Dear All,
Today's session deliberately and strategically called for breaking the routine of what we have come to expect from our P&P rehearsals. Partly this was for me to manage the numbers and the work generated in groups through safe supervision and partly it was to throw another layer of creativity into the mix through opening up the channel of producing fragments of narratives, conversations, thought processes that would when scripted, provide a contextual background for the physical imagery and actions of different sections.
Reflect then on:
1. How did the breaking of the routine release another layer of creative input into the devising process?
2. What progress did you make as an individual and as part of your group today within the devising process? Consider both set backs and creating new material as part of this answer.
Royona
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
Monday, 15 February 2010
Blog Assessment - Task 1
Deadline: Wednesday, 3rd March 2010, 5 pm
Word Count: 750 words total (250 + 250 + 250)
Task:
There are three inter-related questions you need to answer as part of this task.
All the questions relate to the quote below which is taken from the book chapter identified below and is available as an e-book on OPAC.
Read the quote below and then answer each of the three questions within the word limit stipulated against each.
Conduct wider independent reading and use new quotes and examples to support your views.
Present your writing in academic language with Harvard Referencing and a Bibliography at the end of your post.
Quote:
“The term itself – ‘physical theatre’ – denotes a hybrid character and is testimony to its double legacy in both avant-garde theatre and dance. It is precisely this double current of influences which needs to be taken into consideration in any attempt to delineate specific parameters of the new genre.” (Sanchez-Colberg in Keefe & Murray; 2007, p 21)
Ana Sanchez-Colberg
from
Keefe, J & S Murray (2007) Physical Theatres: A Critical Reader London: Routledge
(this is available as an e-book on OPAC)
Questions:
1. Discuss the key features of the genre of ‘physical theatre’ as explored in the module content of Process and Performance. (250 words)
2. What does Ana Sanchez-Colberg imply by the ‘hybrid character’ of physical theatre? Is physical theatre a hybrid performance genre? Discuss with reasons for your answer.
(250 words)
3. Identify a contemporary British performance company whose practice falls into the remit of ‘physical theatre’ as you have defined in the above two answers. Discuss briefly the key features of their practice that makes them a physical theatre company. ( 250 words)
If you have any questions please contact me directly and in good time for the deadline. Looking forward to reading your answers on your own blogs.
Royona
Word Count: 750 words total (250 + 250 + 250)
Task:
There are three inter-related questions you need to answer as part of this task.
All the questions relate to the quote below which is taken from the book chapter identified below and is available as an e-book on OPAC.
Read the quote below and then answer each of the three questions within the word limit stipulated against each.
Conduct wider independent reading and use new quotes and examples to support your views.
Present your writing in academic language with Harvard Referencing and a Bibliography at the end of your post.
Quote:
“The term itself – ‘physical theatre’ – denotes a hybrid character and is testimony to its double legacy in both avant-garde theatre and dance. It is precisely this double current of influences which needs to be taken into consideration in any attempt to delineate specific parameters of the new genre.” (Sanchez-Colberg in Keefe & Murray; 2007, p 21)
Ana Sanchez-Colberg
from
Keefe, J & S Murray (2007) Physical Theatres: A Critical Reader London: Routledge
(this is available as an e-book on OPAC)
Questions:
1. Discuss the key features of the genre of ‘physical theatre’ as explored in the module content of Process and Performance. (250 words)
2. What does Ana Sanchez-Colberg imply by the ‘hybrid character’ of physical theatre? Is physical theatre a hybrid performance genre? Discuss with reasons for your answer.
(250 words)
3. Identify a contemporary British performance company whose practice falls into the remit of ‘physical theatre’ as you have defined in the above two answers. Discuss briefly the key features of their practice that makes them a physical theatre company. ( 250 words)
If you have any questions please contact me directly and in good time for the deadline. Looking forward to reading your answers on your own blogs.
Royona
Assessment Blog Links 2009/10
Dear All,
Below are the links to each of the six assessment blogs. I am trying to create links to these from the masterblogs, but it doesn't seem to be working for three of the links. While I solve the problem, please refer to this blogpost and also to WOLF to access all assessment blogs. Thanks for sending me the links and setting up the blogs so promptly.
