It is really interesting to read about your experiences with theater and the solo writing with OS. I am involve in documentary and interactive medias creations.A major part of our conceptual work is done in an adaptation of the spirit of OS.
2010/7/16 OSLIST automatic digest system <lists...@listserv.boisestate.edu> > There are 3 messages totalling 419 lines in this issue. > > Topics of the day: > > 1. making theatre in Open Space (3) > > * > * > ========================================================== > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > ------------------------------ > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > > To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: > http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Date: Thu, 15 Jul 2010 03:37:29 -0600 > From: Stella Duffy <st...@clara.co.uk> > Subject: making theatre in Open Space > > hi all,=20 > I'm new to this list, having been at all of Improbable's 'Devoted & > Disgruntled' Open Spaces led by Phelim McDermott in London in the past > years. Some years ago, when I came to a major impasse in the editing of m= > y > eleventh novel, I tried editing in OS and was astonished at how useful it= > > was for me, alone, with my manuscript. This year I have shared OS, along > with other practitioners, with my buddhist practice here in the UK, and m= > ost > recently I've been working on a new theatre project and (with Phelim's > encouragement!)I now - shyly - share with you the report I returned to th= > e > National Theatre Studio who generously gave 30+ of us the space to work o= > n > this new project in OS.=20 > I'd be very interested in hearing from anyone else who has used OS for > writing or where it's been used for making/devising theatre work. > best wishes,=20 > Stella Duffy > stelladuffy.wordpress.com > > > My report to the NTS :=20 > I'm emailing to thank you all so much for your support for the Chaosbaby > Project Open Spaces this weekend and last.=20 > > To give you some idea of what happened, and how valuable it was : > 36 people attended over both days (many of them came to both). > The age range was from 21 to mid-60's. > They were 11 actors, 2 actor-musicians, 4 actor-writers, 1 > choreographer-dancer, 6 directors, 1 designer, 1 film-maker, 2 musicians,= > 2 > playwrights, 5 writer-directors, 1 photographer. > > In the two days, using the Open Space form, various groups & individuals = > : > - wrote a 14-page traditional/'straight' narrative for the piece > - developed character breakdowns > - worked on the physicality/movement for a number of characters/spaces > - held many discussions about the nature of the piece > - discussed the nature of chaos (as a theatrical concept, as a > dance/movement concept, and in terms of chaos theory and mathematics) > - created/drew up initial design ideas > - wrote 3 new monologues > - worked on the (two, brief) pre-existing texts > - wrote and recorded a lullaby > - documented the work on camera and video > - made a puppet show, with live music accompaniment > > Above all, I think, we showed ourselves it is not only possible, but perh= > aps > preferable to work in Open Space, with a wide range of theatre-makers, > across many disciplines, which generated an enormous amount of > work/material, led not by a single director or writer, but by the whole -= > > and that in doing so it is still possible to have a cohesive idea of wha= > t > we are making and where best our skills might be used.=20 > > I'm really excited about taking this on further, I especially loved that,= > > having met Slav (on the door, doing security) the first Saturday, he took= > > (wonderful) photos for us on the 2nd Saturday.=20 > > We're looking at a full weekend/three day Open Space to further the work > later in the year.=20 > > I've worked in made/devised/improvised theatre for the past twenty-five > years, this was one of the few times I've felt that it was TRULY a shared= > > group endeavour and not, at least in some ways, a director or writer-led > experience. And happy though I am to work as both a director and a writer= > , a > working form that uses ALL the skills in the room, to the utmost that can= > be > offered, feels like a much better use of time, space, money and, most > importantly, the full range of all the artists' abilities.=20=20 > > * > * > > =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > ----------------------------- > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > > To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: > http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Thu, 15 Jul 2010 22:40:32 +1000 > From: Allison & Jim Baensch <mb...@iinet.net.au> > Subject: Re: making theatre in Open Space > > Hi Stella, > Good to hear you have used Open Space for writing. > I also used it while writing a thesis recently. > I tried to map part of the process that was going on inside my head > in words and sketches. > The thesis ended up being far too long and I had to cut it in half > (several times over the many months of writing) and that section was > left on the cutting room floor. > But the process lifted me out of one of my 'sloughs of writing > despond' and got me going again. > How did you use OS for editing? > Allison > > On 15/07/2010, at 7:37 PM, Stella Duffy wrote: > > > hi all, > > I'm new to this list, having been at all of Improbable's 'Devoted & > > Disgruntled' Open Spaces led by Phelim McDermott in London in the past > > years. Some years ago, when I came to a major impasse in the > > editing of my > > eleventh novel, I tried editing in OS and was astonished at how > > useful it > > was for me, alone, with my manuscript. This year I have shared OS, > > along > > with other practitioners, with my buddhist practice here in the UK, > > and most > > recently I've been working on a new theatre project and (with Phelim's > > encouragement!)I now - shyly - share with you the report I returned > > to the > > National Theatre Studio who generously gave 30+ of us the space to > > work on > > this new project in OS. > > I'd be very interested in hearing from anyone else who has used OS for > > writing or where it's been used for making/devising theatre work. > > best wishes, > > Stella Duffy > > stelladuffy.wordpress.com > > > > > > My report to the NTS : > > I'm emailing to thank you all so much for your support for the > > Chaosbaby > > Project Open Spaces this weekend and last. > > > > To give you some idea of what happened, and how valuable it was : > > 36 people attended over both days (many of them came to both). > > The age range was from 21 to mid-60's. > > They were 11 actors, 2 actor-musicians, 4 actor-writers, 1 > > choreographer-dancer, 6 directors, 1 designer, 1 film-maker, 2 > > musicians, 2 > > playwrights, 5 writer-directors, 1 photographer. > > > > In the two days, using the Open Space form, various groups & > > individuals : > > - wrote a 14-page traditional/'straight' narrative for the piece > > - developed character breakdowns > > - worked on the physicality/movement for a number of characters/spaces > > - held many discussions about the nature of the piece > > - discussed the nature of chaos (as a theatrical concept, as a > > dance/movement concept, and in terms of chaos theory and mathematics) > > - created/drew up initial design ideas > > - wrote 3 new monologues > > - worked on the (two, brief) pre-existing texts > > - wrote and recorded a lullaby > > - documented the work on camera and video > > - made a puppet show, with live music accompaniment > > > > Above all, I think, we showed ourselves it is not only possible, > > but perhaps > > preferable to work in Open Space, with a wide range of theatre-makers, > > across many disciplines, which generated an enormous amount of > > work/material, led not by a single director or writer, but by the > > whole - > > and that in doing so it is still possible to have a cohesive idea > > of what > > we are making and where best our skills might be used. > > > > I'm really excited about taking this on further, I especially loved > > that, > > having met Slav (on the door, doing security) the first Saturday, > > he took > > (wonderful) photos for us on the 2nd Saturday. > > > > We're looking at a full weekend/three day Open Space to further the > > work > > later in the year. > > > > I've worked in made/devised/improvised theatre for the past twenty- > > five > > years, this was one of the few times I've felt that it was TRULY a > > shared > > group endeavour and not, at least in some ways, a director or > > writer-led > > experience. And happy though I am to work as both a director and a > > writer, a > > working form that uses ALL the skills in the room, to the utmost > > that can be > > offered, feels like a much better use of time, space, money and, most > > importantly, the full range of all the artists' abilities. > > > > * > > * > > ========================================================== > > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > > ------------------------------ > > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > > view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: > > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > > > > To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: > > http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist > > * > * > ========================================================== > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > ----------------------------- > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > > To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: > http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Thu, 15 Jul 2010 13:57:29 +0100 > From: Stella Duffy <st...@clara.co.uk> > Subject: Re: making theatre in Open Space > > Hi Allison, > I have a brief mention of it here on my writing blog : > > http://stelladuffy.wordpress.com/2009/01/21/editing-a-novelediting-this-nove > l/ > > Basically I was at a standstill, having completed the 4th draft of the > novel, my publisher, agent and I all knew more work was needed, but none of > us could quite get clear on what it was, and a deadline was looming, of > course. I asked Lee Simpson of Improbable who had been part of the Devoted > & > Disgruntled Open Spaces to come and talk to me about it, I knew he would be > able to hear my concerns and I trusted he'd probably have a suggestion of > two that were of value - I think NOT asking a fellow novelist was useful > here actually! We did some process work on what it was I was going through > (my 11th novel! how could I be so 'stupid/inept' - my feelings - as to not > know what to do next, etc etc), and Lee suggested it might not be so much a > case of not knowing what to do, as not wanting to do it in the usual way. > And that if I did actually know what to do, all I needed to do was come up > with that agenda and then allow myself permission to work on it in OS - as > and when I was drawn to/moved to, rather than ploughing through a list and > grinding to a halt because it was so boring/difficult. > So, the next day, I took some time, called about two dozen sessions - for > myself, alone - made up my timetable and each day for the next few weeks I > worked on what I was drawn to work on, for as long as I wanted to stay > there. The final edit was a pleasure, the book my most successful at the > time. > It sounds incredibly obvious as I write it now, but at the time it felt > like > a huge liberation, trying a new process, one I had worked successfully for > other forms, and giving it a go with my 'real' work. > And a joy, of course, finding that OS had solo application! > > Hope that explains it a bit. As a non-planner for first drafts (I tend to > improvise a first draft, though with some idea of beginning-middle-end) I'm > not sure it's possible for a first draft, but I'm interested in finding out > one day. > All best > Stella > > > > On 15/7/10 1:40 pm, "Allison & Jim Baensch" <mb...