The Monster Show
Fashion performance at Torture Garden Toronto 2010
Fashion performance at Torture Garden Toronto 2010
The concept of this show started with a collection of random outfit sketches, and grew into a post-apocalyptic interpretation of the Garden of Eden story, with the snake (our Sea Creature character) as the central focus.
We collaborated with Ray Fawkes to write a short narrative that would fill in some of the details and backstory around the live performance. Ray conceived of a post-apocalyptic oasis, called the Citrine Glade, where human-animal hybrids evolve in a protected ecosystem. The Glade is ruled by the Roach Queen and monitored by her Wraiths.
We started with a desire to showcase our "Great Wave" print, modified from the the classic painting by Hokusai. As a result, the first three characters -- Dolphin, Mermaid, Sea Creature -- were built around an aquatic theme.
The Mermaid and Dolphin at play!
Note the Great Wave print featured on the Dolphin's corset and gloves.
Although it is part of the aquatic theme, The Sea Creature was conceived to be in stark contrast to the Mermaid and Dolphin. It represents cunning, violence, and overt sexuality. It is a creature that has tasted the apple and wants more.The tones of the costume are much more muted -- pearlescent transparent and black -- so as not to draw the eye, but the spikes, spines, and oversized genitalia leave no doubt as to this character's nature.
The Sea Creature stalks its prey onstage.
When the Sea Creature is introduced to the story, it hunts and assaults the Mermaid, and thus the world loses its innocence. Free will, action, and consequence then come into play. At this point, the story takes a dark and serious turn.
The Wraiths represent technological advancement as well as authority that must be brought to bear on unrestrained desires and ambitions. They are cold, emotionless drones, operating with a hive mind and serving a single purpose: to maintain the order of the Citrine Glade.
The Wraith costumes are inspired by the Confederate Motors b120 Wraith motorcycle. They are intended to look menacing and yet somewhat strange; out of place. The colours are black and pewter with a repeating dot pattern to give the look of stamped metal.
Wraith "female" sketch
Wraith "male" sketch
The Wraiths subdue and apprehend the Sea Creature, then deliver it to the Roach Queen for judgement.
When the Roach Queen is introduced, the colour palette darkens completely to black on black. She shares the same repeating dot pattern as the Wraiths -- implying a connection -- but in her case it creates the effect of a carapace on her torso, as opposed to stamped metal. She is also the only character to carry an accessory: a whip which is a symbol authority and power.
The Roach Queen assumes the role of "God" in this story. As the ultimate survivor, she rules over the citrine glade and passes judgment on the Sea Creature for undermining her authority.
Our musical director, Marcus Knight, developed custom music palettes for each character that conveyed the appropriate atmosphere for their role in the story. Here, he discusses his thoughts for the music surrounding the Sea Creature.
The story that follows, produced by Ray Fawkes, takes the form of a report delivered by one of the Wraiths after isolating an aberrant hybrid.
Ray Fawkes / Ego Assassin : The Creature
"Activate and narrate. Tone variant six-seven, male. Tell me about the incident."
The Wraith inclines its head for a moment, rotating the necessary vocal armatures into place. It clicks, once, and then begins to speak.
#
The Mermaid reclines among the humid, flexible crystal grasses of the Citrine Glade, dragging her fingertips through the water. She sighs, her eyelids half-closed, her flesh slick and steaming. A blue-tinged shoulder rolls up and breaks the surface of the pool, brushing the Mermaid's palm, eliciting a shudder.
The pale blue Dolphin emerges from the waters, rising beneath the Mermaid and bearing her scaled body up, as on the crest of a wave. This unit remains obscured, within the fringes of the petrified wood, observing and recording. The sanctity of the glade remains unbroken.
The bodies of the hybrids press together, folding and curling around and within one another, configuring and reconfiguring their fit. The Dolphin's tongue trails across the Mermaid's hip in passing, over her thigh and inward. The Mermaid smiles.
The hybrids' play sends pulses of pleasure into the waters, rippling outwards from the points of contact, the tongue, the slick skin, the enflamed inner scales.
It is these pulses that alert the creature.