1. Vicky, Huma, Hayley R, Lauren & Andrew
http://processandperformance2010.blogspot.com/
2. Toni, Annette, Charmaine, Gemma & Grecia
http://wolvesunipp.blogspot.com/
3. Sarah, Jodie, Rachel, Liz & Ellen
http://fourways2010.blogspot.com/
4. Sophie, Jade, Zareenam Haylee B & Dan
http://pandpassessmentblogs.blogspot.com/
5. Charlotte S, Charlotte W, Catherine, Dawn & Steph
http://wolvesuni-processandperformance.blogspot.com/
6. Emalene, Emma, Jess, Naomi & Mette
http://jemenpp.blogspot.com/
Royona
Below are the links to each of the six assessment blogs. I am trying to create links to these from the masterblogs, but it doesn't seem to be working for three of the links. While I solve the problem, please refer to this blogpost and also to WOLF to access all assessment blogs. Thanks for sending me the links and setting up the blogs so promptly.
1. Vicky, Huma, Hayley R, Lauren & Andrew
http://processandperformance2010.blogspot.com/
2. Toni, Annette, Charmaine, Gemma & Grecia
http://wolvesunipp.blogspot.com/
3. Sarah, Jodie, Rachel, Liz & Ellen
http://fourways2010.blogspot.com/
4. Sophie, Jade, Zareenam Haylee B & Dan
http://pandpassessmentblogs.blogspot.com/
5. Charlotte S, Charlotte W, Catherine, Dawn & Steph
http://wolvesuni-processandperformance.blogspot.com/
6. Emalene, Emma, Jess, Naomi & Mette
http://jemenpp.blogspot.com/
Royona
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
Devising Upwards and Onwards - 10th February 2010
Dear All,
A pretty pivotal session today for many reasons:
1. I think the company physically realised for the first time the importance of trusting a devising process and those who are leading it.
2. We also discussed at length that you need to learn to get used to this new and vulnerable way of creating work, accepts its highs and lows and take it in your stride.
3. We realised that it will be impossible to work as an ensemble all the time. That to maximise on time and space available, we will have to divide you up and work in small sections at times. But it is vital to remember that all these sections belong to one coherent singular vision.
4. Most importantly we reasserted that this process is for every individual to exploit and immerse themselves into. Every student is given the same opportunity and it is upto them to make of the opportunity what they will to get the most out of this experience.
5. We moved forward from last week's negativity into very productive, dynamic and positive creative work that brought different aspects of this woman's narrative alive.
6. It is therefore essential to realise that even out of the negativity Paul and I were able to facilitate a really positive session.
Questions for this week then:
1. As a performer - individual and part of the ensemble - what lessons have you learnt in these first three weeks of the devising process?
2. What would you say are the strengths you bring to the process?
3. What would you say are the weaknesses you bring to the process?
4. Discuss the different layers of the woman that are now beginning to come alive in our narrative fragments sol far.
Looking forward to your responses.
Royona
A pretty pivotal session today for many reasons:
1. I think the company physically realised for the first time the importance of trusting a devising process and those who are leading it.
2. We also discussed at length that you need to learn to get used to this new and vulnerable way of creating work, accepts its highs and lows and take it in your stride.
3. We realised that it will be impossible to work as an ensemble all the time. That to maximise on time and space available, we will have to divide you up and work in small sections at times. But it is vital to remember that all these sections belong to one coherent singular vision.
4. Most importantly we reasserted that this process is for every individual to exploit and immerse themselves into. Every student is given the same opportunity and it is upto them to make of the opportunity what they will to get the most out of this experience.
5. We moved forward from last week's negativity into very productive, dynamic and positive creative work that brought different aspects of this woman's narrative alive.
6. It is therefore essential to realise that even out of the negativity Paul and I were able to facilitate a really positive session.
Questions for this week then:
1. As a performer - individual and part of the ensemble - what lessons have you learnt in these first three weeks of the devising process?
2. What would you say are the strengths you bring to the process?
3. What would you say are the weaknesses you bring to the process?
4. Discuss the different layers of the woman that are now beginning to come alive in our narrative fragments sol far.
Looking forward to your responses.
