(2017) with the Permission of the Surviving Editors, Rob La Frenais and Gray Watson

VISUAL ARTS AWARDS

Awards of between £500 and £3000 are otf ered to professional visual artists resident in the Greater London area. Applications will be considered throughout October/November 1981 and the closing date for receipt of completed application forms is Tuesday 1 September 1981 .

For further information, and application form please send an A4 stamped addressed envelope to: Lesley GreeneNivien Turner Visual Arts, GLAA, 25 Tavistock Place, London WC1 H 9SF.

POSTPONED IN JUNE - NOW IN OCTOBER Midland Group Arts Centre Second Annual PERFORMANCE ART PLATFORM OCTOBER 17 & 18 The Midland Group Nottingham is to hold its second Performance Art Platform, a two The Byam Shaw is an independent day event - the first day offering the opportunity of public performance in a fine-art school founded in 1910 • It is leading national venue, to in~ividuals and staffed by practising artists • Entry is groups living in England who have recently become involv ed in Performance Art - the by work and interview, not 'O' levels second day a symposium on Performance Art • Full time, diploma, post-diploma today, with talks from leading British and short-term studies courses Performance Artists. available • Over 50% of UK students Applications to perform within the event receive LEA grants-but remember may be considered only from arti sts who have not re ceived publi c subsidy . Students if you need a grant you must apply are ineligible to take part . NOW For further information and application Send today for a prospectus details contact the Platform Co-ordinator, to 70 Campden Street, The Midland Group, 24-32 Carlton Street, Nottingham NGl lNN {0602) 582636. London WS 7EN (or 'phone Cl osi ng date for app l icat i ons 01-727 4711- 24-hour service) 22 August 198 1 .

Editor Rob La Frenais Review Editor Luke Dixon 4 Design Editor Chloe Nevett LETTERS Associate Editors Lynn McRitchie Pete Shelton CRITICS AND DOORMATS 6 Margurite McLaughlin Bruce Bayley Contributors CABARET FUTURA MOVES ON 8 Andrea Hill Paul Burwell John Roberts Phil Hyde STATE PERFORMANCE 10 Neil Hornick Tom Castle Ian Hinchliffe PERFORMED MUSIC 15 Paul Lyons Liz Stolls Charles Hustwick RICHARD LAYZELL 17 Typesetting Windhorse Photosetters Printing SHOW TRIAL Calverts North Star Press Ltd. 21 REVIEWS 25 Cover Photo: Robin Morley ARTIST'S DOCUMENTATION 30 Copyright ©1981 ISSN No 0144-5901 This issue receives financial assistance from the Arts Council of Great Britain. LISTINGS 32

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In the last issue of Performance Magazine enough, but being a performance artist is extending position. Shirley Cameron wrote at some length, and an incomprehensible endeavour, the The Performance Magazine's writers Roland Miller rather briefly in reply to younger artist - older artist syndrome is a differ in their manner of treating artists, Lynn McRitchie's article about them in metaphor for the performance world - art but one thing they all reflect is the the previous issue. Not all their criticisms world relationship. That is, a performance exaggerated scattering of beliefs and were just, particularly those suggesting artist, regardless of real age and stage of attitudes towards what properly con that McRitchie's rather circumspect career, is perpetually in the position of stitutes performance art . This can cause remarks were 'careless', but it's always a needing to be treated with care (excluding, somewhat different problems for each happy day when disagreements are aired of course a handful of living legends) and individual writer than the issue of whether publicly, rather than being left to fester on requiring to be explained to the public and or not to be nasty, but it adds up to the the grapevine. While not wishing to fortified with encouraging words. This same thing.... there's little to cut your prolong that particular battle, this does propping up is needed because there's seem a good point to pause and consider always mainstream modern art or the 'Attempts to compare or apply what may reasonably be asked of writers theatre to dominate and confuse the anything but the most flexible with regard to performance art, and also to observer; to obliterate the unconventional air some grievances of my own. message. Thus the performance artist's of standards 1s seen as an Cameron and Miller are not the first most ferocious and constant complaint is imposition' artists to feel they've been given a raw deal that they've been judged 'bad theatre' or by a critic and McRitchie's article, as I 'bad art'; i.e. held up to standards which teeth on. Impossible to order, group, cross have said, was by no means a bloodbath. are not applicable. A terrible mental lazi reference artists and ideas except in the I'm told that performance art circles are ness on the part of practically everybody most obvious ways (theatrical performance, more sensitive than the visual art world in plus natural rebelliousness on the part of self-injuring performance, minimal this respect; that performance artists feel performance artists themselves means that performance, women's performance) themselves to be more vulnerable and less performance art is shunted off into some everything seems to be all over the place. supported than more orthodox artists; and obscure intellectual corner, treated Resistance is strong on all sides to anything that while eggs, tomatoes and empty beer unimaginatively and no more ,than that smacks of "classification" . Attempts cans can be thrown with impunity by dutifully by contemporary art historians, to compare or apply anything but the most writers at mainstream painters and made to be performed in venues which are flexible of standards is seen to be an im sculptors, this sort of behaviour is not in many cases geographically as well as position, rather than as what they are - an considered good <:tiquette by the perfor ideologically fringe, given absurd and pre interesting added dimension to the mance world. A possible explanation is posterous write-ups in the national press experience of art . Not the only dimension this: and generally treated to the rough side of but a good exercise for those who want to Among critics of all kinds (including what is an already seedy field. engage in it. more outside the art press) there is a widely For one reason or another, because of I once took upon myself the task of respected but largely unspoken ground 'marginalisation' by comparison with the reading through in an afternoon, one copy art and theatre worlds, and because of each of Performance, ZG and PS. I'll tell 'Performance Art is shunted fragmentation in the performance world you right now it was a mistake. Some off.... and generally treated to itself, there seems not to be any solid and individual articles were gems but the whole unified identity to which performance lot together were so wildly diverse that the the rough side of what is al artists can subscribe (in the way that only way to integrate them would have ready a seedy field' painters often see themselves as part of the been to borrow an approach from John historical flow of painting, even while Latham: Chew them up page by page and rule that it's perfectly acceptable, and in holding all kinds of sub-views.) Neither spit them into a bottle. As I recall, there some cases even agreeable, to go for the does there appear to be a single ideological was not a single overlap or congruence in jugular of a well known established artist umbrella under which performance artists artists, in ideas, or arguments. It's true ( or writer or actor) because they will can shelter from the poison sometimes they're all dealing with different concerns survive and reach their audience regard rained on them by critics. There is no and motivated in a variety of ways, but less. With someone just starting out, on the integration, either internally, or with still, they're all that we've got. To someone other hand, it's recognised that criticism regard to what is usually referred to as from the visual arts, an important show is needs to be gentler and more constructive, 'high art'. Therefore the performance an important show, all the magazines will more positive. I venture with some hesi world is everlastingly in the position of the cover it, a range of opinions will be tation the theory that, in this country young artist, and its writers are (or are accepted. (Granted, something like this anyway, where being an artist is bad effectively) perpetually placed in an over- did begin to happen with 'About Time',

This issue of Performance Magazine has been reproduced as part of Performance Magazine Online (2017) with the permission of the surviving Editors, Rob La Frenais and Gray Watson. Copyright remains with Performance Magazine and/or the original creators of the work. The project has been produced in association with the Live Art Development Agency. oor and may yet happen with the recent Brisley starts to plunge into free association, (no as slander. The former at worst sows seeds retrospective- but still it's rare. ) With art body to compare your opinions to ) or of complacency, the latter only of extreme history it's the same. Dozens of articles and giving the biographical details of the artist/ irritation .... just another word for full books have been written about some group under discussion (can't assume adrenalin. When anger begins between body as recent as Jackson Pollock- where anyone knows who they are) or going back artists and critics, and when that anger would you find the same concentration of to square one and explaining why it's not becomes public, to the publication of as many writers taking an assortment of theatre. There's seldom a chance to articles and retorted letters, then viewpoints on any single performance examine anything. Everybody seems to be something frutiful begins to happen. artist? (again excepting those who have off on a different tangent. There are no A magazine the size of Performance been assimilated into the mainstream - paths of understanding, no common frame Magazine (that is, not a very big size) the Beuys's, the Cunninghams, the of reference, except one: that whatever it is, cannot possible do extensive damage to Kaprows. ) An art critic will think nothing it's something kicking against the of sitting down on a whim and writing an category, the classification. Other than 'We are working on the under essay on Monet . A performance critic ( and that, nothing whatsoever can be obtained. standing that all our readers the very term sounds inappropriate ) is What is performance writing for? First hardly ever inclined to use the pages of any and foremost it is a source of information . and writers constitute a of the above journals to say a few thousand Once the performance is over, it's gone. supporting circle' words about an analagous historical figure. You can't go and have a look at it in the There 's no reason at all to suppose that artist's studio or look up a reproduction in anybody 's reputation or livelihood. What performance journals should be anything an art book. Performance artists seem not to is said here will go no further than that like art journals, but equally there's no have the need that painters and sculptors segment of the art and theatre world reason why they can't take themselves have to externalise themselves in a solid addicted to art magazines. Things can be more seriously - which does not mean of object. Consequently, a large part of what said therefore, that we wouldn't dream of course writing in ponderous deadly prose. remainsin the performance artist's work is saying in, say, a national newspaper where .Somehow it's not helpful, though it is the attitude, the stance, the motivation. there are prejudices of the general popu vastly entertaining, to read unassimilated One aim of performance writing is lation to contend with . We are working on interviews with Kenneth Williams, or therefore to keep the art alive after it (or the the understanding that all our readers and others, or even our own explorations of the artist ) is dead, and describing to those who writers constitute a supporting circle. showbiz world. Too much escape into didn 't have a chance to see it. In some That 's what makes negativity possible on a whackiness and zaniness ... we're too eager ways, the ideal performance magazine sensible level. Were we addressing the to adopt the persona of the jovial hack. would consist of nothing but interviews, general reader we would probably close These things need tying in, if they need to documentation, scripts and descriptive ranks and defend everything in sight be there at all. essays by writers saying everything the simply to keep annihilation at bay. As someone who would rather die than artist would like to have said. There's only What can be said is this : critics have one problem : presenting an artist as he or difficulties with their work that parallel 'In some ways, the ideal she would like to be presented, in careful those that artists have. Many writers for art performance magazine would language, with no wayward opinions magazines are artists , but even those who attached, is often boring to read, and aren 't have to worry about getting consist of nothing but inter boring for the person to write. No writer published, getting read, getting paid, views, documentation, scripts, with spirit can act as a press agent. As the developing a style, developing one's ideas and descriptive essays .... ' adman says: It's more depressing than and intellect, keeping informed not only detergent . about what artists are doing but about what execute a public performance, I can't say Albeit that genuine enthusiasm is the other critics are doing. There are some whether or not performance artists enjoy be most pleasant emotion for the critic, the people we want to write about and others ing mixed in with all manner of strange and happiest for the artist, and the easiest for we don 't. If we think something is a bad wonderful events. Perhaps it's felt that the reader ; where total enthusiasm does not idea we have to write and say so. Artists, diversity helps to keep the scene open, to occur, which is not infrequently for those particularly performance artists, have over preserve the democratic virtue s which are who see a great deal of work, then the area countless generations defended their right undoubtedly among the most attractive where artists and critics meet is an arena, a to be abusive, shocking, provocative and aspects of performance. But for writers - battlefield . It 's said that an enthusiastic nasty . Who is going to deny critics, (for this one anyway) - it's hell. You go critic that's careless can in fact damage an especially in such small circles, the same into a bookshop to do a little research and artist as much as a negative one. Over rights? there 's nothing there . All your writing praise can stifle the development as badly Andrea Hill

