Concept – See You Next Tuesday

How Did It Go?

Posted on December 15, 2013 by Lauren Simpson

“Swearing is certainly not yet acceptable in public, and still occasions fines, law suits and censure”, however, recently there seems to have been “a great change in attitude” within society in general (Hughes 1991, pp. 250). Our performance aimed to open more people’s minds to this change and make them aware of the misuse of taboos. To some extent, this was achieved and in certain sections of the performance we were successful. However, there were also aspects of our piece that did not work in achieving our aim. This is something that is bound to happen when creating experimental theatre.

Arguably, one of the strongest elements during our performance, in terms of portraying our concept, was the sound scape. This involved a surrealist element and the distortion of letters and it worked in decontextualizing the words. The constant repetition begins to slowly alter the sound of the words, and they begin to form new words. We could have extended this section further, if we were to perform again. One experiment that we could do to further this is to set up a durational performance where the sound scape would be continuous for a number of hours. This length of time would allow the words to completely decontextualize and no longer sound like the same word.

The use of microphones during this section added to the atmosphere in the space. The amplified sound filled the entire ‘den’ and surrounded the audience members with the sounds of the words. Placing the speakers around the performance space meant that all the participants could hear the words being spoken by all four performers rather than just the one sitting nearest to them.

We were not trying to make swearing or the use of taboos into a good or a right thing to do, we simply wanted to make people more aware of their meanings. So, if they were to be used, then at least they are being used in the correct context. We felt this was important, as if people think about the context and definitions of these words then maybe they will be more reluctant to use them in such a ‘throw-away’ manner. We also wanted to alert our audience to the fact that there are constantly new taboos being created.

Works Cited:

Hughes, Geoffrey (1991) Swearing: A Social History of Foul Language, Oaths and Profanity in English, Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.

Concept, Performance, Rehearsal Process

ABCDEFGAY

Posted on December 11, 2013December 11, 2013 by Lauren Simpson

There are hundreds of different possible words that the English alphabet can make. Austrian-British philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein developed his theory of the ‘language game’. This is the concept of language being in its simplest form. It is the most recognised form of language. Wittgenstein “counteracted a longstanding tendency among philosophers to reduce language to assertive statements,” and he began to form this idea of “ideal language” (Huemer 2004, pp.1). An example of a ‘language game’ would be giving orders and obeying them. This demonstrates the sheer simplicity of them. A ‘language-game’ that we exploit in our performance is the teaching and learning of words. This is possibly the first time a language game occurs in someone’s life. We want to take the audience back to their childhood in order to reteach them the words.

Wittgenstein’s work also “focuses on detailed investigations of how words are used in diverse contexts of human practice” (Huemer 2004, pp. 5). Society has continually used certain words in a derogatory way, and so they have become a type of anti-ideology. Younger generations are brought up to understand that there are certain expletives that should not be used. Taking the word ‘slut’ for example, it is simply four letters constructed together to create a sound. How is this any different from creating the word ‘lust’ with the same four letters? Societal ideologies stem from the Marxist theories and Louis Althusser. An ideology “is a system…of representations…endowed with a historical existence and a role within a given society” (Ferretter 2006, pp. 76). Taboos fit into this definition, as they are historically known as being wrong, and so society knows not to use them openly. The issue is that these words are constantly phasing out of our common language. This means that new derogatory and offensive words are continually forming to replace them. This replacement needs to stop if we are to live in a world with less or even no taboos.

Through our performance, we are simply trying to show that these are just words and their harmful use within certain communities is wrong and pointless. We show this by distorting the words through our voices and playing with their structure.

Works Cited:

Ferretter, Luke (2006) Louis Althusser, Oxford: Routledge.

Huemer, Wolfgang (2004) ‘Introduction: Wittgenstein, language, philosophy of literature’, The Literary Wittgenstein, London: Routledge.

Concept, Performance, Practitioners, Rehearsal Process

Semiotics in the space!

Posted on December 10, 2013December 13, 2013 by Jamee-Lee Fleming

In our performance, we have used objects which are used in the analysis of semiotic theory. “Semiotics or semiology… involves addressing physical objects in terms of their ability to convey meaning” (Saussure, 1974, p. 3).  This can be seen through signs such as body movement to which express a certain attitude or emotion, colours that can show the mood or atmosphere or even what a person wears could identify what sort of person they are in terms of class, race or gender.

Ferdinand de Saussure who studied linguistics and is known as the former for semiotics, states that there is two parts to semiotics, one is the signifier which is “the material phenomenon we are able to perceive” (Fortier, 2002, p. 20). For example, waving to someone in the street and the second part to the equation is the signified, this is the acceptance of that sign from someone else.

Being able to receive signals from objects when watching a performance gives the audience an indication of not only what the actors are saying but also what the space around them signifies. Semiotics are everywhere including lights, sound, costume and set design, it all takes massive part when analysing a performance.

