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

POSTGRADUATE LABAN

Largest Dance Department out side USA with more than 100 Postgraduate Students from 24 Countries

M. Phil. and Ph.D. Research Degrees MA (Dance Studies) - 1 year full-time/2 years part-time MA (Dance/Movement Therapy) - 2 years full-time 3/4 years part-time Specialist One Year Certificate Courses designed to meet individual needs -choose from the following : Choreography & Performance, Dance Teaching & Special Education, Laban Studies & Notation, History and Sociol ogy of Dance, Community Dance and Movement

Facilities include: 13 purpose built dance studios, Studio Theatre, tutorial and seminar rooms, library, audio and video editing suites, music rooms.

For further information about these and BA (Hons) or Certificate courses write to: The Administrator, Laban Centre for Move ment and Dance, University of London, Goldsmiths' College, New Cross, London SE14 6NW, England. Tel: (01) 692·4070

Summer School 1986 from 21 st July - 1st August. Write for further details.

Thursday 22 & DERECKDERECK PRODUCTIONS PRESENT Friday 23 May "CUPBOARDMAN" 8.00pm by Julia Bardsley& Phelim McDermott at The Brickhouse, Contact Theatre, Devas Street, Manchester

Saturday 24 May PHILIPMACKENZIE & SIMONTHORNE 8.00pm MANACT at The Brickhouse, Contact Theatre, Devas Street, Manchester

Friday 6 & FORKBEARDFANTASY IN Saturday 7 June "MYTH"plus "THEBRITTONIONI BROS. FILMS" 7.30pm at the Edgar Wood Centre, Daisybank Road, Victoria Park, Manchester

CITY CENTRE MANCHESTER "ONE DAY WONDER" For one day only! Performance artists from the north-west region at the Athenaeum, Princess Street, Manchester ADMISSIONFREE

Wednesdaysat 9 pm startingMay 21

starring

MichaelClark

JanetSmith & Dancers

BalletRambert

DanceTheatre of Harlem

Bill T Jones& AmieZane

KaroleArmitage

TrishaBrown

Rajaand Rahda Reddy

EDITOR ROB LA FRENAIS PUBLISHING DIRECTOR STEVE ROGERS DESIGN CAROLINE GRIMSHAW PRINTING/ TYPESETTING BOOKMAG, INVERNESS DISTRIBUTION J.F. ANSELL (NEWSAGENTS) PERFORMANCE (ALL OTHERS) SUBSCRIPTIONS PERFORMANCE PUBLISHER PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE LTD

PLEASENOTE: Issue No 38 was a double issue and shouldhave been numbered 38/39. There was no sepa rate issue 39. Apologies: Issue40 containeda number Previews + SOMEOFWHATSCOMINGUP 6 of mistakesand omissions: apologiesare dueto Forced ANEXCLUSIVEINTERvrnw Entertainmentand Impact Laurie Anderson+ 10 Theatre. We inadvertently attachedpictures of Forced The Power ofEffective 16 Entertainmentto our review of lmpactTheatre. Sorrytoo Marketing + TWOVIEWSOFJANFABREATTHEROYAL to Hugo Glendinningfor ALBERTHALL gettinghis namewrong. We also omitted to credit the MidlandGroup for commis Performance Artists Clog Ideal 18 sioning 'A Split Secondof Home+ ANIRONICTALE Paradise' fr om Station HouseOpera Finally, the fe ature 'Our WonderfulCul Mona Hatoum - Not an 20 ture' was written by Glyn APROFILEOFHERRECENTWORK Banks. Weapologise for not Entertainer+ creditinghim. CoverPhoto: From'Home of Video Special Review Section + 24 the Brave' by LaurieAnder son. Photoby: LesFincher. DUVETBROTHERS, GLASGOW EVENTS, DADARAMA, ST MARTINS This page:Le Rail, the in STUDENTSSHOW, RECENTFRENCHVIDEO, SCANNERS, CLASS OF 86 stallation performance by Carbone14. Photoby: Yves Dube. Reviews + EVENTGROUP,LAIBACH,FORCED 30 ENTERTAINMENT New Work Newcastle + AREPORTBYTARA 33 BABEL A Day _in the Life ofa 37 N eo-N aturist + PERFORMINGATTHEROH

w z... cc a: a: cc "" ::E 0 I-

0 l o I c.. LABOUCHE-BIKINI WEATHER LA BOUCHE,along with Theatre De Complicite,Lumiere and Son, MichaelNyman, The Flying Lizards and a collaborationbetween Extemporary Dance and Kate & Mike West brook are all donating themselvesfor a be nefit for CND. This bright idea will take place at the Academy in Brixton, worth a visit for the decor alone,on SundayJune 8. A great opportunityfor anyonewho isn't a fan of BillyBragg, The MintJuleps or the Flying Picketsto feel part of somethingworthwhile and have fun.I NOTWAVING BUTDROWNING/INDUSTRIAL ANDDOMESTIC THEATRECONTRACTORS Industrial and Domestichave been commis sioned by the Midland Group to create a workfor swimmingpools (empty).Opening at the UniversityLido in Nottinghamon July 3/4/5 the work is concernedwith the 'poli tics of leisure - leisure as enforcedoccupa tion, as an inevitableresult of technology,as ··· a Utopian lifestyle, as child's play, and a necessityfor health of mind and body'.I

STEVESHILL-DARK WATER CLOSING SteveShill of Impact Theatre recently movedto NewYork. Dark Water Closing is his first solo work, created in New York and performed there before touring the show here. With music by Impact colleague Graeme Miller, it is de scribed as 'A Psychic Thril ler' and 'Tarkovskymakes a film in Robert Wilson's apartment'. Dark Water Closing is bound to be visuallyand musicallygood,; · and Steve Shill's perform-~ ance will be mesmerising.: Not to be missedl !

0 l ONTOUR o I INJUNE 0.. THEDAYLIGHT CLUB The DaylightClub will be presenting a series of afternoonevents throughout the summer starting in earlyJune. The venue is an old synagoguein Spitalfields,and there willbe films, performance and two dimensional works includ ing contributions from De rek Jarman, Ron Hazeldon and Anne Bean. Watch out for further details.

SefTownsend & Hermine in 'ChamberOpera' part of last years 'Daylight Club'.

Ip REVI Ew. "WORDS"AND"DEFINITIONS" "What, like mime is it? ... so, you were a sculptor,but this is like theatre now ... yes, I can see the influenceof Dada.... your live workis much more direct ... semi-improvisedskits, cut-out sculptures ... where did you train, you must have been to DramaSchool ... are you sure you should rehearse, I mean what about the tradition of spontaneity... by why call it performanceart, you're an actor ... entertaining... I was comparingyou with what we saw last week... I expected somethingless theatrical ... I expectedsomething more theatrical ... mmmmmmm... '' At Sculpture Space in Utica USA I was trying to build a sculptural environmentto perform with. When I started calling it a 'stage-set' it got much easier, what a relief. When people tell me I'm an actor I'm baf fled, so what is performanceart, I wonder? But that's its strength, I know it, you can't pin it down. Yet it's becomea label, like all the others, like this magazineeven - Oh, Performance Magazine, yes, it would fit there. These labels, these labels,they're like brick walls, like dark glasses that obscure our vision. That's how I came to work on Definitions - always the same unanswer able question at parties, "Oh, really, what is ,; performance art?" It's a priviledge to per form, to communicatewith an audience,but such hard worktrying to categoriseit, does it matter?Maybe ifl perform in a theatre it will get called somethingelse 'perfacting', that's perfect. RichardLayzell is presenting'Words' and 'Definitions'at TheGate Theatre, 11 Pem bridge Road, London WII. (AbovePrince AlbertPub) Tel: 01-229 0706 on May 19,25 & 26 at 8pm and 'Definitions'at the Battersea Arts Centreon May 23 at 8pm.

. _;J RICHARDLAYZELL

Price£13.95 Availablefrom LVA, 23 FrithSt, LondonW1 01 437 2786 Air Gallery,6-8 RoseberyAve, London EC1 01 278 7751

Since1979 PERFORMANCE hascome out every 2months with interviews, newsopinions, reviews, reports,discussion, documentation, dissent, themes,supplements andspecials. Itis the only magazine completely devoted toeverything new and important inthe arts, and we think youcan't afford tomiss a single copy. Don't wait for the other media tocatch up-return your completed formand fmd out now. NAME______

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I encloseacheque orpostal order for: six issues ofPerformance Magazine: INDIVIDUALS(UK) £9.00 INSTITUTIONS(UK) £16.50 EUROPE(OUTSIDE UK) £16.50 WORLDWIDE $30.00 WORLDWIDEAIRMAIL $50.00 PLEASESTART MY SUBSCRIPTION FROMISSUE No. ------ SEND TO: PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE, 14 Peto Place, London NW1 4DT, England.

LaurieAnderson's newmovie Home ofthe Brave had just opened to mixedreviews andshe was about toembark ona six week tour of EuropewithNatural History. BARBARA LEHMANN metwith her at her homeinLower Manhattan. It hadbeen two weeks ofinterviews for her.Amidst thecacophony ofthe Barbara Lehmann: With the release of your film, you're reaching a outsidetraffic, thephone calls wider audience. You've performed a kind of crossover dream from the New andthe doorbell theysat over York Downtown A vantgarde into the coffeeinthe kitchen. There were Mainstream. Do you see yourself as a ground breaker for other performance fewpersonal objects around: a artists? Canontypestar printer, anIBM Laurie Anderson: Yes.I hope that happens. typewriteranda ceramic violinist BL: Who are the artists that you are sportinga cowboy hat.Laurie interested in? LA: Well, when I'm in New York, Andersonbrokethe filters offof I'm working around the clock. The rest herMarlboro cigarettes andhad of the time, I'm not here. One of the things I'm looking forward to, going on thisto say. this tour, is being able to get some sense of what people are doing because I really don't know. BL: Your movie has been compared to The Talking Heads film, Stop Making Sense, directed by Jonathan Demme. Is David Byrne someone you're interested in? LA: I'm interested to see his next film. Because I thought Stop Making Sensewas wonderful. It's kind of strange to compare the two films because the concerts themselves are very different. BL: What kind of movies do you like? LA: I liked Jim Jarmusch's Stranger Than Paradisevery much. I just saw his PHOTOS / LES FINCHER new film. And I liked that . There are some really moody scenes in New Orleans that I liked. And I like Peter Greenaway's films. And Alan Rudolph's films. BL: Choose Me. That was my favourite film last year. LA: Umm hmm . Film is really perfect for what I'm doing now. Records o:@"'

time. They use fifty voices a day, any way. And it depends. You're just talking SPEAKINGINTONGUES to them as a friend. But you should fol low them around and see how they talk to somebody in a store when they buy have always been very frustrating. Be impact, though a lot of people said, 'Oh, something. You're seeing one little piece cause you're just doing the sound and I've you wore a dress! What's going on?' I've of them and you're calling that them. really missed the pictures a lot. The next always thought of myself as a neutral But it's your interaction with them that's film I make definately won't be a concert narrator. And in that case, I thought it making them. It always is so. And in a film. That was a way of trying some was the narrator as well. Performance Work, it's also that you're things out, and learning about film be BL: Well, yes, it was. It had all that in not interested in how a performer buys cause all the films I've shown before have it. But there is more to image on the something in the store. You're interested really been films from performances. It's screen than there might be in perform in what he represents. So, yeah, you are ridiculous to call them films. They're not ance. focussing on that way of representing films. They're silent metronomes. They LA: It's true, at a distance you can get ideas. But I hope I'm steering away from come right out of the camera and onto away with wearing a suit more. that kind of possession. But, then, on the the screen. I never edit them. For exam BL: In a song, if you have a distanced other hand, it would be a little odd to ple, the radar shot from Home of the persona, and you're talking about some come from nowhere. Brave, or in animation. Something is thing that is very intimate, there is a cross BL: Well, you have to come from going on around the film. current of energy that is transmitted. yourself. BL: Would you like to be an actress in While on the screen ... LA: And it just depends on how films? LA: That's a very complicated thing you're using yourself. The Japanese are LA: No. I'm not interested in that. you just said, starting with persona. Be capable of saying in all good faith, there I'm interested in directing. The experi cause I never understood that word at all. is thinking going on. They don't have to ence of making a film is something that I It was Bergman's worse side. There are a say, I'm thinking. It's not a Cartesian particularly like. I shot 'Home of the whole heap of performance art theories situation. It's not bound to the ego the Brave' really for two reasons. One was to built on this idiotic word. Because I think way the west is. And they think that this find out some things about making a people are afraid to say things more pop, question of persona film, and the second was to save that like personality. But that's what they is so bound to the particular work. So I wouldn't ever have mean, I think. way that we per to perform it again. And in a certain way, BL: Maybe they're trying to be ceive ego and the 1 I'm sorry that I didn't do that with United generous when they talk about persona whole structure of , States.It becomes a very different work instead of personality. Personality is the art world, that it I as soon as you shoot it on film. Obvious your private sense of yourself, reserved really has become r ly. It's something completely different. for your friends. Persona would be your overblown. It hides 1' BL: In your movie, you show us a public personality. the intent. Some of . new and different side of yourself. With LA: Personality reminds me too the press reaction to 1 your face projected larger than life, you much of some of those be-bop songs the movie in New become a pop icon, a kind of screen god from the 1950s. It's not what I would York has been dess. The 'Classic Laurie Anderson want to have alone at breakfast. I'd never focussed, in a very Clone', the androgynous punkette, want to have persona. I mean, I construct negative way, on me changes from her man's suit to a satin various voices, some of which slightly as a performer. 1 jumpsuit into a silver lame gown. relate to myself as a person, but I've gone Which I'm used to, : LA: (sotto vocce) That silver lame. through a lot of trouble to, as I said, to act in a way, because BL: That silver lame, you say! That as a narrator, and constantly change some people treat was a new way of seeing you. Suddenly, voices. I mean, you'll hear the voice performance as you're not so androgenous anymore. In change five times within five songs and something like, I fact, you became a bit of a sexpot. that's what I'm really trying to represent. wander onto the set LA: Well, for me, it was another way Different ways of speaking. Rather than in the last five mi of telling that story, which is the story of construct a coherent persona. nutes and do something. They don't creation. And then that was sort of insti BL: And yet, you have effectively analyse it as something that I've struc gated by a woman. That was her story, projected a very concise, clear, tight per tured. This is music, and these are images hers and the snakes. The idea was to do a sona, the 'Laurie Anderson Clone'. that I've put together, and that also I'm conversation between me and the snake LA: I think ego in this country is in. But what they concentrate on is and the woman. Which was the point of very much about that. It's about Logo. whether it's sharp or flat, or what my the snake gloves. But the dress took over It's about every gallery having its own hair looks like. Issues of sexism haven't more than the snake. It was kind of a special logo, or every magazine having really occurred to me for about 12 years. battle. its own individual stamp. It's so con BL: You're lucky. BL: With the visual intimacy of the servative. They forget what they're talk LA: I'm very lucky. screen, there is no escaping that kind of ing about, once they get their voice. So BL: You bet. femaleness. it's about, as far as I can see, sales. Because LA: Because, also, I choose to let LA: Well, the snake sort of sheds its most of the people I know are much them go by. And I choose to be pompous skin at a certain point and it gets thrown more complicated than the way you de enough and put out things like. Would away. That was the reason I dfd it ..I really scribe their personality in one sentence, you believe that I live by politics. I've didn't think it would have such a sexual in one image. They slip around all the spent a lot of time in the woman's move-