Royona
Friday, 5 February 2010
Yesterday by Jasmin Vardimon Company
Dear All,
For those of you who watched Yesterday last evening, I felt it might be worth opening up a discussion about the performance in critical terms. It was obvious that you were all tremendously moved and impressed by it; but it would be worth now putting what you experienced into an analytical vocabulary.
Questions:
1. Considering it was a retrospective of the company's past ten years worth of work, do you think Yesterday was effective as a new piece of performance in its own right? Give reasons for your answer.
2. Having experienced the company 's repertoire through workshops and now having watched their material live, what are the qualities in their work that are worthwhile for us to take on board as a company as we work on Four Ways to Speak Out?
3. Would you describe their work as dance or physical theatre? Explain with use of specific examples from the performance.
4. How did they manage to create emotionally heightened material through technically precise movement?
Looking forward to your thoughts.
Royona
For those of you who watched Yesterday last evening, I felt it might be worth opening up a discussion about the performance in critical terms. It was obvious that you were all tremendously moved and impressed by it; but it would be worth now putting what you experienced into an analytical vocabulary.
Questions:
1. Considering it was a retrospective of the company's past ten years worth of work, do you think Yesterday was effective as a new piece of performance in its own right? Give reasons for your answer.
2. Having experienced the company 's repertoire through workshops and now having watched their material live, what are the qualities in their work that are worthwhile for us to take on board as a company as we work on Four Ways to Speak Out?
3. Would you describe their work as dance or physical theatre? Explain with use of specific examples from the performance.
4. How did they manage to create emotionally heightened material through technically precise movement?
Looking forward to your thoughts.
Royona
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Devising Through RSVP - 3rd February 2010
Dear All,
This post is for all of you who feel they have benefited from sharing and recording their journey through semester 1 and want to continue to do so through the making of Four Ways to Speak Out. I shall set out questions that attempt to recap the last three sessions, since we have started working on the performance including this morning's session.
Tuesday 8th December:
Through a performative exploration of the naturalistic environment where our performance will finds its identity and voice, Paul and I introduced you to the starting concept of Four Ways to Speak Out. We were strategic in our decision to allow you to discover these spaces through movement instead of just telling you about them through say a PPT presentation. We also introduced the one constant theme of the missing woman and the possible real life narratives relating to domestic abuse. Look at the link below for our own original inspiration for the thematic starting point:
http://refuge.org.uk/about-us/prevention-and-education/campaigns/four-ways-to-speak-out-campaign/
We then went on to create an ensemble section through the clap devising method marking the moment the community realise the woman's disappearance.
Questions:
1. Why did we choose a performative exploration to introduce the topic? What opportunities did such a an approach open up for you as individual an collective performers of the company?
2. What was the connection you made between our imaginary world which we set out to create and the real life stories of the women who died through domestic abuse?
Wednesday 27th January:
In the first week back after a long gap, using your letters as inspiration, we set out a very simple task of finding a chronologically settled opening to the piece. Some of the letters made strong references to her the missing woman's suitcase being found out in the open - bursting open, with her belongings strewed all over the road. So, we decided to use this trigger as a way to make the community encounter her items into realising that something was clearly wrong and that she was actually missing.
We chose to use a naturalistic opening to the piece - embracing text and pedestrian gestures and also allowed interactions to emerge between members of the community. The material you created established new dynamics within the group and gave birth to clear starting points for characters and their signature gestures. The isolation of the two males within the community also emerged through your improvisations.
Questions:
1. What devising strategy/ies did we use in this session to trigger off the creative process after a long gap? List all possible triggers/elements that we brought into the session which allowed the ensemble to create the material you did.
2. Describe in this very early stage the emotional qualities in your character. How are they reflected within your physicality.
3. What draws you into the ensemble section which Andy starts? Describe what you feel emotionally through this section.
Wednesday 3rd Febuary:
Today we wanted to diversify the creative sections the performance. We felt that in order to perform recollections of the woman's life in the community, which might throw light upon her disappearance, she would need to be represented by four different women at different points. Your ensemble vote allowed for the women to be selected.
