MAATP Critical Reflection Rob Drummer

092715RobDrummer

ReflectiveCommentarySustainedIndependentProject

MAATP,2009/10

1

WhoseCloudisitAnyway:

ADramaturgyofDevices

andtheDirectorDebunked

Abstract

Anapproachtoperformancewherestorytellingisactivelysupportedbyasequenceof improvised moments in turn sustained by a series of performed devices. Hasemergedinthetheatremakingofdebunked.Thesedevicesareencounteredbythecompany and ultimately the audience and developed throughworkshops led by adirector,whohas theextendedbutnotutterlynewtaskofdrawingdramaturgicalpurposetothematerialasgeneratedinperformancebythedeviceshefacilitatesinrehearsal.TheworkofWhoseCloudisitAnyway?isinthefacilitationofnarrativebythecompany,drawnfromaudiencebiographiesandperformersimprovisingfromatrainingthroughworkshops leadbyadirector. Thiswriting isanattempttomovethroughthecentralconcernofadramaturgyofthesedevices,providedbyadirectorasameans topreparea company to tell stories through improvisedperformance.Wheretheworkexistsforthedirectorandatwhichpointsintheprocesshisroleisshiftingwillbethefurtherexplored leadingtoaconsiderationofthedebunkingofthedirector.

092715RobDrummer


MAATP,2009/10

2

WhoseCloudisitAnyway?

PreparingacompanyforImprovisedPerformance

‘Forme, the performance toowas a living organism and I had todistinguishnotonlyitsparts,butalsoitslevelsoforganisationand,later, their mutual relationships. Dramaturgy, then, was a termsimilartoanatomy. Itwasapracticalwayofworkingnotonlyontheorganism in its totality,buton itsdifferentorgansand layers’(BARBA2010,p.9)

TakingthedefinitionofanatomyfromtheGreekfor‘cuttingup’buildsapertinentfieldforunderstandingtheroleofthedirectorthroughouttheprocessofmakingWhoseCloudis itAnyway? As Barba explores in his writing, understanding performance as similar to acomplex physiological system that must be anatomised by the director usefully connectswith anotionof dramaturgy as the seeingof performance as constitutingmultiple layers.These layers,breaktheseeingofperformancebythedirector intousefulandmanageableelements, part of a whole but utterly important in isolation. The work of preparing thecompany for a performance, which was improvised but grounded in detailed work as anensemble,requiredacertaindirectorialcontrolandyetsuchcontrolthreatenedtheagencyoftheremainingcompanytoshapetheworkindependentlyduringperformance.

FormanyweeksIwasunsureastowhatitwastheworkcouldbeinrehearsal.Whatshouldwebe engagingwith in order to prepare for awholly improvisedperformance,what rolecouldweeachplay?Iwasabletopreparethecompany,astheworkwassomethingtodowithcomplicity,withplayandwiththegenerationof ideasandstorytelling. However,mytasteisfordramathathasastructure,arecognisabledriveandvaryingpace,tensionsandobjectives and so Iwas in aquandary as tohow to imbue theworkof the companywiththeseconcernswhilstmaintainingspontaneityofapproachtothestimuli. Tosolvethis,orat leastattemptasolutionIbeganintroducingdevices,acrossarangethatbuilttowardsatoolkit,orpaletteofimprovisationbasedwork,whichcouldbedrawnfrominperformance.

One of these key devices was the re‐imagining of ‘up‐scaling’, a method used in retailenvironmentstoconvincecustomerswhomaybeseekingaparticularproductto invest insomethingmoreexpensivebutcruciallyofferingmorefeatures.HerethenIintroducedanexercisewhereby a performerwould perform a simplemovement, extended over severalminutes.Therestofthecompany,usingfoundobjects,liveandrecordedsound,videoandanyavailablelightwouldcontextualisethemovement,changingit,shiftingaudiencefocus.What happened on numerous occasions was the collective creation of whole narratives,madeofsimplemoments,up‐scaledeachtime,builttoacrescendowherebywholescenes,latertitled,forexample; ‘TheRace’, ‘AJewishWedding’and‘AtSea inaStorm’emerged.The abstraction of movement, speech, object manipulation and technological devices attimesmergedintoclearandspecifictheatricalmoments,allthroughimprovisedplay1.

