Going through the process of Indecent Exposure

University of Bristol's Third Year Devised Performance at the Wickham Theatre

Indecent Exposure (2017), a production that draws from Forced Entertainment's performance of Bloody Mess (2004) through performers who attempt to follow the rules, or fail to succeed in doing normal and peculiar tasks. These factors brought our devised work of Indecent Exposure to its feet as well as metaphorically and physically knocking the performers down to the ground.

The process for Indecent Exposure was insightful by having conversations on the ridiculous circumstances that occur in gameshows, which also allowed us to fuse contemporary and burlesque performance styles with dark comedy. The foundation of Indecent Exposure became established by thinking about pageant and dating shows, and then an evident parody of the two. As part of the cast, we were split into two groups and continued to discuss or practice of certain tv shows (think X-factor and Naked Attraction). In our two performances, whether or not you understood it all, you would see us behave as contestants in games, such as musical chairs or Simon says. When the music plays, we had to dance, and the rules became clearer in our growing level of aggression or desperation to win the unknown prize.

The mix of serious and shallow elevated into our own theatrical version of the Black Mirror Netflix series. Incorporating burlesque, ballroom dances and slapstick in dystopian background were opportunities to play with the self and our audience. Indecent Exposure thereon became a competitive pageant-talent dating show parody where two very different programs started to seep into each other's realities. Humour and darkness only grew by both satirising our individual real-life contestants of inspiration and shaming the qualities about ourselves.

The idea of how can we ridicule 'acts', and which constantly came into questioning. I noted that in ridiculing a person's odd characteristic could be as simple as repeatedly moving your shoulders, or making rude remarks to commentate on the spoiled-sports that appear on gameshows (ie Britain's Got Talent). Here, persistence exaggeration were key in a performer's act while convincing others that they were 'amazing' in their failing impression.

Certainly, performing in Indecent Exposure was a vulnerable experience. You can infer this feeling from the title as there was a lot of revealing the self physically and mentally. While I found that time and effort became assets to help reveal myself on stage, I also found that it is okay to acknowledge your genuine discomfort. As an actor may mask their true feelings on stage, the process and experience became almost mind-boggling to do the exact opposite.

Fun at the Fringe!

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

The Most Theatrical Experience of My Life (so far...)

There's no better time than NOW in the NEW YEAR to reflect on my other theatre highlights of 2017, a notable one being the Fringe Festival up in Edinburgh.

The festival takes place during the whole month of August and that present performances from professional to amateur performances. You would find any genre or hybrid genre you can think of (yes there is Shakespeare performed drunk). Imagine performances within theatres, on the street, in hotel conference rooms, the basements of restaurants (no joke), all were and are annually spread across the city, but mainly convened on the Royal Mile - perhaps the most convenient and at the same time, the most troubling venue to attract people due to its busy, too-close-for-comfort peak times.

Nevertheless, I performed with UoB's Pantomime Society's in our production of ROSE RED: A GRIMM PANTO where we were fortunate enough to perform on Royal Miles, specifically inside the Radisson Blu Hotel!

The production was a great bundle of fun, telling the story of Snow White's sister, Rose Red, and on the Grimm brothers: Jacob Grimm and younger Wilhelm Grimm. The romance seemingly goes wrong between Rose and Wilhelm, as in attempt to confess his affection, he confesses that she is to end up with the younger brother, she believes not him, but the Prince Charming's actual younger brother, Prince Farming, after seeing Snow White's happy ending with Charming came true. Snow White and Rose Red's nan - Nanny Grass Green tries to help, but really is a favourite to all from her wit, her desire to resolve matters, and being a man in a dress (Stan Ford). Perhaps Walt Disney might as well show up too to help with matters. Mhm. Maybe he doesn't really help.

