After the Practical…

Last 20th January, I performed the short show as practical for module of The current issues. Of course, I have some show experiences when I was in Korea but, this show is more meaningful to me. Firstly, it was the first show which my own idea spread out to other country audiences as the one of the performing arts although the show was quite short and simple. Secondary, it might be the first show which Korean made to most audiences although there are rightly so much greater director and performer than me in my country.

About the show

I tried to collaborate between the real stage and virtual stage. So, I divided the stage largely two sections as inside door and outside door, and the screen is a kind of medium which can connect between indoor and outdoor as window. And then, I also divided the real stage two sections as both the man’s room and woman’s room. (The boundary between man’s room and woman’s room was to employ the lights.)

My show was very simple and direct in terms of dramatic structure and expression. In addition, the show was non-verval performance and used two Korean songs. Because, when I thought the conception of my show for the first time, I faced language problem. Above all, I thought, the emotional delivery through the non-verval expression more effective and suitable to my motif although all most all audiences cannot understand the Korean lyrics.

The musical program of the show was consisted two Korean songs including solo of man and duet of both man and woman. First sequence was progressed as point of view of the man in the man’s solo song and second sequence was naturally connected with the duet song as the lovers point of view. In addition, the lyrics were very similar and suitable with the story.

I tried to utilize effectively given musical moments of the song to in and out of both performers and acting for example, the moment of using the candle or facing to face with each other as if a mirror.

I experienced and learned wider and various dramatic expression of current performance during this module. Above all, it was very excited that applying through my own practical and experiencing the ideas and understanding of other students’ through their performances. It was just my first attempt outside of Korea and I really expect, it can be the small seed which can bear plentiful fruits.

                                 MA Drama: Current Issues, the Plan of Practical

 

 

 

Subject Collaboration between Live performance and Non-live performance   Stage Composition – The stage is divided into three spaces. – There is not structural boundary between Man’s room and Woman’s room. (However, the boundary is segregated through lights and acting of performers.) – Behind the flat④ of SR and SL are used as performer’s In and Out passage.   SR / Man’s room SL / Woman’s room SCREEN③ / Both Man’s and Woman’s room window as virtual space on the screen. – The screen③ as window is actively utilized as the outside scene with real stage. – Performers and audiences can see the outside through presented virtual window.   Summary of performance – The show is a type of non-verbal performance through Korean duet song. – There are both man and woman who are lovers. They intensely argue with each other, and finally decide on a breakup. (on the screen as over the window) – In the each room, they realize that they hastily decide and don’t want a breakup. However, they don’t contact with each other, and they are in pain and just wait. Ultimately, the man goes to in front of her house, and woman also goes outside in order to meet him. (real stage) – They accidentally meet in with each other in front of the window and awkwardly make up. Technical Needs – Two Par Lights①, which can separately operate each and control dimming. – Special Light (like Source Four Ellipsoidal)② which can highlight when lovers are on the centre. (If can’t hang the Lights, Standing Lights can be used.) – Beam projector and white screen③. – Two flats④ which performers can use as the space of In, Out and waiting. – Two chairs⑤ – Two cube boxes⑥ which can use as small table – Sound system which can output from computer (or laptop)

 

 

Modernism is based on rationalistic logic which human can reach “Utopia” through development of science and technology, and it sets a high value on an individuality and subjectivity through severance of convention and old custom. Fashion as Modernism also emphasizes an autonomy of fashion. Accordingly, Modernism fashion is not wearing the clothes depending on particular place or social class but just seeking fashion for fashion. In other words, fashion is selected and worn by individual tendency and aesthetic standard rather than relevant society. The feature of Modernism fashion is, it rejects a glossy ornamentation and additional material in addition it deletes a symbolic image and message, and emphasizes the unique line of cloth.

 

               Paul Poiret (1879 ~1944)

In this sense, Paul Poiret who is French fashion designer widely known as one of the pioneers of Modernism fashion. His first outstanding contribution as modernist is liberation from corset. Corset was typical convention and inevitable element of fashion although many women suffered from indigestion at that time. However, he designed modern straight line unlike S-curve of corset, and it could become a forerunner of recent modern fashion.

His second feature as modernist is exotic design. Paul Poiret was interested into the Middle East and Asia including Persia, Arabia, China and Japan since 1909. In addition the features of such countries were actively applied into his design, for example Arabian turban, Persian harem pants and Japanese Kimono.

 

       Arabian Turban       

 

Persian Harem Pants

 

 

                                 Japanese Kimono                   

 

Finally, his feature of design as modernist is using the colour. Generally, the chroma of womens wear is low used at that time however Paul Poiret took high chroma which are bright and vivid in his design. Scholars carefully speculate, his primary used colours could be affected by Fauvism and exotic colours.