However,wheretheworkintherehearsalroomfinishedandthesignifiersforthestartofaperformancebeganwas a concern and a tricky concept to unravel. Thebeginningof the

1ForfurtherexamplesofdevicesemployedintheworkshopandrehearsalprocesspleaseseeAppendixI

092715RobDrummer


MAATP,2009/10

3

workwas certainly themeeting of the company in a rehearsal room, a space demandingspecific action, that of rehearsal. It is certainly something to dowith the reliance in therehearsal roomon amplified sound and projected images,with the digital and the onlinethat lead to a performancewith an aesthetic of themediated image and organisation ofdigitaltechnologies.SomethingaboutmyinsistenceonusingYouTubeasasortofstimulus,a sort of beginning and then the conversations that existed around the creative andcollaborativeweb demanded our audiencewould similarly be involved in these particularsitesduringtheperformance.Thereisaclosertruthinthattheworkbegantogrowoutofourowncontext, the so‐called socialweb thatweas individualsofa specific generationalexperienceinvestin.

Butwhatofthisconcernwiththeboundarybetweenrehearsalandperformance,forwhatwasbeingrehearsedandwhatdoestheintroductionofanaudiencedotothework?Thesetwo forumsof performanceand rehearsal have two crucial differences, the lack and thenintroduction of an audience who contribute the content of the improvised, fragmentednarrativesandthemovingfromtherehearsalspacetotheperformancespace.Partthreeofthiswritingaddressestheoppositionofamodelofrehearsalforperformanceofanarrativebyanewmeansofpreparationbyadirectorasfacilitator,introducingimprovisationdevicesthatopenuppossibilitiesfornarrativetobeginandendattheperformance,ratherthantheperformancebetheculminationofrehearsedmaterial.

Therewas crucial evolution in theworkwhen trialling an adaptation of E.M.Forster’sTheMachineStopsforawork inprogressshowing,thecompanyfacedwithanaudience,wereawareforthefirsttimeofthemisleadingdirectionwehadtravelledin.Inanefforttomaketheworkaboutsomething,somethingmorethantheInternet,orat leastsomethingmorethan a performance about the Internet and its impact upon our lives, we thought thecontextofaweightyliterarytext,anadaptationdebunkedwasausefulmetaphor.Cruciallyitwasnot, inperformance, thisnew iterationof theworkwasconfused, lackingdirection,purpose or personality. We had stepped away from a live, improvised performance andimposedstrictrules,holdingbackfromtakingariskandattemptingtobalancetheboldandlivewiththeconstructedandsafe.

092715RobDrummer


MAATP,2009/10

4

TakingControl

TheDestabilisedcollectiveasameanstoanend

Today forme, the director is rather the expert of the theatre’ssubatomicreality,amanorawomanwhoexperimentswithwaysof overturning the obvious links between the differentcomponentsofaperformance.(BARBA2010,xviii)

Barba’s suggestionofadirectorwhooverturns,whomakes theobvious links lessand lessobvious andencourages the active removal, re‐writing anddistrust of established ideas isappealing as a frame for my memory of preparing the performers forWhose Cloud is itAnyway? Thewelcomingof improvisationasacreative impulse,asadramaturgicaldeviceandproductionaestheticatfirstfeltlikealimitationonrehearsal.Aspreviouslymentioned,if the content of theworkwasunknown tous all,whatwas there to rehearse? I quicklyestablished a rehearsal room whereby less material was rehearsed but an awareness ofediting, detail and spontaneity was cultivated. Introducing, body storming as a device2allowedtheperformerstoactivatestorytellingimpulsesthroughphysicalaction,whilstthedirectorasobserverimposedastructureofeditsbasedonkeyphrasessuchasbackwards,forwards,refresh,stop,closeup,return.

