Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[The Angel Raliel]

Post them here and lets try to build a practical database for would-be performance artists!

[SeeAnne]

do questions count?

[The Angel Raliel]

Yup

[Kenny Wisdom]

A Starting Point

I think this is a good idea for a thread.

I’d like to contribute at various times, if appropriate and share things I have learnt. I will confess though that my experience is more to do with devising for theatre rather than developing unique stage or cabaret acts. However, there will be areas of similarity in any type of performance that I hope I can encourage.

Before I start to discuss (in future posts) specific devising techniques and such like, (which might be useful in stimulating development if you’re currently stuck, got creative block or are simply looking for a “Starting Point”), I’d like to talk just a little about that very thing – the Starting Point.

My first ambiguous statement relating to that is this:

Where you start doesn’t have to be how you finish.

By this I really mean that we all start somewhere when we are putting together a new act, character, play etc etc but I think it’s important not to restrict yourself really early on with one idea, or germ of an idea, and nothing more. A starting point should be fluid and flexible – almost an organic thing, it can develop and this is when things become really exciting for me as a performer – if you follow some basic rules – and I use the term “RULES” very loosely, then sometimes the piece you are working on begins to develop a life of its own and it begins to inform the narrative development as much as you did, with your initial idea.

Now, one of the simplest pieces of advice I’d like to offer if you are thinking about performing in the future is this:

Give yourself plenty of time

Yep. It’s that simple. By that, I mean if you think, for example, that you’d like to Brigade at a future show – and that you don’t even know when that show will be – well, start developing now!! Do not wait three weeks before the show date if you want to do yourself justice and, more importantly, go on a wonderful, creative journey!  If you have the gift of time, then NOW is a great time to find that STARTING POINT.

Remember – what you start now does not have to be WHAT YOU END UP WITH. However, starting now – today, or as soon as you can, will allow you to start developing strong ideas, useful skills and eventually refine your act, so that you can be the very best you can! Personally speaking, I think as well, performance is something that the more YOU put in, the more YOU will get out of it, as well as your audience.

Well, I hope I’m not teaching grandma to suck eggs!! Later, if we can develop this discussion, maybe we can talk about how different people use different ways for finding that all important starting point. From there we can hopefully discuss different ways we use to develop our material and how we explore what we are doing throughout the process. It’s a great thing – don’t be intimidated by what I have just written – I’m probably making my point in a verbose manner – it’s really simple – you’ll have more fun BEING prepared than if you HAVE NOT prepared!!

Fun has to be at the centre of everything you do!

[Hobbes]

Give yourself plenty of time

Yep. It’s that simple. By that, I mean if you think, for example, that you’d like to Brigade at a future show – and that you don’t even know when that show will be – well, start developing now!! Do not wait three weeks before the show date if you want to do yourself justice and, more importantly, go on a wonderful, creative journey!

Harpsey (or if you insist: Kenny... then I consider "Harpsey" your nick-name now), I've lurked around the post of yours above for some time, but after all it's basically minor-disagreements I have, all rooted in individual temperament, and maybe in my improvising musician-practise. EXCEPT FOR:

What I don't get is the idea of - and that's related to the quote above - brigadish activities basically being bound to happen around a DD-concert. I'm aware several Brigaders do acts at other occasions, but - more in general... if there's a starting point... a fresh idea, why not executing it NOW? - at any occasion that seems suitable? (instead of waiting for that next show) - or do you mean to imply that above?

This way, we seem to talk not even about "weekend-artistry", but about an act of public creativity that eventually might be practised not more often than about once or twice a year...

[Kenny Wisdom]

Hobbesey,

Yes, that is at the essence at what I am trying to say, whilst at the same time being thoughtful of new performers who may feel hesitant about making that initial foray into the world of performance art - for some people, a Dresden Dolls show may provide them with what they consider a "Safe" working environment in which to perform - by this, I mean that they may feel that they prefer some kind of endorsement and encouragement from the "Brigade" co-ordinators and fellow performers  - however, what they can begin to achieve now is possibly more than they can imagine, even though it is outside of this environment. I believe though that the performer should begin to do the creative work now, even without a show on the horizon, and even if they only intend to perform at a show in the future until they find their feet. I was trying to say that the work of a performer does not have to wait for a show though before they start.

