My week through the artistry of images.
In the middle of Tipperary, where you can witness a tree eating a bike. Nature is back, and it is pissed.
But not really, what I did find was how to focus on my camera.
According to my computer these are the most seen faces. There is only two human faces.
Working at Electric Picnic I thought I’d be artsy and take photos, I just seem to chop or distort faces. It’s dadaesque art, well now it is.
Went to the National Gallery, found this beautiful piece in the foyer, its called ‘temporarily unavailable’.
Feeling so inspired by all the work I witness over the past few weeks I decided to take my own photographic self portrait, called ‘attacking the camera with your face’, it will be huge in most countries.
Now with that picture interlude complete, time for some words. At the end of each week, I put together my own dramaturg report for my own work. To help understand the drama versus the dramaturgy. Simple guide to balance my work with my other jobs. The drama being the work I am completing, and dramaturgy being the overall body of work I envisage it will form together. And I keep recording what I am completing and if it is remaining within my own deadline. It’s more about time than anything, time can be a cruel mind fuck. You think it’s nine o’clock so you begin to faff around and read about some upcoming shows then all of a sudden it’s one o’clock! In essence it balances my work load for the week making sure I meet my own artistic goals, particularly if you are trying to balance jobs like an overworked scales.
Unusually I had a bit of extra time this week, which I dedicate to letting the wild theatrical dramaturg ideas flow. To add a bit of life to the project I am currently working on, to allow myself time to creatively explore the projects and all of the sinews that form it, instead of sweating over the time limit I have to work in order to get to my next job. On an off topic note, not enough theatre makers discuss is allowing and allocating that time to explore and develop your ideas in order to make them into profitable pieces of theatre, both theatrically and financially. Probably because they are afraid that people like the Arts Council or fellow theatre makers won’t think they are theatre machines anymore, and in fact just normal human beings, damn these fleshy arms, I said write more stage directions not mange directions!
Although sometimes this creative time gets a bit strange, here are some of my notes I found the other day from last week. As you will witness I was combining a rational topic within theatre with…a…dramaturgical direction…a random dramaturgical direction.
1. THEATRE ECOLOGY: Create a traditional proscenium arch stage. Unbeknownst to the audience that the entire stage is made out of carefully constructed soil laced with turbo seeds. When the audience spit on the stage, or cry on the stage, a flower suddenly grows and flourishes out of the stage within two minutes. Obviously because it is laced with turbo seeds. Turbo seeds are not invented yet, but we will leave that up to stage designer to sort out.
Audience participation.
2. I could fill out the application in a series of riddles, vulgar similes and off topic analogies. Expressing my theatrical language and subverting the traditional application form of writing. I have to learn their vague ramble filled language, now they must learn mine!
Applying to the Arts Council.
3. Dramaturgs could be attached to a series of harnesses that allows them to float around the stage during the rehearsal process. This would literally give them a higher understanding of the overall dramaturgy of the performance and write up notes a float. And descend when necessary.
Making dramaturgs a more prominent figure in theatre.
4. Magic! playwrights could add disclaimers to the their work that there is a spell attached to every word and stage direction. if anything is plagiarised the word their will grow a toe on their forehead. So everyone will know that was the toe face who copies other peoples work. They will be known as toe folk.
Protecting playwrights work.
5. When a theatre company has lost a lot of morale, there is a puppy service provided from the Arts Council that brings puppies in to make the whole company feel better. Free of charge, no application process, all you need is a sad face and the Arts Council will get the puppies to the company within the hour.
Company longevity.
6. Instead of a front of house you could have a mime. Try find the toilets now reviewers!
Harmonising the theatre with the performance.
7. Playwrights could enter what ever space they find that satisfies their writing needs and by shouting ‘NOW’, the space has automatically become their new writing space. No funding necessary just a portable chair and table.
Outsourcing spaces for playwrights to develop and complete their work.
The method to this modus operandi, that is right there really is method to this madness, is to take a topic, a genuine topic as written below the chaotic rationale. Then letting your imagination run wild. But to make sure it remains in some respects within the context of the initial idea.
Why did I share this information with internet land, because I feel theatre is ready for all this weird jelly.
Sharing is caring, and I care, between the hours of 1-4pm on Mondays.
Thank you for reading.
All rights reserved to Katie Poushpom, k.e.poushpom.
The Madwoman in the Theatre. 