The letters became the starting point for 'the last time we saw her' improvisations. At first this was an individual and vocal response creating a sudden cacophony of voices that became one large incomprehensible collective. The second approach was a visual/physical response setting out the environment and the actions of the last time you met the woman.
The scarves became the starting point for concealing the faces of the four representatives and they were asked to create a physicality that suggested their unison while implying the violent themes of the piece.
The suitcase became the point of dialogue between the two male characters in the piece. Developing from an aggressive exchange, the piece is aimed to become softer and more complex as it goes on.
Questions:
1. What devising strategies did we use this morning to allow creative responses in the group?
2. What were the highs and lows of the work created today and the process undertaken?
3. How do you think the tasks we said today came out of the work you created last week? Give examples in detail.
4. Discuss the possibilities emerging in the narrative as a result of the explorations you underwent and the material you all generated.
Looking forward to your responses.
Royona
This post is for all of you who feel they have benefited from sharing and recording their journey through semester 1 and want to continue to do so through the making of Four Ways to Speak Out. I shall set out questions that attempt to recap the last three sessions, since we have started working on the performance including this morning's session.
Tuesday 8th December:
Through a performative exploration of the naturalistic environment where our performance will finds its identity and voice, Paul and I introduced you to the starting concept of Four Ways to Speak Out. We were strategic in our decision to allow you to discover these spaces through movement instead of just telling you about them through say a PPT presentation. We also introduced the one constant theme of the missing woman and the possible real life narratives relating to domestic abuse. Look at the link below for our own original inspiration for the thematic starting point:
http://refuge.org.uk/about-us/prevention-and-education/campaigns/four-ways-to-speak-out-campaign/
We then went on to create an ensemble section through the clap devising method marking the moment the community realise the woman's disappearance.
Questions:
1. Why did we choose a performative exploration to introduce the topic? What opportunities did such a an approach open up for you as individual an collective performers of the company?
2. What was the connection you made between our imaginary world which we set out to create and the real life stories of the women who died through domestic abuse?
Wednesday 27th January:
In the first week back after a long gap, using your letters as inspiration, we set out a very simple task of finding a chronologically settled opening to the piece. Some of the letters made strong references to her the missing woman's suitcase being found out in the open - bursting open, with her belongings strewed all over the road. So, we decided to use this trigger as a way to make the community encounter her items into realising that something was clearly wrong and that she was actually missing.
We chose to use a naturalistic opening to the piece - embracing text and pedestrian gestures and also allowed interactions to emerge between members of the community. The material you created established new dynamics within the group and gave birth to clear starting points for characters and their signature gestures. The isolation of the two males within the community also emerged through your improvisations.
Questions:
1. What devising strategy/ies did we use in this session to trigger off the creative process after a long gap? List all possible triggers/elements that we brought into the session which allowed the ensemble to create the material you did.
2. Describe in this very early stage the emotional qualities in your character. How are they reflected within your physicality.
3. What draws you into the ensemble section which Andy starts? Describe what you feel emotionally through this section.
Wednesday 3rd Febuary:
Today we wanted to diversify the creative sections the performance. We felt that in order to perform recollections of the woman's life in the community, which might throw light upon her disappearance, she would need to be represented by four different women at different points. Your ensemble vote allowed for the women to be selected.
The letters became the starting point for 'the last time we saw her' improvisations. At first this was an individual and vocal response creating a sudden cacophony of voices that became one large incomprehensible collective. The second approach was a visual/physical response setting out the environment and the actions of the last time you met the woman.
The scarves became the starting point for concealing the faces of the four representatives and they were asked to create a physicality that suggested their unison while implying the violent themes of the piece.
The suitcase became the point of dialogue between the two male characters in the piece. Developing from an aggressive exchange, the piece is aimed to become softer and more complex as it goes on.
Questions:
1. What devising strategies did we use this morning to allow creative responses in the group?
2. What were the highs and lows of the work created today and the process undertaken?
3. How do you think the tasks we said today came out of the work you created last week? Give examples in detail.
4. Discuss the possibilities emerging in the narrative as a result of the explorations you underwent and the material you all generated.
Looking forward to your responses.
Royona
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