This performance took place at a techno music club event run by DJs WhatDuck (E Del Ponte) and Kkkkk ( Kevork). I used two virtual puppet heads, manipulating them live to music I had not heard before. Prior to the performance, I checked that the controls for various facial features were working. For example, I have controls for blinking, smiling, opening and closing the mouth, eyebrow raising amongst others. I can also rotate and tilt the head. During the performance, I found it effective to also use the controls for zooming in and out of the frame and for showing the heads in different formats, even as a mesh as opposed to a shaded model view; this was contextually appropriate for me, and for the viewers around me, I believe this reflects the digital awareness of contemporary culture.
Following on from the successful performance of my first virtual puppetry piece as Teknocolour in November 2016, I have been asked to do a regular appearance at the same venue. The next one will be on the 12th January 2017.
I also have a new idea for a fully integrated combined virtual puppetry and clowning piece. The idea allows me to participate in a joint clowning piece with three or four other clowns whilst performance puppeteering a virtual puppet at the same time. The joy of collaboration at the point of creation is one which I found was missing when I was an incremental animator; those days are gone…..I have approached Jon Davison with the new idea and asked if he would like to be involved, I’m very pleased to report that he has said yes.
http://jondavison.wixsite.com/jondavison
Jon has some ideas on possible venues for such a piece.
In addition, I will be approaching Tottenham Chances for future performances.
The themes for 2017 are: consolidate and integrate. Rather than always breaking new ground, I will be building on existing work, and looking to integrate the clowning work which has given so much more performative confidence with the performance puppetry.
Artist’s statement.
Relevant contextual quotation:
Jerzy Grotowski “It is very important to be able to set in motion simultaneously, but at different rhythms, the various muscles of the face. For example, make the eyebrows quiver very fast while the cheek muscles tremble slowly, or the left side of the face react vivaciously while the right side is sluggish.”
Rehearsal time: zero.
Times I’d heard the track before: once.
Pleasure to use: 9/10
Credits:
Track by Technicolor Limabean.
Performer: Lucy Childs MA (RCA)
Technical Director: Lucy Childs MA (RCA)
Artist’s statement.
Rehearsal time: zero.
Times I’d heard the track before: once.
Pleasure to use: 9/10
Credits:
Track by Technicolor Limabean.
Performer: Lucy Childs MA (RCA)
Technical Director: Lucy Childs MA (RCA)
These four takes show the potential for multiple performances using different sound effects and movements.
This piece is improvised, undirected takes using Mr Goat operated in real time, with sound from sound effects websites chose at random, in real time. None of the action or sound is pre-determined. Eight takes were performed within half an hour. This is the way I want to work.
The next step is to enable Mr Goat to speak.
My thesis will be voiced by him.
These two video clips show progress in controlling and extemporising with the character ‘Mr Goat’
This is the first time I have managed to rotate the head at the same time as producing other facial movements. This is also the first time I’ve managed to extemorise to a sound track or soundscape recorded by myself. This is what I WANT to be doing for the next six months – structured improv.
NOLA RAE WORKSHOP – I attended this.
The Clown Speaks without Words
Sat 9 > Sun 10 Jan 2016 10.30am-5pm
Jacksons Lane
Part of the 2016 London International Mime Festival
“A comedian tells a joke. The clown is the joke.”
Nola’s workshop will be an insight into how to work without text, paying special attention to the rhythm of movement and how to move the body to express ideas physically, with maximum clarity. The aim will be to build a character that is not trying to be funny, but just is.
All parts of the body (and mind) will come into play. There will be improvisation, silly dance, choreography and fancy footwork. Language will be discouraged, but not necessarily sounds. Students will have the chance to discover aspects of the clown that are universal, as well as exclusive to themselves.
Suitable for the enthusiastic student of visual comedy, professional or amateur, who is reasonably fit and not afraid to move.
Students must wear loose fitting clothes and flexible shoes. Bring one juggling ball, a long scarf, and a towel for floor work. Red noses optional.
Born in Sydney, Nola Rae immigrated to London in 1963. Trained at the Royal Ballet School in London, she danced at Malmö Stadsteater and at Tivoli Pantomime Theatre in Copenhagen before turning to mime, studying with Marcel Marceau in Paris.
In 1974 she founded the London Mime Theatre with her partner Matthew Ridout and premiered her first solo show at the Nancy Festival in 1975. To date she has toured her work to 69 countries. She has created many full-length comic dramas, andsuccessfully directed several tragedies as comedies. Lately she has worked with the tenor and director Rolando Villazón as comedy consultant on major operas at Lyon Opera, Festspielhaus Baden Baden, and at Vienna’s Volksoper. Nola was instigator of the London International Mime Festival, and, in 2008, appointed M.B.E. for her services to Drama and to Mime
Lucy’s workshop notes:
Nola Rae used the term ‘sec’ to mean dry and staccato.
The first exercise: take your ball and move with it to the music, the ball is the focus point for both you and your audience. Make large movements. Listen to the music, interpret the music. Be aware that there may be an intro. Look interesting. Look out and up. The audience never wants to see the top of your head. Smile. Your face must be alive. Before coming on, take a deep breath and hold till you are on, this increases the sense of presence. Suspension.
Hand warm up.
Shake.
Hop! Fingers splayed, palm up, alternate, one is hopped the other is relaxes and fades, turning down naturally without forcing it.
Five positions of the hands:
Thumb and forefinger
Thumb and middle finger
Thumb and forefinger and middle finger
Cup
Pole
- is for taking a small item, like picking a piece of dandruff from the shoulder.
- Is for a larger item
- Is for a newspaper etc
- Is for cups and bottles etc
- Is for poles, ropes etc
Takes: double, triple, quadruple etc
Takes – odds to front? Evens to side?
Head exercises.
Eye exercises.
+ diagonals.
E.G. use a double take to see the speck of dandruff on your left shoulder, bring the right hand up to it in a flat pose, take it using position no. 1. Bring it to the front, let it go by opening the fingers, allow the hand to go flat.
The snake
The fan
Water – normal, cold, hot.
Death rays coming from the fingers.
Wall
The wall is at the centre of the stage.
Walk towards the wall, make sound with foot BANG then the head hits REACTION.
Walk up happy, feel the wall sadly, walk away happy.
Walk up sad, feel the wall with anger, walk away sadly.
Opening door – easier outwards.
Trip
The right foot kicks the left, left in front, right in back, get balance by going right let then STOP! TURN. THINK. TURN> STOP> Lead off with LEFT foot.
OBSERVATION is very important. Watch, listen. Rhythm, hands.
In groups of 5.
Person 1 does a simple 3 beat movement. Each of the others copies it as exactly as they can. Then all 5 perform the movement at the same time.
Also do this with four people.
CLOWN DANCE – smile, even if it’s all wrong.
Rt foot front, left foot cross, right back, left back, Pas de bouree? To side, pirouette, hands, knees, mouth pop.
Lucy Childs PhD 