performers found that they began to get a feel for operators, and found ways of adapting to particular lighting rhythms and patterns. Operators who tended to mix the performances in high-speed, rhythmic ways were frequently pleased to discover that actors would repeat a short noise or movement until they were confident they had time to continue in a meaningful way. For instance, Jenny would repeat a quick 7-step Flamenco pattern in 1-second bursts, while Cristian would sing "whoa!"--and alternation between the two could be very musically pleasing. Geraldine would isolate chunks of her stories for staccato delivery: "it was!" "the best!" "thing I'd!" "ever!" "seen!" to allow for musical play with the sound of her voice.
Social Implications:
Audience members who “get” the performance inform the newly-arrived, affording them a sense of inclusion and identification both with the piece and with the other viewers.
Some audience members choose not to participate, but watch the performance. Others pay more attention to the board operator. Some watch the performance, the operator, and other audience members. Some wander past without stopping.
The performance was constructed with the space as a primary consideration. Our vault at Shunt was near the main entrance and opened straight onto the main hall. Thus it was important to not have a huge clot of people blocking up the corridor for two hours a night. Rather than building a performance that would keep audience members attentive for an hour, then, I rotated the performers and their actions every 10 minutes, and did not ensure that performances suggested a through-line or theme. The show changed completely every 10 minutes. This kept the actors fresh and kept the audience moving--some would think the show was over when they rotated (though clued-in audience members would frequently inform those who were beginning to applaud or leave that this was not so, keeping them there) and others would simply no longer be able to engage with the piece once the content they had created changed. By changing the content I was able to keep the hallway passable without causing people to feel rushed, shoved, or unwelcome. I found this movement felt organic, and, as this was not a content-driven but form-driven piece, there was no need to keep people around after they'd gotten their fill.
Quick Audience Chats:
Individuals and groups who have enjoyed controlling the board have included:
Musicians
Dancers
Technicians
Writers
Photographers
Djs/Track Samplers
A string quartet spent a full ten minutes with the piece, conducting all components like an orchestra and dancing around.
A rapper and his girlfriend spent over five minutes carefully mixing Spanish and Italian voices into pleasing rhythms.
A group of photographers spent twenty minutes poised to the side of the board, snapping away as other audience members created light looks.
A dancer spent five minutes on the board, aligning a dancer and a singer into harmony.
“Clap, Clown! This is the best thing I've ever seen!” (drunken city boy with a bourbon and coke)
An off-duty Shunt lighting technician spent several quiet minutes arranging voices and stories to create relationships between the performers. “See, I tried these two together (slides up an aggressive-looking seated man and a hopeful-looking woman leaning against an alcove) but I couldn't see why she would want him, he looks like such a jerk. But these two together (brings up a guitarist happily tapping on his instrument and whistling, and hopeful woman) seem to be each other's...brains, you know? And these two (brings up aggressive man and a woman dancing around and blowing a whistle) have something in common, but I'm not sure what it is. Maybe he's watching her, and puffing his chest up to try and get her attention?”
Options for Development:
Right now, Licht is a demonstration and an opening discussion for a performance platform. I'm actively seeking writers to develop themes and characters who may all relate to one another, an event, or a concept who would be interested to adapt their story or outline to a Licht interface. I believe it is possible to rotate performers to create distinct, engaging, and themed scenes.
I have also considered offering the interface to composers and musical troupes, both for exploration and for performance. It works well with music, and is less ethically dubious—musicians are used to following a conductor, and know that their adherence to the dynamics and timing of the conductor benefit the piece as a whole. The same is true for dancers and singers.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Lautes Observations
"I'm scared to have this much power!" (audience member, when given the opportunity to rotate the actors herself)
"This is really neat--I mean, I've given these people relationships. I don't know if they're supposed to have them, but I've given them to them, and they make sense. See, the singing girl is this guy's brain, and the girl with the whistle is this girl's brain, but you can switch them...but if you switch them this way, it doesn't make sense to me. But I guess it might make sense to you..." (off-duty Shunt light crew member)
"Really, really fun." (overheard regularly)
"You know, I've never been asked to do this before...not to give you a big head, but I've never gotten to affect the performance in this way." (Ayse)
"Well, see, my friend showed me how this works--you can come up, you use these things [faders], and you can change the way they act. See, (demonstrates) you can make her disappointed, (slides fader up) and now she's really happy!" (dancer from another Shunt piece)
"You can make connections in your head... I don't know what she's saying, but she could be complaining about [this guy] her lousy boyfriend!" "and the look on his face is priceless--it's like "shall I deign to perform for you?" Catherine W.
Audience member on board faded a speaker out with a finger to his lips as though to say "shh, I'm quieting you."
Audience members eyeballing each other when the board is free. Who gets to go next?
"My ego forces me to conform to the rules of the system. I would feel silly, embarrassed to step out, even when I did feel like I couldn't take it any more." Jenny O. (performer)
Even when the performers are saying something you don't agree with, or which offends you, frequently audience members will let them speak their peace, then turn them off and grumble about disagreeing with them--when they could have turned them off the whole time. "It's like we're all drawn to the macabre for some reason." (Jenny O.)
