the institute for crazy dancing

R&D Report

by Jason 569 days ago

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT REPORT - FINAL TEXT:

 

Introduction:

This document details statistics, words and pictures in order to detail the process of the ICD's latest research & development project.

It aims to sketch the progress to date on the blueprint for a new show: a participatory musical theatre piece. It is the beginning of our journey to create a new vessel.

Our aim was to research and develop the notion of creating a work of participatory theatre based around the construction of a full scale boat in the form of a three dimensional wooden puzzle. We wanted to explore musical, design, performance, participatory and conceptual elements that would help us experiment with boat-building…

The work took place in Bradford (at Theatre in the Mill), Leeds (Yorkshire Dance) and Wakefield (Cathedral Precinct in the care of Wakefield Theatre Royal & Opera House) - with a day-trip to Filey to smell the sound of the sea and the slot machines.

Products & Statistics:

Participatory Performance at Theatre in the Mill (duration: 90 minutes) - 3 nights.

Devising & Professional Development Residency - incorporating Song, Clown, Text, Choreography and Movement work at Yorkshire Dance Centre.

Durational Street Intervention & Participatory Performance (duration: 7 hours) - Cathedral Precinct, Wakefield.

New Website.

Marketing & Development documents and documentation.

Draft Design & Model Samples.

Cedar Wood See-Saw, Cedar & Elm planed planks, and 1 Dismountable Rib section.

 

The work took place between 21 June and 16 July 2010. Starting at Theatre in the Mill (Bradford) and concluding with an evaluation session at Yorkshire Dance Centre (Leeds). Work was undertaken in Leeds, Filey and Wakefield during the course of the project.

 

Audiences: 1310 people (1000 passers-by in Wakefield and 310 people in Bradford)

Participants: 435 people (350 in Wakefield, 95 in Bradford and 10 in Leeds)

Conversations / Dialogues: 100 UK and 25 International

Audience answers from the Bradford piece, responses from Wakefield participants and Tiago Gambogi's notes on becoming PlankMan can be found on this site...

 

Description:

Bradford - Theatre in the Mill: A Participatory Performance Journey…

 

The audience enter the boat-building workshop as the performers tidy up & arrange the material to be used for the journey: wood, paper, rope & canvas (also including an atlas of the stars & a bottle of rum). A musical score around the theme of & including 'The Drunken Sailor' accompanies the action. A fog-horn drowns out the last verse of the rowdy chorus (now including lathe, chainsaw & fumes).

Three performers stand in a triangle and in a series of rotations open out folded Charts /  sheets of paper (small, medium & large sheets). On Chart 1: HERE / THERE, on Chart 2: NOW / THEN, and 3: Blank on every unfolding. This is a 'clown' presentation of PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE. It is played in silence.

A-rhythmic sound generated from wooden blocks, MDF sheets, hollow trunks & sandpaper underscore the 'Dance of the Planks' (a duet with two dancers & two planks). This leads into the storm, & following calm. The sound score shifts to repeated drum rolls followed by announcements of words pertaining to the journey & conceptual material around the theme of the project. Finally bass drum, snare & woodworking tools complete the score to the Storm - when the 10m long piece of canvas is revealed. This enables swinging, climbing, balancing & other aerial stunts as well as the provision of a swing & a hammock.

A final lengthy, loud & intensifying drum roll announces the "DRAWING of LOTS & the distribution of pamphlets". Each audience member receives a pamphlet & draws a Lot Number. Mayhem, chatting & connecting with the audience takes place as this choosing & distribution occurs.

The first Lot Number is called, & the audience member with the corresponding Lot is called down for the first swing in the hammock. From this point onwards through the course of the Interior section of the piece, Lot numbers are called & audience members take their turn in the hammock.

Bobby Shafto - in a Velvet Underground style forms the score for the next section: 'Assemblages'. One performer assembles a rib section of the hull, & two others fold paper: first into a hat shape & then an origami boat. The performers alternate to keep a regular flow of audience into and out of the hammock. When the rib section is complete, one of the performers balances it on their head & undertakes a meditative walk around the circumference of the stage, finally rolling the section to balance rear stage left; Bobby Shafto concludes.