#
The Mermaid reclines among the humid, flexible crystal grasses of the Citrine Glade, dragging her fingertips through the water. She sighs, her eyelids half-closed, her flesh slick and steaming. A blue-tinged shoulder rolls up and breaks the surface of the pool, brushing the Mermaid's palm, eliciting a shudder.
The pale blue Dolphin emerges from the waters, rising beneath the Mermaid and bearing her scaled body up, as on the crest of a wave. This unit remains obscured, within the fringes of the petrified wood, observing and recording. The sanctity of the glade remains unbroken.
The bodies of the hybrids press together, folding and curling around and within one another, configuring and reconfiguring their fit. The Dolphin's tongue trails across the Mermaid's hip in passing, over her thigh and inward. The Mermaid smiles.
The hybrids' play sends pulses of pleasure into the waters, rippling outwards from the points of contact, the tongue, the slick skin, the enflamed inner scales.
It is these pulses that alert the creature.
#
"This creature."
The Wraith regards the corrupted form at its feet. Its second body, the second Wraith, is crouched, an iron grip closed over both of the creature's wrists, held tight and bending it back so that its face is upturned for inspection.
"Affirmative."
"Affirmative."
"What is it?"
"Unconfirmed. With permission, this unit will perform the necessary tests for classification."
"Not yet. Tell me what it did."
#
The creature approaches from the depths, watching the
Dolphin's legs churn the waters above. Its dark lips part, a sensory tendril flicking out between them as a pulse passes over it. It is drawn upwards, closer and closer.
It slides up between the Dolphin's legs, unfurling the stinging tendrils from its forearms. The tendrils trace insect- quick paths over her skin, raising a toxic, green-black filigree in their passage. Painted with poison, burning, the Dolphin cries out and disengages from her lover. She kicks back, arching and vanishing into the dark water.
In a flash, the creature propels itself forward, seizing the Mermaid around the waist. Frightened, she pushes her palms against its shoulders, trying to force it back. Wherever they touch, the creature's toxin stings and discolors the dolphin's flesh.
The poison's burn intensifies with the Mermaid's heartbeat, growing and receding with increasing rhythm. The nerves throughout her body buzz and flare with overlapping input: pain and warmth, shock and relief. Her initial panic is lulled by the rhythm of sensation, and she relaxes into it, ceasing the battle.
There the creature takes her for its own, clamping itself onto her, penetrating her, and forever altering her. There, she lets forth small cries as it re-engineers her with its roughness, its outrageous disregard.
#
Dolphin's legs churn the waters above. Its dark lips part, a sensory tendril flicking out between them as a pulse passes over it. It is drawn upwards, closer and closer.
It slides up between the Dolphin's legs, unfurling the stinging tendrils from its forearms. The tendrils trace insect- quick paths over her skin, raising a toxic, green-black filigree in their passage. Painted with poison, burning, the Dolphin cries out and disengages from her lover. She kicks back, arching and vanishing into the dark water.
In a flash, the creature propels itself forward, seizing the Mermaid around the waist. Frightened, she pushes her palms against its shoulders, trying to force it back. Wherever they touch, the creature's toxin stings and discolors the dolphin's flesh.
The poison's burn intensifies with the Mermaid's heartbeat, growing and receding with increasing rhythm. The nerves throughout her body buzz and flare with overlapping input: pain and warmth, shock and relief. Her initial panic is lulled by the rhythm of sensation, and she relaxes into it, ceasing the battle.
There the creature takes her for its own, clamping itself onto her, penetrating her, and forever altering her. There, she lets forth small cries as it re-engineers her with its roughness, its outrageous disregard.
#
"And you did not interfere."
"This unit did not interfere immediately. This unit sent alert to its second body, seeking confirmation witness and instruction."
"I see. Continue."
"I see. Continue."
#
After some time, the second Wraith emerges from the shadows
of the deep wood next to the first, communicating a burst of compressed information. Both bodies engage and assimilate their exchange within a fraction of a second and activate their contingency instructions.
They step from the fringes of the wood, entering the glade for the first time in their existence.