"This is really neat--I mean, I've given these people relationships. I don't know if they're supposed to have them, but I've given them to them, and they make sense. See, the singing girl is this guy's brain, and the girl with the whistle is this girl's brain, but you can switch them...but if you switch them this way, it doesn't make sense to me. But I guess it might make sense to you..." (off-duty Shunt light crew member)
"Really, really fun." (overheard regularly)
"You know, I've never been asked to do this before...not to give you a big head, but I've never gotten to affect the performance in this way." (Ayse)
"Well, see, my friend showed me how this works--you can come up, you use these things [faders], and you can change the way they act. See, (demonstrates) you can make her disappointed, (slides fader up) and now she's really happy!" (dancer from another Shunt piece)
"You can make connections in your head... I don't know what she's saying, but she could be complaining about [this guy] her lousy boyfriend!" "and the look on his face is priceless--it's like "shall I deign to perform for you?" Catherine W.
Audience member on board faded a speaker out with a finger to his lips as though to say "shh, I'm quieting you."
Audience members eyeballing each other when the board is free. Who gets to go next?
"My ego forces me to conform to the rules of the system. I would feel silly, embarrassed to step out, even when I did feel like I couldn't take it any more." Jenny O. (performer)
Even when the performers are saying something you don't agree with, or which offends you, frequently audience members will let them speak their peace, then turn them off and grumble about disagreeing with them--when they could have turned them off the whole time. "It's like we're all drawn to the macabre for some reason." (Jenny O.)
Monday, May 24, 2010
Lautes Licht
Just to let any reader know, I have a show opening up on Thursday entitled "Lautes Licht" at the Shunt Lounge, London Bridge Station. (quite literally, it is directly under London Bridge Station, in these neat old vaults) It requires audience participation to work--you, the emancipated spectators you are, get to set the light levels, thereby telling the characters how to play! Make them run! Make them dance! Make them create beautiful music! You may have fun, you may feel cruel...you may step back and see that somehow all these separate performances seem to relate to each other, and tell you a very individual story. Take a moment to set the action and enjoy your show, then let another guest take a turn. Be sure to watch while your friends conduct their own pieces--you might see something new.
It runs Thursday through Saturday, May 27-29 and June 3-5. All shows start at 8pm but will have a variety of performance times and durations (at least 2 1-hour runs each night, as it relates to concurrent pieces in the space). Tickets to the Lounge are £10, £5 concession for students, the elderly, and the unemployed on Thursday and Friday. There will be loads of other performances, art installations, demonstrations, and opportunities to drink and be merry all through the night.
----
As with most of the work I'm up to these days, Licht is a proposition. An experiment, both for me and for you. It is an opportunity for you to see exactly what you want to see, and an opportunity for me to see if you enjoy that. Does the power to control the action excite you? Scare you? Disappoint you? Why?
Lautes Licht (in English, Loud Light) is also a study of the musicality of language. Our multi-national cast will be speaking and singing in a variety of tongues, playing instruments, and communicating visually, each performer on his and her own. I'm excited to see if you find narrative and meaning emerging from the juxtaposition of their actions the way I have. The performers in the space will change regularly throughout the night, so be sure to come back often to try new configurations, new levels, and new stories!
It runs Thursday through Saturday, May 27-29 and June 3-5. All shows start at 8pm but will have a variety of performance times and durations (at least 2 1-hour runs each night, as it relates to concurrent pieces in the space). Tickets to the Lounge are £10, £5 concession for students, the elderly, and the unemployed on Thursday and Friday. There will be loads of other performances, art installations, demonstrations, and opportunities to drink and be merry all through the night.
----
As with most of the work I'm up to these days, Licht is a proposition. An experiment, both for me and for you. It is an opportunity for you to see exactly what you want to see, and an opportunity for me to see if you enjoy that. Does the power to control the action excite you? Scare you? Disappoint you? Why?
Lautes Licht (in English, Loud Light) is also a study of the musicality of language. Our multi-national cast will be speaking and singing in a variety of tongues, playing instruments, and communicating visually, each performer on his and her own. I'm excited to see if you find narrative and meaning emerging from the juxtaposition of their actions the way I have. The performers in the space will change regularly throughout the night, so be sure to come back often to try new configurations, new levels, and new stories!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Matt Adams, Blast Theory
since 1991
new interactive art, game play, digital media.
Moment of graduation is a moment of truth: transition into professional practice is a rough 12 months.
Blast theory started with a diverse group of people working in a cinema. they realized that they had a niche to fill when club culture and raving were at their pre-corporate peak--it was a good setting for new work.
study giving up control: being kidnapped. observe how well people actually handle loss of control, when in so many instances we give it up freely (religion, politics, government)
Permeable boundaries between Real and Virtual space: mist screens, walk-through-able
What is virtual space? How do soldiers feel okay killing images on screens and not having to deal with feeling like they've actually killed people?
