Torn

Performers

The Voyeur - Anna Brown
The Narcissist - Rachel Haines
The Chameleon - Miranda Douglass
The Drone - Katherine Ward
The Queen - Natashja Botham
The Chrysalid - Abigail Clark

Design

Lighting by Rob Batterbee,
Costumes by Sandi Baker and Cas Baker,
from an initial design concept by Neil C Smith

Choreographed by the performers
Composed and Directed by Neil C Smith

Working without a choreographer, the movement and music developed concurrently through a workshop process. Characterisation and location were paramount in the development of the piece, and the costume and set designs were conceived early in the development process. While all but the Voyeur were dressed in black, different fabrics and splashes of colour were used to reflect their differing personalities. Some of the costumes were designed to impede the dancer’s movement in various ways, adding to the individuality of their characters.

To start development, the performers were given a statement about the piece, a description of all their characters, and the transitions these characters should go through during the piece. Obviously, some of these details changed as the performance developed - changes being suggested by the performers as well as the Director through the flexibility of the working process.

Wishing to make an initial impact, the opening of Torn again subverted the role of the audience. Entering the space, the audience discovered that the side seats had been cordoned off, and the rear seats were covered by polythene sheet with a dimly lit figure underneath. A rectangle of light on the performance space gave them a place to stand, and a phasing sub-bass sound that was felt as much as heard added to their discomfort. After a few minutes, the figure (Voyeur) rose from beneath the polythene, climbing down from the seats and walking between the audience members, observing and touching them before leaving the space. The polythene was then removed and the audience were allowed to take their seats.

While the performance was split into sections, there were no breaks between them, each section blending into the next. The soundtrack was less ‘musically’ orientated than earlier theatrical work - the desire being to create an audio-visual environment for performance. Created on computer, the sound was mixed live from two MiniDisc players in order to give the greatest flexibility. There were four video sequences but, unlike the earlier Mirrorshades, two of these were designed as abstract projections over on-stage movement.

Video Sequences - Performed by Cas Baker and Neil C Smith. Filmed by Neil C Smith, Rob Batterbee and Ian Greaves. Edited and Directed by Neil C Smith