The National Soundtrack Construction | Entry 6

This week I visited the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth. Originally this visit was to research mental health cases and social stigmas throughout history but while I was there I began investigating ethic controls and how to push an audience to an extreme without offending or upsetting them. Furthermore to that, I began questioning the possibility of performing there – In December 2017 I was fortunate enough to be a performer in a piece entitled ‘Ode to Museum Pieces’ directed by Dr Louise Ritchie – so it was useful to have contacts already located at the library.

Although this is now a strong possibility, based on my desired scenography I think this work is best suited to a large studio, theatre or empty spaces.

Scenography and set play a large part in ‘To Build a Home’. The imagery produced by this piece is far more fascinating than that of text or dialogue and it is this I have been focusing on.

In the dark, constructing a wall, or home, different each time and intriguing and inviting the audience into the world I am creating – what is it? What could it mean? Only time will tell.

This previous weekend saw perhaps the most exciting part of the project so far – the development of the soundtrack. In all forms of human entertainment, whether that be the cinema, television, radio or theatre – music and sound effects play a huge part in conjuring emotion thought process’ and aids the audience in connecting with the material.

In terms of ‘To Build a Home’, at the current stage, there is no live spoken dialogue, as it is all pre-recorded. I believe this will aid the audience in focusing on the imagery and imagination that is unfolding on stage – it also creates two separate stories, one physical and one verbal and it is up to the audience which one they pay more attention too.

It was also nice to share this twenty-three minute soundtrack with close friends and colleagues to get their take on it – luckily they approved and it produced the imagery I had intended!

And least to say, the soundtrack provides very important ques for me as the performer!

But the most exciting and thrilling thing this week, however, was the almost completion of the script! This has been perhaps the hardest part of the project, finding the right balance, adding crucial information without it becoming to cloche or ‘lecture type’. However thanks to the already established poetics of ‘Watership Down’ (Richard Adams) and ‘Paradise Lost’ (John Milton), this task became a lot easier and inviting.