The concept of headspace is a common and effective component of experimental performance, and one which we are very keen to include in our piece. “Headspace is a feature of performance work that takes place largely in the head of an audience member” (Petralia 2010, p. 97), and immerses the audience member into an individual and almost claustrophobic performance.
One of our weekly workshops was based around the use of microphones and headphones, and how these can correlate with the ideology of headspace. We explored this technique by experimenting with the idea of actors being in control of the audience by giving them orders through the microphone, and also using the headphones to almost manipulate the thoughts of the audience. This proved extremely effective, and we aim to continue this exploration.
The combined use of headspace and microphones “blur the boundary between the performance space and the receptive space of the audience, bringing the performance closer to an audience member in a personal, tangible way” (Petralia 2010, p. 97). This idea of the voice inside the audience’s head being more significant than that of the performers is something we are exploring in rehearsals, also incorporating the senses; questioning whether the loss of sight will hinder or emphasise an audience’s perception of a performance based through sound, touch and smell. We will do this by blindfolding the audience; putting the audience into a vulnerable position, where we control their thoughts, feelings and perception.
WORKS CITED
Petralia, P. S. (2010) ‘Headspace: Architectural Space in the Brain’ in Contemporary Theatre Review. London: Routledge, pp 96-108
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Caitlin Clark