Author: Aparna Sivaramakrishnan

This was a project which I enjoyed for its pure chaos of managing time and different aspect of a performance at the same time. It was a good opportunity for me to use all of my skills including building, designing and problem solving all at the same time I was able to work with sound using multiple techniques. I was also able to work with a group who truly enjoys their work as well as has good work ethic. 

I would like work with all of them again and hopefully I will be able to make more projects where I am able to use different skills like this one. On the day of show, while discussing more about No input mixing with Lucas, I have understood more techniques I would like to explore in the future. The instrument, “Trembling Belly” won’t be modified but the method of sliding guitar strings together will be further explores using different material at different capacity. 

After meeting Mai, we started with the dress rehearsal and went with the idea of the skirt around her and the cap will give her both human and otherworldly look. It was an idea suggested by Mai that there should be a switch in the form, it shouldn’t be just human or just otherworldly creature, it should be a mix. When we first tried witht the white full body suite, it wasn’t displaying the message as I would like, later when she kept half of her hair doen and combined it with skirt rather than the body suite, personally I started to feel more connected to the context. It was a bit difficult to be decisive witht the costume but we found the right one by the end of our rehearsals. 

We ended up using the bolder and larger size font video after we changed the setup. The new set up was just black cloth covered board with the projector on the table, we did try different approaches to avoid the table (moulding paper, tape), but the angle was challenging. The advantage was the safety of the performer, but it did make the words illegible for the video. It became an element for the live performance than for all. This was one of the events when I felt I was not able to use all my Theatre designer skills to best of my ability. Hopefully next time I will be prepared for these last minute errors while concentrating on something completely different.

The set up of the camera was completed with each GoPro on table and right side of the stage floor. The main camera was set up in the middle of the audience to avoid their head as much as possible and it was handled by Lucas during the performance. For recording the audio, we directly recorded everything from the mixed, we also used Lucas Tascam redorder as a backup. It was placed on a tripod right in front of the camera.

We did couple of rehersals for 20-35 mins, which was useful in understanding her movement. I made few errors during the trials, but it was necessary to be completely free of stage fright during the actual performance. Later during the final performance when right connection went off, I didn’t panic as much as I would have.

The final checking and fixing the beginning tone was set by 4:45-5 PM and all my setup and out puts were working as it was supposed to and no further changes were made. Guests started to arrive by 6PM and began with me starting with a single wave from one channel at 6:30. It was going well for the first 4 mins then my right out put got cut, throughout the performance. I tried checking for any issues with the possible movement. The moment it could have been effected was when I was doing panning after I introduced all the channel, once all of us were in sync and will start towards the build-up. This did not affect the textural sound made by the instrument since the contact mic was connected directly to the main mixer.

Once the performance was done and the audience left, all of us cleared the venue and took all the equipmwnt backto the office before signing off the paper work. 

Setting up of the performance area started on 21^st Morning, when we collected all the equipment from office and Kit room. Some of them are as given in the list below:

_List

The first part was to get the official part including the safety paper works to be done, as well as clearing the space from the clutter, which almost took half of the day.  After decluttering we started with trying placements for the table and speakers. After multiple trials and assumptions, we decided on the set up to be a mix of a traditional audience seating with and angled seating for three of us leaving enough space for Mai. Miles was in the middle since it was easier for the mixer to be in the middle, with Tata and I on the opposite sides. These placements were best because both me and Tata had to stand up and its best when there is enough room around us for less disruption and free movement. On the other end of the stage, we planned the screen for the projection. This structuring reduced the box like feeling of the venue. 

_{After setting up the space}

Once the tables were fixed and well covered in black cloth, we started with the placements of all our equipments and wiring of the place. It took much more time than expected, especially with the constant running to the office for more cables and extensions. 

A constant thought was the improvisation of lighting. We wanted to keep it as dark as possible but enough for the video. Later we had to include the larger light at its minimum brightness in blue.

The background video was done at the last minute, we based it on font but didn’t have enough time to play with font as I would have liked to while sticking with the idea of subtitles, as mentioned by Miles. 

There were discussions on what to be displayed, should it be the whole poem or the selected phrases but then we came up with the idea of reconstructing the poem into few stanzas. We did use certain parts of the selected phrases from before but there were new meaning and emotions being built without completely losing the base of the poem.

Remade poem

I leant upon a coppice gate

The weakening eye of day.