Of course, I think it would be super if they gained the confidence to work outside of a show, but it is understandable if at first they do not. In my experience, overcoming a lack of confidence is something that can be worked at - and often by working with material from an early opportunity, rather than rushing everything at the last minute, can boost a performers confidence and skill.

It's like if you have to give a talk on a subject. If you are not confident with the material then you will be nervous and hesitant. However, as you begin to practice with that same material early, and begin to research it and understand it, then the talk will be a confident one.

Does this make sense?

[Hobbes]

Makes perfectly sense.

Your "A starting point"-post apparently is addressed in a rather specific direction which I didn't realize, but I get it a more differenciated now.

[zweiundzwei]

I think you both have very good points there.

On the one hand, doing something outside the Dolls events is way more scary than performing at a Dolls show would ever be, because no one you're interacting with expects anything. The audience at Dolls shows does not necessarily know about the brigade either, but will be able to figure that this is somehow related to the band and has some authorisation. So the new brigader probably won't experience a blatant "What the fuck is wrong with you?" and also will probably won't be alone which makes it less scary to do something crazy, too.
On the other hand, I don't think a Dolls show is just a "safe space" because of the other brigaders who are there, too. It's very easy to fall into the trap of "Look at the awesome things they do! I can't do anything!" if you don't happen to be a fire breather / stilt walker / unicyclist / living statue or gifted with some other brilliant brigading skill.

That's what I think can be an advantage in a simple street setting because if you're not going to Harvard square or something similar, there's a pretty big chance you'll be the only one doing anything out of ordinary and you can make a big impact with relatively easy things.
I remember I learned about the brigade shortly before the show in Cologne 2005 but didn't brigade then. Afterwards, I really wanted to, and since there was no Dolls show in sight, a friend of mine and I spent a day baking a clothes basket full of muffins, dressed up and tried to give them to people who were walking along the Main river. Of course, I was incredibly nervous before we started, but I doubt that would have been easier for me at a Dolls show.
And once we got used to talking to strangers, I think we really profited from our completely unsuspecting victims because their reactions were so varied and wonderful.

So, what I'm trying to say is, it's not necessarily a disadvantage to start outside the Dolls shows, and if you have a good idea, do it now!



Also, really, do take your time. My best ideas come when I'm bored out of mind and have nothing to think about and also don't force myself to come up with anything. This usually is not the situation I find myself in three weeks before a Dolls show. A really productive time in that respect was my time in a host family over the summer holidays in Ireland two years ago. All my friends had left a week before me and I had nothing to in the evenings. I wrote in my diary for hours and came up with ridiculously many brigading and t-shirt ideas. It was awesome. I still use the t-shirt designs from then every time I make a new one.

Of course, this time that did not help me much because the mirror theme was not announced one year in advance. (really, what were they thinking? )
And that's how I found out that merciless brainstorming with friends and deeming no idea too stupid and complaining can lead to new ideas, too.



Of course, I'm not an experienced brigader, so take everything I say with a grain of salt.

[Hobbes]

And that's how I found out that merciless brainstorming with friends and deeming no idea too stupid and complaining can lead to new ideas, too.

That touches something I had in mind when talking about the "temparament"-thing.

Last minute-panic can work great too and fire wild creativity + off the cuff interactions/creations. But yes - it's really a question of temparament. 

[Kenny Wisdom]

^Agreed.

Like any athlete, training and practice will help any performer to become more fluid and adaptable to such an occasion as when they are confronted with a "Three week Panic"...

By experiencing some of the disciplines required to create an act, starting early will help them to overcome some of the practical problems which are inevitable. Doro gave some great advice - Keep a Note Book. Jot down ideas and also make a note of practical problems you have encountered and a note about what you did / developed to work through that. If this is all too sanitary for your own type of practice, IGNORE all of the above!! It's different strokes for different folks.

Also, to reiterate...I am not suggesting you create an act now for something you may not unveil to the public for another 9 months time.

