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An Adult Puppet Show by Lee Randall
Music by Adam Overton
Abstract:
Going is a puppet show consisting of a tall, armless creature, a visible puppeteer and three movable islands (large, circular pedestals with wheels). The 12-minute piece consists of the puppet's failed attempts to move from the island on the farthest right to the island on the farthest left. The puppeteer thwarts his attempts, depicting an existential study in futility.
The music has several levels that correspond to the puppet's imaginary world. The piece begins with the puppet sitting motionless by itself with bell-sounds randomly playing a nursery-rhyme-ish melody (innocence?). As the puppeteer enters he is accompanied by some quick clicking sounds and then a steady hi-hat sound as he begins moving the puppet, representing a quickly moving, external force (fate? God?). As the puppet awakens, slower layers and rhythms emerge, first with breath-like swells, then with a slow, sparse drumset beat, followed by an asymmetric bass-line, and finally with a more structured bell melody. These latter layers pertain to the puppet's own bodily functioning - he moves in sync with these slower, less assertive rhythms and melodies while the puppeteer and Fate move in sync with the faster, more enduring rhythms.
The music was composed with a patch written in SuperCollider2.2.14 and the chronology of musical events was organized by performing along with the puppeteer during dress rehearsals. A recording of one of these rehearsals served as a timeline sketch for a final version that was realized in the composer's studio. CD-playback of the final piece was used for the actual performance.
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XPT - Xperimental Puppetry Theatre
May 30 - June 2
Thursday - Saturday at 8 pm; Sunday at 5 pm
The Center for Puppetry Arts
1404 Spring St, NW, Atlanta, GA 30309
Ticket and Directions: 404-873-3391
Ages 18 and up
$9
"Which came first? The puppet or the show? Hmmm. In Xperimental Puppetry Theatre, better known as XPT, the tangible and conceptual collide as artists from many disciplines cooperate in all stages of the creative process to concoct innovative pieces. Wacky, bold, obscure and yes, occasionally touching, XPT is for those who live a little on the edge."
Featuring works by:
Raymond Carr, Julie Dansby, Jason Hines, Matt Johnson, Glen Morrison, Lee Randall (with
music by Adam Overton), and Tim Sweeney.