The sound of breathing & dice shaking underscores the transition of musicians & performers to the winches - which lower the blinds in the theatre. The lighting state in the theatre has been provided only by daylight through open windows up to this point; & as 'The Grey Funnel Line" is sung by one unaccompanied female voice, the blinds are drawn, & the theatre is dark.

As the song concludes a film of the constellations is projected on a sail canvas; a solo clarinet plays a piece titled 'Creaky Boat at Night'. One performer reads out names of some of the stars, names of the dead, of stars & names of loved ones - now departed - received from audience members during the pre-show 'Welcome' to the theatre. There is a one-minute "black hole" in the middle of the seven-minute film where nothing happens.

When the film concludes the fire door to the theatre is flung open by one of the performers, & the "Beyond" is announced. The audience make their way from their seats to the door & down the fire escape to the tables set underneath the Willow trees. Here, to the accompaniment of a recorded version of the Blue Peter tune they all make origami boats, & the question (to be considered & answered later) is posed: "Do you get it, & if so, what is it?"

Once individuals have completed their origami boat, they make their way to the amphitheatre & commence a journey twice around a large rope circle. Once on the outside of the rope; then crossing over via a precarious cedar wood see-saw bridge to the inner circle. Performers undertake intimate conversations with audience members with regard to the outer construct (worldly) & the inner journey (spiritual) as they make their way around the rope circle.

After traversing the circle twice, the audience member makes their way up the hill to where one of the performers is holding a HERE paper (as seen in the first section of the piece; they have also been passing another performer who is holding a THERE paper, as they made their way around the circle).

When all the audience is assembled at the top of the hill, five performers unravel & fold a 10m long canvas to create a boat-hull shape in the centre of the rope circle. The see-saw bridge is dismantled, & the long section used to create the mast. Utilising the Lot numbers once again, the odd numbers are invited down to the circle.

The even numbers stay on the hill, & are alerted to an identical canvas that is at their feet. Each group now unravels, folds & holds the canvases to create two symmetrical ship's hulls. The 'evens' carry their canvas down the hill, & both sides join up, & the mast is raised for a second time to create the Ship o'Fools. Rotations & movements are undertaken & the audience is invited to step out to have a look at what they have created. After some time of fun & play in the boat, a short journey is made back to the tables in the willows - where rum & ginger beer is served up.

The question: 'do you get it, & if so, what is it?' is re-stated; & amidst chat, drinking & thinking the audience write their answers (& diagrams) to the question.

Everyone returns to the theatre via the fire escape. The space is lit with a low-level cover & empty of seats. The hammock is available for a little rock, the sound of seagulls fills the room, & Robinson Crusoe sits alone with his stuffed dog on a large piece of driftwood surrounded by sand. Projections of ship designs & transformations rotate on the sail-screen (that the film of the stars had been projected upon); & the audience is invited to place their answers in an over-sized canvas origami boat, on Crusoe's beech.

A 1920s version of 'My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean' creeps through the sound of the gulls, & the performers encourage dancing with the audience. As the recording ends, the performers commence singing the same song, the audience join in, & a singing & dancing circle concludes the piece.

Leeds - Yorkshire Dance Residency: Devising & Development Workshop…

The work at Yorkshire Dance Centre aimed to open up the ICD process to other practitioners & consider materials, musicality, text & character. The work was detailed & specific, without the pressure for a finished product; & created in the light, clean & bright dance studio context.

We developed additional musical material around an SOS theme - an un-accompanied choral improvisation with the words: "Save Our Souls", "Dot" & "Dash". We also worked on the use of percussion through contrary & complex rhythms to create sensations of disorientation & harmony.

Work on the notion of multiple characters, costumes & attitudes was undertaken through the use of several clown exercises & explorations - discovering that numerous manifestations of different types of fool would help to enrich the performance layers of the piece.

