Category: Other Solo Performances

“Life is like a Rollercoaster” – Reflecting on “The Ride of My Life”

Daniel John Fotheringham / / Other Solo Performances, Performance and Reflection

So, on the 21st May, after months of hard work, sheer determination, three ideas and also a lot of rollercoaster POV’s, I performed my final degree show, The Ride of My Life – a show that focused on my childhood and the challenges I faced. Since performing it and having time to reflect on the show, I have decided to create this blog post to discuss my reflection on the module and how I felt not only the process has gone but also to discuss my own thoughts on the performance. However, in order to do this, I have decided to do this post as a set of viva-voce/ post-show discussion related questions since we do not have one for the module. So, without further ado, here are my thoughts.

1. What made you want to focus on a personal story

There are multiple reasons behind this and to be frank, this was not an idea that I originally had envisioned. Indeed, as you will see on my previous blog posts, my original idea was based on YouTube and the culture of Youtubing. However, in the case of this show, the reason why I wanted to do it was because I wanted to discuss something that not many people knew. Indeed, the majority of the audience did not know my story prior to seeing it and I felt that whilst it would have been interesting to have done a topical show, I wanted to bring a story together that actually would make people feel something. Plus, there is something authentic about my own story. Whilst I am not saying it has only happened to me and that there are not other people diagnosed with Worster-Drought Syndrome nor ADHD, the story I have encountered is a unique one and I wanted to highlight the uniqueness of the show by showing it in my own crafty manner that I would want to do without forcing an audience to feel something.

2. When devising the show, what challenges did you face?

A lot. In many ways, excluding the process to the other shows, the big problem I faced was I did not want the piece to feel self indulgent or manipulative as my worry was that whilst I can influence an audience on what they should feel, I cannot force them to feel that. If I did that, they would lose interest with the show at all. As the piece was focused on a personal story, I wanted them to feel engrossed with it and not feel like they were distanced to the show so that was a challenge.

Another thing that was a challenge was how to stage the show. Indeed, whilst I was aware the show would occur in Studio 2, I felt the staging had to feel right and so there was a seamless transition between the element of the rollercoaster and the personal story. So, by thinking carefully on the staging and also what the LPAC could offer, I was able to provide the right staging that would be simple to understand but also extremely impressive. In many ways, the challenge was less setting out the space as if it was a show but instead, trying to set it out as if the audience did not think that they were in Studio 2 at first.

But, the major challenge was cutting the script. Indeed, whilst I do believe that the show did have some punch and was clear, there was so much more that I could use to develop it into a longer show. Therefore, cutting the show was hard as I wanted to ensure that the show had enough depth and heart to it as it did have if it was a twenty minute piece.

3. In your opinion, how important is authenticity in a performance?

Personally, I think it is essential for the performance to have authenticity. Partly because by having authenticity in a show, it allows the audience to connect more with a performer and bring forward a bond between the audience and performer. As well, it allows the audience to be able to realise that what they say is honest and whilst this may be fictitious, they can establish this bond even more. So, from bringing in authenticity, it allows the performer to be closer to an audience and establish a relationship that is vital to the show.

4. How did you utilise authenticity in the show? Did you feel it was well utilised?

To ensure that the show felt authentic, I made sure that there were numerous things I did to utilise this. One way this was utilised was to ensure that I was never labelled as a different person in the show. Therefore, whilst I did take on multiple personas, it was in the style of Tim Crouch where I would be “Daniel Fotheringham as…” a ride attendant or Mrs. Arsehole or The Incredible Hulk. By doing this, it allowed the audience to not only distinguish character but gain a personal connection with myself as a performer and also as my characters.

Another way that the authenticity was utilised was in the beats of the script. Indeed, as I wanted the show to feel pure and like how it would sound as if I was saying the story to someone in a pub. Just without the artsy stuff. Indeed, as you can see in this segment from the script, I utilised this by mixing comedy and drama together by being able to give the audience a taster not just of the story but also of myself in real life:

The Script:

When searching for schools, my parents found “Kingstone High” – a school focused on performing arts.   (The overture of Phantom of the Opera is heard. As this happens, the performer dresses up as the phantom and turns around ). Too dramatic?  Once I made my decision to go there, I told my friends.

He turns round to certain audience members tears pictures of himself making confetti.