ment, pamphleting, you know things And many of the social services we as is definitely paying the bill, and the wai like that, and then I thought, hang on a Americans think, oh yeah, we're a coun ter is a professional waiter. Here, the minute. I'm going to do this in some try that loves the kids, and we give every woman, particularly in New York, may other way. Because I'm not interested in one a chance. But then you look at these just as easily be paying the bill. The wai lecturing people. I don't think that works statistics and you think, we're really at ter is writing a novel and will sit down anyway. I'm interested in building an the bottom of the line on everything like and tell you about it. It's much more intimate work in such a tight way that it's daycare, pregnancy leaves, any opportu fluid. People are trying to separate their there without question. But with some nities for women. And certainly blacks roles as they move, which is a more excit thing like this film, when you're direct are a whole other issue. I mean, the whole ing way of living . But it also unhooks ing it as well as in it, the easiest way to thing goes so far back. That's one of the you from your culture, not that we have talk about it is to look at the performer. reasons I find myself angry at this book . much of one anyway. But you're more of BL: Do you read a lot? It looks like nothing happened. It looks a free agent. Which is frightening. LA: I do a fair amount of reading. like it was destructive instead of con BL: What was your experience of this BL: What do you like to read? structive . You look at this and it just in Japan? LA: Let's see. Technical manuals. breaks your heart . You just go, I'm living LA: One of the most chilling things I BL: Do you read those out loud? in this complete dream world. This saw in Japan was a cemetery where peo LA: Yeah. Always. Let's see, what country is something quite different than ple who work in the same company are else am I reading? Anything in French, it says it is. Quite different. all buried together, instead of being mostly. BL: This is a subject you get very buried with their families. I can't really BL: The French theorists? passionate about. I keep coming back to analyse that country. I haven't spent LA: No. I'm getting ready to do the images in your work . It really strikes enough time there . these concerts in other languages, so I'm me how, when you come out dressed in a BL: They have a very sexist society. I reading through my collection of books suit and tie with your really feminine mean, there are not so many women out trying to remember what the language voice that gets synthesized into a lower, on the street. sounds like. Let's see. What else. I got this masculinesque voice, it incites just by the LA: That part ofit drives me crazy. book that I read about a few days ago in duality. You are a woman who can bear You see the woman ten feet behind the the Times. It's a book of statistics about the trappings of a man . You can play man. I'm not treated that way, because 'LOOK,I'MNOT ~ FROMTHE STATEDEPARTMENT' social issues in this country . Feminists are both sex roles. And well. I'm a guest . One of the ideas of the very down on this book because it's kind LA: I think the distance between Japanese promoters was to go to Bali for of gloomy. One of the statistics is what men and women is less in the United a couple of days and talk to the Prince of women make as salaries, which in 1939 States than, for example, in Europe Bali. That was very strange. That made was 63; to the dollar, and in 1984is 64;. I where there is still a history of romantic the Japanese seem enlightened in terms of figured out that at this rate, it would be ism in women. I think women here are women. We stayed at the palace, and the year 3624 when we achieve parity. I not as . .. well, it's a cultural thing, too . again, I was treated as a guest. But the don't know about you, but that's an aw There's not as big a space between men other women in the party were ... well, ful long time to wait. Which means that and women because our roles in general we each had our own house. If a man left it's going to be even later before we aren't as defined. For example, the situa his clothes on the floor and his house a achieve other kinds of parity, really tion of a man, a woman and a waiter in mess, it was all cleaned up and his clothes being able to hold an equal footing. The France is very different than the situation were laundered and put back in the draw other very, very shocking things in this of a man, a woman and a waiter in the ers. But it wasn't the case for the women. book were things like 89.5 % of the people United States. People are more into their They had to clean up their own place. who live in this country at the poverty official roles in Europe. The woman is BL: When you are received as a guest level, or below, are women and children. (LA MAKES A GESTURE), and the man _ around the world, do you find yourself in W

televisionwas on and I discoveredwhat had just happened while I was out there SPEAKINGINTONGUES innocently carrying on with my life. the position of Ambassadress? infantile reaction to terrorism. A way of There was Reagan saying, 'And I'd do it LA: Ambassadrette.In the situation saying, Hey, man, we can do something again ifl had to.' It was terrifying. I felt right now, which is politically, ridicu about this. We can get that guy. The way so powerless,helpless. How does he get lously hot. You go to placeswhere you're he got us. Let's have these little squab to broadcast a statement like that? really hated. Period. And I start to talk, bles. Not to underestimate the fact that LA: He gets it from the movies. And 'Look, I'm not from the State Depart people are getting killed for these little it gives people a sense of achievement. ment. So let's talk about something squabbles.But if effectively, very effec Our little wars, here and there, that make either one-to-one, or let's talk about tively prevents people from looking at people stand up and cheer, are obscene. music' Inevitably I'm drawn to that be this other, much more frightening issue As if we were taking on someone our cause that's what I'm most interested in. of nuclear holocaust. size. You know, it's pathetic. And the Particularly with the element of terror worst thing is, that it takes people's ism, which I think of really as a serious minds off the things we shouldbe paying deflection. I think that it conveniently attention to. Whichis that we are serious prevents people from talking about the and dangerous aggressors in a very se real problems. Not that terrorism isn't a rious, a very hot global situation. Not nightmare. But it means that you can't one that's just a squabble with Libya. stand up in this country and say to the That'sjust a part ofit. It's on the levelof a people who are in power, I'm afraid that four year old making things worse. I find the entire world is going to blow up. it intenselydisgusting. And when I go to There's no kind of security here. What BL: On the Monday night when other countries, I am constantly asked kind of happiness is this? That sort of Reagan bombed Libya, I was out having about it. Becausethey're going, What are Rally-Round-The-Flag-Boys mentality an intimate drink with a friend and then I you doing? here, and Cowboy Machismois a kind of went back to a friend's loft where the BL: So how does that affect you

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·· ···• 1 er· _.-~- .,. ·- '.!> .

when you travel? LA: Right now I'm ready to do you with an Artie for UnitedStates. You LA: I can't remain noncommital to another project. Touring is gruelling. At said you were happy to be reminded that something like that. I think that, even the moment, I'm sure that the next work there's still a New York Art World. though I am not there as a member of the I do will be much more interior. LA: I enjoyed seeing the short films, State Department, I'm there as a citizen BL: Do you do any training for your but I really don't like all the social part. I of this country that I have opinions about performances, anything to keep you in love to do the work, but I don't really and I'm happy to air them. It's no joke shape? like the things that surround it, all this that Reagan is a crook. Let's say that it's LA: I started working with a woman yammering around about the stuff, you no secret that the guy is an extremely who is very interesting. A voice therapist know. But I enjoyed Vito Acconci's violent man, out of control. actually. The voice is, of course, very speech. BL: Ronbo. Have you heard that bas connected to many different things_. BL: Yes. I did too. tardization? Your sense of yourself, as well as all the LA: but those endless thank yous. LA: To me, Ronbo is about as real as physical tubes that are running through BL: I liked it when Acconci thanked Dumbo, or Bambi. What I'd actually like the late 60s/early 70s for his award. to see is a film that's Rocky vs. Rambo. LA: Ummm hmmm. Kind of a split screen kind of thing. Like BL: Thanking the time instead of a Pillow Talk. Rambo comes back from person. Nam and he's really being obnoxious, LA: I think it's difficult to spread just bragging about it. He challenges your name and your picture around time Rocky to a fight, the Italian Stallion. He without losing something. And I think thinks Rocky is such a sissy, all he does is you pay a price for that exposure. I've fight in rings. Not in the jungle. So the found that, personally, I've become very two of them take each other on. That's as you. So trying to locate that means guarded. far as I've gotten with the script. trying to be as free as you can. And I don't want that to happen in my BL: Let me take you back to your BL: I saw you last night at Franklin work. Because you have to feel free to do work. Furnace's Artie A wards. They presented anything I

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RIGHTFROM THE START, Jan Fabrede stage,flat or gentlyraked stalls enclosed by a riately, 'Whatwould Shakespeare have said?' claredThe Power of TheatricalMadness tobe a wallof boxeson four levels, sometimes seating - 'Muchado about nothing'; fromthe chap who workfor 'an ItalianStage' ..He meant the opera as fewas 350, elaboratelyenriched by classi spottedthe 'interval', 'I'mcoming back', andon housesfound in mosttowns in Italy:high end· callyreferential decor. I sawthe showat just hisreturn 'I cansee I've missed the best bits'; sucha theatrein lesi,and indeed this was its and,my favourite, 'Lastone out switch the lights true context.The projectedpaintings of the off, wouldyou?' Attimes, the performers had to piececompleted a container within which its art fightthrough a barrageof abuse, at othersthe historicalallusions found a pitchof sympathetic audiencerelapsed into a kindof docile lethargy. resonance. Atthe 'interval', a friendof minevisited me in Thenearest thing we have to such theatres in thestalls. Shewas having a reallygood time. Londonare the nineteenth century auditoria of Thiswas like theatre used to be, shethought, a theWest End. Butsuch theatres are not avail socialevent where she could invite her friends ablefor short-termhire. TheLyric, Hammers intoher box and give them a drink, ratherthan mith, wouldhave been ideal; the RoyalCourt havingthe botherof invitingthem home for a hasthe rightarchitecture, althoughthe detail partywith all the subsequent mess. She'd even hasbeen effaced; butneither of thesetheatres managedtoget some business done. Andthere pursuea policywhich readily embraces the wasalways the diversion of being able to watch avant garde. Sadler's Wells, reasonably whatwas going on down below if youfelt like it. I appropriate, failedto graspthe nettle. couldsee what she meant, andcheered up a lot Andso to theAlbert Hall, that pompous and at that.Indeed, I'd alsodone some business, bloatedinflation of the Italianprototype, and bettingNicholas de Jongh that Michael Billing 'TheTheatrical Event of 1986'. Theearlier and tonhad not seen Fabre's previousand superior innappropriatelycramped showing of ThePow workThis is Theatrelike it wasto be Expected erof TheatricalMadness atthe ICA Theatre had andForeseen. The deal was a millionpounds or provedit couldconquer most spaces -just as halfa pagefeature in TheGuardian on Impact's longas therewas a black-outand the work TheCarrier Freqency. He lost, anddidn't follow couldbe seen.Regrettably, neither of these throughwith the feature. Didthe few remaining conditionswere fulfilled at theAlbert Hall. 'No Betting' noticesleft from the previous Therewas no black-out: the secondary light· night'sboxing at theAlbert Hall invalidate his ing systemrivalled the houselights and pro debtof a millionquid? videdsufficient ambient illumination to reada Othersseemed to findmore entertaining di bookin the auditorium. Thedelicate painting versions. Curtainsmay be drawnacross the with lightachieved by Fabre's bare-bulbgrid frontsof theAlbert Hall boxes, anda fewdid waswashed out, andthe relationship between this. Whatoccurred behind them is a matterof projectedpaintings and action destroyed. On conjecture; butat leastone incidence of inven theother hand, paradoxicallyperhaps, theaudi tive sexualactivity has beenauthenticated. encecould not see, simplybecause they were Whethersuch celebrations were a responseto toofar away within the Hall's cavernous auditor whatwas happening on the stage, orin defiance ium. Whereasin classical work such a distance of it, we shallnever know. Ah, the Powerof mightpreserve an illusion of perfection, herethe TheatricalMadness.. JOHNASHFORD audienceneeded to beable to seehow difficult 'Lastone out switch the itwas. Thedetail of effort, thedriving dynamic of thepiece, waslost. THEROYAL ALBERT HALL was packed with lightsoff, would you?' Given, then, thecircumstances ofa rehearsal (in thebalcony at least)a youngishaudience in WaterlooStation, ThePower of Theatrical drawnto the'event' by sheerweight of media Madnessdid become an event of the year -but attentionand willingness toaccept that this was for ratherdifferent reasons than the quality of ART.The PR job done on this one, John, was thework itself. Preview features in everything wicked. Ifyou declared yourself at all interested fromthe FinancialTimes to 1-Dhad drawn a in theatrethen you had to bethere. People felt 3,000strong audience of bewilderingdiversity. guiltyfor not being there. Some people went not Theywere soon united, however, ina competi expectingto getanything out, theydidn't, they tionof mockery-someof it wittyand within the leftearly and yet still wouldn't havemissed it for spiritof the work, most just plain ignorant. Some theworld. I too was unable to resist the tantalis shoutedcomments: 'Get 'em off' . .. 'Boring' ingpromise of the shock of thenew. It wasnot . .. 'I'vegot a friendwho can do that' ... 'Will somuch what we wanted to do, but, more, what youshut up, I'm trying to read' .. . 'Betthey get wefelt we ought to do. PHOTOS / ROBERT MAPLETHORPE an ArtsCouncil grant' ... And, moreapprop- It is possibleto 'justify' nearlyanything by

THE POWER OF EFFECTIVE MARKETING?

