Convener: griet spanhove
Participants: Peter Canter – Deepa – Griet – leslie goosen
Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:
We came out to an improvisation to make the intangible make tangible
1. make a physical action (the same) with the group PLUS
2. put an atmosphere on it (we choose for solitude) PLUS
3. Give a relationship to each person, who is who? What is the relationship, how do we make it visible without words PLUS
4. put different rhythms , pauses, tempos on it PLUS
5. what is the super objective, the moral that you want that the audience sees
Inspirited work with a lot of fun and and experience to work with people you do not know
Showing posts with label performing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label performing. Show all posts
Friday, 5 February 2010
089 What types of women are we not seeing on stage?
Convener: Mandy Fenton
Participants: Lots…
Some facts, figures, info on survey findings - followed by the summary of D&D discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:
1. Gender Equality Duty: -
2. Equality Bill published 2009, expected to come into force autumn 2010 containing significant clauses outlawing gender and age discrimination
3. Some European Commission/FIA findings in survey 2008 - Research on age, gender and performer employment conducted by Dr Deborah Dean of the Warwick Business School:
4. Equity Petition Feb 2009:
5. Sphinx Theatre - Vamps, Vixens and Feminists Conference 2009 - Summary Factsheet 2006 findings:
a. Theatre: 2006: Women in Theatre Survey. 16-29 Jan 2006 inclusive.
Theatre – Writing
b. Screen and Broadcast: Writer’s Guild TV Committee, 1 month of Radio Times issues
c. UK Film Council Report – Women writing for film
Summary of D&D discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:
In light of shocking and depressing statistics relating to women in the industry in 2009 the question ‘What types of women are we not seeing on stage?” seems a significant and good start point for convening this discussion...
There were both male and female participants in this discussion, many of the women participating did not feel adequately represented on stage, particularly around stereo-typing and age considerations.
• Some suggestions of types of women we’re not seeing were made by participants before the discussion broadened out to wider issues, with awareness there are many, many more to be made:
• Why aren’t we seeing them, what is the source of the problem?
• Suggestions/considerations/reflections from participants around the current situation concerning representation of women
• Actions suggested/ to be taken following this D&D discussion
Participants: Lots…
Some facts, figures, info on survey findings - followed by the summary of D&D discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:
1. Gender Equality Duty: -
“The gender equality duty comes into force in April 2007 and is the biggest change in sex equality legislation in thirty years, since the introduction of the Sex Discrimination Act itself. It has been introduced in recognition of the need for a radical new approach to equality – one which places more responsibility with service providers to think strategically about gender equality, rather than leaving it to individuals to challenge poor practice. “(Equal Opportunities Commission Chair Jenny Watson Nov 2006)
2. Equality Bill published 2009, expected to come into force autumn 2010 containing significant clauses outlawing gender and age discrimination
3. Some European Commission/FIA findings in survey 2008 - Research on age, gender and performer employment conducted by Dr Deborah Dean of the Warwick Business School:
• 57% of women felt that their gender restricted employment opportunities (6% of men felt the same).
• The number of women active in the industry declines sharply from the age of 50 – only 17.8% of women were in the older age group, 30% of men were over 50.
• 50% of men believed that getting older was an advantage in relation to pay, 70% of women said it was a disadvantage
• 33% of men earned more than £20,000 per year, 19.7% of women earned at the same levels.
• 2009 Euro/FIA Project : “Engendering Change: Strategies to Combat Gender Stereotypes and Promote Equal Opportunities for Performers in Theatre, Film and Television in Europe” – To move research into action
4. Equity Petition Feb 2009:
“Over half the viewing public is female, yet in TV drama for every female character, there are two male characters - (35.3% female roles to 63.5% male roles). Whilst leading parts are frequently played by male actors over 45, women in this age group start to disappear from our screens. The message this sends to viewers is distorted and distorting. We call on all the major UK television channels to take action to correct this imbalance”.
5. Sphinx Theatre - Vamps, Vixens and Feminists Conference 2009 - Summary Factsheet 2006 findings:
a. Theatre: 2006: Women in Theatre Survey. 16-29 Jan 2006 inclusive.