Where you start doesn’t have to be how you finish

What I would like to encourage is that you begin to feel comfortable with the concept of performing, by playing a little with it, trying it on for size, manipulating it, holding it in your hands...so it becomes a little more familiar to you. You can do this is private!! In front of your mirrors, in a favourite place...you don't have to expose yourself to the full scrutiny of an audience to begin with, although it is really great if you can find a friend or friends to work with - to provide each other support and feedback.  But that's another post probably!

[bridgetbegins]

I haven't really ever Brigaded at a Doll's show, but I have "statued" around and about. Here are my tips, tricks and other penny amounts of things that I've kind of learned.

1.  Bring a friend (whether in costume or not) when you go. Inevitably, I've ended up needing someone to do something, and it's wonderful to have a person to pretend to be an audience member (to help start reactions) or put makeup on your back or something of the sort.

2. Practice! Dress up at your house. Make faces (in makeup) in your bathroom. Test it on your friends. Or your dog.

3. Don't be afraid if your Greek Statue becomes an overly affectionate pirate... ideas morph and change and, as previously stated, where you start has very little to nothing to do with where you end.

4. If you're worried about being nervous, bring a prop or something that you can fixate on (in character). Whether an apple or ribbons or knitting or what-have-ye.

5. Don't expect anything to go well, really. Prepare for costume malfunctions and bad weather and scrapes and stuff (all of which have happened to me)... by Murphy's law, kind of, if you're prepared the chances of "bad things" happening seem way less...

Thats it for now!

[Johnny dbbuk]

I haven't really ever Brigaded at a Doll's show, but I have "statued" around and about. Here are my tips, tricks and other penny amounts of things that I've kind of learned.

1.  Bring a friend (whether in costume or not) when you go. Inevitably, I've ended up needing someone to do something, and it's wonderful to have a person to pretend to be an audience member (to help start reactions) or put makeup on your back or something of the sort.

2. Practice! Dress up at your house. Make faces (in makeup) in your bathroom. Test it on your friends. Or your dog.

3. Don't be afraid if your Greek Statue becomes an overly affectionate pirate... ideas morph and change and, as previously stated, where you start has very little to nothing to do with where you end.

4. If you're worried about being nervous, bring a prop or something that you can fixate on (in character). Whether an apple or ribbons or knitting or what-have-ye.

5. Don't expect anything to go well, really. Prepare for costume malfunctions and bad weather and scrapes and stuff (all of which have happened to me)... by Murphy's law, kind of, if you're prepared the chances of "bad things" happening seem way less...

Thats it for now!

Nice list
Left out the more difficult things
Hecklers and teenage hoods out to abuse/taunt/derail.
it takes the paitience of buddah not to tear after them.
Im not sure is that a UK thing or world wide?
(gangs of 12-16 yr olds in tracksuits with nothing better to do that ruin things)

[bridgetbegins]

I haven't really ever Brigaded at a Doll's show, but I have "statued" around and about. Here are my tips, tricks and other penny amounts of things that I've kind of learned.

1.  Bring a friend (whether in costume or not) when you go. Inevitably, I've ended up needing someone to do something, and it's wonderful to have a person to pretend to be an audience member (to help start reactions) or put makeup on your back or something of the sort.

2. Practice! Dress up at your house. Make faces (in makeup) in your bathroom. Test it on your friends. Or your dog.

3. Don't be afraid if your Greek Statue becomes an overly affectionate pirate... ideas morph and change and, as previously stated, where you start has very little to nothing to do with where you end.

4. If you're worried about being nervous, bring a prop or something that you can fixate on (in character). Whether an apple or ribbons or knitting or what-have-ye.

5. Don't expect anything to go well, really. Prepare for costume malfunctions and bad weather and scrapes and stuff (all of which have happened to me)... by Murphy's law, kind of, if you're prepared the chances of "bad things" happening seem way less...

Thats it for now!

Nice list
Left out the more difficult things
Hecklers and teenage hoods out to abuse/taunt/derail.
it takes the paitience of buddah not to tear after them.
Im not sure is that a UK thing or world wide?
(gangs of 12-16 yr olds in tracksuits with nothing better to do that ruin things)

I've never had that happen to me (in the US- in NH and Boston)... I've had fans and drawers and small children tug on my costume, but thats about it.

