Report 10: Reflection

Reflection

Overall, I am pleased with my progress across the module, and I am very satisfied with the piece I have created for my performance assignment. Although it is very different from my performance proposal, I still feel as though I am exploring the themes that I wished to discuss at the start. I would still cite my main source of inspiration as being Steffan Donnelly's "My Body Welsh", as I am also adapting old tales for stage, merging folklore and performance. I feel as though through adapting the tales of Tyno Helig and Cantre'r Gwaelod (and "The Bells of Aberdovey", a song about the tale), both from Sir John Rhys's "Celtic Folklore: Welsh and Manx", making them told from the perspective of the personified sea, I am exploring the ways in which folklore is adapted, and how the meaning of a story lies within the narrator.

In the original tales, the sea floods the kingdoms as a source of supernatural punishment, though in my adaption, the sea unwittingly destroys the land out of curiosity, simply wishing to explore. I intended this to be a metaphor for the ways that stories may be twisted by the teller. History is written by the victors, and I think it is important to consider everyone's perspective before reaching conclusions about someone's personality, as when it comes down to it, you can never define someone else's identity for them. Our identity is our own.

I was not only inspired to look further into folklore and mythology due to it's deep connection with cultural and societal identity, as is explored by Steffan and Tara, but because it is so ingrained within my own. Folkloristics is an integral part of anthropology, and as my love of history combined with my love of literature and storytelling, I once again became captured by the stories that excited me as a child. Over the years, I read widely on the subject, and having been able to explore my love of folklore on this blog and through my performance means that for me, I feel as though I will not only be presenting an old, forgotten story when I am on stage, but a large part of my own identity.

• Ben Johnson,"Tyno Helig - The Welsh Atlantis", http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofWales/Tyno-Helig-The-Welsh-Atlantis/
• Ḏḥwty, "Cantre'r Gwaelod – The Mythical Sunken Kingdom of Wales", (2015), http://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-europe/cantrer-gwaelod-mythical-sunken-kingdom-wales-003023
• Robinson, Tara. and Donnelly, Steffan. My Body Welsh, [London: Bloomsbury Methuen Drama, 2017]
• Sir John Rhys, "Celtic Folklore: Welsh and Manx: Volume 1", [Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1901]

Report 9: Rehearsing

Rehearsals

I was recently lucky enough to see Tom Stoppard’s ‘Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead’ at The Old Vic in London. The play explores existential questions, and the characters constantly discuss matters of identity through their clever use of witty dialogue. An aspect I found particularly intriguing was that the two main characters kept confusing their own names, in the process becoming almost nameless and indistinguishable, which Hüseyin Baş claims represents "their lost individual lives".

I found this especially intriguing since identity is also the theme of this module. I found the aspects of lack-of-identity to be fascinating, as the narrator of my performance struggles with similar themes as her story is stolen from her, and she laments that she has lost her status as protagonist over time and is forgotten.

I have been focusing on rehearsing my performance this week, making slight alterations to my script where needed. Rehearsing with my group has been important as we have had to work together to determine the transitions between our performances, and how to make all of our technical requirements fit. My favourite song, "What the Water Gave Me" by Florence + The Machine has also been inspiring me recently, especially since the dynamics of the song bring to mind images of water, with cymbals mimicking waves and haunting vocals.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

• Stoppard, Tom. "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead", (London: Faber & Faber, 2013)
• Baş, Hüseyin. "An Analysis upon Tom Stoppard's "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead", https://www.academia.edu/9292019/An_Analysis_upon_Tom_Stoppards_Rosencrantz_and_Guildenstern_are_Dead_
• Florence + The Machine, "What the Water Gave Me", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am6rArVPip8

Report 8: Scriptwriting

Scriptwriting

Recently I aimed to focus on writing my script for my performance, which I have now completed, though I feel as though some aspects may change during my rehearsal process. I have stuck with my recent ideas of putting a new spin on an old folktale, especially looking at the ownership of stories and how tales are affected by the narrator, which I explore in my performance. This is also explored by the critic Breece D.J. Pancake, in his "oral narrative / folklore essay", which looks at how similar story structures, archetypal characters and themes are found within folktales globally. He argues that it is the storys narrator that alters it, which is why I am narrating my performance from the perspective of the sea, rather than the tale's original narrator. This modification of tales to fit different societies with different current affairs is explained in Emily Lyle's "Narrative Form and the Structure of Myth", in which she also discusses the impacts of narration upon a story.