Utmost discretion was demanded levels: as a pure, fairytale image, a all the time . Ironically her discretion madonna; and as an image of awakening Fairytales earned her praise and respect from the sexuality. No wonder that around the press hounds and actually increased their world it was this image that Picture Editors Once again we are in the midst ot what curiosity. chose to put on their front pages. This Claude Cockburn once called, the "con Sex is not something that is given lightly hot/cold image symbolizes where she has sensus of exuberance" . Cockburn was or at all in Mills and Boon land. The come from and the power invested in her referring to George V's Silver Jubilee in romance was free of any signs of public future-her procreative and public duties. 1935. 1935 was dominated by the Means physicality because both Charles and It is in its purest sense prefigurative - the Test Hunger Marches and riots. 1981 has Diana knew that as participants in a public girl who will become Woman, who will been dominated by - but that would be morality play their conduct would be become Queen . Since the engagement, spoiling the story wouldn't it. these new meanings have been set in On the 29th July in St. Paul's Cathedral to operation. The transformation from the bitter-sweet fairytale will become joyous shy girlish figure in the Young England spectacle, in which church and monarchy photos, to the regal, imperial figure on the will envision their common ascent. Over cover of the Official souvenir is not simply 700 million viewers will watch 3000 guests the girl-made-woman, but the site of a watch the Very Reverend Alan Webster whole new order of things. Her virtue is no perform the marriage vows. A global, pan longer her own. cultural extravaganz.a; ecumenical It is not surprising then that as a woman splendour will rub shoulders with military she had to carry an overwhelming moral power and Royal grace. load, or to borrow a phrase from Dale Spen The Prince and future king after a long der, has had to do the "shitwork" . The and at times disappointing search has sexual double-standard of the romantic found his princess, who, as the story novel is a familiar trope (the hero is allowed demands, has turned out to be none other a shady past, the heroine nothing other than the girl-next-door, and (to the un than a virtuous one or at the most a broken controllable delight of Debrett's) a marriage if repentful) it is therefore no sixteenth cousin twice removed . A verit surprise to see this line reaffirmed in the able "English Rose". Abetted by Fleet fanzines. Diana has no form (the racing Street's obsessive desire to finish the story terminology has been common practice in before it had begun, their romance became all the brouhaha) Charles has a bit of a an open confrontation between the roguish, playboy past. He has the monarchy's wish for privacy in its personal satisfaction of having played the field, matters and Fleet Street's "obligation" to Diana the satisfaction she hasn't. "Dishy report everything it could about the bur Diana" Harry Arnold writes, "is geoning relationship. Fleet Street's powers acceptable in every way to the Queen and of perseverance and ingenuity were tested Prince. She is quiet spoken, unassuming by Charles' half-obliging, half-misleading and has an impeccable background". She responses. In fact one gets the impression has been the model of female silence. from reading Harry Arnold's Charles and Harry Arnold again: "Charles had long ago Diana - A Royal Love Story, that press decided that a wife would have to know her and Royalty were working out for the place". Most of his former girlfriends benefit of their readers some prewritten ( divided in the fanzines between the golden script in which . excitable, scoop-hungry girl who got away and the thorn in the side) reporters and aloof Royals conducted an failed to marry Charles because they either elaborate, weary game of oneupmanship. susceptible to nusmterpretation and showed ·too much independence or were All this of course has given the story its innuendo. As 'contender' the weight of too demanding or careless with their views, mysterious edge; an imbroglio of half this responsibility fell on Diana. Once the or were seen with other men. Beyond truths, furtive whispers, secret assigna engagement was announced it was then temptation (she refused the advances of tions, in which dashing prince and vulner safe to talk, if not about sex, then about many men her flatmates revealed) Diana able princess are hounded by an unkind procreation and direct descent. The court hasn't put a foot wrong, she has been polite and selfish mob. The romance, true to the astrologers (no longer employed by the to press, deferent towards Charles' conventions of pure love, was conducted Palace but by the women's magazines) demands for total discretion, and a willing against adversity. Lady Diana was smug soon got to work: "A boy and then a girl pupil to the Queen and Queen Mother in gled in and out of Sandringham and Bal will be born within the first four years of the ways of Royal responsibility. What the moral, escorted by plain clothes policemen their marriage, and after a space of a few fanzines have constantly emphasized is her to the door of her Kensington flat. But al years, perhaps a third child". adaptability and patience. Her patience though protected to a certain extent by Children have been one of the leitmotifs like that of the nurse or the nun brings its friends and family and Royal protocol, she of the story . What could have been better own rewards . It has been claimed that wasn't able to avoid all public confronta than having the future Queen of England Lady Diana has kept a photo of Prince tions with the press. Her public baptism of working as a nursery assistant. Those now Charles at various times over her bed since fire as " Di - the new girlfriend of the famous contre jour photos of Di at the she was eleven and that when asked by a Prince of Wales" was her Royal rite de Young England School are the very basis of friend a few years ago what she would like passage, the harsh test of her suitability as the symbolic framework that has been to be when she grew up she replied "I potential wife to Prince Charles. built into the romance. It functions on two I would love to be a successful dancer or

This issue of Performance Magazine has been reproduced as part of Performance Magazine Online (2017) with the permission of the surviving Editors, Rob La Frenais and Gray Watson. Copyright remains with Performance Magazine and/or the original creators of the work. The project has been produced in association with the Live Art Development Agency. changing of the guard, trooping of the extent that, when faced with the rows of The Wedd.ing colour , all the precise codified rituals sur bearskins and hypnotised by the rounding the emblems of power composes thundering of drums, all the worlili. instab the everyday environment of the Royal ility flies out of the window and any of the Year Family . They grew up within it. It runs in aspirations to bring about change in this their veins; they don 't notice it, like the country through politics, social action, or I suppose that weddings are one of the few smell of fresh paint everywhere they go. art seem to flounder in the face of this occasions on which ordinary people can The same may well go fo'r large sections battery of rooted, emblematic triggers. directly experience ceremonial. For the of the British public, too. Although the Quite appropriate therefore, that recent couple , a public plighting of troth. For the place just up the road from the ly an unemployed seventeen year old guests,adutyofcelebration. Somethingfor ICA in the Mall where all this pomp and nearly managed to upset this applecart of everyone, unlike baptisms and funerals, ceremony is conducted is largely ignored pomp and circumstance. By firing a few those other universal rites, which surely except for gaping tourists, the country/ blanks, he managed to break the inhuman exist for the onlookers rather than the military families who turn up for the line of bearskins, (all of which fell off in the principal participants. Christmas and special occasions and when the 'popular' ensuing struggle ) and that distant mounted Easter, in this most ·half-hearted of reli events like weddings and jubilees happen, figure, the red-uniformed woman who is gious countries, don't really count. So no the affairs around the palace are still an un for some reason of birth the recipient of all wonder the 'Wedding of the Year' would seen focus for a nation-state which has not this brandishing and presenting of arms, seem to have won so many hearts and seen a revolution for centurie s, an invasion unfurling of colours and holding of agon minds. There's nothing like a little em for ten centuries. Turn an eye to the ised frozen salutes, nearly fell off her pathy to ensure interest, and a wedding is trooping of the colour , for example, and horse. The psychopathology of assasina something that most of us surely have ex the constituent parts of a drumbeat tion (the mystical equation whereby the perienced sometime in one way or another. national consciousness are still to be sensed ordinary feel the need to wrest symbolic The Royal Family, though distanced amongst the symbolism, the music and the energy from the immensely powerful by from the rest of us by history and status, are colour . No artistic aesthetic this : here is publicly taking their life) goes beyond the still people. Thus the empathy doesn't work the vulgar iconography of power. The scope of this article and is anyway out quite like it does in the cinema, say. For coats of arms , the uniforms and the weighed by the inevitability of such an not only are the Royal Family exemplary, banner s are all keys to ancient feudal loyal event in a country where unemployment is they are also known to be real. Imperson ties, favours bestowed, lands carved up. the accepted by-product of a twisted ation is not involved. What must be con And they all spell out one thing : the con economic doctrine that directs yet more sidered is embodiment , the physical in tinuation of dynastic might (not necessari wealth into the uncharted reaches of the carnation of certain virtues - leavened ly British, but Anglo-Saxon). Forgetting dynastically advantaged. The fact that the carefully and publicly with just enough th e frailt y of the human machinery use of blank cartridges makes this a per 'human' quirks to keep them interesting. that makes up the huge wash of red, formance event is the icing on the cake. For, like many others, I was brought up black and gold in the parade (the I am not sure whether what I am saying on tales of the royals, carefully recorded in guardsmen who drop like flies in the heat, will quite apply to the coming wedding. the pages of Woman and Woman's Own. I still standing to attention , a tribute to There is a smack of Ruritania around the knew about Princess Margaret's weight British masochism ) it is not impossible to events leading up to and around His Royal problems and talents as a mimic long be avoid being touched by the awesome perm Highness The Prince Charles Philip fore her marriage to artistic Tony Arm anence of the spectacle . Not to mention the Arthur George, Prince of Wales and Earl of srrong Jones was announced. I know that culture -shock caused by the audacity of all Chester, Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay, the Queen always travels everywhere pre this vivid soldiery strutting and swirling in Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of ceded by cases of Malvern Water. Princess perfect sequence within the centre of a the Isles and Great Steward of Scotland Anne, it's said, is not really fond of children modern, sprawling, decaying city like KG, KT, GCB, AK being married off. ( she has built a swimming pool for her London. They are pulling out all sorts of gross visual horses. ) . Prince Charles' lengthy bache One does not need to be a heraldic ex aids apart from the usual glass coach and lor state caused increasing anxiety and pert or a psychoanalyst to appreciate that massed flypasts. A firework display, for lengthy speculation as to his eventual there is strong archetypal symbolism tied example, which includes an incendiary 'choice' . So now, with Lady Diana, 19, up in the visual art of State. Vulgarised it replica of the pair, all their obvious facial pretty and 'just perfect', the sighing of may be, the basics are all there . The Lion, features outlined by roman candles and relief is almost audible . the Unicorn , the Dragon and the (Prince of catherine wheels, which is supposed to Audible because it is so general. For Wales' ) Feathers are mystical devices float up 100 feet in the air. Parading as it empathy and interest are most certainly intended to bind and unite the subjects and does up and down the Street of Shame, there . Carefully nurtured, subtly encour subject nations of the United Kingdom . amid all the flunkeys, there will be the aged, a majority of the nation is in thrall. The creatures are all well known inhabi usual corny attempts to cover up the anach How is it done? I stumbled on a clue to the tants of the subconscious mind. On the in ronisms. Runcie 's carefully ecumenical method on a recent visit to the cinema. Sit signia, which, by way of keeping Her sermon, the elevation of current chic in the ting through 'Mrs Miniver', that most Majesty's subjects in thrall, is seen dis Emmanuel s' dress to State chic ... (and exemplary of wartime melodramas so skill creetly, subliminally, pretty well from thence, swiftly following the fate of Hart fully directed by William Wyler, I found a birth onwards on school exercise books, all nell and others to suburban tawdriness ). salt tear or two softening my cynical smile official forms, passports , etc. by everyone All, as I say, a bit Ruritanian. But once as the family saga unfolded. In amongst the living here . Either side of the slogan 'Honi the dust settles, once back to the palaces sentiment , the turning screw struck home . Soit Qui Mal Y Pense ' the Lion is triumph and keyed back into those carefully timed, Just as I am rivetted now by details of Lady" ant, and the unicorn (symbol of intuition, scarcely noticed state rituals, the unseen Di - her ailing father, her love for her occult force) is in chains. Both have penises panoply of power continues exerting its natural mother and dislike for her step in official renderings . Like the eye in the subtle influence on the stability of the mother, the unfortunate Raine-so the pyramid on the US dollar note, the eso State. The heirophantic muscle quietly Minivers' story-gracious mother, wise teric nature of the monarchic trappings can flexes, the Lion and the Unicorn hold sway father, brave and dashing son, tragic love prove a ripe field for the conspiracy over the little community of exalted and sudden death - I eagerly devoured. theorist. humans, with distant military music The key to the mystery of the power of Certainly , without even attempting to filtering in through the constant smell of such a response would seem to lie in a stretch the imagination too far on the sub fresh paint. simple principle - what not to show. ject, it could be said that the ancient reson Potential sources of conflict are kept care ances are so effectively nurtured to the Rob La Frenais fully hidden. The Minivers, for example,