[danaXXanachronism]

okay so for halloween i wanted to dress up in a brigade outfit and go around handing out heartplane shaped candies at school. [i will be able to make the candies on my own, thats not what my question is about].
my question is, what should i dress up in? any ideas?

[Dresdollsrock]

what should i dress up in? any ideas?

the idea of brigading is to just be yourself so go with what makes you most comfortable and happy 
 

[danaXXanachronism]

what should i dress up in? any ideas?

the idea of brigading is to just be yourself so go with what makes you most comfortable and happy 
 

heeeey, thaaaaaaaaaaankssss =]

[Dresdollsrock]

Woah... i just gave advice to a full member... you should have called me a noob and asked someone else 

[The King of Carrot Flowers]

I spend my days thinking of living statue characters; one really good one I thought of was "The Marble Man/Lady". Basically, white all over, androgynous or mixed clothing, signs that say shit about "Makin' these puppies real" or "More Wo/Man than you can handle".

[Two Headed Boy]

I haven't really ever Brigaded at a Doll's show, but I have "statued" around and about. Here are my tips, tricks and other penny amounts of things that I've kind of learned.

1.  Bring a friend (whether in costume or not) when you go. Inevitably, I've ended up needing someone to do something, and it's wonderful to have a person to pretend to be an audience member (to help start reactions) or put makeup on your back or something of the sort.

2. Practice! Dress up at your house. Make faces (in makeup) in your bathroom. Test it on your friends. Or your dog.

3. Don't be afraid if your Greek Statue becomes an overly affectionate pirate... ideas morph and change and, as previously stated, where you start has very little to nothing to do with where you end.

4. If you're worried about being nervous, bring a prop or something that you can fixate on (in character). Whether an apple or ribbons or knitting or what-have-ye.

5. Don't expect anything to go well, really. Prepare for costume malfunctions and bad weather and scrapes and stuff (all of which have happened to me)... by Murphy's law, kind of, if you're prepared the chances of "bad things" happening seem way less...

Thats it for now!

Nice list
Left out the more difficult things
Hecklers and teenage hoods out to abuse/taunt/derail.
it takes the paitience of buddah not to tear after them.
Im not sure is that a UK thing or world wide?
(gangs of 12-16 yr olds in tracksuits with nothing better to do that ruin things)

I've never had that happen to me (in the US- in NH and Boston)... I've had fans and drawers and small children tug on my costume, but thats about it.

Afraid it's a UK thing...

My daughter (15) was walking around town a couple of weeks ago (you may remember her from Edinburgh, Johnny) and was spat at and had a stone fly by her ear simply for looking different. There are some real jerks around nowadays. What ever happened to live and let live?

[delilah]

I haven't really ever Brigaded at a Doll's show, but I have "statued" around and about. Here are my tips, tricks and other penny amounts of things that I've kind of learned.

1.  Bring a friend (whether in costume or not) when you go. Inevitably, I've ended up needing someone to do something, and it's wonderful to have a person to pretend to be an audience member (to help start reactions) or put makeup on your back or something of the sort.

2. Practice! Dress up at your house. Make faces (in makeup) in your bathroom. Test it on your friends. Or your dog.

3. Don't be afraid if your Greek Statue becomes an overly affectionate pirate... ideas morph and change and, as previously stated, where you start has very little to nothing to do with where you end.

4. If you're worried about being nervous, bring a prop or something that you can fixate on (in character). Whether an apple or ribbons or knitting or what-have-ye.

5. Don't expect anything to go well, really. Prepare for costume malfunctions and bad weather and scrapes and stuff (all of which have happened to me)... by Murphy's law, kind of, if you're prepared the chances of "bad things" happening seem way less...

Thats it for now!

Nice list
Left out the more difficult things
Hecklers and teenage hoods out to abuse/taunt/derail.
it takes the paitience of buddah not to tear after them.
Im not sure is that a UK thing or world wide?
(gangs of 12-16 yr olds in tracksuits with nothing better to do that ruin things)

I've never had that happen to me (in the US- in NH and Boston)... I've had fans and drawers and small children tug on my costume, but thats about it.