To get into the school, I had to get level fours in English, Maths and Science . My average – level twos. What do you think Mrs Arsehole?

V/O: You will not get level fours. But, I admire your effort. Good luck.

When I told my mum, she would do everything to help me.

Pause. The Performer sits down.

I wait patiently by the letterbox.

In doing this as well, I felt that this use of authenticity was well realised as I showed not only a glimpse into my life but the audience also got to understand the struggles I still go through. By showcasing this in the script, it helped me in the authenticity of the show by being myself in the script.

5. How did the audience receive the show? Did you intentions for the show work?

In doing the show, I set out to do a set of things. Firstly, I wanted to break the boundaries between theatre and performance by making something that was entertaining but different. Second, I wanted to make the audience feel something.

The following statement from a friend of mine here details their thoughts on the show:

“Congratulations! You pulled it off amazingly! Seeing the Tutor’s faces light up as well as my peers in the room as we were taken on our ride/performance was quite something! You should be proud of the performance, for teaching us so much about you, and for allowing us to celebrate your achievements with you in such a fun way!”

(Anonymous, 2018).

In being able to do the show, I felt not only the audience felt enticed but that they were genuinely keen to see where my performance would go next. Indeed, one of the things of performing the show was that the story is not one I have discussed that much to others. Therefore, by keeping a lot of the secrets under wrap, it allowed me to journey the audience through a “rollercoaster” of a show where they were they were unable to predict how it would end.

As well, some of the comments was overwhelming in which they said that they felt the show was pure and in no means, emotionally manipulative, and felt innocent. Therefore, it felt overwhelming as I set out to do something that was around the lines of this. If anything, I was overwhelmed by the feedback actually given to me.

What would you improve on if you were to redo the show?

If it was to be improved, there would be not much done. Aside from the possibility of adapting it into a thirty minute show that would go into more depth. Aside from minor things that went wrong, there would not be much that would be improved not because I am being arrogant but because I am happy with how this had been done. I am really satisfied with the way the final product. This module has been a pleasure doing and I am really satisfied with the way the show I have done.

With this post, I end my university education. Thank you to everyone who has helped with my project and the three years. Hopefully this will be not the end of this show. But, for now, its thank you and I hope you enjoyed “The Ride of My Life”

Shia LaBeouf – An artist of our time?

Daniel John Fotheringham / / Other Solo Performances, Progression of Performance, Research Material
140211-romano-labeouf-tease_trepye
Shia LaBeouf in #IAMSORRY

In todays class, we were once again introduced to a set of artists. In observing them all, I felt they evoked some interesting elements. However, one artist that spoke out to me more was none other but the renowned Shia LaBeouf.

Now prior to finding out about his work, similar to some people as seen in the class, I felt very strongly against his work due to his reputation that he has gained in the media. Such instances have showcased him for example as a madman and as if he is trying to hold onto his fame by trying to redefine himself as a performance artist. Indeed, this is highlighted why the business magazine, Forbes in which they attack the artist by saying that “his downfall has been tragic, even if it appears to be mostly self-inflicted” and also that “he should retreat from public life altogether, and focus on ridding himself of whatever ailment troubles him;” (Placido, 2017).

However, whilst people may say that Placido’s statement is true, I believe that LaBeouf does not deserve this statement. Whilst he may have caused controversy, he has been regarded as a millennial artist that aims to make a statement personally about who he is, what he does and try to make that distinction of what is art and entertainment. Thus, through his perseverance of being an artist, he has been seen as a popular culture icon that many people are fascinated by as seen in the video below:

(robcantor, 2014).

From this video above, we could say that there is so much to learn about LaBeouf as he gained a cult following for his decision to be a performance artist and also as a celebrity. Indeed, LaBeouf’s performance style could be deemed as him trying to redeem himself and define himself as an artist. Thus, we could say that this video jokingly poking at LaBeouf epitomises who he is and what he does concerning his performance art.

Now whilst LaBeouf has had a very short career so far as a performance artist, we will focus on one performance he did called #ALLMYMOVIES. Seen below, the six part video documents LaBeouf’s performance as he watches all of he films in reverse starting with his latest film at the time of the performance to his first movie. In the performance, as documented below, he allowed audience members to come in to see him perform and watch his own films and also livestreamed the event for people to observe from the internet. This performance went on for three days, as documented in Jimmy Kimmel video with Shia LaBeouf and personally has allowed me to understand the idea more of the distinction between a performer and artist.

