MAATP Critical Reflection Rob Drummer

Page 1

092715
 Rob
Drummer
 Reflective
Commentary
 Sustained
Independent
Project
 MAATP,
2009/10

Whose
Cloud
is
it
Anyway:

 A
Dramaturgy
of
Devices

 and
the
Director
Debunked
 
 
 Abstract
 An
approach
to
performance
where
storytelling
is
actively
supported
by
a
sequence
 of
 improvised
 moments
 in
 turn
 sustained
 by
 a
 series
 of
 performed
 devices.
 Has
 emerged
in
the
theatre
making
of
debunked.

These
devices
are
encountered
by
the
 company
 and
 ultimately
 the
 audience
 and
 developed
 through
 workshops
 led
 by
 a
 director,
 who
 has
 the
 extended
 but
 not
 utterly
 new
 task
 of
 drawing
 dramaturgical
 purpose
to
the
material
as
generated
in
performance
by
the
devices
he
facilitates
in
 rehearsal.

The
work
of
Whose
Cloud
is
it
Anyway?
is
in
the
facilitation
of
narrative
by
 the
company,
drawn
from
audience
biographies
and
performers
improvising
from
a
 training
through
workshops
lead
by
a
director.

This
writing
is
an
attempt
to
move
 through
the
central
concern
of
a
dramaturgy
of
these
devices,
provided
by
a
director
 as
 a
 means
 to
 prepare
 a
 company
 to
 tell
 stories
 through
 improvised
 performance.

 Where
the
work
exists
for
the
director
and
at
which
points
in
the
process
his
role
is
 shifting
will
be
the
further
explored
leading
to
a
consideration
of
the
debunking
of
 the
director.

1


092715
 Rob
Drummer
 Reflective
Commentary
 Sustained
Independent
Project
 MAATP,
2009/10

Whose
Cloud
is
it
Anyway?
 Preparing
a
company
for
Improvised
Performance
 
 ‘For
 me,
 the
 performance
 too
 was
 a
 living
 organism
 and
 I
 had
 to
 distinguish
not
only
its
parts,
but
also
its
levels
of
organisation
and,
 later,
 their
 mutual
 relationships.
 
 Dramaturgy,
 then,
 was
 a
 term
 similar
to
anatomy.

It
was
a
practical
way
of
working
not
only
on
 the
 organism
 in
 its
 totality,
 but
 on
 its
 different
 organs
 and
 layers’
 (BARBA
2010,
p.9)

Taking
the
definition
of
anatomy
from
the
Greek
for
‘cutting
up’
builds
a
pertinent
field
for
 understanding
the
role
of
the
director
throughout
the
process
of
making
Whose
Cloud
is
it
 Anyway?
 
 As
 Barba
 explores
 in
 his
 writing,
 understanding
 performance
 as
 similar
 to
 a
 complex
 physiological
 system
 that
 must
 be
 anatomised
 by
 the
 director
 usefully
 connects
 with
 a
 notion
 of
 dramaturgy
 as
 the
 seeing
 of
 performance
 as
 constituting
 multiple
 layers.

 These
layers,
break
the
seeing
of
performance
by
the
director
into
useful
and
manageable
 elements,
 part
 of
 a
 whole
 but
 utterly
 important
 in
 isolation.
 
 The
 work
 of
 preparing
 the
 company
 for
 a
 performance,
 which
 was
 improvised
 but
 grounded
 in
 detailed
 work
 as
 an
 ensemble,
required
a
certain
directorial
control
and
yet
such
control
threatened
the
agency
 of
the
remaining
company
to
shape
the
work
independently
during
performance.



 For
many
weeks
I
was
unsure
as
to
what
it
was
the
work
could
be
in
rehearsal.

What
should
 we
 be
 engaging
 with
 in
 order
 to
 prepare
 for
 a
 wholly
 improvised
 performance,
 what
 role
 could
we
each
play?
I
was
able
to
prepare
the
company,
as
the
work
was
something
to
do
 with
complicity,
with
play
and
with
the
generation
of
ideas
and
storytelling.

However,
my
 taste
is
for
drama
that
has
a
structure,
a
recognisable
drive
and
varying
pace,
tensions
and
 objectives
 and
 so
 I
 was
 in
 a
 quandary
 as
 to
 how
 to
 imbue
 the
 work
 of
 the
 company
 with
 these
concerns
whilst
maintaining
spontaneity
of
approach
to
the
stimuli.

To
solve
this,
or
 at
least
attempt
a
solution
I
began
introducing
devices,
across
a
range
that
built
towards
a
 toolkit,
or
palette
of
improvisation
based
work,
which
could
be
drawn
from
in
performance.


 One
 of
 these
 key
 devices
 was
 the
 re‐imagining
 of
 ‘up‐scaling’,
 a
 method
 used
 in
 retail
 environments
to
convince
customers
who
may
be
seeking
a
particular
product
to
invest
in
 something
more
expensive
but
crucially
offering
more
features.


Here
then
I
introduced
an
 exercise
 whereby
 a
 performer
 would
 perform
 a
 simple
 movement,
 extended
 over
 several
 minutes.

The
rest
of
the
company,
using
found
objects,
live
and
recorded
sound,
video
and
 any
available
light
would
contextualise
the
movement,
changing
it,
shifting
audience
focus.

 What
 happened
 on
 numerous
 occasions
 was
 the
 collective
 creation
 of
 whole
 narratives,
 made
of
simple
moments,
up‐scaled
each
time,
built
to
a
crescendo
whereby
whole
scenes,
 later
titled,
for
example;
‘
The
Race’,
‘A
Jewish
Wedding’
and
‘At
Sea
in
a
Storm’
emerged.