Afraid it's a UK thing...

My daughter (15) was walking around town a couple of weeks ago (you may remember her from Edinburgh, Johnny) and was spat at and had a stone fly by her ear simply for looking different. There are some real jerks around nowadays. What ever happened to live and let live?

yeah a UK thing definately.

i live in manchester and i'm desperate to do some statue work or just SOMETHING in the city centre. i have plenty of ideas...but i am actually scared of just getting shot. hahaha.

i'm thinking, full androgynous business suit, dramatic make-up and maybe give out some paper roses as i walk/stand?

im also wondering about getting a street performers license...is it nessecary?

[Johnny dbbuk]

I haven't really ever Brigaded at a Doll's show, but I have "statued" around and about. Here are my tips, tricks and other penny amounts of things that I've kind of learned.

1.  Bring a friend (whether in costume or not) when you go. Inevitably, I've ended up needing someone to do something, and it's wonderful to have a person to pretend to be an audience member (to help start reactions) or put makeup on your back or something of the sort.

2. Practice! Dress up at your house. Make faces (in makeup) in your bathroom. Test it on your friends. Or your dog.

3. Don't be afraid if your Greek Statue becomes an overly affectionate pirate... ideas morph and change and, as previously stated, where you start has very little to nothing to do with where you end.

4. If you're worried about being nervous, bring a prop or something that you can fixate on (in character). Whether an apple or ribbons or knitting or what-have-ye.

5. Don't expect anything to go well, really. Prepare for costume malfunctions and bad weather and scrapes and stuff (all of which have happened to me)... by Murphy's law, kind of, if you're prepared the chances of "bad things" happening seem way less...

Thats it for now!

Nice list
Left out the more difficult things
Hecklers and teenage hoods out to abuse/taunt/derail.
it takes the paitience of buddah not to tear after them.
Im not sure is that a UK thing or world wide?
(gangs of 12-16 yr olds in tracksuits with nothing better to do that ruin things)

I've never had that happen to me (in the US- in NH and Boston)... I've had fans and drawers and small children tug on my costume, but thats about it.

Afraid it's a UK thing...

My daughter (15) was walking around town a couple of weeks ago (you may remember her from Edinburgh, Johnny) and was spat at and had a stone fly by her ear simply for looking different. There are some real jerks around nowadays. What ever happened to live and let live?

I do remember her of course! dancing in the rain with her cousin

Was there ever a live and let live time?
on my daily walk home from work I have a guaranteed shout out from tradesmens vehicles or boy racers
few gang beatings when I was a teenager. one very harsh one when i was 17 by several guys
once had a mc donalds milkshake thrown at me. Im not even very out-there but people have closed minds about anyone who doesn't conform.

oh well..

[halfgravity]

Do you need a performer's license only if you're asking for money, or do you need one no matter what?

[The Angel Raliel]

It depends entirely where you are.......... In Covent Garden and On the Thames banks You do not need a licence to perform but it is best to chat to acouple of the regular performers. Camden does not like street performers and you cannot get a busking permit at all..... for some reason protesters and religious nutters are ok. public performance that does not ask for money is in theory completely legal everywhere, however some places frown upon it and will ask you to move on...... there is a homeless guy who does pastel pavement art at the moment, who is being threatened with an ASBO  for doing his thing, despite the fact that the local community like his work and have no issue with him.....

[Dick Brought A Gun]

[Kenny Wisdom]

Playing the Fool

So far I have been talking in theoretical terms about having a certain attitude and approach to performance and this little sojourn in the proceedings is no different really, but it is to do with something which I have encountered a great deal in some performers, particularly relatively new ones, which I think is really important to consider.

It is to do with one of the things which can really prevent the performer to get out there and start practising their art - and it will seem like a really simple concept on the face of it!

Todays lesson: Don't think you will look a fool!

It's one of the most crucial inhibiting factors which stops us - the performers - from performing!