Can You See Me Now? First mixed-reality game.
Day of the Figurines: halfway through the game the town is invaded by Arabic-speaking soldiers
You Get Me? creating a dialogue between artist and audience is vital for participatory work
Logistics:
Charity status--Free money!
take on freelancers, assistants, and transient staff
Practice needs to be central or you'll get used to money. Very hard to make that pay cut willingly.
Touring, Arts Council, grants, and occasional "juicy ones" pay the bills--filled a very specific niche at a specific time. Be pragmatic about what AC wants, how you can prove that you fulfill their needs. Ask for advice from people who can give you things. Funding may come in the form of "We'll buy some equipment for ourselves and let you use it"-don't turn up your nose! partner with companies who are receiving funding. leech off of industrial Funding Bodies, universities, scientific researching bodies--but they will constrain creative input.
now that we have internet we don't need tv companies to act as the gate-keepers to broadcast.
no product may come out of some ventures but taking a year (and a grant) to learn can be valuable too.
Find a community that supports you--not just the arts. (gamers have money and love Blast Theory--useful) connect with research branches of big companies (not marketing, manufacturing, or sales--the research team at Nokia is filled with academics, not cell-phone salesmen)
-if companies let the artists lead research, art will happen in your technology. scientists and computer types generate the technology, artists figure out how to use it in cool ways.
Integrated Project on Pervasive Gaming: games as culture. not just platforms, but pervasive forms, things which influence society and technology by Being Themselves.
Get involved with projects which may put you in touch with organizations that may take you on. be prepared to diversify. It is hard to reach an audience that doesn't go to the theatre. Blast Theory is not even recognized as theatre--but it is seductive and engaging without being trashy.
social networking sites are not just useful for marketing--they're good for figuring out who your audience could be.
(what is marketing's obsession with grabbing 14-year old boys? It's kinda creepy how much effort and money is put into nabbing children when they're young--you still have mommy's money and you'll pitch a fit if you don't get it...great. i f'ing hate kids. religions, political parties, patriotism, toys...get 'em while they're young. sick.)
In Rider Spoke, is there an anti-climactic experience? Do people feel disappointed or frustrated because there's no boss level which we have come to expect in organized, led activity? Do we simply expect a narrative, or at least some linear flow? IS this something that is innate? Even people who don't 'do' theatre play video games and watch movies. We expect a boss--a final challenge. That means we've WON. That's the problem with endurance pieces. That's why we find social networking gaming dissatisfying. Small worlds, as a platform, Grand Theft Auto as just an open world is boring. If there's no objective it just feels like daily life. Mere interaction with a platform is stagnation. Experience for experience's sake feels, if not empty, incomplete. Audiences need to win in order to feel as though they spent their time wisely. The maze is only over once you've figured your way out. If you must be led out, you've lost. Make it something you can interact with until a point, at which point it explodes. If it blows up, you win. When it's over, make it Over. Take it away conclusively, but only after it has achieved its objective, provided satisfaction.
Is Rider Spoke cathartic or experiential? Should audiences be trusted to make their own experiences? Are they audiences anymore? What is at stake for the creator? If nothing is risked, nothing is created.
Conferences aren't a bad thing. Learn how other people work, how they research.
Embedded video, virtual working tvs...magpie approach. pick and take others' technologies, research, staff, stuff.
Researchers don't get out much--express interest in them. offer to give them publicity. Talk to people you come across in your research, if they're alive. Be honest and specific: you don't have to know what you're doing. They're the experts.
remember that politically charged groups have agendas which probably don't align with yours.
be thinking about logistics of developing projects: how wold you, who would you, not a specific show. First steps of engagement. Figure out what practicalities might be. What is your concept? Here is my theoretical idea, what I'm excited about--what is my next practical step toward exploring that idea?
new interactive art, game play, digital media.
Moment of graduation is a moment of truth: transition into professional practice is a rough 12 months.
Blast theory started with a diverse group of people working in a cinema. they realized that they had a niche to fill when club culture and raving were at their pre-corporate peak--it was a good setting for new work.
study giving up control: being kidnapped. observe how well people actually handle loss of control, when in so many instances we give it up freely (religion, politics, government)
Permeable boundaries between Real and Virtual space: mist screens, walk-through-able
What is virtual space? How do soldiers feel okay killing images on screens and not having to deal with feeling like they've actually killed people?
Can You See Me Now? First mixed-reality game.
Day of the Figurines: halfway through the game the town is invaded by Arabic-speaking soldiers
You Get Me? creating a dialogue between artist and audience is vital for participatory work
Logistics:
Charity status--Free money!
take on freelancers, assistants, and transient staff
Practice needs to be central or you'll get used to money. Very hard to make that pay cut willingly.