The single performanceof Jan Fabre's The Power of TheatricalMadness presented by the ICA at the Royal AlbertHall has created some very strong reactions. COLIN · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · WATKEYSvents his anger, referringto it as "ART".You shouldn't expect minorinterjections but no onewould do any andJOHN ASHFORD takes Artto givevalue for money.You shouldn't ex thing; somethingthat counted. THE STATUS pectto likeor understandArt. Mostof this I QUO,as ever,WAS MAINTAINED. Wewere a coolerlook at the way the agreewith. I wouldsupport (but not buy) the witnessingthe power of artistic elitism. Wewere audienceresponded. bricksin the Tate (and I mightgive money for the beingseduced by the discreetcharm of fasc artiststo liveon whilethey were looking for a ism.After all wewere there. job). Duchamp signed toilets and placed them in Thiswas Art that called itself Art and deman galleriesas Art. The questions raised will prob dedto be seenas Art- inflexible,dogmatic, ablynever be dealt with to everyone'ssatisfac superiorand inhuman. I cannot accept that this tion.What is Art?Who are the Artists?How hasnothing to dowith politics and if yourreac muchmoney can we make? Some of themost tionis opposite to mine then you are against me. creative artists around today are the It'sas simple as that. Let's behonest about what moneymakers: imagebuilderssolely concerned sidewe're on. withwhat it's worth; manipulators who'll make 'Let'shave a stageinvasion'. 'Yeslet's'. Why youwant it, whateverit is; fixerswho make didn't we?Why did we respect what was going moneyby placinga valueon ARTand then on?Because the actorstook it so seriously? controllingthat price tag. It's easy really, allyou Becausewe had paid so much for our tickets? haveto do is buy up everything a 'new' artisthas BecauseJan Fabre is anArtist? So what? The doneand then convince everybody else, not audiencereaction in wordsand behaviourwas onlythat he/she IS an artist but also an IMPOR far moreinteresting, to meat least, thanany TANTartist. Sometimes the artists themselves thingonstage. It's no wonder they rebelled and do just this. It alwaysseemed impossible in shoutedand walked out and didn't payattention theatrebecause theatre only exists during a - theywere completely excluded by Fabre. performanceand it's very expensive -it would Whydo artists feel that what they have to sayis bedifficult marketing your valuablecollection of somuch more interesting than what "ordinary" RobertWilsons or PinaBauchs-first you have peoplehave to say? topay them to do it again. BUTchange 'theatre' Mostof thetime so-called artists have only into'performance' andthen slowly start calling it varyingdegrees of skilli.e. theycan do some 'LIVEART and before you know it thestage is thingwhich is very difficult. So what? What have setfor JAN FABRE. theygot to say?What are the political implica 'PHILISTINES' wasthe cry from the stalls to tionsof theirwork? What are they really telling the hecklersmainly above. Unable to under us? standor appreciate'ART the cry from the bal THEAVANTE GARDE should SHAKE THE conycame back: ' ... andhow much did you ESTABLISHMENTnotPLAY FOR, andup to, payfor your seat?' It wasjust like those times IT ... whenthe tubebreaks down and everybody At theend of theperformance the audience startstalking to eachother. Several people whichremained rose to its feetin a standing sittingaround me were reading and most of the ovation. otherswere chatting amongst themselves. I I haverarely felt such intense anger. I had not turnedround and asked, genuinely, if anybody heckledthe actorsbut nowI screamed,yes, was enjoyingthe performance. Everybody screamed,this was an emotionaloutburst. laughedand shrugged and shook their heads 'Howcan you salute this elitism?It's fascism, Theatremeets . .. exceptone person who told me to bequiet: theatricalfascism'. I feltlike I wasat a political 'If youdon't likeit youcan leave'. 'Whatdid he rally.. . theovation might as wellhave been theart dealer? say?' 'Doeshe like it?' 'Whichone?' 'Who'. 'SiegHeil' ... 'Thatone there, he's theone who's enjoyingit'. JanFabre presented an exercise in realtime Butstill we were quieter, respecting one per and realaction on a stagein a "theatre"- son's desirefor silence. nothingnew about that. There was no reason THEFEELING IN THE BALCONY WAS RE for anyof us to bethere except listen to Wim VOLUTION. Walkingout wasn't goodenough. Mertensmusic. Theonly shock, for me at least, Butwhat about disruption when some people wasseeing theatre meet the art dealer and their didnot want to watch?It's not polite is it?What unionwelcomed and applauded. aboutrevoluton when some people do want a Thefostering of elitismin any form has impor ConservativeGovernmenUso-called Democra tantpolitical implications. tic system.I wanted to takea vote. Butpeople At one pointthere had seemed to be the werewalking out. Worse... potentialallies possibilityof revolutionand it hadto endlike werewalking out ... peoplecarried on making lhis.f COLINWATKEYS

PERFORMANCEARTISTS

THE BARBARIANSARE AT THE GATES OF ROME

Forlonger than anyone can AS PERFORMANCEARTISTS we added performances without were invited to be part of the Living performers at the entrance. Again no remembertheartistic Art Pavilion (Arts Council of Great mention of art only of clogging. establishmenthasexcused its Britain) at the Ideal Home Exhibition, We have to deduce that the Ideal Earls Court. Presenting a short work Home organisers and their agents are lackof support for'difficult' art, created specificallyfor the Ideal Home not taking their theme of Art in the situation entitled Soap we began Home that seriously. Or perhaps the includingPerformance Art,by performances on March 3rd beneath art has to be within prescribed resortingtothe criterion ofpublic the Living Art banner. It was exciting parameters and that surely is the road to see British art included as part of to no art at all. popularity.It getslittle support such a massive public event, and Would Ted Moult have had clogging becausesofew people want to Perforance Art too! Aha! NOT SO. problems demonstrating double On WednesdayMarch 5th we were glazing or would the people watching seeit. It istherefore a singular contracted to perform five him be exempt. ironythat Marty StJames and performances of Soap, we were stopped We hope for the protection of the after the first one ... due to clogging. lovely paintings and sculpture in the AnneWilson, twoartists whose The Anjex, (organising agency ofldeal Pavilion that the public keep moving, prolificoutput includes Home), representative had decided that so that they may not be victims of such too many people were stopping to grossly tyrannical, egotistical and Pertormance Art,should have watch. The General Public were not unreasonablebehaviour. performancescancelled,because, being allowed to stop and look, an For as Goya stated only too clearly interesting notion where art is . .. 'The sleep of reason breeds inessence, theywere too involved. monsters'.I popular.Attempting to keep our composure for the next four performances that we MartyStJames andAnne Wilson Theydescribe whathappened. were intent upon presenting that day we watched as a temperamental and unreasonableagency rep wielded his absolute power. No amount of I spokewith ElizabethMcGregor, the Arts argument or reasoning would budge CouncilOfficer responsible, to ask if she him, and the word clogging could be wantedto comment on the artists heard by all ringing around the statement.She agreedthat what had pavilion. The word ART was never happenedwas terribleand saidthat she too mentioned. £20,000of Arts Council was angryat the insensitivityof the man money invested in the Living Art from Anjex. WhenI aked her if she Pavilion could not bargain for a 7 thoughtthey wouldhave complied with the minutes 56 seconds piece of requestto removethe work if it had beena Performance Art. Tony Hancock's paintingthat was causingthe problem she landlady in The Rebelwas a friend of gave an emphatic'yes' and went on to say the Tate compared to this. that they could not have insistedthat the Under strain the rest of the day's shows be continuedsince the Pavilionwas performances were completed and a not theirsalone and that bothLibertys and final termination sentence was passed, The IdealHome Exhibitionhad shared the unwittingly aided by an interested and costs.I know that makingcomparisons as always discerning public. The betweenthe costsof feeding a dozen woman from Lancashire'squestion performanceartists for a yearand the 'When is the next performance as I money spent on the wigsfor a new would like to go and fetch the rest of productionat CoventGarden is naiveand my family to watch?' being the final not very helpful,but surelythe Arts ADomestic pulpnail. Councils contributionof £20,000 was a big The gates had fallen, the Barbarians enoughstake to be ableto insist very romanceforthe home decision was final. So, to a video strongly.This soundslike a caseof 'where PHOTO I JOHN CASS without sound inside the pavilion were there'sa will . . .'

l NOTAN ENTERTAINER •• MonaHatoums performances areuncompromising, powerfulstatements ofstruggle andsuffering. BOLMONA HATOUM WASN'T born in and traditional, it leads me onto England and she doesn't identify with something I wanted to ask her. MARJORAMconsiderssome recent the 'laid back' English (as she calls us). BM: Your work refers to events in performancesandasks if her work She has lived here for 11 years coming the Middle East but there doesn't seem from her native Beirut in 1975(she is to be anything specifically Arab or isinspired byher experience asa Palestinian) for a short visit and Palestinian in your approach. Palestinianlivingin Britain. finding herself stranded by the MH: What do you mean? outbreak of civil war in Lebanon. She BM: I think what I am trying to went to art school in London and get at is that you don't sing like Umm afterwards just stayed on. Her Kalthoum, you don't wear Palestinian background colours her work and gives embroidery, you don't incorporate it a raw edge of feeling. Sometimes calligraphy into your work ... this raw edge makes it rather shocking. MH: Are you asking me why I Her video ChangingParts for example, don't belly dance? begins with placid and austere shots of BM: Exactly. a marble floor (actually her parents Mona seems outraged by this bathroom in Beirut) one slide dissolves question and explains that she does not into the next, squares of white marble see herself as an 'exotic' or 'ethnic' and squares of black following a simple artist and accuses me of projecting my geometrical pattern. On the soundtrack stereotypes of Arabs onto her. She Bach's CelloSuite (No 4). Suddenly the insists that she is working within what soundtrack is interrupted by a burst of she sees as the mainstream art practice, white noise, the Bach resumes, but it is and as she is addressing a western soon interrupted again, radio reports audience she wants to use an artistic intrude. The calm atmosphere created language that they can understand. She by the music is destroyed. As the doesn't regard herself as an entertainer interruptions of street sounds and radio and she avoids anything which might reports take over, so the pictures undercut the seriousness of her work. change, we see Mona Hatoum naked Recently this led her to pull out of a and struggling in the middle of what mixed performance event organised by LiveWork: Variation onDiscord looks like blood (actually mud). The Hermine Demoriane. The event had an andDivisions/Cutting herselffree effect of the piece is extremely orientalist theme which she was ofstereotypes powerful. It manipulates the viewer, suspicious of, feeling it might lead to the opening sequence leads one to crass and superficial caricatures of PHOTO / CORRY WYNGAAROEN believe that this is an extremely refined Arabs. She felt vindicated, but was at and tasteful example of art at its most the same time mildly amused when I formal and abstract. This makes the told her that the event had started with invasion of the screen by the images of the Neo Naturists serving tea, naked a struggling woman and the sounds of except for veils which covered their war even more shocking. mouths. In her flat she shows me photographs Although some of Mona's of some early work much of it inspired performances may be of long duration by Duchamp. It includes a sealed box and physically demanding, unlike the containing night air and photographs Viennese performance artists of the of other works which were constructed 1960's she doesn't mutilate or wound from mirrors to create various optical herself. She is trying to create images illusions. Most surprising of all is a which have a symbolic power. She is very early work from her foundation very much alive and wishes to year at art school, an aquatint of an celebrate the fact. Indeed she English thatched cottage. Very folksy emphasises that even the images of her

. ) · ,. I . ~ . ..,. . ::

MONAHATOUM

flailing about naked in mud in Under terrorist . In tearing the mask and Siegecan be taken in two ways; firstly, freeing herself of the boots she is as images of pain and death, but freeing herself from images that she secondly, as referring to birth and does not identify with and refuses to be sensual experience. defined by. Mona identifies herself as a In a recent performance at the Pitt black person (this doesn't of course Street Studios in Sheffield - the refer to her colour. Which is quite performance begins with the space pale). She says it is a political term darkened. At first the audience hears referring to all people who have a only a scuffing, dragging noise coming history of colonial oppression. from an annexe of the main room. As Recently Mona has started to the light increases they see Mona comment directly on England. For Hatoum walking around dragging a example her recent performance for pair of boots, which are tied by their Projects U .K. in Newcastle was laces to her bare feet. She is wearing a envisaged as a comment on large black knitted hood which covers unemployment called Position her whole face, even her eyes. Suspended.Seven hours long it was She struggles to cut the laces, finally supposed to be the kind of event where throwing the boots away. Next she the audience could walk through and tries to tear through the hood, failing stop to watch as much or as little as she makes an incision with a sharp they wanted. An element of surprise knife and tears at it revealing an eye. was also important. Mona wore black She repeats with the other eye, pulling trousers and a mud covered torso. the hood which is a long tube of Because of objections by the curator of knitted black material, up, again her the Laing gallery to the effect that bare face is covered, again she must cut breasts might offend some members of holes. the public, she had to remove the mud She had done a similar performance she had applied to her torso, put on a at Brixton during the 'Roadworks' body stocking, and apply the mud over exhibition organised by Stefan the top of that. This meant that the Szczelkun. In that context it seemed to performance started an hour late. make a direct political comment; and We the audience finally enter the as she walked through the streets, bare room of the performance. A wedge footed but with boots tied behind, shaped corrugated iron enclosure or passers-by had no trouble telling her shanty house stands in one corner of that there was a policeman following the room . The front wall of the house in her footsteps. The boots of the state is made of chicken wire, it has a floor Roadworks/and the hood which covers her face and of gravel. The corrugated iron top which she tears in order to see and be makes it very dark. Mona is in the Inthe street inBrixton seen. Does it represent a wish to free house with a colour TV on the local PHOTO / PATRICK GILBERT herself from personal constraints and to television channel Tyne Tees, (actually make herself visible to the world? a video). A sickle, an axehead, a pair of Perhaps, but, she pliers, a circular saw blade, a meat adds, her own hook, a cleaver, sheep shears hang idea was more suspended on wires inside, like a jungle specific. The of symbols. As she slowly walks black hood which through them the tools clank and bang, covers her face they chip away at her mud caked body and appear to bite into the flesh. As -~ makes her I anonymous, like things go on the line of the body an anonymous stocking emerges from the mud. At black person, certain points Mona applies more mud defined only in with a wooden spatula from a mixing terms of colour, bowl. She moves about, she watches or like a the TV screen. She walks from one Palestinian corner to the other of her cage. defined by the Watching I am aware of what looks Western press as a like considerable physical discomfort.

