Sean Kennedy-Lockwood Process and performance blog assesment 1

1)
Throughout Process and Performance we have learnt how to create Physical Theatre using our bodies as a catalyst. Within the process we have explored movement-based theatre, combining dance and theatre to create a performance which holds a theme and/or meaning behind the movement, rather than moving for the sake of moving.
‘There must be a reason for it, not just "Look at what we're able to do: look how high I can kick my leg".’ (Lloyd Newson. 1995)
Physical Theatre performers also quite often feel very in touch with their character and goes through a journey, as we have within Process and Performance, which becomes very personal to them.
By using techniques like body memory and play we have learnt various movement and techniques to use together and consequentially we have been able to adapt this into a piece for people to interpret how they see fit. As a genre, physical theatre is a mix of both dance and avant-garde theatre and creates an interactive performance. There is no clear explanation of what Physical Theatre is, however, it has been shown to allow a greater degree of questioning concerning more difficult subjects and for them to be performed tastefully yet in an interesting aesthetic.

2)

The term ‘Hybrid character’ refers to two different genres joining together creating a new type of theatre that is innovative and creative. Physical theatre is a hybrid performance genre as it has taken two different performances dance and avant-garde theatre and merged them both to invent a new type of theatre. This type of theatre has not really got a clear genre of its own and theorists have argued which it should fall under dance or theatre ‘I don’t think of my company creating either dance theatre or physical theatre’ (Jasmine Vardimon, yesterday, 09th October 2009)
Physical theatre also includes movements based around pedestrian action; they extend these to create abstract images and performances. This is not usually seen within dance art forms, such as ballet, which generally uses more stylised movements.

3)

DV8 falls into the art form of Physical Dance Theatre. They use a combination of contemporary dance and avant-garde theatre, with a mix of pedestrian movement to create a piece of theatre the audience can decode and draw their own interpretations from, which is a key factor of the physical theatre genre. Another aspect of physical theatre, which DV8 shares, is their belief that what is commonly identified as beautiful movement is limited and does not reflect the real world. They also question what is seen as beautiful movement ‘Can't something that comes across the stage twisted and contorted be beautiful?’ (Lloyd Newson & DV8, 22nd July 2003)
The Royal Ballet deals with similar issues of homosexuality as DV8 often do, however, their approach is what separates these two art forms, as the Royal Ballet take
a more conservative approach where as DV8 opts for a more radical style.


Bibliography

Lloyd Newson. Dance About Something, original interview David Tushingham, Enter Achilles programme DV8 Physical Theatre 1995 adapted from an interview that first appeared in 'Live' (Methuen)

Jasmine Vardimon, yesterday, danceXchange, Birmingham Hippodrome, post performance discussion.09th October 2009

Lloyd Newson & DV8, adapted from an interview by Zoë Boden, Article 19 22nd July 2003 www.article19.co.uk