Touring, Arts Council, grants, and occasional "juicy ones" pay the bills--filled a very specific niche at a specific time. Be pragmatic about what AC wants, how you can prove that you fulfill their needs. Ask for advice from people who can give you things. Funding may come in the form of "We'll buy some equipment for ourselves and let you use it"-don't turn up your nose! partner with companies who are receiving funding. leech off of industrial Funding Bodies, universities, scientific researching bodies--but they will constrain creative input.
now that we have internet we don't need tv companies to act as the gate-keepers to broadcast.
no product may come out of some ventures but taking a year (and a grant) to learn can be valuable too.
Find a community that supports you--not just the arts. (gamers have money and love Blast Theory--useful) connect with research branches of big companies (not marketing, manufacturing, or sales--the research team at Nokia is filled with academics, not cell-phone salesmen)
-if companies let the artists lead research, art will happen in your technology. scientists and computer types generate the technology, artists figure out how to use it in cool ways.
Integrated Project on Pervasive Gaming: games as culture. not just platforms, but pervasive forms, things which influence society and technology by Being Themselves.
Get involved with projects which may put you in touch with organizations that may take you on. be prepared to diversify. It is hard to reach an audience that doesn't go to the theatre. Blast Theory is not even recognized as theatre--but it is seductive and engaging without being trashy.
social networking sites are not just useful for marketing--they're good for figuring out who your audience could be.
(what is marketing's obsession with grabbing 14-year old boys? It's kinda creepy how much effort and money is put into nabbing children when they're young--you still have mommy's money and you'll pitch a fit if you don't get it...great. i f'ing hate kids. religions, political parties, patriotism, toys...get 'em while they're young. sick.)
In Rider Spoke, is there an anti-climactic experience? Do people feel disappointed or frustrated because there's no boss level which we have come to expect in organized, led activity? Do we simply expect a narrative, or at least some linear flow? IS this something that is innate? Even people who don't 'do' theatre play video games and watch movies. We expect a boss--a final challenge. That means we've WON. That's the problem with endurance pieces. That's why we find social networking gaming dissatisfying. Small worlds, as a platform, Grand Theft Auto as just an open world is boring. If there's no objective it just feels like daily life. Mere interaction with a platform is stagnation. Experience for experience's sake feels, if not empty, incomplete. Audiences need to win in order to feel as though they spent their time wisely. The maze is only over once you've figured your way out. If you must be led out, you've lost. Make it something you can interact with until a point, at which point it explodes. If it blows up, you win. When it's over, make it Over. Take it away conclusively, but only after it has achieved its objective, provided satisfaction.
Is Rider Spoke cathartic or experiential? Should audiences be trusted to make their own experiences? Are they audiences anymore? What is at stake for the creator? If nothing is risked, nothing is created.
Conferences aren't a bad thing. Learn how other people work, how they research.
Embedded video, virtual working tvs...magpie approach. pick and take others' technologies, research, staff, stuff.
Researchers don't get out much--express interest in them. offer to give them publicity. Talk to people you come across in your research, if they're alive. Be honest and specific: you don't have to know what you're doing. They're the experts.
remember that politically charged groups have agendas which probably don't align with yours.
be thinking about logistics of developing projects: how wold you, who would you, not a specific show. First steps of engagement. Figure out what practicalities might be. What is your concept? Here is my theoretical idea, what I'm excited about--what is my next practical step toward exploring that idea?
Research Notes, Semester 2: January (A)
Research Project Meeting 1
Audience reaction based on background
Classical Theatre:
Do audiences need particular education or background to "Get" classical theatre? It used to be for the people.
Baz Luhrman: Bringing people into Shakespeare, or bringing people into action movies with a Shakey twist?
Are we constantly developing Shakespeare, adapting it to relate to people?
In-Yer-Face: no escape if you're surrounded by the show, you can't avoid being involved. You can't check out. Trapped. Punch Drunk: very involved, actors touch you, feel like you're part of the show.
Average Theatre-goer vs Practitioner theatre-goer?
There should always be something in the show that keeps your attention which is Relevant to the Intended Experience.
What is the story behind clapping? Do we do so because we think we should or because we genuinely appreciated the show? How does this relate to the Forest Fringe donation scheme, whereby the audience is asked to give as much money at the end of the show as they think the performance was worth? Does that make audiences more honest? Is it more accurate than applause?
Wanting to Be Here makes the experience more enriching. Feel the dynamic of the area, not just the academic landscape.
----
Creating Stuff: What is the discrepancy between focusing on the process versus the product? Process without product...disappointing? Unfulfilling.
Street Clowns in Mexico--theatre of not being noticed.
The Ethics of Stepping into People's Lives (we should run away from this topic!)
I'm just going to go there and do it--what ever happens, happens. In applied theatre, baseline probable reaction goes out the window. There is no common ground--you're dealing with the mentally disturbed, prisoners, the poor, children, the theatrically disinclined...
What are our strengths/focal areas?
--working with disadvantaged groups
--immersive theatre
--classical theatre, Shakespeare for everyone
--Hamlet in Tower Hamlets
--Seek patterns of interest within a practical framework
--Concept of Hope: introduction in to the high theatre experience?
--Transformational theatre: materiality transforms performer and audience at the same time
--The Transformative Power of Performance: Maria Brenointch: Boa Constrictors (?)
