Category: Rehearsal Process

Posted in Concept, Performance, Rehearsal Process

ABCDEFGAY

Posted on by Lauren Simpson

photo 5

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.

Posted in Concept, Performance, Practitioners, Rehearsal Process

Semiotics in the space!

Posted on 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.

Posted in Performance, Rehearsal Process

Beauty of Imtimacy

Posted on by Jessica Golby

To be intimate with someone takes time and trust and we often find that we are only intimate with the people closest to us.

Why do performance artists strive for a strand of intimacy in performance?

After being given the task of creating a one to one performance, I decided that I wanted to develop the concept of a ‘safe space’ which will be used in our performance. I wanted to draw all the components I associated with being safe and put these in to a space which could be transformed in to an intimate space. It is here that I would create a friendly bubble for me and one audience member/ participant to simply enjoy being with another person. This is also what we aim to create in our final experiment, although the space will be shared between 14 people rather that just 2.  I find being in the presence of another, without feeling the need to make meaningless conversation, exciting and interesting and, personally, this creates a  form of intimacy that only you and the other can experience. A sense of enclosure, for me, gives a sense of safety and intimacy as it create a world only the people present can participate in and enjoy.

Performance art, especially one to one, one on one and audience of one performances, have seen a ‘shift in the traditional performer/spectator divide [which] can reallocate… the audiences’ role into one that receives and responds’ (Heddon, 2012, p.120). This is an aspect of intimacy that will find itself in to out final piece/ experiment. We aim to create a place where the audience’s response drives the piece. We are fortunate to be able to do two performances (each to 10 audience members) allowing us to gain a wider reaction than we had originally hoped. It will be their questions and (un)willingness to explore the taboos with our guidance that will decide which course the performance takes. A group of participants that are engaged and involved will create a very different path to one which feels exploited or disconnected with the piece.

To enable us to engage with our audience from the moment of registration we will have them sign up through twitter (See Profile https://twitter.com/TabooLincoln ).This will allow us to form a relationship with them through virtual media which will contrast the performance and the ‘real’ interactions.  Intimacy naturally occurs when people share time and space, although as the Information Age is developing ‘we have come to accept the virtual as real, online as social and Facebook as face-to-face’ (Hulsey, 2011, p.23). The relationships formed virtually through twitter will form the foundation of the relation we will develop with in the performance. These contrasting forms adding to the jarring of content and context of the piece.

Can we create intimate relationships through social media?

The creation of relationships can most defiantly occur through social media, whether they are intimate poses a different question. To be with someone, to share the same air, to see the same things and experience the same atmosphere create the conditions required for me to obtain an intimate and close relationship. I believe that with the development of technologies and the diminishing efforts put in my members of the human race, the beauty of intimacy has the potential to become lost in a world of social media and virtual lives. As Hulsey states ‘more time living virtually seems to result in poorer functioning in the real interpersonal world. (2011, p.23).

Works Cited

Heddon, Deirdre, Iball, Helen, Zerihan, Rachel (2012) Come Closer: Confessions if Intimate Spectators in One to One Performances. Contemporary Theatre Review, 22 (1) 120-133.

Hulsey, Timothy L (2011) Empathy 2.0: Virtual Intimacy. Phi Kappa Phi Forum, 91 (1) 22-23.

Posted in Performance, Rehearsal Process

Our Safe Place

Posted on by Jamee-Lee Fleming

Today, we live in a society where if we were out in public and we overheard a person say the word ‘cunt’ or ‘niggar’, they are automatically judged as it is frowned upon. We, ourselves don’t understand as to why people take offence as they are only words and in society we have been taught from a young age that they are bad. Our aim is to create a safe place where it is okay to say these words freely without getting judged or harm anyone else. We don’t want to create an awkward atmosphere between the audience and ourselves but to encourage them to feel confident in the environment we are creating. We are going to do this by creating a space that looks like a den. A den is a relatable place to our audience as it is something that we all made when we were younger. It was a place where we would spend hours playing with our friends and where we felt safe.

A safe place is a location of which a person feels secure and comfortable with their surroundings.
It is where a person feels protected and not exposed to danger or a risk of harm. Whether it is to themselves or anyone else around them. There isn’t a specific place though, it depends on the individual in what they prefer. For example it could be a home with the front door locked, or a room inside the home such as a bedroom or living room. Some people could see a safe place as a hospital or a care home as they provide care and attention. Depending on whether you are religious or not but a place of worship can be seen as a safe place as you are connecting with others and also feel protected by praying to your God.  A safe place doesn’t have to be a building either, it could be an open space such as a park, or garden, somewhere where it involves memories that make that person secure and happy.

My safe place is my bedroom, it is a place where I feel comfortable. It contains all my personal belongings and lots of memories that I have collected over the time.  Within this space, I am able to do my own things without worrying about what other people think, such as listen to music or read a book. I can speak to my friends confidently in this space or even close the door behind me and just whine down after a long day and go to sleep.

My Bedroom
My Bedroom

 

 

Posted in Concept, Rehearsal Process

Did you know that…means…?

Posted on 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-18th 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/