SHE IS VERYMUCH ALIVE AND WISHES TO CELEBRATETHE FACT I JUNGLEOFSYMBOLS She is walking on gravel, touched and pricked by sharp objects. As the performance goes on she begins to shiver. She is like a prisoner who can only fill her time with trivial pursuits. "ASSHE SLOWLY She stands at the chicken wire front partition quite still like someone looking out of a window, or she scratches off the mud which has stuck WALKSTHROUGH to the TV as she brushed past it. She walks up and down, she renews the flaking mud on her arms. Throughout, the TV remains magnetic. It is the only source of light in the space. Its THEMTHE TOOLS brilliance of colour contrasts with the drab interior space. Although the sound has been turned off I find that I am watching it. Adverts for Rape Crises Centre are followed by giant CLANKAND BANG figures casting huge shadows jogging past immense office blocks, skirts fly up as the joggers pass. Cut to a woman making a cake, then Eamonn Andrews is on with 'This is your Life'. For some THEYCHIP AWAY reason his guest has mud on his face. The same video on the TV repeats. Something I didn't see the first time, a situation comedy; a man finds a black bra with holes for the nipples, he holds ATHER MUD it up. Cut to something else. My attention returns to the performance and the audience. Two young men come in barely CAKEDBODY AND more than schoolboys. The performance seems so outside their experience that they start laughing in an embarrassed slightly hysterical way. They go round to the back of the APPEARTOBITE corrugated iron, where Mona can't directly see them. She peeps at them through a little hole in the corrugated iron. They leave the room seemingly driven away by the eye staring at INTOTHE FLESH" them. I am surprised some time later when they return and very quietly sit down to watch the performance for a further quarter of an hour .I

PositionSuspended PHOTO I STEVE COLLINS

REVI E\1\ 1 Ill_ The last few monthshave VIDEO broughta bewilderingvariety of video events to London.French and Japanese, studentwork and establishedartists, short worksand long works,cut up, cut down and cut out ... NIK HOUGHTON managesto keep eyes and brainin tact, hut sometimesonly just.

SOMEONEI TALKED to recentlyreckoned that raphicimages - priest, snakecoiling, doveon lacking in a lot of the programme wherethe therewas a newbreed of artschool medianiks statue- gotremixed with irritalii1g and predict intentionseemed to bea result of a diseasewe who hadabsorbed the effectof poppromos, ableresults. Thetape-loop soundtrack which tapeslingers call 'Edit-suite fever'. What hap weretechnically informed and were about to complementedthe pieceunderlined a 15 mi penshere is thatyou become addicted to tele takeon visual culture mobhanded. Atthe time I nute work achingto be calledhynotic and visualtrickery and end up producing abstract, wascynical about this but having attended the beautiful ... migraineinducing and chocolate beat-happypieces which look goodbut com St. Martin's showof studentwork and then boxywould be moreapt. municatenothing. Entertaining and occasional cartedmy eyeballs to the ICA for works selected OneOf ThoseThings You See Alf TheTime, lyinnovatory I'llagree but hardly brainfood. This fromnationwide student entries my doubts are fromSimon Robertshaw, wasby comparison a said, however, theprogramme offers, withone at leastpartly deferred. toughertape altogether as we hear the story of or twoexceptions, anengaging insight intothe At the St. Martin'sshow it wasMarked For 'Craig' describedin unsentimentaldetail. As an practicesand concernsof the 'new breed'. With Life by GarrieKirkpatrick which nudged me imageof thiscasualty of life appeared, a sub a fewmore originalideas to informthe sporadi towardacknowledgment of the 'new breed' text tickedacross the screeninforming us of callyexhilerating imagery there's evidencehere theory.The tape itself is a slyly humorous Craig's medication/sedation.The compassion of a burgeoning newvideo culture whichis 'shocker' abouttattoo parlour subculture. It fea of thepiece was echoed in El Glinoer's film-to eager to escapethe constraints of 'videoart'. tures the enigmatic,ace nipple-piercerMr videowork. To Grips With Grit, a subduedpor Outof theghetto and onto the 'box'? Not quite Sebastianat workand rest, theorising on his trait of one woman's obsessionwith house yetperhaps but there's everyindication thatthe trade. A terse,concise slice of 'subjective cleaning. revolutionwill betelevised. Loadthe edit-suite documentary'. Kirkpatrick's othertape, News Boththese pieces had a contentwhich was - Ready? - Fire.e paperScratch was less successful being a chop editprowl through medialand. Wortha mention toois AnneRobinson's visuallyengaging piece St Martin'sStudents work at LondonFilm on aggrophobiawhich generated a realsense offrustration. Also in theprogramme was a live Co-op& New contemporaries,ICA. piecefrom Adrian Northover and some Happy Enders.Here the band provided a livepercus sivesoundtrack to multi-screenfilm projections oftrains on the move. Titled Rhythm Myth it was a rough,lively experiment and, importantly, goodfun. More please. Meanwhileover at the ICAon Sunday,the startof a monthlong exhibition of whichthis film/videoprogramme is only a part,something slickerwas going on. Here an arsenal of hi-tech videogimmickry had beenused to createa distinctivecrop of short, entertaining works from Sheffield. Elsewherein theprogramme dense andnightmarish texts got an outing with Stanis /ow WasAccidie. Worst of the bunchwas ElementalSpirit Traps by SteveScott which overstayedits welcomeas a seriesof iconog-

RecentFrench Video at LondonFilm Co-op PRESENTEDAS PARTof theCo-op's excel Nextup was the EMAN compilation offering Describedas a digitallyprocessed collage of lent 'FrenchSeason' this programmeof con worksbiased toward the breakneck, edit-suite readingsfrom James Joyce's Finnegans Wake temporaryvideotape offers itself in three parts. in-overdrive,avantfunk mode of production. In this50-minute epic by Jean Paul Fargier ticked Firstlya selectionof shortworks, then a com itiallyengaging this frantic choppy form, most acrossthe monitors for some 30 minutes before pilationtape featuring 3-5 minuteworks and usuallyaccompanied byan electrofunk sound I beganto experiencesomething close to brain extractsfrom longertapes compiled for the track,screams and wierd voices optional, soon death.This was induced not by the tape itself, a EuropeanMedia Art Network(EMAN). Finally beganto batterthis viewerinto edit numbed richmix of fractured,glowing, imageryattemp CRNSJoyce, a 50-minutepiece, was on view to ennui."Oh for an originalidea", I thoughtas tingto parallel Joyce's text, butby the preceding closethe evening DominiqueBarbier's Heat of theMonster came blur of theEMAN material. I shall watch CRNS Asan opening taster the first collection set the to its stylishlynihilistic conclusion and a Top Joyceagain, and soon, whenmy critical facul moodfor much of whatwas to follow. Thestyle Shop punk, toting crowbarand Raybans, tieshave had a holiday-it looksintriguing. slick,zippy and modish with an emphasison finishedrunning around a derelictfactory and SettingCRNS Joyce aside however I'm left post-productiontrickery. The reference points strangleda punkette (Zeitgeist or what? ... It with an overviewof Frenchpractice which, hereare the jumpcut techniques of popvideo lookedlike Subway on Copydex). largely,sidesteps original thinking, politics and aestheticsallied to a sortof hi-techcartoon strip Asa counterpointtothis witless drivel a short personalexpression and instead relies on soph approach. Amongstall this hip-pop,flash workby, I think,Code Public came close to isticated, post-production, gadgetry-images framedimagery it was a reliefto encounterthe blessedrelief as a mockswordfight got the mixes/processing/multimixingfor its impact. comparativelyslow and hypnotically fluid work 'scratch' treatmentand a witty, rhythmiccollage Mostlywhat's on viewis a productof post of RobertCahen and his tape Juste Le Tempe. of noisedeveloped. Betweenthis and the in modernculture. Relentlessy chic, sexy and styl Concise, vividlydreamlike and electro-ghostly novatory, comi-stripgraphics of JeanMichel isedbut ultimately blankfaced. Well yes it ISfast thisis an enigmaticwork which operates in a Gironeand the Telegraphgroups pop promo andoften entertaining. It's thesort of stuffyou spacesomewhere between oblique narrative work,a multi-mixed, effectscrazed, landscape wouldn'tmind bumping into on a nightclub andthe landscapeart genre.Truly beautiful. developedwhere rock poetry made a briefyowl, monitor, butit's also skillfully devoid of ideasor Afterthis the porno blue sheen of NuitBlanche pianosburned, a performancegroup bopped intention.'The aesthetics of the cocktailbar by TessaWeenberg/Pierre Lobstein looked aroundTibet and a pregnantwoman posed in holdsway', wroteWaldemar Januszczak in an weakand meaninglesslyavante-garde. The suspenderbelt and knickers. Leftwith an im arts review(GUARDIAN 28.12.85: He was nexttape, anotherLobstein piece, merelycon pressionof theEMAN programme as a sortof commentingon 1985's art scene).I get the firmedthis as the piecepresented itself like offbeat,superficially 'arty', poptransmission I feelingFrench tapemakers are a bitdrunk a lot somesort of 6th Form Caberet Voltaire parody. readjustedmy intellectfor CRNSJoyce. of thetime - on cocktailsof course... •

OCCUPYINGA GALLERY space this exhibi stylisedgestures of a man-and-womanduo. tionoffered a) A compilationof IanBreakwell's Somethingcold and formal herewhich left me ContinuousDiaries and XmasDiaries; b) A achingfor a morevital, crudeapproach. separatemonitor showing a selectedcompila Aroundthe corner Rose Garrard's installation tion of 'Dadarama'works; c) a multi-monitor occupieda roomof its own. A framedpainting pieceby DavidCunningham and, finallyd) an wasdangling in mid-airwith a groupingof plas installation,Tumbled Frame by RoseGarrard. terfigures tracing a pathto a singleTV monitor All the workson showwere tapes which had whereimages of classical/religiousfemininity been producedfor ChannelFour with the wereslowmixing their way across the screen. 'Dadarama' worksbeing commissioned for a Asan extensionof Garrard's originalTumbled numberof artists. Framebroadcast this pieceand its concerns Forstarters Ian Breakwell was offering handy withfemale inconography seemed somehow hintson cooking 'Squirrel ravioli' as I focusedon RiversideStudios intriguingbut at oddswith its brightlylit space. hisdesignated monitor. This was, of course,a lookforward to seeingthe broadcast project he This wasalso at leastpartly true of DavidCun scenefrom his broadcasts of 84/85 andI was is presentlyat work on. By comparison much of ningham's multi-monitor'ambient' work, a slow pleasedto bereunited with Breakwell's quirky, thework on the 'Dadarama' tapeseemed too movingand delicate 'waterwork' seekingto de deadbeattexts again as theartist steered me contrivedand over precious to these eyes; The scribethe texture and surface of water.I have throughan everydayworld made both sinister Kiss,by example,from PaulRichards with problemswith video like this anywaybut felt that andfunny through his insight. Breakwell's style musicby MichaelNyman, wasan attemptto this'moodpiece' might be moreeffective in a - heis primarilya storyteller-suits TV and I integratevideo paintbox techniques with the largerspace.e

RE VIE\'\' Ill.__ VID E0

ScannersVideo Exhibition, Air Gallery SCANNERSIS ANimportant exhibition in two sivepackage of contemporary works this snap layingon the galleryfloor to echothe shifting senses.One, the 'Video Postcard' compilation pyprogramme has 'scratchers' alongsidemore crisscrosspattern of the monitors, Beyond Col tapeof selectedworks, all 3 minutesor lessin abstractworks, political texts nudgingslyly ourhas an almostsculptural feel undercut by duration,acts as a condensedprimer for in humorouspieces. Close That Deal, fromMike the freneticsoundtrack. Its a busy, complex terestedparties, mapping out many of thecur Jones/GrahamEllard, stands out as a concise, workbut apart from a sortof formal admiration I rentdirections and concerns in contemporarypointed tape. A textbookpoint-of-salesmanship have to say I didn'tfeel fully engaged by the videoart; Two, the exhibition in totalaccounts gets wryly deconstructed.Catherine Elwes· piece.This same feeling informed my response for installationworks, often marginalised in the underplayedBaby Work, wherea childscries to the'Video Art From Tokyo' compilationtape, arenaof videoart, and the activities of foreign underlinea problem page text, isalso particular showingin a separatecorner of the gallery tapemakers, here Japanese medianiks. ly effective. Briefmention too for MikeStubbs space. Myimpressions here were underlined by A lesssuccessful aspect of theexhibition is hardnosedoverview of SouthAfrican repres the selectorscomment that 'Japanis under the 'VideoWindowbox' where nine monitors sion,Greetings From The Cape Of Good Hope, goinga gloriousmedia transformation' astech stackedthree in a rowsit inthe gallery window anda jazzy,neon-lit sketch of Sohooffered up notrickery impacted with multi-layered images facingonto the RoseberyAvenue pavement. by PhillipO'Shea. of the landscape.A concern with composition Hereoften complexseries of imagesflash Adjacentto the 'VideoPostcard' lies Kevin andfractured perspective isevident here but its acrossthe screenscreating different rela Atherton's TelevisionInterview where Atherton, a verycool sort of art whichleft me largely tionshipsbetween each monitor as the specially sitedin onemonitor talks to a facingmonitor unmoved.Warmer somehow was John Goff's commissionedworks whirl and tumble around transmittinga carefullydoctored Coronation A/oppiece. A fluid, hypnoticwork constructed the gridof screens.The problem here is that Street. Athertonis directinghis questions about simplyaround the play of lighton water.Calm mostpassers by glanceonly fleetingly at the broadcastTV to ElsieTanner and company but andmeditative the piecedeserved more time stackedTV's, catchingonly a fragmentof thereis only vague response from 'The Street'. thanI hadto giveit. works.Given this, its the Duvet Brothers piece, It's a cleverand, seemingly, simple idea both Finally'Scanners' wasa varied andsprawl flashyand vivid, which seems most effective funnyand direct in style. ing summationof videoart which deserved whilstother, less dramatic, works, functionless Upstairsa moreformal, abstract aesthetic is attentionif onlybecause it actedas an audio wellas 'attentiongrabbers'. at workas MineoAayamaguchi's BeyondCol visualcomma in the increasingly franticstory Inside,in the warmth of the lower gallery, the our, ninemonitor installation operates around of videoarts upwardlymobile strategy. All 75 minutecompilation of 'VideoPostcards' is notionsof colour,texture and formalrela thanksto the LVAfor lettingthe 'Scanners' screening23 selected works. Asa comprehen- tionships. Witha reflectivegrid of small squares transmit.•

