Physical Theatre DV8, Gecko and Pina Baugh

PINA BAUSCH Born: in Germany in 1940. Formed the company Tanztheater Wuppertal, The company combines everyday normality with influences from around the world. Bausch is heavily influenced by dance but also uses dialogue, repetition and sequences, an example of this is…. https://youtu.be/3WLazG0bQPI? t=40s

Pina’s working methods- In 1978 she wanted to create a new version of Macbeth however most of her dancers no longer wanted to work with her as there was little ‘dance’ in her pieces. So she cast with just four dancers, five actors and a singer. She was unable to teach choreography and dance so began by asking her performers questions around the themes of the play. On the premiere of this work there was much protest from the audience, however she found the form her work would take, dream-like with poetic imagery and body language. This new method is what started her worldwide success. - This suggests that Bausch found her future and style in physical theatre through failing.

https://youtu.be/NOTjyCM3Ou4?t=3m

DV8 Lloyd Newson, artistic director of DV8 He worked with New Zealand Ballet, before coming to London. Yet, frustrated with dances conformity, he founded DV8 Physical Theatre with Nigel Charnock and Michelle Richecoeur in 1986 as step off between dance and acting. This was also because of a heavy influence and inspiration from Pina Baugh. https://youtu.be/AsKtaMrxguE?t=30s

“Bausch understood that dance and linear narrative weren't always the best vehicles for discussing the human condition. Bausch made you feel. She had the courage to relentlessly pursue, on stage, her own fascinations and obsessions about time and human relations, no matter how minuscule or epic those ideas might be; and that was her genius.” - Lloyd Newson

https://youtu.be/vNVPumETpuA?t=12s DV8 DV8 question’s the traditional forms which are apparent in both modern and classical dance, and attempts to push beyond the values they reflect to enable discussion of wider and more complex issues. They do this by using verbatim. https://youtu.be/vNVPumETpuA?t=12s

https://youtu.be/ESDkAlpTMQg?t=7s Another example is their latest play, JOHN -Newson interviewed more than 50 men asking them frank questions about love and sex. One of those men was John, leaving the play to be solely created through 3 interviews out of 50.

Gecko Amit Lahav, is the Artistic Director of Gecko and has created 7 shows, staring in all of them. Amit was born in Israel and trained as a physical theatre performer before working with several dance, visual and physical theatre pioneers.

Gecko A Gecko show is: visual and ambitious theatre crafted to inspire, move and entertain. Gecko strives to make their work wide open to interpretation and put their audience at the heart of the narrative. https://youtu.be/5PQpxi7h_rc?t=10m4s

WHAT TECHNIQUES DO THEY USE? Experiment with learning and failing, using choreography, writing, storyboarding and reflection. The creative process happens over two years and includes the ‘creation tour’ where a show continues to develop whilst on tour. The longevity of a show’s life, up to five years, means that the current show in development carries enormous significance in all aspects of the company’s work. Here is an example of some of the techniques Gecko uses… https://youtu.be/IbO3YLG7TeM?t=1m8s

MEANING AND INSPIRATION BEHIND GECKO PLAYS Unlike DV8, Gecko are not inspired, necessarily be individual people but life itself. From the everyday worries, to concerns, challenges and pleasures that all humans go through. Allowing the audience to have personal experience as all plays are relatable, and better still that it will reveal a new perspective on their world. Institute, openly invites its audience to consider what it means to care and asking What does it mean to lose everything and everyone? Where do you turn? Missing, is a play that broadens the audience’s ideas of everyday life and how people put up facades or masks to hide real emotions. The Wedding: draws on influences of cultures from around the world, exploring the ritual of the wedding and its place in modern society.