Theatre Company Research; Gecko

 

The company I will be researching on is named: GECKO.

ABOUT GECKO

Gecko is an award-winning and internationally-acclaimed physical theatre company, led by Artistic Director Amit Lahav.

A Gecko show is visual, visceral, ambitious theatre crafted to inspire, move and entertain. Gecko strives to make their work wide open to interpretation and put their audience at the heart of the narrative.

Amit has created an organic devising process that oscillates between intense periods of experimentation, making brave leaps, learning and failing and including choreography, writing, storyboarding and reflection. Every stage includes sonic and technical development alongside the choreography.

With an expanding ensemble of international performers and makers, Gecko works across diverse age groups, nationalities and forms. The company tours nationally and internationally and continues to develop strong partnerships around the world.

Beyond the stage, Gecko aspires to open the doors on their process via every possible avenue, be it digital, in schools or through one-to-one relationships with their audience.

COMPANY FOCUS

Gecko is an artist-led organisation and the creation of artistic product drives all conversations from education to marketing. The creation process is incredibly rigorous and productive to ensure the high quality demanded by Gecko. It is a proven process which has created 7 celebrated shows over a decade in this way.

The creative process happens over two years and includes the ‘creation tour’ where a show continues to develop whilst on tour. The longevity of a show’s life, up to five years, means that the current show in development carries enormous significance in all aspects of the company’s work.

QUALITY

We are completely committed to our pursuit of making excellent work. Every aspect of the process provides us with the tools to make shows of the highest quality: time, rigour, world-class performers and creative teams, world-class venues and management support. Our shows are incredibly detailed and crafted, highly skillful and universal, creating both a childlike wonder and an artisan appreciation in our audiences.

We have a responsibility to our audiences, especially our young audiences, to produce the most exciting, powerful, challenging work possible – A responsibility we take very seriously. Our status as an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation inspires us in the business of Gecko even more.

http://geckotheatre.com/about/

 

Reflection:

I fell instantly in love. Thos theatre company may not have the most luxurious and elegant equipment but their passion and energy are undoubtedly admirable. I was impressed when they made use of regular objects to create an unforgettable visual experience. Their focus on visual presentation and physical exploration seem to definitely characterise their vision. I felt inspired by their ability to make use of limited resources and create a holistic theatrical experience. Sometimes the simplest of things are the greatest and definitely, that is for this company. A fundamental reoccurring pattern amongst their work is the theme they choose to explore. Whether it is unconventional or traditional through their interpretation they create this identification with the audience. As if they are watching their own lives in front of them. Lastly, I would like to touch on their attention to detail and how this contributes to the creation of an overwhelming experience for the audience.

When you want to say WEIRD word bank:

Words used to describe avant-garde or non-traditional art;

operatic
deifying
complex
dynamic
authentic
original
unusual
abstract
indistinct
triggering
unique
alternative
creative
temperamental
surreal
avant-garde
contemporary
different
unexpected
unconventional
irregular
informal
exceptional

2.  When you don’t want to say “normal”, say;

ordinary
distinct
common
usual
expected
established
habitual
conventional
regular
traditional
standard
orthodox
prevailing
accustomed
conservative
conformist
bourgeois
formal
unexceptional

Set Design Challenge; Rhinoceros Transformation

Jean’s transformation in Act Two seems to be one of the most challenging tasks for directors that aim to unravel this play’s character and personality. The technical difficulty for a human to turn into a rhinoceros is intensified even more by the lack of transitioning time that is given in this scene. Therefore, in order to solve the issue in a small amount of time, the transformation of Jean into a rhinoceros should be supported by appropriate technological equipment. The equipment that will accurately assist this change and offer the audience a spectacular feel when the transformation is revealed is a transparent glass screen. This screen is a newly developed technological apparatus that is aimed to offer a holographic experience since it can project characteristics of a rhinoceros on top of Jean’s body. The characteristics are. The screen’s measurements, as well as the stage’s, are 5 (length)x 3 (height) meters.