This issue of Performance Magazine has been reproduced as part of Performance Magazine Online (2017) with the permission of the surviving Editors, Rob La Frenais and Gray Watson. Copyright remains with Performance Magazine and/or the original creators of the work. The project has been produced in association with the Live Art Development Agency. he feels, withered for lack of encourage stancial, and only require discussion so Performed Music ment during his youth, but he became an that everybody concerne d knows what is A rundown by Paul Burwell avid listener and got involved in improvis going on, and what their options are. ed music over ten years ago, and got into An organisation such as Actual Music I decided to talk to Anthony Wood about concert organisation when various also fits into the way that the Arts Council Actual Music , his concert promoting musicians asked him to help with putting like their clients to operate - they don 't organisation, as I had heard lots of specu on some of their self organised concerts like to deal directly with artists or lations from musi cians as to how it was and the involvement grew from that .... "I perform ers, and much prefer to deal with run, and rumours about how it was wanted to put something back into the entrepreneurs and administrators, al funded . I want to write a short piece based music that had given me so much" . though in Anthony 's case this hasn't on my conversations with Anthon y to try Presenting concerts and festivals was always led to subsidy being forthcoming and give some idea of his aims and moti- also a way for a non musician to become and he has had to put his own money into vations and organisational approa ch. involved with the music scene and the some of his promotions, (and lose it) and As I have been performing myself in musicians , a way of participating actively has had difficulty with the Arts Council' s New York and Canada for most of the time in the musi cal life, and becomin g an attitude that American and Europea n since the last Performance Magazine I have important part of the scene. mu sicians are worth considerably more not been able to attend any performances He started organising concerts of than English musicians, which is not an in England that I can talk about, and our musicians whose work he admired , "the attitud e that Anthony (or I) share. editor didn't want me to write about any of sort of concerts that I would like to go to" Actual Music can be contacted at 23 the performance s I attended in NY ( the un and soon found that lots of musician s were Mirabel Road , London SW6 and will send acceptable face of provincialism ). contacting him and asking him to put on you free information about future events . However, the best, most rivetting perfor their work at his events , but although he mance (mu sical or art performance) that I sees a lot of growth potenti al for Actual Spontaneous Music have seen for ages was given in Squat Mu sic - he would like to see it become a Theatre in New York by Sun Ra and his full time occupation - he says that if the This performance by John Stevens' Spont Arkestra. The y perform ed a riveting four organisation grew away from presenting aneou s Music Orchestra was the second of and a half hour set. Steve Cripps and I sat the work of the people he would like to the "May Daze" series of concerts that transfixed for the whole concert as did hear, and he found himself in the position focussed on the integration of Improvisa most of the audience , and although we of not wanting to go to his own concert s, tion and Composit ional Structur e. The had just given a performan ce downtown then he would call a halt to the whole thing . two part series had encompassed certain ourselves , neither of us left our seats to He concedes, though , that Actual cannot risks , both artist ic and financial. Com walk the thre e yards to the bar to buy a completely reflect his personal taste but position and improvisation have never drink. Anyone who knows Steve will must reflect the whole spectrum of been seen as the easiest of bed-fellows and realise what a strong testimon y to tne contemporary Improvised musi c. the opportunities in which to resolve this qualit y of the performan ce that 1s. The position of a promoter in this area of problem in large-scale groups are few and Although he has performed in Europe a work at the present time is complex, far between , constrained, no doubt , by the lot, Sun Ra hasn 't performed here for especially as the qualities required to difficult ies in funding such ventures, given many years, and then only two shows. successfully undertake such a role are the the reduction of subsidy now available to Next time I see Anthon y I'll talk to him same chara cteristics that can make it diffi the fringe arts scene as a whole. about bringing him over .... cult to relate to the wider implications of Interspersed by performances by pianist Actual Musi c has been existence for over the position of power that an organiser Howard Riley and the current version of two years, and in that time has come to finds themselves in. For instance , on at the Spontaneous Music Ensemble (Roger occupy a significant place in the English least three occasions, Anthon y has put Smith - guitar, Nigel Coombes - violin Improvised music scene. Actual '80, held together groups for concerts or festivals for and Stevens himself on percus sion and last year at the ICA was one of the major which he has suggested the line up - cornet ) the evening was given over to two events of the year for Improvised Music - which is the sort of useful initiative an of Stevens ' composit ions that sprang from a festival spanning several days at a well organiser can sometimes take... an convent ional notation and musical known venue as well as many English outsid er can sometimes see how various organisation . For this, the S.M.E . was musicians, performin g to capacity performers could work well together when augmented by a five piece brass section and audiences and the traditional minimal the combination might not have occurred vocalist Maggie Nichols. press response . Actual '81 in August , also to the individuals involved, and an Whilst being the most engrossing of the at the ICA promise s to be similarly success organiser may be in a position socially to two pieces , "Tria ngles" bore the weight of I ful. Also, just over, there was an Inter arrange musi cal meetings that circumstan the problem s incurred in performance . national Festival of Improvised Music, tially had not arisen for the performers Three groups of three musicians were Movement and Voice at the Cockpit themselves (the arranged marri age or blind seated in the shape of a triangle, each group Theatre. Th ere have in addition, been dat e that work s out ok). The argument s working within a compres sed dynamic . series of concerts and a small tour against this approa ch are that musicians The sound came in small fragments that organised by Actual Music. are perfectly capable of attending to their quickly developed an overall shape and Actual Music is the idea of Anthony own creative relationships and are the best charact er, both within the trios and the Wood, who organi ses all the concerts and judges of what playing combination s are wider conglomer ate. Given good stereo festivals. I thought it would be a good idea appropriate to their music . Also, the separ ation , it would lend itself well to to talk to him about the workings of his pressure to accept a prestigious performance record but constraints on the physical organi sation and his motivation s in for a relatively high fee cannot be placement of the audience tended to operating it and investing a lot of time and comple tely ignored. I'm not suggesting detra ct from an appreciation of the whole. money in the venture , as he is just about that mu sicians would sell out their prin The detail of the piece was governed by the only disinterested person involved in ciples and play with people whose work where you were seated at the time. I found promoting this area of contemporary they didn 't like, but in less clear cut myself having to wander around the hall to music, because of his success (on occasion) situations may provide pressure to look on pre vent being swamped by the sound of in obtaining financial backing , and because the bright side - and the theoreti c of im any particular group of musicians. I can of Actual Musi c's relationship to the provi sation does contain a stron g tendency only hop e that a solution to this prob lem musicians and audience that compris e the to respond positively to new or unexpected can be found before "Triang les" comes up mu sic scene. situations. for a repeat performance. (I later found out Anthony 's original involvement came The pro s and cons are not necessarily that the seating arrangements were beyond through a frustrated desire to play, which ideological by nature but more circum - the composer 's control ).

ICATheutriI TheMoll LondonSWI

Performance, as McLuhan said about tele line, one gesture to the audience's percep indulgent - "A person walked past me in vision, leaves little to the imagination. He tion of live art invokes the dread spirit of the rain and I wished he wasn't there". So was comparing it to the radio - we can't so empty applause, the painted clown, the he went into what some might call a self easily compare performance to live visual performing seal. One artist, Richard Lay imposed wilderness, for seven years con art. We have to do a sort of reverse dis zell, with all the 'correct' Art School cerning himself with mainly conventional appearing trick - did the performer really credentials, background and solid work in the visual arts. Then, at the same mean to do that? We do not have the leisure grounding in visual art, risked crossing time as the Butlers Wharf phenomenon to peruse, to conjecture, to take little that line and bringing down the wrath of was beginning to flourish in 1978, he did mental voyages around the circumference his contemporaries when, a few years ago the workshops, came back into perfor of the artist's intentions as we do with he took a course in mime and improvisa mance work with a piece entitled 'Line painting or sculpture. There is plenty of tion. Layzell, after years of work in sculp Flying' and put himself in a more or less scope for the live artist to present us with a ture, drawing and film, has since then been unstoppable path to the recent prolific, fait accompli, to cover up intention with obsessively, but consciously concerned high energy, high risk years of perfor artifice, to do the job for the audience, fill with the audience's perception of his live mances and video work that no one around in the gaps, help the perception along. If work. that area can fail to have noticed; approve this temptation is resisted successfully the Oddly enough, after early experiments or not. artist is accused of obscurity. If not, the in the sixties (he studied at the Slade with Performance artists, like everyone else, ' temptation to please, to make easier, to people like Marc Chaimowicz and was have limits and one of them seems to be titilate a bit, if indulged fully will point to taught by Stuart Brisley) he had given up that what they do can only be charged the booming vacuous world of box office live work. Having done work on environ with meaning and immediate transmittable returns, the Theatre, where artists are mental sculptures, sewing together relevance for short bursts in their career. slaves to the fickle public (or at least some sections of fruit and vegetables which he After that it is fair game for the art histor publicist's projected fantasy of it). called 'graftings', he moved on to do what ians, the documentation, the legends. Which is why Performance, the visual were then known as 'events'. During one Chris Burden could only shoot himself art end of it, is so carefully cordoned off by such event (NNYM) in Regents Park he once, Judy Chicago could only have put artists and critics alike. One step over the suddenly felt that it was all too self- together one Dinner Party, (but which still