The townspeople- Hansel (moi) and Gretal, Puss in Boots, Clever Hans, Grimilde and the frog... become fascinated by the rumour of the Grimm brother's ability to make fairytale endings come true. These, including me, are the ones generally confused and aren't much use to settling the drama between anyone, rather they create confusions for themselves (i.e.: I have a meltdown because I believe nobody wants to eat me...).  In acting as an ensemble member and singing in the chorus, contrary to what many might think of being sidelined, is not at all the feeling in pantomimes, as every actor has the opportunity for you and your character to shine through. This experience came as a surprise, by having felt similar to Epic Theatre's style of multi-role (playing more than one role in a) play where everyone gets nearly equal stage time.

Of course, in every fairytale comes with a respectable villain, one of my favourite characters to hear and peep from backstage- and in ours it was MLM - Who's that? Good question, The Mysterious Little Man, who instead tries to turn Rose against her sister, but is actually a ploy in his/her scheme to feed the apple to Snow White. The Brechtian cross-gender role certainly was one that brought my attention to and persuasive in raising my love for the Pantomime tradition.

A definite set of enjoyable moments for me was when many of the meta (self-aware) dialogue  referred to breaking realistic theatre conventions. An example I'll remember for a very long time was Rose Red's opportunity to ad-lib a problem, responding along the lines of: "I don't know how everyone keeps coming in my house, just going through my door" as MLM just walked on stage next to her. It is also in reference to Puss in Boots' comment after: "we really should get a lock on that door" as soon as Nanny enters. Trust me, when you see it for the first time on stage, it's much funnier than it reads.

Lest we forget the musical numbers that occur in Pantos, which brought a great joy to us and that can be said for our family audiences; parents, teens and kids! To have personally performed in Hello (from Book of Mormon) Whipped into Shape (Legally Blonde), and Dance with Me Tonight (Olly Murs), along with devising the choreography of Whipped into Shape, the Bristol rehearsals and entire Edinburgh experience was made, I must say, that much sweeter (yeah I remember an old line ;) )

A couple of sell-out shows, a couple needing more bums on seats, but overall a huge success in my eyes for a first debut (and that gained a profit so hey why not).

These listed are certainly my recommendations and a note to self for next time around!

Cabaret performance (not sure of the name) underneath an Italian restaurant

• Man dressed as a Greek God treats his audiences as his peasants 
• Woman sings and plays the guitar of her experience of her tinder dates
• Audience interaction is involved 

GrIMPROV

• Improvised sketches in best attempts to refer to Grimm stories 
• Talented few of university-led group from Southampton Uni

Lady Boys of Bangkok

• Of Bangkok Thailand's transgender females, bring you late evening strip-tease extravaganza with some popular or patriotic songs. 
• Expensive at the bar, but worth every penny for their performance (especially its preview of 2 for 1 tickets). 

Austentatious

• Improvisation in regards to the style of Jane Austen's works. 
• Recurring professional company who were just phenomenal at responding to each other. 

Baby Wants Candy

• Improvisation of an entirely new musical from the audience's given title. 
• I had the pleasure of watching "Beauty and the Sausage Feast" 

Some pictures from the experience and the show!

Moment(o)Us @ Gradfest 2017

A twenty-minute performance that removes the thing that you think you need most in the theatre- sight! The performance, which has a loosely referenced narrative to a refugee, actually focuses on the audience by encouraging them to get in touch with their other senses.

Firstly, the performers (facilitators) were blindfolded and tasked to build a sense of trust with a spectator. The audience members were informed to put on a pair of headsets while they sat beside next to a blindfolded performer. As placed in the position to listen to the recording (sounds of the sea, and a narrator's voice about finding and losing), they are instructed on how to guide the performer outside of the room space (Uni of Bristol's Brandt Cinema) to another (corridor). Once accomplished, an exchange takes place between performer and spectator.

As a performer I needed to be attentive to the responses of my spectator in my care. I began to think more about the boundaries of another person and adapt to it. From navigating someone in narrow to large spaces to a standstill, dancing or engaging the body of someone else through touch and sound, I was physically challenged and critically (as well as reflectively) engaged.

This sensation-based performance was a highlight of yet another end to a year in university, which  built my aspiration to encourage sensory-based performances and shed light on the advantages we take for granted.

Performance at the B.O.V.

