>my idea was not to 'encode' the position within the text, but to decide
>(beforehand) which position the actors would take based on the text. this
>was suggested by the fact that the actor is standing on a grid. i used a
>technique like this one on a chamber opera (deciding the position and
>direction of each player from the name of the small piece he was to
>perform).
>
>if we use it, we should work with each text, feed it into a program that
>would infere the position and give us a list of positions for each text.
>then this position would be _printed_ in the script, and would be rehearsed
>(this was not intended to be 'real time').
>
>by using this method you get something that usually looks quite weird
>onstage (ie. the actor going to a corner of the stage, and whispering to
>another actor on the front, etc.)
Santiago, thanks for explaining this in greater detail. I think I am
clearer on the concept now. It would appear that this method's main effect
would be the introduction of randomness in the creation of the performance.
Granted this random element would be based on the text but it would still
be random nevertheless as seen in the example you cited above.
This is an intriguing idea and though I don't personally think it would be
effective in determining the locations of the actors, maybe it could be
useful in another way. It also reminds me of the Dada artists Kurt
Schwitters and Jean Arp. Schwitters created his collages (Merz) with
objects that he gathered by chance. And, perhaps more to the point, Arp
created his collages by dropping pieces of torn colored paper onto a
another sheet of paper. He then attached these randomly configured pieces
and called the final products "organic concretions."
Happy new year to all,
Lee