 The
 abstraction
 of
 movement,
 speech,
 object
 manipulation
 and
 technological
 devices
 at
 times
merged
into
clear
and
specific
theatrical
moments,
all
through
improvised
play1.


 However,
where
the
work
in
the
rehearsal
room
finished
and
the
signifiers
for
the
start
of
a
 performance
 began
 was
 a
 concern
 and
 a
 tricky
 concept
 to
 unravel.
 
 The
 beginning
 of
 the

1

For
further
examples
of
devices
employed
in
the
workshop
and
rehearsal
process
please
see
Appendix
I

2


092715
 Rob
Drummer
 Reflective
Commentary
 Sustained
Independent
Project
 MAATP,
2009/10

work
 was
 certainly
 the
 meeting
 of
 the
 company
 in
 a
 rehearsal
 room,
 a
 space
 demanding
 specific
 action,
 that
 of
 rehearsal.
 
 It
 is
 certainly
 something
 to
 do
 with
 the
 reliance
 in
 the
 rehearsal
 room
 on
 amplified
 sound
 and
 projected
 images,
 with
 the
 digital
 and
 the
 online
 that
 lead
 to
 a
 performance
 with
 an
 aesthetic
 of
 the
 mediated
 image
 and
 organisation
 of
 digital
technologies.


Something
about
my
insistence
on
using
YouTube
as
a
sort
of
stimulus,
 a
 sort
 of
 beginning
 and
 then
 the
 conversations
 that
 existed
 around
 the
 creative
 and
 collaborative
 web
 demanded
 our
 audience
 would
 similarly
 be
 involved
 in
 these
 particular
 sites
during
the
performance.

There
is
a
closer
truth
in
that
the
work
began
to
grow
out
of
 our
 own
 context,
 the
 so‐called
 social
 web
 that
 we
 as
 individuals
 of
 a
 specific
 generational
 experience
invest
in.

 But
what
of
this
concern
with
the
boundary
between
rehearsal
and
performance,
for
what
 was
being
rehearsed
and
what
does
the
introduction
of
an
audience
do
to
the
work?
These
 two
 forums
 of
 performance
 and
 rehearsal
 have
 two
 crucial
 differences,
 the
 lack
 and
 then
 introduction
 of
 an
 audience
 who
 contribute
 the
 content
 of
 the
 improvised,
 fragmented
 narratives
and
the
moving
from
the
rehearsal
space
to
the
performance
space.

Part
three
of
 this
writing
addresses
the
opposition
of
a
model
of
rehearsal
for
performance
of
a
narrative
 by
a
new
means
of
preparation
by
a
director
as
facilitator,
introducing
improvisation
devices
 that
open
up
possibilities
for
narrative
to
begin
and
end
at
the
performance,
rather
than
the
 performance
be
the
culmination
of
rehearsed
material.


 There
 was
 crucial
 evolution
 in
 the
 work
 when
 trialling
 an
 adaptation
 of
 E.M.Forster’s
 The
 Machine
Stops
for
a
work
in
progress
showing,
the
company
faced
with
an
audience,
were
 aware
for
the
first
time
of
the
misleading
direction
we
had
travelled
in.

In
an
effort
to
make
 the
work
about
something,
something
more
than
the
Internet,
or
at
least
something
more
 than
 a
 performance
 about
 the
 Internet
 and
 its
 impact
 upon
 our
 lives,
 we
 thought
 the
 context
of
a
weighty
literary
text,
an
adaptation
debunked
was
a
useful
metaphor.

Crucially
 it
was
not,
in
performance,
this
new
iteration
of
the
work
was
confused,
lacking
direction,
 purpose
 or
 personality.
 
 We
 had
 stepped
 away
 from
 a
 live,
 improvised
 performance
 and
 imposed
strict
rules,
holding
back
from
taking
a
risk
and
attempting
to
balance
the
bold
and
 live
with
the
constructed
and
safe.

3


092715
 Rob
Drummer
 Reflective
Commentary
 Sustained
Independent
Project
 MAATP,
2009/10

Taking
Control

 The
Destabilised
collective
as
a
means
to
an
end

 
 Today
 for
 me,
 the
 director
 is
 rather
 the
 expert
 of
 the
 theatre’s
 subatomic
reality,
a
man
or
a
woman
who
experiments
with
ways
 of
 overturning
 the
 obvious
 links
 between
 the
 different
 components
of
a
performance.
(BARBA
2010,
xviii)

Barba’s
 suggestion
 of
 a
 director
 who
 overturns,
 who
 makes
 the
 obvious
 links
 less
 and
 less
 obvious
 and
 encourages
 the
 active
 removal,
 re‐writing
 and
 distrust
 of
 established
 ideas
 is
 appealing
 as
 a
 frame
 for
 my
 memory
 of
 preparing
 the
 performers
 for
 Whose
 Cloud
 is
 it
 Anyway?

The
welcoming
of
improvisation
as
a
creative
impulse,
as
a
dramaturgical
device
 and
production
aesthetic
at
first
felt
like
a
limitation
on
rehearsal.

As
previously
mentioned,
 if
 the
 content
 of
 the
 work
 was
 unknown
 to
 us
 all,
 what
 was
 there
 to
 rehearse?
 
 I
 quickly
 established
 a
 rehearsal
 room
 whereby
 less
 material
 was
 rehearsed
 but
 an
 awareness
 of
 editing,
 detail
 and
 spontaneity
 was
 cultivated.
 