Thisisthefirstoverturning,myfirstimpositionanddecision,tobelievethataperformancecanbedramaturgicallystrongandhavebothnarrativeformandcontentwhilststillexistinginthespacebetweenparticipantandperformerandgroundedinextensiveresearchoftheonline presence of our collected audience. There is no assumption that throughparticipation,theperformanceismorelivebutanassumptionthatthequalityoflivenessinthis specific context allows creative freedoms in the moment of performance forimprovisation. The secondoverturning is verymuchwithinmyself, in that toprepare theproductionforperformance,Imyselfhadtoseethebenefittoastrongandstablecollectiveratherthanadictateddramaturgyorsingularnarrative liketheworkwithForsterandTheMachineStops.

First,participationoccurredatthosepointswheretheplaystoppedbeingaplayandbecameasocialevent–whenspectatorsfeltthattheywerefreetoentertheperformanceasequals…lettingpeopleintotheplaytodoastheperformersweredoing,to‘jointhestory’.(Schechner1973,44)

Itwasverymuch themanifestationof theproductionatThePeopleShowthat supportedour belief in thework and its form, crucially as Schechner highlights, the inclusion of ouraudience in the play, the freedom to join in the storytelling aided the action of theperformersandthedramaturgicalattempt.Withtheaudiencecomesthecompletionofourperformance circuit, as without them the work simply does not exist. The liminal spacebetweenaudienceandspectator ‘createdby [the] interfaceofbodyandtechnology’,heremanifestasprojectedFacebook,YouTube,TwitterandFlickrpagesintheperformancespacelocated the audience on the ‘threshold of the physical and virtual’ (Broadhurst 2007, 1)However,withthiscomestheproblemofpreparationonceagain,ifouraudiencecompletethework,howdowepreparetomeetwiththemthroughrehearsal? Unlike Improbable’s

2SeeAppendixIIfornotesonBodyStorming

092715RobDrummer


MAATP,2009/10

5

Lifegamewhereoneaudiencemember is interviewed for their life stories and then theseare performed in front of the remaining audience, we must research without theparticipants’ prior knowledge. Similar to Lifegamehere though,we ‘are asking questionswhich will yield…the most dramatic material, the most dramatic moments’ (McDermott,2005).Thereis,withthisworkariskforthetheatremakersthattheperformancemaylackallthequalitiespossiblewhenaprocessofrehearsingmaterialforperformanceisembarkedupon. However, the opportunities to pursue live, improvised performance greatlyoutweighedthisriskwhentheaudienceencounteredpurelytheatricalmomentsinspiredbytheirownlifestories.

Figure1.WhoseCloud is itAnyway?Thesharedspace becomes a platform for play andimprovisation, with vital participation from theaudience whose online presence forms thecontentoftheperformance.

NewpossibilitiesforperceptionbyouraudienceattheperformanceareexploredthroughareadingofDeleuze.Althoughthereislittletimetoexcavatehisfulltheoriesonperception,there is something of use in his notion of re‐organisation. The fragmentation, or re‐organisation of narrative structure inWhose Cloud is it Anyway? is in linewith Deleuze’snotionofthecreationofnewaffectsyieldingnewpossibilitiesforperception.Theaudiencemustfollowfragmentedstructures,improvisedanecdotes,sectionsofscenes,createdliveinfrontof themandas a result, theseare theaffects that shift perception from followinganarrative arc and instead pursuing the attempt of the storytellers rather than the storiestheytell(Deleuze1986,18).Thisisconnectedtothedramaturgyofdevicesasusedbythecompany to foreground the active attempt at storytelling. The devices are sometimesobvious,amelodramaticmomentofaction,aoneononeimprovisedperformancebehinda

092715RobDrummer


MAATP,2009/10

6

screen,awholeaudienceactivity,oranimproviseddebateonarecentlyreportedeventbutnonethelessit isimportanttheaudiencerecognisethemasameanstocommunicatestoryandthisresultsinreadingtheattemptofstorytellingaspartoftheoverall,ifconvolutedandconfusingnarrativestructure.

