Women of War – Page 3

Scent.

Emily Holt / April 15, 2013May 12, 2013 / Women of War

From the first time that we as a group stepped into the Grandstand building we were intrigued, bewildered and passionate. Knowing that this space had such an overwhelmingly rich history but was, unfortunately, so unused at the present time was a shocking and inspiring juxtaposition.
War is a recurring theme within our group. The Grandstand had such a role to play within the 1st and 2nd world wars, it was involved in army training, and trench practice and it was also closed during both of the wars. This led me, Jamie, Sophie and Phoebe to think about the women that would have been associated with the Grandstand before the wars and during the wars. What would have happened to the women that worked there? Are there any parallels between them and the women that use the Grandstand now?
We began looking at involving the audience’s sense of smell within our pieces, taking inspiration from reminiSCENT by Jim Drobnick in which he explores the relationship with scent and memory “If the sense of smell appears to be eclipsed by the other senses in western culture, there is one realm in which it retains an almost mythic power – memory” ((Drobnick, Jim (2009) ‘Sense and ReminiSCENT: Performance and the Essences of Memory’ , Canadian Theatre Review, Issue 137, Winter: p.6-12)) At first we thought that using a perfume that the women of the Second World War would have worn and spraying it on letters would be effective in taking the audience on a journey through time, we experimented with this somewhat. However, as our research deepened we decided that we wanted to instead, take the audience on a journey back to when the Grandstand was alive and bustling with people “As much as smells conjure memories, they also conjure places” ((Drobnick, Jim (2009) ‘Sense and ReminiSCENT: Performance and the Essences of Memory’ , Canadian Theatre Review, Issue 137, Winter: p.6-12)) , We discovered that they would serve gingerbread and fruit to the crowds of spectators at the Grandstand, which would have created an aroma specifically related to the atmosphere of the races.
Another level of scent that we wished to include was that of tea. We know that the Grandstand is currently being used as a sort of ‘community centre’ and we found teacups saucers and a kettle on the site therefore there will probably be tea being served regularly. Since “tea is –after water- the most widely consumed drink in the world”(Deadman,P (2011) ‘In Praise of Tea’ Journal of Chinese Medicine, October: 14-8)) and has been in available in Europe since 1606, almost everybody can relate to the smell. Within Britain it is the drink associated with home and comfort, community and togetherness. Therefore we decided that it was essential to combine the audiences personal memories of community based activities, with the imagined atmosphere of the day at the races. This not only links together the site with the performance but also the past, present and maybe even future of the Grandstand through scent alone.
This research helped us to create a part of the piece so far in which we aim to combine the image of the women working at the Grandstand previous to war, having to leave and abandon their ‘normal’ tasks, to contribute to the building of aeroplane wings or to join the WAAF. This is something that would have happened to the women of Lincoln during the war; it disrupted the community and changed the way the Grandstand was used. We have tried to do this by creating layers of emotional and memory evoking material using scent, visual aids and sound to devise an effect such as the one Cage talked about in Kostalanetz; “I would like the happening to be arranged in such a way that I could see through the happening to something that wasn’t it”(Kaye, Nick (2013) Site-Specific Art: Performance, Place and Documentation, London and New York: Routledge)) We want the audience to achieve this level of vision when interacting with our piece. The scent of the piece should be the first thing that hits our audience as they walk through the doors. The mixture of tea, gingerbread, fruit and the damp of the unused building will mingle together to form a potent aroma, representative of all of the different aspects of the overall performance narrative.

Performance Rituals

Sophie Jane Bullivant / April 9, 2013May 7, 2013 / Women of War

In my previous blog (The Wall), I touched upon the notion of rituals. The whole group has seemingly integrated the idea of rituals more and more frequently as the performance rehearsals have progressed. For example, the T.A.N.K group have recently explored the technique of repeating a series of moves with chairs, to create the simulation of a moving tank. The regimented physicality of the piece also suggests the serious backdrop of warfare.