 Introducing,
 body
 storming
 as
 a
 device2
 allowed
the
performers
to
activate
storytelling
impulses
through
physical
action,
whilst
the
 director
as
observer
imposed
a
structure
of
edits
based
on
key
phrases
such
as
backwards,
 forwards,
refresh,
stop,
close
up,
return.

 This
is
the
first
overturning,
my
first
imposition
and
decision,
to
believe
that
a
performance
 can
be
dramaturgically
strong
and
have
both
narrative
form
and
content
whilst
still
existing
 in
the
space
between
participant
and
performer
and
grounded
in
extensive
research
of
the
 online
 presence
 of
 our
 collected
 audience.
 
 There
 is
 no
 assumption
 that
 through
 participation,
the
performance
is
more
live
but
an
assumption
that
the
quality
of
liveness
in
 this
 specific
 context
 allows
 creative
 freedoms
 in
 the
 moment
 of
 performance
 for
 improvisation.
 
 The
 second
 overturning
 is
 very
 much
 within
 myself,
 in
 that
 to
 prepare
 the
 production
for
performance,
I
myself
had
to
see
the
benefit
to
a
strong
and
stable
collective
 rather
than
a
dictated
dramaturgy
or
singular
narrative
like
the
work
with
Forster
and
The
 Machine
Stops.


 First,
participation
occurred
at
those
points
where
the
play
stopped
 being
a
play
and
became
a
social
event
–
when
spectators
felt
that
 they
were
free
to
enter
the
performance
as
equals…letting
people
 into
the
play
to
do
as
the
performers
were
doing,
to
‘join
the
story’.

 (Schechner
1973,
44)

It
 was
 very
 much
 the
 manifestation
 of
 the
 production
 at
 The
 People
 Show
 that
 supported
 our
 belief
 in
 the
 work
 and
 its
 form,
 crucially
 as
 Schechner
 highlights,
 the
 inclusion
 of
 our
 audience
 in
 the
 play,
 the
 freedom
 to
 join
 in
 the
 storytelling
 aided
 the
 action
 of
 the
 performers
and
the
dramaturgical
attempt.

With
the
audience
comes
the
completion
of
our
 performance
 circuit,
 as
 without
 them
 the
 work
 simply
 does
 not
 exist.
 
 The
 liminal
 space
 between
audience
and
spectator
‘created
by
[the]
interface
of
body
and
technology’,
here
 manifest
as
projected
Facebook,
YouTube,
Twitter
and
Flickr
pages
in
the
performance
space
 located
 the
 audience
 on
 the
 ‘threshold
 of
 the
 physical
 and
 virtual’
 (Broadhurst
 2007,
 1)
 However,
with
this
comes
the
problem
of
preparation
once
again,
if
our
audience
complete
 the
work,
how
do
we
prepare
to
meet
with
them
through
rehearsal?

Unlike
Improbable’s

2
See
Appendix
II
for
notes
on
Body
Storming

4


092715
 Rob
Drummer
 Reflective
Commentary
 Sustained
Independent
Project
 MAATP,
2009/10

Lifegame
 where
 one
 audience
 member
 is
 interviewed
 for
 their
 life
 stories
 and
 then
 these
 are
 performed
 in
 front
 of
 the
 remaining
 audience,
 we
 must
 research
 without
 the
 participants’
 prior
 knowledge.
 
 Similar
 to
 Lifegame
 here
 though,
 we
 ‘are
 asking
 questions
 which
 will
 yield…the
 most
 dramatic
 material,
 the
 most
 dramatic
 moments’
 (McDermott,
 2005).
There
is,
with
this
work
a
risk
for
the
theatre
makers
that
the
performance
may
lack
 all
the
qualities
possible
when
a
process
of
rehearsing
material
for
performance
is
embarked
 upon.
 
 
 However,
 the
 opportunities
 to
 pursue
 live,
 improvised
 performance
 greatly
 outweighed
this
risk
when
the
audience
encountered
purely
theatrical
moments
inspired
by
 their
own
life
stories.

Figure
1.
Whose
Cloud
is
it
Anyway?
The
shared
 space
 becomes
 a
 platform
 for
 play
 and
 improvisation,
 with
 vital
 participation
 from
 the
 audience
 whose
 online
 presence
 forms
 the
 content
of
the
performance.

New
possibilities
for
perception
by
our
audience
at
the
performance
are
explored
through
a
 reading
of
Deleuze.

Although
there
is
little
time
to
excavate
his
full
theories
on
perception,
 there
 is
 something
 of
 use
 in
 his
 notion
 of
 re‐organisation.
 
 The
 fragmentation,
 or
 re‐ organisation
 of
 narrative
 structure
 in
 Whose
 Cloud
 is
 it
 Anyway?
 is
 in
 line
 with
 Deleuze’s
 notion
of
the
creation
of
new
affects
yielding
new
possibilities
for
perception.

The
audience
 must
follow
fragmented
structures,
improvised
anecdotes,
sections
of
scenes,
created
live
in
 front
 of
 them
 and
 as
 a
 result,
 these
 are
 the
 affects
 that
 shift
 perception
 from
 following
 a
 narrative
 arc
 and
 instead
 pursuing
 the
 attempt
 of
 the
 storytellers
 rather
 than
 the
 stories
 they
tell
(Deleuze
1986,
18).

This
is
connected
to
the
dramaturgy
of
devices
as
used
by
the
 company
 to
 foreground
 the
 active
 attempt
 at
 storytelling.
 