Thedesignoftheattempt,whichattimesincludestheaudiencethemselvesattemptingtotelltheirownstoriesdrawsfromcommentaryonthesocialwebthattheperformancecitesasitstheoreticalstartingpointandpoliticalconcern.ClayShirkywritesclearlyandcandidlyaboutthesocialwebandbelievesthat‘wearelivinginthemiddleofaremarkableincreasein our ability to share, to cooperate with one another, and to take collective action, alloutside the frameworkof traditional institutionsandorganizations’ (Shirky, 2008, location354).Despiteourpositionasoneoftheseinstitutions,weareextendingtheopportunitytocome close to the centre of the attempt of storytelling through theatre an some of ourdramaturgical devices rely exclusively on the participation of non performer bodies, ouraudience.Thereisadilemmainthisapproach.Willtheperformancemakeitspointtoallofthe audience and are thosewho are not used as stimuli for dramatic action as engaged?Howboldarewebeing?Speakingafterthework,therewerethosewhowantedmorefromus, more boundary pushing and more invasion, the reading of a telephone number, thesharingofnearnudepictures,theadmissionthatsomeofussituplateatnight lookingatpicturesofoldloverswhohavegottenfatandenjoyit.Whataretheethicsofthis,howfreearewetopushtheworkinthisdirection?

092715RobDrummer


MAATP,2009/10

7

ADramaturgyofDevices

Whenisthedirectorofmostusetothemakingofperformance?

‘Peoplerespondtoincentives.Ifyougivethemmoreofareasontodosomething,theywilldomoreofit,andifyoumakeiteasiertodomoreofsomethingtheyarealreadyinclinedtodo,theywillalsodomoreofit’(Shirky2008,location325)

If there isamodelofperformancemaking thatcanbedescribedas, rehearsing toapointwhereby what is performed is rehearsed material, then I was directing a very differentprocessthroughoutWhoseCloudisitAnyway?Iproposethatthemodel,whichhadformedearly on in the process but only really embraced in the final weeks, was one whereby adramaturgy of devices was prepared in rehearsal to facilitate the content of theperformancetobeimprovised.Thesedevices,someofwhichhavebeendiscussedandtheoutlines of which are included in the Appendices were a means to allow material to beimprovised in front of the audience throughout the performance. There is a furtherquestion or definition of this model, which asks what relation, is there between theperformancedevicesandperformers.Furthermore,thequestionofwhatusethedirectoristo the company of performers and in this particular case non performers also arises andbecomesvitalasaresponsetothelearningthroughouttheproject.

The director’s sphere of influence grew so far as to include theaudience; the feedback loopwas to be organized and controlled.(Fishcher‐Lichte2008,39)

The performance required a model of preparation, the priming of the company forimprovisedencounterswithanaudienceespeciallyasthecontentormaterialoftheworkisimbuedwithtransiency.Howthoughcanthedirectormaintainagraspofthedramaturgyinorder to structure a performance with clarity? The notion of a feedback loop betweenaudience and performer, growing out of thematerial of the performance which was thebiography of the audience researched online existed and yet as a result could not bepracticed in therehearsal room. Thepresenceof thedirector then inrehearsal roomandperformance does not substitute but becomes subsumedwith the audience, allowing thecompanyto improvisefromastrongbase,developedinrehearsal. MovingawayfromtherehearsalofmaterialIwasawareoftherebeingsomethingintheactionoftheattemptthatwas key. The audience in being made aware of the attempt to perform throughimprovisation are encouraged to consider in close detail their active involvement in thework.Inmymind,thiswasanattemptinitselftobalancethemeetingbetweenperformerandaudienceinordertoallowgreaterfreedomforthecompanywhendramatisingthelivesoftheaudienceasresearchedonline.

CruciallyIhavediscoveredthatwhatismostimportantisthepreparednessofthecompanyto work together and shape a performance that plays by some of the same rules theaudience will be entering with full awareness of. A complex dramaturgy of devices isemployedinthework,wherebyseveralweekshavebeenspent improvising,playing,usingmultiple startingpointsandconstructing layers. To return toBarba’suseofanatomyanddramaturgyIproposeanextension.Itistheanatomyoftheperformancethedirectormustperform,isolatingthelayersandorgansthatplaykeyrolesandexamininginclosedetailthepathology of the performance. This pathology, or disease is considered as anything thatthreatens the complicity of audience and performer, or allows a gap in the action of the

092715RobDrummer


MAATP,2009/10

8

attempt where the audience begin to consider the performance as less a dramaturgy ofdevices exploring collected stories from their online presence andmore a failing attemptwherebyevenfragmentedstoriesdonotenticeorexciteengagement.