 

 

Paul Poiret was emulative relationship with Chanel and gain fame as much as Chanel at that time. After First World War, however, he experienced economic crisis and, his salon ultimately busted up in 1929. Since then, many designers have been inspired by him and his design still has been valuably recognized although already disappeared his salon unlike Chanel.

In the theatrical history, almost the whole theatrical elements in theatre or performance have been recycled. Because, the ghosts of previous productions insistently exist in almost all stage productions, and audience could feel familiar as a kind of déjà vu by their individual experience and cultural memories. The identity of ghosts is related to political conditions, racial histories and gender conventions (Carlson, 2001). In addition, such ghostly conditions are true for any play, performer, or production in relation to the traditions of theatre.

So, I am going to discuss about some theatrical events which I believe to be ‘ghosted’ through Carlson’s the various guises of ghostly conditions in given article.

 

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Firstly, West side story the musical which is applied “the retelling of story” (Carlson cited in Postlewait, 2009). This show intentionally reinterprets the Romeo and Juliet of Shakespeare from a modern viewpoint. Audience can feel such familiar ghosts through relation between two families of mutual enemies, and tragic both man and woman. But, ending of West side story is different with original play that Juliet suicides follow Romeo in the play but in the case of the musical, Maria desperately appeal with died Tony about the senseless fight between two immigrant families.

www.playbillvault.com

 Secondly, Le Miserables the musical. This musical is applied “the retelling of historical events and the revival of musical” (Carlson cited in Postlewait, 2009). The show takes the French Revolution in 18^th century as one of the backgrounds of the musical, and encompasses political, social situation at that time. Besides, Le Miserables has been showing since 1985 all around the world through continuative revival. Especially, the actor who was in charge of Gavroche in the past will become Marius and the actress who was in charge of Cosette in the past will become Fantine in this coming 50^th celebration show in Japan.

www.playbillvault.com

Thirdly, Into the woods the musical. This musical is applied “the function of parody and the retelling of folk tales” (Carlson cited in Postlewait, 2009). Interestingly, audience can feel such the ghosts through familiar characters who are in the existing famous story. For instance, Rapunzel, Cinderella, Jack of Jack and the Beanstalk and Little Red Riding Hood appear in the musical, and they lead new and interesting story.

www.playbillvault.com

Finally, the Seagull which is written by Chekhov. Especially, Treplyov and Arkadina can remind Hamlet and Gertrude in terms of relation and the cause of conflict. in addition Chekhov quoted from real lines of Hamlet in Act2 Treplyov’s line and dialogue between Treplyov and Arkadina in Act3. Thus, the Seagull can be applied “direct and indirect quotation of passages from previous plays” as one of the ghosts (Carlson cited in Postlewait, 2009).

 

REFERENCE

Carlson, M. (2001). The haunted stage. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Postlewait, T. (2009). The Cambridge introduction to theatre historiography. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

The history of performance is enormously long as much as the human history, because human has a tendency that to express their desire and hope through the most easy and instinctive expression such as song or dance, and it sufficiently could be the origin of performance. After that performance has actively affected on human life in terms of entertainment, society and even politics. The most outstanding feature of performance is liveness. Because, “Performance cannot be saved, recorded, documented, or otherwise participate in the circulation of representation of representations” (Matthew, 2006).

However, over technology rapidly develop especially record aspect performance naturally has been divided two classifications; live performance and non-live performance. Non-live performance is that a sort of recorded performances, performer performs without live audience (of course, performer can imagine spectator) as camera language rather than stage language, and audience watches the performance without live performer according to given view point of camera rather than audience’s choice.

 

As much as live performance and non-live performance have take different method, both type of performance could evoke different sort of impression and emotional stimulation to audience. For example, audience could feel different impression when he or she watches Sweeny Todd the musical and Sweeny Todd the movie in terms of stimulation of sense. Another example is that people could receive different emotional stimulation when they chat with family face to face and merely by phone. In the plain language, audience is most likely to become a participant in live theatre and also could become a just viewer in front of screen. However, this paper not argues that live performance better than non-live performance. Non-live performance as well already is sufficiently recognized in terms of artistic value and unique method of emotional delivery.

 

Generally, people go to the theatre in order to enjoy a performance. In this regard, the term “enjoy” embraces satisfaction of human five senses during the performance. In other words, watching the performance in live theatre is not only watching something on the stage but also direct experiencing through all of sense. In addition, it is a kind of special experiences of human life, and certainly has to involve the concept of liveness.

Liveness can be formed when live performer perform in front of live audience (Jellicoe cited in Matthew, 2006). It means that liveness can become a essential key in live performance studies and a instinct standard which can assort between live performance and non-live performance (Matthew, 2006). Beside, such liveness certainly impact on interaction between performer and audience and even could decide degree of completion of relevant show.

 

REFERENCE

Reason, M. (2006). Young audiences and live theatre, Part 2: Perceptions of liveness in performance. Studies in Theatre and Performance, 26(3), pp.221-241.