 The
 devices
 are
 sometimes
 obvious,
a
melodramatic
moment
of
action,
a
one
on
one
improvised
performance
behind
a

5


092715
 Rob
Drummer
 Reflective
Commentary
 Sustained
Independent
Project
 MAATP,
2009/10

screen,
a
whole
audience
activity,
or
an
improvised
debate
on
a
recently
reported
event
but
 nonetheless
it
is
important
the
audience
recognise
them
as
a
means
to
communicate
story
 and
this
results
in
reading
the
attempt
of
storytelling
as
part
of
the
overall,
if
convoluted
and
 confusing
narrative
structure.


 The
design
of
the
attempt,
which
at
times
includes
the
audience
themselves
attempting
to
 tell
their
own
stories
draws
from
commentary
on
the
social
web
that
the
performance
cites
 as
its
theoretical
starting
point
and
political
concern.
Clay
Shirky
writes
clearly
and
candidly
 about
the
social
web
and
believes
that
‘we
are
living
in
the
middle
of
a
remarkable
increase
 in
 our
 ability
 to
 share,
 to
 cooperate
 with
 one
 another,
 and
 to
 take
 collective
 action,
 all
 outside
 the
 framework
 of
 traditional
 institutions
 and
 organizations’
 (Shirky,
 2008,
 location
 354).
Despite
our
position
as
one
of
these
institutions,
we
are
extending
the
opportunity
to
 come
 close
 to
 the
 centre
 of
 the
 attempt
 of
 storytelling
 through
 theatre
 an
 some
 of
 our
 dramaturgical
 devices
 rely
 exclusively
 on
 the
 participation
 of
 non
 performer
 bodies,
 our
 audience.

There
is
a
dilemma
in
this
approach.

Will
the
performance
make
its
point
to
all
of
 the
 audience
 and
 are
 those
 who
 are
 not
 used
 as
 stimuli
 for
 dramatic
 action
 as
 engaged?

 How
bold
are
we
being?

Speaking
after
the
work,
there
were
those
who
wanted
more
from
 us,
 more
 boundary
 pushing
 and
 more
 invasion,
 the
 reading
 of
 a
 telephone
 number,
 the
 sharing
of
near
nude
pictures,
the
admission
that
some
of
us
sit
up
late
at
night
looking
at
 pictures
of
old
lovers
who
have
gotten
fat
and
enjoy
it.

What
are
the
ethics
of
this,
how
free
 are
we
to
push
the
work
in
this
direction?

6


092715
 Rob
Drummer
 Reflective
Commentary
 Sustained
Independent
Project
 MAATP,
2009/10

A
Dramaturgy
of
Devices
 When
is
the
director
of
most
use
to
the
making
of
performance?

 
 ‘People
respond
to
incentives.

If
you
give
them
more
of
a
reason
to
do
 something,
they
will
do
more
of
it,
and
if
you
make
it
easier
to
do
more
 of
something
they
are
already
inclined
to
do,
they
will
also
do
more
of
 it’
(Shirky
2008,
location
325)

If
 there
 is
 a
 model
 of
 performance
 making
 that
 can
 be
 described
 as,
 rehearsing
 to
 a
 point
 whereby
 what
 is
 performed
 is
 rehearsed
 material,
 then
 I
 was
 directing
 a
 very
 different
 process
throughout
Whose
Cloud
is
it
Anyway?

I
propose
that
the
model,
which
had
formed
 early
 on
 in
 the
 process
 but
 only
 really
 embraced
 in
 the
 final
 weeks,
 was
 one
 whereby
 a
 dramaturgy
 of
 devices
 was
 prepared
 in
 rehearsal
 to
 facilitate
 the
 content
 of
 the
 performance
to
be
improvised.

These
devices,
some
of
which
have
been
discussed
and
the
 outlines
 of
 which
 are
 included
 in
 the
 Appendices
 were
 a
 means
 to
 allow
 material
 to
 be
 improvised
 in
 front
 of
 the
 audience
 throughout
 the
 performance.
 
 There
 is
 a
 further
 question
 or
 definition
 of
 this
 model,
 which
 asks
 what
 relation,
 is
 there
 between
 the
 performance
devices
and
performers.

Furthermore,
the
question
of
what
use
the
director
is
 to
 the
 company
 of
 performers
 and
 in
 this
 particular
 case
 non
 performers
 also
 arises
 and
 becomes
vital
as
a
response
to
the
learning
throughout
the
project.


 The
 director’s
 sphere
 of
 influence
 grew
 so
 far
 as
 to
 include
 the
 audience;
 the
 feedback
 loop
 was
 to
 be
 organized
 and
 controlled.

 (Fishcher‐Lichte
2008,
39)

The
 performance
 required
 a
 model
 of
 preparation,
 the
 priming
 of
 the
 company
 for
 improvised
encounters
with
an
audience
especially
as
the
content
or
material
of
the
work
is
 imbued
with
transiency.

How
though
can
the
director
maintain
a
grasp
of
the
dramaturgy
in
 order
 to
 structure
 a
 performance
 with
 clarity?
 
 The
 notion
 of
 a
 feedback
 loop
 between
 audience
 and
 performer,
 growing
 out
 of
 the
 material
 of
 the
 performance
 which
 was
 the
 biography
 of
 the
 audience
 researched
 online
 existed
 and
 yet
 as
 a
 result
 could
 not
 be
 practiced
in
the
rehearsal
room.

