Author: Cassie Watson

The idea of installations was not an eventual one. We found quickly through our research that we preferred the idea of physical things that can be interpreted and interacted with, rather than the two of us doing a performance that was a lot less static and malleable.

Through my research I found some of Susanna Hertrich’s work, and particularly enjoyed the ‘Chrono- Shredder’ :

which was described as “The machine as performer.
Chrono-Shredder (2007-2012, various iterations) is a poetic device with functions similar to those of a calendar and a clock, it continuously shreds every single day—minute after minute, hour after hour. All that time that is irreversibly lost, obtains a tangible existence in the form of shredded paper. As time passes by, the tattered remains of the past pile up under the device.” (http://www.susannahertrich.com/chrono-shredder.php)

This machine does exactly what we wanted to do, in that it takes a remarkable simple and seemingly mundane idea, and draws attention to it in a simple and creative way. This made us have an even more focused mission: to create installations that people wish they’d thought of. Extremely vague, but nonetheless motivational.

In doing a multimedia performance (in which we are not strictly required to incorporate any multimedia aspect) myself and Scott felt an initial hesitation in getting straight into the creative process. Having just about no limitations, but a very strong desire to create an outstanding and original piece of work, it was easy as perfectionists to discuss ideas for a long time while being reluctant to tie ourselves down.

We were well aware of the time constraints however, and so spent the first two weeks discussing what influenced the direction we hoped the piece would go in.

I spoke a lot about Derren Brown, and his psychological and sociological experiments that were crafted for their entertainment value as much as they were for introspection. It was this idea of a performance that wasn’t necessarily didactic but rather a statement on something we were passionate about.

From Brown we moved onto discussing psychological figures such as Milgram, Zimbardo and Asch. Their studies were done for entirely scientific reasons but we spoke about them realising that such experiments would make for great theatre. Having little psychological experience though, we chose to keep this idea in mind but perhaps apply it to something we felt more confident and knowledgeable in doing.

We are both Drama and English students and really enjoy spoken word and poetry. It was from this, that we realised how much effect that language can have on your emotions, and understood that this effect comes from not only the content but the way in which it is conveyed. This was the first solid idea around which we wanted to base our piece.