Classof '86, RoyalFestival Hall I[11il iii1,1~1111111~111~m1 l~iI SOMETHINGOF A PRjob for thenewly insti of a tribeoccupying an Inda-Chineseisland. underlinedby the strikinglyfluid imagery and gatedLondon Institute -an establishment set Shoton Super-8and subsequently transferred snatchesof voxpop. up to co-ordinatethe activities of a numberof to video this piece is an intimate, semi VirginiaHeath's PandorasBox, 24 minutes, Londoncolleges -this showcase of film/video documentaryportrait of a peopleunder threat extendsthe 'style mix' of Dysonalthough here frompast and present students, heredubbed madeall themore poignant by theillegality of the workis narrative.Subverting the 'private 'The Classof '86', is surprisinglythin in the the makersmethods. (Kew smuggled himself dick' genreBox weaves its story around a jokey videoarea with 16mm film works offering the andhis camera in to shoot the film fully aware of investigationinto patriachy and mythology. En bulkof work. This said there are some intriguing theInda-Chinese Governments hostility toward gaging, surrealand assuredPandoras Box workson show. coverageof his sort). Relativeto this extraordin occupiesthat area of 'videodrama' wherethe Scratchwisethere's Peter Boyd's Live arypoliticised work 'Babylon' byJulia Moore, a theatricaland political merge. Its a funnyand ScratchMix to contendwith. One half of prime messysub-standard 'scratch' piece, tendsto intriguingpiece which indicates a mode of prac scratchteam the DuvetBrothers Peter Boyd look insubstantialand ineffective.Images of tise which, whenhandled well, highlights the hereinstigates a multi-monitor scratch extrava war, riots,graveyards flicker across the screen potentialof drama/narrativeto both entertain ganza.Elsewhere there's Jane Shaw's, quirky, to a bassheavysoundtrack but ultimately andinform. abstractinstallation to consider. TitledAfter there's a senseof resignation rather than resist AsI sayvideo accounts for only a small partof TeenageKnights Out Door Girls Come Faking ance or subversion. Bad scratch. Similarly this exhibition as a seriesof 16mm/Super-8 SneezesIn TheBedroom, Shaw's videopiece DominicDyson's 'scratchpieces' irritatedrather studentworks fill out the bulk of the programme. withits texturedimagery, coy and playful, sits thanenlightened. Chopping up TV advertsto Onshow here is an eclectic collectionof pieces uncertainlyin a videoprogramme which in signalan oppositionto mainstreamtelly is a rangingfrom the semi-documentary tothe high cludesa varietyof practises. Most striking of the limited/limitingstrategy. Although Dyson's 11 ly experimental.For someindication of art tapesis perhaps David Kew's work, a 22minute minutepiece, PhantomLimb, indicatesa schoolpractise this show is wellworth a visit. telecinework, which seeks to explainthe plight tougher, morevisual approach to video which is Catchthe scratch and watch the screen.e

Are...... the videosof the Duvetbrothers art, promo, dance floor decor,or alternativecabaret? COMETO LLANDUDNO off-season, slide be- CHRISSIEILES caught up with themat the seaside. tweenthe sheets with the DuvetBrothers and indulgein somePillow Talk and a lot more besides.In a mostunlikely setting, the Mostyn Gallery,an exhibition space to rivalany of Lon don'sfinest, is out to provethat life and an audiencefor scratchvideo exists west of the M56. TheDuvets, meanwhile,are out to provethat sage. Andthat can be eitherthe arms trade in thereis lifeafter scratch video, and that their Africaor something far less direct. Whatever the workto date has only begunto scratchthe subject,when it comesto Y BrodyrDuvet, the surfaceof a wealthof potentialfor social com mediumis themessage. If theyweren't making ment;multi-screen narratives; pop promos and videosthey'd be .. . makingvideos. It's what a hostof other artistic and technical possibilities theydo. And they're quite pragmatic about it. To besides. Theycould be right.After all thefuss theinevitable and often asked question of how madeover scratch video last year by the video theyreconcile work like Blue Monday and Virgin andtelevision world, and the inevitableback withthe commerciality of their pop promos and lash of accusationsabout the limitationsof theoccasional advert they reply that they see no scratchvideo, single or multi-screen,the conflict.In Blue Monday it couldbe said that the Duvet'swork, shown here on 18 screens, twoconverge. Inthis case the meaning of love is provesthat there is still a lotto beexplored, and re-interpretedas politics, andit's success can thatscratch video can be used for morethan a bemeasured by placing it alongsidethe origin pleasingvisual hip hop. al, whichis positivelyinsipid by comparison. Take Virginfor instance.To all the people And,since their latest pop promo for Bluein whoasked how they are goingto followBlue Heaven,an Irish band, iscurrently playing MTV MondaytheDuvet Brothers have replied with a in America15 timesa week,the scopefor hard,clear comment on the arms trade in Africa entertainingand talking to largeaudiences with ABOVE/ PETER BOYD and the ThirdWorld, mixing and scratching whatevermessage they choose to scratchis imageryof war,casualties, political figures and wideindeed. BELOW/ RIK LANDER chillingspeeches, scratched of course,to a To understandthe DuvetBrother's work it's heavybacking track by Prince Far I. A longway importantto rememberthat they think of itsas fromtheir much more arty StrictlyTrig-a-Lig, entertainment,not art. So what is it doingin an commissionedbythe Air Gallery for its "Window artgallery? Introducing the travelling exhibition Box"exhibition, but not so far from Harry Goes "Five Yearsof the Face" actually. Butthis is Madin Dudno,a piecespecially commissioned onlythe third time they've shownin thegallery r#' by theMostyn Gallery and the first piece to be context(The Air Galleryand the Third Eye purposeshot on threecameras. Mixed on 18 Centre, Glasgowbeing the othertwo). Their screens,a narrativein whichobvious political workis equally at homein clubs, cinemas, even, allusionsare made by the character who even aswas the case in a showingin West Berlin, in a tuallythrows a boxover the Berlin wall and ... tent in themiddle of a square.The point is that well, I wouldn't wantto spoilthe story. Spon theDuvets form a potentblend of thearty and sorshipfrom the televisioncompany Diverse the extremelydown to earthwhich makes the andPeter Townsend's EelPie Studio enabled artywork accessible and the hardstatements thepiece to be realised. (politicalor commercial)artistic. In Llandudno, In the Duvet'swork the soundis almostal wherethey call a bucketand spade a bucket waysscratched music and speechreworked andspade, this mixturegoes down very well togetherwith the imagery. In StrictlyTrig-a-Lig indeed.I theexcellent Band of HolyJoy's mournfuland TheDuvet Brothers 'PILLOW TALK; a compila evocativemusic is used,and in Harry Goes Mad tionof theirscratch video work, is availableby in DudnoSchoenberg is reworkedand un mailorder, from the Duvet Brothers, 18Naylor scrambledto a reggaebeat. It's difficult to dis House, AlbionAvenue, LondonSWB 2AJ cernwhich came first; sometimes it's the imag TheDuvet Brothers will present their live mix ery,sometimes the music. Butby the time the scratchvideo multi screen show at theElectric Duvetshave finished with them a newcontext Ballroom, Londonin June, andthe Royal Festiv hasbeen created in whichis placedthe mes- al Hallin July.

REVIEW Ill----. VID E 0 t~MfI~,Wf llf ~~f i,J~I! ALLTHROUGH FEBRUARY, a small artist-run galleryin the East End of Glasgowbecame the platformfor the developing culture of videoart. It's environment,usually host to staticexhibi tionsof paintings, was transformed into an Alad din's Cave: stacksof video monitors lined walls, a computersat churningout its observations, al developments. Theevent could have safely carriedthe theme powerfully: surveillance, the wireswere everywhere, artists' video cassettes givencredit to knownwork and big names, but collectionof informationabout individuals and litteredthe place. Signs and arrows outside the participationand crossover characterised this itspotential use. The piece used 4 inputsinto 16 gallerywere anything but obscure; 'Come in, we show: establishedvideo artists such as Litt monitorsand developed instages: a childlearn areopen, this is art, andthis is free,' iswhat they mann,Zoe Redman and Steve Partridge pre ingto recogniseimages of who is watchingus; seemedto be saying. Insidea participating sentedworks alongside artists presenting their recurringimages of a policesurveillance heli artistwould give you coffee, show you an in first pieces; artistsof a highprofile, suchas copter;an interrogatorquestioning us (the stallationand then give you a cataloguelist of KevinAtherton and David Hall preserited works scenemight be anywhere, fromDHSS office to artists'video works which you could view at your in the samecontexts as studentwork from policestation). It thenwent through a seriesof discretion.This not only attracted the attention Dundee. Theevent had more the feeling of a imagesof ears, eyes,noses. It was too much to of an interestedart audience,but also of Gla multi-mediashow, incorporatingperformance takein one sitting - a bitlike having brillo pads gowcrooks and subsequently the CID, disorien pieces, filmscreenings and a filminstallation by rubbedinto your temples. Littman's piecewas tatedcritics and perplexedlocals unable to JaneRigby. There was also a vastvideo library nota pleasantexperience for those not decon graspthe fact that this was an art exhibition. On at hand,containing videos and film work, such ditionedfrom watching TV. severaloccasions people would come in want as a compilationfrom Newcastle based Pro In contrast, ZoeRedman's installationShe, ingto buya TV; or thewoman from the chem jectsUK, a selectionof work from London Video Her, I, was contemplative, meditative, and ists' nextdoor who came in wantingto hirea Arts, a selectionof newIndependent Australian ambient.In a blackenedgallery, six monitors videofor herhusband's viewing that evening. video, to someexcellent tapes from Factory werereflected in a poolstained with black ink to Theattendants were willing to oblige,no doubt, Records' videocompany IKON. heightenits reflection. As in hersingle screen thoughher responseof aweand embarrass Thevenue for all this was Transmission Gal workLost Place, it containedslow, shiftingim mentof thesight of SteveLittman's 16-monitor lery. Thiswas the first show of its kindin Scot ages- a child, thesea, landscapesand orga videoinstallation made it perfectlyclear that she land sincethe ThirdEye Centre,under the nic symbols. Withan effectivemusical score woulddecline the offer today, thankyou. One directorshipof TomMcGrath, staged 'Towards andsoft dreamy monologue, itsaffect was poe wouldhave given more credit to Glasgowart DefiningAn Aesthetic' in 1975. It seemedfitting tic. LostPlace was dedicated to hermother and criticswho should have been able to recognise thatthe opening evening event should feature all mothersbefore and after her, for creating artwhen they smelt it, eventhough their nasal theirrepressible McGrath, withthe added pre hope.It dealtwith cycles of birth, growth, de passagewayswere slightly blockedfrom senceof PeterNardini, bothtaking turns on the cline, decay, deathand rebirth. Thesewere spendingtoo many years in thedraughty Fine impromptustage to delivertheir own brands of emotionalas well as metaphysical cycles, com ArtSociety. 'Whatis thedifference between a Glaswegian humour. McGraththrough his menattingupon life, meaning, essenceand de paintingand a videowork of art?'asked one poemsand Nardini through his snappylyrics spair. Thediscussion which followed revealed critic,who was clearly out of hisdepth, verified accompaniedby acousticguitar, bothmade nothingand brokethe spellof this moving whenthe questionwas asked'How many incisiveexposures of Scottishcultural preten meditationon mortality: framesare there in a videowork of art then?' tion. Thesedate activities in galleryone were In TheDream of Diagaron, a performance Onecritic asked if theplace was still a gallery. fedthrough to a 16-monitorvideo wall in gallery collaborationbetween Tony Judge, BrianRow Whentold that this wasan art exhibitionhe two,for the benefit of thosewho could not drag landsand a video, - twomonitors were stack swiftlymade an exit saying that he would return themselvesaway from the free wine table. This edvertically on a plinthflanked on either side by whenthere was a realart exhibitionon. One videowall had earlier been installed for Steve a table, at whichthe performers sat scribbling particularGlasgow newspaper, in factthe only Littman's piece'Overseen ... Overheard... onewhich reviews shows-did notsend a critic Overlooked', whichwas shown for the first four to reviewthe event because they did not know daysof the event.This was the piecein its whetherto sendan art critic,film critic or TV originalstructure, without the additionof live critic. performanceor the collaborationwith Hidden 'Is videoart?' was the questionthat local Grin(see Performance No. 38). In frontof the radioand local press saw the event as propos videowall, a videocamera as a surveillance ing, thoughnot much time was wasted on this devicewas recording the movements of a gold questionsince it seemedto bean enequivocal fish and the movementsof the audience 'yes'. Thiswas work by artists using video. Nota beyond. Theeffect of thevideo wall was over stateof theart buta selectionof workthat is whelming,and the torrential rain of imagesthat beingdone in Scotland linked with some nation- ensuedcontained a senseof oppressionthat

