Well we are two weeks in to rehearsals for this production of Nine, the latest Mr and Mrs Clark offering.
Nine was originally an idea for a retrospective performed at the Dylan Thomas Fringe in 2009. The show incorporated a range of our work from previous dance, music and performance art pieces. The order of the show was chosen by the audience and elements were re-selected as it went along. Once the format was established there seemed to be no hesitation from those watching to select or indeed reselect scenes. (That show ended with me running around in my pants… a somewhat improvised ending as we had not worked out how to finish.) What we loved about the format was it kept the performance spontaneous and fresh…we were kept on our toes and it felt like the audience had a power and a playfulness in their selections.
We knew we wanted to use this format again and have experimented with it further but this production of NINE is a brand new construction, with a brand new feel and dynamic…retaining that selection format and hopefully the sense of fun, but with new dimensions in the use of narrative and film. Its been quite a physical two weeks. We have some good bruises from our improvised use of set and props. The design is coming together and with the wisdom of Sean (Tuan John – director) we are making what feels like an epic piece of work. The exploration of narrative and style has been really important which builds on from Prosthetic Soul (2011). NINE is film noir therapy for the struggling couple … for the marriage casualties … an opportunity to explore the celluloid world of bleak conclusions and nihilistic optimism. With a swinging soundtrack, action that the audience control and still an uncertainty as to how to end the show, NINE is as inspiring and challenging as always to us … we hope it will be to you too.
As a small company we rely on our partners heavily for support. We don’t have admin or marketing personnel, we do all of this ourselves (like lots of small companies) and its tough when in full time rehearsals. So we are very grateful to Rory Day, Swansea Met, Lauren Brown, The Riverfront, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Chapter, Taliesin and of course Volcano Theatre Company for their help, patience and advice.
Gareth
full tour details www.mrandmrsclark.co.uk