Some References

I have been thinking recently about other types of work that I really like apart from performance. Appearing in the list were things such as, documentaries like 'Tribal Wives' , films like 'Priscilla Queen of the Desert', and books by Dave Gorman and Danny Wallis, which has made me consider how these interests are affecting my work. 

The main thing that I think attracts me to certain works is when they are about journeys. There is something about watching, reading, or hearing about someone's journey that I find really fascinating. Looking specifically at Dave Gorman and Danny Wallis (who I know aren't everyone's taste); I really like reading their books because they appear so pointless! They set themselves the stupidest set of rules, with no real point to them; they are not aiming to discover some hidden truth or make a comment on anything overtly political, but the set of self-imposed rules then sets in motion an unforeseen chain of events.

More than anything, the most interesting thing about these journeys and unforeseen events, is the people that they meet along the way; the different ways of living, the different stories that every person has to tell. What is it about this that is so interesting? 

Writing my dissertation I spent a lot of time excavating why the notions behind 'liveness' are so important. I have come to the conclusion that there are a lot of presuppositions underpinning this notion; notions of authenticity, community, and presence, based on the fact that it is happening in the 'now', that don't hold that much water any more in the wake of Auslander's writing. Writing my dissertation has made me realise why I create performance. It isn't so much the fact that it is happening in the 'now' that gives performance a sense of authority and worth over other mediaitised forms and this is why I choose to create it, but that I personally like communicating to a group of people in this manner. I think that I like performing and telling a narrative to people who are in front of me, seeing their reaction and perhaps having a discussion with them. This isn't to say that there aren't other ways of achieving this - just performance is my preferred method.

Looking back to my work and Organic Theatre, I am realising that it is once again the process that is prevailing in my interest here. I like being told a story, especially if it includes the journey of how the creator got there. I like knowing motivation, imposed rules, people that were met, things that were discovered - most of the time without any grand statement behind the work. I think that removing the 'dominant message' or 'lesson' that the audience must take away with them from a performance allows the work to be left open to interpretation without having to fragment the narrative so much.  

The journey of my tea stories is important to me and I am considering how develop it in the next couple of weeks. I'm not sure that I am happy with just having tea with people in a park anymore but am struggling with the development. 

I am going to be doing a performance in college next Thursday if anyone is around - would be great to have your opinions. I am going to focus this section on purely tea rather then the process and the tea participants and see what comes out of it.

Any ideas and suggestions as always appreciated