'Fifteen Men on a Dead Man's Chest' was the text chosen to go into the pamphlet for the Bradford work. It was re-titled 'When is enough, enough?', & was intended to draw some focus to notions of greed, exploitation & consumption. We worked for some time through vocal improvisation & physical movement on ways of taking this text from page to performance…

During this middle week section of the R&D period discussion with regard to the elements & order of the journey were considered & analysed. The desire to create a wholly venue based work was voiced. A hope that we could craft the piece so that when the audience answered the question: 'Do you get it, & if so, what is it?' - they would all answer with the same word: Love. The notion of Pride as a key element of human folly arose, & gave rise to a secondary question in the work: "Who will wear the Golden Robe?". The collaborators also took a trip to Filey to listen to the sound of the sea, slot-machines, experience the Seal of Approval on the Brigg (a random affirmative sighting), & make plans for future development. The work in this studio context helped deepen aspects of the performance possibilities & hinted at strategies for further development of performers & performance in the piece.

Wakefield - Cathedral Precinct: Durational & Contemplative Street Intervention & Participatory Performance…

Following two reconnaissance days at the site, the ICD decided to approach this portion of the R&D period very gently. We wanted to introduce our materials, concepts & strategies slowly & carefully - to see how an unsuspecting public would react to participating in our theatre... The performance area was populated by a large group of teenagers with a heavy flow of passing shoppers & people traveling to and from their places of work.

On the first day we set out some of our materials: paper & rope, & wondered what would happen. The Past, Present & Future papers were unfolded & we invited people to make origami boats with us. We laid out the rope circle & walked around it. Many people came & asked us what we were doing, provoking numerous little conversations about the work, about journeys & boats. The group of teenagers all wanted to write, so we provided a large piece of paper & smaller sheets upon which the teenagers wrote their names, slogans from TV, abusive comments & 'foul language'. At the end of the day we held the long paper out & paraded it around the inside of the rope circle.

On the second day we introduced wood & canvas. One performer walked the Never-Ending Plank for 6 hours. The Never-Ending Plank consists of 2 planed planks. The performer walks along on one plank whilst carrying the other aloft. At the end of the first plank the performer lays down the second, steps onto it & picks up the first; walks along the second plank, holding the first aloft, & so on - around the perimeter of the square. We also created a large boat shape in the middle of the rope circle, using our two 10m long canvases. The work on this day provoked hundreds of interactions with all sorts of people - from shouts of abuse to extended conversations about journeys, life & death.

On the third day we undertook the Never-Ending Plank, made origami boats, continued & developed conversations & intrigue. We also assembled the rib-section jigsaw puzzle & used it as an object to manipulate, balance & also to create a harbour for the origami boats. Many people participated in boat making, object balancing, walking the rope circle & pursued conversations about the project with us…

On the fourth day the company wore basic costume & prepared for a two hour meditation with all the elements that we had experimented with through the course of the week. One performer walked the rope circle, one beat time every second on a hollow log, one walked the Never-Ending Plank, one folded origami boats, one acted as the human bridge (ie: undertook to explain to the curious what was going on & invite people to take part in any of the activities), & one performer managing the pens & paper scroll.

Hundreds of people - from young children to old people, refugees & drunks, as well as the group of teenagers - took part in some way: walking the circle, folding a boat, having a conversation & writing on the paper scroll (this time every single script on the paper had a thoughtful tone).

 

KEY COLLABORATORS:

Tom Cleaver: Master Craftsman, Designer & Musician

Pete Cuffe: 3D Video Artist

Rachel Dean: Choreographer & Performer

Ben Donnelly: Graphic & Web Designer

Tiago Gambogi: Clown, Choreographer & Performer

Stevie Goodwin: Composer & Performer

Jason Hird: Producer, Director & Performer

Dave Lazonby: Composer & Performer

Jo Leishman: Stage Manager & Performer

Andy Wood: Photographer & Video Artist

 

ANALYSIS

Prior to the practical R&D period in June & July 2010 an enormous amount of research into literary, historical, political, philosophical, economic, geographic, & cultural references was undertaken. Much of this material can be found on the website. This work helped to fuel the practical work that created the sketches for a new vessel. Now, upon reflection & consideration of all the work undertaken a goal has been determined: the ICD are making it their aim to create a middle-scale touring piece of participatory musical theatre.