The art of performance itself is speculated in site-specific performance, as performers are exposed to “extended conditions of surface, climate and architectural enclosure” ((Pearson, Mike (2010) Site-Specific Performance, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.)) that we are not usually subjected to in a theatre. Furthermore, our bodies and voices are affected by sites not designed for theatrical performances, and the performers must adapt. For example, our Women of War piece is largely set in the kitchen/shower/wash room, located at the far end of the Weighing Room. Becoming factory women of the war, we perform patterns of movement and actions that resemble their roles. Phoebe and Emily’s characters’ perform a sewing routine, folding and cutting material, whilst my character weaves through the space pouring tea and sweeping the floor. The ritualistic movement demonstrates how we are at one with the site, and are responding to the objects around us. Moreover, “Tschumi speaks of ‘architecture in an expanded sense whereby the movement of bodies in space [is] just as important as the space itself’” ((Turner, Cathy (2010) “Mis-Guidance and Spatial Planning: Dramaturgies of Public Space”, Contemporary Theatre Review, XX (2): pp. 149-161.)). Gododdin (1988), performed by Brith Gof, also suggests that site-specific performance is strongly associated with physical theatre, as the “performers are put to the test” (Pearson 2010, p. 173). Totem (1998), by Lone Twin, also demonstrates how “the physically gruelling effort expanded by the performers drew attention to the actual process of labour inherent in the piece” ((Govan, Emma, Helen Nicholson and Katie Normington (2007) Making a Performance: Devising Histories and Contemporary Practices, London and New York: Routledge.)). Thus, the audience are watching something real occur, and the repetitive, formulaic movements that we have created, help to exaggerate this concept.

Another form of ritual that occurs is the journey that binds the Grandstand performance together. As part of the Women of War group, it is planned that our characters will become guides for the audience. Our leadership though the performance demonstrates our on-going exploration of the site, and is a method of chorography. Ingold states that “To be a place, every somewhere must lie on one or several paths of movement to and from places elsewhere. Life is lived, I reasoned, along paths, not just in places, and paths are lines of a sort” ((Ingold, T. (2007) Lines: A Brief History, London and New York: Routledge.)). In effect, we are mapping out the site with our movement, which is similarly presented towards the end of the performance. A key idea of the Restoration group is to plot the outline of the original Grandstand that once stood on the site, with yarn, so that the audience have a vivid image of the site’s past. The audience will be led around the shape, in silence, for each of them to read the ideas about the site’s future that have been attached to the yarn. This journey is itself a moment of ritual, as the audience can reflect on what they have seen and imagine what they would like the site to be.

Ultimately, the use of ritual, through journeys, physical theatre and repetitive sequences, will emphasise our connection to the site and encourage the audience to respond themselves.

Site and Sense Part 2

Phoebe Wall-Palmer / April 8, 2013May 12, 2013 / Women of War

‘I got to see a place which seemed to me empty, silent and uncared for. Then I got to talk to people who work there. For the people who work and use the market, I had the feeling that the perspective of ‘tomorrow’ seems to be something vague and empty, a bit frightening, there is a feeling of not knowing what will be.’ – Willi Dorner 2005 ((Pinchbeck, M (2005), Nottdance 2005 Toolkit. Dance 4: Nottingham))

Above, Wili Dorner, a widely respected choreographer, comments on his first experience of Sneinton Market in Nottingham. His interest in the site was of redevelopment, particularly noting the ‘empty, silent and uncared for’ ((Ibid.)) atmosphere to the market.

