OVERLAY takes as its starting point the notion that as individuals much of what we are seen to be is a construct of falsified histories and corrupted memories. Utopian ideals of oneself brought on by either the need or desire to conform. Underlying this sentiment is a comment to the notion of the immigrant and the assimilation of the self within a community.
To expand on this concept, the project explores aspects of the life of magician Harry Houdini. How his creation of a mythologized self and the erasing of his background, produced a living fiction that operated within the narrative of magic and illusion. His magic became a transformative act, a metamorphosing of himself self through the poetics of illusion. - A staged persona that did not end onstage.
"Asked in a questionnaire, what his favourite motto was, Houdini answered: Do others or they will do you. Houdini's motto is one of the immigrant. Perform other people or they will perform you. Typecast you in prejudice. Houdini's real name was Erik Weisz." Overlay performance text
OVERLAY equally seeks to explore the physical nature of the stage, creating a setting that fluctuates between a lecture room and a vaudeville stage. Utilizing the standard furnishings found in each of these setting to draw out the underlying codes and behaviours that are implicit with these environments. How a place makes you feel and act. But also how it produces other behaviours and dualities. In our world a lectern can become a modern skyscraper. A mobile phone purely as a light source. The magician's box too small to hide the magician. The video of a building being deconstructed is played in reverse so that it becomes whole again. Doubly rendering the dualism of the self that the project seeks to explore. - The consequential effect of Jeff and Paul operating all of the technical elements, hyper-exposing the rawness and realness of the live situation. Their hands-on approach - a vibrant way to instigate a human scale to the proposed scenarios. Each mirroring the other. Each element developing a discourse to how the unspoken nature of architecture impacts onto the body through its set of built relations.
"In this search of the construct of the theatre we are building a space. It's an act of building. We are like the space between architecture and the built. Positioning our selves and our identity through the construct of theatre" Overlay performance text
So that within this frame we become illusionists ourselves. Not solely through the capability of doing magic tricks but in the knowledge of the theatrics behind the illusion. To stage the act and conjure up the feeling of anticipation that coincides with the act. Encouraging the idea that a transformation is about to take place. Producing the theatre of the magic act so that the illusion and the mystical relation only need to be stated and the public imagination does the rest. Hence the other characters we draw into the performance text, are clothed in the myth that surrounds them.
"In the real show Jeff and Paul would sing a song and near the end of the song Paul pours lighter fluid onto the guitar and lights it - Just like Jimmie Hendrix. And then proceeds to smash the guitar on the amp - Just like Pete Townsend. And then takes the tv and throws it out the hotel window - Just like Keith Richards. And then goes into the change room and pulls the sink off the wall - Just like Johnny Cash. And then disappears into a haze of burning light and smoke never to be seen again."
Overlay performance text
Overlay performance text
Like Houdini we will work on making magic tricks happen without the public watching them come to be. They will see the whole apparatus of the event but they won't see the transformational point - Just the final conclusion. And as with the disbelief and public questioning that accompanies an illusionist's act, where their vocal conjecture is part of the whole theatrics we aim to propose the stage as a pro-active setting for public engagement - A contested site of occupation, where our performances produce a place of non-agreement/debate/indignation. Disagreements become public discussion. Our fatal attempts are aimed to incur the wrath of a paying public. The performer becomes an inharmonious occupant at a loss with the narratives of the stage but also within their surroundings.
A technical breakdown that seems to never end. Ongoing false starts. Confusion to whether its actually a problem or not. Engaging the publics concern. Their aid - "You have to help us out here". Asking how they feel about the show so far. Discussing recent art funding objectives and our attempts to satisfy the agendas. To flatten out the hierarchies of public/ performer relations whilst at the same time cultivating the illusion of chaos. Inviting the audience to see a memory and a reaction simultaneously, with nothing in between.
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