Theatre – Writing
• In 1983, only 20 out of 620 (3.2%) of plays were written by women, excluding Agatha Christie. In 2006, out of 140 productions sampled only 13 written by women (9%), with 22 collaborations (16%)
• Out of 48 new writing productions, only 8 were written by women (17%) with 10 collaborations (21%)
• Out of 9 new adaptations/translations, 5 were by men, 0 by women, with 4 collaborations
• In 1983, 7% of playwrights were women, whilst in 2006, 17% of playwrights are women
Theatre – Roles
• In 1983, only approx 12% of directors were women. In 2006, out of 140 productions sampled only 32 were directed by women (23%), with 6 collaborations (4%) and 5 unknown (4%)
• On stage, Sphinx’s survey found that 38% of roles were for women
• On television, Equity has found that 35.5% of roles are for women
b. Screen and Broadcast: Writer’s Guild TV Committee, 1 month of Radio Times issues
• Out of 179 television programmes, only 50 were written by women (28%)
• Out of 49 radio programmes, only 12 were written by women (24%)
c. UK Film Council Report – Women writing for film
• Only 26% of women writers write for film
• Women screenwriters are credited on less that 15% of films between 1999 – 2003
• Films written by women screenwriters are as likely to gain a release as those written by men
• The Box Office return for British films with a female screenwriter is $1.25 per £1 budget, compared with $1.16 for films with all-male writers.
Summary of D&D discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:
In light of shocking and depressing statistics relating to women in the industry in 2009 the question ‘What types of women are we not seeing on stage?” seems a significant and good start point for convening this discussion...
There were both male and female participants in this discussion, many of the women participating did not feel adequately represented on stage, particularly around stereo-typing and age considerations.
• Some suggestions of types of women we’re not seeing were made by participants before the discussion broadened out to wider issues, with awareness there are many, many more to be made:
- 15% of single women are happier in their 50’s. Planning life in 50’s. Women in positions of responsibility with angst about time spent with children, court systems and women – women being separated from children through divorce of if child is in trouble with the law. Menopause and sex being great after menopause as less worries, older women giving advice, Family law, UK is bottom of welfare league in Europe for child welfare - ability to be a good mum in a system that doesn’t support them.
• Why aren’t we seeing them, what is the source of the problem?
- Women directors who have kids get wiped out. Exceptions: Thea Sharrock and Marianne Elliot. This can also occur for women in all areas of work where attendance hours are long.
- Writer told us she has been asked to put more men in the script/women under 30
- Commercial compromises i.e. Kidron’s first script was about Greenham Common whereas she recently directed a Bridget Jones film
- Historically women have been on stage a shorter time so there are a large amount of existing plays for predominantly male casts
- What kind of plays do producers/audiences want? i.e. participant remarks on a perceptible difference between Germany and UK and finds comparatively that here producers are predominantly thinking about selling tickets and star system
- Many literary managers are female but are they supporting the women in these networks? One participant mentioned a news article about a recent experiment done where plays were presented to female literary agents with some of those written by women attributed to male writers and vice versa – findings here were that when the plays were attributed to a female writer they were consistently marked lower.
- Confidence, self-restriction, self-editing
• Suggestions/considerations/reflections from participants around the current situation concerning representation of women
- One participant discussed the development of the strong female character in her forthcoming solo show and voiced her fears about buying into stereo-types of ‘mad hysterical woman’ . The character is quite enticing and she is worried about picking up outside, received ideas/stereotypes of women. Discussion on this perhaps being a tendency for writers and a strong point raised for writers to reflect on when writing female character
- Write more female protagonists, set out to write more female parts, put women in roles where you would ‘expect’ to see men
- Many stories are ‘guy’s stories’ – reverse the male gaze. Theatre de Soleil given as an example in this approach
- ‘It’s Complicated’ – Meryl Streep’s new film
- Point raised about too many women being on stage talking about relationships, not enough about ambition / competitiveness / creativity / movers within the world politically
- Concern voiced that there has been awareness around this issue for years - i.e. memories of university essays written years ago etc – and that this situation still has not been adequately addressed despite women being 52% of the population. The need for men, as much as women, in taking responsibility to address this issue
- Don’t wait for other people to do it. Women work in ways they want to work now, keep doing what you do – challenge commissioning editors/producers. Need to stop thinking of what other people are going to buy. Make relationships happen and get them to see something they might not see
- Reverse casting – need to think about this when casting – sometimes have to question the reflex which may first think of a man in a role
- If writing a ballsy character, not to just see this in terms of a division between male and female behaviour
- How to write about the lived existence of a strong woman, ‘f**k’ the setting and tell the story. Would it be pushed aside because of this? Is there danger in saying women’s stuff has to be outside of these structure?