In many respects, it's not fear of foolishness that we are experiencing, but fear of not "providing the right and expected result". We are preconditioned (which Keith Johnstone explains really well in Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre ISBN 041346430X) to try and second guess what the outcome should be - and when we begin to drift into new territory we begin to panic - "I can't do this" - "I don't know what to do"...this then becomes a fear to perform; for to perform would be to fail.

We need to acknowledge, individually, that there are no right or wrong outcomes - just unique learning experiences. We'll all take something different away with us - it's the internal development that is important. We shouldn't think, "I did that wrong", and get down on ourselves - whatever you decide to do as a performance, it's really important to try and lose the sense that it is right - or wrong -  and therefore you will look like an idiot - and before you know it, you'll have talked yourself out of having a go.

I overcome this feeling of foolishness by utimately performing for myself. This might compound your initial concept that performance is all about the audience. Well, the audience is just one part of the mix. For yourself, you should recognise that performance can be - and is - extremely pleasureable. For me, it is the time when my head feels firmly attached to my shoulders, and yet, I'm trying to be anyone else but myself. It's the transformation that takes place which is so fascinating, the opportunity to immerse yourself, however briefly, into another plane or new experience. Practitioners often talk of the performance space as being sacred space and it is. You can't do wrong in a sacred space, so don't for one moment worry about looking like a fool.

Get out there and claim your place at the altar!

[Holmes]

I haven't really ever Brigaded at a Doll's show, but I have "statued" around and about. Here are my tips, tricks and other penny amounts of things that I've kind of learned.

1.  Bring a friend (whether in costume or not) when you go. Inevitably, I've ended up needing someone to do something, and it's wonderful to have a person to pretend to be an audience member (to help start reactions) or put makeup on your back or something of the sort.

2. Practice! Dress up at your house. Make faces (in makeup) in your bathroom. Test it on your friends. Or your dog.

3. Don't be afraid if your Greek Statue becomes an overly affectionate pirate... ideas morph and change and, as previously stated, where you start has very little to nothing to do with where you end.

4. If you're worried about being nervous, bring a prop or something that you can fixate on (in character). Whether an apple or ribbons or knitting or what-have-ye.

5. Don't expect anything to go well, really. Prepare for costume malfunctions and bad weather and scrapes and stuff (all of which have happened to me)... by Murphy's law, kind of, if you're prepared the chances of "bad things" happening seem way less...

Thats it for now!

Nice list
Left out the more difficult things
Hecklers and teenage hoods out to abuse/taunt/derail.
it takes the paitience of buddah not to tear after them.
Im not sure is that a UK thing or world wide?
(gangs of 12-16 yr olds in tracksuits with nothing better to do that ruin things)

I've never had that happen to me (in the US- in NH and Boston)... I've had fans and drawers and small children tug on my costume, but thats about it.

Afraid it's a UK thing...

My daughter (15) was walking around town a couple of weeks ago (you may remember her from Edinburgh, Johnny) and was spat at and had a stone fly by her ear simply for looking different. There are some real jerks around nowadays. What ever happened to live and let live?

yeah a UK thing definately.

i live in manchester and i'm desperate to do some statue work or just SOMETHING in the city centre. i have plenty of ideas...but i am actually scared of just getting shot. hahaha.

i'm thinking, full androgynous business suit, dramatic make-up and maybe give out some paper roses as i walk/stand?

im also wondering about getting a street performers license...is it nessecary?

you live in manchester? I've wanted to do the exact same thing in town for so long! But the city centre seems like such a hostile place when it comes to street performance.
I think it's safety in numbers.

And unfortunately, the hostility IS a uk thing. Darn.

[Benny J M]

I think it is a UK thing sadly...
Some people are less than nice in bath when in street perform.
ohhh well.

[Circus ellipsis]

The following is the best advice I can give:

• If possible get a sense of the crowd you are working with, perform to them, not at them.
• If you are reciting or speaking to the crowd and mess up, don't show it. They don't know unless you tell them. And when something does go wrong, forget about it. One mistake only ruins a performance if you let it.
• I'll stress it again-Murphey's Law.[/li]
  
  • Take a few minutes before you begin to "get into charecter" whether that is a mime, statue, or girl passing out flowers. Pick a charecter, and stick to it!
  • Last, RELAX! have fun. Confidence is key to being a truley amazng artist. If someone says something degrading know that you are doing whatever it is you're doing to make yourself happy.
    

