SITE SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE – Page 8

The Perfomance Process – Part 2

Andrew Brooks / April 9, 2015April 9, 2015 / Main Page

As the rehearsals have gone on in lesson times, we met up with Darren and discussed the technology that we would be using: the mixing desk, microphones, and headphones. We will also be using either a projector or a TV screen to show the visual aspects of sound (see image below).

The programme that will be used so that the audience will be able to see the sound is Audacity. There will be a direct link from a laptop to the screen/projector and this will be in the middle of the room. It’s good to use this as it can help to immerse the audience in the performance as they will be able to hear and see what Billy, Chris and Klaudia are doing, but will also be able to see how loud they’re truly being by the visual element of having a programme that shows them this.

Ultimately, the audience experience of our performance should be about the sound and getting them to listen to the sounds of what is happening in our little workshop.

Andrew Brooks

The Performance Process – Part 1

Andrew Brooks / April 9, 2015April 9, 2015 / Main Page

The process through which we have gone has been quite difficult thus far. Attempting to build something in a space that isn’t a workshop requires us to seek out a lot of materials we need, providing difficulties. However, throughout the weeks, there has been a development in our piece: we have gone from wanting to build a scale model of the library and focusing on the history and architecture of the library, to building shelves in the quietest way possible and me monitoring this by microphones around the room; this would also provide a live soundtrack or soundscape of a workshop for the audience to listen as they watch from outside of the Freezone.

Within the workshop, we intend to have a few different things going on at the same time: sawing, hammering, sanding and varnishing. The microphones will be pointed at each of these and connected to a mixing desk which will in turn feed to headphones for the audience to listen to. On the mixing desk, I shall be attempting to make the things you might not hear over others; for example, sawing over hammering, so hopefully, the outcome will be that the live soundscape will provide the audience with sounds they might not necessarily think of hearing or listening to.

When you think of where a workshop tends to be, many people may class this as noise pollution because pf all the sawing and cutting and hammering that many people would class as a collective noise rather than individual sounds. However, ‘noise pollution results when we do not listen carefully. Noises are the sounds we have learned to ignore.’ (Kelly, 2011, 110) so by using the mixing desk, the audience will be able to listen carefully to what is happening in front of them. Also, ‘the concept of the soundscape is a broad one, accommodating the complete sound environment in a location and the human response to it.’ (Davies et al, 2013, 224) This is where the headphones come in. As no one but us will be allowed in the room, then the only way for people to hear what is going on will be through the headphones and they will be hearing the ‘complete sound environment’ (Davies et al, 2013, 224) of this workshop environment we will be creating.

Andrew Brooks

Davies, W.J, Adams, M.D, Bruce, N.S, Cain, R, Carlyle, A, Cusack, P, Hall, D.A, Hume, K.I, Irwin, A, Jennings, P, Marselle, M, Plack, C.J, Poxon, J. (2013) Perception of soundscapes: An interdisciplinary approach. Applied Acoustics. 74 (2) 224-231.

Kelly, C. (eds) (2011) Sound. London: Whitechapel Gallery.

Changes and Developments

Ruth Scott / April 2, 2015April 2, 2015 / Main Page

Our performance piece itself will be very challenging and requires a lot of planning and processes in order for it to be successful. As a group Jessica, Harry and I decided to analyse all of our ideas that we had in mind for the theme. We also reflected back upon the feedback we received initially from our pitch. Our main concern is because we have so many ideas the performance piece would not do them justice. From these thoughts we have decided to narrow down our ideas further:

The Trail– Originally we planned to have a trail leading from fiction books on a shelf to the installation room. We have decided to scrap this idea as we felt the trail itself would not have the same sense of quality as the room itself.

The Room/ UL203– From the change of not using a trail, we thought having just the room itself, the installation would give us the opportunity purely just to focus on making it as high quality and realistic as possible. This would also enable us to manage our time effectively- to look for realistic props, costume and to ensure lighting/sound effects are all adequate.

Also within UL203 there is a fairly large table that is still in consideration of whether to use this as a prop or to remove it completely. Once we have gathered to majority of our props we will consider this further.

The Three Fairy Tales– Cinderella, Jorinda and Joringal and The Girl without Hands were our three original fairy tales that we wanted to incorporate into the installation. After consideration we all decided that Jorinda and Joringal didn’t have enough depth in its story, unlike the two others. Instead, we thought Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs fitted better alongside with the others.

Performance– We did initially have intentions on one to one performances, performing as one of the characters from each fairy tale. However, we thought this could be too consuming and our aim really is to focus on the installation itself. We do still feel that the room needs some kind of performative element within, but we plan to do this briefly, but still getting the partaker fully involved.

Ruth Scott

The Uses of Enchantment – Bruno Bettelheim

Ruth Scott / April 2, 2015April 2, 2015 / Main Page

“Every child believes in magic, and he stops doing so when he grows up” (Bettelheim, 1978, p118)

In order to gain a deeper understanding within fairy tales, I researched into Bruno Bettelheim. The Uses of Enchantment explains how Bettelheim believed in fairy tales being important for children to gain emotional growth, which would prepare them for their own futures. Relating this back to our own ideas, we want our installation to reflect the idea of the university library being a place that can be frightening, because of new beginnings and working towards a successful life/career.

Our aim is to prepare students for an experience that will be engaging and scary, through relating to adult life from work/jobs and other obstacles that may arise in their futures, all through references from well know fairy tales. The use of the fairy tale installation also has the advantage of being able to reflect back into the partakers own thoughts and fantasies of childhood fairy tales, but we aim to twist them by using Grimm tales. This enables the partaker to envisage past, present and future. The twist of using Grimm fairy tales emphasises the idea of growing up, but through relating back to Bettelheim we want the students/adults to gain “emotional growth” and to get lost in a fantasy and believe in the “magic” even in adulthood.

Bettelheim, B. (1978) The uses of enchantment: the meaning and importance of fairy tales. London: Thames and Hudson.

Ruth Scott

Our Pitch/Mood board of Ideas

Ruth Scott / March 31, 2015 / Main Page

As a group Jessica, Harry and I decided to create a small stretch pad filled with mood board ideas, to relate to our overall theme of fairy tales. We researched into three main Grimm fairy tales: Cinderella, Jorinda and Joringel and The Girl without Hands. We used this along with our power point presentation to pitch our idea. Through our research, we found that Grimm fairy tales linked together with use of violence, scenery and environment. In particular, one main factor most of the fairy tales have in common in the story is the use of grain. This could be something that could be used effectively within the installation, as the library itself was originally a grain warehouse.

We received a lot of positive feedback from presenting our ideas and we took on board a lot of advice we received. One main factor within our installation that we need to take into consideration is the thought of quality, to really feel a sense of truly walking into fantasy/fairy tales. In order to make our installation as realistic as possible- props, lighting, costume, sound effects need to be as high quality as possible. We tend to do this by taking advantage of the Lincoln Performing Art Centre props/costume cupboard and also to search around online and in various charity shops to find innovative yet imaginative objects that will fit well to the theme.

Ruth Scott