- Now there many women are coming through in genuine positions of earned power and still negotiating their identities within this.
- Is there any impact in the structures of the new playwriting going on?
- Hard to get female gay relationships on stage – One participant writer said she had been asked to take the female gay relationship out of her script - male gay relationships more acceptable. Sarah Walters writes these relationships in a historical context - if its detached in this way then it seems it can be accepted more readily?
- There is a branding issue for the big theatres – that they work with writers they want to write with. There was the positive suggestion that now perhaps they will want to work with more women writers and theatre makers as this issue could almost become ‘trendy’ ...
- Resources such as The Bush Theatre’s Bush Green online facility for playwrights, 17percent network for women writers http://17percent.wordpress.com and http://17percent.co.uk/index.php , Clean Break, Unfinished Histories, Magdalena Project - Jill Greenhalgh Aberystwyth University etc
• Actions suggested/ to be taken following this D&D discussion
-Several participants expressed the wish for a continuing forum or conference. Proposal that one of D&D monthly session be themed around this issue, to deepen this discussion, exploration of subsequent insights/thoughts and suggestions of possible actions arising from this.
Thursday, 4 February 2010
083 what do actors really need to learn?
Convener: Mark Phoenix
Participants: Liam O aristoll, lisa stubbs, roger Phillips, andy Harman, rajha shakiry, nigel Richards, leo wood, shakera louise ahad, Charlie folorvois
Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:
Following comments from yesterday’s session, where difficulties with quality work were discussed, I latched onto one problem: the actors ego.
My premise is that drama training positively encourages this, and is a breeding ground for actors’ ego. So my issue is what should we be teaching to the next generation of actors.
Initially it was thought that what was really important cant be taught, but is learnt through experience.
We then moved on to a discussion of actors issues in dealing with the reality of the working environment, your unique selling point, dealing with unemployment, finding your niche and the need to survive. And a call to bring in/back a progression route. Fringe- weekly rep- more substantial parts.
Then the discussion moved from actors worries, as directors, writers, designers, producers got involved in the discussion.
From a writers perspective, actors need to be open and offer themselves/ideas into the rehearsal space to learn to work with and collaborate with a writer.
From director/ designer perspective, actors need to understand the other roles in theatre. Lighting, stage management costume, set…… how else can the collaboration happen? The actor needs to get used to the costume/ props.
Bad tuition
Traditionally drama schools think they have the right to tell you
“you are shit” this leads to defensiveness, and self protection and then egotism.
From a training perspective, what tools does an actor use?
Observation Transformation Interpretation
So self analysis to eliminate default behaviour, becoming a character and working with the imaginary world.
The story is not about you! Actors play small roles, but they are equally important to the story, but if usual acting techniques are applied ie; my
Objectives, my journey, this becomes a distraction to the protagonists journey
And objectives. Strangely enough the lead actor/protagonist of story is the only one who cannot see the vision of the show. Eg; The lighting design is not seen as the lights are on you all the time. So a lead will race on with their interpretation without listening to ensemble and everyone else plays catch up.
Its not about the actors comfort but the audience comfort.
Physicality- the neutral mask, a useful tool for saying what you see.
Unfortunately voice, movement and acting are taught as separate and not seen as part of the holistic whole. Our physical system is all one
Work on body response/ breath work.
Outside in or inside out? Do we live by our will power or as a response to the world?.
Neuroscience- imagination sets up real responses within neurons and is only stopped by inhibitors (social control). Imagining yourself doing a 100m uses more calories than imagining a jog.!!! So Imagine more= giving more. Our body gives us our emotion.
Actors says that scientist say that there are 27 senses not 5! The audience is hardwired to respond to fake/truth of physiological behaviour of human face and body language.
NO breakfasts
All the back story of what your character had for breakfast is often not relevant. Do it if you must but don’t bring it into rehearsal. Is it readable? Often not. The trap is that the actor becomes safe and comfortable and removes risk in performance.
The observer affects the experiment
Being watched changes the way that you behave, this is often the cause of much blocking within actors. Hence defensiveness, hence ego.
To the actor (notes and suggestions)
The job is to live truthfully and
Tell stories.
The things we can’t communicate are the essence of what we are trying to do. =theatre.
Unlearn bad habits
Take risk / be brave
Work as an ensemble
Consider yourself a theatre maker and not an actor
Theatre is a creative act, actors are not puppets.
Fear is natural.
Take responsibility within performance.
Keep it live and present
Does it communicate?
Resolve the gestalt.