Transmissionis a new galleryin Glasgowand as, !erredonto Umaticvideo, manipulating the filmedmaterial by editing out certain numbers of MALCOLMDICKSON reports, its first video eventcreated frames to givea strobeeffect, thisutilised the filmand video medium in a way which enhanced a long overduestir amongstthe local art community. thevisual and thematic concerns of thework. All the workfrom artists based in Scotland notes.The central characters, the video moni hecan instruct his other assistant to stopand hasbeen produced at DundeeSchool of Art, tors,portrayed a close-upof an eye and a startthe tape when he sees fit, to make interjec whereRichard Gardiner and Pictorial Heroes mouth.As the two performers move towards the tionsand comments about the natureof the haveput the video departments' advancedpro video,the eye watches them suspiciously, mov piece.This was not only entertaining but was ductionfacilities to gooduse. Currentstudents ingfrom one and then to theother. The video is alsoinformative. Atherton'sart alwaysques at Dundee,Jo Goslanand Cammy Galt use entwinedwith rope, which the performers pull at tionsand attacks the problematic idea of 'thisis rapidimages of boiledsweets in the video ina 'Tug-of-War'fashion. Theperformers return notwhat art is but this is whatart shouldbe Raisond'Etre. An assault of shapeand colour, to their desks,then approachone another doing'.His concern is notwith aesthetics, but which,with its synth generated soundtrack was again,untangle the video and proceed to tryto oneof deconditioningpassive expectations in asinteresting to hear as to watch. Human Land pullthe ropefrom one another in a ritualistic theprocess of viewingTV. By addressing par scapeis the first video work by another Dundee fashion. Theearlier action expresses the strug ticularissues of the way we perceive life through student,Sandra Christie. Using time-lapse and gleof cominginto contact with a technological TV,his position is a politicalone. TVhas yet to coloureffects to transform shots of a maletorso medium,the lateraction between the perfor realisewhat it is intoa surreal,unsettling and animated looking mersrepresented the antagonistic process in I wasunmoved by Jane Rigby's installation work.It suggesteda repressed eroticism and an volvedin thecollaboration of ideas. Lasting a the onlywork of its kind representedin the imagination,which -judging by the energy of short15 minutes, this was a simplystated and show.This used four 16mmprojectors, each thiswork - is soonto makemore of a disclo entertainingwork. placedin a corner,images being projected onto sure. Forone night, televisual provacateur, Kevin allfour walls and blending in withone another. "GlasgowEvents Space" broughtdiversity Athertonpresented a piececalled Death in Imagesof trees,the countryside, a churchyard andexcitement to Clydeside, thoughit wasnot Glasgowa flawlessdelivery on thecontradic (ora crosson a churchtower?) gave the feeling withoutits criticsamongst the young Glaswe tionsand the possibilities of TV. I hadseen his of beingdrunk whilst driving through the coun gianartistic community who were a bit suspi TVInterview in theBritish Arts Show, and the try.The piece was silent, except for the sound of ciousof all theseEnglish artists. Thatno ex derivativethereof on Channel4's surveyof theprojectors, and as it usedfilm loops its time perimentalgroups or tendenciesexist in Scot Britishvideo art lastyear, and I foundhis per lengthwas flexible. It wasgood to showa piece landreflects the cultural marginality of the coun formancein Glasgowto typifywhat I imagined of thiskind amongst what was a videodomin tryand at the same time the conservative struc Athertonto be all about.Atherton was con atedshow. It hadto be approached ina different tureof itsteaching institutions, and not any lack cealedthroughout the piecebehind a large way. It didn'tgive you the fixed reference point of vitalityof talentamongst the new and eager blackcurtain from where he watched us through thatvideo does. Thereis nofocus. The idea of generationofScots bred artists. Itwas unfortun a smallmonitor linked to a camerabeing oper installation,however, is to arrestand engage atethat no public discussion took place about atedby an assistant out front. It wasn'tuntil the andto drawyou into the piece. This, however, thesort of structures that are needed to support secondhalf of his piece that it becameapparent seemeda pureexercise in filmaesthetics. If experimentalartists in Scotland.Apart from tothose who hadn't realised already, that Ather JaneRigby was attempting totransfer an emo Dundeevideo department there is a veryreal tonwas in the venue, that this was live. His talk tionalexperience, she failed. The workwas problemof a lackof accessto the necessary tape- on a secondmonitor - actedas a simplytoo coldand unstructured to holdmy technology. commentaryon whathe is watching. Thisgave attention. 'GlasgowEvents Space' wasintended to act usthe feeling that he was watching us, which in Therewas some stunning film material avail as a catalystfor the developmentof a wide fact,he was. AsAtherton is watchingout front, ablein the video library, however, including the spreadexperimental activity that encompasses vintageBurroughs inspired Towers Open Fire, video, film,performance, contemporary dance, theenigmatic Feverhouse with text by Ken Holl visualtheatre and installation work. ings, andthe Super-8mm compilation tape form Suchactivity, if it is to beradical in anyway, lvorUnwin called Flickering Shadows. All the shouldnot remain as sub-cultures to the tradi tapeswere from IKON. Thelatter two works, tionof painting or writing in Scotland, but should however,left the aftertaste of anunfulfilled ex beequal to, dependent on and interactive with perience-the fate of manyfilms transferred them. ontovideo. Language specific to film, in the I hopethat the lack of sympathyfrom some editingand in theprocess of perception,loses quarterstowards 'Glasgow Events Space', will somethingin the videomedium. Intellectual motivatethe creativedetermination of young Propertiesby JohnAdams was an exception; artistsNorth of the Border, andwill stress the filmedoriginally on 16mm and 35mm and trans; necessityfor Transmission's continuation.I

REVIEW

The Event Grouptackle the difficult subjectof A.I.D.Sand the moralpanic that has surroundedthe disease and have come up witha performanceas complexand ambiguous as its subjectmatter. BRUCE BAYLEY reviews ...

FORANYONE, WHO, likeme was a 'regular' at surprises. Ninerobotic heads present a song RichardStrange's CabaretFutura or attended called·sate Sexwhich is hilariousand at the theFinal Solution nights at Heaventhroughout sametime discomforting. Thelyrics, it seems, 1981, the nameof the EventGroup conjures have, beenadapted from an American safe-sex memoriesof anarchic'happenings' in unex· poster'Don't lethim come in yourmouth, don't peeledvenues; cross-cultural,mixed media comein his. Don't let himcome in your arse, performancesthat had a spontaneous,zany I sawboth performances and~ the first thing Don't comein his'. Onewonders whether safe lunacychallenging assumptions about iorm, thatstruck me was that TheGrey Plague was sexis advocated, questionedor ridiculed: spaceand spectator/spectacle. themost structured performance that the Event The piecethen develops into moresequ It seemedthat there was little that the Event Grouphad clone to date. Yesthere is theold encesusing film, robotdolls, recordedmusic Groupwould ,not do- fromspraying fake urine mixedmedia approach - liveaction, (Obotics, all of whichmakes various statements about on DepecheMode to marathondancing; from slides, film, suddenaudience participation AIDS, relatipnshipsand the press hype, until it performingmeticulous-looking surgical opera (comingfrom almost·nowhere, unexpectedly), reachesits leastformal and mostpersonal tionsto highlystatic music pe1cirmances like recordedmusic, ,tapeloops - butto a great stage. ApprochWork, usingtape loop' Krishnamurti, exteotthisjs ananalysed, sequentialpiece with The,fiction is csuddenly over, the characters FredTruman and live music around the action a narrativedevelopment. Rogerand Gary have now been renounced to andimages of a gameof cricket.Combining Eachsection of the 'cabaret'serves to en enable, the performersthemselves, Trevor musical,visual and performance,elements, en hancethe preceding section by admitting addi Goronwyand Tom Castle, to taketheir places vironmentalinstallations ingeniously con tional~nexpected elements. The piece starts at andshare their own personal experiences with structed·out of foundobjects and junk, tape its mostformal, aswe are introduced, through us. Theytalk about sex, pick-ups,how AIDS loopsand pyrotechnics the Event Group's work Slidesand taped prose, tothe C'entral character, mayor may got have affected their friends, their exhibitedwhat one Timesreviewer cal!ed 'A Roger.We learn of his dailylife and relationship relationships. Thenature of TheGrey Plague proverbiallyinconsistent collective tempera withGary from America. Weare led to expect a haschanged from a spectacleto a personally ment'.Their approach led Record Mirror to de continuingnarrative about the two frlends and sharedconfessional, froman allegorical stance scribeone historic gig atthe 101.Club as 'a sort we are shownslides of Roger.and Garyin of 'Greyness' to a reallife stance of personal of WarGame meets Holgar Czukay in a Shoot 'London, throughwhich we learn that'Gary has a secL1rity. It isan uneasy passage but one which Outat ClaphamJunction'. Anarchic,inconsis secretlifestyle to reveal! allowsthe audience and the performers to start tent,shock theatre or not, therewas always }Iler this point,the linearnarrative ceases to relatehonestly and sincerely. whatI fondlyremember as something going on andwe are plunged into a seriesof unexpected Whetherthe performers achieved this transi thatmay have confused, bemused,inspired or :11119: tion successfullyor not is questionable. repelledbut that hada spontaniety,a quality • Perhapsthey were a bittoo self-conscious for thatrightly intended to challengeassumptions my ownconviction. Theyseemed more com and expectationswith an unpredictability.It fortablein the more 'performed' sectionsof the forcedone either to dismiss them or lookat new 'cabaret'. . • • thresholdsthat they were attempting, albeitgro However,it is here·more than anywhere else pingly, to cross. thatthe new, EventGroup approach appears. So I askedmyself, whati~ the Event Group Previously, personalobsessions, intensefanta doingperforming a show called The Grey Pla sieswere presented by them. as imagesand guein thesmall theatre above the Latchmere. musicand left there. In TheGrey Plague the pub and in the originalVictorian music-hall fiction/fantasyis terminated and the performers theatrein Hoxton? appearto becomeresponsible themselves. It is Thepress release for TheGrey Plague de a riskyjuxtaposition but, perhaps, a necessary scribesit asa multi-mediacabaret dealing with unmaskingof the publicface to showwhat is the 'publicface of AIDS, the ignorance, the underneath.I presssensationalism, the smugnessand the TheGrey Plague can be seen at OvalHouse, fear'. LondonMay 30, 31, June1.

TOUROVER AMERICA Neverheard of Laibach?You soon will have,starting here with a raveby JULIA ORKNEY.

IF JANFABRE was the unmissabletheatrical contactwith the press, communicating instead IRWIN, a paintinggroup, andThe Theatre of the eventof theyear, then the unmissable concert throughwritten questions and answers which Sisters of ScipionNasice, both of whom hasto beLaibach. Laibach is all about POWER functionas a kindof prose/poetry/manifesto). embraceLaibach 'ideology' and show it to the - notof theatricalmadness, but of something No!Laibach want to be right at the centreof worldproudly through their artand their theatre. equallycompelling, classicallyordered, and far things,whether it's the musicbusiness, Cork Togetherall three are a formidableforce. Their moreambiguous. Laibach deal with ideology Streetor theNational Theatre. And this grand collectivework has, despitegreat opposition, buttheyare no/necessarily ideologically sound; ambitionis notthat far removedfrom being a permeatedand infiltrated the top cultural institu an EasternEuropean Test Departmentthey reality. Laibach, likeideology, is uncompromistionsof their native Yugoslavia, andis poised to aren't.Their stance is far fromclear; it is not ing andall-pervasive. Their activity goest far dojust that over here. political-but it isvery ... ideological.To quote beyondmerely mesmerising, visuallyand aural Witnessthe recent 'Scipion' productionBapt theboys themselves: 'politics is the highest and ly, audiencesof up to 1,000people at a time. ism(Under Triglav) staged in Slovenia's answer all-compromisingart andwe, whocreate the Theother principle on whichthey operate is to the Barbican, (no meanfeat for a theatre contemporarySlovene art, consider ourselves SAFETYIN NUMBERS.Unlike the spoilt, companybarely three years old and consistent politicians'. Quite. egoisticonly children who are the producers of ly treatedwith great wariness, in Yugoslavia, Sincetheir first concerts in their native Yugos culturehere in the West, they appear and oper throughouttheir short history). It wasthe most laviain 1980and their 'Occupied Europe tour' ateas a bombasting,rumbustious (peer) group importantand visually stunning theatrical event withour own Last Few Days {the first and only who intimidateand dominatewith the sheer in Europefor a decade,according to someof timean Easternand Western European band energyof their work.Laibach have a long Europe's top theatredirectors and program havecome together and toured both sides of standingand flourishing ideological love affair merswho saw it. A deliciousirony for Laibach, Europe)Laibach have been filling people with a withtwo other extraordinary Slovene groups: as theywatched the governmentinstitutions senseof unease.Accused of beingfascists in whohave officially banned them from playing in onepart of Europeand communists inanother, partsof Yugoslavia for years pouring the largest they continueto stir up contentionwherever . . . notyour average cultband amountof publicmoney ever awarded to the theygo. Peoplejust cannot make their minds up PHOTO I ZORAN JOVANOVIC theatrecompany in Yugoslaviainto the most aboutLaibach. And do Laibachcare? Not a bit. spectaculardisplay ever of Laibach Kunst. Ban Afterall they are, as they have often pointed out nedin theirhome town of Ljubljana, Laibach in theirstatements, merely handing people a wenton to communicatetheir ideas and music mirrorwith which to lookat themselves.If they toa fargreater section of the population. 10,000 don't like what they see, then it's hardly peoplefrom all over the country who flocked to Laibach's fault. Ljubljana's primecultural centre everynight to It would, however, bea mistaketo takethem forma captiveaudience for Laibach's music tooliterally. Sometimes you could be forgiven andLaibach Kunst ideas in one of the cleverest fora naggingdoubtthatthings are not what they culturalmanipulations since the Trojan Horse. seem.But they are masters of the paradox. And Is thereno endto thesheer complexityand the biggestparadox of all is that,whilst they volume, notto mention quality, of culturalpro possessthe kind of Europeancultural authen ductionwhich emerges unabated from all flanks ticitywe watch people only vainly attempting to ofthis 'militantly classical' group? All three sec manufactureover here in England,the aura of tionsof it areprolific. Laibach haveproduced a mysterywhich surrounds them and their work is considerablenumber of records in Germany, so impenetrableit has led someto postulate Belgium, Yugoslavia andEngland. Their latest thattheyare, surely, merelythe product of some 12" singleDie Liebe (1stDie GrossteKrafft die A & R man's imagination. AllesSchafft) and LP Nova Akropola, hasjust A tasteof Laibachlive in concertwill soon LAIBACH:TOUR OVER AMERICA beenrecently released by Cherry Red Records. changeyour mind about that. Larger than life, 29thMay BRIGHTON - ZapClub TheTheatre of the Sistersof ScipionNasice antlers, impassivestares, trumpetsand all, their 30thMay LONDON - LondonUniversity opensthe most exciting BITEF for a longtime in music is powerfulalways, grandioseand 31stMay MANCHESTER - The Broad Belgradein September(15th) thisyear and will Wagnerianoften and, just occasionally, very walk performin Parma, Venice, NewYork, Germany, evocativeand emotional indeed. 2ndJune NEWCASTLE - Tiffany's Edinburghand London. lRWIN, apartfrom their ButLaibach are not your average cult band. LIVERPOOL- Polytechnic- numerousshows and critical acclaimin Yugos Theywould positively shudder at the very sug (check press for date) lavia, willbe showing their workin NewYork, gestionof sucha label,should you find yourself 4thJuneLONDON - Bay63 Adam Hall Bordeaux, Ghent, Germanyand Londonlater in in theunlikely situation of actuallyspeaking to 5thJuneLONDON - Bay63 Adam Hall theyear. Watchout Jan Fabre.Who doubts the them{they refuse point blank to have any direct terriblepower of thesehorns! t

REVIEW

I I

ForcedEntertainment are rapidlyearning a reputationas the mostexciting of a new generationof experimentaltheatres. STEVE ROGERS agrees.