The
presence
of
the
director
then
in
rehearsal
room
and
 performance
 does
 not
 substitute
 but
 becomes
 subsumed
 with
 the
 audience,
 allowing
 the
 company
to
improvise
from
a
strong
base,
developed
in
rehearsal.

Moving
away
from
the
 rehearsal
of
material
I
was
aware
of
there
being
something
in
the
action
of
the
attempt
that
 was
 key.
 
 The
 audience
 in
 being
 made
 aware
 of
 the
 attempt
 to
 perform
 through
 improvisation
 are
 encouraged
 to
 consider
 in
 close
 detail
 their
 active
 involvement
 in
 the
 work.

In
my
mind,
this
was
an
attempt
in
itself
to
balance
the
meeting
between
performer
 and
audience
in
order
to
allow
greater
freedom
for
the
company
when
dramatising
the
lives
 of
the
audience
as
researched
online.


 Crucially
I
have
discovered
that
what
is
most
important
is
the
preparedness
of
the
company
 to
 work
 together
 and
 shape
 a
 performance
 that
 plays
 by
 some
 of
 the
 same
 rules
 the
 audience
 will
 be
 entering
 with
 full
 awareness
 of.
 
 A
 complex
 dramaturgy
 of
 devices
 is
 employed
in
the
work,
whereby
several
weeks
have
been
spent
improvising,
playing,
using
 multiple
 starting
 points
 and
 constructing
 layers.
 
 To
 return
 to
 Barba’s
 use
 of
 anatomy
 and
 dramaturgy
I
propose
an
extension.

It
is
the
anatomy
of
the
performance
the
director
must
 perform,
isolating
the
layers
and
organs
that
play
key
roles
and
examining
in
close
detail
the
 pathology
 of
 the
 performance.
 
 This
 pathology,
 or
 disease
 is
 considered
 as
 anything
 that
 threatens
 the
 complicity
 of
 audience
 and
 performer,
 or
 allows
 a
 gap
 in
 the
 action
 of
 the

7


092715
 Rob
Drummer
 Reflective
Commentary
 Sustained
Independent
Project
 MAATP,
2009/10

attempt
 where
 the
 audience
 begin
 to
 consider
 the
 performance
 as
 less
 a
 dramaturgy
 of
 devices
 exploring
 collected
 stories
 from
 their
 online
 presence
 and
 more
 a
 failing
 attempt
 whereby
even
fragmented
stories
do
not
entice
or
excite
engagement.


 
 Take
charge
 Take
ownership
 Don’t
argue
 You
are
in
this
together
 Say
yes
 Think
of
your
audience
 The
audience
don’t
always
want
to
watch
you
do
nothing
 
 Figure
2.
Notes
from
first
performance
given
before
second,
from
Director’s
notebook

This
 is
 all
 grounded
 in
 the
 revelation
 during
 the
 second
 performance
 at
 The
 People
 Show,
 whereby
I
moved
from
the
edge
of
the
room
to
aid
in
the
working
of
Google
Earth.
I
fulfilled
 a
function
based
on:
‘I
know
how
to
do
this
thing
and
therefore
I
will
do
it,
as
if
I
don’t
I
will
 have
to
watch
you
fail
at
the
attempt’,
I
was
most
present
to
the
company
and
audience
as
 director
here,
imposing
my
ability
to
solve
and
facilitate
and
move
the
drama
forwards.

An
 interesting
and
minute
moment,
of
only
perhaps
thirty
seconds,
but
utterly
the
foundation
 of
my
learning
throughout
this
process.

To
direct
is
to
problem
solve,
to
employ
sight
and
 hearing
 to
 the
 work
 of
 performers,
 who
 you
 can
 encourage,
 discourage,
 shape
 and
 adjust
 their
action,
voice
and
tasks
on
behalf
of
the
audience.

In
this
moment
it
became,
for
the
 first
time
that
the
director
must
improvise
too,
he
must
support
the
performers
not
only
in
 the
 rehearsal
 of
 the
 devices
 but
 introduce
 them
 in
 performance,
 provide
 more
 of
 the
 analysis,
 dissect
 the
 anatomy
 in
 front
 of
 the
 audience
 and
 relieve
 some
 of
 the
 burden
 of
 creation
 as
 previously
 shouldered
 by
 performers.
 
 Unable
 now
 to
 step
 away
 from
 the
 performance
 once
 the
 rehearsal
 of
 devices
 has
 been
 achieved,
 the
 director
 must
 stay
 present
 as
 facilitator,
 editor
 and
 conduct
 the
 action
 of
 the
 attempt
 for
 both
 company
 and
 audience.


 Crucially
 for
 Whose
 Cloud
 is
 it
 Anyway?
 without
 this
 active
 directing,
 this
 problem
 solving
 through
ad
hoc
direction,
there
is
little
safety
valve
ensuring
that
a
dramaturgy
of
devices
is
 the
best
approach
to
tell
the
fragments
of
audience
stories.

For
if
storytelling
through
the
 action
of
the
attempt
is
the
ambition
of
debunked’s
theatre
making
and
here
the
stories
are
 brought
 to
 the
 audience,
 who
 complete
 an
 hermeneutic
 circuit
 of
 perception,
 interpreting
 narrative
from
the
action
of
the
attempt.
The
director,
who
has
facilitated
a
strong
structure
 based
in
rehearsal
of
devices,
as
mentioned
which
build
to
a
dramaturgical
intervention
in
 the
 performance
 must
 not
 remove
 himself
 from
 the
 action
 of
 the
 attempt.
 
