Ryan Driver
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ryan Driver
Date: 23 Feb 2016 19:43
Subject: Re: Stein's Object Lie on a Table - invitation to play together somehow
To: Janis Demkiw
Cc:
Hi Janis.
Okay hmm...
My first thought is to do an impropmtu musical setting of the full text with piano and voice. I'm not yet certain if this idea would be too far out of keeping with the spirit of the play or the spirit of Terrarea or the spirit of Terrarea's stage production values for Emelie's particular rehearsal. You could perhaps fill me in on anything that pops into your mind in these regards. Certainly a full reading of the play might be expected at a rehearsal. And it might be of great interest to some to consider the text of the play while simultaneously perusing the dis-play. I think I could sing the play in this way thoughtfully and artfully enough and without being or seeming like an idiot or a racist. I could show you what I mean if you would like to come to my house sometime. I expect this sort of treatment would take slightly less than an hour. This is my first thought. Perhaps the first of many. It might have been more convincing if Objects On A Table had been written as an opera.
My second thought is to sit at a table with numerous objects on it. The objects would be objects that can make sounds. I would make a sound or sounds with each object for some duration and then that would be that. The performance would be improvised and I would secretly be thinking of what I was up to as incidental sound and incidental music. There would likely be a fair bit of "dead air" because there's not a whole lot of action in the play now is there?
My third thought is a marriage of my first two thoughts into an impromptu piano/voice performance of the text with additional incidental sound/music from a table of objects. Do you suppose I am anywhere near an amenable concept yet? I am happy to and will keep thinking regardless until it's time to stop.
Ryan
On Feb 23, 2016 5:15 PM, "Janis Demkiw" wrote:
Greetings, Ryan.
As you might recall, a little while back I was mentioning that Terrarea are involved in an exhibition at Hart House this March & April that is [conceptually] conceived as a “rehearsal” for Gertrude Stein’s play Objects Lie On a Table. You expressed interest in the possibility of participating somehow in the business of noise-making. Emelie Chhangur (our curator) is very excited about the prospect so we are following up to begin the process.
We’re pretty open to whatever you might be interested in doing. The performance would be staged in the exhibition space, and if you’re amenable, Terrarea (ie Emily, Olia & myself) would be keen to contribute or collaborate somehow in the realm of atmosphere-scaping. In my fancy mind I imagine one/some of your homemade instruments factoring in, but it is all wide open. We have just acquired on loan from AGP a glass bowl shaped of cabbage that has lovely sounds. There is also a friendly 10ft lazy suzan that stages very nicely. Among other fun and funny things.
A couple of possible dates could be April 6th or 20th (both Wednesdays) in the early evening (between 6-8pm).
Say maybe
JD
PS – Attached is Stein text, the charms of which are undeniable