(LaBeouf, Rönkkö & Turner, 2016).

(LaBeouf, Rönkkö & Turner, 2016).

(LaBeouf, Rönkkö & Turner, 2016).

(LaBeouf, Rönkkö & Turner, 2016).

(LaBeouf, Rönkkö & Turner, 2016).

(LaBeouf, Rönkkö & Turner, 2016).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeZ6iy_qUhs

(Jimmy Kimmel Live, 2016).

From the set of videos, there is a lot we can learn a lot from LaBeouf’s performance. For starters, one interesting thing we could say is that for the manner of the performance, we see him enter the room and sit down as if he is trying to signify he is an equal and not as if he should be respected higher. Therefore, it could be suggested that he is playing with the idea of the relationship between the audience and performer and as if he implying that everyone, including Shia LaBeouf, creates the performance. This is even including the people watching the livestream and therefore makes the piece feel extremely interactive. Thus, this is something I wish to explore as I am intending on livestreaming the performance in which the audience will be able to question this distinction between audience and performer and who has the dominance onstage.

As well, one of the other questions we could ask is the question concerning the issue of authenticity. A couple of weeks ago, we explored this idea of authenticity/ autobiographical performance in which, during the workshop, we came to a conclusion that it is hard to define whether a autobiographical performance can be deemed as authentic as there will always be some performativity to the piece of work which would make it less authentic. Indeed, as Craig Gingrich-Philbrook notes in his introduction to his script Refreshment, “autobiographical performers cannot speak for an absolutely unique experience.” (Philbrook, 1997, 353). Therefore, it is unclear to define whether Shia LaBeouf’s performance can be seen as authentic due to the performativity of his reactions in this meta-theatrical performance as he watches the films in reverse.

However, one thing that is interesting is, once again, this issue of status as a performer. From discussions and understanding the artist in class, we understood that his main aim was to try and sec make himself change his status from celebrity status and make himself an equal in the audience. However, in performing this piece in a manner where he is allowing the audience to view it as a participant, the focus is less on the films being shown but more the focus on his reaction. Indeed, one problem that occurs is that this creates a “boomerang” effect in which he is unable to denounce himself as a celebrity but as an artist. This idea of the denouncement and equality of the audience is something I wish to challenge as I feel this idea of the power relationship and challenging this idea of how I could be deemed as an equal onstage compared and how, through the status and persona of a Youtuber, how I could try and denounce myself and the reaction that would give or vice versa.

Overall, whilst people may criticise Shia LaBeouf for having no relevance or an idea on what his work could be, I find his performance art interesting. Each piece holds something clear and important and allows him to denounce himself into a performance artist and allows us to question his work or even make suggestions on what it could mean. Thus, this allows us to rethink the ideas of post-modernism and modernism and brings us back to the ideas of Matt Chewiwie in the question of how you distinguish art and performance and what the meaning of art is.

Works Cited:

Jimmy Kimmel Live (2016) Shia LaBeouf Explains His Performance Art Events. Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeZ6iy_qUhs [accessed 05 March 2018].

LaBeouf, Rönkkö & Turner (2016) #ALLMYMOVIES (Part 1 of 6). Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkIPVVpY164 [accessed 05 March 2018].

LaBeouf, Rönkkö & Turner (2016) #ALLMYMOVIES (Part 2 of 6). Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qhq-KgkKVCg [accessed 05 March 2018].

LaBeouf, Rönkkö & Turner (2016) #ALLMYMOVIES (Part 3 of 6). Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkJ1oGgMzJM [accessed 05 March 2018].

LaBeouf, Rönkkö & Turner (2016) #ALLMYMOVIES (Part 4 of 6). Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgrwLhpcqwo [accessed 05 March 2018].

LaBeouf, Rönkkö & Turner (2016) #ALLMYMOVIES (Part 5 of 6). Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow2SjHwffQ4 [accessed 05 March 2018].

LaBeouf, Rönkkö & Turner (2016)  #ALLMYMOVIES (Part 6 of 6). Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO_xbsp6sKA [accessed 05 March 2018].