Deal with “what is” not the plan
Be able to translate directions (director /actor interface)
Communicate theatre language
Allow audience to be part of translation process.
Find shades of grey.
Let audience follow your choices
Lose as actor and character.
Discover size of performance/style of work
You can note someone’s behaviour, e.g.; you are angry- but you cannot know why just by looking at them.
Don’t fight truth of moment
Learn clarity of thought
Learn to be switched on; focused
Raise the stakes- make it more important
It’s not about you. Use the other actors
Have autonomy. You will meet bad directors. Don’t be bullied.
You will meet good directors, - acquiesce
Learn to problem solve. How do I do that?
Things are working if there are more questions than answers
Learn to receive
Small parts create the world
Remember it is for the audience, not you.
Reading list Drew Leder Absent Body
Antonio de Mazio Descartes Error
David Mamet True and False
Declan Donalan The actor and his target.
Books on Jung, cognitive therapy, deception and con men.
Participants: Liam O aristoll, lisa stubbs, roger Phillips, andy Harman, rajha shakiry, nigel Richards, leo wood, shakera louise ahad, Charlie folorvois
Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:
Following comments from yesterday’s session, where difficulties with quality work were discussed, I latched onto one problem: the actors ego.
My premise is that drama training positively encourages this, and is a breeding ground for actors’ ego. So my issue is what should we be teaching to the next generation of actors.
Initially it was thought that what was really important cant be taught, but is learnt through experience.
We then moved on to a discussion of actors issues in dealing with the reality of the working environment, your unique selling point, dealing with unemployment, finding your niche and the need to survive. And a call to bring in/back a progression route. Fringe- weekly rep- more substantial parts.
Then the discussion moved from actors worries, as directors, writers, designers, producers got involved in the discussion.
From a writers perspective, actors need to be open and offer themselves/ideas into the rehearsal space to learn to work with and collaborate with a writer.
From director/ designer perspective, actors need to understand the other roles in theatre. Lighting, stage management costume, set…… how else can the collaboration happen? The actor needs to get used to the costume/ props.
Bad tuition
Traditionally drama schools think they have the right to tell you
“you are shit” this leads to defensiveness, and self protection and then egotism.
From a training perspective, what tools does an actor use?
Observation Transformation Interpretation
So self analysis to eliminate default behaviour, becoming a character and working with the imaginary world.
The story is not about you! Actors play small roles, but they are equally important to the story, but if usual acting techniques are applied ie; my
Objectives, my journey, this becomes a distraction to the protagonists journey
And objectives. Strangely enough the lead actor/protagonist of story is the only one who cannot see the vision of the show. Eg; The lighting design is not seen as the lights are on you all the time. So a lead will race on with their interpretation without listening to ensemble and everyone else plays catch up.
Its not about the actors comfort but the audience comfort.
Physicality- the neutral mask, a useful tool for saying what you see.
Unfortunately voice, movement and acting are taught as separate and not seen as part of the holistic whole. Our physical system is all one
Work on body response/ breath work.
Outside in or inside out? Do we live by our will power or as a response to the world?.
Neuroscience- imagination sets up real responses within neurons and is only stopped by inhibitors (social control). Imagining yourself doing a 100m uses more calories than imagining a jog.!!! So Imagine more= giving more. Our body gives us our emotion.
Actors says that scientist say that there are 27 senses not 5! The audience is hardwired to respond to fake/truth of physiological behaviour of human face and body language.
NO breakfasts
All the back story of what your character had for breakfast is often not relevant. Do it if you must but don’t bring it into rehearsal. Is it readable? Often not. The trap is that the actor becomes safe and comfortable and removes risk in performance.
The observer affects the experiment
Being watched changes the way that you behave, this is often the cause of much blocking within actors. Hence defensiveness, hence ego.
To the actor (notes and suggestions)
The job is to live truthfully and
Tell stories.
The things we can’t communicate are the essence of what we are trying to do. =theatre.
Unlearn bad habits
Take risk / be brave
Work as an ensemble
Consider yourself a theatre maker and not an actor
Theatre is a creative act, actors are not puppets.
Fear is natural.
Take responsibility within performance.
Keep it live and present
Does it communicate?
Resolve the gestalt.
Deal with “what is” not the plan
Be able to translate directions (director /actor interface)
Communicate theatre language
Allow audience to be part of translation process.
Find shades of grey.
Let audience follow your choices
Lose as actor and character.