Blast Theory: games as theatre? Do we even call it theatre anymore?
Sally Mackey: Thea Care Lian Trilogy: Site-Specific, how do you go back to your project after you've had a year to grow and change?
-Reception based on culture: if you know snakes, would you jump onstage to help Maria? Do you analyze with more depth? Does that inhibit self-expression?
If you have to plant a tree of study, where do you put it in relation to everyone's starting point?
(study one specific reaction to one specific stimulus in a variety of communities. But what's the control group?)
Why does theatre make you cry?
Filming the audience opens a whole new can of worms: how do they behave if they know they're being watched?
Difference between Reaction and Perception: ensure you focus on one and avoid language which could stimulate crossover. Identify "key concepts" which the subject typically suggests and establish straight-away whether or not you'll be addressing them in this instance.
(Make sure other people hear your idea before you choose to study it)
How do we get the Same reaction in different communities?
Can we create a universal language or effect can impact everyone the same way?
Different audience reactions to the same stimulus?
(We must acknowledge that there is no universal effect, no universal reaction)
What about "two girls/one cup": same idea of varying reactions to the same stimulus. add music, different forms: classical vs grunge-core music...vs silence.
People's reactions to naked human form?
Willing vs unwilling audience? Changes intensity of reaction, direction of reaction...
Aesop's fables: ubiquitous? actual universal themes: tyrants will always justify their tyranny, honesty triumphs over corruption...
Before/After: Can we find universality? Reaction study. Use one specific example.
Sudden reflexive reactions: valid? Not really.
Most Dangerous: US serial, real events when people die or get badly injured.
Find an effect that encourages Engagement rather than Escape. Effect that encourages participation rather than simple revulsion or flight reflexes.
Contrast what you see on faces against what participants say they felt.
----
Dang, the game has changed: more and more people are studying audiences than in the past few weeks. We are all acknowledging the role of the audience in understanding: the show is the impact of the piece on the audience in the context of their minds, their collective set of experiences. The show is in the interpretation.
The Metaphysical Shiver: (Taghrid?)
-Alienation through raising awareness. (can i fit this in?)
The attempt to identify problems to the general public. How does this impact people who just don't want to engage?
Claire: On MAATP 9 years ago, found it a time to disprove her own theories.
6 Core emotions at the heart of neurology that are recognizable across all cultures.
Duncan: playwright: command a sense of attention. How do you dictate specific types of attention? different ways of achieving it? Process does not dictate success.
Abstraction complicates things: truth is the most relevant.
What are the 10 things I want right now? (in 30 seconds)
Feminine Equality, Safety/Liberty, warmth/comfort, cleanliness, freedom from vermin, personal space, good food, friends, Ben, family.
(Funny those came out in a weird order, didn't they? Edit in hindsight, not in the process: find the sudden, uncensored self.)
What are 10 things I'm upset about right now? (in 30 seconds)
America, mindless entertainment, my tendency to sleep all day, my tendency to rant, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Chinese manufacturing takeover, travel and privacy infringement under the guise of safety, paranoia culture, institutionalized hatred
Theatre is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an unmovable object. (really? are you suggesting that the space between a rock and a hard place is filled with complaints?)
the power of pulling unpleasant information out of an audience: asking for secrets--what gives you the right to ask? Why are people complicit? Moreover, why am I complicit? In toda's study we have been the "Them" in the theatre: the recipients of the experience. the Audience.
Standaway Dance: IRA Bombings. Incredibly offensive play, groundbreaking.
Seven Jewish Children
Stockwell: Controversial, poorly researched dramatization of Brazilian man shot by police on the tube after 7/7
Non-Theatre audience: no clue-ers
Teenagers (Adrian) A-level age, East Londoners, 2nd generation British, no background in experimental theatre
Club Crowd @ Proud
Logistics:
Permission forms from parents for public display of kids' interviews, group audience filming.
Smart kids from rough neighborhoods, capable and talented kids from poverty
Tight communities: people who'd rather be poor than work for a stranger, or for a regular paycheck for helping achieve someone else's goals. Difficult to gather like-minded people without a name or a reputation.
What kind of show do we want to put on? Something enjoyable for both kids and adults?
(Ignorant audiences of theatre rarely express opinions, even if they have them, whereas everyone has an opinion about film, even if they don't know what went into it. Because people are used to the format. In theatre people are more likely to assume that they just don't get it. )
Do stories have to include some element of hope?
Are we studying gut reactions or thoughts over time?
Clowning: Effect without Content. Your audience should not be trying to intellectualize your actions or intent. How do clowns relate to kids vs adults?
Moments of universality:
Are they useful? DO we Want moments that Everyone can relate to? Is that too Hollywood?
Concept of Universality: assumption that on some level you can please everyone. Fascist?
Audience Research:
Why do you respond the way you do?
Visual/Physical/Sound based (Not Text!)
Movement: A universal language? (what about the blind?)