This issue of Performance Magazine has been reproduced as part of Performance Magazine Online (2017) with the permission of the surviving Editors, Rob La Frenais and Gray Watson. Copyright remains with Performance Magazine and/or the original creators of the work. The project has been produced in association with the Live Art Development Agency. an actor 's trick? After seeing three separate performances, I would say there are no tricks involved .... his brief experience with mime worked simply as a trigger to release something that was already there. His vulnerability .... he's always being asked for money in the streets (and he always gives it, apparently ) indicates a real time basis to his work. During some of his performance preparations, for example, he says he dreams of nothing but that perfor mance for the whole duration . And when talking to him one gets the contradictory feeling of a nice, normal chap, who just occasionally reveals the look of one who is haunted by his actions. He feels, he says, a responsibility towards those who come and see him. After the 'sadness' produced by 'What.. .. ' he decided to follow up with a piece called 'Hooray ', a deliberately positive work, with a celebration of colour, sound, movement, Photos above and on previous page from 'What do you mean by that' 1980. primitive art, himself. The audience came in in the dark with the TV switched on - exists), Stuart Brisley could only move on cornily by compared to a rebirth air and musak playing . Using a torch he to less adrenalin-exacting tasks (the hunter experience; he was not an 'individual directed them to their seats cinema style, becomes gatherer in his recent ICA piece), making meaning' but was himself being the chairs arranged in rows in the centre of Nuttall and the Boys could only have made reconstructed by the programmed the room. An audio tape played with the their drunken grass roots showbiz sequence of video images combined by the sound of space invaders, the now familiar outrageous waves at a certain time in those random series of objects (ordained by dice) concrete buzzes becoming one single hum . northern towns (an anachronism no longer themselves projecting their essence, Pure colour came on the video screen tolerated) . Those who are wise, wise down, hammering their symbolic nature on to the fading from red to yellow to blue. slow up or bum out. They wait for the next flesh of a performance artist. There was, if Hovering around the edges of the audience opportunity to walk the conceptual tight you like, something akin to a controlled Layzell started to put into motion a crude, rope in the glare of the high-expectation possession by these things, these apples, unseen programme of sensations. Starting critical spotlight, if it ever comes again in these dice. What at first seemed a standard with an audio joke using a slide projector their lifetime. conceptual exercise for myself, a rather - clicking slides monotonously lecture It is therefore exciting to come across by inconvenienced critic who was thinking of wise he started to syncopate with wooden accident, an artist at a high peak in that leaving at the earliest decent opportunity blocks clacking together. He then moved ephemeral medium of performance. It 's was transformed slowly into a gripping around the audience with the blocks in the usually a case of the one that got away; nine experience involving most of the public dark and the joke started to become threat , times out of ten one comes across people at present. So much so that Layzell, once the aggressive clacking putting people on the fag-end of their work attracting a made coherent by his gradual consumption edge. Then water sprayed from a hydrator, public which is drawn by previous notoriet y of a symbol-structure, was able to manip literally cooled people off and renewed the and mystique - only to drift away dis ulate, to play on the expectations of those sense of a joke as people slowly got wet. appointed and confused (maybe to in the room in a way that seemed fraught Then threat once more. Marbles thrown cultivate a re-infor ced prejudice against with risk. "That 's the end" , he announ ced. across the audience landing on the floor performance itself) . But with Richard Noit 'snot. Yesitis. No it isn't. The relation deafeningly . This time there was no relief Layzell, firing away most cylinders, it ship had changed. Layzell talked normally when they were followeci. by ping pong would seem, with a whole series of closely now, but no one trusted him. His flirta balls . Again, it was something, in a "quirk " time -linked performances starting with tion with incoherence, with temporal of Layzelll; innocent-psychotic nature that 'What do you mean by that?' and ending impotence became public and the audience put a whiff of fear into the air, as effective with the satisfyingly titled 'That's What I was slowly involved in the risks. He paced an implied physical threat as when Keith mean' there is a sense that he has been the room with a psychotic innocence , and James once walked around a pitch black caught at his best. forced those in the room to examine their room with a Black + Decker drill (Action A series of coincidences led me to see preconceptions . The performance ended Space 1976). Layzell switched on the light , Layzell for the first time quite uninten on an undecided note, as many of them a retina-s corching experien ce after 20 tionaly.. .. the first in the series - 'What seem to do . He said later that he felt that minutes of darkness, and calmly started to do you mean by That?' which was at Air the piece had produced sadness. bring himself into the experience where Gallery as part of the Video at Air season But Layzell's critics do have a basis for previously he had been an operator. He organised by London Video Arts. Basically their uneasiness, and he himself admits started making small sounds relating to concerned with semantics, it was dismissed that he is unsure about the way in which his things in the room and then to the room from .that point of view by Keith Frake in own personal character strongly conditions itself. He then painted his face red and blue Performance No. 10 in that it "included all a performance. He is able to empty and drew a circle of string around the the rubric essential for a serious investiga himself, to be a tool of a strictly imposed audience. Gaining coherence , he then read tion of meaning construction but fell time limit, or the foil of random events as slowly from a Ladybird Book called hopelessly into the old bourgeois camp that he does in later performances, but there is a SHAl>ES. He then talked on random perpetuates the notion that it is the strong delinquent element, flashes of pure subjects for five minutes, and finished the 'individual who makes meaning'. " I personality, that fuels his sudden ability to performance. (The talk was intended to disagree . Although Layzell managed in a make the public feel vulnerable. The key have no meaning - but feeling a sense of nervy, electric way, to slowly bring the may be in the way he is able to suddenly relief, people tended to find the speech whole audience into his personal feeling of strip down all the barriers - to present a amusing ). The main thing he felt was that clogged communication, a groping out of a blatantly vulnerable self-image. Some are people came out feeling good. In this case symbol-blindness that could almost suspicious - is he really doing this, or is it he had deliberatel y contrived it to be so, in

"What's Berman getting inwlved in this for?" many may have thought as the PT Barnum/Freddie Laker/John Bloom ( if you can remember back that far) of the subsidised arts awoke from slumber after years out of the spotlight; lurking in his million-pound Inter Action Art Centre grabbed from within snapping distance of the jaws of the recession.The old self-publicistwas certainly up to his tricks again. Ed Berman's Slunv Trial, the Artists' answer to Sir Roy Shaw's newly convenedStar Chamber ( metaphorcourtesy of Norman St John Stevas, ex-Minister of the Arts in a Sunday Times article criticisingthe way the Arts Council had misused the increased allocation that had, among other things cost him his job) would, like all good publicity stunts, either perfectly lacerateits target orfall flat on its face. It had a lot goingfor it. For a start, Berman had the active, willing and energeticsupport of a wide range of fellow artists (something that earlier ventures often lacked). Perhaps it was becauseof his willingness to put his head on the block along with everyone else; Inter-Action having had only a fraction of its corporatestructure cut along with theforty othercompanies at Christmas. He had much to loseand little to gain by aligning with the growing movementpressing for the reformof the Arts Council. Anyway, for a fortnight artists,journalists, celebrities,Arts Council members, moles, and employees,ex-Ministers of the Arts, blind musicians, dancers, mad poets, sane poets, lawyers, drunks and ordinarytaxpayers troopedin and out of the courtroomat the Tricycle Theatre, Kilburn, to give evidence, hear the various chargesand vote on the verdict. We tried to get along when we could, and in no particular order of time, report on some of the proceedings.

Personal vendettas between Counsel for Supposedly under trial were the Arts these established rivals were going to try to Prosecution and Defence are no stranger to Council 's policies of regionalism, and the make their points by merely flaunting the British courtroom , and this being the disproportionate allocations of funding to themselves around the ring as goodies and penultimate sitting of the trial, Counsel the few "National" companies. In reality baddies . From the start a mis-match was was prepared to forgo niceties and put a this had little bearing on the evening's pro obvious. How could the affably honest few pounds of their own flesh on the scales ceedings as learned Counsel traversed the Queensbury-rule Michael East be put in of justice in the hope of tipping the balance long and winding road beyond Contempt the same ring as the burly blathering, and in their favour. Counsel as personality cult and control. So it transpired that the below the belt Berman? This guy had been is a dangerous way of administering benevolently leering countenance of Judge known to demolish · two people between justice, but it has its appeal to the public Matheson looked down on a medium meals witho~t it affecting his appetite, gallery: the strutting ham-theatri cs of heavy-weight bout , East (prosecution) v. surely East would emerge from the bout as Counsel arouses a popular desire to see Berman (defence). a handful of prime mince? Ah, but then I which of them gets nailed, while the At the start of the first round, with East must have had a shrewd notion of his defendant remains an innocent by-stander. barely a punch hitting home, it seemed that judges - surely the British passion for

Saturday night, it is 7. lSpm and the bar is abuzz with courtroom speculation. Jose, ex People show, enters as if out of a nursery rhyme, preaching on the evils of unem ployment and the benefits of gardening. At the pitch of his expostulations he rips open the various bags of earth, lentils and beans that are strung around his chest, depos iting, the contents across the carpet. But what shows grow at the Tricycle ? In court two issues are at stake. Firstl y, that the AC unfairly discriminates against amateurs. Michael East, prosecuting, called Robin Howard to testify. As director of the Place he confirmed that it and Extempo rary Dance began without support from the AC. Berman, passionately defending the AC as though it might bring back his lost grant, based his case on the survival of the good and that the AC couldn't sponsor all and sundry. Celia Greenwood gave evidence for the prosecution and we saw some of her young people from the Week end Arts College: Fusion , a motley crew of most unlikely looking dancers, humani sed a space invaders machine with surprising delicacy and professionalism. The cross examination of David Wright , Director of the National Youth Theatre, by Berman Top: 'Save the Albany Empire' - handing over petition/protest at Arts Council, degenerated into fatuous argum ent - Piccadilly, Lond on on May 19th 1981. Below: The cross-examination. Wright , childlike, refusing to answer directly and the judge, half asleep So, there we all were, having a quiet, He snatches the fucking drink and declining to control the proceedings . The civilized drink in the Tr icycle Bar (great throws it in Prick Face's face. Prick Face AC was found guilty; after all how could garlic bread, by the way) when the door gets up wearily while his friends all make the young, aspiring, not-yet professional flies open and in bursts one of the biggest soothing 'sit down, Nigel' noises. Ken survive against such discrimination? As blokes I've ever seen in my life. And he is Black, the theatre manager, enters and rips most nights, the entertainment fluctuated upl;et. Very upset. off his clothes. "This is a job for Captain between hilarious, tedious and interesting . "You!" a quiveri ng, bemuscled finger Reasonable " he mollifies, escorting the Lord Eric amused with a twisted fable and stabs in the general direction of an aesthet entertainment from the premises. John Dowie cut the yawns with his caustic ic young man. " I want you outside! There is a moment of silence then every and pornographic wit. Outside! I'm talkin g to you, prick face!" one starts talking at once. The second issue developed more (Prick Face was in little or no doubt as to "Best bit of performance art I've seen all seriously : that the AC permits exploita whom the remarks were addressed. ) night." tion of its grants for commercial advan "Yes, you! Fuck features," he qualifies. "Who directed it?" tage. The debate settled around Rob "Outside. I'm calling you out! " "Anybody know who his agent is?" Walker and the transfer of Pal Joey to the Calling you out? I ponder. Bit archaic I have a sneaking suspicion that this guy West End. The Half Moon director, given that, don't you think? Bit Scarlet Pimper does this to somebody different every special privileges by the Judg e's winks , nel, wouldn't you say? night. At random. I have a secondary declared that the AC, despite the guide The Furious Man, who entered with sneaking suspicion that it's probably my lines set out in 1979, should assist smaller steam billowing out of the top of his head, turn next. companies who are more easily taken for a is now getting REALLY cross. My involvement with "Show Trial " was financial ride. Observer critic, Robert "On your feet, pillock brain! " limited to four or five short performances Cushman, pulled himself on stage to point Pillock brain declines the offer. This mid -trial. The rest of the time I sat at the out that subsidies exist for audiences not does not make the Furious Man happy. bar . So what else was of interest? theatres . East, quietly impressive, proved "On your fucking feet!" he screams. Well, every night, Jose, ex-People Show his point, while Berman, lost for words for "On your fucking feet, you little fucking person, upset several members of the once, never quite came down off his high fart. Want your fucking drink in your Tricycle staff by emptying a bucket of peat horse. Natural Dance terminated the fucking face? You'll fucking get your onto the carpeted floor. Except for the last evening with a mediocre performance. fucking drink in your fucking face, you night when, in a gesture of benevolence, he Paul K. Lyons jumped up fuckin g little FUCKER! " emptied his bucket ON TO THE