Discover size of performance/style of work
You can note someone’s behaviour, e.g.; you are angry- but you cannot know why just by looking at them.
Don’t fight truth of moment
Learn clarity of thought
Learn to be switched on; focused
Raise the stakes- make it more important
It’s not about you. Use the other actors
Have autonomy. You will meet bad directors. Don’t be bullied.
You will meet good directors, - acquiesce
Learn to problem solve. How do I do that?
Things are working if there are more questions than answers
Learn to receive
Small parts create the world
Remember it is for the audience, not you.
Reading list Drew Leder Absent Body
Antonio de Mazio Descartes Error
David Mamet True and False
Declan Donalan The actor and his target.
Books on Jung, cognitive therapy, deception and con men.
054 Live Music In Theatre
Convener: Beccy Owen
Participants: Mary O’connor, Annie Rigby, Loren O’Dair, Sandra Yee, Laoise Davidson, Natalie Queril, Anne O’Brien, Sara Perka, Rob Dixon,
Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:
I’m a singer/songwriter/composer/poet based in the North east and I’m currently developing a solo theatre piece that will incorporate music. Having not inhabited the ‘theatre world’ as much as the regional/national music scene, I wanted a conversation about Live Music in Theatre in general, to explore various issues and to be given recommendations for innovative and exciting theatre that’s already happening.
If anyone wants to get in touch with any ideas, reflections or to work together, please email fairysnuff at gmail.com. My website is www.beccyowen.com
Summary:
Parallel between accompanying silent film – music/musician becomes another voice or character.
Working with actors and song – can be barriers to singing, even in trained actors. Whole generation of people who culturally, and largely via education system, grew to believe that singing was a specialism occupied by the few, not accessible to all. This is shifting now, but still work to be done.
What is the underlying fear for people? Being revealed, fear of unknown/failure. People tend to ‘get in the way’ of themselves – singing is about getting out of the way. About letting go and not holding on
Audiences who go see opera already made leap and have expectation re: music’s involvement in the piece.
Naturalism – not so overt. Can be more unstable.
Back to film parallels and the role of soundtracks. One rule – if don’t’ notice the music, job done. Another way – music integral to the meaning and interpretation i.e. ‘There Will Be Blood’ – first 15 mins no speaking, music continues to penetrate and permeate throughout. Facebook group ‘I judge a film by it’s soundtrack’
Very exciting when respect between two crafts – music and acting – apparent.
Questions that arose:
• How conscious do you want the music to be?
• How visible/present are the musicians?
• Tendency to directors to feel they have to be ‘musicians’ to have a voice? Explored idea that all can find a vocabulary, and that characterization may help in terms of asking what you want i.e. from actors who are going to sing ‘what voice will serve the piece, how can actors be helped to find this voice?’ go back to character, research musical styles/heritage.
• Songs enhancing the action or integral to moving it?
• When making theatre, how often break into song in the piece? Judge by what the song is serving. Is it a play with songs or a musical?
• Working to a formulae i.e. in ‘musical’ or subverting/outside - Brecht – anti music. Punk approach, Shockheaded Peter, Sweeny Todd
• How inject feeling of a gig, that kind of rousing, undulating energy, into theatre piece?
• How resist the formula when writing musical(s)/musical theatre? Rehearsal room can support = leaving space for musicians to be part of exploration/devising.
• Using audience participation to create live music – possibility for wildness. What do you allow in? Very interesting question
Conclusions/recommendations:
Music synthesised with action in inspiring, surprising or interesting ways:
Porgy and Bess
Spring Awakening
Lorca’s 13 songs (various versions cited – some effective, some less so)
Tom Bancroft Kidsamonium’ – Wildness that is permitted. Improvising to movement. ‘
The Lost Voice (South Bank)– female beatboxing, live sound effects. Vibrations used.
Marvin Hamnish – Cabaret show. Made songs from lines from the audience.
Trevor Griffiths ‘A New World’, about Tom Payne
Cinderella (few years ago) Hammersmith – Norwegian Ice Musician. On stage but separate from action. Interval was the ball – musician became purely for audience
Mask of the Red Death – Cabaret bar in middle. Audience members of the cast. Areas of building different bands in. Segued into gig at end. Seamlessness between situations.
1,000 Revolutions Per Moment – KX. 24th April. Segues gig at end.
Knee High – had a phase of making exciting synthesised theatre. Playing with losing control. Musician as renegade. i.e. Cymbeline at Northern Stage, musician’s played on roof of building.
