Jay Duggan Procces & Performance Blog 1

1)
Devising is a key part of physical theatre performances you cannot script how another’s body moves this is because everyone is of different sizes and shapes moving in different ways, it must come down to an individuals devising to create movement. It would be extremely difficult to script the way a company of people move, that’s why physical theatre depends so highly on the trial and error technique. That’s why it relies heavily on the performer’s impulses and improvisation. As mentioned on 4DR’s website “The company works collaboratively, meaning that they devise and choreograph the majority of work with full company input and dedication.” – (4DR physical theatre company website) Physical Theatre uses the body to communicate usually verbal narrative is removed from the equation entirely; it depends solely upon gestures both pedestrian, abstract and often on occasions to the point of grotesqueness.

2)
When Ana Sanchez-Colberg refers to physical theatre using the term hybrid, she implies that physical theatre is the perfect blend of dance and performance. It implies that by taking the very best parts of performance and the very best part of dance it creates an ultimate combination resulting in physical theatre. Weather it is the very best of both genres is down to an individuals perceptions but it cannot be argued that it is an amalgamation of both genres. Community dance UK speaking about DV8“They enjoy both drama and dance aspects of the Physical Theatre and aim to blend those forms of performing arts together in their own form of the genre” – (communitydance.org.uk) Just because movement is abstract or synchronized does not mean it must be labeled as dance, and just because performers are on stage does not give them the need to be labeled an actor. It could be said for example the genre of musical theatre is a hybrid of singing and theatre. Just like physical theatre, musical theatre take characteristics from different performance styles to create a new genre which is what is meant by a hybrid performance.

3)

Jasmin Vardimon company is becoming renowned for it contributions to physical theatre, Vardimon believes that it important to push your physical boundaries in order to achieve the best results and her work proves this affective. Vardimon believes in body memory, the theory that the body controls itself more than we give it credit for, and that once learned the body will retain the information independently of the mind. A key feature of Jasmine Vardimon Company making them a physical theatre company is the lack of narrative and the communication through the body. When been interviewed Jasmin Vardimon says “I'm interested more in communicating ideas. I think dance theatre is my language.” – (Jasmin Vardimon) this is a very typical mind set of a physical theatre company.

Bibliography

http://communitydance.org.uk/metadot/index.pl?id=23938&isa=DBRow&op=show&dbview - 23/02/09

www.4dr.co.uk - 23/02/09

http://www.article19.co.uk/06/interview/jasmin_vardimon_1.php - 23/02/09