When I was unaware

When Frost was spectre-grey,

At once a voice arose,

The Century’s corpse outleant

Like strings scored the sky

In such ecstatic sound

An aged thrush has flung her soul,

The ancient pulse of germ and birth

_{Projection making}

Again, we had to make multiple rendering according to the changes we were making with the positioning of the projection screen. The configuration to project on black screen was very useful for the setting. 

For the Trembling Belly, we tried using a SM-75 but we found better results with contract mic, especially when I was trying to move the strings around. The mic was used for the pebbles once the prerecorded vocal starts.

The last step for the day was poster, since we were including smoke machine, we tried to make it a part of the poster along with the bird. The background was given a paper like feel with different texture brushes. 

_Poster

The structure is made according to the drawing made during the earlier stage. The measurement was made by using my height and hand width. I also considered the measurement of the bending of my arms to hold the structure in place for comfort. 

The measurement was done with the radius of 60-75 cm

The arch was made using three layers of 2-3mm thick wood strips. The usual method of steaming the wood  to bend it into shape is not possible due to unavailability of the equipments. With the help of technician I was able to find a premade mould to use as base for the structure until it is firm in place. First the strips of wood was cut using Bandsaw and later  they were layered with wood glue and clipped to the mould for 24 hours

During this time, I collected preloved Guitar tuning pegs from a repair shop, as well as other materials like strings and key rings. I was also able to find the right size of i-loop at the workshop.

The arch was drilled with two various sized according to the marking (as shown in the diagram). After all the drilling was completed according to the markings, i-pins were inserted. Screwing in of the tuning pegs was the last step before installing the guitar strings.

The angle of one of the string was not right, making it difficult to keep it tight wound. The issue was solved by tying it in unauthentic manner. The i-pins were looped with three different sizes of key rings for it to cluck. 

The idea of rope for the with the pressure sensor is not feasible because I had to attend a beginner session for coding at the technology lab but it was cancelled and later I was engaged or severely ill to attend the session. After losing the time I couldn’t catch up and didn’t have time to make an instrument as well as a preparation for the fabric/ rope with the pressure sensor was not possible. This led to settling with just making the instrument.

Along with the preparation for the making of the instrument, our weekly practice session to jam and testing different timeline were going on. We tried with different beginning and after few sessions we settled on starting with a single drone sound or a wave from the noinput. After different channels fades in along with the drone step by step, then proceeds to peak quickly. Later we start including vocals mixing of the selected phrases from the poem and this is considered as the beginning of adding more textures and instruments by each of us. Tata’s and my Microphones (SM57) are connected to Miles and laptop where he granulated some of our sounds live such as the ringing of the bell and the pebbles at times. Later we return to our original instruments we were using such as No Input mixing set for me.

_{Recording from one of our practice session}

_{My set up during practice session}

On May 8^th we met with Mai for coffee and took her to the Black Box, we tried to exchange ideas such as cloths on floor and it was also suggested by Mai, for all three of us to sit on the floor or to be scattered around so she will be able to dance around us. I liked this idea as well, but we were not sure about it due to the tripping hazard it can cause if not done properly.

She was able to give her input on the design for the space from her experience and also gave us an outline of her requirement in regard to space she needs for the performance

After exchanging the idea about using the instrument and the fabric with the sensor during the performance, the idea was denied since she felt it might be if I perform it since I will be making it. It was a bit of shock but completely understandable, she has to concentrate on her piece, and these might be a distraction. I would have been something different if it was possible because she will have better control of what her next step might be and will be a chance for her to interact with us through sound as well, to which we can respond to. In this case I will be using it in its own pace and using it like any other instrument by observing all of us. 

The idea of making the video concise for portfolio with a practices performance before doing the live performance on 23^rd, where we will be improvising along with the composed performance. Though there will be a concrete composition with all elements under control before it is live in the presence of audience will all unexpected improvisation expected during the performance to keep it fresh. This will be helpful to have record in case of any issues during the performance. 

Not sure if it will be possible because not sure if I will be able to be done by 21^st but will try to record as many practice possible before the live performance.

Trumbling Belly

_{The design}

The design for the instrument is based on the protruded belly of the bird, Thrush. It is a small, midsized bird with rounded features with a short tail. There are different variant of shades but generally seen in the combination of greyish black and orange.

The reason to choose this bird as the structural reference is due to the importance of the bird in the poem. Its present during both the death and bird through its songs according to the narrator. They also have a unique and bold structure though they are tiny.