Chumbawumba – wanted to be part of company. Red Ladder theatre.
The Worcester Group
Romeo and Juliet – Mercury – Dirty Street Tango Orchestra. Dir. Ed Hughes. Opening 3 weeks time.
Orchestra del Sol – very versatile mobile or static. Pieces have theatrical stories in them.
8th Feb – meeting of panel of musical directors, organised by Musical Theatre Matters. Held in The Stag, Victoria. Role, trends, what’s happening.
Participants: Mary O’connor, Annie Rigby, Loren O’Dair, Sandra Yee, Laoise Davidson, Natalie Queril, Anne O’Brien, Sara Perka, Rob Dixon,
Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:
I’m a singer/songwriter/composer/poet based in the North east and I’m currently developing a solo theatre piece that will incorporate music. Having not inhabited the ‘theatre world’ as much as the regional/national music scene, I wanted a conversation about Live Music in Theatre in general, to explore various issues and to be given recommendations for innovative and exciting theatre that’s already happening.
If anyone wants to get in touch with any ideas, reflections or to work together, please email fairysnuff at gmail.com. My website is www.beccyowen.com
Summary:
Parallel between accompanying silent film – music/musician becomes another voice or character.
Working with actors and song – can be barriers to singing, even in trained actors. Whole generation of people who culturally, and largely via education system, grew to believe that singing was a specialism occupied by the few, not accessible to all. This is shifting now, but still work to be done.
What is the underlying fear for people? Being revealed, fear of unknown/failure. People tend to ‘get in the way’ of themselves – singing is about getting out of the way. About letting go and not holding on
Audiences who go see opera already made leap and have expectation re: music’s involvement in the piece.
Naturalism – not so overt. Can be more unstable.
Back to film parallels and the role of soundtracks. One rule – if don’t’ notice the music, job done. Another way – music integral to the meaning and interpretation i.e. ‘There Will Be Blood’ – first 15 mins no speaking, music continues to penetrate and permeate throughout. Facebook group ‘I judge a film by it’s soundtrack’
Very exciting when respect between two crafts – music and acting – apparent.
Questions that arose:
• How conscious do you want the music to be?
• How visible/present are the musicians?
• Tendency to directors to feel they have to be ‘musicians’ to have a voice? Explored idea that all can find a vocabulary, and that characterization may help in terms of asking what you want i.e. from actors who are going to sing ‘what voice will serve the piece, how can actors be helped to find this voice?’ go back to character, research musical styles/heritage.
• Songs enhancing the action or integral to moving it?
• When making theatre, how often break into song in the piece? Judge by what the song is serving. Is it a play with songs or a musical?
• Working to a formulae i.e. in ‘musical’ or subverting/outside - Brecht – anti music. Punk approach, Shockheaded Peter, Sweeny Todd
• How inject feeling of a gig, that kind of rousing, undulating energy, into theatre piece?
• How resist the formula when writing musical(s)/musical theatre? Rehearsal room can support = leaving space for musicians to be part of exploration/devising.
• Using audience participation to create live music – possibility for wildness. What do you allow in? Very interesting question
Conclusions/recommendations:
Music synthesised with action in inspiring, surprising or interesting ways:
Porgy and Bess
Spring Awakening
Lorca’s 13 songs (various versions cited – some effective, some less so)
Tom Bancroft Kidsamonium’ – Wildness that is permitted. Improvising to movement. ‘
The Lost Voice (South Bank)– female beatboxing, live sound effects. Vibrations used.
Marvin Hamnish – Cabaret show. Made songs from lines from the audience.
Trevor Griffiths ‘A New World’, about Tom Payne
Cinderella (few years ago) Hammersmith – Norwegian Ice Musician. On stage but separate from action. Interval was the ball – musician became purely for audience
Mask of the Red Death – Cabaret bar in middle. Audience members of the cast. Areas of building different bands in. Segued into gig at end. Seamlessness between situations.
1,000 Revolutions Per Moment – KX. 24th April. Segues gig at end.
Knee High – had a phase of making exciting synthesised theatre. Playing with losing control. Musician as renegade. i.e. Cymbeline at Northern Stage, musician’s played on roof of building.
Chumbawumba – wanted to be part of company. Red Ladder theatre.
The Worcester Group
Romeo and Juliet – Mercury – Dirty Street Tango Orchestra. Dir. Ed Hughes. Opening 3 weeks time.
Orchestra del Sol – very versatile mobile or static. Pieces have theatrical stories in them.
