The fact that the scene is substantial and yet, empty, facilitates the 'wearing' of it."
'Of Photography' is a solo-piece using technology, the body and the audience. It premiered in April 2010 at Plateaux Festival as a Plateaux co-production.
Score: The audience are instructed to photograph the performer who stands naked and still in the middle of the space, and then to place the photos on her. The audience uses three compact cameras and the photos wirelessly transfer to print on sticky photo-paper. At an improvised point in the performance, the performer unplugs the printer. She then walks up to individual audience members and offer them to peel one sticker off to keep before leaving the space.
For concept, see the post Of Photography.
The first ideas for the piece came over a year ago but the main development of the performance took place during a week's residency at Kunstlerhaus Mousonturm, Frankfurt.
One week to develop a live performance is not very much. Even for a conceptual, action based piece like 'Of Photography'.
I discovered a few things during my residency:
The audience is an exciting 'material' to work with but it's also a huge material. I feel I have only started scratching the surface...
With just one audience test prior to the performance, the actual performance experience felt compromised and limited for both performer and audience. This has not been a problem in earlier, intervention type work.
The audience needs to be part of the rehearsal process. This is tricky for several reasons. A 'real audience' rarely happens apart from at actual performances, and rehearsals with an initiated, small audience will only provide insight up to a certain point.
'Of Photography' has a strong concept. The challenge is to make it work as a live piece.
After feeling disappointed with how the performances went, it felt natural to begin a studio research once back in Brighton. My starting point will be this piece and its base concepts, and build on my work from the past year. I am not calling it anything yet, apart from perhaps 'Nightingale Sessions'....
With the kind support of Nightingale Theatre, my two-month research and development will start there on June 7th. It will be a time to experiment and play in a dedicated space, with great people to help me! See NEWS section for audience rehearsal dates if you want to join (just let me know).
Time has come to complement - and counteract - last year's over-used 'thinking about it'.
