Saturday, October 31, 2015

Review of Artist Playground's AUDIRE: Sonic Sponteneity

October 31, 2015



This latest project of Artist Playground is a very unique one. It is a one-woman show entitled "Audire (Listen Carefully)". I purposely did not read any advanced information about it because I wanted to be surprised. It turned out though, that maybe I should have read some background about it. I would have been able to appreciate the project more. 

The show opened in total darkness. Four ladies in black came out shaking boxes. When they reached the stage, they placed various items (like toys, accessories, household items, etc...) on the floor upstage. (They would give her different props in each of her four segments in this show.) Enter Ms. Angelina Kanapi in a white dress. She began playing around with the stool and the other things there on the stage.  Her unusual choice of words seemingly meant nothing, a flight of ad-libbed ideas. Her strange gestures and facial expressions all seemed as random as her props. 


That first segment was very bizarre. There were a lot of incomplete words and phrases. I do not remember much of it. The second segment, we see Ms. Kanapi strumming chairs like a guitar. I felt she meant to act like a drugged out rock star. Finally, after singing what sounded like a Nirvana song, she collapse and convulsed on the floor, then lights out. The third segment, we see Ms. Kanapi tie her hair into to pigtails and begin talking like a bratty child to her yaya. She began jumping up and down as a tot in a tantrum shouting words so foul they sounded so funny. The fourth segment, we see Ms. Kanapi in an sultry and earthy mood. This final part felt like a frank excerpt from the "Vagina Monologues".

Then it was over. I am not going to pretend I totally got what just transpired in the last hour. After the curtain call, Ms. Kanapi thanked the staff who helped her with the show. She was joined on the stage by the artistic director of Artist Playground Roeder Camanag, on behalf of show director Jeffrey Camanag who was sick today. They engaged the audience in a post-show discussion about the performance. In most shows, the play proper was enough to speak for itself. For this particular experimental type of production, this Q&A session was a most essential part to grasp the whole meaning of the show and its very special concept.


It was only a post-show realization for me that Ms. Kanapi totally improvised everything she was doing based on the sounds (music, sound effects, noises, whispers, moans, silence) she heard. This meant that the whole show was actually extemporaneous on Ms. Kanapi's part based on the totally random sounds given her by the sound technician. Every show then will be not be the same as the one before. I did not spoil anything for you by telling you what happened in the show I watched. You will see a totally different one every time. This was an eye-opening revelation that made me see the whole performance in a whole new light. This show was not a case of the schizophrenic emperor's new clothes.

So that is what the title meant. Ms. Kanapi should listen carefully to the soundtrack to react to and spontaneously perform. The audience should listen carefully to the soundtrack to understand where Ms. Kanapi and her various strange antics were coming from. 


It was a delight to see Ms. Kanapi performing live.This prime collaboration with the sound man is a pet concept that had been playing in her mind, only to find fruition now thanks to the exploratory thrust of Artist Playground. I knew Ms. Kanapi from her most unusual and quirky roles in indie films I've seen, like "Hustisya" (My Review) with Nora Aunor, a couple Lav Diaz opuses namely "Norte: Hangganan ng Kasaysayan" (My Review) and "Mula Sa Kung Ano ang Noon" (My Review), and just this week "Matangtubig" (My Review).  I cannot think of another actress with such a wacky, unconventional yet intuitive soul who can pull this daring type of performance art off. 


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If you want to experience this different type of theater, you can catch the last few shows of "Audire". There is one show on November 4, 2015 at 7pm, then three shows on November 7, 2015 at 3, 5, and 7pm. Tickets at P250. Students only pay P200. Venue of the show is The Little Room Upstairs, Rm. 1701 Landsdale Tower, Mother Ignacia Ave. Quezon City. Look up Ms. Roj Regoso on Facebook for inquiries and reservations.


19 comments:

  1. Great post dear! Have a wonderful day:)

    irenethayer.com

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  2. How interesting! I love the concept of the show never being the same. That's one of a kind. Thanks for sharing your experience!

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  3. Why is that the place was somehow incomplete? Incomplete phrases and even scenes? Thats weird and mind boggling

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  4. Why is that the place was somehow incomplete? Incomplete phrases and even scenes? Thats weird and mind boggling

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  5. Well this looks very interesting in a hippie, indie kind of way! Definitely not something I'd probably watch but it's nice to read about it.

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  6. This seems like such an eclectic show! Perfect show to watch for people who are really into the theater :D

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  7. Interesting. so everything was just improv!! No wonder there was no cohesiveness/continuity

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  8. it looks like a really close up, cozy kind of play. from what you've described, i probably wouldn't have understand a single thing though. the whole concept is a little too... abstract(?) for me.

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  9. Don't know why but i feel a little creepy... Hmmmmm~ i always love watching something without reading any plot. That sounds more exciting when watching it!

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  10. Wow, this is really bizarre for me even when reading it. Will be so difficult to review this if it was me!

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  11. What an interesting concept, a Q&A session after a show does sound a little weird. Especially after a theatrical show. However, it is a unique selling point because it gets the audience talking about the show and sharing perspectives with others in the room.

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  12. I also won't understand it either.. I find it difficult to figure out. I think your knowledge in plays and shows helped you at least figure em out.

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  13. hi - great post - we just love these quirky type of artists with great creative and abstract creations

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  14. Very weird show. But once you know what the concept was all about, it is actually very amazing for such an artist to come up with an act by just listening to the sound track. Very talented. indeed.

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  15. Ms Kanapi can be an all around performer. She just showed her variety by doing about everything here.

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  16. What an interesting show but it takes some back ground to understand it. I might want to give it a chance.

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  17. Seems new type of stage-acting to me, but only depends with the performer and the sounds. Maybe, different sounds with different performers will do?

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  18. Audire is something new to me but I am glad that I learn something from your blog, This stage of acting is cool never saw it in my country before.

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  19. This is new to me. I really dont watch stage place but this caught my attention. I'm kinda having mixed emotions about checking this out..

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