The feeling Dorner expresses resonates hugely regarding our own work. The Grand Stand is a place in limbo due to it being under protection by the Lincolnshire Act, meaning the building can not be developed unless it is confirmed by the council and funding is available for it. There have been many suggestions for the future of the Grandstand, from a Clubhouse for golfers to a skate park (see http://lincolngrandstand.com/4.html for full list) but with a site full of potential and saturated with history and former life it has found itself in an indeterminate state. As a group we are realising the importance of both past and future being celebrated within the perimeters of the site. In particular, the liberation of women through time and specifically how both World Wars, but predominantly World War II, allowed a new lease of life for the daughters, wives and sisters of the men fighting on the front line. The challenge we face is transforming this revolution, within the site, using installation pieces, for example, that commend and respect the sites past.

With this in mind we have developed the preliminary idea of dressing as war-time women, inviting audiences into the performance, serving tea and gingerbread (which was originally sold on race days at the Grandstand), before leading the audience through the piece. This was inspired by the small piece we created in class (see Site and Sense Part 1). We were all keen to enliven the senses through our performance, and also feel excited about exploring and celebrating women’s roles in war.

As aforementioned, we will be using the taste of gingerbread and smell of tea, which have many connotations, although these are personal to the individual, we hope there will be a welcoming and warm sensation induced from them. Helen Paris states that ‘smell permeates the everyday, triggering memories, transporting us through space and time even though we are mostly unaware of it.’ ((Paris, Helen (2010) ‘The Smell of It.’ In Freeman, J. Blood Sweat & Theory: Research through Practice and Performance. London: Middlesex University, p. 45.)) In this light, it seems unnecessary to bombard the audiences with smells and tastes, and feel the subtlety of introducing them will be enough to have an impact. As Paris describes, the link between smell and memory is generally in the unconscious mind. Therefore, the familiarity of being served food and tea should be elusive enough to allow for free thought.

However, Helen Paris who was part of the creation of On the Scent, wanted sense at the forefront of their performance: ‘The extraordinary power of smell to evoke memory inspired me to want to create a performance that not only used smell as one of the elements but wherein smell had a leading role.’ ((Ibid.)) Paris collaborated with Dr Upinder Bhalla, a leading expert in the field of neurological connections between smell and memory. Bhalla states that ‘humans themselves seem to be conditioned by society to ignore smell, especially in the sanitized modern world. It is interesting to see what happens when they are asked to pay specific attention to it.’ ((Ibid. p. 46.)) Taking this into consideration, would it be a more enticing performance when the senses are explicitly overwhelmed with different smells and tastes? In the context of our piece this may be excessive, as our contribution is only part of the entire performance and there is a difficulty in containing smells within a specific area. Therefore it may have an unwanted effect on the other parts of the performance.

Predominantly, we hope that the use of sense will add a more rounded experience for the audience member. We are hopeful that this will bring the past into the forefront within the Grandstand, using the senses to rejuvenate the vacant site- the smell of tea and taste of ginger- in the same light as Dorner wanting to redevelop Sneinton Market.

The Wall

Sophie Jane Bullivant / April 4, 2013May 7, 2013 / Women of War

The wall that remains outside, next to the Weighing Room, is set to be a prominent aspect of the performance. The Women of War group have since developed the ‘Suppression versus Liberation’ idea, and the wall is now likely to mark the end of our piece. Rather than the wall and chains representing women’s societal position pre-war, the location will be strongly visual, hanging objects that symbolise key aspects of the whole performance. For example, the group that are particularly interested in horse racing and betting, their object may be a horse shoe. The Women of War group are planning to hang a china tea cup, to symbolise the domestic role of women, and the community essence of the site that still remains today.

