Solo Performance

“Audiences need to be entertained, provoked and, above all engaged.” (Anderson, 2006) I found this quote really helped me when I was first looking into solo work. This allowed me to understand why the exploration of different performance styles was necessary. What one audience member may find entertaining, another may not, however as long as they are kept engaged then the show works. From seeing Victoria Melody’s performance ‘Hair Piece’ I found that she always spoke to the audience. Not past the audience but actually speaks to them. It was directed to each individual which made you connect more with what was happening on stage.

She provoked a reaction form us as we were shocked at different parts of her performance, for instance when she showed us different kinds of hair and where they were from. As well as when she told us however expensive extensions are and how they are got from people. The process that the hair goes through and what some people go through in order to afford to live by selling their hair. This provoked us as an audience as what we believed to be such a simple yet expensive process we were shocked to find out what actually happens behind the scenes and the extreme nature of what occurs. Her performance was also entertaining as she was herself, she didn’t hide her lisp, she chatted to the audience and showed her personality. When moving from place to place she also sat on a seat and used a hair dryer as if she was getting on a plane and this got her from place to place. This was extremely comical to watch, it not only entertained us but it kept us engaged in the action. There was so much going on within her show however it was easy to follow. The voice overs, the videos, the movement and her actually speaking to us herself.

Although their are many aspects of her performance I do not want to include within mine I do believe if I was to create a longer piece I would use her performance as inspiration as it allowed the audience to observe aspects of her journey, otherwise she would simply have to try and explain it. Where as being able to see it made it more real and thought provoking.

Anderson, M. (2006). SOLO – A guidebook for individual performance. Sydney: Currency Press, p.38.

My Granda is fantastic at remembering memories from when I was younger, or his time working and when he was younger, however sometimes his thoughts become jumbled. He thinks I am my dad and believes what my dad did when he was younger was in fact me. He believes that outings which occurred sometimes over 10 years ago were yesterday, however sometimes the memories are that accurate that his distinction between days and hours of that memory could make you believe they were yesterday.

I hope to use 3 instances. The first will be my Granda in himself, his humour and chatty personality as well as his good heart and kindness. I will play myself and him, jumping from the ‘character’ of my Granda to myself.

I will then use three specific memories which are strong in both mine and my Granda’s minds. These being Sunderland matches, concerts in which my Granda would perform in, either by himself or with the choir he was involved in and days out. I have decided on three specific times, my first ever Sunderland match being the first. I felt this memory was important as it is one that is still so strong in my Granda’s mind. I have then decided to do when my Granda performed in The Wizard Of Oz as the scarecrow and unfortunately forgot his words the night I went to see him perform. I will then set the scene of a park or ice cream van as my Granda still to this day holds a strong memory of my favourite thing being ice cream, and with this when he is out and slightly confused he still buys an ice cream and gives it to whomever is with him as he thinks it is me.

I will take each of these memories in turn and look into how I can create both an emotional connection to the audience but also how will be able to add in a bit of humour to lighten up the whole production.

I believe I have had a great idea. Transitions are important throughout a performance no matter what time frame or how small a performance it is. To add comedic value I have thought of using my suitcase as a train. I have a small suitcase which has four wheels which means it moves in any direction. I tried it out today by sitting on top of it and moving it along the floor and it actually worked quite well. I also got some really good feedback in our smaller rehearsals with the girls as they said it was quite a nice break from the memories. I am not a comedian but I do like comedy. I like to try and make subjects light hearted and allow the audience to enjoy the experience rather than feel they are being told how to feel, and for that feeling to be a constant emotional battle. This way the suitcase adds as an image for a train as well as the ‘baggage’ that I am carrying around. the baggage being Alzheimer’s.

I also feel the suitcase fits quite well as my setting is a train station therefore it looks as if it is my suitcase which I will be taking with me to the next destination. It allows me to pull each element of my performance together. It also means I am using the suitcase for different things throughout making it a useful prop rather than something for the audience to simply stare at and wonder why it is there.

There is one main memory which both my Dad and Granda remember like it was yesterday and find rather amusing. This is the first Sunderland match they took me to. I was around 4 or 5 years old and I was all kitted up, my Sunderland shirt, hat, scarf, gloves, believe me I was a walking Sunderland clothing advertisement. With this in mind I got into the stadium, there were so many people I was put onto my Dad’s shoulders so I could see where I was going. People were going past high fiving me asking me who was going to win and where was my beer ( I preferred the chips and gravy and ice cream). After we were all sorted the match was beginning. For those who have not been to a football match before the atmosphere is uncanny, it’s hard not to join in and be influenced by your fellow supporters around you, to join in the chants and stand as you watch your team enter the arena.

 

“We love you Sunderland we do,

We love you Sunderland we do

We love you Sunderland we do,

Oh Sunderland we love you.” ( x 3 getting faster each time)

I was slowly being brought into the team of fans, becoming part of the group, or at least that’s what I thought. When my Granda and Dad told me this story I was thinking yes my love of the sport came early. However I soon found this was not the case as my Granda bursts out laughing. “Yeah son but then do you remember what the little tinker did”. My dad suddenly roared with laughter, of course I did not get the joke at all, “will someone please tell me what’s going on.” My Granda then went on to explain to me that within 10 minutes of the match kicking off him and my dad turned round to see me sat back on the seat colouring in my colouring book not bothered about where I was or what was going on.

 

Its difficult to find a piece of work that you can honestly say you admire, you feel they manage to tell a story of an event or situation which they have not actually suffered through yet are able to catch the heart wrenching agony behind it. A piece of theatre I have been looking into is ‘An Evening With Dementia’ by Trevor Smith. He places himself centre stage sitting on a chair wrapped in a blanket with his pyjamas on, creating an illusion of being bored and not knowing what to do, he then begins to talk and uses both humour and emotional expanse to grab the audiences attention.

Dementia and Alzheimer’s are illnesses which occur too often, yet are still not as well known as they should be. Individually I feel everyone should have an understanding of dementia and Alzheimer’s for if you found someone in the street or encounter someone with the illness it means you would at least know how to help. Therefore this piece of theatre really showed the reality behind dementia, that you should not feel sorry for them as they are still there, sometimes they just need reminding of some things bit they still love, they still care, and they still have some memories even if you do not believe it.

After finding out Trevor actually did not read into this project he simply used his own experiences and what he already knew I feel slightly half hearted ever so slightly as I found that this piece really touched the comical side of dementia but also how the person with dementia must feel everyday. I understand within this industry there is a need to make money on projects and performances, but is that what should really be behind the initial idea? Doesn’t that ruin the whole idea of the performance and what the audience members are supposed to get from it or at least feel about what they are being shown? It is important to make money of course, but the piece of theatre and the situations that occur or the understanding of an incident should be able to speak for itself, that is within the art of theatre, not everyone will like it but audience members should walk away with questions or at least wanting to know more.

At least I know now I would like to create an inspirational piece which gives the audience members an understanding of the illness itself or at least a side of it that many people may not know about or simply overlook. I will create this for audience members to gain knowledge about the illness and not with the idea of earning money from it, but rather to hope that my audience would like to find out more and find it helpful.