This IS my creation, naked and tumblin' out as it goes. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
For many years I have considered this, molded, planned, weighed. Since 1999 formally, and probably much earlier on a subconscious level. The idea is something a few friends of mine are familiar with (Scott, Ike, Josh, Pete), and I've discussed it with them before. Namely: using Hans Christian Andersen's "The Philosopher's Stone" as the basis for a one-person theatrical performance (along with a live musician, ideally), featuring masks, puppets, additional material from folktales and myths of various cultures, elements of boardgames/role-playing games/tarot/"seance"/magic show/dinner party/twister/hopscotch/murder mystery/spook alley/kids' science fair, leading into backing the audience unknowingly by degrees into finally "performing" via a simple task, during which I, the actor, will have disappeared, leaving them with a surprise dinner awaiting them at the table where the whole thing began.
In addition, I want this piece to be modular, so that if the story consisted of, say seven main decision points, each decision point would have, perhaps, five possible ways of being dramatized, thus making for 35 potential units right there. At each decision point, the audience would help determine, in some simple way (that would be presented in a different but clear manner each time, to provide novelty without slowing action down inordinately) of selecting one of the five options. The spectators would be made aware that their decisions were responsible for which unit I would then enact. This is my attempt to provide a structure that creates a highly sustainable performance vehicle, for: audiences could come several times without seeing the exact same story-path repeated, and I would never know exactly which unit would be coming next! New material could also be folded in by rotating older units with fresh ones as they may arise.
The senses are a major part of this story, with one "brother" per sense. As I embody or depict each brother character in various ways (via puppetry, mask work, etc.), I'd like to play on the audience's senses through a kind of participatory way, in the spirit of a children's science show, using optical illusions, olfactory tricks, etc., with the intention that the performance could be as widely marketed as possible, not only to private groups of adults for exclusive home audiences very small in size, to larger groups of school kids of elementary age and so on.
More tomorrow.
2 comments:
Excellent. It reads like an old scientific journal...
I'm glad you mention that, as I wouldn't have noticed. This is perhaps (subconsciously) at the heart of why I'm posting each day's efforts here, unedited, because I'm especially interested in the frames we place around our content and opening to the possibility of using ALL of that AS SOURCE.
Even if that didn't show up in the show per se, it may be that the prime reason I'm doing this through the blog is to discover more of HOW I create, formulate, dream, plan, what-you-will (through your comments and everyone else who may chime in, as well as through whatever stages may then follow in our collective reflections and collaborative musings after November). This could not only become a furthering in my path of creative development in the project, but become part of the very project that ends up onstage/on film...
...and who knows how it may lead to epiphanies and elaboration of "other" projects such as our Booth seating?
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