Philbrook, C.G. (1997) Autobiographical Performance Scripts – Refreshment. Text and Performance Quarterly, 17 352-360.

Placido, D. D. (2017) What Happened To You, Shia LaBeouf?. Forbes, 12 July. Available from https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2017/07/12/what-happened-to-you-shia-labeouf/#641f40fb1193 [accessed 05 March 2018].

robcantor (2014). “Shia LaBeouf” Live – Rob Cantor. Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0u4M6vppCI [accessed 05 March].

Initial ideas and Practitioners

Daniel John Fotheringham / / Other Solo Performances, Progression of Performance, Research Material

Over the past four weeks of this module, I have been exploring various ideas that could be used for the final solo piece. Personally, I have found this an exciting process as it has allowed me to narrow down my thoughts and think critically about some ideas that can be explored in the next following weeks that can be explored. So, instead of doing separate blog posts detailing about my thoughts on this, I have decided to compile all my thoughts into one so you can get a succinct idea of where my piece is heading. That does not mean that I won’t be exploring some ideas in finer detail but it is so you can get an idea of where it is heading currently and why I think this will be an interesting idea to explore in rehearsals. So, without further ado, here are my ideas:

What is the current stimulus for my solo performance? 

Currently, my stimulus is based on the idea of YouTubing and the idea of how a YouTuber can gain a reputation for better or worse. In the ten minutes of the piece, I want to explore this idea of the downfall of someone online. I want to question how big a downfall it can become when a YouTuber shows their real thoughts and personalities on camera instead of conforming to the ideals that are expected when it comes to creating YouTube videos.

Why should you explore this stimulus? 

I want to explore the stimulus because I think it is something that is becoming very current in today’s world. When researching the topic, I found a shocking statistic in which one in ten people now have created their own YouTube channel and this may be down to the fact that many people see famous YouTubers as role models and people aspire to be. Therefore, this idea of becoming a role model can be both a positive but also a very scary prospect as the YouTuber’s reputation is put on the line because if they do something that could be deemed as extremely wrong or offensive then it may cost them their reputation and job. This has clearly become a problem in the last few months with famous YouTubers such as Logan Paul, KSI and recently, Shane Dawson in which they have all faced scandals that have occurred on YouTube and has cost them a lot with their reputation and also, at times, rewards with their jobs that YouTube has taken away and this is one of the big reasons why I wish to explore this concept of YouTubing.

Briefly describe some of the ideas that you want to explore. 

There are a few ideas that I have in mind but these are some of the ideas I think that are interesting ideas and could be explored.

1. Live streaming the show – From researching YouTube and how a YouTuber can gain money professionally, I have discovered that a lot of the money comes from when people tune into their videos they make and view it. Very much, the idea for YouTube is to get the views and I feel this is something I could incorporate into the show. As the venue I am intending to use (Studio 2) is a very intimate space and would only be able to seat thirty people at the maximum, I would not be able to get as many people to view the show and get the full impact of my point of the show. Whereas, by being able to live stream the show on social media sites such as Facebook, it would allow me to branch out to a wider audience and also make the message more real as I assume that people would view it through their mobile phone or laptop for the sake of convenience and also down to habit as that is how people normally consume YouTube. Plus, I am keen to show the idea of how people will only be able to see one side of me and of what I put on the internet to view and they do not see everything that is happening in the ten minutes.

2. Creating my own “Diss” Track – In one of my earlier blog posts, I mentioned that I wanted to create a “Diss” track giving some people an idea of the way how some people approach YouTube by verbally attacking people in a comedic manner. However, in deciding on this idea of a “Diss” track, one of my big concerns is that there will be certain people in the audience who will be unaware of the topic that I am discussing. Therefore, I have decided to branch out and discuss a wider topic and I have discovered a topic that may be of some worth to discuss this topic.

(Good Morning Britain, 2018).

Recently in the news, there has been a massive controversy concerning the closure of many KFC restaurants due to the lack of chicken being supplied. This has sparked so much anger and frustration to many people in the public due to the fact that the convenience of the fast-food chain has shut down and I think there is something overtly funny about several people complaining over a greasy meal. Indeed, in one of the videos below, there is a woman who highlights her frustration in saying “I’ve had to go to Burger King.” (ITV News, 2018). I think this can be done as very comedic and I feel that the use of something “major” will help me in dissing KFC and trying to make the audience feel as if I am the “role model” to follow in criticising my thoughts of the chain on the internet.