[madweasel]

Well I guess props and makeup should go here as well.  Some neat portable LED's I found. I am already thinking up ways to abuse these!

http://www.oogalights.com/LED-Party-String-Lights.aspx

[Circus ellipsis]

The effiel tower would be an interesting living statue. Especially with those lights...or any christmas lights really.

[madweasel]

ideally what I'd want to do is see if they had timer settings on them, for slow transitions or fast blinking.

From there it wouldn't be THAT hard to rig up something that responds either to motion (great for living statue) or noise (great in general) if I'm recalling my electronics.  If I could get it to start doing slow fades when I move as a living statue, then stop when I stop that would be a really nice twinkly effect.

[Circus ellipsis]

You've got an amazing mind.

[lentower]

You've got an amazing mind.

yup!

glad he's joined us here on the box!

[Pope Totalfrog]

if you are looking for cheap portable LED's (and a bunch of other weird stuffs) try here http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6488 - I picked up some for my daughter's bedroom and they are rad, especially for the price (you could cover yourself in them!)

[madweasel]

Costume Resource!  http://flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/ 

These are all non copyrighted images from the Library of Congress, with a huge number of them coming from 1910-1915, particularly for Chicago and New York.  Some great costume reference ideas, esp. the suffragettes that are imaged, and the Coney Island shots.  Most are tagged so its easy to search.

[Kenny Wisdom]

Nerves.

I think it is fair to say we all get them in a performance situation. We are human, after all.

I thought it would be a good idea to discuss any methods you might use to help you cope with them. I don't think you can eradicate them and it wouldn't necessarily be good to, anyway. What's important is finding a way to get on top of them.

Nerves can be a problem particularly affecting the performers breathing. If I allow myself to get too nervous then I start to breath in my upper body, which creates tension, which creates more panting...a perpetual cycle of pant-tense-pant-tense etc etc and this screws the voice.

Ironically the best thing I find to deal with nervous breathing is - breathing, but properly!

My tips pre-performance:

1. Warm-up and shake out. Be professional about this - give yourself time to loosen your limbs and shake them out and don't forget to exercise your voice.

2. Stretches. Hands above your head, onto tiptoes...s...trrrrr...etch! BREATHE in through your nose and out through your mouth. Work your diaphragm and NOT your chest. So breathe deep. Push your stomach out.

3. At the top of your stretch, flop forwards - time your breathing so you breathe out going down - like a mannequin has just had it's strings cut. Curve your back, hang loose. BREATHE as above.

4. Roll back up, through the base of the spine, breathing. Repeat steps 2-3 a few times.

5. When you get back to the top for the last time, just stand and breathe, as before. It's calming. Take the time to enjoy that space and that moment. Push right down into your feet and think of your breath reaching everywhere - into your toes, into your fingertips - every fibre of your being.

6. Now, still standing calmly, go over in your head what it is you need to do first for your performance. That will involve stepping out into the performance space - maybe even walking into position. It might be you have some lines to say, a song to sing, a dance to perform...visualise yourself taking those steps. BREATHE as you do it. Know in yourself what you intend to do.

Be calm.

Edit: Caffeine / Energy drinks. Mmm. I tried energy drinks before a performance once. Eeeek. 

It'll be a banana next time, for me.

[halfgravity]

I have a really basic question (well, basic to anyone who's done this before, I guess). What kind of makeup do you use when you're painting yourself to be a living statue? Do you use anything different for your hair?

I don't know the first thing about makeup, so the more detailed the explanation is (and the more it assumes I know nothing), the better.

Thank you!

[The Angel Raliel]

there are several bodypaint companies out there..... I usually go to Screenface in covent garden. http://www.screenface.com/
hair is usually done with colured spray ( or, in my case.... I dye it various colours ) or wigs are very popular as they are great for extreme styling and colouring.

[Alyss]