_{Thrush, The bird}

I wanted to make it sound slightly chirpy which led me to the idea of using guitar strings. The idea was to make it slightly realistic among other experimental sounds. Another option was to mix different sharp sounding materials to but makes sound according to the rhythm of the movement of the performer.

The inspiration for the use of texture and material is from the work done by Rita Evans, Tuning in a Vacume and Coils of Days. Both works has used different materials and strings to produce sound such as terracotta rings and flexible metal sheets. Most of them have simple and clean shapes. 

_{From Rita Evans Website}

Reference:

Varied Thrush Identification, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology (no date). Available at: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Varied_Thrush/id (Accessed: 26 April 2024).

‘Recent Work – Rita Evans’ (2018), 13 September. Available at: https://ritaevans.com/ (Accessed: 14 June 2024).

From our group research and ideating we decided to go with the cre idea of Butoh performance, death and rebirth. That’s when, the poem, The Darkling Thrush by Thomas Hardy was related to the concept 

The Darkling Thrush by Thomas Hardy:

I leant upon a coppice gate

      When Frost was spectre-grey,

And Winter’s dregs made desolate

      The weakening eye of day.

The tangled bine-stems scored the sky

      Like strings of broken lyres,

And all mankind that haunted nigh

      Had sought their household fires.

The land’s sharp features seemed to be

      The Century’s corpse outleant,

His crypt the cloudy canopy,

      The wind his death-lament.

The ancient pulse of germ and birth

      Was shrunken hard and dry,

And every spirit upon earth

      Seemed fervourless as I.

At once a voice arose among

      The bleak twigs overhead

In a full-hearted evensong

      Of joy illimited;

An aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small,

      In blast-beruffled plume,

Had chosen thus to fling his soul

      Upon the growing gloom.

So little cause for carolings

      Of such ecstatic sound

Was written on terrestrial things

      Afar or nigh around,

That I could think there trembled through

      His happy good-night air

Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew

      And I was unaware.

The poem is about the change in the century where everything is dying, and a new era starts. He also relates it to the darkness of life and the meaning of rebirth through different metaphors. 

While trying to understand the poem we started to select phrases which we felt were eye catching and can be an inspirational during our upcoming stages. Some of the selected phrases are:

Selected Phrases 

Paragraph 1:

Spectre-grey

Made desolate

Broken lyres

Haunted night

Household fires

Paragraph 2:

Century’s corpse outleant

Death-lament 

Pulse of germ& birth

Paragraph 3:

Bleak twig overhead

Full hearted evensong

Blast-beeruffled plume

Growing gloom

Paragraph 4:

Ecstatic sound

Good-night air

Blessed hope

Little cause for carolings

A source used to analyse the poem is :

https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/thomas-hardy/the-darkling-thrush

After analysing these phrases, we understood our main concept is to be vague with the poem (not to have huge similarities between the poem and its literal presence in our work).

As weeks progressed, during one of our meetings we decided the instruments we will be using includes Midi and mixers with a mix of nature like field recordings of birds and leaf movements to start with. We decided to make it more detailed as we get more comfortable with the set up.

A part of the visual aspect of the performance, we plan to include play of words to be projected as a background. It can be a guideline or just as a simple background with fonts. It will be based on the poem with interesting font design if possible.

During initial session, we made groups, Miles and Tata was already a performance group and I was interested in performance as well. My interest was more in the direction of interactive sound design and they were more into improvisation with a performer. It made sense to be in a group. 

During discussion with Jose, Miles showed his interest in Butoh dance and we were instantly connected with Mai via Jose. The After initial introduction with each other about our practices and sending mail to Mai, to let her know more about our interest along with few of our works. 

Few facts collected while understanding the core sense of Butoh dance:

• It is based on traditional classic dance form of Japan- Noh drama and Nihon Buyo
• It’s an artform commonly used as a form of fusion because it  moves away from the retrain of any classic dance forms from both west and east.
• It has an otherworldly effect, especially when the performer gets completely absorbed into the artform
• They respond to stimulus around them as well as internal call
• Generally based on death, since it came to life during the darkness of the world (WW II).

Reference:

Discover Dance – More about Butoh – Sadler’s Wells (no date) SadlersWells. Available at: https://www.sadlerswells.com/discover-dance/more-about-dance/butoh/ (Accessed: 14 June 2024).

Butoh: 5 Things to Know About the Japanese Dance of Darkness (2022) Japan Objects. Available at: https://japanobjects.com/features/butoh (Accessed: 14 June 2024).