I have also been considering my technical requirements. I intend to use many small props in unusual ways, as though to symbolise something else. For example, fairy-lights I will use for the lights of a kingdom and a bowl of water for waves. I have also been reading Edgar Allan Poe's poem "The City In The Sea" which explores many of the same themes as my performance.

• Pancake, B. D. "Oral Narrative / Folklore Essay." Appalachian Heritage, vol. 40 no. 3, 2012, pp. 52-56. Project MUSE, doi:10.1353/aph.2012.0084
• Lyle, Emily. "Narrative Form and the Structure of Myth", https://www.folklore.ee/folklore/vol33/lyle.pdf
• Edgar Allan Poe, "The City In The Sea", https://www.poemhunter.com/poems/sea/

Report 7: Water

Water

This week I have made some rather drastic changes to the path I would like my performance to take. I have decided that instead of presenting fiction as fact in a modern-day setting, that I will simply perform a form of an old folktale, combining storytelling, physical theatre, and monologue. As storytelling is so deeply entwined with cultural and individual identity, I feel as though this shouldn’t render my previous work and research that I have done on the module irrelevant. I continue to use Steffan Donnelly's "My Body Welsh" as my main inspiration. 

I plan to still remain focused on the aspect and presentation of water in mythology. As water is often portrayed in many cultures as a feminine element, and thereby often presented as a symbol of femininity, I think it would be interesting to look into this more, perhaps even exploring the relationship between gender and identity. In an essay by Viola Perente-Čapková, the author states that "in art and literature, women and water are tightly connected", which seems especially true in Celtic mythology. The connection is further explored by Carles-Enric Fernandez in his essay about the legends of the lakes of Wales, in which he makes the point that it seems as though almost all the lakes in Wales have some connection to the Gwragedd Annwn - a fairy race resembling the nymphs of Greek mythology, often believed to represent the old Goddesses of the Celtic pantheon who were later demonised and relegated to the status of "fairies" with the rise of Christianity. I feel as though I would like to research this more, incorporating aspects of such ideas into my piece.

• Viola Perente-Čapková, "Narcissuses, Medusas, Ophelias... Water Imagery And Femininity", http://webhost1.cortland.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/parente.pdf
• Carles-Enric Fernandez, "Legends of the Lakes of Wales: Thematic Classification and Analysis", http://repository.uwtsd.ac.uk/381/1/CARLES%20FERNANDEZ.pdf
• Wirt Sykes, "British Goblins", Chapter 3: Lake Fairies, accessed online at http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/wfl/wfl03.htm
• Robinson, Tara. and Donnelly, Steffan. My Body Welsh, [London: Bloomsbury Methuen Drama, 2017]
   

Report 6: Presentation

Presentation

I recently presented my current ideas to the class via a powerpoint presentation, in which I explained my proposal for my performance. I explained that I am interested in looking at the relationship between identity and landscape, and then gave a brief overview of the tales of Tyno Helig and Bala Lake, which I am inspired by. I feel as though the presentation went well, although I sadly did not get to explain the stories in as much detail as I would have liked.

We were also recently visited by a theatre company called SigndanceCollective, who gave us a brief preview of their performance, Carthage, which "explores the political, human and cultural impact of language" (Bower). The company is very culturally diverse, and aims to promote inclusive theatre, making theatre more accessible for the disabled. This is something I have not properly encountered before, and I found it inspiring to know that there are people trying to make theatre more inclusive for everyone. I was especially interested by their use of sign-language throughout their performance.

I have also been reading this essay about the relationship between performance and cultural identity, which especially looks at the ways that folklore and mythology are adapted for stage.

· Signdance Collective, https://www.signdancecollectiveinternational.com/

· David Bower, "David Bower: About Carthage, David Bower, Artistic Director at the Signdance Collective", http://www.asiw.co.uk/reviews/david-bower-cathage-david-bower-artistic-director-signdance-collective

· Steve Evans, "Drowned Towns and Sunken Cities: The Legend of Lake Bala, Wales", http://folklorethursday.com/regional-folklore/welsh-folklore-legend-drowned-town-beneath-lake-bala/

· W. O. Beeman, “The Anthropology of Theatre and Spectacle” http://mysite.du.edu/~lavita/ExpCult/_Docs/beeman_anthro_theater_spectacle%20copy.pdf

Week 4: Private and Public

Private and Public

This week Steffan Donnelly from the Invertigo Theatre Company came to speak to us about his one-man performance, My Body Welsh. The performance is heavily inspired by Welsh folklore, and it explores the ways in which mythology has been used to connect people to their culture throughout history. However, the play also questions the concept of identity, especially the ways that folklore has been abused historically to promote ideas such as nationalism, that may arise from a strong sense of shared identity. I found this fascinating as I have a particular interest in the subject, and have actually been considering using local folklore in my own performance. The ways in which old local stories are used to explore more current themes is something I find intriguing.

