March 1st, 2016
Complicite live-streamed their new show, The Encounter, from the Barbican. It was directed and performed by Simon McBurney, who “incorporat[ed] innovative technology into his solo performance to build a shifting world of sound” (Complicite, 2016)
The premise of the show was the story of Loren McIntyre, a photojournalist who became stranded in the Amazon jungle and lived among the indigenous Mayoruma tribe. The performance portrayed McIntyre’s journey with the tribe, and was influenced by Petru Popescu’s book Amazon Beaming, which tells McIntyre’s story faithfully, by following his own account of the events. However, Complicite’s production interspersed moments of the show’s devising process, using recorded dialogue, Simon McBurney’s account of the process, and overt theatricality. One of the greatest strengths of the show, or possibly technological gimmick, was the binaural recording which placed the spectator (who had to wear headphones) within the Amazon.
The piece had many themes, which culminated into an engaging performance, and one which may inspire some aspects of my show. The merging of elements such as spirituality, the concept of time, theatre, consumerism, rebirth, and age, was done in an intelligent, measured and interesting way. I hope to also combine different thematic ideas within my piece, creating a performance with at least some semblance of narrative coherency (a task which has so far been easier said than done).
Perhaps I will use recorded audio to supplement my performance, though it is likely to not be quite as fundamental as it was in Complicite’s piece. However, the – indirect – self-examination of theatre is now another factor I am considering when developing my own solo performance.
Works Cited:
Complicite. (2015) Complicite Productions: The Encounter. London: Complicite. Available from http://www.complicite.org/productions/TheEncounter