We undertook a task where we wanted to restrict people from their senses. In today’s society we can use technology to predict many things like for example: the weather. We use devices to predict the future weather as well as using it to tell us what the current weather outside is, rather than simply experiencing it ourselves. The worldwide wed offers “representations of cultural memory” ((Peter Matussek (2012): ‘Memory Theatre in the Digital Age’, Performance Research: A Journal of the Performing Arts, 17:3, 8-15.)), not the actual real thing. “Essences of London” by Curious looked at the connection between smell and memories to create an intimate performance. Helen Paris stated they were interested in looking at “What is going on in the brain that makes this incredible connection between smell and memory and emotion” ((Curious presents Essences of London A portrait of the city navigated by the sense of smell. 2004 [DVD] London: Curious Production.)), how smell (senses) trigger memories and emotions.
In their performance they used smells like perfume and food as they spoke of memories they had about the smells (however on the DVD they can’t portray the smell… a type of sensory deprivation is achieve without intention). The words they used were very descriptive which also used the sense of hearing. But what about taking it away? So we were able to do the opposite of Curious and stop the audience from experiencing the sensory emotions. In a way, through depriving our audience of the experience of outside and instead allowing them to experience a representation of it (through written words and onomatopoeia), we take away their senses; stopping an emotional attachment being formed between them and the outside world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOj8oB-D1JU
This links back to the Grandstand as it has been voiceless and unused for its original purpose for many years. We tested out how the audience felt to this type of sensory deprivation in order to gain knowledge for ways of expressing how the grandstand might feel. The personification we are giving to the Grandstand through our restoration piece shows how community driven it once was and how the passion and spirit the grandstand once had, has now been lost; creating a lifeless, hollow, ghostly shell of the building that once stood there.