This issue of Performance Magazine has been reproduced as part of Performance Magazine Online (2017) with the permission of the surviving Editors, Rob La Frenais and Gray Watson. Copyright remains with Performance Magazine and/or the original creators of the work. The project has been produced in association with the Live Art Development Agency. "I'm the working class answer to Shake speare . That's my job ... We haven't been REVIEWS cut - I can't look other left wing theatre Station House Opera groups companies in the eyes ... " Air Gallery Film of violence on the streets of Belfast Sedition 81 comes next, accompanied by Wurlitzer music, and then on to a confrontation with "The erroneously carried out action is Old Half Moon a representative of 'Taxpayers against specially suited to express self-reproach" Public Expenditure' played by Muldoon. said Freud in the Psychopathology of Theatre of hate screams the News of the Muldoon is a sort of comic genius, and the Everyday Life. The faulty, accidental or World while for Roland Muldoon and ad production, despite its many strengths, repressed action has for Station House ministrator Warren Lakin fending off the can never entirely escape being a showcase Opera been a way of expressing a world media and vocal Tory backbenchers be for his own talents, even though, apart governed by unreason, in which the comes virtually a full time job. The show from his one-man show 'Full Confessions inversion of convention and the denial of that has caused all the fuss is 'Sedition '81 ', of a Socialist' which won him an OBIE in expectation harbour a barely concealed commissioned at the end of 1980 by Belt New York last year and played in San paranoia. Although there is a tendency to and Braces who needed a touring produc Francisco and Theatrespace, 'Sedition '81' label this kind of anti-realism Absurd tion on the road, but revived under the is the first CAST show Muldoon has per Theatre, Station House Opera are closer in CAST banner at the end of March this year formed in for a couple of years. spirit to the novels of Thomas Pynchon when Belt and Braces' Arts Council grant than Ionesco and Adamov. Ionesco's was withdrawn. debunking of bourgeois theatrical conven Roland Muldoon has of course long tions is miles away from Station House earned his prominence in establishment Opera's highly personal group improvisa demonology . Chroniclers of the alternative tion work. Although Station House Opera theatre movement tend to pinpoint 1968 may now be creating a post-Anthony. and the opening of Jim Haynes ' Arts Lab Howell type of group performance, they as the year in which the fringe was born. are not so intent on setting themselves But even further back in the mists of time, against a preceeding generation of as long ago as 1965, Roland and Claire performance and alternative theatre. Their Muldoon had formed the original agit ·work should not be seen as a reaction prop company CAST. Through the against the illusionism of mainstream intervening years as governments have theatre or the mannerism of recent per come and gone, society has changed, wars formance, but as a response to the post have been lost and won, CAST (Cartoon modernist spirit of inclusiveness and Archetypal Slogan Theatre ) has remain!!d a discontinuity. constantly irritating thorn scratching the Wittengenstein's notion of language skin of the establishment. It may not have being an autonomous activity (as opposed left any scars but it is significant that, in to the end-governed disposition of over a decade and a half, it has never before activities such as cooking and knitting) has attracted the hostility and fear that become a convenient (and at times fairly surrounds it now. banal) paradigm for talking about the On the original tour of Sedition '81 the arbitrariness of rule-systems or the thin production played in many venues unused dividing line between the abnormal and to CAST shows, and for Belt and Braces, The wnung is essentially a series of normal. Station House Opera in their themselves unused to 'a bit of straight agit monologues. Some are performed by Mul recent untitled piece at the Air Gallery(an prop', it was rather an uncharacteristic doon in his persona of the 'crazed red drug all-blue piece) use the notion of the show. With a company reduced from seven fiend on an Arts Council grant', others by language-game to create a burlesque on to five including Claire Muldoon and with him in more obviously adopted roles, some family life. Wittgenstein's language-game a reworked script, the second tour was un by other members of the company. Songs, is a theory of use. Station House Opera put compromisingly a CAST production. sketches and the picaresque stories of the language to work in a humorous way in Much of the controversy that the show dope-fiend himself link things together situations of conflict and unease. Each has attracted has focussed on particularly with Ray Meredith, once of Counteract, player seems to be living out his or her 'outrageous' episodes such as the passing brought into the company as Musical psychotic life at the expense of others. of joints amongst the audience and the be Director, his talents well exploited if People issue commands or make heading of the Queen on stage, as well as poorly integrated into the show. sudden demands: "I want sex" shouts an on the more general principle of whether There has been a recent return to agit American lady with a shaved head, but the state should subsidise a theatre prop of a very limited campaigning kind there is no reply; people refuse to do what company avowed to undermining it. with the anti-nuclear theatre groups, but others ask of them. The most repeated For 'Sedition '81' is, as its title makes the agit-prop ihat was so much a part of the language-game is the disclaimer: "I am not clear, an undisguisedly seditious show, its late sixties and early seventies is very much a removal man" someone says in response denouncement of the status quo so radical a lost form, and Roland ('I'm so far left wing to being asked to move one of the props. A and undiscriminating as to allow Tony I've been round twice') Muldoon and his man sits on a chair and it collapses into its Benn and Red Ladder ('socialism step by troupe are perhaps its last exponents, constitutive pieces. "I am not a carpenter" step' ) to be attacked with as much vigour as reason enough for their elevation into the he says disowning it as object and concept Margaret Thatcher and Teddy Taylor. It is Arts Council pantheon alongside Shakes as it lies scattered on the floor. Games with a ramshackle affair and its politics, a warm peare, but no solution to the dilemma of a words, games with objects Station House and deafening fart of frustration, are anar company dedicated to the overthrow of the Opera offer us a mixture of vaudeville, (in chistic and garbled , but that is all to the State accepting the patronage of that State Natural Disasters the humour was very good after the formula solutions so often to further its work. As the show's closing physical, knock about stuff) and mental trotted out. This is pier-end political number makes clear that conflict is irrec gymnastics. Most of the new piece was taken theatre billed as 'New Variety' and oncilable: "Don't come to me for any up with games in the bedroom: sexual opening with a bravura stand-up routine answers" sing the cast as they exhort their fantasy and farce. from Muldoon, partly improvised night by audience to bite the hand that feeds them. The imagery was based on biFth. Props night, as he passes the notorious joint: Luke Dixon were divided along a womb/phallus con-

This issue of Performance Magazine has been reproduced as part of Performance Magazine Online (2017) with the permission of the surviving Editors, Rob La Frenais and Gray Watson. Copyright remains with Performance Magazine and/or the original creators of the work. The project has been produced in association with the Live Art Development Agency. junction. The piece began with two figures pected fringe initiator for an acknowledged wrestling in bed. On the other side of the woman performer, suggested a concerted room two figures emerged from under look. neath a table, later on they emerged from Climbing up the raked seating blocks in underneath a carpet. Towards the end the the downstairs theatre, one looked down American lady was rolled up in a carpet. In into an elegant tableau revealing a sleeping an Oedipal fantasy sequence a girl gave Elizabeth. While Schubert 's "Death and birth to a red-faced Julian Maynard Smith. the Maiden" played quietly, the mood of a People pop out of things, pop into things. still life drew the audience back in time In another sequence two men and a woman while allowing them to appreciate the seated at a table, writhing like figures in sensual qualities of the setting-:-- the gauze the Laocoon, drink water from a bottle and drape over the bed, the polished wood of squirt it into each others mouth . the few sticks of furniture , the brass kettle But what does this aesthetic of - "it's steaming over a spirit lamp - all neatly not what it is it' s what you make it" - isolated from the everyday world and amount to? Where does it leave the viewer? established within the idiom of a studio The success of Natural Disasters rested on theatre setting. its allegorical dimension, which brought to At last, Elizabeth awakes and agonising the hot-house atmosphere of eight people ly reveals her condition, alone and racked locked up inside some fin de siecleboarding with tubercular pneumonia. She comes house or hotel, the power of dream. The forward to the audience, her awareness of new piece, albeit shorter in length and our presence turning us into dumb , com smaller in scope, lacked that total, placent witnesses of her plight. Hurtfull y, disarming dimension - what the viewer she rebukes us, sometimes mocks us until , got was a sequence of occasionally locked inevitably in her fate, she screams homorous , occasionally arresting her horror which we must accept on behalf vignettes . Robert Wilson - who has had of the world. However, she is open to our juxt aposed selections belong to a tradition an enormous influence on this type of per presence and moves closer to us, enter oth er than the theatre Tzara, formance - has taken the Cage aesthetic, taining us with routines and anecdotes Schwitters, Rauschenberg - the English dropped the Zen and homespun affects, from her stage repertoire only to fall dis connection being "the raid on the inarti and given it an operatic form. Like Cage enchanted into solitary musings . culate" but without Eliot's defeatist mur and Wilson Station House Opera short The style is realism but the spectacle is mu rings . circuit meaning , preferring to engage an illusion. Despite a powerful and skilled Laura is casual but direct, unsmiling, with that shadowy area between sense and performance by Patti Bee, one sees an almost severe. Her performance is the disorder . For Cage that was always a moral actress perform and the romantic element s focusing of a personality to convey an activity : by refusing the comforts of order of horror and despair become titillation s atti tude of resigned ruggedness that takes he felt he was somehow closer to the music instead of a confrontation for the audien ce imperative precedence over the many faces of the spheres - nature in the manner of with their own mortality. Clearly the inten which one can turn towards the world . ..A .. her operation. That meant an increased tion was to give Patti Bee a vehicle for her reaction spreads around the audience, responsibility for the viewer. For Wilson own performance . But was the stumbling actively grouped in their three rings. A that increased responsibility meant time block the rich , dense imagery of Poe's text turbulent imagery resonates around and for the viewer to fantasize while his obstructing the per sonal touch that one about, so close that, as plates smash and marathon work s drifted on . Reverie in the might have hoped for from this performer water cascades, a disquieting fear creeps viewer is not a state Station House Opera or was it the falling between two stools of a aroun d the audience as they witness the induce or want to induce . What they have conventional theatre setting and personal feminisatio n of the Trinity and the Trans created for themselves, to return to Freud, expressionism ? formatio n of the Holy Hostess . An is a theatre of psychopathology (they call Jail Warehouse 's starting premi se seems irrational world invades the studio theatre, it "behavioural expressionism" ) which is as only too conventional - interpreting an an enclave otherwise providing entertain- compelling as it is confusing. The viewer is original scripted text . However, the stool like the visitor to the madhouse - proves to be not for sitting on. Re-entering disturbed, humoured, but occasionally the same space a week later, the end-on pulled up short by moments of strange rake has been divided and arranged along both walls. the aisle stand three ringed beauty and truthfulness. In John Roberts areas , defined by the curvilinear fragment s of a scrapyard. No 1 contain s a table of saucers precariously stacked , No 2 a Patti Bee, smouldering brazier and No 3 an amor Laura Gilbert phous bundle labelled "Heaven" . Im Oval House pressions of a circus , the nightwatch and a .ludicrous tea service abound. "Her faded, soiled and tattered costumes, The lighting box has been pressed in to her props and costumes hung about the service as a performance area where Derek room and close to her was a small chest Wilson operates the technics of light and containing a few letters and the shabby sound. Ensconced in his aerial orchestra clothes of her infants." This description of pit, his attitude transcends his total con Elizabeth Poe's deathbed suggested to centration, his relationship with the events Peter Oliver devising a piece for Patti unwinding before him becoming one of a Bee portraying Elizabeth while speaking sculptor moving his maquettes toward s an texts written by her son, Edgar Allan Poe. optimum grouping. Laura Gilbert appear s Either by chance or design, the next week and marshalls the audience into the three at Oval House saw Jail Warehouse per areas. Nuttall's prose unroll s - the forming a piece specially written for Laura anecdotal incidents concerning the thr ee Gilbert by Jeff Nuttall. The proximity of ringed circus, Zarda Sarprist i, the failed the two pieces, each written by a well res- nun with her three wheeled pram . His Laura Gilbert