 Instead,
 performing
 the
 anatomy
 of
 the
 work
 for
 the
 audience
 and
 company
 is
 vital
 to
 understand
 the
pathology
of
the
work,
what
is
potentially
dying
and
at
risk
when
the
improvisations
are
 not
perfected.

8


092715
 Rob
Drummer
 Reflective
Commentary
 Sustained
Independent
Project
 MAATP,
2009/10

In
conclusion,
a
prepared
dramaturgical
design
constructed
from
devices
encountered
in
the
 rehearsal
room
has
the
potential
to
ensure,
(so
long
as
the
director
performs
an
anatomy
at
 all
 times)
 company,
 performer
 and
 audience
 engagement
 in
 the
 work
 itself.
 
 I
 now
 have
 a
 further
 interest,
 which
 is
 emerging
 from
 this
 reflection
 and
 the
 wider
 learning.
 I
 wish
 to
 explore
and
begin
to
understand
the
emerging
autopietic
audience
(Fischer‐Lichte
2008,
41)
 as
part
of
a
feedback
loop
in
the
work
including
the
performers
and
as
a
structuring
device
 for
 the
 narrative.
 
 I
 wish
 to
 unpick
 notions
 such
 as
 ‘the
 bodily
 co‐presence
 of
 actors
 and
 spectators’
(32)
and
explore
the
performance
as
an
event
that
is
“not
fixed
or
transferable,
 but
 ephemeral
 and
 transient”
 (33)
 as
 key
 concerns
 of
 improvised
 performance
 that
 foregrounds
 an
 active
 attempt
 at
 theatre
 making.
 The
 audience
 constantly
 supported
 the
 structure
and
function
of
the
narrative
in
the
work
and
I
seek
to
explore
how
the
audience
 and
 performers
 exist
 within
 a
 unique
 system,
 specific
 to
 improvised
 performance
 constructed
out
of
a
dramaturgy
of
devices.

9


092715
 Rob
Drummer
 Reflective
Commentary
 Sustained
Independent
Project
 MAATP,
2009/10

Appendix
I
 A
 selection
 of
 some
 of
 the
 rehearsal
 room
 devices
 used
 in
 the
 making
 of
 Whose
 Cloud
is
it
Anyway?

These
are
representative
of
some
of
the
work
of
the
director
 and
 give
 a
 sense
 of
 how
 the
 devices
 were
 useful
 at
 focussing
 the
 company
 for
 improvised
performance.


 Body
Storming
 The
nature
of
body
storming,
which
takes
its
name
from
the
board
room
practice
of
brain
 storming
 (now
 considered
 politically
 incorrect)
 is
 essentially
 one
 of
 improvisation
 over
 an
 extended
period
of
time
and
works
best
in
a
devising
environment
or
the
earliest
stages
of
 text
based
exploration.
Although
there
is
no
lower
or
upper
limit
to
the
perfect
amount
of
 bodies
involved
in
the
exercise,
several
performing
bodies
are
best
so
as
to
clearly
map
the
 effective
moments
throughout
the
work.
Body
storming
is
a
way
of
working
with
impulses
 and
gesture,
voice,
insight,
intuition
and
other
often‐intangible
performative
skills
to
explore
 the
ideas
that
surround
a
starting
point.
 
 Collaborators
 are
 exposed
 to
 a
 starting
 point
 which
 is
 usually
 quite
 a
 robust
 stimulus,
 something
like
a
text
or
a
story,
image
or
sound,
film
or
otherwise
and
then
a
threshold
is
 established
so
as
to
clearly
mark
a
performative
and
audience
divide.
I
then
find
it
useful
to
 establish
 a
 soundscape
 as
 a
 backdrop,
 which
 is
 not
 invasive,
 and
 usually
 a
 simple
 drone
 based
sound,
simply
to
focus
the
action
and
provide
a
landscape
for
which
the
improvisation
 sits.
 Then
 working
 on
 impulse
 the
 performers
 move
 in
 and
 out
 of
 the
 performance
 space
 and
 body
 storm
 through
 action
 and
 voice
 moments
 that
 seem
 strong
 or
 rich
 from
 the
 starting
 point.
 The
 key
 is
 to
 establish
 complicity,
 which
 builds
 and
 facilitates
 the
 coming
 together
 of
 bodies
 in
 space
 at
 certain
 moments
 so
 that
 there
 is
 a
 sense
 of
 vignettes
 or
 scene,
episodes,
parts
or
moments
coming
in
and
out
of
focus.
 
 The
work
is
necessarily
quick
and
discussion
is
kept
out
of
the
room.
The
key
is
to
look
for
 this
focus
and
re‐focus,
to
encourage
discovery
the
performers
must
build
a
sense
of
when
 certain
 moments
 have
 their
 life
 and
 then
 when
 they
 are
 gone.
 Body
 storming
 accommodates
the
individual
and
the
group
but
works
brilliantly
when
these
two
elements
 
 10


092715
 Rob
Drummer
 Reflective
Commentary
 Sustained
Independent
Project
 MAATP,
2009/10

are
 co‐existing.
 Anything
 in
 the
 performance
 space
 can
 be
 used
 in
 the
 exercise,
 outside
 elements
can
be
introduced
and
played
with
at
all
times.
It
is
also
important
to
encourage
 the
 crossing
 over
 the
 threshold
 so
 that
 there
 is
 a
 constant
 rotating
 audience
 but
 also
 crucially
that
there
is
a
stable
observer
who
may
notice
this
focus
and
re‐focus
that
I
have
 already
mentioned.
 