As part of UoB's Performing the Archive unit, we have curated:

An installation on the Bristol Old Vic's 70's renovation period with regards to Peter Moro's architecture and people's reviews on its establishment and theatrical preservation. Join us track back in time through the lens of Trelawny, Macbeth and As You Like It.

In no particular order, we let spectators perceive photographs, transcripts and fragments of Bristol Old Vic's past between 1969 and 1972. This non-linear timeline was to provide the freedom to interpret events and to assess gaps in history. Framed in the manner of performing production extracts, we believe elicited a dramatic nature in both the BOV's digression (loss) and progression (addition), and into theatre as a whole. Perhaps, the loss of tradition and the clasp of contemporary. Or art versus money? The contradiction of idealism with realism.

Or as an institution, could it still; "The Theatre Complex-yes the old dream come true. Keeping what's best, but making all else new." (Theatre Collection As You Like It Gala Program, 1969)

Theatre @ Bristol

Come on and let the good times roll... 
My first term of studying theatre and performing at Bristol has been a whirlwind of opportunities. Despite falling ill for sometime, I acted in 'Good Times' on the 3rd of November, 2016 during my assessment period. The play is about 5 women locked in a room, only to have Sam Cooke's 'Good Times' song on repeat. As I played a 'nice' woman who turns into a maniac, the role was a challenging one that pushed my vocal abilities and raised my sensitivity to psychological disorders. The story reveals an estranged but recognisable world - "think gladiatorial updated for the Starbucks generation." I thoroughly enjoyed being part of the cast and to have presented a frighteningly possible future.

 

Memories, the chance to reconnect with your childhood through an immersive and guided audio tour performance. Creating this performance was a bundle of fun, and that certainly included some child-like arguing. In two weeks we built script using the theme of hide and seek for our audience to admire the spaces of Bristol's Royal Fort garden and to fill in the gaps with one's own previous experiences. With the help human sculptures, we dress in primary school outfits and in primary colours to tempt our audience to play. From playing tag to relaxing amongst the grassy fields, doing two performances in one day was exhilarating. But, I was thrilled to have received an array of responses. Some were tears of joy, tears of reminiscing, or perhaps tears kept within.

In my eyes, our postmodern narrative and energetic performance has become an unforgettable, distant memory.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/site-specific-performance-royal-fort-gardens-tickets-29516062337# 

Marco Polo Musical - My Internship in London!

Marco Polo, An Untold Love Story. A New Musical that premieres at The Shaw Theatre across from the British Library (King's Cross).

Training my voice, and a wonderful first few performances 

I am thrilled to be part of such an international cast and crew. To be working with notable actresses and actors who have performed on the West End and Broadway stage (i.e. Miss Saigon) or the ABS-CBN Philippine television network has certainly been exciting and insightful to the industry.

After my first week and a half, I feel that I am beginning to grasp the demands of the theatre business and work life. Looking forward to see what else lies in store over the next few weeks!

Don't hesitate to contact me if you're in London and interested in watching a musical for a very reasonable price.

Reviews about the show and its success in Manila and Paris:
http://www.theatre-news.com/news/UK/36088/Marco-Polo-An-Untold-Love-Story-to-premiere-in-London

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/125015/filipinos-rewritten-marco-polo-musical-a-hit-in-paris-previews

http://www.pep.ph/guide/arts-and-culture/13396/theater-review-david-bianco-and-stephanie-reese-have-a-royal-romance-in-marco-polo-an-untold-love-st

FILM NETWORKING

Stunts-woman in Once Upon A Time, Smallville, Cabin in the Woods - Maja Aro

Set decorator of Man of Steel, Cabin in the Woods, The Revenant (Oscar nominated) - Hamish Purdy

Actress in Pride&Prejudice, The Tudors, and writer-director of Juliet Remembered - Tamzin Merchant

Three of the few connections I have made in Canada's and England's film industry. Beyond thrilled to continue my theatre and film endeavours in Bristol and the UK for a more hands-on experience!

For more photos, check out: https://www.instagram.com/hafk96/