Physical Theatre Presentation Assignment: Research Portfolio 1

Frantic Assembly

Research Portfolio

     English graduate students, now turned modern contemporary practitioners Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett, created in 1994 their very own theatre company and with it a new style of modern contemporary physical theatre.

     Having created this theatre company with a shared goal “to do something different”, the practitioners looked for inspiration to create their own style.  When it came to presenting physical theatre performance styles the two key inspirations that they grew accustomed to were theatre companies ‘DV8’ and ‘The Volcano Theatre Company’.  These two theatre company’s do share something particular in their physical theatre style, as they do have a tendency to keeping their actors performance seem more naturalistic.  This is an element that comes strongly into ‘Frantic Assembly’s’ modern contemporary style.

     As a producing house company, ‘Frantic Assembly’ has given many different structures to all of their productions.  Their structures can be separated as dark and gloomy, and light and fast-paced performances and production atmospheres.  But there are two main elements that link all their productions together is their actors/performers and their characters. 

     A feature that is often admired about the company’s development and workshops is the shared devising methods.  Having appointed themselves as Artistic Directors, Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett like to have the input of their fellow cast members, rather than having them create/devise the entire production.  It does show within their productions as the actors/performers have a strong element of giving/presenting their characters through their naturalistic movement, yet it gives a visually un-naturalistic look in the audience’s perspective.  This is something that many believe has been devised by both the actors and the artistic directors.  Through their physical practice games/exercises it helps to build the actors physical and mental trust between the each other.  Plus it really helps to visually break down the characters and their features on stage.  This helps their audiences to understand the characters relationships, their current state of mood and their mental desires.  Plus through largely choreographed movement segments, featured in every production produced by ‘Frantic Assembly’, it really engages the audience into the development of the plots and characters (shown particularly in their successful productions ‘Lovesong’ and ‘Stcokholm’), and it reflects the ground breaking and eye widening majesty of the ever growing physical theatre.

     But what else does ‘Frantic Assembly’ offer as a contemporary physical theatre practitioner?  Linking to their practices in having movement segments, seeming larger than life, their stage structures take on a vast scale to really back-up the “ah” factor in the audiences reactions/responses.  Plus it also embraces the audience in a way that makes them want to know more about the productions storylines and characters.  This is particularly shown in their successful productions ‘Lovesong’ and ‘Stockholm’.

     ‘Lovesong’ depicts the story of a married couple, but has two pairs in an ensemble cast to show the same married couple in their youth and in their elderly age.  What makes this production so effective though is it presentation of the characters.  Instantly the audience knows both pairs in the ensemble are playing the same characters, but when both pair shares the stage during the production, they use it to an effect that shows the elderly interpretation of the characters wish to be in their youth age again.  Plus with movement segment involving opposite sides of the ensemble cast it really break down the possibilities of endless desires and how strong hopes and wishes can damage an individual’s well-being.  Also there are many little hints and elements within their stage structures that show the inevitability of aging and loss, shown through the stage being riddled with autumn leaves on the ground drying out.  Along with lighting effects to embrace the audience a step further into what could/should/will happen in the upcoming events of this amazing story.

     But it is in their other successful production, ‘Stockholm’, that audiences are shown a completely different interpretation of a married couple.  Keeping to single pair ensemble for its cast, ‘Stockholm’ shows a married couple only in their youth and their many struggles in near everyday circumstances.  Stage structure wise it has a more modern, clean and organised vibe to its setting, reflecting modern society and the couple’s age range.  Not only that but through the actors changed physicalized performances we saw a more adrenaline emphasised couple that were always hell-bent on a singular objective (whether making love or cooking dinner, it changes throughout the storyline) and that enhances a sense of tension.  This is why ‘Stockholm’ has more dark and gloomy lightings and stage facilities, reflecting the upcoming tension and physical strikes towards each character, and that it what also makes the production all the more intriguing for the audience, wondering why the characters are like this and where are they going.

     But in conclusion ‘Frantic Assembly’ has a particularly strong series of styles.  Listing from naturalistic performances, large scale stage sets, and elementary foreshadows within sets and character’s actions.  But all in all they do keep a strong sense of integument for their audiences, and offer new theatre lovers to embrace a style that is modernised and naturalised to be recognised and popularised in the future. 

     Through personal experience, I prefer the acting method of keeping naturalistic movement and vocalisation.  Therefore this contemporary style appealed to me, especially when it came to have exaggerated movement within their performances to give more meaning to the character’s actions and to furthering the plot.  During our college assignment production of ‘Mike Bartlett’s’ ‘13’, we decided to have a naturalistic style to our performances.  This is something I enjoyed working with, but wished we could take it further.  So when watch ‘Frantic Assembly’s’ productions, such as ‘Lovesong’ I really admired their physical actions, and how meaningful they were even at first glance.  Therefore I wish to take the opportunities, in future, to work in devising productions and develop the production through detailed and meaningful movements and storytelling.

     But, all in all, what impact has it had to modern contemporary theatre?  ‘Frantic Assembly’ has built something new and unique from something traditional and classical.  Through their performance styles they offer integument towards their characters emotions, but through naturalistic presentation, this is something that can be found in historical contemporary theatre, such as ‘Commedia dell’Arte’.  ‘Commedia’ offers a range of ‘Stock Characters’ that bring forth a unique physical being and that enhances the actor presentation of those particular characters emotions.  But it is ‘Frantic Assembly’ who has replicated these kinds of styles, just by adding their own tweet to make it relevant and popular amongst younger modern audience members, and I believe they have succeeded.