This issue of Performance Magazine has been reproduced as part of Performance Magazine Online (2017) with the permission of the surviving Editors, Rob La Frenais and Gray Watson. Copyright remains with Performance Magazine and/or the original creators of the work. The project has been produced in association with the Live Art Development Agency. ment and release from its contradictions and tensions. The curious and inevitable goings-on of the world are presented with no room for refutation. As one faces up to this stern offering, one learns to look anew with shared intrigue as the charted design achieves an ascendancy over the wayward events of the everyday and reinforces human capacity, if not to understand, then to accept. The two pieces proved to be greatly apart in ,iheir concerns. On the one hand was a surreal journey into a world which, far from providing escapist release, focussed attention · on immediate conditions and on the other was humani tarian concern for solo anguish in the face of death. But both contained a genuine quality of experience that owes nothing to today's spurious notions or to funding Andre Stitt written in telephone numbers. This quality is owed to the activities of a handful sequences. And so it was that I found of people working with humility and The underlying N. Ireland/Belfast myself on this wet and windy night in a honesty. conflict also added further to the pot - cold, muddy tent in Battersea Park Phil Hyde pourri of emotional and objective respon winding a piece of pink bog roll (supplied) ses the audience could feel. In the end it around my right index finger, alternatively Andre Stitt was not so much the aspect of changing gabbling gibberish and dabbing my eyes identities and political conflicts that with the pointed end. Filmakers Coop claimed the day but a vision of humilia This is what to do, we were told, 'when tion, self-degredation and anger. This did you want to make someone feel really I have not seen any work by Andre Stitt not reveal itself as a specific response to a guilty and confused - and you want to say prior to his performance at the London situation (to Belfast for example ) but was goodbye to them.' Film Co-op last month, and aside from of a personal and wider nature. The two I'm not too sure about this kind of knowing that he had studied at the Art moments when this came over strongly was audience involvement in their show. It College in Belfast, knew nothing about when Stitt left the circle to deliver a tirade seems to be slotted in as a rather token him. He is in fact living and working in of personal anger, from the standpoint of gesture - as when we were later handed London now and 'Dogs in Heat' was the making a political speech - into a micro plastic cups with straws in order to make last of a series of performances function phone and eventually smashing his hand our own music because the musician was ing under the general trade mark of into a footlight (which had an unfortunate feeling 'isolated' and needed some AKSHUN MAN TRIXTER CYCLE. calculated air to it). The second example support. The nature of the performance was was a very powerful piece of performance . The 'Opera' dealt with the nature of ritualistic and involved the use of many This was when Stitt scampered like a dog women using symbolism from nature, symbolic objects/props. The underlying on all fours around and on the edge of the myths and legend . The characters included purpose of the performance was to circle (a thin line of red/purple powder and the 'Child Queen ' representing the state examine the nature of changing identities, mud shaped like excrement) to the sound propped up by unquestioning tradition; as illustrated in the American Indian of dogs howling and whimpering. the domesticated and repressed 'Owl' who Trixter Cycle of myths. The performance Despite my criticisms, I felt no desire to finally grows wings to fly free of her failed to do this, the juxtaposition of the walk out on the performance (no one else mundane nest; the hyper-sensitive para soldier in Northern Ireland with that of the did either). The performance was never noid 'Fabulous Beast' ; and the 'Tree' American Indian being portrayed as the boring and even though it never 'rose' to representing knowledge and under - 'noble savage' was confusing and itself it contained some powerful standing. _ detracted one from any universal theme moments. The soundtrack, a collage of I was happy to see that they were to con that may have been present. The final some amazing Indian percussion music, cern themselves with the theme of women. transition in the series of soldier-noble short wave radio transmissions and dis Watching their Christmas Show at The savage was that of an old man who made his tortion held the performance together in an Tricycle I felt they had a lot to say about way out of the 'magic' circle that had interesting manner . I feel that we will see women but were dealing with a subject contained most of the action clasping a more of Stitt's work in the near future. (nuclear war) which was only secondary to white walking stick. Which brings me to a Risks are an important part of performance their real interests and thus weakened the further point relating to the clarity of the work and Stitt is prepared to take them but performance. performance. I am not a believer in sim if you do invite an audience they cannot be At Battersea I have to admit that the pro plicity for its own sake but neither do I expected to mind-read the artist's gramme notes made much more sense of believe that by crowding in innumerable intentions, and a bridge must be built by the performance than I could ever have . objects or props (which in the general the artist that communicates them . done on my own but, as with much of this ritualistic aura of the · performance, leads Roger Ely kind of performance, there were several the spectator to believe that they carry a sequences of incredible power which used symbolic significance) are of any use to any Cunning Stunts simplicity to force the impact. central aim the artist may have unless they There was some wonderfully absurd fortify the myth or emotional tide of the The Tent, Battersea imagery as when the tyrannical Child performance. The audience may well, as Queen slowly tried and succeeded to grow Stitt commented afterwards, derive their Cunning Stunts' style of performance up and 'stand on her own two feet', -some own meanings from the collection at hand echoes that of the circus - mixing nar what hampered by unwieldy six-inch stilts but on the whole audiences are to be played rative with acrobatics, mime and dance , strapped to the end of her legs. Much of the to - not involved in a symbolic quiz game. and the inevitable 'audience participation ' strength of the show lay in these moments

This issue of Performance Magazine has been reproduced as part of Performance Magazine Online (2017) with the permission of the surviving Editors, Rob La Frenais and Gray Watson. Copyright remains with Performance Magazine and/or the original creators of the work. The project has been produced in association with the Live Art Development Agency. which successfully de-theatricalises the character really only ?Ofeet away or a care setting, the first film sequence establishes fully preconceived celluloid image? Surely the sense of period - the Blues Age, the that doll's facial expression has altered? Harlem culture of the first half of this "Schizophrenic" is a much abused and century. misunderstood word and I, and I suppose Two projectors are perched on a suitcase Tong and Geduldig, wouldn't presume to downstage - no pretensions, no overt offer a definition, but certainly all those IJ 0er statement, "this is a show". From there we connotations of half-life, split personality, s are led into the sequence of thirteen Billie dream world are present in this show in a s: Holliday songs, with Tong as the lip compelling format; Frankie and Johnnie Q sticked, black sheathed lady herself. Such merge and divide, Tong is both in drag and ~ dialogue as there is tends to be elliptical, straight, Geduldig is a partner and an of black comedy. snatches that register images and impres opponent, film is theatre is film. But the most powerful sequence in the sions - other phrases drifting by without Winston Tong and Bob Geduldig are show, a sequence that I found both effect. This element of fleeting imagery is purveyors of a powerful and thought rivetting and disturbing - and therefore also apparent in the songs. Though provoking experience. If Frankie and highly effective - was when five of the presumably structured in a deliberate Johnnie done it wrong, Tong and Geduldig women came in balancing 5 ft sticks in the fashion it is never easy to follow a narrative done it right. palms of their hands. line. This could, of course, lead to a dis Martin Lamb This simple balancing act said much tracting, jarring, muddled impression, but about the nature of women - maintain whilst Tong and Geduldig obfuscate any ing the object of balance by compensating areas that seem like sinking into meeting Steve Cripps themselves. But this role suddenly audience expectations, there is no sense of changed and the sticks became weapons, frustration. It is this continuous blurring Acme Gallery the focus of the womens' faces moving of the lines between theatre and film, life from concentration solely on the sticks out and art, mirror and reality, male and Explosives are not readily associated with ward to the audience and, one supposes, female that makes the piece fascinating. It creativity. In fact aside from their liberal the rest of society. The unity of this stark is most successful, more through novelty use within the confines of the theatre world sequence, performed with honesty, was (though I don't mean that perjoratively) and their presence within the more creative quite moving. than anything else, in two aspects. firework displays, the reverse is true . Ex But, as a whole, I wasn't happy with the First, the film switches to back projec plosives produce death, injury, shock and show - too many good and bad bits. The tion and Tong/Hollip.ay walks through the at best are noisy and smelly. So it comes as lengths of the individual sections may have screen, enacts sequences on both sides, a surprise to find an artist using such been short and snappy, but all too often the sometimes in silhouette, sometimes in materials as his primary medium of content was not. Perhaps this means they shadow, with a half-screen image, with a expression. need to work together for a longer period of full-screen image, sometimes in counter The artist in question is Steve Cripps, a time, or perhaps it means they need to re point to a smaller image inset into a half past student from the Bath Academy of think their performance technique. There screen image. Woven into this is some Arts and now a full time fireman. Seeming is plenty of individual talent in the effective corner lighting creating huge sil ly Cripps had been attracted to explosives company but it is not drawn together houettes on the auditorium walls, or an from an early age but the notion of using tightly enough to fulfil its potential. enveloping venetian blind effect. such material as a vehicle for expression Liz Stolls Secondly, from a suitcase Tong/ did not occur to him until he left college. If Holliday produces two three feet high dolls you are looking for historical precedents of amazing verisimilitude. His manipula for such a medium then they are few and far Winston Tong and Bruce tion of them is so precise, so careful and between - perhaps Tinguely (whose Geduludig demands an acute focussing on the part of influence Cripps acknowledges). In the Chapter, Cardiff the viewer. This quality of attention was, end you have to evaluate the effect of his for me, the hallmark of the show. performances on ·you in reference to other Throughout the piece Tong and Geduldig media and real life situations. Before this Quite by chance before this show I was dis posed questions in the minds of the last series of performances at the Acme I cussing with a friend the relative attrac audience. Is that character a film image, or had only seen Cripps perform once and tions of film and live theatre to the viewer. behind or in front of the screen? Is this that was in the company of musician/ Not unnaturally she, trained in film performers - Anne Bean and Paul making, felt the screen image could Burwell. This performance took place at involve the audience more; and I, trained the London Musicians collective in April in theatre, swayed the other way. and for performers perhaps more After seeing Winston Tong and Bruce musically orientated - it was a surprising Geduldig's show, I have to admit to a ly theatrical and visually exciting per certain shift of stance. Frankie and Johnnie formance. The event entitled 'The Fall of mixes film and theatre in a quite extra Babylon' featured a slightly more subdued ordinary way, blurring the lines between performance from Cripps but also high the two artforms, continually surprising lighted his ability to bend and distort the and jolting the viewer, providing an hour audience's perception of the event through of compelling entertainment and many a series of earth-rending blasts and hours of after-thought. blinding flashes of light. Sub-titled, a 'live' movie, a study in lip Cripp's piece at the Acme produced a stick and gunpowder of the half-life of a much more stoic and excessive demonstra schizophrenic as confessed to Winston tion. The mood of the piece was minimal and Tong and Bruce Geduldig', the show's not theatrical in nature. He used a variety framework is the American blues ballad of explosive devices ranging from Jumping 'Frankie and Johnnie' and the songs of Jacks, Crow Scarers to Maroons and the Billie Holliday. After a deliberately laid assorted flash powders and Gerbs (a type of back opening of preparation, stage Roman Candle) all of which were used for dressing and half-heard off-stage chat their particular sound and visual qualities.

