The Raven Project

Merrigong Theatre Independent Producers Program presents

The Raven Project

Starting from Edgar Allen Poe’s poem The Raven and paralleling this with the work of Alfred Hitchcock’s films, in particular- The Birds, North by Northwest and Psycho, Jeff Stein looks at birds and planes as a sign of impending doom or simply as a messenger of something to come.

What message do they bring? What impending disaster do they speak to? What does Poe’s Raven mean by Nevermore? Why do crows and ravens have such a bad rep? If we watch all of the TV series Six Feet Under are we ok with death. Is death funny?

Jeff and Frank Mainoo will set up a parlor and will be taking guests and try to address these questions and many more. Part installation, part lecture, part video night.

An Alfred Hitchcock type character narrates a not altogether coherent story, in the way Hitchcock himself narrated the trailers for some of his films- irony combined with comedy into a narration of completely sinister stories.

Artists
Jeff Stein- direction, design and performer/devisor
Frank Mainoo- co-performer/devisor and production/lighting design

Dates and Times
Friday 16th and Saturday 17th April 2010
6pm/7pm/8pm

IPAC Theatre- 32 Burelli St Wollongong

Bookings and Info
02 42245999

Cost
$15/$10

Searchlight Festival

Performed in Melbourne, had a great time,
http://searchlightfestival10.wordpress.com/

Riversdale Festival

Stage managed a great little festival at Bundanon- one of the most beautiful places on earth!
http://www.bundanon.com.au/

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

THE STATE WE ARE IN

Urban Theatre Projects Residency

http://statewearein.blogspot.com/

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

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.