• Green, leather-like skin
• Lump on forehead
• Horn.

Not interfering with the script writers intentions this approach will represent this symbolic transformation better than any other alternative.

Below can be found pictures illustrating the setting of the stage with the new additions. The original staging as presented in the script remains untouched.

Image 1: Visual Representation of Stage with Notes on Function of the Transparent Hologram System

Adding to the comedic interpretation, vibrant colours will contrast with the monotonous colours of Jean’s modest house. Through this, the contrast and the unexpectedness will be escalated revealing the intention and purpose of the expansion of “rhinoseritis”.

By following this approach the connotations regarding the play could be expanded and include the overwhelming and addictive nature of technology that is recruiting more and more as time progresses, also without excluding the intended connotations of the script writer.

Lastly, the feasibility of the approach is confirmed by the price of the equipment and the installation. After communication with Glimm Display, a company based in the Netherlands that produces the latest Screen Equipment the price is set at TO BE DETERMINED. According to them the most suitable specific product would be TO BE DETERMINED.

The screen’s requested measurements, as well as the stage’s, are 5 (length)x 3 (height) meters.

Image 2: “2D 3D Hologram Displays.” Glimm Display. Web. 12 Mar. 2017.

Additional on Terminology in IBDP Theatre

Terminology

Butoh Fu

butoh (舞踏) (butoh is a style of Japanese modern dance featuring dancers covered in white body paint.)

fu （舞踏譜） (fu means“notation” in Japanese)

After Second World War Japan experienced change at a rate unlike that ever seen before in world history. It embraced massive industrialisation and Westernisation.
Japanese Loss of Identity

At its heart, Butoh aims to reveal the unconscious inner world of the performer, stripped of his or her social mask, striving to reach its audience at gut level.
Connection to the audience’s feelings

The traditional image of a Butoh performer is of a white painted figure wearing a g-string, with a contorted and grotesque face and body, head shaved and eyes rolled up. Uncontrollable convulsions are juxtaposed with incredible isolation in all parts of the body and sublime stillness.
The performer’s description

Obfuscation describes the movement.

DESCRIPTION

• provocative
• shocking
• spectacle
• erotic
• grotesque: comically or repulsively ugly or distorted.
• violent
• primal: relating to an early stage in evolutionary development; primaeval.
• visceral: relating to deep inward feelings rather than to the intellect.
• physical
• spiritual
• meditative
• cosmic: relating to the universe or cosmos, especially as distinct from the earth.
• nihilistic: rejecting all religious and moral principles in the belief that life is meaningless.
• cathartic: providing psychological relief through the open expression of strong emotions; causing catharsis.
• mysterious
• animalistic

 

Context influences the art form.

Citation

Mark Hill’s

Stage Parts

Rhinoceros Resource Pack

We looked at this post-WWII play called Rhinoceros

Rhinoceros is a play written by Eugène Ionesco,  a Romanian-French playwright, that explores the reaction of a community to humans turning into rhinoceroses. It is believed to imply the turn into Nazi supporters since it reflects Eugène Ionesco’s personal experience. Nevertheless, he never made a clear statement about the intended symbolism of the animal.

 

 

Looking at the dramatic script the aim is to investigate what happens when the actors and the cast are working with a script and written dialogues, making the part left to be determined even less. Already having experience (Devised theatre) with forms of theatre in which the cast and actors have to determine elements such as the movements, choreography and words, I am excited to explored something completely opposite in nature.

Most people identify the play to belong in the “Theatre of the Absurd”, but there are many who contradict this claim.

Theatre of the absurd
The Theatre of the Absurd (French: théâtre de l’absurd [teɑtʁ(ə) də lapsyʁd]) is a post–World War II designation for particular plays of absurdist fiction written by a number of primarily European playwrights in the late 1950s, as well as one for the style of theatre which has evolved from their work.