Takecharge

Takeownership

Don’targue

Youareinthistogether

Sayyes

Thinkofyouraudience

Theaudiencedon’talwayswanttowatchyoudonothing

Figure2.Notesfromfirstperformancegivenbeforesecond,fromDirector’snotebook

This isall grounded in the revelationduring thesecondperformanceatThePeopleShow,wherebyImovedfromtheedgeoftheroomtoaidintheworkingofGoogleEarth.Ifulfilledafunctionbasedon:‘IknowhowtodothisthingandthereforeIwilldoit,asifIdon’tIwillhavetowatchyoufailattheattempt’,Iwasmostpresenttothecompanyandaudienceasdirectorhere,imposingmyabilitytosolveandfacilitateandmovethedramaforwards.Aninterestingandminutemoment,ofonlyperhapsthirtyseconds,bututterlythefoundationofmylearningthroughoutthisprocess. Todirect istoproblemsolve,toemploysightandhearing to theworkofperformers,whoyoucanencourage,discourage, shapeandadjusttheiraction,voiceandtasksonbehalfoftheaudience. Inthismoment itbecame,forthefirsttimethatthedirectormustimprovisetoo,hemustsupporttheperformersnotonlyinthe rehearsal of the devices but introduce them in performance, provide more of theanalysis, dissect the anatomy in front of the audience and relieve some of the burden ofcreation as previously shouldered by performers. Unable now to step away from theperformance once the rehearsal of devices has been achieved, the director must staypresentas facilitator,editorandconduct theactionof theattempt forbothcompanyandaudience.

Crucially forWhoseCloud is itAnyway?without this activedirecting, this problem solvingthroughadhocdirection,thereislittlesafetyvalveensuringthatadramaturgyofdevicesisthebestapproachtotellthefragmentsofaudiencestories. For ifstorytellingthroughtheactionoftheattemptistheambitionofdebunked’stheatremakingandherethestoriesarebrought to theaudience,whocompleteanhermeneuticcircuitofperception, interpretingnarrativefromtheactionoftheattempt.Thedirector,whohasfacilitatedastrongstructurebased inrehearsalofdevices,asmentionedwhichbuildtoadramaturgical intervention inthe performance must not remove himself from the action of the attempt. Instead,performing theanatomyof thework for theaudienceandcompany isvital tounderstandthepathologyofthework,whatispotentiallydyingandatriskwhentheimprovisationsarenotperfected.

092715RobDrummer


MAATP,2009/10

9

Inconclusion,aprepareddramaturgicaldesignconstructedfromdevicesencounteredintherehearsalroomhasthepotentialtoensure,(solongasthedirectorperformsananatomyatall times)company,performerandaudienceengagement in thework itself. Inowhaveafurther interest, which is emerging from this reflection and the wider learning. I wish toexploreandbegintounderstandtheemergingautopieticaudience(Fischer‐Lichte2008,41)aspartofafeedbackloopintheworkincludingtheperformersandasastructuringdevicefor the narrative. I wish to unpick notions such as ‘the bodily co‐presence of actors andspectators’(32)andexploretheperformanceasaneventthatis“notfixedortransferable,but ephemeral and transient” (33) as key concerns of improvised performance thatforegrounds an active attempt at theatremaking. The audience constantly supported thestructureandfunctionofthenarrativeintheworkandIseektoexplorehowtheaudienceand performers exist within a unique system, specific to improvised performanceconstructedoutofadramaturgyofdevices.

092715RobDrummer


MAATP,2009/10

10

AppendixI

A selectionof someof the rehearsal roomdevicesused in themakingofWhoseCloudisitAnyway?Thesearerepresentativeofsomeoftheworkofthedirectorand give a sense of how the devices were useful at focussing the company forimprovisedperformance.