 Possible
Directions
for
This
Work
 If
what
I
have
described
above
is
the
building
block
for
a
devising
process,
I
would
also
like
 to
share
an
extension
of
the
exercise,
which
has
its
foundations
in
notions
of
evolution
and
 Darwinism.
I
shall
lead
with
an
example
from
a
rehearsal
to
illustrate
how
body
storming
a
 stimulus
can
generate
a
wealth
of
material.
The
description
that
follows
is
indeed
another
 process,
in
relation
to
but
also
different
to
the
body
storming
methods.
 From
 the
 body
 storming
 work
 it
 is
 incredibly
 easy
 to
 lift
 moments,
 or
 sections
 as
 I
 define
 them
 from
 the
 wider
 whole
 and
 to
 write
 a
 description
 of
 these
 for
 the
 participants.
 So
 to
 illustrate,
one
section
may
be:
 Performer
1,
eating
plum
centre
of
the
space.
 Performer
2
and
3
up
stage
and
right
with
a
projection
of
African
children
playing
on
their
 bodies.
 Performer
4
at
the
laptop
changing
the
projected
images
on
performers
2
and
3.
 
 This
is
an
example
from
a
recent
body
storming
session
and
became
the
basis
for
beautiful
 work
over
the
course
of
an
afternoon.
This
becomes
a
section
and
now
begins
the
work
in
 unpicking
 and
 extending
 whatever
 may
 have
 been
 happening
 in
 that
 section
 as
 part
 of
 a
 wider
body
storming
session.
 
 Important
 to
 establish
 is
 this
 mindset
 of
 evolution,
 natural
 selection
 and
 survival
 of
 the
 fittest.
 This
 work
 will
 seem
 frustrating
 to
 those
 directors,
 composers
 of
 facilitators
 (or
 whatever
we
call
ourselves)
who
are
searching
for
material
that
can
be
easily
manipulated
 and
controlled,
repeated
and
rehearsed
with
a
perfect
symmetry.
However,
I
propose
that
 
 11


092715
 Rob
Drummer
 Reflective
Commentary
 Sustained
Independent
Project
 MAATP,
2009/10

by
 working
 in
 this
 way,
 with
 the
 possibilities
 that
 I
 propose,
 the
 work
 will
 gain
 a
 beauty,
 sincerity,
 unexpectedly
 delightful
 quality
 that
 will
 encourage
 an
 audience
 to
 remain
 active
 and
focussed
for
much
longer.
 
 So,
working
with
this
notion
of
survival
of
the
fittest,
the
collaborators
must
admit
from
the
 beginning
that
although
the
objective
may
be
to
precisely
re
perform
this
section,
the
reality
 is
 that
 a
 mis
 performance
 will
 occur.
 The
 memory
 will
 jump
 through
 the
 highlights,
 the
 stages
it
has
selected
in
the
short
term
memory
and
the
presentation
will
resemble
closely
 but
 not
 exactly
 the
 original
 action.
 This
 is
 what
 is
 desired.
 So,
 the
 section
 is
 repeated,
 3
 times,
 maybe
 5,
 maybe
 100
 times
 and
 the
 observers
 notice
 the
 shifts,
 the
 natural
 progression
 and
 evolution
 of
 the
 section.
 From
 here,
 introduce
 the
 notion
 of
 teaching,
 learning
perhaps.
Ask
the
collaborators
to
teach
their
part
in
the
section
to
another,
watch
 this
and
work
quickly.
I
impose
1
minute
30
seconds
on
the
work
and
usually
provide
music
 tracks
 from
 random
 searches
 on
 spotify
 that
 are
 this
 length
 to
 provide
 a
 soundscape
 backdrop
again.
 Possible
evolutions
include:
 Teach
another
your
role
 Do
the
opposite
 Do
the
opposite
backwards
 Switch
 
 However,
 of
 course
 there
 are
 many
 more
 which
 will
 produce
 new
 results.
 I
 cannot
 stress
 how
important
it
is
to
encourage
the
mis
performance
and
try
and
avoid
the
discussion,
we
 all
 have
 the
 mindset
 in
 rehearsal
 that
 there
 is
 a
 goal
 to
 reach,
 a
 perfect
 representation
 –
 here
we
are
inviting
the
chaos
and
waiting
until
the
beauty
is
revealed.
In
my
experience
it
is
 captivating
 to
 watch
 a
 thing
 that
 has
 an
 order
 but
 it
 is
 one
 that
 is
 almost
 impossible
 to
 decipher.

12


092715
 Rob
Drummer
 Reflective
Commentary
 Sustained
Independent
Project
 MAATP,
2009/10

Also,
the
more
complicated
the
work
seems
(although
crucially
it
is
only
really
necessary
to
 invite
as
many
tasks
as
are
listed
above)
the
more
charged
the
work
becomes.
Try
to
avoid
 questions
of
what
this
is
about
and
keep
a
note
on
where
the
material
has
been
discovered
 from
but
perhaps
it
is
no
longer
“about”
that
material.
Of
course
this
is
work
that
is
best
in
 the
early
stages
of
devising
and
will
yield
exciting
potential
directions
for
performance.
Do
 try
and
then
focus
the
material,
see
what
happens
when
impositions
are
placed
on
top
of
it
 –
give
the
collaborators
new
tasks,
use
this
as
a
constant
and
disrupt
this.
 
