Elite Hasson, Contributor
Featured image courtesy of Then They Fight Theatre
Thinking about what you’ll do after receiving your media studies or theatre degree?
Meet Aaron Jan, Luke Reece, Lucy Powis, and Jordan Laffrenier, recent theatre and creative writing graduates who created their emerging performance, Our Idiot Friend is Now Dead, in the form of a workshop. Their unique concept, known as The 10/10/10 Project, which featured 10 writers, 10 choreographers, 10 composers, and five filmmakers involved taking all four forms and combining them into one story, subsequently opening feedback and discussions with audience members.
Five filmmakers would be given the opportunity to create a short film, which would be passed to 10 different choreographers. The choreographers’ work, inspired by the filmmakers’ pieces, would then be passed on to 10 composers. The music would then be given to 10 different writers who would write short stories, poems, or plot lines. All mediums would then come together when four actors, using the writers’ script and accompanied by sound and visual art, performed the piece.
But there was a catch. None of the individuals had contact with peers in their art form or the people who would be inspired by their work.
Additionally, the writers did not have access to the films or choreography, and could only base their work on sound effects or music inspired by the dances or visual works. The only time the writers, choreographers, composers, and filmmakers would see how their story fit into the storyline would be the opening night of the show, which was February 11.
Many of the writers had themes of water, death, and mourning, which resulted in a piece about four mourning friends who were deeply tormented by the suicide of James, a friend of three of the characters and the boyfriend of one. James’ dying wish was for his written works to be performed and with great struggle, his friends would fulfill his last request. Though the stage was a barren wall and floor, the actors who played out these diverse art forms filled the room with colour, bliss, humour, and at the same time, darkness, peril, and sorrow. They each battle their own demons with James’ passing and each remember him as the same tumultuous and equally witty individual.
Having to fluidly piece unrelated topics in writing, unique choreographic styles, diverse compositions, and multimedia art into one storyline sounds like a pretty arduous task. However, it was made very evident through the course of the performance that these theatre students were nothing short of ambitious and dedicated. Even more, the fact that they left the piece they created open to an audience for criticism made a real statement about wanting to excel in their craft.
Their unique concept and deep desire for feedback should serve as an example for the emerging theatre and media community. Among showcasing their skillful use and editing of very different art forms, they successfully brought together a community of artists and allowed each of the art forms to shine equally as bright.
These four creators took a leap of faith and made their idea a reality. They opened their hearts to criticism from people who were not afraid to hold back. They spent hours listening to feedback from different experts and even more time listening to their own hearts. They seek growth, to nurture their skills and expand their viewpoints.
Take notes, people. These individuals are the real MVPs – the magnificent vocational preps.
[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWEyH8co6Yo” width=”640″]
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