We were also visited by Karen da Silva, a Meisner technique specialist. She also had us contemplating ideas of shared culture and localised stereotypes, getting us to think about what connects us to the places we come from. Combined with Donnelly’s concern of when this becomes a problem, I am considering exploring similar themes in my own work. She then gave us a short Meisner crash-course, explaining the basis of the acting technique to be focusing wholly on the other characters on stage etc. and responding to them as naturalistically as possible. This made us more conscious of how we behave when we know we are being watched, linking back to the themes of identity that we have been exploring, especially the ideas of how we are perceived versus who we are. She linked these ideas to this Marina Abramovic piece, which explores the concept of “looking” and “seeing” one another.

• Robinson, Tara. and Donnelly, Steffan. My Body Welsh, [London: Bloomsbury Methuen Drama, 2017]
• The Artist is Present, Marina Abramovic, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS0Tg0IjCp4
• Moseley, Nick. Meisner in Practice a Guide for Actors, Directors and Teachers. [London: Nick Hern Books, 2012]

Week 5: Folklore and Fact

Folklore and Fact

Today we were asked to explain our existing ideas to another member of our class. I was expecting to find this difficult, as so far my ideas have been lacking, though today I feel as though it’s started to come together. I knew that I wanted to create a performance based off mythology or folklore, possibly even local stories, which is something that has been very well received with the “Folklore Theatre Company”, who similarly adapt old tales for stage. However, I have been struggling to find a medium through which to explore such ideas. Today I came up with the idea of performing a sort of “mockumentary” or sketch, in which I could pretend to be giving a lecture, maybe on the geographical landscape nearby.

However, instead of giving scientific explanations, I could give the old reasons given in folklore. For example, many of the local mountains have legends of giants attached to them. I think it could be a humorous way to explore old stories, which for thousands of years shaped people’s culture and identity. Presenting it as a science will show how incompatible folklore and the 21^st century are, though I think that just because a story is no longer perceived as factual it is any less entertaining. Folklore explores the relationship between nature and humanity, and mythology and history, and I hope that presenting it in a modern manner might not only be entertaining, but thought-provoking.

My favourite collection of folklore, Celtic Folklore: Welsh and Manx by Sir John Rhys (1901), contains many creation stories for the local landscape that I intend to research into some more. I have also taken inspiration from the “Welcome to Nightvale” podcast series, which similarly presents strange, fantastical themes in a modern setting, set up as a mock-radio broadcast.

• "Welcome to Nightvale" podcast series, produced by Commonplace Books, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ujksjzqrhys
• Sir John Rhys, "Celtic Folklore: Welsh and Manx: Volume 1", [Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1901]
• Folklore Theatre Company, https://www.facebook.com/NorthShoreFolk, Massachusetts US. 

Week 3: Childhood and Space

Childhood and Space

This week I have been considering how to use space in my performance. The 3m square performance space provides a challenge, and I want to use the space creatively. I have found that this article by Cai Thomas about movement inspires me to be bolder with my physicality and the ways in which I will perform.

In the workshop this week, we focused on playfulness and the imaginative ways we used space as children. A performance for children, Egg and Spoon by the Lyngo Theatre Company, cleverly uses both space and props in an imaginative manner, which results in a visually engaging performance. I am drawn to this idea of playful theatre, and would like to explore it more.

Keeping the concept of childhood in mind, we were encouraged to work in a group to create a small performance connecting to the theme of identity. We were only given bamboo canes and sheet of paper and pens to make costumes. At first we found it difficult to devise using these props, but once we started to think back to how we would have reacted to them as children, we became far more imaginative. We made butterfly wings for one member of the group, weaved him into the middle, trapping him with the canes, and tore them off him. We felt as though this was reflective of the way that individuals are forced to conform by society.

Finally, I have been further researching possibilities regarding space, and found an article on Black-Box Theatre that discusses the performance opportunities it brings. This further encourages me to use my space creatively.