NIGHTHAWKSHAS A structurewhich whilst glebetween desire for human warmth and fear beingabout as simpleas youcould make it is of painwhich leads eventually to thebedroom. neverthelesssurprising. It has two equal Thisis filledwith a gentleundulating pattern of halves.Nothing simpler but perhapsnot so embraces, sleep,meetings and partings. It was surprising.It is set in a seedyAmerican bar beautiful, lyricaland a realtheatrical surprise, wherethe daylightis shutout alongwith the butii didn't quitework. identitiesand daily lives of its customers.The ForcedEntertainments other shows suffered only rule is thatthe privacyand isolationof fromthe sameproblem that defeatedNight everyonewho comes there is to be protected. hawks. Simply,their technical ability is not up to Butas alcohol and the nether worldly warmth of thepurity of theirdesign. In thesecond half of the bar takeeffect relationships begin to de theNighthawks the repeated actions are struc velopand thesefour anonymousindividuals turedmusically like a canon. It is a circular repeat revolvingpatterns of desire, fear, patternwhich is completewhen everything re jealousyand guilt. As they drink more they let go lated, Lookingfor Mr Goodbartype fuck, what turnsto itsstarting point. This purity isessential of their protectiveisolation and revealtheir to theirvision and is vitalto the texture and takesplace here is a sceneof tenderness and of humanityand vulnerability which as the pat sadness.This is a dreamlikeworld in whicha meaningof theirwork. Yet the performers do not ternsbecome increasingly frenzied turns into a as yethave the technical ability, althoughthey chance encounterrekindles both human crescendoof selfand mutual destruction. warmthand with it thepain of loneliness. do havethe integrity, to sustainthis kindof This is familiarterritory. It is perhapsonly Thefrenzy of the barroom is nota conclusion structureagainst the demands of theatrical ex whatwe wouldexpect from Forced Entertain butis the outward expression ofthe inner strug- pedience.The human brain/spirit responds to a ment, andits conclusionappears equally pre perfectlycompleted pattern with a kindof satis dictable. Buthere is wherethe surprise comes fyingresonance and so thefinal resolutionof andNighthawks moves from being a competent thecycle of patternsperformed in Nighthawks exampleof a theatricalform into more innova shouldbring with it a deepand resounding toryand dangerous ground. At the height of the senseof 'rightness' but, as it is, it appears frenzythe barroomset suddenly opens like a merelyunnecessarily rigid and overlong. flowerto revealanother inner space.This It wouldbe simpleto imaginechanges to space, drawnlike the barroomfrom movie Nighthawkswhich would deal with this problem cliche, isa motelroom. It isbare and simple and butI suspectthat in doing this the purity of their theblinking neon sign is shreddedby the vene visionwould be destroyedand it is this purity tianblinds. It is anonymous,and glowing, like a whichis their greatest asset. Nighthawks istheir wombor a havenof the spirit, and is the scene in bestshow so far. It is a showfull of theatrical whichthe relationships started in thebarroom innovation, it has committedperformances, arebrought to theirlogical conclusion of intima somegood jokes, but most importantly, it has cy andsex. But far frombeing a coldlycalcu- vision.I

WHATDOSIXTH-FORMERS THINKABOUT PERFORMANCEART?

NewWork Newcastle, organised byProjects UKat the Laing Gallery, wasnot only an important seriesof performance works,but was accompaniedbyone of the most thorough andsuccessful educational programmeseverattempted forPerformance Art.The Laing house an exhibitionof·static' work toprovide something ofa history and contextforthe performances andthere were talks and workshops for schoolgroups andinterested As ~a;t or ~y ~o~k in Ne~c~st1~. ;s a· anything! All this arose from the fact, membersofthe public. Oneof commissioned artist, I thought it (which amazes me) that the intended would be interesting to devise a space to hold the majority of theparticipating artistswas Tara questionnaire to provoke and stimulate performances, did not have an Babelwho, inaddition to ideas for myself and the participants. entertainment licence. So after Bow Alongside the performances, there was Gamelans pyrotechnics the fire and performing,helddiSCUSSiOnS andan impressive 'static' show in the Laing safety people used this clause to halt deViSeda questionnaire forher Art Gallery introducing and presenting any other performances in this space. performance art and also a The alternative offered to me was an audience.Thequestionnaire andcomprehensive education programme upper gallery which housed the 18th thequestion andanswer session involving some of the artists, of which century English landscapes and could I was part. I knew I was to give a talk not be blacked out due to the wide gavesome interesting results. and hold a workshop for mainly skylights. Also, being the first to arrive sixthformers, some studying art and after this 'mishap' rigid restrictions others not, so I had the idea of a were imposed on my movements and questionnair e, mainly to gain a items used in my piece. Nevertheless I reaction and also as an outlet for proceeded as planned to a reasonably comments or ideas. As sometimes with sized audience, and hopefully inspired a group, certain things may not be said a few more people to respond to my or asked so the sheet of questions questionnaire. offered a second chance for this, and The majorit y of replies I received allowed more opportunity for the were thoughtfull y observed, often students to express themselves to me. humourous and sometimes quite Although the questionnaires were prolific. 17-20 years was the average left in the Laing for anyone, most of age group and both sexes were the replies I received were from the represented very neatly by a 50/50 sixthformers I had talked with . For me proportion. this project compensated for the fact I have selected some interesting that I ever actually got to show my points and comments produced by this commissioned performance to its full 'survey'. 40% of replies had seen a advantage as at the last minute I was performance before, but mostly offered an ultimatum of making do connected with the 'New Work' show. with an alternative and unsuitable P Turnball describes her experience space to the original space offered, or thus, 'The last one I saw was Silvia of returning to London without doing something dressed in pink being

TodayI watched Newcastle playArsenal. Thegame was boring. I feltcold. When Newcastle scoredI leaped up anddown with everyone else.I was no longer cold. Everyone washappy aswe left.

middle class, talking about shopping mostly left wing, anti Thatcher and and was standing in the hall when her and food, living in a fantasy world, against Nuclear weapons. The mother found her and asked, 'what are isolated, a woman arranging material questions about killing or dying I felt you doing?' she replied still asleep 'I'm things as her occupation.' Stephen stirred some interesting reactions, I leaving'. Weird. A hilarious story I Davies describes Bow Gamelan as 'a would have said no to both, but 30% heard was:- a friend's parents were deafening ritual of sound and lights', said they would willingly kill for asleep on their wedding night in the but a particularly amusing parallel someone. J. Stern gave a double brides mother's house, the new came from Mark, 'Today I watched barrelled reply, 'No, but I would have husband never having slept there, got Newcastle play Arsenal. The game was shot Hitler had I the chance'. Other out of bed by habit and walked the boring. I felt cold. When Newcastle would be 'victims' varied from rapists, distance he thought to the toilet and scored I leaped up and down with terrorists to vivisectionists and pissed in the wardrobe! If I wrote all everyone else. I was no longer cold. Thatcher being a popular target. 50% my dreams down it would fill Everyone was happy as we left'. 20% pledged to die for someone. I wonder volumes. I think it may be possible to linked performance with everyday could this sentiment become less think of dreams as a kind of link to the rituals of musical performances such as appealing with experience or age? I collective consciousness Jung goes on the Virgin Prunes or U2. Definitions of agree that it would be hard to know about. Like a big switchboard, with 'taboo' ranged from 'The size of the how one would react in that situation. inputs from other peoples dreams and Queen's breasts', to 'Anything which Amongst some of the special obsessions outputs from your own. causes embarrassment', or 'A subject were cycling; the number 7; car you can't talk about with your parents, crashes; horseracing; appearance and Couldyou explainexactly what your or at work'. Jeremy Stern obviously homosexuality to name a few. Some Ni vealAphrodite performance represents? gave a lot of thought to his answers - people would divulge no more than a (CLARE HURST) 'We all act, we all perform. Sometimes 'yes' to this question. Finally a last I suppose it was in a way a tribute to because of emotional changes in the point. 10% of replies believed the one of my favourite places, the way we perceive moments in our life, media 5%, 25% believed it 20%, 50% wonderful island of Cyprus. The start we consciously take them out of the believed it 50% and 15% believed the contrast of Cyprus being the legendary context of 'time' and think of them as media 99%. Stuart Clarke commented birthplace of Aphrodite, Island of love containing elements of a higher state of that he would be less likely to believe and playground of the ancient gods to reality, knowledge or emotion. It is the 'SUN' as opposed to that of a divided country through the these performances that make up our 'NEWSNIGHT' and that most news conflict with the Turks. This was the personal memories. Our first coverage was biased, or that many setting of the piece. I don't know what performance is birth and our last is important facts in the media were instilled in us the need for war but death.' His personal obsessions rather avoided but as far as the writers or maybe it was Aphrodite who inspired moved me - 'I am obsessed by light presenters were concerned it was true . I us to love and pursue beauty and refracted through blue glass, certain think someone should ask these eternal youth even through the use of books from my childhood, faces as presenters, 'Do you actually believe in creams, oils and lotions. images, peoples' personalities and the what you are saying on TV'? ... As a ability we have to fall in love'. Most final conclusion to the questionnaire I Wouldyou showyour bodyto a large people thought the art world could invited the participants to submit their groupof people(not as a sex object). reach more people by publicity own questions. As it turned out most (SHARON HOWARD) through the media, 'Ask Saatchi & of the questions were related to me or I already have done so in a way. Once I Saatchi to do an ad campaign' , or by my work, so I have set about to answer had on nothing but silver paint and a appealing to children, or exhibitions at their questions as they answered mine. belt of 'runes'. I have also been in a places of work. Also that a basic The first question comes from series of mildly pornographic slides. I language is required to show that art JEREMY STERN:- think sexuality is very important and can be interesting, and a general Whatis the most importantdream you should not be exploited. I am very opinion that the art world should not have everhad? wary of appearing naked now, unless it be so exclusive. Good suggestions. 60% I think all my dreams are important, I is absolutely necessary. I find no matter agreed with the statement 'Life itself is have particularly vivid dreams. how intense the context may be, there the absolute art', here are a few Sometimes they worry me. For can always be some lecher in the opposite examples, 'Yes, because all art example, I dream of a person I vaguely audience gleaning a certain amount of stems from life', or 'No, because art know or had known in the past and I pleasure from seeing a naked person. can express imagination and the unreal wonder why. I had a friend who world, or exaggerate reality'. Malcolm physically acted out her dreams, Because your art has so muchmeaning Lockie says, 'Art is abstract perfection, sleepwalking etc. According to her behindit, do you think its depthstops life is not'. Mark suggests, 'No, because sister she used to talk a lot, recite peoplefrom understandingit? the majority are following the herd poetry and tell jokes while asleep, and aoANNE RICHARDSON) instinct and are vegetating in front of in the morning when her sister relayed I think art is a very personal thing and the TV, many artists would like to the jokes back to her, she roared with for me has to have depth and meaning uphold this statement so they can laughter as if hearing it for the first behind it. I am aware that some of my peddle anything as art'. Not as cynical time. One night to the fright of her projects have been quite complicated in as it could sound, I think. 33% claimed poor sister again, she got up turned on content and backup material, but when to affiliate with some form of the light, took a suitcase down from I present the work as a performance or christianity, 40% had no strong the wardrobe and began folding and whatever, it hopefully ties together as a political views and the other 60% were packing her bedclothes and blankets, whole. I think everybody has a

Thelast one I saw was Silvia something dressedin pink being middle class, talking about shopping andfood, living ina fantasyworld, isolated, a woman arranging material things asher occupation.

