TALES FROM THE WOODS

AA 167
TH
Birthday Anniversary: Friday 10
th
October 2014
First year timetable

Groups Makers 12 students Costume 12 students Performance 36 students
Tutors Shany + Takako / Stefan John + Andreea / Takako Monia + Stefan / Takako
Mon 29
th
Sept
14:00 17:00
Idea of the body and performance
Birthday Party programme & timetable
Schedule and group task descriptions
Team building exercises: moving and exploring
Wed 1
st
Oct
10:00 17:00

Group 1: Cloakroom (4 students) *1
Prepare the cloakroom in South Jury Room
Generating ideas and process of making
The actual making/installation of the
cloakroom will start from 4:00pm Thursday 9th
Oct.

Group 2: Trails (4 students) *2
Create a trail in the First Year Studio
connecting two doors.
Generating ideas and process of making. -
Drawing the ideas, making sketch models
We will discuss when we can start creating
the trail within the First Year Studio

Group 3: Installation (4 students) *3
Furnish staircases & Via Christina with twigs
Understanding the elements of the buildings
where the twigs are attached.
Drawing the ideas and testing.
The actual installation will start from Mon 6th
Oct. No leaves/twigs to be installed
anywhere till that start day.
Costume design and making *4
Allocate 3 performance students per one
costume making student
Experiment
Bring in your own unwanted garments.
Deconstruct them into parts and reconstruct
new configuration of garments, putting
together parts from another garment,
introducing new elements, etc.,
Test the new garments; see how they
influence the movements and the sense of
the body.
Mass and Swarm performance
Create groups of 12 students x 3 *6
Try out and practice scene makers
instructions in various AA spaces *7
Exchange ideas and discuss how the actions
affect the space and people, be each
others audience
Create new instructions, scenarios and
actions for mass & swarm performance
If the mass & swarm involves noise making,
create musical and noise making instruments
to play with.
Fri 3
rd
Oct
10:00 17:00
Discuss with the performer students how and
what each of them want to ware
Design the costumes. Sketch, plan the
process, test out
Complete the costumes as much as possible
in time for Saturday rehearsal


Lean the event timetable well.
Practice choreographed movements in
groups.
Create new scene makers for mass and
swarm performance
Practice in space, both inside and outside,
consider sequence, movements and effects
Discuss with the costume group about your
own costume ideas
Sat 4
th
Oct
10:00 12:00: Attend the performance group
rehearsal, optional
10:00 12:00: Attend the performance group
rehearsal, optional
10:00 12:00 Rehearsals with Hector Harkness
(Punchdrunk) *8
Mon 6
th
Oct
10:00 17:00
Continue with the works from the previous
week to complete
Group 1 Cloakroom Team
Prepare the hungers and tickets.
All 12 makers students will join the cloakroom
team for the operation of the cloakroom on
the party evening.
Discuss the rota and process of the
cloakroom operation with all 12 makers
Continue with the works to complete all the
costumes.
Modify and improve the costumes taking
account the reviews and reflections from the
rehearsal
Continue with the works, keep on practicing.
Take photographs and videos for reflections,
reviews and feedbacks
Wed 8
th
Oct
10:00 17:00
Friday 10
th
Oct
10:00 - 16:00
All installations
Help & assist Birthday core team in setting up
Prepare cloakrooms, necessary facilities
Help & assist Birthday core team in
preparation

Help & assist Birthday core team in
preparation

Friday 10
th
Oct
18:00 02:00
All makers team operate the cloakroom
Cloakroom rota from 18:00 start to the end till
2:00am

Document the performances by
photography and video *5

Performance throughout the evening till 22:00*9
17:30-18:45: On the pavement in front of the
entrances
18:00-22:00: Throughout various spaces in the
AA, engaging and responding to the guests
with various scene makers
Help & assist the Acts at 19:00 (Toast), 20:00
(Dining performance) & 21:00 (Cake)


Makers
*1: Prepare cloakroom installation
The cloakroom will be set up in South Jury Room. It will also function as initiation space for the guests into the Theatre. The room needs to be divided into two
distinct spaces one for the guests to flow from one door into the Lecture Hall, and the other for the team to operate the cloakroom smoothly.

Prepare the tickets, think about good and effective process and procedure for handing coats and bags, make working rota for all 12 makers for the party evening.

*2 Create a trail in the first year studio
In order to make a thoroughfare, create a trail connecting both doors in the first year studio. Get inspired by the name trail: what atmosphere, quality and texture
that might have? What materials are suitable? The rest of the first year studio should function as normal, so the view from the trail might need to be obstructed.

*3: Installing small branches and twigs
In order to create a sense of continuous forest paths within the AA, attach small branches and twigs onto the staircase handrails, and corridor walls. Please be aware
not to block the traffic walkways need to have 1200mm clearance in the middle. Likewise, install small branches and twigs through Via Christina, mainly from the
ceiling. The Via Christina will become the site for Treasure Hunt game consider creating some hidden spaces and pockets.


Costume
*4 Costume design and making
Design and make the costumes that the performer group will ware on the party. The colour will be variations of white; the design and material can vary. Could be
alteration of existing garments. Keep it simple but consider the effect on the performance and movement. Experiment how the costume might interact with the
movement. Also experiment with different materials, not only fabric - maybe small pieces of paper? Origami put together? Make a good use of ready-made
garments.

*5 Document the event
The costume team will be the only team who wont have tasks on the party evening. Using your iphones, or SLR cameras, camcorders, capture various moments
throughout the evening. Please submit your images and videos after the event.




Performance
*6 Create three groups of 12 students
One group of 12 will mainly work with Yiota, the core team member who is the singer (the movement and instruction tbc)
Two groups of 12 will work as a collective mass, either in 24, or in two groups of 12
All three groups will also act as a swarm at certain time of the event actual. This will be briefed during the two weeks.

*7 Mass & swarm performance with scene maker movements and spot performance
The core team has created a series of scene makers that would act as spontaneous performance. Observe how these movements create different senses of space
and atmosphere. Create more scene makers; movements, gestures, actions, responses, voice works, etc., that would be perceived as performances. These mass
and swarm will move together in costumes throughout the AA spaces. The guests will encounter the performers and might want to interact. The groups will also be
navigating the guests to the main spaces where the ACT takes place at scheduled times.

*8 Rehearsals on Saturday 4
th
Oct, 10:00 12:00
Hector Harkness, choreographer and director from the immersive theatre company Punchdrunk, will give us advice and tips in performance. This will give the team a
great guidance and confidence in performing for an audience. All other students are welcome to view, acting as audience.

*9 Performance throughout the evening
The swarm and mass performance will encounter and entertain the guests at various positions and spaces throughout the evening. By 10
th
Oct, everyone will know
each role to perform.

The evening will be punctuated by the ACTS the Mass & Swarm performance will also guide the guests to the main spaces at the following times.
19:00 Toast & Cake: Lecture Hall
20:00 Dining Performance: Rear Presentation Space
21:00 Cake: Lecture Hall or Rear Presentation Space (final space tbc)
21:30 Live Music: Lecture Hall and Rear Presentation Space


Key dates

Saturday 4
th
Oct: 10:00 12:00
+ Rehearsal with Punchdrunk all performance group essential to attend, other participating students welcome.
+ Some installations starts from Sat 4
th
,as many hands appreciated from the makers and costume team. The minor impact installation (twigs etc) will continue
throughout the week.

Thursday 9
th
Friday 10
th
Oct
+ Installation starts from 4:00pm on 9
th

+ Installation should complete by 4pm on 10
th


+ The show begins from 6pm, everyone need to be ready and stand-by by 5:30pm.