(ITV News, 2018).

3 – Space – in the past few sessions, we have been exploring the idea of space and when doing the activity, my group was given a tight corner. In one of my previous blog posts, I showed my enthusiasm for this space as I felt that there were a lot of interesting elements to space. For starters, I really like the way how it could feel quite intimate and if modified, it could be seen as a really relaxed/intimate space. However, at the same time, it could come across as a very exposed and trapped space in which there is no way to escape. Thus, I feel that I want to use the space so it makes the YouTuber feel trapped in their own world of hate and dominance. Plus, I want to be able to have a space where I am able to interact with an audience. Therefore, I feel that this could be seen as extremely intimate and very exciting to observe in a visceral manner due to the fact that the audience may feel uncomfortable.

What artists do you want to incorporate into your performance? 

For my performance, current certain artists include Laurie Anderson, Karen Finley and Tim Crouch. There are various reasons and below are the reasons for each artist and why I want to incorporate their performance style:

Laurie Anderson – As mentioned before, the piece will focus on YouTube and I am intending to livestream the show. Therefore, I am expecting that my show will have a massive emphasis on the multimedia aspect. With Anderson’s work, I find it highly political in which every piece of work aims to send a message concerning politics. Some of her favourite work that I have discovered is Mach 20 as I feel the use of the voice is not only used for comedic purposes but also highlights the problems about how sometimes we forget what is going on in the world and the metaphor of the sperm whale being a missile is interesting. This could be an exciting idea in trying to modulate and change my voice as I feel that this could emphasise the idea that for people on YouTube, you only see what they wish to put out online. Therefore, by deciding to modulate my voice, it could mean that it could be interesting to observe how I am only showing an audience (Ie. the people that view the livestream) how they are viewing an image I wish to put out online.

(k8fan, 2006).

Karen Finley – Another artist that interests me is Karen Finley and her idea of hysteria. This is because when it comes to YouTube, when a video is put online, there can be some extreme comments which people could relate back to Finley’s work. Whilst I will say that I personally am not a fan of her work due to the explicit nature of it, I do personally think that there are interesting elements to explore. I think that Finley’s work, whilst there is a heavy emphasis on hysteria and the female body, could be used to help create my diss track in beginning it as a funny piece only to then take it to an extreme.

(Belgian New Beat, 2014).

Tim Crouch – One final artist that I am currently thinking about is Tim Crouch. This is because I am a fan of the way he has the idea of not distancing himself from the audience by making all his roles “Tim Crouch as…” meaning that he is closer to the audience as he is not playing a role but just showing a side of his personality suited for the role. Personally, I find this interesting as I want to get the audience create a bond with me and I feel that by creating a bond with the audience, it will help them not only engage in the piece but also make them feel trapped in this idea of thinking they know about me when in fact they will only see one side of me onstage. Thus, I am also keen to use Crouch’s theory of autosuggestion in which I can theoretically suggest to the audience that I am taking on the persona of a YouTuber instead of actually being one.

What do you want your audience to take away from the piece? 

For the show, there are many things I want the audience to take away. However, the main objective of the piece is to alert and inform people about the cynical things that can occur when people create YouTube videos. That is not to say that this is going to be done in a dystopian or didactic manner in which the message is “YouTube is bad. Stay away from it.” But, the whole purpose of it is to show this idea of how some people do gain a reputation and how far they are willing to go to gain that reputation online. Thus, I hope the piece will be able to help people become a bit cynical about the way people project their lives onto the internet.

Works Cited:

Belgian New Beat (2014) Karen Finley – Tales of Taboo . Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rrr4qNJJ7U8 [accessed 2 March 2018].

Good Morning Britain (2018) The ‘KFC’ Chicken Crisis – Good Morning Britain. Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4VtITHr-OQ&feature=youtu.be [accessed 1 March 2018].

ITV News (2018) KFC closures over chicken shortage to continue for rest of the week – ITV News . Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elh5B1y8vKM [accessed 1 March 2018].

k8fan (2006) Laurie Anderson – Mach 20 . Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SirOxIeuNDE [accessed 2 March 2018].

