Monday, November 2, 2009

Viva La Gong Festival

Currently coordinating this Festival in Wollongong, hope to see you there. This Sat 7th Nov, below web site for details:
www.vivalagongfestival.org

Friday, July 24, 2009

Legs on the Wall Residency- The Secret Name

The Secret Name
Concept and directed by Jeff Stein
Collaborating with sculpture Jade Pegler
Devised and performed by Ashley Dyer, Janie Gibson and Frank Mainoo.

Showing Date: Thurs 30th, 8pm
Venue: Red Box Studio, 91 Canal Rd Lilyfield
RSVP: admin@legsonthewall.com.au

Kafka wrote in his diary that if we call life by its right name, it comes forth, because “that is the essence of magic, which does not create but summons.” Magic, to Kafka, is the science of secret names.

The work of the sculptor Jade Pegler are creature like, wrapped in paper from books, as though through the process of wrapping the object with texts, the creation process has somehow animated the object. The objects appear in process of becoming. They exist in a kind of twilight, either becoming alive or fading away.

The aim of the project seeks to find an inter-play between object and performer. The performer will take on the qualities of the object and seek to find the twilight world in which the performer also seeks to become or dissolve.

The themes are about magical nature of language, the conversation of inanimate to animate and visa versa, Light as metaphor, light like words, exists within this metaphysic realm, playing a important role in the creation process, how light reveals the body and object, the seen and the unseen, the know, the unknown.

“The secret name was the name the creature was called in Eden, when it is pronounced, every manifest name- the entire Babel of names is shattered… The secret name is the gesture that restores the creature to the unexpressed. In the final instance, magic is not the knowledge of names but a gesture, a breaking free from the name…. happy, and without a name, the creature knocks at the gates of the land of the magi, who speaks in gesture alone”
Giorgio Agamben, Profanations

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Outback Arts project 2009_ Update

SEE: http://performingplace.blogspot.com/

After a long drive (700km) from my home in Wombarra, I arrived in Gulargambone. North East NSW. I stayed with Outback Arts’ Sam Newstead’s farm, really beautiful spot not far from town.

The first workshop was in Gulargambone’s Central school to an enthusiastic group of 15 kids (12-16rs) for just one day, I videoed one of the kids telling a great ghost story.

The next workshop was over two days in Walgett High School. It started off being a little difficult on the 1st day, it was really hard to get them to do anything creative or expressive. However on the 2nd day a smaller group of girls really was great, we videoed them telling some great stories about themselves and their thoughts on Walgett.

I started my 1st day of a three-day workshop at Lightning Ridge Central School, A really expressive group, who are excited about drama.

It is a HUGE country, flat and I have never seen the sky so BIG, you can almost feel the roundness of the earth. There has been some rain, so the land seems more alive, more green and yellow than brown. The area is farming cattle, sheep and wheat, in a huge, barren landscape.

Now I am sitting in a Motel in Lightning Ridge, had a great weekend, visited the local hot spring baths and seen the sights thanks to my local guide- writer and theatre worker Clytie Smith.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Creative Sydney and Gloom Sydney- Inside Out

Hi,
I am taking at Creative Sydney- Space Race on Thursday 28th May at 7.30pm at the MCA.
see- www.creativesydney.com.au

I have answered Marcus Westbury's call for: "provocateurs, pranksters, rebels and shit-stirrers". While I have agreed to speak at Creative Sydney and work from the inside, at the same time I am addressing the issues that vivid festival provokes from the outside.
I am doing this by participating in the counter festival- Gloom.
see- www.gloomfestival.org

I hope some of you will also participate in Gloom and Creative Sydney and take this inside out approach.

For space race I am going to speak briefly about my work with Gravity Feed Ensemble, which is no longer, I was a core member of that collective of artists for 12 years.
I'd like to talk in particular about two site specific work we did in Sydney and how that type of work is virtually impossible in the city now, due to an over protective attitude towards space- insurance, price$ and laws
I would also like to touch on the mediation of space ie you can't just perform in an empty warehouse anymore, legally anyhow, and how spaces like Carriageworks were created to fill this gap but are still over governed, lacking in flexibility that creative spaces need.
I will approach my talk about Sydney space from an artist's point of view and how I negotiate that space.

For gloom festival I will also be making the sound of an elephant.

Hope to see you there discussing issues and making elephant noises.

cheers
Jeff

Artist Talk:

Jeff Stein on his work with Italian Director Romeo Castellucci
and Socetas Raffaello Sanzio

The work of Romeo Castellucci and Socetas Raffaello Sanzio is considered by many to be the most visionary experimental theatre of our time. Under the direction of Chiara Guidi (Romeo’s wife), Castellucci's company Raffaello Sanzio also creates theatre for and by children. Through their 'Children’s Theatre Experimental School,' Guidi and Castellucci have established a unique methodology for creating a space for children to learn the fundamental aspects and mechanics of theatre, as well as a place to create work that defies the usual expectations of what children’s theatre should look like.

Jeff has studied the company's work since 1998, accompanying them on tour and performing in their last show Inferno. This year he hopes to bring Chiara Guidi to Australia to give a workshop in children’s theatre.

Date: Friday 29 May, 3:00-5:00pm

Venue: Wollongong City Gallery

The Raven Project


IMPASSE