A draft, working script will soon be available for inspection - please email Jason@icdancing.com to express an interest in receiving this text.

The Order of the Journey is a key factor in turning this R&D work into a more compelling middle scale work. At the beginning of the show each audience member will receive a massive amount of information - in the form of a booklet, conversation, a wooden block (a dice with words & numbers on it): this is akin to opening a new jigsaw puzzle & being presented with all the pieces of the puzzle.

The next section of the piece is the 'Drawing of Lots' - once again, every audience member draws a lot from a canvas bag - this is the second wooden block / dice with (amongst other things) each person's individual Lot number. This opening movement aims to let everybody know that there will be participation, they are odd/even, & aims to instill a feeling of trepidation at the beginning of their journey.

The participations will work in groups of Lots - some people will get to swing in the hammock, some people will help assemble rib sections of the boat, others walk the rope circle or fold an origami boat. Essentially we craft a piece of work where the audience are integral to the creation of the show. There will be no mocking or picking upon people - slowly everyone will see that they are crucial to the completion of the journey - & will relish watching how others undertake their tasks in comparison to how they had undertaken theirs. The Golden Robe will glisten & sparkle aloft throughout the journey.

The musicality of the Show will be drawn, extrapolated & developed from simple songs relating to the sea: The Drunken Sailor (an escalation of punitive measures), Bobby Shafto (love & longing), Grey Funnel Line (hardship & melancholy), My Bonnie (nostalgia & longing). There will be songs about journeys, life, death, sex, love, The Sea, despair, A long PAUSE, Time, mollases, & the Stars. As well as traditional instruments, a wide range of wood & metalworking tools will be used.

A question remains with regard to titling the piece. Should it be : 'Ship o'Fools' or 'the Rime of the Ancient Mariner'. Both titles work - in some dimension - for the piece; but which works better for marketing the piece to as broad an audience as possible? There is also one little rumbling doubt / desire - how about trying to turn this work into a piece for an audience in 200 hammocks - listening to a finely crafted sound score, watching films of the stars and other things on the roof of the shipshape tent / concert hall / enormous sail & having fleeting personal interactions with the ship's crew of performers (whispering through canvas hammocks)…

 

final thought:

People will always gravitate toward something that might help them work out how to piece the puzzle of their own life together. The ICD is attempting to create a vessel which is fun & thoughtful, intimate & spectacular, provocative & profound - which will exponentially expand the spectator-participants horizons, enhance their journeys & enrich their existences. All in the form of a participatory musical theatre piece… Do you want a piece of that?

SUPPORTED BY

 

Arts Council England, Development Lab (theatre in the Mill), Wakefield Theatre Royal & Opera House, West Yorkshire Grants, Yorkshire Dance

WITH MANY THANKS TO:

 

Alison Andrews, Graham Bailey, Iain Bloomfield, Clare Clarkson, Anthony Dunn, Rhiannon Ellis, Wieke Eringa, Simon Fanshawe, Mickey Finn, Henry Fisher, Vannesa Grasse, Claire Greenwood, Leonie Hart, Jannine Heseltine, Malcolm & Sandra Hird, Rachel Kaye, Sam Murphy, Molly Nicholson, Dan Rollings, Gabrielle Russell, Corinne Saunders, Simon Shepherd, Lynn Thomson, Mairead Turner, Maggie Virtue, Caroline Wallace, Jude Wright and all the people who participated in the work and development process…

 

Further detail on any aspect of the project can be requested by emailing: info@icdancing.com

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