Happening Rehearsal | Interactive Performance

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Happening Rehearsal Interactive Performance

The use of the word ‘Ou (a homonym which can mean both puppet or happening)’ in the title gives it a double meaning, and indicates a bold experimentation which weaves together the ‘form’ of performance with the ‘concept’ of artwork. In regards to form, a ‘happening’ narrative mode is presented. An ‘interactive digital interface’ is used to attempt to create an open experimental playscript where a different improv performance is given for each audience that participates. In addition, an imitation of the ‘rehearsal’ process composed of actors on the stage playing the parts of ‘street performers’ along with members of the production crew deliberately shown on stage while in the midst of operating computers, cameras, projectors, sensors, machinery, and ladders can be seen played out on stage. The saxophone music which plays at both the start and the end of the performance serves as an allegory of an endless street performance. Conceptually serving to present the likening of ‘street performers’ to ‘puppets’, controlled and entrapped within a virtual reality. The use of the Internet and technology such as MYO muscle sensors, brain wave transmitters, and mobile phones allows for the long-distance communication of information and emotion, provides a space without the constraints of time and distance. Yet, the ‘puppet-like’ body controlled by technology remains unable to leave the confines of its cage (the area on top of the white box). The daily act of putting on and wearing a mask with ‘666 (the mark of the beast)’ printed on it while wearing alluring high-tech equipment serves to reflect the conflicting process described in Genesis where Satan tempts Eve into eating fruit from ‘the tree of knowledge of good and evil’. This work reflects on the idea of whether the arrival of humans at the pinnacle of technology will also result in their entrapment within an inescapable nightmare controlled by Satan.

This performance places a special emphasis on the concept of ‘happening’ and ‘rehearsal’ as forms of narration, and is presented in three parts: (1) 15 minutes before the performance begins, as the audience is entering, they see a saxophone being played along with three statue-like ‘street performers’ standing on white boxes wearing silver masks with 666 printed on them. The saxophone player will engage in impromptu interactions with the audience, piquing their curiosity and leading them to interact with the sound interface on the stage (much like the act of placing coins into traditional coin operated machines), causing the three street performers to interact with the resulting sounds using improvised body movements. (2) A man in a black mask walks in front of the audience to film them, while the video plays on a screen above the stage in real-time. The audience will be surprised to find images of themselves appear on the screen wearing the same ‘masks ’ image as the three street performers on the stage, thus by chance, themselves becoming one of the actors of the ‘puppets’. This is achieved using ‘real time face detection and recognition’ computer software that can immediately overlay the image of a ‘mask’ onto the faces of the audience. (3) As the performance draws to a close and the music (sung by an enticing demonic sounding female soprano voice) approaches its climax, three ‘pre-arranged audience members’ are drawn towards the stage by the seductive movements of the three performers. The lighting above the audience glows slightly, and an image of a ‘demonic hand’ and the three audience members now wearing ‘masks’ is played on the screen, indicating that these three audience members have been chosen and are powerless to resist walking toward the stage. (4) After an intense exchange of interactive movements, the three audience members walk onto the stage and replace the three street performers standing on white boxes. The lights dim momentarily and then brighten again, and the blaring of music being played on the saxophone returns along with it, as if announcing the beginning of yet another rehearsal. This endless cycle reflects the irony and futility of our day after day existences, forever unable to escape from the control of the same technology we once sought to harness.

《偶 Happening Rehearsal》這是入圍第七屆數位藝術表演獎且發表於台北水源劇場的一件跨領域互動表演，由藝術總監林珮淳帶領近二十位不同領域的藝術家與科技工程師共同完成，包括互動影音、互動介面、肢體表演、燈控、服裝、攝影剪輯、音響控制等。作品以「偶」來命名，具有雙重的語意與內涵：被操控的「偶」與「偶發」（Happening）的敘事模式，試圖將表演「形式」與作品「觀念」作更深層的交錯與實驗，藉著「數位互動介面」編製一場開放性的實驗劇本，因著不同的觀眾参與而作不同的即興互動演出。舞台上除了扮演「街頭藝人」的演員外，刻意將所有的工作人員正操作電腦、攝影機、投影機、感應器、機具、樓梯的工作狀態全部展現於觀眾面前，也安排薩克斯風音樂聲在表演的開始與結束吹奏，強調了仿「排練」（Rehearsal）的形式，企圖展現一場無止境的街頭排練演出。
在觀念上則表現「街頭藝人」如「偶」被操控且沈浸在虛擬世界裡，她們雖可透過科技裝備（MYO、腦波、手機）作遠距的溝通與傳情，也可盡情遨遊於無時空限制的網路空間內，但身體卻如「魁儡」般被科技控制而走不出自己的框架（白色箱子上）。「街頭藝人」戴有666獸印的「面具」與誘人的科技裝備，象徵聖經創世記中被撒旦誘惑吃下「知識善樂果」的夏娃，藉此反思人類是否沈浸於科技的後果將陷入被撒旦控制而無法逃離的夢魘裡？
因此，本創作論述將包含「開放文本式的表演型態」以及劇情的內容如：第一幕「仿『投幣』的街頭藝人即興表演開場」；第二幕「覆蓋於觀眾的臉部的666獸印『面具』影像；第三幕「蛇誘惑夏娃吃了『知識善樂果』；第四幕「夏娃身體改變成超能力」；第五幕「夏娃引誘更多人」；最後一幕「另一批夏娃又受了誘惑成為下一批的『偶』」，展現一場跳脫單一劇情文本，以多層次「形式」與「觀念」交錯實驗的跨領域互動表演。