Sweeping generalizations about everyone: Imperial mindset. There is no one essential truth.
Postmodernism: Introductory material: Derrida
Theatre and Universality
Hans Lehmann: Post-Dramatic Theatre
Patrice Pavis
What are the possibilities and problematics of universality?
----
Laban: universality of movements: big moments in life, birth, death, eating, excreting, sleeping and waking. Relationship of universality to movement/theatre/multiculturalism
gesture reactions cross-cultural audience
study of gesture in painting?
what is my culture?
American culture may be too big an undertaking.
Audience reaction based on background
Classical Theatre:
Do audiences need particular education or background to "Get" classical theatre? It used to be for the people.
Baz Luhrman: Bringing people into Shakespeare, or bringing people into action movies with a Shakey twist?
Are we constantly developing Shakespeare, adapting it to relate to people?
In-Yer-Face: no escape if you're surrounded by the show, you can't avoid being involved. You can't check out. Trapped. Punch Drunk: very involved, actors touch you, feel like you're part of the show.
Average Theatre-goer vs Practitioner theatre-goer?
There should always be something in the show that keeps your attention which is Relevant to the Intended Experience.
What is the story behind clapping? Do we do so because we think we should or because we genuinely appreciated the show? How does this relate to the Forest Fringe donation scheme, whereby the audience is asked to give as much money at the end of the show as they think the performance was worth? Does that make audiences more honest? Is it more accurate than applause?
Wanting to Be Here makes the experience more enriching. Feel the dynamic of the area, not just the academic landscape.
----
Creating Stuff: What is the discrepancy between focusing on the process versus the product? Process without product...disappointing? Unfulfilling.
Street Clowns in Mexico--theatre of not being noticed.
The Ethics of Stepping into People's Lives (we should run away from this topic!)
I'm just going to go there and do it--what ever happens, happens. In applied theatre, baseline probable reaction goes out the window. There is no common ground--you're dealing with the mentally disturbed, prisoners, the poor, children, the theatrically disinclined...
What are our strengths/focal areas?
--working with disadvantaged groups
--immersive theatre
--classical theatre, Shakespeare for everyone
--Hamlet in Tower Hamlets
--Seek patterns of interest within a practical framework
--Concept of Hope: introduction in to the high theatre experience?
--Transformational theatre: materiality transforms performer and audience at the same time
--The Transformative Power of Performance: Maria Brenointch: Boa Constrictors (?)
Blast Theory: games as theatre? Do we even call it theatre anymore?
Sally Mackey: Thea Care Lian Trilogy: Site-Specific, how do you go back to your project after you've had a year to grow and change?
-Reception based on culture: if you know snakes, would you jump onstage to help Maria? Do you analyze with more depth? Does that inhibit self-expression?
If you have to plant a tree of study, where do you put it in relation to everyone's starting point?
(study one specific reaction to one specific stimulus in a variety of communities. But what's the control group?)
Why does theatre make you cry?
Filming the audience opens a whole new can of worms: how do they behave if they know they're being watched?
Difference between Reaction and Perception: ensure you focus on one and avoid language which could stimulate crossover. Identify "key concepts" which the subject typically suggests and establish straight-away whether or not you'll be addressing them in this instance.
(Make sure other people hear your idea before you choose to study it)
How do we get the Same reaction in different communities?
Can we create a universal language or effect can impact everyone the same way?
Different audience reactions to the same stimulus?
(We must acknowledge that there is no universal effect, no universal reaction)
What about "two girls/one cup": same idea of varying reactions to the same stimulus. add music, different forms: classical vs grunge-core music...vs silence.
People's reactions to naked human form?
Willing vs unwilling audience? Changes intensity of reaction, direction of reaction...
Aesop's fables: ubiquitous? actual universal themes: tyrants will always justify their tyranny, honesty triumphs over corruption...
Before/After: Can we find universality? Reaction study. Use one specific example.
Sudden reflexive reactions: valid? Not really.
Most Dangerous: US serial, real events when people die or get badly injured.
Find an effect that encourages Engagement rather than Escape. Effect that encourages participation rather than simple revulsion or flight reflexes.
Contrast what you see on faces against what participants say they felt.
----
Dang, the game has changed: more and more people are studying audiences than in the past few weeks. We are all acknowledging the role of the audience in understanding: the show is the impact of the piece on the audience in the context of their minds, their collective set of experiences. The show is in the interpretation.
The Metaphysical Shiver: (Taghrid?)
-Alienation through raising awareness. (can i fit this in?)
The attempt to identify problems to the general public. How does this impact people who just don't want to engage?
Claire: On MAATP 9 years ago, found it a time to disprove her own theories.
6 Core emotions at the heart of neurology that are recognizable across all cultures.
Duncan: playwright: command a sense of attention. How do you dictate specific types of attention? different ways of achieving it? Process does not dictate success.
Abstraction complicates things: truth is the most relevant.
What are the 10 things I want right now? (in 30 seconds)
Feminine Equality, Safety/Liberty, warmth/comfort, cleanliness, freedom from vermin, personal space, good food, friends, Ben, family.
