In keeping with the idea of Alice in Wonderland (1951), and Alice Through the Looking Glass (1871), I have been looking at Alice in Wonderland quotes and the possibility of using these recordings as a soundscape for the performance, possibly to be intertwined with religious scriptures or prayers.

Below are some of the quotes I have sampled as possibilities for use.

When creating a work, several obstacles can get in the way. I don’t like to make excuses but certain factors in life can hinder the creative process. For example earlier this week an old injury returned, leaving me with a bad back, shooting pains down my leg every time I moved. However not wanting to be stopped by this, I have created a story board of my intentions of the piece so far, illustrating what I want to achieve.

Now that my back has begun to mend, I was all set to go outside onto my purpose built aerial rig to attempt these visions, making them a reality. But in traditional British fashion, the weather has acted against me in the form of rain. So as a compromise, and in an effort to continue building my strength for the final performance, I have adapted a pull up bar in a door way in order to accommodate my silks. It is somewhat limiting in what movement it will allow, the doorway being only standard height. Therefore will not achieve what I had originally intended, however progression is still possible, just following a slightly different path.

The performance space, as spoken about in Performance Perspectives: A Critical Introduction changes how the performance is perceived by the audience. It is another strand of the performance nexus. As stated “Every location contains its own particularities that influence, shape, and are, in turn, shaped by multiple performances harnessed through the spatial programme and social codes of architectural inhabitation.” (Hannah, in Pitches and Popat, 2011). Although my current rehearsal space is my aerial rig in my back garden, this could present a very different interpretation to where I intend the performance to be carried out, in the LPAC theatre. For example, the audience will not be open to the elements, so this factor cannot affect the performance. There will also be different acoustics between an outdoor scenario and one indoors. In an indoor scenario sound will not dissipate as much as it may do outside, with no walls to restrict its travelling, therefore the audience will be far more subject to sound in an indoor environment and subsequently should have more of an impact.

If only considering the title of Marina Abramovic’s 7th Piece Entering the Other Side (2005) it immediately makes me think of a journey. It could be linked to Alice in Wonderland who entered the other side of the mirror in Alice Through the Looking Glass. However when we add in the context of repetition and ritual I begin to tie links to religion. It leads to thoughts of life and death, Jesus’ ascension into heaven, our personal journey through life and entering into the afterlife.

Through these thoughts the work I created focused on the religious ritual of the blessing of the bread and the wine which is used as a symbol of a human sacrifice, presented at the last supper before Jesus was put to death, hanging on the cross. My work features images and movements that represented these ideas. I attempted to endure through balancing on one foot on a hair with my arms held out to the side in order to represent the image of the crucifix. After a while of struggling to balance I gave up, putting my foot down and moving onto the next image. It was pointed out to me through feedback that this may have been more effective had I not put my foot down. Instead allowing nature and gravity to have its affect on my body and allowing the audience the chance to see what would happen when fatigue and lack of balance took their hold on my body and won the battle I was placing against them.

In progressing the work, I am not sure that I want to place so much focus on the direct link to religion, making the connection so clear to the viewer. I am interested in playing with the idea of ascension and entering into the other world. I have still yet to physically watch the original work and so do not yet have this as documentation to use within my work. However from what I have read around the performance I take away the ideas of power and dominance over the audience, but still having a connection with them, whether that is in the position of equal, submission or dominance. It may be that after watching the original work I have a more clear idea of which direction I intend to take my re-work of Abramovic’s piece.

“What If Choreography is a dialogue between everybody and everything, that is involved (in it)?” (Durning, 2013)

How can I demand the attention of the audience?

How can I connect with an individual I have never met before without the use of any words?

How can I keep their attention, is the connection lost if they look away?

Is their an invitation or a willingness from the audience to want to make eye contact with me, or is this too uncomfortable for them?

Do I want them to feel comfortable or is my intention exactly the opposite?

Do I want to constantly have a connection with only people, or could it be animals or inanimate objects?

Am I trying to provoke the audience, to draw their attention to something else?

How long is too long? Just because I have my attention span seems to be drawing to its end, does the audience feel the same?