-Wikipedia

Becoming a Rhinoceros.

Research on Rhinoceros:

Members of the rhinoceros family are characterized by their large size (they are some of the largest remaining megafauna, with all of the species able to reach one tonne or more in weight); as well as by an herbivorous diet; a thick protective skin, 1.5–5 cm thick, formed from layers of collagen positioned in a lattice structure; relatively small brains for mammals this size (400–600 g); and a large horn. They generally eat leafy material, although their ability to ferment food in their hindgut allows them to subsist on more fibrous plant matter, if necessary. Unlike other perissodactyls, the two African species of rhinoceros lack teeth at the front of their mouths, relying instead on their lips to pluck food.

-Wikipedia

Becoming a Rhinoceros:

We became rhinoceroses. We embodied all of their characteristics and were acting as if we were one after researching quickly about it. I noticed that their main characteristic was their horn and it should be distinct throughout. Also, their breathing has a heavy snort, which should also be present. Generally rhinoceroses are heavy species with the tendency to move very slowly. To achieve this I imagined I had rocks as hands and feet. After a while things started evolving. We had to bring in chairs, also keeping in mind that rhinos are clumsy animals. Therefore I threw out my bag and jacket in attempt to move the chair while also causing this movement just with my head, instead of the horn. As I was moving the chair fell and I realized it should have never been straight up.

“If a rhino got this chair it would probably have already turn up side down minutes ago.”

And that was true. Everything that we as humans are used to doing and considering right and αυτονοητα is not the same for animals.
I also embraced this when having to sit on the chair. I just laid down on top of the upturnt chair.

Parisian Cafe

Today

We started off with an exercise we have also done in the past. The twirling your hips exercise. Hope you remember by now.

 

And then we attempted this:

We were supposed to be in a Parisian Cafe, in the 1960s. We first had to walk in a serious, inexpressive manner. After a while we were instructed to nod and pronounce a completely inexpressive “Bonjour”. We would then have to move to a seat of the amphitheater as if we were occupying a seat of the cafe. Normal movements of lighting a cigarette or drinking coffee was what followed. I chose to read a newspaper and light up a pipe. I felt like a man. Inexpressive, introverted and serious.

The females of the group were supposed to live and reenter the room one by one, sitting on their seats. The rest of us followed them by standing as they walked in and sitting as they sat on their chairs.

This evolved into a conversation among us and a debate: “Who stinks this much?”
We basically were instructed to accuse a person of stinking and lead him out of the “Cafe”.

I loved this exercise for one not that meaningful reason. It was the first time in a while were I was improvising.

I created a character. I was a man. Even though the setting would mostly remind me of a woman I still chose to impersonate a man to embody male characteristics of masculinity. I chose to have a newspaper and a cup of coffee to represent the French underlying atmosphere and a pipe to add to the mystery.

The biggest failure of this activity was our inability to communicate and make decisions as an assemble. When asked to decide upon one person to be thrown out, by working individually we ended up kicking out multiple people. The irony here is that even before Kate instructed us to do that I had already started developing that relationship with Giulia, so it all became 10 times more natural.

Lastly, the most important factor for me was the music. Throughout there was this instrumental music that accompanied our acting making it easier to embrace the atmosphere and enter this new Parisian world. The music also stopped when Kate instructed and continued along when we were to act. I acknowledged the impact music can have to your acting. It changes everything.

Terminology in IBDP Theatre

A while ago we spent an entire class analysing terms in IB Theatre. I found this extremely useful since in past assignments I figured those terms confused me to the extent that I couldn’t actually respond to what I was asked to do. Now I can identify the task and the requirements since I know the meaning and connotations of the specific vocabulary used. Looking at those criteria, it is more than obvious how important those terms are for our evaluation from IB.

Research Presentation Criteria

Command Terms

Collaborative Project Criteria