BodyStorming

Thenatureofbodystorming,whichtakes itsnamefromtheboardroompracticeofbrain

storming (now considered politically incorrect) is essentially one of improvisation over an

extendedperiodoftimeandworksbestinadevisingenvironmentortheearlieststagesof

textbasedexploration.Althoughthere isnolowerorupper limittotheperfectamountof

bodiesinvolvedintheexercise,severalperformingbodiesarebestsoastoclearlymapthe

effectivemomentsthroughoutthework.Bodystorming isawayofworkingwith impulses

andgesture,voice,insight,intuitionandotheroften‐intangibleperformativeskillstoexplore

theideasthatsurroundastartingpoint.

Collaborators are exposed to a starting point which is usually quite a robust stimulus,

something likeatextorastory, imageorsound,filmorotherwiseandthenathreshold is

establishedsoastoclearlymarkaperformativeandaudiencedivide.Ithenfinditusefulto

establish a soundscape as a backdrop, which is not invasive, and usually a simple drone

basedsound,simplytofocustheactionandprovidealandscapeforwhichtheimprovisation

sits. Thenworking on impulse theperformersmove in andout of theperformance space

and body storm through action and voice moments that seem strong or rich from the

starting point. The key is to establish complicity, which builds and facilitates the coming

together of bodies in space at certain moments so that there is a sense of vignettes or

scene,episodes,partsormomentscominginandoutoffocus.

Theworkisnecessarilyquickanddiscussioniskeptoutoftheroom.Thekeyisto lookfor

thisfocusandre‐focus,toencouragediscoverytheperformersmustbuildasenseofwhen

certain moments have their life and then when they are gone. Body storming

accommodatestheindividualandthegroupbutworksbrilliantlywhenthesetwoelements

092715RobDrummer


MAATP,2009/10

11

are co‐existing. Anything in the performance space can be used in the exercise, outside

elementscanbe introducedandplayedwithatall times. It isalso importanttoencourage

the crossing over the threshold so that there is a constant rotating audience but also

cruciallythatthere isastableobserverwhomaynoticethisfocusandre‐focusthat Ihave

alreadymentioned.

PossibleDirectionsforThisWork

IfwhatIhavedescribedaboveisthebuildingblockforadevisingprocess,Iwouldalsolike

toshareanextensionoftheexercise,whichhasitsfoundationsinnotionsofevolutionand

Darwinism.Ishall leadwithanexamplefromarehearsaltoillustratehowbodystorminga

stimuluscangenerateawealthofmaterial.Thedescriptionthat follows is indeedanother

process,inrelationtobutalsodifferenttothebodystormingmethods.

From thebody stormingwork it is incredibly easy to liftmoments, or sections as I define

them fromthewiderwholeand towriteadescriptionof these for theparticipants. So to

illustrate,onesectionmaybe:

Performer1,eatingplumcentreofthespace.

Performer2and3upstageandrightwithaprojectionofAfricanchildrenplayingontheir

bodies.

Performer4atthelaptopchangingtheprojectedimagesonperformers2and3.

Thisisanexamplefromarecentbodystormingsessionandbecamethebasisforbeautiful

workoverthecourseofanafternoon.Thisbecomesasectionandnowbeginstheworkin

unpicking and extendingwhatevermay have been happening in that section as part of a

widerbodystormingsession.

Important to establish is this mindset of evolution, natural selection and survival of the

fittest. This work will seem frustrating to those directors, composers of facilitators (or

whateverwecallourselves)whoaresearchingformaterialthatcanbeeasilymanipulated

andcontrolled,repeatedandrehearsedwithaperfectsymmetry.However, Iproposethat

092715RobDrummer


MAATP,2009/10

12

byworking in thisway,with the possibilities that I propose, theworkwill gain a beauty,

sincerity,unexpectedlydelightfulquality thatwill encourageanaudience to remainactive

andfocussedformuchlonger.