• Cai Tomos, Making Space, https://caitomos.com/writings/
• Lyngo Theatre Company, Egg and Spoon, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUfnM-IWfiw
•  John McCormick, Lynda Henderson and  David Collins, Black-Box Theatre, http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/25488755.pdf

Week 2: Authorship and Autobiography

Authorship and Autobiography

We began by experimenting with some mirroring exercises. In pairs we had to copy each other’s movements, which was interesting as we seemed to reach a point where neither of us knew which one of us was initiating the actions. Moving seemed to become an almost instinctive, shared action. I think this exercise really highlighted for me the ways that we mirror the behaviour of others, becoming like those we spend a lot of time around, and copying the mannerisms of those we do not know too well in an effort to fit in. Again, this seems to be due to not wanting to be classified as “other”. These ideas are raised in Sophie Calle's letter, which also questions identity.

We were asked to bring in an image of someone we find interesting, and to create a short biography for them. I chose Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova, a famous Russian princess who was murdered but sparked many rumours that she was still alive.

We then had to create a series of actions for someone else’s biography to perform whilst it was read out. This seemed to reflect how our identity and our story is perceived different by everyone who comes into contact with us. Lastly, we had to bring a picture of absolutely anything, and we were asked to write a short paragraph/story about it. I brought in a photo of the Northern Lights, choosing to write from the perspective of a child raised in the environment. This caused me to consider how our identity is shaped by landscape.

Recently, we have also been thinking about collective biography, explained in Browyn Davies' and Susanne Gannon's article. I have also been reading an article on 'Self and Identity' by Mark R. Leary and June Price Tangney which explores many of the themes we are encouraged to consider during the module.

• Sophie Calle's letter, https://blackboard.bangor.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/pid-2321096-dt-content-rid-3840242_1/courses/Combi_UXB2121_UXS2121_201617/Sophie%20Calle.pdf , 2004
• Bronwyn Davies and Susanne Gannon, Collective Biography and the Entangled Enlivening of Being, https://blackboard.bangor.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/pid-2325486-dt-content-rid-3845899_1/courses/Combi_UXB2121_UXS2121_201617/Davies%26Gannon_Collective%20biography%20%26%20the%20entangled%20enlivening%20of%20being.pdf
• Mark R. Leary and June Prince Tangney, 'The Handbook of Self and Identity', https://blackboard.bangor.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/pid-2325482-dt-content-rid-3845896_1/courses/Combi_UXB2121_UXS2121_201617/handbook_of_self_and_identity_-_second_edition_-_ch._4_pp._69-104_38_pages.pdf

Week 1: Self and Identity

Self and Identity

This week we focused on exploring the concepts of "self" and "identity". We began the session by each defining the words and pinning them onto the wall. What I found especially interesting was that the same definitions were used interchangeably for the different words, showing that the concepts of self and identity are not fixed, and actually showing the range of individuality within the room. For example, the sentence "who you are", was found both in both groups of definitions.

We then drew pictures of ourselves with our eyes closed, along with a description of ourselves (such as those that are found on online dating websites), and our classmates had to attempt to match the drawings to the descriptions. I found this activity very thought-provoking, as it not only reminded us that identity goes far beyond outward appearance, but also that the way we perceive ourselves may be very different from how we are perceived by others. The fact that our images were unrecognisable due to being drawn with our eyes closed again seemed to reflect this, showing that the person we see in the mirror may be different from what others see when then look at us.

In the seminar we engaged with and discussed "The Death of the Author" by R. Barthes, which explores the idea that "it is the language that speaks, and not the author" (Barthes., p. 143), which is an interesting idea as it suggests that the meaning of a text is created by the reader, rather than the author. I do not completely agree with this idea, though I find the idea thought-provoking as it challenges the authenticity of a performer's identity. We also studied J. Wright's "Who's Writing This Anyway?", which is an article that similarly discusses ideas of anonymity, especially regarding devised theatre. An idea that I was particularly drawn to in this article is the concept of where meaning is put in a performance. Wright argues that this is what sets performances apart, and I feel like it is similarly important to recognise where meaning is found by the audience, again expressing ideas of individuality.

Whilst on the subject of self and identity, this Danish advert contrastingly explores the links which bind us, rather our defining differences. I believe that this is just as an important concept to explore as individuality, especially in such a divided global society such as ours. Again, I believe this shows the problems that arise when individuality is combined with superiority.

• Danish TV advert, http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/01/30/danish-tv-ad-all-that-we-share_n_14504328.html
• R. Barthes, "The Death of the Author", https://blackboard.bangor.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/pid-2321082-dt-content-rid-3840233_1/courses/Combi_UXB2121_UXS2121_201617/Barthes%20Death%20of%20the%20Author.pdf
• J. Wright, "Who's Writing This Anyway?", https://blackboard.bangor.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/pid-2321086-dt-content-rid-3840236_1/courses/Combi_UXB2121_UXS2121_201617/Wright.pdf