(Funny those came out in a weird order, didn't they? Edit in hindsight, not in the process: find the sudden, uncensored self.)
What are 10 things I'm upset about right now? (in 30 seconds)
America, mindless entertainment, my tendency to sleep all day, my tendency to rant, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Chinese manufacturing takeover, travel and privacy infringement under the guise of safety, paranoia culture, institutionalized hatred
Theatre is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an unmovable object. (really? are you suggesting that the space between a rock and a hard place is filled with complaints?)
the power of pulling unpleasant information out of an audience: asking for secrets--what gives you the right to ask? Why are people complicit? Moreover, why am I complicit? In toda's study we have been the "Them" in the theatre: the recipients of the experience. the Audience.
Standaway Dance: IRA Bombings. Incredibly offensive play, groundbreaking.
Seven Jewish Children
Stockwell: Controversial, poorly researched dramatization of Brazilian man shot by police on the tube after 7/7
Non-Theatre audience: no clue-ers
Teenagers (Adrian) A-level age, East Londoners, 2nd generation British, no background in experimental theatre
Club Crowd @ Proud
Logistics:
Permission forms from parents for public display of kids' interviews, group audience filming.
Smart kids from rough neighborhoods, capable and talented kids from poverty
Tight communities: people who'd rather be poor than work for a stranger, or for a regular paycheck for helping achieve someone else's goals. Difficult to gather like-minded people without a name or a reputation.
What kind of show do we want to put on? Something enjoyable for both kids and adults?
(Ignorant audiences of theatre rarely express opinions, even if they have them, whereas everyone has an opinion about film, even if they don't know what went into it. Because people are used to the format. In theatre people are more likely to assume that they just don't get it. )
Do stories have to include some element of hope?
Are we studying gut reactions or thoughts over time?
Clowning: Effect without Content. Your audience should not be trying to intellectualize your actions or intent. How do clowns relate to kids vs adults?
Moments of universality:
Are they useful? DO we Want moments that Everyone can relate to? Is that too Hollywood?
Concept of Universality: assumption that on some level you can please everyone. Fascist?
Audience Research:
Why do you respond the way you do?
Visual/Physical/Sound based (Not Text!)
Movement: A universal language? (what about the blind?)
Sweeping generalizations about everyone: Imperial mindset. There is no one essential truth.
Postmodernism: Introductory material: Derrida
Theatre and Universality
Hans Lehmann: Post-Dramatic Theatre
Patrice Pavis
What are the possibilities and problematics of universality?
----
Laban: universality of movements: big moments in life, birth, death, eating, excreting, sleeping and waking. Relationship of universality to movement/theatre/multiculturalism
gesture reactions cross-cultural audience
study of gesture in painting?
what is my culture?
American culture may be too big an undertaking.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Research Meeting Notes, 25 January 2010
Does Audience Participation lead to enhanced internalization?
Brains vs conditioning: developmental norms in kids vs cultural differences in adults.
We should establish a questionnaire for selected audience members to fill out, or have a feedback session or discussion group and take many notes.
How about....
--a 30 second film or piece?
---Film has the benefit of being exactly repeatable.
---the flicker may hold attention
---live may be more fun but it is subject to conditions/constraints of space.
Woman Without Piano--emotive music during otherwise stagnant scenes. sound affects perception.
Film vs Live vs Photos
Verbatim Theatre--what is the effect of knowing that a story is true? (does this make things too complicated?)
Proud Gallery/Horseplay: Could we show a short film? With CCTV in the room? Perhaps include a comment book or shouting space to record responses.
Specific communities--most relevant to us.
--small enough to be manageable.
How do we find and organize people?
Perhaps we should talk to street performers:
--do you move around or stay put?
--where do people stop and watch? where do people put money in the hat?
--what is the reaction between an audience who chooses to be there vs an unwitting audience?
--how do we find these communities? How do we get them to see our shows?
Find a point you can always get back to. have a throughline.
remember that big generalizations are bad.
simple specific.
relation to senses--what if audience is blind? deaf? paralyzed?
Birth, Death, Fucking, and Shitting--these are universal.
Kissing vs Hugging in greeting re: multiculturalism.
Kissing in public--Signs of Affection. (signs brings semiology baggage)
people's reactions to kissing based on clothing, movement, facial expressions
Seeing your own experience played back at you
Something that can be Titled?
Kissing in Public--An Observer Study
How do we ensure that we don't over-extend our generalizations derived from research while still drawing useful conclusions from data?
How do we avoid a Western-Dominant stance in our study?
Does audience participation/interaction enhance interpretation/engagement with the performance?
Can we create work, as Westerners, that is truly intercultural?
Can you retain your culture in London, or does London adapt your culture to it?
we live in a white plastic culture--what does this do to identity here? What is Woman in White Plastic Culture?
Brains vs conditioning: developmental norms in kids vs cultural differences in adults.
We should establish a questionnaire for selected audience members to fill out, or have a feedback session or discussion group and take many notes.
