As much as I thought I’d taken a hiatus from theatre scene, I am right back on again. This time, slightly different from it all. I realized that this small break from theatre, immensing myself in my own explorations and art, I’m coming back slightly changed. And before I knew it, this month alone I am involved in 2 dance productions and one theatre production before I fly off to Barcelona for RBMA (all within this week and next). So here’s a plug and I hope to see you guys there.
First up is “
FEATHER TOUCH“. This collaboration is really quite interesting. Not your usual dance production round the corner… you can say it’s an improvised expressionistic movement and sound piece that Chin Huat (artistic director of ECNAD) and I had been working on, on and off, for the past one year. Time really flew past us in a wink and before we knew it, we are performing this Thursday, Friday and Saturday at ECNAD studio A. A semi-improvisation piece that is honest, imperfect and raw. A show where we simply “be” ourself and forget about any pretentious expressions. I’ll be on a an electric guitar, bow and e-bow, looper, laptop and a small desk top effects processor. I’ll be wacking and improvising like a great cheat guitar hero (yes, I still can’t play a decent chord…); I’m doing live sound and music on this one… creating layers and washes of sounds and melodies on the spot. So do drop by. Click on the image to get more info on it.
Next up, happening on the same dates as Feather Touch, is a dance performance I had been working on for the past half a year with Kuik Swee Boon. A really nice choreographer to work with. “OLD SOUNDS” – This piece, commissioned by the National Museum of Singapore, explores re-interpretations of dialectic folk songs and languages through sound art and music… avant garde music created, that were my responses to these materials, and fusing them into my music and sound compositions. These interpretations also employed a lot of found sounds, sampling and field recordings of objects, spaces, ambient. Complete with stunning video and visual works by Gabriella from Brazil, I think it will be quite a treat. Just click on the image to visit the National Museum site, choose “what’s on” and under “other events” you’ll find OLD SOUNDS and its ticketing info. Hope you’ll enjoy the multi-media feast.
Also, a theatre production by SRT, written by award winning playwright Jean Tay. Her latest creation “BOOM“, is one I think has the most colloquial materials; and in a way I am sure it will win many hearts due to it’s very heartland-ish contents. So yeah, finally back into theatre. You can find more information about the show, which is opening next week at SRT, by clicking over HERE. Directed by Tracie Pang.
There, 3 productions back to back just in the span of 2 weeks. Crazy times. I’ve also start to conceptualize for Swee Boon on NUS Arts Festival next year, “VARIANCES”… it will be a 2 x 30min composition where I am thinking of using organic sounds created live by the dancers, I’m going to use customized contact microphones and PCC floor mics for a lot of live sampling, processing and looping of these sounds to created textures and rhythms on top of my music/sound compositions. The concept we are thrown into at the moment is the open term “ENVIRONMENT”.
I’ve started on conceptualization work and possibly technical work (soon) on TFP’s new play “WHISPERS” happening next year January. Another one I’ll be exploring live organic sound designs with the actresses in relation to the set design, processing and toying with live pick-ups from the set; and a piano to do live minimalist music. So… I’ll be buying a lot a lot of contact microphones in the months to come (my guess is in the 20 – 30 pieces range)… lots of wiring work soon!
The year will end with two more SRT theatre productions – The Tooth Fairy (is The Little Company’s production; I’m on sound design and August on music, phew!) and The Office Party; and also another ECNAD explorative dance production where… I’ll be doing something really interesting. For now let’s just say it’s live sound art in a very “voyeuristic” sense… so stay tuned! In any case, just drop me a message somewhere if you are coming for any of these shows and remember to come say hi to me.