8th Feb – meeting of panel of musical directors, organised by Musical Theatre Matters. Held in The Stag, Victoria. Role, trends, what’s happening.
045 Playful Writing: Writing for theatre without writing plays
Convener: Matilda Leyser
Participants:
Oli Townsend, Hanna Walker, Ben Luke, Katey Woolmer, Gregor Henderson-Begg, Anouk Miskti, Sam Hall, Emma Newborn, Catriona James, Jen Toksvig, Peter Cant, Mary O’Conor, Grict Spanhove, Greg Wohead
Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:
Lots and lots of questions…………
What does it mean to be a ‘writer’? Is it a role that anyone can inhabit?
What would it be like if the writer’s name was left off the credits of everything in the theatre for 6 months?
What is the difference between the (live) experience of reading and seeing a piece of theatre?
What are playful plays?
How would you leave enough space in a theatre show/ play so that, as with a book, the audience had to construct the world in their imaginations?
What makes a text more suitable to be read (silently on page) as against performed out loud?
Why is poetry often painful to hear on stage?
Am I the best person to read out loud/ perform my own work?
How much do you experience the process of writing/ composition to be similar/ different from improvising?
Do you use improvising exercises to write?
Should we just talk about ‘creating’ and ditch the word ‘writing’?
What do an audience need to stay engaged in a bit of writing as they listen to it?
Are different forms of writing inherently different skills? Or is it all the same skill set and if you can write poetry then you can write dialogue too?
Can writing be an extension of movement?
When you write do you take it down from dictation in your imagination or do you see images, or what?
What is the difference, if any, between a monologue performance and a performance poet performing their work?
What makes a play ‘a play’ if there are plays without words?
Participants:
Oli Townsend, Hanna Walker, Ben Luke, Katey Woolmer, Gregor Henderson-Begg, Anouk Miskti, Sam Hall, Emma Newborn, Catriona James, Jen Toksvig, Peter Cant, Mary O’Conor, Grict Spanhove, Greg Wohead
Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:
Lots and lots of questions…………
What does it mean to be a ‘writer’? Is it a role that anyone can inhabit?
What would it be like if the writer’s name was left off the credits of everything in the theatre for 6 months?
What is the difference between the (live) experience of reading and seeing a piece of theatre?
What are playful plays?
How would you leave enough space in a theatre show/ play so that, as with a book, the audience had to construct the world in their imaginations?
What makes a text more suitable to be read (silently on page) as against performed out loud?
Why is poetry often painful to hear on stage?
Am I the best person to read out loud/ perform my own work?
How much do you experience the process of writing/ composition to be similar/ different from improvising?
Do you use improvising exercises to write?
Should we just talk about ‘creating’ and ditch the word ‘writing’?
What do an audience need to stay engaged in a bit of writing as they listen to it?
Are different forms of writing inherently different skills? Or is it all the same skill set and if you can write poetry then you can write dialogue too?
Can writing be an extension of movement?
When you write do you take it down from dictation in your imagination or do you see images, or what?
What is the difference, if any, between a monologue performance and a performance poet performing their work?
What makes a play ‘a play’ if there are plays without words?
029 Solo Show Sharing
Convener: Stella Duffy
Participants: Emma Deakin, David Green, Martyn Duffy, Morvern Macbeth, Emma Newborbn, Natalie queron, Dan Copeland, Liz Porter, Mark Trezona, Beccy Owen, Rupert Jones, Angela Clerkin
And others
Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:
Lots of questions and then a festival!!!
- Applying for (funding, a space, a festival) first, before making show, is a good provocation to get it made! Deadlines very useful.
- What do we make our stories about?
- When are we ‘allowed’ to make a show? At start of our career? Only at end of our career when we have ‘something’ to say?
- solo shows are not necessarily autobiographical
- where does it come from? – for some of us theatre is the place to process the big questions – disease, illness, death, life babies, birth, divorce, marriage etc & solo show a good form to do that.
- it’s useful to ask people (people we trust/like) to watch us, work with us, while making – so we know what interests them as well as what interests us.
- is there a predjudice against solo shows? What brings audiences in? name? subject matter?
- it can be useful to find a way to talk to audience, to include them
- if the show is autobiographical, it doesn’t also have to be fully ‘truthful’
- for a singer it makes a difference to talk (or not) between songs, how the singer presents themselves is also a ‘show’ (or not!)
