Rabbit by Coney

Coney creates games, ones that the audience engage in . . .we do not know what it is that we are to find, we do not know what it is that really we are looking for yet on the journey you discover things that are not scripted . . .one ventures into the unknown.  Tavos Stevens of Coney left us to our own devices, by a dictatorial rabbit who told us what to do and spoke in code, instructions that were random, about his lost love . . .it is a tokyo love story by a rabbit . . . we went underground, to his home but this was more like the complex tunnel of which is Ikebukuro . . . pictures speak louder than words . . . 

some of Rabbit's friends . . .owls on a moon (depends who you look at them)

Live Art Speed Date

Performance for a while now, is no longer left to the realm of the audience as a non-participant, where he/she watches in silence as the performers do their thing, express their art.  In Tokyo, I went to a speed dating session,with Stoke Newington International Airport, a group based in East London at an imaginary airport.  Their performance - Live Art Speed Date is perhaps less of a performance rather than a complete experience.  To see and be there is to believe . 

One enters Super Deluxe to be given instructions and date cards, the boys then demonstrate. . .  I got 5 dates in 5 different locations, all dates with various artists. . .an intimate 4 minutes where you engage and have a date, where you share a moment, no matter how planned it is on the part of the artist, each date is different, it has to be.  One enters the realm of intentional accidents and the unknown.  Where does reality begin and make believe start? is it at the end of 4 minutes? What they create is a platform, where you get your own personal performance, that as "date" feels like a personal experience.  

My first date was with an artist who caressed my hand under a table and together we traced our hands with crayons . . .it was beautiful.

On another, I was told by the girl that she "noodles me" and she performed a solo ouvre whilst preparing my cup noodles of which as my initials are CW she added Chocolate and Whipped cream of which she proceeded to feed to me.  .. .wow.

Then the bar code birl uuu.co . . where through the scan of a barcode she played me songs

Then the paper theatre from London where threw SKYPE they made me a story with me in it . .

And last but not least, a date that Paul and I crashed was Cherry Taiphoon, a burlesque Japanese rather chubby lady who took us to a cubicle  . . .need I say more?

Maybe I am saying too much . . .maybe too little . . .and of course there was Chatroulette.

Whatever it is was - it was memorable and really absolutely wonderful.  I wonder when I will have another speed date again . . .

Contact Gonzo

Never have I seen a drummer with this kind of intensity, this kind of drama . . .and this was dance . .we were on the edge of our seats . . .the mix of violence, emotions, suspense, choreography and martial arts . . . as the audience, we were kept completely in dark as to what would happen next.  That is theatre perhaps . . .or what theatre should be.

Lost Astronaut

A lost astronaut roams the streets of New York.. .the Lost Astronaut is artist Alicia Framis, making her New York debut with a performance-installation piece called "Lost Astronaut".  Alicia has dressed up as an astronaut and for 2 weeks, her daily activities are dictated by instructions from artists and authors including Mark Beasley,Shelley Jackson, Rita McBrade, John Menick amongst others. 

"Lost Astronaut [explores] the potentialities of living on the moon through the [activities of an] ironic, fictional… woman astronaut. Left on earth, like all women who were never part of the moon race, she settles into BaseCamp, [where] she will live for the 2 weeks of the biennial in a customized astronaut suit, among drawings and prototypes that aim to both parody and demand women’s presence on the moon."

It makes for an interesting and thought provoking project . . .the contrast and contradiction making fantastic imagery.  The concept behind actually questioning our roles. So my Astronauts in Africa are not too out of this world after all.  

Click here for more on the Lost Astronaut and her schedule.

Red Demon and Loy Kratong

On the night of the November full moon, or full moon of the 12th month in the Thai calender (12th Night)I went to my first Likay performance at the Jim Thompson house as Eric Booth kindly invited me along to see Red Demon - an adaptation of a Japanese folklore.

The Red Demon

Likay is a traditional Thai form of theatre - a stage play where there is song, dance and prose. . . meant to be humourous but with often an underlying tone of seriousness (moral lesson even) and in this case a comic tragedy very much in the tradition of Shakespeare with the fool telling the tale. . . it was engaging, funny and haunting as it stood as a symbol very much for what is wrong with nations and humans generally . . .it left us with an overwhelming feeling of catharsis, the kind of feeling that Marlowe or the Bard himself would approve of.  Then again Likay in its pure form did originate in the court of King Rama IV and grew into the popular form as we know it today in the court of King Rama V . . .what was interesting is how it took from local themes, local songs and weaved it into the Likay form . . In this case it was influenced by the south of Thailand and the songs of Java (a nod to the problems in the south perhaps?). . .It was wonderful for the senses and the costumes would make Christophe Decarnin proud and the acting was truly brilliant.

As it was 12th night and the night of Loy Kratong where we go to the river and give thanks to the River Goddess by offering her a vessel or kratong of flowers with incense and light . . .it is one of the most beautiful festivals in Thailand.  

bread kratongs (food for fish)

It also evokes a time past where the river was king and not the streets.. . .we went via BTS - like we were on a field trip to Eric's boat . .the Jim Thompson boat which is usually at The Oriental.  It is not large but is truly beautiful, charming especially in detail.

We were fortuitous to be able to catch the display of fireworks from the boat in time . . .perfect view . . .

then cruised up river where the water would be

 still enough for us to float our kratongs . . . 

a decorative barge

P'Harry

There was definitely water traffic and wonderful barges on display.  We finally did find a spot and it should be no other place than in front of the sacred Grand Palace . . .

a floating lantern and the Grand Palace

My little kratong was definitely a fighter . . .then again everyone's was . . . you set it free and leave your worries behind and give thanks to the river for giving us life.  

kratongs, Warn, P'Eric and P'Mai

my kratong and I

Beautiful really . . . a vessel of hope and humility.

Pow and I felt so lucky that night - we expected to go to Red Demon and find some place to float a kratong not knowing that Eric had planned the most magical journey up river . . . again, like the last time I saw a performance at the JT house, it was a most surreal night. Where life imitates art and you are shown that the simple things can be blissful and between the catharsis from a staged comic-tragedy and the hope derived from the river and light . . life is pretty complete when you go with the flow and have a little hope.

Ganesh

Last Monday Bangkokians reported immense traffic in the city centre - this was due to the Indian festival thanking the Gods . . .particularly Ganesh. The weekend before, Eric Booth invited me to see Ganesh by Pichet, the first part being a classical Thai version of the tale with Pichet as the solo performer.  It was enchanting - I now understand why Lord Ganesh is worshipped and why his tusks are broken.  Ganesh is the patron of the arts, he represents artistic endeavours and creativity - very relevant to our times really.  The performance was an hour long and at Pichet's studio which is part of his very charming home. 

on the way to Pichet's

His talent, ability and presence is overwhelming, although a solo performer all the varied emotions required in the play where there are gods, goddesses and mortals are projected from him alone, he has a very wholesome presence and his energy fills the room.  

Pichet

You could feel the pain of his fight and the fear of his loss fromm watching his movement and letting the Thai prose explain.  Very inspiring indeed.  

As I was in Singapore, I was not able to go watch the second re-enactment of the same story but in a modern interpretation.  He is one of the foremost performers in Thai art - unique.  Ganesh would be proud