Presentation on Tim Crouch

Daniel John Fotheringham / / Other Solo Performances, Research Material

Below is a slideshare presentation on Tim Crouch. It cover’s three pieces of work that he has created. If the link does not work, please use the following web address to find the presentation:

The videos in the presentation are listed below:

(TEDx Talks, 2017).

(juliageek, 2007)

(juliageek, 2007)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0frcePdLnJg

(traversetheatre, 2010).

Works Cited:

juliageek (2007) An Oak Tree by Tim Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=321&v=gIf3a49W_iI [accessed 26 February 2018].

juliageek (2007) Tim Crouch: England

Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeQ07Wmt_6E [accessed 26 February 2018].

traversetheatre (2010) The Author by Time Crouch.wmv

. Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0frcePdLnJg [accessed 26 February 2018].

TEDx Talks (2017) The Art of Autosuggestion – Tim Crouch – TEDxRoyalCentralSchool 

. Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pb11GYJ7wY [accessed 26 February 2018].

Thoughts on Paul O’Donnell’s “We’ve Got Each Other”

Daniel John Fotheringham / / Other Solo Performances, Research Material

In being able to analyse solo performance, one must be able to observe the various methods of solo performance put into practice. Indeed, by being able to analyse the piece, we are therefore able to see ideas placed into practice. This was clearly shown in Paul O’Donnell’s solo show “We’ve Got Each Other” which I got the opportunity to watch on the 8th February at Lincoln Drill Hall.

(O’Donnell,2017).

In Paul O’Donnell’s solo comedy musical, he takes on the premise that he was going to do a new Jukebox musical based on the music of Jon Bon Jovi except what he proposed has been denied. Through the set of lights and some effects such as sound and mist, we then have to imagine the musical as he reads the show to us as a workshop. Thus, we could say that he makes some interesting statements concerning musical theatre and that there has been a reliance on technology and the story to “spell out” the story out to us.

During the show, there was mainly a few changes that I was able to categorise as lighting and sound, dialogue in the musical, spectacle and the breakage of performance. The reason was as the concept was based on a supposed workshop of the show, it contained many sections concerning this in which Paul O’Donnell would have direct contact with the audience as if we were imagining what the show would look like instead of having it been made obvious for us through the spectacle of the musical. This not only created comedy but also allowed us to imagine the world of this show and let us have breathing space in letting us take in the shows spectacle.

However, what was interesting was particularly the ending in which O’Donnell decided to break the formula. Whilst there was still a sense of us being asked to imagine this spectacle, the show changed the formula in which  O’Donnell showed us a final dance scene between Gina’s cousin, José, and Gina’s forbidden lover, Tommy. In doing this dance, he broke the rules by leaving the chair he had been sat on during the entirety of the show and therefore allowed us to get an idea of this choreography that would occur in this final fight in which Tommy would die. Whilst some may say that this idea to show it compared to getting us to imagine it, I felt it was very successful as it made us understand the style of dance that would happen in this knock off Paso Doblé dance.

Thus, in conclusion of this post, Paul O’Donnell’s piece was seen to me as a success. Partly, this is down to my own self love and passion for musical theatre as I love it but as well, it is also down to his witty comments among musicals. Particularly, the Jukebox musical which has always been seen as a bit tacky and lazy at times. His use of sound, dialogue, lighting and movement allows us to have breathing space and imagine the world of this make believe musical. As well, the use of this “stripped back” production highlights to us the issues that can arise when creating a musical based on the songs of an artist and what traps can arise concerning corny one liners to introduce the song or even a character and the amount of reprises of a song that can be done differently to wow an audience when it is exactly the same song but with a different tempo, different key change and is different to the first time you heard it. By a mile, it is hysterical and also very cynical in the way it approaches musical theatre but has helped me in understanding the importance of why there is a fourth wall. And of course, it’s musicals so why wouldn’t you want to watch something like that?

In self reflection of the piece, I have gained a lot from observing this piece. It has allowed me to understand how the fourth wall can be broken as well as the breakage of rules that you can set up in a theatre. It has also helped me in understanding the distinction of actor/audience relationship and this is something I wish to take on for my solo piece as well as the idea of stripping yourself back and making yourself very bare onstage. Finally, I have also learnt that ripping to shreds musicals is great fun and entertaining to watch even if you are a fan of musicals and this is something I hope to use with the idea of YouTubing and the community of YouTube.