How about....
--a 30 second film or piece?
---Film has the benefit of being exactly repeatable.
---the flicker may hold attention
---live may be more fun but it is subject to conditions/constraints of space.
Woman Without Piano--emotive music during otherwise stagnant scenes. sound affects perception.
Film vs Live vs Photos
Verbatim Theatre--what is the effect of knowing that a story is true? (does this make things too complicated?)
Proud Gallery/Horseplay: Could we show a short film? With CCTV in the room? Perhaps include a comment book or shouting space to record responses.
Specific communities--most relevant to us.
--small enough to be manageable.
How do we find and organize people?
Perhaps we should talk to street performers:
--do you move around or stay put?
--where do people stop and watch? where do people put money in the hat?
--what is the reaction between an audience who chooses to be there vs an unwitting audience?
--how do we find these communities? How do we get them to see our shows?
Find a point you can always get back to. have a throughline.
remember that big generalizations are bad.
simple specific.
relation to senses--what if audience is blind? deaf? paralyzed?
Birth, Death, Fucking, and Shitting--these are universal.
Kissing vs Hugging in greeting re: multiculturalism.
Kissing in public--Signs of Affection. (signs brings semiology baggage)
people's reactions to kissing based on clothing, movement, facial expressions
Seeing your own experience played back at you
Something that can be Titled?
Kissing in Public--An Observer Study
How do we ensure that we don't over-extend our generalizations derived from research while still drawing useful conclusions from data?
How do we avoid a Western-Dominant stance in our study?
Does audience participation/interaction enhance interpretation/engagement with the performance?
Can we create work, as Westerners, that is truly intercultural?
Can you retain your culture in London, or does London adapt your culture to it?
we live in a white plastic culture--what does this do to identity here? What is Woman in White Plastic Culture?
Toby Jones Practitioner Visit
notes after performances
--Think about when to start, when to stop looking. How do we indicate?
--as audiences we must assume that Everything is deliberate.
--it's always fascinating what you Tried to do, but it's completely irrelevant to what you Did.
--it was interesting watching you watching a show through the lens of your camera. documenting the first go.
--I saw something of the previous piece in it. what was lost, what was gained?
--Do we like being led around? 'We're ready for you' as a starting point for the audience. We don't like being placed.
--all the pieces shared abstraction, an atmosphere of silence and contemplation. Nothing was fast, sudden, or jerking. All studied proximity in some way. Great care was taken.
--secret codes for practitioners: putting a moment of theatre in a real-life setting.
--many concurrent languages
--humans have been installed, freeze frames--indicates that the first movement will be important.
--a toy car on stage can be a real car. Objects become symbols whether we mean it or not. We try to create meaning for ourselves, but the question is always pervasive--Am I getting it? We try to understand patterns. Is there a pattern, or am I overanalyzing? It all matters to the observer. Each movement affects our relationship with the objects onstage.
--Why did we enjoy watching a clockwork train? (If we knew that, we wouldn't need theatre.)
--That which is open to any interpretation has no value.
--Please, then rupture. Form, shape--then take away. Establish then destroy--what is that feeling, loss of what we understood or identified with?
--Strictly observed ritual behaviour. What does this do to the un-invited audience? Effective atonal silence, tonal silence. Articulating interesting shapes, arranging recognizable moments into new sequences.
Out of Light Comes Sound.
Why are the performers drawn to the light?
If you can make Out into In, you can play with preconception.
--Think about when to start, when to stop looking. How do we indicate?
--as audiences we must assume that Everything is deliberate.
--it's always fascinating what you Tried to do, but it's completely irrelevant to what you Did.
--it was interesting watching you watching a show through the lens of your camera. documenting the first go.
--I saw something of the previous piece in it. what was lost, what was gained?
--Do we like being led around? 'We're ready for you' as a starting point for the audience. We don't like being placed.
--all the pieces shared abstraction, an atmosphere of silence and contemplation. Nothing was fast, sudden, or jerking. All studied proximity in some way. Great care was taken.
--secret codes for practitioners: putting a moment of theatre in a real-life setting.
--many concurrent languages
--humans have been installed, freeze frames--indicates that the first movement will be important.
--a toy car on stage can be a real car. Objects become symbols whether we mean it or not. We try to create meaning for ourselves, but the question is always pervasive--Am I getting it? We try to understand patterns. Is there a pattern, or am I overanalyzing? It all matters to the observer. Each movement affects our relationship with the objects onstage.
--Why did we enjoy watching a clockwork train? (If we knew that, we wouldn't need theatre.)
--That which is open to any interpretation has no value.
--Please, then rupture. Form, shape--then take away. Establish then destroy--what is that feeling, loss of what we understood or identified with?
--Strictly observed ritual behaviour. What does this do to the un-invited audience? Effective atonal silence, tonal silence. Articulating interesting shapes, arranging recognizable moments into new sequences.
Out of Light Comes Sound.
Why are the performers drawn to the light?
If you can make Out into In, you can play with preconception.
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