They descend upon the creature, clamping their unfeeling hands over its arms and legs, lifting it bodily from the Mermaid. There is a soft sucking sound as it disengages, and the Mermaid turns her clouded eyes towards them without comprehension.
The creature thrashes, snapping its tendrils ineffectively across its captors' armor. The Wraiths are silent, unmoved, as they analyze its musculature and select a hold that will best immobilize it while minimizing damage. Their joints shift to allow a change in position and then lock into place.
The creature is helpless.
The Wraiths both pause to examine the Mermaid, recording her condition. She reaches out, slowly, and strokes the neck of one of the bodies, trying to bring its face to hers. It pulls back, breaking her grip with a trivial shrug.
#
of the deep wood next to the first, communicating a burst of compressed information. Both bodies engage and assimilate their exchange within a fraction of a second and activate their contingency instructions.
They step from the fringes of the wood, entering the glade for the first time in their existence.
They descend upon the creature, clamping their unfeeling hands over its arms and legs, lifting it bodily from the Mermaid. There is a soft sucking sound as it disengages, and the Mermaid turns her clouded eyes towards them without comprehension.
The creature thrashes, snapping its tendrils ineffectively across its captors' armor. The Wraiths are silent, unmoved, as they analyze its musculature and select a hold that will best immobilize it while minimizing damage. Their joints shift to allow a change in position and then lock into place.
The creature is helpless.
The Wraiths both pause to examine the Mermaid, recording her condition. She reaches out, slowly, and strokes the neck of one of the bodies, trying to bring its face to hers. It pulls back, breaking her grip with a trivial shrug.
#
"And here you are."
"Secondary programming directed these units to subdue and retrieve the creature for your examination and judgment. Did these units behave correctly?"
"We'll see."
The Queen moves towards the prisoner, her steps clicking on the fused glass floor of her nest. Its eyes flicker over the shining carapace of her body, showing an obscene ignorance of her laws. She signals the Wraiths with a flick of her fingers, and they force the creature's face to the floor, directing its gaze downward.
"Do you speak? Can you understand me?" The Queen's cold tones echo in the expansive hall.
The creature does not respond.
"We cannot know if you are a native to the Citrine Glade or an invader. Hmm? If you were born in its waters or not. But we do know that you have violated our Mermaid, and you have dared to look upon me. You are ignorant, or a rebel, or simply mad."
The Wraiths wait calmly, impassively, as the Queen steps around the creature, appraising it.
"The creature's poison?"
The Wraith pauses momentarily, calculating.
"We'll see."
The Queen moves towards the prisoner, her steps clicking on the fused glass floor of her nest. Its eyes flicker over the shining carapace of her body, showing an obscene ignorance of her laws. She signals the Wraiths with a flick of her fingers, and they force the creature's face to the floor, directing its gaze downward.
"Do you speak? Can you understand me?" The Queen's cold tones echo in the expansive hall.
The creature does not respond.
"We cannot know if you are a native to the Citrine Glade or an invader. Hmm? If you were born in its waters or not. But we do know that you have violated our Mermaid, and you have dared to look upon me. You are ignorant, or a rebel, or simply mad."
The Wraiths wait calmly, impassively, as the Queen steps around the creature, appraising it.
"The creature's poison?"
The Wraith pauses momentarily, calculating.
"A mild topical neurological agent. Your majesty's advanced systems will assimilate it within moments. You may experience some insignificant sensation."
She nods and nudges the creature with her foot. It jerks in the Wraith's grip. She runs the contour of its body with her toes, angling her head to read the tremors of its flesh, the ripples of its tendrils.
"For profaning the Mermaid, this creature forfeits itself and its body to me."
The Queen extends her genital appendage. "Raise it and open it for me. I will take it for my own."
She nods and nudges the creature with her foot. It jerks in the Wraith's grip. She runs the contour of its body with her toes, angling her head to read the tremors of its flesh, the ripples of its tendrils.
"For profaning the Mermaid, this creature forfeits itself and its body to me."
The Queen extends her genital appendage. "Raise it and open it for me. I will take it for my own."