different set of experiences and any favour of a more accepted established when inbuilt concepts or beliefs are re reaction is based on these. So if format which progresses nowhere. My considered and sometimes exchanged someone else translates it in a way to idea of performance or actions should for a more individual set of ideas. suit them, or picks up on an isolated not be repetitive or rehearsed, but Certainly I think the media is very image or movement, well that's improv ised and spontaneous. I see each effective, especially in a subliminal perfectly alright. I think there is a performance as a personal exorcism or way. Our brains can be soaked in misunderstanding about art, that there ritual, concentrated time, transient, sophisticated advertising without us are a certain set of rules by which to and set within the actual time of its being aware of it. I once caught myself understand it. The onlooker should be happening. The end should allow for ranting on - about a pet food my cat responsible for putting effort into a progression or transgression onto seemed to particularly enjoy. It made translation for themselves and not to something else as a spiral goes around me realise how gullible and influenced expect a black and white explanation. and upwards. A play or rehearsed piece one can be. If there is any information relevant to cannot be performance art as I believe my performances I make sure that it is the participants or characters are not Do you think art is a wasteof time? clear beforehand, and afterwards I hope living the piece, merely mimicking it. (MALCOLM LOCKIE) the work can be seen afresh from the I can hardly say yes and do what I do, point of view of each individual, Whatdo you considerthe mostinfluential but even bad art serves a purpose in thinking independently. beliefson an individual- politics,religion setting down a basis for which one can or the media? appreciate good art. A lot of it is a Whatturns you on? aANE BURKHARD) matter of taste anyhow. Art is (STEPHEN DAVIES) I think a lot depends on one's important for many different reasons; Pornographic mail and lying in the upbringing and conditioning. I also theraputic; design; a form of sun. think there comes a time in one's life expression when other outlets are repressed. People have always made Doesthe mindrule the bodyor doesthe art, whether it was the personal bodyrule the mind? QUESTIONNAIRE decoration of ones surroundings, (DEBRA WARREN) • Haveyou everseen a petformance?if so diagrammatical, or art for art galleries, From the difference between our describeit. just to look at. Anyone can appreciate primal or animal instincts and the • Whatis a ritual? art, and all art is certainly not civilised conscious state we possess as a • Canyou definerepression? contained in art galleries. I believe in higher mammal, it would seem that • Whatis a taboosubject? looking for art in places its not our minds control our actions. There is e Do you thinkyou haveever (even subcon supposed to be, in everyday life. An art no clear answer to this question. Our sciously)created an action/performanceor context can certainly elevate objects or minds and our bodies can be used, for ritual?If so describeit. actions drawing attention to them, also example, to induce higher states of I How doyou think the artworld can reach perhaps elevating our awareness of life. being, one through meditation (mind) morepeople? A lot of ideas on art are a waste of and the other through extreme physical I Do you like artgalleries? time but certainly not the process of activity, (body) I think the mind and I Do you agreewith this statement,'Life creating. body play dual roles. Outwardly itselfis the absoluteart.'? If not why? people are more or less civilised but • Whatwas the lastfilm you saw? So, that's all the questions I'm going inwardly we are still primitive. I Whatwas the lastbook you read, and how to answer at present. I thought they Something in us is deeply disinclined longago was it? were very relevant questions and they to give up our beginnings and yet I Do youpractice any religion?If so what? certainly made me think a bit more by something else believes it has long I Do you live with yourparents? answering them, as I hope did the since gone beyond all that. Here is a I Do you havea specialskill? people who answered mine. I feel it is fav·ourite quote of mine from Yeats:- 'I • Whichcountries have you visited and what important to break down certain am an immortal soul tied to the body is yourfavourite place? misconceptions about performance and of a dying animal.' I Do you haveany strong political views? If create a more honest approach. I think so what? working and communicating with a How closelywould you say dramaand art I Whatfood do you eat mostoften? group before or after a performance arerelated? I Are you engagedin anyform of musical can enhance and add to their aANE RUTHERFORD) activityor anything that directly relates to.the experience of the work and also give Basically to me, not at all, apart from public? the artist a clearer view of how it is them both being creative activities, but I Do you hateanyone enough to kill them? received. I often find that sometimes so are a lot of other things. Art or if I Do you love anyone enoughto die for performance can draw a complete you mean performance art, (which I them? blank and any reaction is with-held think you do), and drama should not I Whatis yourgreatest ambition? perhaps by a lack of understanding. So be linked in the way that it is. I find I Do yo11have a specialambition? despite the drawbacks in Newcastle I that the 'umbrella' of performance can I Do yo11have a specialobsession? feel I gained a lot working with the cover experimental theatre, dance, I Do yo11believe the media,ie news, TV, students, and that this perhaps held scripted dialogues and 'A LOT OF newspapersetc? more meaning and understanding than ACTING' which I think is wrong and I Pleasetick one. the situation of arriving somewhere, damaging to a purer concept of 5% 50% 20% 99% doing the piece and leaving, wondering performance art which seems to be I Carryou add your own questionto this afterwards, 'What the hell was that all practised by less and less people in questionnaire? about?'

A...... DAY IN THELIFE ...... OF A NEO-NATURIST...... CHRIS: Hey Jen, guess what. TheNeo Naturists join.Michael. Clark and the delicate sto~p· of this ~latf or:U JEN: What? shoes. We woke up and took deep C_~RIS: We've got something really andcompany fora performance at bre_aths. We love shouting and couldn't exc1tmg to do on Sunday. theRoyal Opera House, wait to try out the famous acoustics. JEN: What is it? This was our chant: f CoventGarden Be Aggressive CHRIS:_ Well Michael Clark rang up C?ris, Hello Julia, Hello Jeffrey, Hello B.E.Aggressive and asked 1f we wanted to something in a Lizzy, Hello Jeremy, Hello Leigh, Hello B.E.A.G.G.R.E.S.S.I.V.E. ballet at the Royal Opera House. Ellen, Hello Les Child, Hello Lesley, Be Aggressive JEN: Oh Brilliant. Hello Julie, Hello Eric, Hello John, Hello B.E.Aggressive CHRIS: Mike n' Dave give us the best Cerith, Hello Angus'. B.E.A.G.G.R.E.S.S.I.V.E. little acts to do. There were so many people to say hello OOOHH UM GOWER JEN: I know! I'm looking forward to it to. Then with a signal from Mike we set WE GOT THE POWER already. off, ala St Trinians, to find the stage. WE ARE THE BEST CHRIS: So am I. What shall we do? I've Those corridors really are a hoot. SOCK EM IN THE CHEST forgotten how we start. Mike said some 'SHHH RAMBERT' WATCHA GONNA DO thing about chanting. 'WHAT?' THE MONEY BOOGALOO . JEN: He probably meant cheerleading 'SHHH RAMBERT' THE MONEY BOOGALOO bke we did at Riverside. 'PISS OFF' THE MONEY BOOGALOO CHRIS: Oh of course! I wondered 'SHHH RAMBERT ARE ON' THE MONEY BOOGALOO what he was talking about. It's a benefit 'RAMBO'S ON SHHH' MONEY MONEY MONEY for Sadlers Wells. Let's do the Money 'GIGGLE GIGGLE' MONEY MAKING MONEY Making Money Chants as well. 'SHHH RAMBERT' MONEY MONEY MONEY JEN: Yeah OK. 'GUFFAW GUFFAW' 'SHHH' MONEY MAKING MONEY We arranged for Wilma to come round 'GIGGLE GIGGLE WHAT?' The N.Ns were centre stage, behind us early on the day so we could get our cheer 'SHHH RAMBERT SHHH' were a long line of disco dancers and in leading routine perfectly synchronised This strange message was passed along and then all set off for the Royal Opera front Mike, Dave, Nico, Eric n' Les t~e line. An~ there they were on stage Child. While we were chanting we did a House together. The men at the stage e1th Dame Nmette de Valois. 'They call very complicated majorettes dance and d~or seemed to be expecting us, some here Madame' whispered Leigh and the disco dancers did their routine, Lizzy thmg we always appreciate, and as we offered his bottle of poppers to the played her synth and Michael and Nico clattered along the warren of corridors nearest ballerina who used her pert little were everywhere as usual. At the end we which is back stage at the Royal Opera nose to take a deceptively large sniff. You all formed a chorus line and chanted House we stopped and said to each other should have seen her on points! MONEY MONEY MONEY. The cur 'This is back stage at the Royal Opera The rest of the ballerinas stuck their tain went down and we rushed off the House and we're on tonight in the nude'. noses in the air. How dare anyone laugh stage ecstatic hardly aware of the mere It made us come over all historical. at Rambert. Our rehearsal was over in a smattering of applause that came from N.Ns : Hello Mike we're here. fla~h andwe m~naged to go over the piece the auditorium . MIKE: The Neo Naturists Hello . 5 times (well 1t was only 2 mins long)! 'What do we do now Mike?' N.Ns: Oh it's such a proper dressing We St Trinianed it back to the dressing 'Have a drink.' room. room. 'Oh all right then.' MIKE: Well it is the the Royal Opera 'Dame Ninette said so!' 'Let's go to the canteen.' House, make yourselves at home girls. In the few minutes that were left we The canteen was boring. Although the Do you want a drink? made beautiful jobs of our body paint. orc~estra seemed to enjoy the nude yoga Luckily for us the dressing rooms had a We made. uncannily realistic jobs of our sess10n,our boredom was soon disturbed huge toilet area with big mirrors, hot cheerleadmg outfits. The procession to by Leigh who burst into the room wear water_ and heating, everything a neo the stage was even more raucous this ing an exotic Rococo opera dress. na!unst ne~ds but so rarely gets. We gave time and the SHHHs SHHHs even more 'Where did you get that?' Mike a quick run down of our idea and urgent. Then we were on. The curtain 'Dame Ninette said so.' then set about getting painted. ~pened a~d there we were fast asleep un 'C'mon let's all wear them.' Our sexy little cheerleaders outfits til our Fairy Godmother Les Child woke 'Yahoo.' were only half on when Mike came into us up with the touch of his magic wand t?e toilets and announced. 'Hey girls its's Leigh led us to the opera house cos time fo_ra rehearsal on the stage now'. ·chrisiine,·Jen,.Michael. and'teiuh· tume dept and when it was time for the ) We slipped our garments over our semi curtain call we all appeared in enormous ,. painted bodies (after all Princess Mar inthe dressing room crinolines. An absolutely perfect end to a garet was supposed to be there that night perfect day or so we thought when as and we didn't want to ruin the surprise soon as the curtain came down for the 4th I for her) and joined the rest of the com time several large trolleys full of wine -~1d • . . . / pany in the main dressing room. n were wheeled onto the stage and we were 'Hello David, Hello Stevie, Hello suddenly at a party. Judy, Hello Nico, Hello Eilis, Hello ~ -· Gorgeous!

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. Features Price Features Price WelfareState/ ComedyStore / Photocopy 22 Itns:.ct Theatre/ Bloodgroup/ Heartache& Sorrow Only £2.50 Vi eo Afterimage/ Basement 2 RolandMiller & Shirley Photocopy Group Cameron/ Demolition Only £2.50 23 Nan Hoover za Club / Hermine/ P:£erpool Decorators/Mods/ Nuttall on I S1 effield Expanded M ia Money 24 KazukoHonki John Maybury/ Urban Sax / 3 GenesisP. Orridge Hummer Sisters/ Hapfa:nings/ Photocopy (FrankChickens) New York Performance/ Performancefrom Po and Only £2.50 CharlieHooker 4 MaryLongford AcademiaRuchu / WelfareState Photocopy 25 JosephBeuys / Notting Hill Carnival/ MartySt / KaboodleTheatre Only £2.50 Jan Fabre James& AnneWilson / Music 5 CharlieDrake SilviaZiranek / SoniaKnox / Photocopy Supplement Stuart Brisley& Ian Robertson Only £2.50 26 LindsayKemp Burnt Wreckage,Sculpture / 6 FionaRichmond SteveCripps / NakedArt / · Photocopy Lumiere& Son / Performance Politicsof Drag Only £2.50 Journeys 7 John Cage MerceCunningham / Lumiere& Few Left 27 SilviaZiranek Philri Glass/ Fashion/ Camp Son I TadeuszKantor / £3.00 Art Ddart / John Stalin Women'sImages 28 DerekJarman KennethAnger / AfricanMagic 8 Pip Simmons Tom Saddington/ Women's Few Left / PerformanceArtists from Performance £3.00 Outer Space/ Carnival 9 Ivor Cutler PerformedMusic / Showbiz/ Few Left 29 Gilbert& George IdealHome, Crufts,Boat Show San FrancisoMime Troupe £2.50 / Freud& Performance/ 10 RolandMiller & ChrisBurden / Belgian Few Left Bellringing ShirleyCameron Performance/ New Video £2.50 30 MolissaFenley Imagesof Deviancy/ The 11 Brion Gysin Lizzie Cox / Stuart Brisley/ £2.00 WoosterGroup/ Adult StevePaxton Puppetry 12 CaberetFutura / RichardLayzell 31 CharlieHooker GeorgeBataille / RoseEnglish / I State Performances/ Artists AndreiTarkovsky Enquiryinto Art 32 YoshikoChuma RoseGarrard / ImpactTheatre & 13 RolandMuldoon GayCulture & Performance/ RussellHoban / Pornography Theatreof the 8th Day / Gilbert 33 Stuart Brisley Performancein Australia/ & George/ Provisorium Visualtheatre Report / Glamour 14 LaurieAnderson AcmeGallery / MirandaTufnell & Garbagein New York / Musicin Performance 34 John Jesurun SpaldingGray / Philip Glass, 15 YoshiOida Magic& Performance/ Sex& AndrewPoppy, MichaelNyman Public Spectacle/ StationHouse / SoapOpera Opera 35 Eis Comediants La GaiaScienza / PekingOpera 16 Andre Stitt VideoLibraries / Circus I Bow Gamelan/ WinstonTong Lumiere/ ForkbeardFantasy ,36 Steve Willats / Elvis Presley/ Tom Phillips/ 17 GeraldinePilgrim Hesitate& DemonstrateI Irish KrzysztofWodiczko Tina Keane Performance/ Women&Jazz 37 Bruce McLean PerformanceArtists Survey / 18 RobynArcher John Cage& LaurieAnderson/ Laura)& Hardy& Performance/ IOU Theatre/ Independent AnnaProject Video 38/39 SteveReich / Brecht& Pop / MagicFlute / £2.25 19 Cathy Berberian Neo-Naturism/ New Image/ Robert Wilson Anti-Opera/ Portugese New York Live/ Nuovo Performance Spettacolorita 40 Marty St James & Bow Gamelan/ AnneSeagrave / 20/21 PsychicTV AnneBean / Philip Glass& Rhys £2.00 AnneWilson WelfareState I Ian Munro/ Chatham/ RationalTheatre / Critics New York Video

0 BACKISSUES: FOR SEVEN YEARSPERFORMANCE MAGAZINEHAS BEEN THE FIRSTWITH THE NEWIN PERFORMANCEART, BACK THEATRE,DANCE, VIDEO,: MUSIC, EVENTSAND SPECTACLES. CATCHTHE ISSUESALLBACK ISSUES COST £1.50 (UNLESS OTHERWISESTATED) INCLUDING ONESYOU MISSED. POSTAGE. (USA$4.00).

MAJORNEW/ COMMISSIONS With supportfrom the Arts\Council's performance PromotersScheme the MidlandGroup continues its successfulseries of speciallycommissioned works, all availablefor touring. Industrialand DomesticTheatre C.ontractors WHITE LIGHT 'Not WavingBut Drowning' -1. workfor empty 57 FilmerRoad ·London SW6 swimmingpools. AvailableJuly ManactII AvailableOctober Tel:01-731 3291 IntimateStrangers 'Chine AvailableOctober Telex:295811 AkademiaRuchu 'SuperGoodnight' AvailableOctober SPRING PROfiRMtME at The Midlan«t Group THEATRELIGHTING Tsk, Tsk, Tsk- brilliant new musiccabaret from Australia HIREAND SALES SteveShill - memberof lmpa trTheatrein first solo performance AvantiDisplay - new perform'ancegroup from Manchester Big Moments- perforn;ianpeat its brightest Vocem- electricsdance and oca acrobatics. Our prices ore competitive EastWest Encounter please ring for price listor quote and - World Premiereof newshow by Theatrede Complicite ~

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