Here is a mock-up of my Skype call with Sandra about the courtesans. We filmed it twice - the audio is much clearer the second time around, though there's not quite enough lighting for my live body. The second clip is my old hidden tamarind study, which this would supposedly segue into.
cyn/sandra skype call (password "skype")
hidden tamarind (password "cynthiabai)
QUESTIONS:
(1) How is the revised script? Is it more accessible and is the content interesting and relevant to the rest of the show?
(2) Is it visually interesting enough? Should Sandra and I "dance" or choreograph ourselves for the camera more? Alternately I was thinking that Shyamala could be in another part of the stage, perhaps silhouetted behind the big scrim, dancing something (maybe cliche material?) that she could do without sound. Any suggestions about staging would be appreciated. :)
(3) Is the length of the conversation good? If too long, do you have suggestions on what to cut?
(4) Any ideas for a back-up plan in case Skype doesn't work?
(5) How might you imagine this transitioning (physically, sonically, staging, multimedia) into hidden tamarind?
(6) Any ideas about how to re-contextualize hidden tamarind for a theatrical space so that I retain my control over the audience's gaze? Would love to hear both ideas that involve multimedia and ones that do not (in case Carole cannot workshop further material).
(7) Any music ideas? One idea I had was the sounds of instruments tuning while I acquire a patron, and something light classical Hindustani (violin perhaps, since sarangi is impossible to come by, with a sensual-raw-refined kotha sound) for hidden tamarind. I was also wondering if there was any way for the original English words to be present.
Note: for reference here are my initial ideas and video mock-up from the Jan residency:
CYN SKYPES SANDRA/HIDDEN TAMARIND
Cyn also had a new idea for introducing the courtesan in her full performative glory (rather than as an abject victim of abuse), while also acknowledging Cyn's positionality and her scholarly relationship with Sandra. Here's a super rough mock-up of the first portion:
password "skype"
Skype with Sandra: writing subaltern courtesan histories from Cynthia Ling Lee 2 on Vimeo.
I envisioned that this could be a real SKYPE call during the show, with me sitting onstage with my computer live, and my computer desktop projected onto the scrim. I couldn't test this with Sandra, so I pretended here using a screenshot -- which is pretty funny and could perhaps be a back-up if a theater doesn't have wireless.
In the live version, I imagined that when Sandra answered the phone, she would be in the middle of undressing from a classical Kuchipudi costume, including taking off a fake braid to reference my Logomotion solo. I might also bring in the same books and kurta that I wear during Cyber Chat.
After finishing up the call, I would invite an audience member to join me as my patron, as shown in the video. During this time the set-up would shift to a similar one as Shy's face dance, with the frames and one live feed camera upstage, and N. Indian light classical music would start floating in. I'm imagining the central arch could look like a lattice work window. The stage crew and/or other performers set up cushions and a rug upstage behind the scrim and escort my patron to his privileged viewing position upstage of the scrim behind the live feed camera. The rest of the audience would peer at our live bodies through the lattice work while also seeing my face/body doing "hidden tamarind."
cyn/sandra skype call (password "skype")
hidden tamarind (password "cynthiabai)
QUESTIONS:
(1) How is the revised script? Is it more accessible and is the content interesting and relevant to the rest of the show?
(2) Is it visually interesting enough? Should Sandra and I "dance" or choreograph ourselves for the camera more? Alternately I was thinking that Shyamala could be in another part of the stage, perhaps silhouetted behind the big scrim, dancing something (maybe cliche material?) that she could do without sound. Any suggestions about staging would be appreciated. :)
(3) Is the length of the conversation good? If too long, do you have suggestions on what to cut?
(4) Any ideas for a back-up plan in case Skype doesn't work?
(5) How might you imagine this transitioning (physically, sonically, staging, multimedia) into hidden tamarind?
(6) Any ideas about how to re-contextualize hidden tamarind for a theatrical space so that I retain my control over the audience's gaze? Would love to hear both ideas that involve multimedia and ones that do not (in case Carole cannot workshop further material).
(7) Any music ideas? One idea I had was the sounds of instruments tuning while I acquire a patron, and something light classical Hindustani (violin perhaps, since sarangi is impossible to come by, with a sensual-raw-refined kotha sound) for hidden tamarind. I was also wondering if there was any way for the original English words to be present.
Note: for reference here are my initial ideas and video mock-up from the Jan residency:
CYN SKYPES SANDRA/HIDDEN TAMARIND
Cyn also had a new idea for introducing the courtesan in her full performative glory (rather than as an abject victim of abuse), while also acknowledging Cyn's positionality and her scholarly relationship with Sandra. Here's a super rough mock-up of the first portion:
password "skype"
Skype with Sandra: writing subaltern courtesan histories from Cynthia Ling Lee 2 on Vimeo.