So how are we going to show this? In our experiment everything that is being used or displayed is a form of semiotic analysis. There are eight categories that we cover; sexual references, disgusting objects, blasphemy, animal names, ethical, racial and sexuality, physiological deviations, ancestry and vulgar terms. By using visual objects and seeing the words printed on paper, this will give the audience more of a reaction and feel to the experiment as they will be hearing and seeing these subjects all around them.

Within our set, we have created a den that includes blankets that are suspended from the ceiling to create an intimate atmosphere, and pillows to associate ourselves with a safe and comfortable environment.  In and around the space, we have added objects and words that represent the categories that we are trying to show.

From a young age we are told by society that certain words are frowned upon and should not be used. Within a group we have picked out five words in which we think are the worst words to be said such as: cunt, nigger, whore, paki and retard. To create this image, we have made a mobile that suspends from the ceiling with words stated dangling above us. This is a representation in which that these words are always around us whether they are being used or not in day to day life.

Still carrying with the child theme, we have created a child like presence in the space, we have A-Z carpet squares which are for children who are learning their alphabet. These will be displayed on the floor where the audience can sit and interact with us throughout our performance. By doing this we have created a teacher and child relationship which is what we are trying to portray.

So linking it back with Saussure’s theory, the teddy bears and the alphabet tile flooring is the signifier and the signified is the audience responding it childlike and innocence. This is the same equation with the sexual objects. We don’t have to say anything to do with the topic but having them objects there signifies to the audience that they are to do with sex.

Works Citied

Frontier. M (2002) Theory/ Theatre – an introduction. Oxton: Routledge.

Concept, Rehearsal Process

Did you know that…means…?

Posted on November 27, 2013December 16, 2013 by Christopher Greenhall

Understanding these ‘taboo’ words is imperative to our performance so it was a necessity to delve deeper into origin, meaning and usage. All definitions and origins supplied by Oxford Dictionaries. http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/

Word: Spastic

Origin: Mid-18^th century: via Latin from Greek spastikos ‘pulling’, from span ‘pull’

Definition:

Adjective:

1 relating to or affected by muscle spasm.

relating to or denoting a form of muscular weakness ( spastic paralysis) typical of cerebral palsy, caused by damage to the brain or spinal cord and involving reflex resistance to passive movement of the limbs and difficulty in initiating and controlling muscular movement. (of a person) having cerebral palsy.

2 informal, offensive, incompetent or uncoordinated.

Noun:

1 a person with cerebral palsy.

2 informal, offensive; an incompetent or uncoordinated person.

Own Interpretation: Personally I feel this word is used by the younger generation. Late 90s, early 00s was when I heard this ‘insult’ thrown around the playground but not so much anymore. That may be because of other now derogatory words replacing it such as retard. It’s relation to cerebral palsy is widely unknown. It’s interesting how a word associated with muscle weakness is also used to describe and informal person. My last noteworthy finding is that this website hasn’t defined this word as being used as an insult or in a malicious way; furthermore if a child was to search the web to unearth a definition, it seems apparent that spastic is appropriate for everyday use.

Word: Coon

Phrases/Context: for (or in) a coon’s age

North American informal, dated for a very long time: ‘I haven’t seen you in a coon’s age!’

Definition:

Noun:

1 North American; short for raccoon.

2 informal, offensive; a black person.

Own Interpretation: Discovering the actual use and definition for coon was particularly interesting. I think its American descent is known by some but in terms of how it’s used over the pond was certainly news to myself. I was unaware of its relation to the racoon but it seems logical enough. I find it compelling to learn that words such as these are used in entirely unrelated circumstances; for example to use coon as a measure of time is baffling. Through trolling forums I have come across attempted decipherings of the phrase and the most common is that the phrase is linked to the life span of a racoon; in the same way that ‘crow’s age’ is used here in Britain. To conclude, coon is one of the more rarer words associated in Britain but is still used nonetheless.

Word: Chink

Origin: late 19th century: irregular formation from China

Definition:

Noun

Informal, offensive; a Chinese person.

Own Interpretation: Chink is a word I don’t come across to often, even with the increase of people with a Chinese descent in Britain. I’ve heard friends and family describe a Chinese takeaway as a Chinky more than I have heard a Chinese person being described as a Chink. It’s interesting also to consider the alternative meaning for Chink which, spelt without the capital C, means a small, narrow opening in a wall or upright surface. We could analyse this further but arguing that chink is underused because of its offensive alternative meaning.

Word: Mongoloid

Origin: The terms Mongoloid, Negroid, Caucasoid, and Australoid were introduced by 19th-century anthropologists such as Blumenbach attempting to classify human racial types, but today they are recognized as having very limited validity as scientific categories. Although occasionally used when making broad generalizations about the world’s populations, in most modern contexts they are potentially offensive.

