summary of 'amazing daze'

Michael Klien (klien@metronet.co.uk)
Tue, 10 Nov 1998 13:22:23 -0000

To everyone on the list -
This mail below was actually written as a private account of what happened
in our last production, but Scott asked me to send it to the list -
so there is....(in case you want background info on the show there is a very
small web-site:
www.metronet.co.uk/boh/altdaze)

Hello,
This is a very informal summary of 'amazing daze' an event curated, produced
and choreographed by Barriedale Operahouse, commissioned by Yorkshire Dance
(1st Nov.1998).
This summary is just for friends and family -so don't worry about grammar
and wording.

We actually managed to put on a quite impressive show in its size. We used
up an stunning amount of equipment (monitors, projectors, PA's,
Mics,computers, etc.)and cabling reached well over a 1km in length.
Management and build-up went extremely smooth considering that we had 24
people coming up from London to help and/or run their particular aspects of
the show.
The first two rooms opened at 12 o' clock midday while we kept building up
in the other two bigger rooms for the evening. By 7.47pm we managed to have
everything up and running and the doors actually opened throughout the club.
The soundscape has been amazing - pre-recorded music, live feeds (such as
the trains passing above the venue, toilets), electro-acustic DJ,live
computer generated scores, earshot's Internet audio-streamer, Volkmars
Internetreader and a live band. All of these aspects were fading in and out
overlaying and complimenting each other.
The performance- aspect formed the focus during which all the media worked
together to actively support the dance. Due to technical difficulties the
video-aspect was running completely out of time and plan, which most of the
audience didn't seem to notice. Otherwise these 6 performance focuses (70Min
spread over 3 hours) went very well.
Inbetween those focuses there was some improvisation together with some
live-video mixing by Synergy. The actually set improvs got a little out of
hand as some of the performers seemed to enjoy the casual set-up too much -
which in my eyes was rather disturbing than anything else.

The animations which were constantly shown worked well with the environment
and screened short-films were an oasis of connecting signs within the
evening.
The CD-ROM done by LOKI-media illustrated the production and gave background
information on each person/project involved.
Earshot contributed with its Internetsoftware 'funk soul and grind to the
visual impression by projecting scrambled Internetpages in the Bar. Phil's 6
16mm projectors,their set-up and the projections should be mentioned at this
point as well.
I might have left out some things - Greyworld's interactive carpet,Ben's
Clogg-dance performance (fabulous), David's Cactus, Steven's stand-up, the
movement installations, my choreography for kitchen mixers, etc. - it was
all part of it (just for the record).
The printed script (a pre-runner to the ChoreoGraph) kept everything
together, and I am surprise how well this script worked (although it could
work better).
In any case :
The show could have been a lot better - it didn't have the time to mature
(same day build-up and one-off performance) - but if it would have, matured
that is,then it would have been good- like that it has been a bit chaotic at
stages and some of the performers simply acted too young. The technical
aspect could improve in some ways (having all the important cues
time-coded,etc.).
The worst thing about the show was the audience. I don't want to guess the
figure but I think it was very sad for everybody to have equipment worth
over 50 000 pound, 40 artists creatively involved, 3 month work for the
Barriedale Operahouse, a not-cheap production with a lot done in kind - all
in all a quite amazing show..... with less than a 100 people in the
audience....
a bit sad for Barriedale - but a least we know we can do it.
All the best,

Michael @ Barriedale

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