@iinet.net.au> wrote: > > > Hi Stella, > > Good to hear you have used Open Space for writing. > > I also used it while writing a thesis recently. > > I tried to map part of the process that was going on inside my head > > in words and sketches. > > The thesis ended up being far too long and I had to cut it in half > > (several times over the many months of writing) and that section was > > left on the cutting room floor. > > But the process lifted me out of one of my 'sloughs of writing > > despond' and got me going again. > > How did you use OS for editing? > > Allison > > > > On 15/07/2010, at 7:37 PM, Stella Duffy wrote: > > > >> hi all, > >> I'm new to this list, having been at all of Improbable's 'Devoted & > >> Disgruntled' Open Spaces led by Phelim McDermott in London in the past > >> years. Some years ago, when I came to a major impasse in the > >> editing of my > >> eleventh novel, I tried editing in OS and was astonished at how > >> useful it > >> was for me, alone, with my manuscript. This year I have shared OS, > >> along > >> with other practitioners, with my buddhist practice here in the UK, > >> and most > >> recently I've been working on a new theatre project and (with Phelim's > >> encouragement!)I now - shyly - share with you the report I returned > >> to the > >> National Theatre Studio who generously gave 30+ of us the space to > >> work on > >> this new project in OS. > >> I'd be very interested in hearing from anyone else who has used OS for > >> writing or where it's been used for making/devising theatre work. > >> best wishes, > >> Stella Duffy > >> stelladuffy.wordpress.com > >> > >> > >> My report to the NTS : > >> I'm emailing to thank you all so much for your support for the > >> Chaosbaby > >> Project Open Spaces this weekend and last. > >> > >> To give you some idea of what happened, and how valuable it was : > >> 36 people attended over both days (many of them came to both). > >> The age range was from 21 to mid-60's. > >> They were 11 actors, 2 actor-musicians, 4 actor-writers, 1 > >> choreographer-dancer, 6 directors, 1 designer, 1 film-maker, 2 > >> musicians, 2 > >> playwrights, 5 writer-directors, 1 photographer. > >> > >> In the two days, using the Open Space form, various groups & > >> individuals : > >> - wrote a 14-page traditional/'straight' narrative for the piece > >> - developed character breakdowns > >> - worked on the physicality/movement for a number of characters/spaces > >> - held many discussions about the nature of the piece > >> - discussed the nature of chaos (as a theatrical concept, as a > >> dance/movement concept, and in terms of chaos theory and mathematics) > >> - created/drew up initial design ideas > >> - wrote 3 new monologues > >> - worked on the (two, brief) pre-existing texts > >> - wrote and recorded a lullaby > >> - documented the work on camera and video > >> - made a puppet show, with live music accompaniment > >> > >> Above all, I think, we showed ourselves it is not only possible, > >> but perhaps > >> preferable to work in Open Space, with a wide range of theatre-makers, > >> across many disciplines, which generated an enormous amount of > >> work/material, led not by a single director or writer, but by the > >> whole - > >> and that in doing so it is still possible to have a cohesive idea > >> of what > >> we are making and where best our skills might be used. > >> > >> I'm really excited about taking this on further, I especially loved > >> that, > >> having met Slav (on the door, doing security) the first Saturday, > >> he took > >> (wonderful) photos for us on the 2nd Saturday. > >> > >> We're looking at a full weekend/three day Open Space to further the > >> work > >> later in the year. > >> > >> I've worked in made/devised/improvised theatre for the past twenty- > >> five > >> years, this was one of the few times I've felt that it was TRULY a > >> shared > >> group endeavour and not, at least in some ways, a director or > >> writer-led > >> experience. And happy though I am to work as both a director and a > >> writer, a > >> working form that uses ALL the skills in the room, to the utmost > >> that can be > >> offered, feels like a much better use of time, space, money and, most > >> importantly, the full range of all the artists' abilities. > >> > >> * > >> * > >> ========================================================== > >> osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > >> ------------------------------ > >> To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > >> view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: > >> http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > >> > >> To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: > >> http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist > > > > * > > * > > ========================================================== > > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > > ------------------------------ > > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > > view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: > > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > > > > To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: > > http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist > > * > * > ========================================================== > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > ----------------------------- > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > > To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: > http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist > > ------------------------------ > > End of OSLIST Digest - 14 Jul 2010 to 15 Jul 2010 (#2010-173) > ************************************************************* > -- Ernest Godin Producteur/Réalisateur www.kondolole.com 514 992 7535 * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