So,workingwiththisnotionofsurvivalofthefittest,thecollaboratorsmustadmitfromthe

beginningthatalthoughtheobjectivemaybetopreciselyreperformthissection,thereality

is that a mis performance will occur. The memory will jump through the highlights, the

stagesithasselectedintheshorttermmemoryandthepresentationwillresembleclosely

but not exactly the original action. This is what is desired. So, the section is repeated, 3

times, maybe 5, maybe 100 times and the observers notice the shifts, the natural

progression and evolution of the section. From here, introduce the notion of teaching,

learningperhaps.Askthecollaboratorstoteachtheirpartinthesectiontoanother,watch

thisandworkquickly.Iimpose1minute30secondsontheworkandusuallyprovidemusic

tracks from random searches on spotify that are this length to provide a soundscape

backdropagain.

Possibleevolutionsinclude:

Teachanotheryourrole

Dotheopposite

Dotheoppositebackwards

Switch

However, of course there aremanymorewhichwill produce new results. I cannot stress

howimportantitistoencouragethemisperformanceandtryandavoidthediscussion,we

all have themindset in rehearsal that there is a goal to reach, a perfect representation –

hereweareinvitingthechaosandwaitinguntilthebeautyisrevealed.Inmyexperienceitis

captivating to watch a thing that has an order but it is one that is almost impossible to

decipher.

092715RobDrummer


MAATP,2009/10

13

Also,themorecomplicatedtheworkseems(althoughcruciallyitisonlyreallynecessaryto

inviteasmanytasksasarelistedabove)themorechargedtheworkbecomes.Trytoavoid

questionsofwhatthisisaboutandkeepanoteonwherethematerialhasbeendiscovered

frombutperhapsitisnolonger“about”thatmaterial.Ofcoursethisisworkthatisbestin

theearlystagesofdevisingandwillyieldexcitingpotentialdirectionsforperformance.Do

tryandthenfocusthematerial,seewhathappenswhenimpositionsareplacedontopofit

–givethecollaboratorsnewtasks,usethisasaconstantanddisruptthis.

Tocondenseallofwhat Ihavewrittenabove, Iwould like to finishby remindingyou, the

readerofhowimportantitistoconsiderthenotionofevolutionanduseaquotetooutline

whatIamproposingasavitalnewfocusinthedevisingprocess:

“Darwinultimatelygeneralizedtheobservationfromthefinchesthatanypopulationconsists

of individuals that are all slightly different from one another. Furthermore, individual

organisms having a phenotype characteristic providing an advantage in staying alive to

successfully reproduce will pass their phenotype traits more frequently to the next

generation.Overtimeandgenerationsthetraitsprovidingreproductiveadvantagebecome

morecommonwithinthepopulation.Darwincalledthisprocess“descentwithmodification”.

Takenfrom:http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Evolution/DarwinsFinches.htm

MAKINGCHOICESANDSHAPINGACTION

TheNumbersGame(Build‐ups)

Thehardestthingtolearnaboutbuild‐upsisthatascendingspiralofintensity.You’vegotto

beabletoidentifythelevelyou’replayingatthemoment,andbepreparedtotakeitthat

littlestepfurther.

Thisisagameforachorus.Allyouhavetoistocountfromoneto15or20.Theideaisthat

eachnumber isanobscenity,sothatone isslightlyobscene, two isworse,butthree, four

092715RobDrummer


MAATP,2009/10

14

five and six are getting increasingly darling and disgusting to say in public.

So the first person in the group looks at the others, and then at the audience and says:

‘One’.everybodygiggles,thenthenextpersondoesthesamewiththe‘Two’andsoon.It’s

importanttorelisheachnumberandenjoythegameofbeingobscene.Thegigglesarealso

importantbecauseifthebuild‐upisgoingtoworkyou’veallgottobeatthesamelevelof

intensityandthegiggleshelpyoutoidentifywhatthatlevelis.

Onceagain thekey is tobeengaged. Eachnumbermusthaveaneffectonyou,and that

effectmustbeamplifiedthroughoutthegroup;thatamplificationisexpressedinmovement

soyouhavetocopyeachotherandlearntokeeptogether.