Pont de l'Archevêché, Paris — Pont de l’Archevêché, Paris

After more group discussion, the installation is possibly going to be developed further, with audience members taking part in the hanging of the objects. The effect of audience participation highlights the importance of the Grandstand as a landmark for the community of the city, and suggests a sense of ‘ritual’ or ‘memorial’. The wall will subsequently remain as a commemoration of the performance, being fixed, as opposed to the performance itself, which will be unique and cannot be the same again. The wall installation idea is inspired by the Pont de l’Archevêché, a bridge in Paris that is covered in padlocks left by lovers. The intriguing display is an example of evoking repercussions, emotion and brings life to the site itself. The tree structures on Luzhkov Bridge in Moscow also display padlocks; each representing the strength of a relationship. These random spectacles created purely by human intuition demonstrates “the transforming of the everyday into the extraordinary, the finding of poetry in something so mundane as a padlock” ((Daily Mail (2012) The Lock of Love, Online: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2172901/The-lock-love-For-years-couples-world-left-padlocks-bridges-tokens-love-Now-Britons-unlocking-inner-passions-too.html (accessed 21 March 2013).)). The objects that we choose to hang may also be seemingly unexciting, yet their presence on the wall brings about a new meaning, and equally emphasises the importance of the wall.

The padlock displays are similar to the recurrence of hanging shoes or trainers, sometimes known as ‘shoefiti’. The mysterious appearance of shoes, commonly on power lines, is an event that occurs anonymously, and is then discovered as a piece of contemporary, urban art. Credibility as art is questionable for many, but the shoes are thought to resemble “the number of runners” ((Gabrielle Giroday (2011) Running down theories about hanging shoes, Online: http://www.brandonsun.com/breaking-news/running-down-theories-about-hanging-shoes-118826304.html (accessed 21 March 2013).)) that pass down a street in some areas of Europe. The shoes have a ghostly effect, in the way that they resemble someone that has once been there to hang them, and the site can then conjure up questions and discussion by onlookers.

Sage Vaughn, a fine artist from Los Angeles, has recently collaborated with Converse to create a piece of public art for the SXSW Festival in Texas.The Monument 1 installation consisted of a metal structure with hanging Converse trainers. The company have also created pop-up stores in Paris, with similar decorative hangings of shoes, as a method of demonstrating their creativity.

'Monument 1', SXSW Festival, Texas — ‘Monument 1’, SXSW Festival, Texas

The above examples demonstrate the connection between visual art and site that has also been discussed by Kastner and Wallis, in their typology of land art (2008):

Integration: the manipulation of the material landscape in its own right, the artist adding, removing or displacing materials – marking, cutting, rearranging – to create sculpture, drawing out the relationships between existing characteristics of site and evidence of human intervention. This is often monumental in scale, as in Robert Smithson’s large-scale construction Spiral Jetty (1970) ((Pearson, Mike (2010) Site-Specific Performance, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.)).

Thus, our performance at the Grandstand with the inclusion of symbolic visual installations can communicate the relationship that the group has established with the site, and emphasising the connection of the site and the city itself. The objects on the wall will also indicate the historical context of the site, both past and present, and as a result will bring about a positive future for the Grandstand.

On going: Come to the Factories!

Jamee-Lee Fleming / March 29, 2013May 11, 2013 / Women of War

Unfortunately the challenge of making the war poster is not going to happen. I realised that I set myself too much of a task in a short period of time. However, without being negative about it, the women of war group and me have used the crockery in a different way. The Lincoln Grandstand Handicap races brought Lincoln and surrounding cities together as a community. In our group, we thought of things that related to a community and how we could portray this. With the idea of crockery, we wanted to make cups of tea and serve cakes and biscuits to our audience at the beginning of the performance as a welcoming to the site.

We did a trial and error of our idea and realised that it would not work in the area that we chose, so another way of showing community to the audience was in our individual performance in the factory. Our idea was that when the audience show to sit down and watch it, Sophie would make cups of tea whilst the action on the sewing machines were happening and when they were ready to serve she would pass them on to the audience for them to drink. However, the community of the Grandstand today is no more. To reflect this in our performance, we want to take the cups of tea away and pour them down the drain in front of them. This is to show that the community over the years has gone down the drain. We think that this a great idea and hopefully that the audience will go away thinking and questioning themselves about why we did through it away and whether they see the link between the Grandstand and the community.