 To
 condense
 all
 of
 what
 I
 have
 written
 above,
 I
 would
 like
 to
 finish
 by
 reminding
 you,
 the
 reader
of
how
important
it
is
to
consider
the
notion
of
evolution
and
use
a
quote
to
outline
 what
I
am
proposing
as
a
vital
new
focus
in
the
devising
process:
 
 “Darwin
ultimately
generalized
the
observation
from
the
finches
that
any
population
consists
 of
 individuals
 that
 are
 all
 slightly
 different
 from
 one
 another.
 Furthermore,
 individual
 organisms
 having
 a
 phenotype
 characteristic
 providing
 an
 advantage
 in
 staying
 alive
 to
 successfully
 reproduce
 will
 pass
 their
 phenotype
 traits
 more
 frequently
 to
 the
 next
 generation.
Over
time
and
generations
the
traits
providing
reproductive
advantage
become
 more
common
within
the
population.
Darwin
called
this
process
“descent
with
modification”.
 
 Taken
from:
http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Evolution/DarwinsFinches.htm
 
 MAKING
CHOICES
AND
SHAPING
ACTION
 
The
Numbers
Game
(Build‐ups)
 The
hardest
thing
to
learn
about
build‐ups
is
that
ascending
spiral
of
intensity.

You’ve
got
to
 be
able
to
identify
the
level
you’re
playing
at
the
moment,
and
be
prepared
to
take
it
that
 little
step
further.
 
 This
is
a
game
for
a
chorus.

All
you
have
to
is
to
count
from
one
to
15
or
20.

The
idea
is
that
 each
number
is
an
obscenity,
so
that
one
is
slightly
obscene,
two
is
worse,
but
three,
four
 
 13


092715
 Rob
Drummer
 Reflective
Commentary
 Sustained
Independent
Project
 MAATP,
2009/10

five
 and
 six
 are
 getting
 increasingly
 darling
 and
 disgusting
 to
 say
 in
 public.
 So
 the
 first
 person
 in
 the
 group
 looks
 at
 the
 others,
 and
 then
 at
 the
 audience
 and
 says:
 ‘One’.
everybody
giggles,
then
the
next
person
does
the
same
with
the
‘Two’
and
so
on.

It’s
 important
to
relish
each
number
and
enjoy
the
game
of
being
obscene.

The
giggles
are
also
 important
because
if
the
build‐up
is
going
to
work
you’ve
all
got
to
be
at
the
same
level
of
 intensity
and
the
giggles
help
you
to
identify
what
that
level
is.
 
 Once
 again
 the
 key
 is
 to
 be
 engaged.

 Each
 number
 must
 have
 an
 effect
 on
 you,
 and
 that
 effect
must
be
amplified
throughout
the
group;
that
amplification
is
expressed
in
movement
 so
you
have
to
copy
each
other
and
learn
to
keep
together.
 
 You
can
play
a
build‐up
with
almost
anything.

The
group
could
be
trying
to
tell
the
audience
 that
they’re
going
to
die,
or
that
they
find
them
sexually
attractive,
or
that
touching
the
floor
 makes
them
feel
euphoric.
 
 The
‘Do
Less’
Game
 Three
or
four
actors
run
as
fast
as
they
can
around
the
playing
space.

On
my
cue,
they
stop
 and
 face
 the
 audience
 as
 if
 they
 haven’t
 been
 running
 at
 all
 and
 have
 just
 got
 out
 of
 bed.
 This
is
a
game
of
letting
go
of
the
huge
amount
of
physical
intensity
that
you
invested
in
the
 running,
and
trying
to
just
stand
there,
and
do
nothing.

This
game
takes
practice,
but
is
easy
 enough
to
repeat.

I
don’t
know
a
better
game
for
convincing
us
that
less
means
more.
We
 become
 more
 interesting
 when
 we
 use
 the
 appropriate
 amount
 of
 tension
 for
 the
 job
 in
 hand.
 Upscaling
(Slow
Motion)
 One
performer
is
asked
to
leave
the
performance
space
and
wait
for
an
instruction
to
enter
 and
 ‘do
 something’
 for
 10
 seconds,
 stopping
 and
 standing
 still
 at
 the
 point
 where
 she
 completes
 her
 action.
 
 Several
 other
 performers
 are
 waiting.
 
 The
 facilitator
 then
 plays
 a
 length
 of
 sound,
 which
 can
 be
 instrumental,
 sound
 effects,
 musical
 or
 otherwise
 but
 nonetheless
something
which
imposes
atmosphere.

The
length
of
this
sound
becomes
the
 
 14


092715
 Rob
Drummer
 Reflective
Commentary
 Sustained
Independent
Project
 MAATP,
2009/10

length
of
the
performance
and
the
first
performer
must
re‐enact
her
10
seconds
movement,
 stretched
 over
 this
 new
 timescale.
 
 Effectively
 this
 begins
 a
 slow
 motion
 physical
 performance.

The
remaining
performers
will
use
objects
in
the
room,
their
own
selves
and
 all
 the
 tricks
 of
 the
 theatre
 to
 contextualise
 this
 movement.
 
 This
 improvisation
 is
 encouraged
to
be
playful,
free
and
to
go
wherever
it
needs
to
for
the
full
length
of
the
music
 or
sound
in
the
room
and
ends
with
the
sound.

See
images
below
for
examples.

Improvisation
1:
At
Sea
In
A
Storm
(Upscaling)

Improvisation
2:
A
Jewish
Wedding
(Upscaling)

15


092715
 Rob
Drummer
 Reflective
Commentary
 Sustained
Independent
Project
 MAATP,
2009/10

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On
Directing
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16


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