- when it’s just you on stage, the audience project hugely on to you, about who and what you are
- how do we physicalise our characters in making a solo show? Do we need to? Can just sitting and talking be enough? If not, are we sure fully physicalised other characters are useful/the right thing? Is somewhere in between useful?
- the value of design/sound to ‘hold up’ the performer
- solo shows are cheaper to tour!!
- is it ok to make it purely for yourself? Do you need to worry about what the audience wants/thinks/how they react? How concerned are we about being self-indulgent?
- we like AUDACITY rather than self-indulgence!
- what is the smallest number of audience you’d do a solo show for? 1? 2? 4?
- is it ok just to sit on a chair and tell a story? Can that be ‘theatrical’ enough? Is it ok to add in loads of stuff (sound, lights, screen, projection) or is that too scary?
- Angela : ‘what I don’t like is thinking I could hear this in a pub, what I want is something that lifts it’
- the value of trying things out, time to play, very useful, hard to keep perspective alone
- Mark Trezona : ‘the audience relationship is at its most compelling when there is only one performer’
- all good theatre is a conversation
- then a longer discussion about using other media in solo shows, and can it interfere or be useful? Angela said the bits that feel like conversation need to be live, the stuff that feels like atmosphere can be video, useful to identify what’s best to be screened/recorded/live.
- it’s possible to stretch a 40 min show to a 60 min show (when required!) by adding 20 mins of great conversation with the audience!
And then ….
- what if there was a festival of solo shows? Have there been any? If there was one, would people go? Would we?
- Several people might want to make solo shows together, maybe sharing designers, directors etc, supporting each other
- We might well make a group and make a festival of solo shows! Natalie is (probably) actionning this on Monday …
Participants: Emma Deakin, David Green, Martyn Duffy, Morvern Macbeth, Emma Newborbn, Natalie queron, Dan Copeland, Liz Porter, Mark Trezona, Beccy Owen, Rupert Jones, Angela Clerkin
And others
Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:
Lots of questions and then a festival!!!
- Applying for (funding, a space, a festival) first, before making show, is a good provocation to get it made! Deadlines very useful.
- What do we make our stories about?
- When are we ‘allowed’ to make a show? At start of our career? Only at end of our career when we have ‘something’ to say?
- solo shows are not necessarily autobiographical
- where does it come from? – for some of us theatre is the place to process the big questions – disease, illness, death, life babies, birth, divorce, marriage etc & solo show a good form to do that.
- it’s useful to ask people (people we trust/like) to watch us, work with us, while making – so we know what interests them as well as what interests us.
- is there a predjudice against solo shows? What brings audiences in? name? subject matter?
- it can be useful to find a way to talk to audience, to include them
- if the show is autobiographical, it doesn’t also have to be fully ‘truthful’
- for a singer it makes a difference to talk (or not) between songs, how the singer presents themselves is also a ‘show’ (or not!)
- when it’s just you on stage, the audience project hugely on to you, about who and what you are
- how do we physicalise our characters in making a solo show? Do we need to? Can just sitting and talking be enough? If not, are we sure fully physicalised other characters are useful/the right thing? Is somewhere in between useful?
- the value of design/sound to ‘hold up’ the performer
- solo shows are cheaper to tour!!
- is it ok to make it purely for yourself? Do you need to worry about what the audience wants/thinks/how they react? How concerned are we about being self-indulgent?
- we like AUDACITY rather than self-indulgence!
- what is the smallest number of audience you’d do a solo show for? 1? 2? 4?
- is it ok just to sit on a chair and tell a story? Can that be ‘theatrical’ enough? Is it ok to add in loads of stuff (sound, lights, screen, projection) or is that too scary?
- Angela : ‘what I don’t like is thinking I could hear this in a pub, what I want is something that lifts it’
- the value of trying things out, time to play, very useful, hard to keep perspective alone
- Mark Trezona : ‘the audience relationship is at its most compelling when there is only one performer’
- all good theatre is a conversation
- then a longer discussion about using other media in solo shows, and can it interfere or be useful? Angela said the bits that feel like conversation need to be live, the stuff that feels like atmosphere can be video, useful to identify what’s best to be screened/recorded/live.
- it’s possible to stretch a 40 min show to a 60 min show (when required!) by adding 20 mins of great conversation with the audience!
And then ….
- what if there was a festival of solo shows? Have there been any? If there was one, would people go? Would we?
- Several people might want to make solo shows together, maybe sharing designers, directors etc, supporting each other
- We might well make a group and make a festival of solo shows! Natalie is (probably) actionning this on Monday …
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