Youcanplayabuild‐upwithalmostanything.Thegroupcouldbetryingtotelltheaudience

thatthey’regoingtodie,orthattheyfindthemsexuallyattractive,orthattouchingthefloor

makesthemfeeleuphoric.

The‘DoLess’Game

Threeorfouractorsrunasfastastheycanaroundtheplayingspace.Onmycue,theystop

and face theaudienceas if theyhaven’tbeen runningatallandhave justgotoutofbed.

Thisisagameoflettinggoofthehugeamountofphysicalintensitythatyouinvestedinthe

running,andtryingtojuststandthere,anddonothing.Thisgametakespractice,butiseasy

enoughtorepeat.Idon’tknowabettergameforconvincingusthatlessmeansmore.We

becomemore interestingwhenwe use the appropriate amount of tension for the job in

hand.

Upscaling(SlowMotion)

Oneperformerisaskedtoleavetheperformancespaceandwaitforaninstructiontoenter

and ‘do something’ for 10 seconds, stopping and standing still at the point where she

completes her action. Several other performers arewaiting. The facilitator then plays a

length of sound, which can be instrumental, sound effects, musical or otherwise but

nonethelesssomethingwhichimposesatmosphere. Thelengthofthissoundbecomesthe

092715RobDrummer


MAATP,2009/10

15

lengthoftheperformanceandthefirstperformermustre‐enacther10secondsmovement,

stretched over this new timescale. Effectively this begins a slow motion physical

performance.Theremainingperformerswilluseobjectsintheroom,theirownselvesand

all the tricks of the theatre to contextualise this movement. This improvisation is

encouragedtobeplayful,freeandtogowhereveritneedstoforthefulllengthofthemusic

orsoundintheroomandendswiththesound.Seeimagesbelowforexamples.

Improvisation1:AtSeaInAStorm(Upscaling)

Improvisation2:AJewishWedding(Upscaling)

092715RobDrummer


MAATP,2009/10

16

Bibliography

Barba,E.2010.OnDirectingandDramaturgy:BurningtheHouse.Oxon,Routledge.

Bartula,M&Schroer, S. 2003. On Improvisation:NineConversationswithRobertoCiulli.Brussels,P.I.E.‐PeterLang.

Broadhurst, S. 2007. Digital Practices: Aesthetic and Neuroaesthetic Approaches toPerformanceandTechnology.Basingstoke,PalgraveMacmillan.

Deleuze,G. 1986. Cinema1:TheMovement Image. Trans. HughTomlinsonandBarbaraHabberjam.London,AthlonePress.

Derrida, J & Stiegler, B. 2002. Echographies of Television. Trans. Jennifer Bajoreck.Cambridge,PolityPress.

Fischer‐Lichte, E. 2008. The Transformative Power of Performance: A New Aesthetics.London,Routledge.

Leadbetter,C. 2010. CloudCulture:TheFutureofGlobalCulturalRelations. OpenAccessPublication,Counterpoint,BritishCouncil.

Luckhurst, M. 2006. Dramaturgy: A Revolution in Theatre. Cambridge, CambridgeUniversityPress.

Schechner,R.1973.EnvironmentalTheatre.NewYork,HawthornBooks.

Schneider, R & Cody, G. 2003. Re:direction, a Theoretical and Practical Guide. London,Routledge.

Whitmore,J.2005.DirectingPostmodernTheater.Michigan,UniversityofMichiganPress.

Shirky,C.(2008).HereComesEverybody:ThePowerofOrganizingwithoutOrganizations.London:Penguin(eBook).

WhoseCloudisitAnyway,productionwebsite.www.whosecloudisitanyway.com[accessed15thSeptember2010]

Leadbetter,C.2010.CloudCulture:TheFutureofGlobalCulturalRelations.Openaccesspublication,Counterpoint.www.counterpointonline.org/.../CloudCultureCharlesLeadbeater.pdf

McDermott,P&McCaw,D.2005.Space,ImprovisationandCreativity.DVDResource.ArtsArchive,DVDRom(114Mins)©ArtsDocumentationUnit.Exeter.

Documents

MAATP Critical Reflection Rob Drummer