Definition:

Adjective:

1 relating to the broad division of humankind including the indigenous peoples of East Asia, SE Asia, and the Arctic region of North America.

2 (mongoloid) offensive; having Down’s syndrome.

Noun:

1 a person of a Mongoloid physical type.

2 offensive; a person with Down’s syndrome.

Own Interpretation: It was fascinating to discover the origin and definitions of Mongoloid. Personally I have never used this word as I didn’t comprehend it. I had not even heard it used in conversation but clearly it is known by some. As to whether that ‘some’ know of its original uses to describe indigenous inhabitants of Asia and North America is very unlikely. I feel that mongoloid’s relation to those suffering from Down’s syndrome is known by those who use it. My reasoning for this is because it’s an underused word so when people do hear it, they are inquisitive as to its meaning.

Works Cited:

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/

Concept, Performance, Rehearsal Process

Interesting huh?

Posted on November 27, 2013December 15, 2013 by Lauren Simpson

The curses or “words we use to cause harm have acquired importance through years and have become remarkably powerful” (Soler Pardo 2011, pp. 92).

Word: Paki

Definition:

– Noun: “a person from Pakistan or South Asia by birth or descent, especially one living in Britain” (www.oxforddictionaries.com)

Origin: abbreviation developed in 1960s

Interesting?: The word itself is simply an abbreviation of a person’s origin, which is exactly the same premise as the word ‘Brit’ being the abbreviation of ‘British’. This is interesting because ‘Paki’ is considered to be an offensive word, whereas ‘Brit’ is not. This is the case because society uses ‘Paki’ in a derogatory way towards people of Pakistan descent.

Word: Retard

Definition:

– Verb: “delay or hold back in terms of progress or development”

– Noun: “a person who has a mental disability (often used as a general term of abuse)” (www.oxforddictionaries.com)

Origin: developed in the late 15^th century, derived from the latin re (meaning ‘back’) and tardus (meaning ‘slow’)

Interesting?: There are two clear definitions listed here, but only the noun seems to be commonly used today. It is quite upsetting that the online dictionaries have to add to definitions that ‘retard’ is used as an abusive term. This reflects how common the word is within today’s society. What is also rather distressing is the fact that the use of the word as a verb is rarely ever used. I would very much doubt that the younger generations within society today, would use this word in this context.

Word: Cunt

Definition:

– Noun: “a woman’s genitals” OR “an unpleasant or stupid person” (www.oxforddictionaries.com)

Origin: Middle English

Interesting?: This is possibly THE most taboo word in the English language. Its first meaning is fairly simple, which raises the point again about how society uses the word. It shouldn’t be any different than using the word ‘vagina’. However, what is the most distressing thing is that the online dictionaries feel that they have to conform to society’s use of the word, with the second definition. This negative definition shows that it is obviously a common use of the word.

These definitions and origins are important to our piece as we want to show the audience that they are simply letters strung together in a certain format. It is because of their use that they have become such scornful, taboo words within our society.

We wouldn’t want our audience to totally change and start to use the words more freely in everyday life. However, we do want them to leave our performance thinking about why they are offended by certain words and who made them offensive. According to Soler Pardo, there are four types of taboo in the English language. The first is ‘epithets’ which “normally refer to race, ethnicity, gender or sexuality” (2011, pp. 98). For example, retard, slut and bitch. The second category is ‘profanity’ that involves religious cursing. The third and fourth categories are ‘vulgarity’ and ‘obscenity’. These include “words which refer to sexual and bodily functions or those referred to sexual organs such as cunt, dick, pee, shit or fuck” (Soler Pardo 2011, pp. 98). Throughout our performance, we are constantly referencing to the words in three of the given categories. One thing we hope to gain from the performance is which words will provoke the most reactions. A majority of our audience will be students at the University of Lincoln. Therefore, words like ‘fuck’ probably won’t shock them. ‘Fuck’ in particular has become such a common word within our generation that it has turned into a ‘throw away’ comment. As Hughes states when referring to swearing: “the terminology has become increasingly imprecise” (1991, pp. 248). This is printed in a book from 1991, which could imply that this statement is even truer of today’s language. Swear words or taboos have lost their original meanings because of overuse and misuse. Not only does our piece want to show people that they are just words, but it also wants to reiterate their meaning so people actually know what they are saying. If the meaning of them is reinforced people might not be as quick to use a taboo.

Works Cited:

Hughes, Geoffrey (1991) Swearing: A Social History of Foul Language, Oaths and Profanity in English, Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.

Soler Pardo, B (2011) ‘Swearing and Translation: A Study of the insults in the films of Quentin Tarantino’, TDX, accessed 6 December 2013.