image by Anna Cordingley

As part of the final development phase of our adaptation of The Master and Margarita, Anna Cordingley has sketched some roughs for the stage design. These beautiful sketches and a collage of some of the inspiration give a sneak preview of what we have been generalising as the “verticality” of the piece. Regular viewers will have noticed in previous productions a commitment to the horizontal frame, Peer Gynt being the best example of this. The physical limitations and political framing of the body inhabiting a wide flat space has been an ongoing strategy. With this production, the viewers are invited to “look up” and although it is ambiguous whether the frames are more or less restrictive for the performers, it does point to an embracing of the magical and escapist elements of the story.

image by Anna Cordingley

The punk-band on the roof is a reference to the Russian activist band Pussy Riot, who are in our minds this week as two of the members of that band are currently in prison facing up to seven years for staging a “punk prayer” in an Orthodox cathedral.

design references compiled by Anna Cordingley

photo by Daisy Noyes

The Master and Margarita development showing was presented at Theatre Works on February 18. After two weeks of mainly nitty-gritty scripting and character-mapping, some solid work on design with Anna Cordingley, fearless experiments with Michael Pulsford playing his demonic percussion and Emma Valente hurling lights around the room, we knuckled down over the final few days to present an”open rehearsal” style presentation.

photo by Daisy Noyes

This, as far as we know, unique way of showing the results of the fortnight was a blast for all; dangerous, alive, unpredictable. Even if it did give the impression that the dominant aesthetic choice was “New York Meat-Packing District, circa 1972″ (blame Edwina Wren for the spot-on Patti Smith homage), this form of presentation allowed for fluidity, instant editing and a pretty good way of allowing an audience into the conversation. Aside from the unfortunate incident when we attempted to literalise the phrase “Manuscripts Don’t Burn” and almost gassed the audience, the evening was well received and Daniel Clarke – GM of Theatre Works and our archangel on this project – was well-armed to go forth and seek co-producers. We are optimistic that this production will find a home in 2013.

photo by Daisy Noyes

Go to the production page for The Master and Margarita for more info, press coverage and interview links.

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photo by Marg Horwell

The first day of a rehearsal, I often say, is only useful because it allows you to  get to the second day of rehearsal. Beginning is fraught, expectations are scattered, energies meet at different levels, strangers meet for the first time; there is no rhythm.

This was a different kind of first day. Three performers, in a fantastic studio (Broken Mirror in Brunswick) on a stage roughly marked and filled with curious objects (including the kitchen sink) by Marg, with Darrin’s early sounds filling the room, Frances teaching us how to tie each other up via skype, from Brussels. Different levels of preparedness to be sure, but I like that.

The obvious observation is that with Hamlet, you can do almost anything; gestures, words, different objects and play are all amplified by the presence of that text/artifact/thing. On a more practical level, the trio (Ophelia/Gertrude/Hamlet) feels absolutely right for this chamber adaptation and the diversity of skills in the room is thrilling.

So, we have begun in the best possible way. I will continue to report from the room, although I am so loathe to talk about the process, even with those involved, that the detail may well be sporadic or opaque. Talking, naming, describing is so often a fear-response, a need-to-lock-in-meaning in the face of the unknown. We shall see. It seems Frances might try her hand at it too. Who knows, maybe somewhere in the space between the two of us, something might make sense.

Born London, England, Dominique is a make-up and special effects artist who works across film, television, advertising, theatre, music videos and major events. Her television credits include Winners and Losers (Channel 7) and Angry Boys (HBO/ABC), her film credits include Sarah Watt’s My Year Without Sex (Hibiscus Films) and Ana Kokkinos’ Blessed .

With Daniel Schlusser:

• Peer Gynt
• Life is a Dream

Born Melbourne, Australia. Darrin Verhagen is a freelance composer for Theatre, Dance, Computer Games and Screen.

His theatrical scores for have included work for, Playbox/Malthouse, the Melbourne Theatre Company, the Sydney Theatre Company, Moira Finucane, and the Keene Taylor Theatre Project. His Meat Party score was nominated for a Green Room Award in 2003, and he won the award in 2005 and 2010 for his soundtracks to Memory of Water and Schlusser’s Poet #7 respectively.

Choreographic works include material for Chunky Move, Australian Dance Theatre, Lucy Guerin, Sue Healey, and Mary Oslund/USA. Installations have included pieces for Patricia Piccinini Digital Monkey/ADT, and Gina Czarnecki.

He has performed at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (2002), The Transmediale Festival (Berlin 2003), mounted a Shinjuku Thief tour across Europe in 2005, a large “EPA” audiovisual performance in 2006 in collaboration with Richard Grant, and has been  a regular participant in the Liquid Architecture, and Immersion Festivals in Melbourne and Sydney.

www.darrinverhagen.com

Darrin lectures in Sound Design, and “Technology, Composition & Perception” at RMIT University and is currently undertaking postgraduate research into Noise Music and neurology.

With Daniel Schlusser:

• Prodigal Son
• Medea
• The Zombie State
• Life is a Dream
• Poet #7
• Ophelia doesn’t live here anymore

Sarah has worked as a Melbourne-based arts administrator and manager for over 10 years she has held ongoing positions for Melbourne Workers Theatre, Chamber Made Opera, Next Wave Festival, Snuff Puppets and, most recently, Arts House, where she was Artistic Administrator from 2007 to 2009. In a freelance capacity she has worked with independent artists, festivals and companies including: Melbourne Fringe, Melbourne International Film Festival, Ranters Theatre, Astra Chamber Music Group, Express Media and On Invisible Wings. Sarah has worked across performance, print media, community radio and in the visual arts, on events at ACCA and the National Gallery of Victoria.

With Daniel Schlusser:

• Life is a Dream
• The Dollhouse
• The Master and Margarita