another scratch on thursday....potential part one revisions thinking about spalding gray

spalding gray from here

ok- so am setting myself the goal of a 15 minute part one- big shed to work towards. this is good for me to get to professionally as everything i have done to date has overrun and this part especially needs to be tighter- so, identifying what's my priorities in this half, and how to test out for thursday?

there are a few key things which have come up from watching dvds/interviews of spalding gray;

• Gray turned his life into a performance

• low-key starting, everyday voice, but builds into unstoppable mania

• imagination playing against memory

• reacting to previous telling rather than original memory, based on audiences reaction

• "words expand the imagination, images confine it" sits with glass of water and key headings on a piece of paper, simple projections interspersed
  

• workshopping himself retelling all the time

• listens to audio books rather than reading books for inspiration- get the tone of voice etc
  

so thoughts connected to this:

1. presentation of self- back to post grad forum with choice manic moments. does each story need to be exactly the same?

2. non-verbal push this up more with objects/images at the start- think back to the preciousness of the ordinary items in the matchbox in (in)visible exchange. minimise the verbal painting a picture of cat obsessed nan- lose my relationship to the cats prior to wreath (cat hair etc) as its adding time and irrelevant to the photography actions

3.use new cat objects selectively. work with cat photographs/postcards/suitcase carefully- what is revealed/concealed/hinted at.does the choice i make each time affect the story differently? my work differs greatly here from spalding gray- and i must allow the obejcts/images to stand alone without narration where appropriate, let things sit with the audience.

4. ensure there isn't too much time spent getting things ready (eg opening case, takings things out) rather than parts connected to narrative- practice this, pfaff only with purpose ;)

spalding gray- swimming to cambodia extract

looking at ways of re-telling personal stories, using a soundtrack, minimal props/set- mic and glass of water, monologue.keeping the attention on the real life story- not 'dressing it.' not being someone else.

links to the closet for my nunnery performance- pretty much used closet as found- mops and screws and all- a simple real life backdrop, non theatrical, amateur darkroom, cupboard, den. soundtrack to immerse you in this closet- radio in background- working atmosphere. my story from childhood- more engaging/humorous/relaxed nature depending on whether i knew the participant and how comfortable i felt in this intimate space with them. how would this change in an open space- retaining the intimacy of storytelling without the physical spacing/environment a closet encourages?