New Paradise Laboratories is an internet-based theatre company in Philadelphia observing ways in which social media platforms might be utilized to re-imagine theatre. In “Fatebook”, one of their earlier projects, one may click through and peer into the lives of thirteen 20-somethings, or search by image or keyword. Below is a live, interactive performance the company produced based upon the character studies on the Fatebook website.
Vimeo / Kim Bunce – via Iframely
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I Feel Your Pain draws upon the language of contemporary political figures in press conference dialogue and emotionally charged interviews, using it as script for actors. The repurposed dialogue is treated as both theatre and cinema, performed, remixed and projected before a live audience.
YouTube / Performa – via Iframely
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In their production of Hamlet, performance collective The Wooster Group reference Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy while simultaneously paying homage to a famous example of early digitally-mediated performance presented back in 1964 on Broadway by director John Gielgud. Gielgud had surprised audiences with his ‘Electronovision’– presented by filming the performance from 17 angles, and then broadcasting it to cinemas across the U.S. in a cutting-edge simulation of the live performance.
The Wooster Group repurpose and recreate Gielgud’s conversation between the filmed and the live, as the actors mimic the glitchy film behind them.
YouTube / PostScriptum – via Iframely
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LIVE/WORK is a performance installation I created in 2014 examining voyeurism and exhibitionism, domesticity and the societal role of artists. I found and renovated a blighted storefront and converted it into an artist’s live/work studio where I publicly performed for one month behind the glass and via two surveillance-style webcams. These webcams streamed live 24/7 on Justin.tv. A video installation of domestic and artistic ‘chores’ were juxtaposed on four looping television screens placed throughout the space.
Part of the performance was the intentional act of occupying the space itself– from renovating, to decorating, and ultimately living. Audience-performer interaction was blurred by creating an unexpected public spectacle for passersby. The work addressed preconceived notions of the artist’s work, as domestic roles were mocked but also realized. The piece also asks what symbiotic relationships are generated within an artist’s surrounding neighborhood by taking up residence.
Below are selected clips from the video component within the installation.
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