I envisioned that this could be a real SKYPE call during the show, with me sitting onstage with my computer live, and my computer desktop projected onto the scrim. I couldn't test this with Sandra, so I pretended here using a screenshot -- which is pretty funny and could perhaps be a back-up if a theater doesn't have wireless.
In the live version, I imagined that when Sandra answered the phone, she would be in the middle of undressing from a classical Kuchipudi costume, including taking off a fake braid to reference my Logomotion solo. I might also bring in the same books and kurta that I wear during Cyber Chat.
After finishing up the call, I would invite an audience member to join me as my patron, as shown in the video. During this time the set-up would shift to a similar one as Shy's face dance, with the frames and one live feed camera upstage, and N. Indian light classical music would start floating in. I'm imagining the central arch could look like a lattice work window. The stage crew and/or other performers set up cushions and a rug upstage behind the scrim and escort my patron to his privileged viewing position upstage of the scrim behind the live feed camera. The rest of the audience would peer at our live bodies through the lattice work while also seeing my face/body doing "hidden tamarind."
(1) It is definitely more accessible and has a nice chatty feeling. The content is interesting and relevent, but still a little overwhelming in terms of amount of information.
ReplyDelete(2) It's visually interesting for a bit, but then gets old. I think it needs more of a dramatic arc or hook. I'm not sure I can imagine you two dancing. If I were dancing behind the scrim I feel it would have to be very related to the conversation so another layer of information comes out. Cliche's might be interesting if maybe certain one's are repeated and developed in relationship to the text.
Maybe if Sandra (or I) were doing the dance Cyn talks about creating at the end (sticking out hip, lip sinking, etc.). Cyn asks what doing and Sandra explains while doing in?
Would be interesting if Cyn were getting dressed as a cliche as Sandra was getting undressed from the classical world.
Actually, I am able to imagine some sort of gestural movement...
(3) While I like the content, it is difficult to stay with you for so long. I would cut it by half. Perhaps an idea for making it shorter is by entering into the conversation as if you've already discussed Sandra's experience in your last call and just do a quick recap. So instead of 2 examples each, you only do 1 each.
Funny parts to keep: that you're in a performance (not sure I would situate it as classical. It's more interesting to the audience that they're being called out by being the audience in the now and not representing some other audience at some other time), the chest pop thing, cyn commenting on her outfit (clip on earrings etc.) Sandra's reaction the first time to Cyn saying she's in a gig and only has 7 minutes (was incredulous and laughing).
(4) back up plan? ack!!! Ask the audience to imagine Sandra there and talk them through their imagination?
(5) How might you imagine this transitioning (physically, sonically, staging, multimedia) into hidden tamarind?
I think they're separate. Can't see it directly setting segueing ....but maybe it will work.
(6) no ideas about stating, but will let you know if i get any.
(7) your musical ideas sound great! Maybe your "assistant" (me) is translating the words by handwriting them under a live feed and they go up on the screen.
hope I made sense, I'm really tired :-)
I came up with an alternative beginning for hidden tamarind in case the Skype call with Sandra doesn't work out logistically or theatrically.
ReplyDeleteI envision that Shyamala would talk to the audience (not sure if she's my pimp or what) - and that I would communicate by holding up my lines on a big placard.
Shyamala: Welcome to the exclusive salon of Rasulanbai, the renowned courtesan!
Cynthia: Actually, it’s just me, Cynthia.
Shyamala: She is master of the refined arts of Lucknow’s courtesans.
Cynthia: I’ve never been to a courtesan’s salon...so I’m going to have to invent this dance.
Shyamala: The finest courtesans in Lucknow come to her for training, for her fount of artistic knowledge is endless.
Cynthia: I know! I’ll do everything that my classical dance teacher told me I couldn’t do because it was too vulgar.
Shyamala: She is schooled in the intricacies of Urdu poetry, and her voice captures the subtleties of Hindustani ragas, enhanced by the most delicate facial expressions.
Cynthia: Um, I can’t sing. Nor do I speak Urdu or Braj Bhasa. And the only courtesan text I could find was a South Indian padam translated into English.
Shyamala: Come be seduced, come fall in love, come to her salon...and come with your pockets filled with gold!
Cynthia: It’s true that a courtesan can’t dance without a patron. Can I have a volunteer from the audience join me onstage? Raise your hand, and my fellow courtesan, Shyamalabai, will escort you. Don’t worry, I won’t really ask for money.