Cripps

'MAKING UP GLASGOW'

A PERFORMANCE BY CATHERINE ELWES

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOYCE AGEE

AT TH I RD EYE, GLAS GOW

MAY 9, 1981

I last visited Glasgow in 1975 when I was employed by a large TV company as a trainee make-up artist or make-up girl or powder puff girl depending on how you look at it ••• We were all women, with a man at the helm, of course ••• A servicing department, you see •••

'Miss Elwes, you must understand that if you want , to do this job effectively, you need nothing short of a vocation. You will be working irregular and unsocial hours. We issue fortnightly work schedules and reserve the right to amend them at a moment's notice. If a girl goes sick on a night shoot and there's no-one to cover for her, we might just have to get you out of bed at 3 in the morning! You cannot expect to maintain a full social life out side the corporation. No leave is guaran teed. Most of the girls mix with other members of staff. Its really impossible for people outside to understand the necessity for this kind of flexibility. 'Catherine, where is your overall?' ••• In the Incidentally, do you have a steady boyfriend? ••• ' studio, only make-up girls wear overalls - like nurses and cleaners and canteen women •••

'The versatile anonymity demand' •• We were Two horsemen break across the silver sands as mother, sister, friend, lover, nanny, whore, evening closes in •• agitating manes •• thudding psychiatrist, confessor, confidante •••• hooves ••• Ah, its moments like that ••••

It was a very hot July afternoon and the actors and extras were suffering terribly in their heavy costumes. We were all being plagued by clegs - the horses in particu lar attracted these unpleasant insects.The filming involved some tricky work and things weren't going too well •• The horses were becoming difficult to handle and va rious stunts had to be abandoned. I was in my element cutting the throats of a do zen English soldiers, the victims of an ambush. Blood and Gore were something of a speciality of mine and I carefully cal culated how the blood would have spurted from the severed jugular, where it would have spilled given the angle of the sol dier's fall etc. I was so absorbed in this The crash of breaking hearts was deafening gory task that I didn't notice the group as lightning location romances disolved in of horses grazin g nearby nor the props the heat of the next show •••• guy who was trying to swat the flies from their flanks. As I rea ched my third soldier, a powerful leg suddenly lashed out. The props guy caught it right on the jaw and landed at my feet. I looked downo His lips were mouthing soundless words, his eyes stared and his whole body was shaking un controllably. "Mm, the blow fell on the upper part of his jaw, possibly breaking some teeth, certainly fracturing his jaw and causing severe concussion. There must be a great deal of internal damage. Ah yes, here comes the blood •• " Thump. Another body fell at my feet. The director had fain ted. His view of the situation suddenly invaded my imagina tion and I started to panic. Someone took charge and orde red me to get water. Greatly relieved, I did what I was told •• The props guy spent two months in hospital with his jaw wired up and I was generally congratulated for the realism of m manufactured wounds.

In the three odd years I was employed in this manner, I failed to make a single entry in my diary. For me, this constitutes a stunned silence •••

BIRMINGHAM July 30, 31. Performing Arts Factory a private view' . August 20, 21, 22. Birmingham Arts Lab presents Circus Sacrifice, a solo Martin Ives. Performance. The Acme is performance by Nick Birkinshaw closing down this autumn. This focus Info 021 359 4192 (ex-Moving Being). for visual performance work of the not July 15, 16, 17. Lizzie Cox, Somerset. August I. Terminus Cafe. First in a easily clasifiable kind will be sorely In the sunlight the sheep glow orange monthly series of monthly music/ missed, and it is to be hoped that others amidst the stubble of a harvested field. performance cabarets along the lines of will rise to take its place. It is planning a Soon the bright colour will be washed 'Cabaret Futura '. final performance season in the autumn away in the outburst of rain that has August 13-15. Bite Theatre Group. Bite with Bruce Lacey and Jill Bruce been so long awaited, and for an hour Back, In Memory Now. (September 4-20) and Stuart Brisley will the annual cycle of life in the Somerset August 20-22. New Arts Consort . do the final show at the Acme field will be recreated in visual collage, Punishment by Roses - A Paean for (September 28-0ctober 10). dance and music. (Performance No. 11) Yukio Mishima . Also check Cardiff August 6, 7, 8, 9. Towards The Celestial Festival for other performances around Action Space City . A theatrical pilgrimage from Cardiff . Info 0222 39061. Info 01 637 8270 (Drill Hall) purgatory to paradise . An epic journey Was cut by the Arts Council at of spiritual and architectural rediscovery. EDINBURGH Become a pilgrim for an evening. Join Christma s, but is fighting back and has Phil Grimm and friends as they voyage Edinburgh Festival Fringe. now managed to re-open for workshops, through the undiscovered canal system classes and hire of space (phone above 031 226 5257 for details) The Cafe has also re-opened, of Birmingham in search of the celestial Edinburgh Festival Fringe takes place city. A ship-board continuously moving providing a welcome meeting place for in August/September and the following artists in London. Donations and performance by British Events, Luke performance groups, artists, etc. will be Dixon and friends. (Boats leave at eight). messages of support to 16 Chenies St performing around the city at various London WCI. times too numerous and complex to list. BRISTOL Phone the above number for details. Air Gallery Info 01 278 7751 Arnolfmi Gallery Acme Acting, the Bogden Club, Cafe London Video Arts (Info also 734 7410) Graffitti, Dog Company, Eureka Events . July Jill Scott (US) Videotapes Info 0272 299191 Ensemble Theatre (US), Impact Theatre, and talk . July 16 Simon Power. Unt il 4 July Festival of Improvised The Graeae, Jack Klaff, Lumiere and Performance. July 23-24, 30, 31. Music , organised by Bristol Musicians Son, National Theatre of Brent, Student Shows. Co-op continues . Music, Dance and Tamagara Dance and Drama, Traverse Sound environments. Theatre, Wildcat Theatre, New Arts Cabaret Futura. (Ann Bean Until August 1 Fashion and Fantasy, an Consort , Walter Bartussek, Christiane & Hermine Presents:) ambitious jewellery exhibition will Matti (Switzerland) Madhouse Company include performances 'wearing' the and Friends, Medieval Players, Info 01 242 3007 jewellery on the quayside. (See Cliffhanger, Lunar Tricks, Moving Stop Press. The new Cabaret Futura , Performance No. 8 - Tom Saddington - Picture Mime Show, Roger McGough, run by Anne Bean and Hermine, has Cigarette Packet Performance for the Brian Patten , lvor Cutler, Bryony had to move temporarily to The Screen kind of scope they envisage). Lavery 's Female Trouble. Some of the on the Green, London (See our feature above will be taking part in a Street this issue) because of a sudden closure of BRIGHTON Theatr e day on August 23rd, and Acme the Latin Quarter (after 23 years!) Acting will be performing in Edinburgh June 29: Last night in the series. The Richmond (Pub) homes for the duration on request by Matchbox Purveyors, David Medalla - Info 0273 506389 phoning the above number. Opera, Charlie Pig and Charles Every Thursday, New Wave, Hustwick - (Synaptic Realist Tie Compan y), Archie 2, Hermine , Terry Performance Art , Jazz etc. (Performers GLASGOW Day & Maggie Nichols, Mike Coopers wanted phone Neil Butler at above number ). July 2 Roger Ely, Birds with Third Eye Centre Video Band, A Popular History of Signs, The Prom enaders - (Paul Burwell, Loi Ears . Info 041 332 7521 Puppet Festival: August 13 Whisper and Coxhill, Max Eastley, David Toop, Shout, Derek Carpenter, August 14 Steve Beresford, Peter Cusak) A CARDIFF Gordon Hunter 's Carpetbag Puppets, crowded evening! Chapter Arts Centre Phil Spellacy Company. August 15 Heaven (Final Solution) Info 0222 39061 Canadian Folk Puppets, Black Box Info 014391907 Puppets. August 20 Barry Smith's Night Moves, run by the Final Solution July 3. Henri Chopin . The originator of Theatre of Puppets. August 22 'Poesie Sonore' performing and music promoti on outfit, continues the Masquerade Theatre of Puppet s. exhibiting his text-sound and visual Richard Strange format of Cabaret poetry. Futura at the Heaven Disco on Monday July 18 Robin Williamson. Ex member LONDON nights The Event Group (see feature of Incredible String Band who has photo ) are among the regular Acme Gallery performance groups appearing . Heaven developed poetic and theatrical elements Info 01 240 3047 in his work into this solo performance is under the arches beneath Charing which incorporates theater, music, story, July 20-August 8. Tony Sinden. Cross station , London . song and legend in the same bardic Performance s entitled 'Space Between tradition exemplified by Yeats, Dylan Oblique Space Beyond' Subtitle: ICA Info 01 930 0493 Thomas and Robert Graves. 'Dialogu e between an upstairs room and Until July 11. Ella, by Herbert

C has already produced and place in Info 01 738 3354 B repetoire Hastings - The Fatal Arrow, July 9-August 2. War With The Newts, 0 Oh Edgehill!, Bosworth A Kingdom for ~ Ken Campbell's latest production, ci a Horse, Khatoum - End of a Dynasty adapted from the science fiction satire by Cl 0 or Revenge of the Mahdi?, and Harfleur Karel Capek. The performance includes a:: - A Royal Seige. Includes ILEA Ella a full size inhabited by giant newts who approved visual aids. threaten to destroy mankind and take August 4-9 Theatr Provisorium (Poland) (All at ICA). The Performance Magazine over the world, and a live onstage TV It is not for us to Travel to the Islands will provide a full report of LIFT in the studio, in which the seven performers of Happiness. next issue. impersonate every conceivable TV and August 4-16 Cuatrotablas (Grotowski political personality including David based company from Peru) Wanderind Jacksons Lane Bellamy, Esther Rantzen, Russell Harty, and Sleeplessness. Info 01 340 5226 Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, August 11-16. Het Werktheater July 3 Belinda Neave. Solo dance. Michael Foot, Margaret Thatcher, (Holland ) One of Them. July 12 Claire Hayes. Solo dance. Wedgewood Benn, Enoch Powell, Ian August 18-23. Actual Music 81. Paisley, Dennis Healey, Edward Heath, London Film-makers Co-op Clement Freud, Morecombe and Wise, London International Festival Info 01 586 4806 Donald Sinden, Max Wall, Robin Day of Theatre Info 01 222 4891 July 6-11. Performance and installation and Malcolm Muggeridge . Taking place from August 3-16 at summer show. Artists include. Fiona various venues around London, Wire - video installation, Paul Jackson - Theatre Space Info 836 2035 including street work. Phone above performance, Marion Urch - Slide/Tape July 14. Watch This Space. Until July number for details of specific events, or installation, Lulu Quinn - Film 12 - New International Theatre . The write to LIFT, Box UP, 78 Buckingham installation 'What Are You Looking At?' Onion. Performance group known for Gate, London SW 1. Also open Dave Parsons - installation. improvised work: Turning, Still Turning discussions and workshops. The LIFT performed last summer. Also - Theatre Box Office is at the Festival Centre at London Musicians Collective Space Festival at St. Martins-in-the the Piccadilly Hotel, London Wl. This Info 01 722 0456 Field . Theatre Space has a widely varied is a list of some of the events, venues July 3 Siran Savaskan and Sarah Carter and closely packed programme of short included. Grupo de Teatro Macuaima July 9 Paul Burwell, Terry Day, Peter run performances, usually booked at (Brazil) Lyric Theatre, Suasana Theatre Cusak and others. late notice, to give new work a chance. Ensemble (Malaysia) Shaw Theatre, July 16 Obstacles, and others . Phone above number for further details. Natural Theatre (UK ) Street Work, Het July 17 The Axidental Orchestra Werkteater (Holland ) ICA, Die July 18 Spontaneous Music Ensemble Tricycle Theatre Vaganten (W. Germany) Tricycle, Teatr July 23, 24, 25. Association of Little Osmego Dnia - Theatre of the Eighth Presses are celebrating their 15th Info 01 328 8628 Day (Poland) New Half Moon, Theatre anniver sary with a bookfair and a festival Until July 11. Tapdance on a Telephone Provisorium (Poland) ICA, Cuatrotablas of readings and performan ces. For Line. A musical by Donna Franceschild. (Peru ) ICA, Tamagawa Dance and details, phone Bob Cobbing 01 624 8565. Tap Shoe Theatre Company. Several Drama Group (Japan ) Tricycle, Greta July 31 Doug Gill and Phil Jeck. 'A Pair months in the lives of four telephone Chute Lbre (France ) Old Half Moon. In Shorts' . operators in Los Angeles exchange do Street Events, which include many other battle with their jobs, the craziness of seasoned UK street performers, will take October Gallery the telephone public, the supervisors, place at Paternoster Square, Covent Info 01 242 7367 and ultimately the world~ largest multi Garden Piazza, St Martins-in-the-Fields, August 7, 8, 14. Jack, Or The nation corporation, the America Phone and the South Bank . Again, phone the Submission . Performance of Ionescos Company . above number for details. The Forum , work by Studio 7. August 19 onwards. in association with the ITI , includes Exhibition of photographs by Brion South Hill Park Arts Centre discussion and debates on the following: Gysin and William Burroughs (See Info 0344 27272 August 6 Reviewing the Visual - towards interview with Brion Gysin, early a new critical language, August 8 July 3, 4, 5. Bracknell Jazz Festival. performance and multi-media artist, in Many improvising and new musicians, Theatrical Form as a Political Weapon, Performance No . 11) August 13 Stage Designers and their Use too numerous to list. Phone for details. of Space, August 15 The State as Policy Oval House Info 01 582 7680 July 10, 11, 12. Performance of Peter Maker - implications of public funding July 3-5 Images Theatre Company. Bellamy 's Folk Opera, The Transports. 33

This issue of Performance Magazine has been reproduced as part of Performance Magazine Online (2017) with the permission of the surviving Editors, Rob La Frenais and Gray Watson. Copyright remains with Performance Magazine and/or the original creators of the work. The project has been produced in association with the Live Art Development Agency. York and Albany Scotland, seeks volunteers to find the Incubus Theatre Lost Tomb, last seen in 1906, but whose Info 01 637 4789 Info 01 387 2304 location has been obscured by a series of July l-19 The Dog Company. Paradise uncanny mishaps. Base camp, a series of Incubus Theatre's latest production Street. In a road of that name in present mobile pneumatic structures, will be set 'Cozeenook Cabaret ' is set in a home for day Liverpool Queen Elizabeth I up in the following areas at the following retired artistes. Victor and Opal Beasley, consults the local GP on her child dates. Ring the above number for once better known as Rockin' Vic and bearing potential - part of a plan to details. July l-12 Manchester, July 14-18 the Opalettes in the golden '50s of Rock return to her own time and breed a race Edinburgh, July 21-24 Newcastle, July 'n Roll and Monty and Bunty Delmar, of women whose dominance will 30-31 Tameside, August 6 Bury, August Photoplay's romantic couple of 1956, determine history. The Queen and her 10-ll Accrington, August 13-14 clash uncompromisingly like any glittering court cannot avoid deep Tameside, August 17 Bracknell, August contemporary opposing youth culture. involvement with the local inhabitants . l&,19 Rotherham, August 20 Manchester Incubus welcomes you to an hour and a Their interest is divided between August 21, 22 Tameside, August 25 half of musical parody, exquisite bad personal plots which outline the battle of Sheffield, August 28, 29 Bolton, August taste, irreverent sociological comment the sexes, and a diagnosis of the 30-31 Northwich, September l through the couple's remonstrations, uncanny resemblance between sixteenth Manchester. fading memories and fantasies. and twentieth century methods of July 4 Wyeside Arts Centre Builth Wells, dealing with unrest in Ireland. Belinda Neave July 7-ll, W. Midlands area, July 8 July 22-August 2. Munich Mannequins - Info 0222 702005 Stichley Studio Telford, July 9 Cabaret and black comedy Falling Out. One-Off. Solo dance performance. A Worcester Arts Workshop, July 10 Followed by (date unconfirmed) performance devised with the col Droitwich High School, July ll Christopher Tookey's Ladies and Jurgen laboration of Geoff Moore (Moving Tamworth Arts Centre, July 14-18 E. Being) Ian Spink, and Richard Alston. A Midlands area, July 24 Chats Palace NEWCASTLE witty colourful and inventive per London, July 25-26 Cadders Hill Faerie formance , using the music of Patti Fair, Lyng, Norfolk, July 28-29 Basement Group Smith, Fats Waller, Jon Keleihor and Riverstreet Hall Portsmouth, July 29 Info 0632 614527 the Flying Lizards. Goodwood Races, July 30 The Plough No performances July - August. July l Wolfreton School, Hull, July 3 Torrington, July 31-August 2 Elephant Reopens September. Jacksons Lane, London, July 10 Guizer Fair Cornwall, August 7-9 Sidlidgwt Theatre Aberdeen, July l l Edinburgh, Festival. NOTTINGHAM July l3 Dudhope Arts Centre, Dundee, Kaboodle Theatre Exchange July 22 Cupar Fife, July 24-25 Aston Midland Group Gallery Arts Centre, Birmingham. Info 09363 78280 Info 0602 582636 Kaboodle perform disturbing and non naturalistic work that contacts audience The Performance Art Platform, British Events in an immediate but non-rational way. advertised in the last issue, has had to be Info 0225 27558 This group is of particular interest as postponed because of the sudden illness British Events (See this issue's cover and they have sharply moved away from of the organiser;until October 17-18. interview with royal couple) are Mick previous conventional theatricality to The full programme will appear in the Banks and Corinne D'Cruz. They stark visual performance. Their latest next issue. specialise in openings, celebrity show, Dorothy's Progress, is 'a appearances, equestrian still lives, and commedia piece combining the magic of YORK uniformed subversion, as well as the original story (The Wizard of Oz) performing indoor reconstru ctions of with additional emphasis on 'The York Arts Centre epic events in modem military history : Journey'. (Midway, Storm Warnings ) They will be Info 0904 27129 July 3-4 Wirral - Merseyside, July 6-8 performing at the following events July 10-ll The Cabinet of Dr Caligari - Chester Gateway, July 10-11 during the summer. Yorkshire Actors Company. July 18 Southampton Show, July 13-14 Tower July 9 City of London Festival, July 12 Shameless Hussies. Cabaret by 'a ten Centre Winchester, July 15 Cheltenham Anti Nuclear Campaign March to woman gang of cultural vandals from Festival, July 17-18 Putney Open Air Sharpness, July 18 Round Table Mardi Hull who can tear sexist stereotypes with Theatre London, July 19 South Hill Gras, Bath, July 30-31 Elephant Fair their bare hands'. Park Festival, July 24-25 Crosser Centre Cornwall, August 2-9 Birmingham Arts Peterborough, July 25 Norwich City. Lab - see Celestial City in venue listings, Park , July 29-31 Manor House, Luton. We have tried to list as many events as August 17 Performance in Bath for The possible which fall within our definition Great British Bike Ride as the cyclists Welfare State International of Performance. If you feel we have left pass through on their way from John O' Info 051 727 6847 something out that should have been Groats to Lands End. included, please write to us at PO Box Though a vast body of work in Britain 421 London NWl ORF. and abroad over 12 years WSI has Bruce Lacey and JillBruce pioneered new forms of Celebratory TOURING Info 0953 603262 Theatre within particular social contexts, Bruce Lacey and Jill Bruce carry out fusing the elements of fine art sculpture, This section is for artists and groups ritual performances all over the country performance, dance, music, food, whose tours include events at venues not in outdoor locations, as well as doing landscape, fire and water to produce a normally listed by Performance installation performances in galleries. vivid poetic whole. Magazine. It is particularly vital that we They "collect objects from special places July 4-5 Ulverston Carnival, Cumbria, get listings in writing at least a month at special times and perform with all July 6-19 Sunderland Residency - before a tour in order to be included these in celebrations of special days, Journey of the Ceolocanth, August l-16 here. special times and special places, and in Lyme Park Festival Stockport - The Action Space Mobile Info our own way relate to the energies which Skeleton The Pilot and The Rainbow 061 224 0020 or 01 637 1353 surround us". From July 25-26 they are Fish, August 8-29 Residency Cleator Moor Cumbria, July 23-24 Jail In Search of The Lost Tomb. An at Cadders Hill Faerie Fair, Cadders Hill, Lyng, Norfolk. Warehouse : Happy Days by Samuel archeological expedition, spanning the Beckett. whole of Northern England and

FEMALE TROUBLE By Bryony Lavery: A new show for the festival. Weeks 1/2/3 August 16-September 4 (Not August 24 or 31) Midnight, Assembly Rooms, George St.

NATIONAL THEATRE OF BRENT presents Desmond O'Dingle's Zulu! The show of the film. Weeks 1/2/3. August 17-September 5. (Not August 23 or 30). 12.40pm Wildcat Theatre.

IVOR CUTLER Teatime Special: Life in a Scotch Sitting Room. Weeks 1/2 August 16-29 (Not August 24) 4pm Assembly Rooms, George St

ROGER McGOUGH AND BRIAN PATTEN Week 2 August 24-30, 10.45pm Queens Hall, Clark St.

NEW DANCE THE ONLY MAGAZINE BY FOR AND ABOUT TODAYS DANCERS

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Back issues: No 4 Academia Ruchu, Mary Longford, The Masterwork, Gay Sweatshop. No 5 Cardiff, Stuart Brisley, Silvia Ziranek, Sonia Knox, Charlie Drake (interview). No 6 Midlands, Naked Art, Drag, Steve Cripps, Point Blank Dartington Dance. No 7 John Cage (Interview), Merce Cunningham, Street Performance, Tadeusz Kantor, Lumiere and Son, Forkbeard Fantasy. No 8 About Time, I Giselle, Tom Saddington, Stefan Brecht, Pip Simmons (Interview). No 9 Entertainment Special, (Showbiz, TV, Tourism, Bingo, Waxworks, Discotheques,) Ivor Cutler (Interview). No 10 Chris Burden, Station House Opera, Cameron and Miller (Interview), Video Festival, Belgian Performance. No 11 Lizzie Cox, Brion Gysin (Interview), Stuart Brisley, Artworks, Riverside Dance, European Theatre of War.

Each issue also includes a wide range of performance reviews. The Performance Magazine is published bimonthly. To obtain back issues, there is a subs«;ription form inside on page 3. For furth~r details telephone 01-485 7476 or write to PO Box 421 London NWl ORF.